𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘦𝘴

The Hard Truth (part 1)

Breakfast again. All I dreamt about that night was Wymond. His deep soft voice, his kind hazel eyes and the strange pulling feeling that surrounds him. I still don't know what made me move toward him like that but all I want is to see him again. He didn't make me feel like I was a princess, like those pompous men from the town do. He made me feel normal and that is all I have ever wanted.

I need to ask Father about what lays outside the walls. I woke this morning with a plan in my head - all I need to do is get father on one side.

As I tucked into my porridge, I asked him: "Father, what affairs do you have today?"

"Ah, well, I am planning for the day you come of age." He replied with a smile. Obviously he thinks I want to come of age.

"Brilliant!" I said with a little too much enthusiasm. "May I help?"

"Now, my dear, I did need to ask you about something's, but your Mother wants you to try some dresses that have arrived."

"Well, I can do that later." I suggested. That was the wrong thing to say however because at that moment Mother decided to walk into the room.

"I heard that!" She said, not amused. "Hilda, your dresses are far more important than what your father needs to talk to you about. Now, eat up and then you will be able to fit everything you need to do into one day."

I wasn't hungry anymore. I raised myself off my chair, walked straight past Mother and out of the room, closing the door behind me. The stairs was where I paused with one foot on the first step and my hand on the mahogany bannister. I could hear talking and scraping and the sound of metal on metal. The Hunters were there again. It sounded like they were sharpening their weapons and stacking them in their neat rows. My foot left the step and I made my way towards the door. I had just managed stopped myself from placing my hand of the handle when suddenly the door swung backwards, making me jump, revealing a figure in black hunting gear. I stepped to the side with a surprised and slightly amused expression on my face.

"Ma'am." The man said with a rough voice and a nod of his head.

"Sorry," I said and turned towards the stairs again, but not before I saw a familiar face. There was that pang, somewhere inside me, telling me that I have never felt like this before.

***

The dress fitting was almost as stressful as the trip into town the day before. I had mother telling me the dress was either beautiful or ghastly, I had the dress fitter fiddling with the waist and the length and I had Imogen picking out jewelry to match each dress.

At least it was over and I was making my way to the other side of the castle to the ballroom. Here I found father with the men who always help organize balls.

"Father." I said and my voice echoed off the high ceilings.

"Here she is. My Princess." He said with a smile. That's where Mother is different. She doesn't like to show love in front of people - or any kind of affection recently, especially to me! Although Father is King, he acts like a father when he needs to be one.

"So, what can I do to help?"

"Well, I would like to see what you look like coming in from the different doors. I need to decide which way you will make the biggest impact. You will enter where most people will see you."

Oh, how interesting, I thought, I was hoping I would be doing something more worthwhile!