Villainess

Royalty (3)

Villainess

Nobody knows how many souls reside within the palace walls. The presence of people besides the king was rare, yet even he was as mysterious as his residence. Of course, the real mystery was how the people had come to know of the royal family. Of how they vaguely knew it's structure, a matter concerning only those at the height of nobility. The monarchy was sacred, and so, the monarchy was secretive. Detached from the population. But everyone who has ears have heard of my engagement to the prince of our kingdom.

The Prince of Light—the official name for the first prince. The future crown prince, so long as he marries well. No common man knows his name, only those at service for the palace can utter it. Though I choose to address Anthony freely, as all the respect I held for him is lost somewhere in my past. That's what his title is supposed to mean by the way. It's a symbol of respect. A recognition of his achievements at such a youthful age. A marker of his potential as his kingdom's light. Upon its bestowment, the sun supposedly shone over the palace through the night to acknowledge the arrival of this new light. But then again, nobody truly knows what occurs within palace walls.

The streets of our region remain in celebration. Bakers rise with the sun to prepare elegant twists of bread, coated in sugar, to hand to potters who take the finest vase in their collection to donate to florists who fill it with the flowers of that season. Arranged neatly, it's put on display with a meaning plain to see—love, prosperity and happiness. The king has glanced favourably onto our young lady. Though my life has already been thrown off-balance.

But I remembered the routine. First, expect the Matron's arrival. Her intent was to educate me on the ways of palace life, though her real purpose was to continue the tradition that made her family name honourable. So, although there was nothing left to teach, she remained lingering in the halls to give the impression of working to the world outside.

Then came the teachers: poets, artists and musicians. What good was a talentless bride? The goal was to learn 3 poems, or as many as poetic sayings as possible, whilst the musicians aimed to teach me one piece on each instrument. The artists simply ranted about the meaning hidden in paintings. They were all surprised to find that I already knew what they taught.

I'm sure there used to be a time when I'd pretend, but that seems so utterly meaningless now considering the end won't change regardless. I may be trapped in this cycle, but I won't pretend. I won't live as though I haven't done this before.

I would do what I wanted to; these days I shadowed the steps of my mother. She was different. Though I don't know how. Now I think there's a seriousness in her that was absent from my past...and she didn't talk to father. They weren't constantly fighting, though it seemed as though she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Or speak to him. She was cross with the thought of him, continuously muttering on about her failures in choosing him. So, we spent our days in idle talk, walking along whilst I tried to uncover what exactly about her changed.

People don't change, least of all my mother. Sometimes she would alter what she said or did—make modifications her clothes or wear different clothes altogether—but the core of her never changed. It was a comforting constant. Although there were fights, there was never silence.

But I couldn't rid myself of this nerve. I wanted to understand her— truly—to find hope in this life through her. She was the only one that had changed, even slightly, for all this time. I suppose I was drawn to her for it. But I couldn't risk the pain of repeating this cycle once more. I was struggling to see the point of breaking my own rules; of getting too close knowing certainly that everything would disappear anyway. Her change doesn't mean this world has changed.

Today would be the day I left for the palace, a custom amongst those who would marry into royalty. A sort of conditional royal. Today would be the arrival of Katherine and Louise, my old companions. They were the closest things I had to friends, and they always came without delay a few moments before I had boarded that palace-bound carriage. I began to entertain this thought: this time would be different. What if my mother's change wasn't simply anomalous? What if it meant more? What if the world had changed? This would entirely depend on the arrival of Katherine and Louise.

My mother and father arrived together, noticeably keeping a sure distance away from each other; not even their shadows touched. But they both smiled, as warmly as they could, whilst the maids placed each of my belongings in the carriage. Their distance assured me my theory had been at least partially proven.

"Susanne," my mother spoke first. "I hope_"

"The journey ahead of you will be rough," my father had intentionally disrupted her, earning him a champion glare. "But I hope you always remember your duty." Even my father had been altered by mother's deviation; this was the first time he said that to me.

"Don't mind too much about duty, dear," she swallowed her anger. I could see her determination to have a pleasant farewell in her clenched fists. "Just remember to write."

"Elizabeth."

"Julius, not now."

"But...you know she can't write." Then turning to face me, "don't write, dear."

He was right, I couldn't write. It was forbidden.

"Don't tell her what to do," my mother growled though it was still contained. I didn't think she'd be able to contain it for long though.

"Don't tell her to do treacherous things! Don't write, dear, it'll be very bad. Unless there's an emergency, alright, darling?" He reached his hand to caress my head, but mother slapped it away before it could touch a hair.

"Don't try me, Julius," she was blatantly picking a fight now. "Why exactly can't our daughter write to her parents."

"Elizabeth..."

"No no, go on. Educate me."

Ouch. My father had never received a proper education.

"It is not done at the palace!"

"Neither is this!" She gestured to me, and the whole ordeal. "Children don't get engaged, Julius, but she did. So, I don't see your logic in enforcing this archaic rule."

They bickered back and forth without a single sight of Katherine and Louise. I had already begun to scheme ways in which I could transform the whole world. We'd stop being puppets on fate's string. If I could change more people, like how mother changed father, we would be finally free. I could die of old age. I could...truly do anything and be remembered for doing it. After all, me without Katherine and Louise is a deviation unto itself.

"Goodbye, mother, father."

And just as my feet touched the first steps into the carriage, the bickering stopped. A sense of dread filled me.

"Before you go, we have a gift for you." I didn't want to turn around, but I thought it'd be better to face it head on. Besides, it might be...a pet?

"We found two nameless girls..." I didn't hear the rest of what they said. My sight focused in on the bodies of two girls, around the same age as me, who had suddenly appeared from nowhere.

Typical.

It was Katherine and Louise.

Not caring if they'd finished talking, I turned around and marched into the carriage. I could just leave now, abruptly, two knocks to signal the coachman. But they would be bound to find a way to send them off to the palace with me. Perhaps on the second carriage with all my belongings...lost in my internal debate I didn't fully register the presence of two warm bodies on either side of me. They'd be arriving with me. Great.

Louise knocked twice, and we set off.

But as we departed, I didn't hear my mother mutterings.

"Those dammed royals."