One In The Same Flame. ~Red Queen~ 《Cal x Reader 》

chapter 9 Titanos

lady OliviaViana  Titanos, born to lady Nora Noelle Titanos and Ethan Titanos, general of the Iron Legion. Heiress to House Titanos, Olivia Titanos. Titanos. 

My new name echos in my head, as the red maids prepared me for the onslaught. The queen had split up Mare and I. The three girls work quickly and efficiently, never speaking to one another. They don't ask me questions either, even though they must want to.  say nothing, I remember. They're not allowed to speak to me, and they currently aren't allowed to talk about me to anyone else. Even the strange things, the red  things, i'm sure they see.

Over many agonizing minutes, they try to make me suitable, bathing me, styling me, painting me into the silly thing i'm supposed to be. The makeup is the worst , especially the thick white paste applied to my skin. They go through three pots of it, covering my face, neck, collarbones, arms with the glittery wet powder. In the mirror, it looks like the warmth is leached from me, as if the powder has covered the heat in my skin, With a gasp, I realize it's supposed to hide my natural flush, the red bloom in my skin, the red blood.  I'm pretending to be Silver, and  when they finish painting I look the part. With my newly pale skin and darkened eyes lips, I look cold, cruel, a living razor. I look Silver. I look beautiful. And I hate it.   

 How long will this last? A betrothed suitor to a prince.  Even in my head, it sounds crazy. Because it is. No Silver in their right mind would marry you. let alone  a prince of Norta. Not to calm a rebellion, not to hide your identity, not for anything.

Then why do this?

 When the maid pinch and pull me into a gown I feel like a corpse being dressed for her funeral. I know it's not far from the truth. Red girls do not marry Silver princes. I will never wear a crown or sit on a throne. Something will happen. A lie will raise me up, and a lie will bring me down. 

The dress is a dark shade of purple spattered with silver, made of silk and sheer lace. All the house have a color. I remember, thinking ti the rainbow of families. The color Titanos, my name,  must be purple and silver.  

I run a hand over my earrings, the last bits of my old life. Three cheap pieces of metal, each one a brother and a friend , aren't going anywhere.

"The color suits you."

I whirl around to see the maids stooped in identical bows. And standing over them: Cal. suddenly i'm very glad the makeup covers the blush spreading over me. 

He gestures his hand quickly, his hand moving in a brushing motion, and the maids scurry from the room like mice fleeing from a cat. 

"I'm soft of new to this royal thing, but i'm not sure you're supposed to be here. In my room." I say, forcing as much distaste into my voice as I can mutter. After all, it's his fault Mare and I are in this mess. He takes a few steps toward me, and on instinct, I take a step back. My feet catch on the hem of my dress, making me choose between not moving and falling over. 

"I came to apologize, something I can't really do with an audience." He stops shorts, noting my discomfort. A muscle twitches in his cheek as he looks me over, probably remembering the hopeless girl who tripped him only last night. I look nothing like her now. "I'm sorry for getting you into this, Olivia."

"OliviaViana."  The name even tastes wrong. "That's my name, remember?"

"Well then it's a good thing that Olivia is a suitable nickname."

"I don't think anything is suitable."

Cal's eyes rake over me, and my skin burns under his gaze. "How do you like Lucas?" He finally says, taking a obliging step back.