Reincarnated as an Ugly Step Sister

Chapter 28

I rise from my bed at the sound of a knock. When I open the door I see Miola, a huge smile plastered onto her face. "I'm guessing it went well," I say. She nods and takes a moment to catch her breath, since she probably ran straight here.

When she finally starts breathing normally again we sit on the bed and she tells me what her parents said. "My father was really against it at first but my mother spoke up and said she trusted me and that this would be good for me. There's still some logistics to work out but Nicholas and I are postponing the engagement for three years."

"That's great! What are you going to do with your newfound freedom?" I ask.

"I'm going to disguise myself and travel all over the world. I told my father that it would make me a better ruler to see how our citizens and citizens of other kingdoms lived. He agreed as long as I have two undercover bodyguards." Miola can't stop smiling and it makes me grin too.

"What's an undercover bodyguard?" I question.

"It's a guard that is also in disguise, either as my traveling companion or someone who just happens to go everywhere I go. I wish you could come but I know you're busy looking for your sister's cure."

I nod. "I'll see you all the time when you're married to Nicholas though." I instantly regret saying that and check if she looks upset but she surprisingly seems fine.

"That'll be so fun! I need to go plan out my travels but I'll see you at dinner." I say goodbye to her and she skips out of the room.

My stomach turns at the idea of eating dinner with Miola and her family. When I stayed at Nicholas's I never had to eat with his family, I'd go straight to the kitchen. I haven't been taught the proper manners and Miola's parents sound strict and judgemental. I'm also afraid of how awkward the conversation will be. I tally the people in my head. Me, Chase, and Nicholas, Miola, her brothers, Ariel, and Miola's parents. Ten people. What in the world will we talk about? I change into a different dress, this one not as pretty but much more fancy than the dress I was wearing earlier. I leave my hair as it is. I think the flower crown looks very nice.

I am sitting by the window, staring at nothing in particular, and running through all the ways dinner could go wrong, when Chase opens the door and says "It's dinner time."

I jump a little, startled out of my thoughts. "You scared me," I say. "Knock next time. I could have been changing."

"Why would you need to change?"

"I'm just saying in general you should knock. Also, because we're meeting the king and queen and if we make a bad impression they could kill us, or judge Nicholas for being friends with us and start a war, or not let Miola go because it was me who pushed her to travel alone and postpone the wedding, or not let me be friends with Miola, or-"

Chase finally cuts me off. "You're so afraid of royalty. None of that's going to happen, you're freaking out for no reason. They're not psychopaths, they're rulers of a kingdom. You were afraid of Nicholas for a while too, which is crazy."

"He told you about that?" I say, embarrassed and a little offended. "I just don't like the idea of absolute power." I think back to democracy and sigh internally. "I don't know any table manners! How do I know which fork to use for which course?"

"The usual rule of thumb is to go outside in, but you can just copy me." I pause, confused as to why Chase would know table manners until I recall that he lived with Nicholas for a while.

"Thank you," I mutter, discouraged by the fact that I'll be the only person at the table who doesn't know what they're doing.

When we get to the dining room the only other person there, except for a few maids and butlers, is Ariel. She has straight red hair that flows all the way to her lower back. She sits neatly, her hands folded in her lap, looking down in a way that makes her appear very innocent. I resist the urge to talk with her right away and promise to track her down later, when we can have some privacy.

The dining table is long and practically overflowing with dishware and centerpieces. There are ten seats with little note cards that have our names scrawled neatly on them. I circle the table, reading each card carefully. Going in order, starting at the head, is the king with the queen at his side. Beside the queen is Fabian, Miola's older brother, and then Ariel. I can't read her card because she's sitting in the way and I don't want to be looking over her shoulder in a weird way. Next to her is Chase and at the foot of the table, Nicholas. I'm on his other side and Miola is next to me. In between Miola and her father are Prince Benedict and Prince Barnaby, probably her younger brothers.

Just as I take my seat a trumpet begins to honk loudly. A butler announces "Prince Nicholas of Luxalia" and Nicholas enters the room. He takes his place at the foot of the table without needing to check the place card. Miola, her brothers, and finally, her parents are introduced and the seats fill with people.

You would imagine that with so many people, smaller conversations would break out, but that's not what happens. The king and queen, Nicholas, and Fabian strike up a very boring conversation about politics. Occasionally Nicholas will try and ask Miola something but she replies with short answers. I recall her saying she disliked politics. Miola's younger brothers are twins and they seem to be old enough to be in middle school. They stay silent and pick at their food the entire time. Every once and a while someone will address me or Chase and I'm thoroughly impressed at Chase's ability to converse, being that he's so closed off unless we're joking around. Whenever someone asks me anything I freeze and stumble my way through a reply. I know I shouldn't be afraid or self conscious but I feel so out of place in this group.

Ariel stays quiet the whole time and no one even looks at her, except for Fabian. Now and then he'll lean over and whisper something in her ear and she'll blush. The only times she ever looks up is to look at him. Her love for Fabian is so obvious, it shows in everything she does. She's absolutely smitten with him and it makes me want to protect her because she seems so vulnerable. I have to remind myself that I'm on a mission to save a different princess and if I keep interfering in fairytales I may have to face cosmic karma.

Dinner feels like it lasts forever. We eat four courses and somehow the topic of conversation doesn't change. By the time dessert has arrived, the only people who still seem interested in talking are the king and Nicholas, who I'm sure is keeping the conversation afloat out of politeness.

By the time I get to my room I'm so tired I fall asleep immediately. However, I don't sleep long because a nightmare startles me awake. I look out the window and check the moon. I estimate it's around ten o'clock so I decide to look for Ariel. Unfortunately, the castle is huge and I shouldn't try to open every door checking for her, so I think of where else I could find her. I think back to her fairytale and try to come up with any clues. Suddenly, I recall from the original story that she would go soak her feet in the ocean at night and sometimes talk with her sisters. I practically leap out of bed as soon as I think of this. I grab a random cloak and pair of shoes before rushing out of the room.

I make my way out of the castle. Luckily the corridor my bedroom is in has a staircase leading out the castle. I think it's mostly used by servants or for a quick escape. I make my way around the castle and down a narrow path that leads from the top of the cliff to the ocean.

When I get to the beach I look around, trying to spot Ariel by the water. Finally I see her, sitting on some rocks and dipping her feet in the shallow waves. I quietly walk closer to her, trying to see what she's doing. The jagged rocks that she's sitting by make it hard for me to see her in the moonlight but finally I make out the figures of several mermaids sitting near her. At first I think that this has ruined my plan but then I remember that Ariel can't talk so it's good her sisters are here. I'm afraid they'll run when the see me so I stay hidden behind some rocks until I'm only fifteen feet away. Then I walk as innocently as I can over to where they're sitting. A few mermaids gasp and dive into the water at the sight of me but not all of them have such good reflexes.

"I'm Violet," I say, looking each mermaid in the eyes. "And I need your help."