ROYALTY

Chapter 18

The prince that would not even spare me a glance even when we were in the same room.  "I will not say it again, stay away from him."  And she walked out of the room, slamming the wooden door after her. Poor door, I felt its pain. I turned my attention back to the horse, it had its behind facing me now. I got a brush and went to brushing its hair,  "She is bossy is she not?" he snickered. "I understand you, everyone expects you to do things, but have they ever considered your feelings?"  I heaved a sigh at the same time the grey beast did so. I pulled out the apple I had pocketed from earlier, a certain someone was generous enough to leave a basket of fruit right in front of my door. I fed it to him and the beast almost took my hand off with it.

I left the stable, walking in the cold windy air kicking my shoes against the dust and thinking of snow. I heard hushed voices coming from behind a bundle of hay. I moved but this time going backwards, making my footsteps hallow and soundless as I moved. Two heads, one tall and the other short came out looking towards the direction of the castle, their backs turned to me. "What do you think they were talking about?" The taller one asked, "How would I know? Even though we were so close to the stables, we could not hear a single thing. . Do you think she was telling her to accept the hand of the duke? Gianna spread rumours saying she would accept if he asked."  "If" Penelope said, "If he asks, Amelia."  "For crying out loud, she is too good for herself." Amelia laughed. "I pray that wench says yes. So the prince can choose me, everyone knows I am the better lady and fit for a queen."

Penelope made a sound that sounded more like snickering. I always knew she was some kind of wild beast. "Oh, Amelia, you little thing, everyone knows that—." She had turned and came face to face with me. "That you both are horrible choices. And so I have heard."  Amelia turned at the sound of my voice. Both looking evil. "So, it is true?" she tusked "It is such a pity that you are the only one being reprimanded by the princess, if I did not know any better I would say she wants you out." She took a step or two closer.  "Thank goodness you do not know any better. Besides what are you both doing here, if I remember correctly, the rules state no one should room the grounds unsupervised."

"Unlike you," Penelope said as she pushed past me and opened the stable doors. "We are going riding with the prince and his court, if you were paying any attention at breakfast, you would have heard." I looked at her outfit, and true to her words, she had her riding clothes on. I scolded myself inwardly, where was my mind back then? "Apologies your drunkenness, but I had a particularly important meeting with the princess as you had seen. And if I can remember you tried so hard to hear what was being discussed." I dusted an imaginary speck of dust from my already rumpled dress. Boy! was I getting a scolding from Maeve.

"I will be on my way now." I turned to take my leave, my steps slow like I owned the world but my heart racing a thousand miles.

***
Once I was in the castle walls I ran up the stairs, "blasted bloody bampot cockwaffle cocknugget,"  No offence nuggets, I still love you with pancakes and syrup. "Dookie stairs." I said as I slumped down on the seventh stair, I heard the crunching of bone from underneath me and for some reason I was not feeling sorry for my behind but for the dear whale creatures that had to endure death for my sake. "Blasted shoes! Why on earth do we wear such contraptions with hideous-"

The servant that passed by me sent me a very disapproving look, and I stuck my tongue out. That sent him running for the hills. I made my way to my room with a wonderfully topsy-turvy day gown. I had just opened the door.

"I promise you Lauren, I will chain that girl to the bed post so that we would not have to look for her everywhere." She was talking to herself now. "I know a maid that knows a man that knows someone that knows how to make the best chains and padlocks. For her, I would not mind using my salary for that purpose." I made a slight groan, that had been tried on me, but with rope by my elder sisters, and here was I now. "I think I have more broken bones in my skirt than in my body." That caught their attention. If maids were ladies, I am sure Lauren would have fainted. I was already undressing, my nude form coming into view.

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