The Dancing Princesses

Lizette

I sit at my desk in my room. The letter written to my sisters and I stares at me, taunting me, laughing at me. I can't tell Father that I know how and why Mother was killed. I am cursed with two curses. Secrecy and dancing. I always did love dancing. Mother always told me that I had a gift for it. My other sisters all have their own gifts. But mine is dancing. In a way, this curse is in my favor. I know that Isadora hates it. I let out a sigh and drop my head onto my desk, wrapping my arms around my head. I sit like this until I hear a knock on my door. I sit up, reluctantly.

"Come in."

Father opens the door and steps in. I jump to my feet, as common courtesy.

"Go ahead and sit, Lizette." Father says. His eyes are red and puffy. He's been crying. I sit obediently.

"The captain of the guard told me that you received a letter and then ordered everyone except your sisters to leave. What was in the letter?"

I open my mouth to explain, but I make no sound. I try again. Still no sound. And then I remember. I can't speak of it. I was cursed with secrecy. I wrinkle my nose and think. How could I tell him? My eyes drift towards the letter on the desk. I absent-mindedly pick it up and finger it.

"Lizette. May I read it?" Father asks.

I jolt out of my thoughts and hand him the paper. "Of course."

"Lizette," Father says after a moment. "There's nothing on this. It's blank."

Ah, of course. He can't read it. It is addressed to the twelve princesses and no one besides them can read what it says. How very clever.

"That's what the letter said. Nothing. The guard gave it to me and I opened it and it was blank. I don't know what it means." I say. The letter never said I couldn't lie about it.

Father sighs and tosses the letter onto my desk. Then he looks at me, looking three times his age. "Lizette, now that your mother is dead, I need you to take over her duties as queen. I know you're only 24, but I can't let one of your sisters have it. One day, when I die, you, as the heir, will be queen. The others don't have the same birthright. Are you going to be okay with this?"

I swallow and nod my head.

Father looks a little less stressed. "Thank you, Lizette. Now, I need you to plan your mother's funeral. We are retrieving her body and it will be placed into preservation as soon as possible. That gives you about three or four days. Do you think you can do the?"

Again, I nod. I feel too upset to speak.

Father gives me a weak smile. "Thank you, Liz."

He turns and promptly leaves my room, gone in mere seconds. I turn back to the letter. I can still read what's written. This is just a disaster. I shove the letter aside and snatch up a new piece of parchment. I dip my elegant swan's feather quill into the ink and start writing out details for Mother's funeral. I have only started when another knock vibrates softly through my room.

"Come in." I say.

Belle, quiet, shy, and sweet Belle, enters and shuts the door almost silently behind her.

"Lizzy, can I talk to you for a moment?" she asks in her soft and gentle voice.

I smile. "Of course, dear sister."

Belle comes farther into the room and settles herself on the edge of my feather bed. She fingers the pale blue silk covers.

"I am worried about Christina. She's so little and young. She keeps asking about the curse and when Mother is coming home. I don't know what to do. And I'm really scared about this curse. I don't dance, and I am too shy to make an unknown prince to fall in love with me. I don't want to be doomed to dance forever!" she ends in a sob.

I get to my feet and cross to where she is sitting. I put my arm around her and comfort her. After awhile, her crying fades and she's sitting silently beside me.

"Belle, we'll figure something out. You won't be doomed to dance forever. I will be with you until you get a prince to dance with you. I promise." I whisper.

She gives me a tiny smile before drying her eyes and leaving. She's gone, just like that. I watch her go, a sinking in my stomach. Christina is so small and doesn't understand, Belle is so alone, and I have to take over the duties of a full queen. Mother was training me to be queen and often called me her 'queen in training.' I miss Mother. I go back to my desk and the plans for Mother's funeral. How can I do this? I am not ready to be queen! I need more time! Why is my mother gone? These questions tumble around my mind as I plan and figure out details. Eventually, after two hours, I give up and just sit staring at my silver walls. And then I start crying. The first tears I've cried all day. I'm sure my sisters and my father have been crying all day, except maybe Kenzie, who has always been really good at controlling her emotions. I cry until I simply can't cry anymore. I glance at my clock. It is time for me to join my family for supper. I call to my lady's maid, who helps me clean up. And then I straighten myself and get my emotions in check. Queens never show emotion, unless it is impossible to do so. I find Sarah walking on her own.

"Sarah! Are you going to supper?" I ask.

Sarah turns to me. Her eyes are red and puffy and her face is blotched with red.

She shakes her head. "I can't. The thought of supper is sickening."

I cross to her and enfold her in an embrace. "It's going to be okay. I know you miss Mother. I miss her too. But she would want you to eat. Come with me to supper."

Sarah nods and drys her suddenly wet eyes. We walk together and enter the dining room. We separate to our different seats. Father gives me a look as I sit next to him. He tips his head towards Mother's seat. And it hits me. I am queen. I must seat in the queens seat. I rise and move to the seat Mother used to sit in, the opposite head of the table. Genevieve, who sits on my left, gives me a strange look before turning to the beef stew in front of her. I take small bites of the savory stew. I finish first. One of the servants dressed in Elaria's livery of silver and gold takes my bowl and replaces it with a plate of raspberry cheesecake. I take tiny bites and have only eaten half of it when I get to my feet. Dark is falling and I want sleep before tonight. I leave the room, my blue gown swishing after me. My lady's maid is waiting.

"Suzanne, I don't need your services tonight. You may go." I say. Suzanne nods and disappears into her adjoining room. I change out of my gown and into a nightgown. I crawl into my bed and close my eyes. When I would wake, I had no idea.