A Bitter Life, A Sweet Death

Chapter 1- Mariana

The sun rises at the same place it always has, at the same time it has for the last 3 months. As its light spreads on the open land, the harsh ground of the country is brought into view. The grass is brown as though it hasn't seen water in weeks and the crops look as if they were reaching out to water but then weathered away before they could receive it. Though most of the land is dry, if you look at certain spots you can catch a glimpse of water pooling into puddles. A reminder of what the land had used to be. A reminder that this place wasn't normal.

People gasp at the sight of this country's condition, but the image of it can only bring me joy. The land that is rotting away without much life insight is mine. All mine. Should have been mine. Will never be mine. Villagers cry out for the return of their queen, the one who can bring back life in all despair. They cry out to Velda. Queen of life, queen of peace, queen of blessing, they called her. The people who know, called her the queen of ignorance, the people who know called her the queen of fools, the people who know called her the princess of tears. I would have called her mother.

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" The Queen would like to see you," Zofe said

" Tell her I will be taking brunch in my quarter today," I said

" Unfortunately she told me that you would say that, and ordered me to make sure that you got properly dressed and headed downstairs. Oh please don't make that face, you know I wouldn't be asking this of you if I wasn't going to get in trouble with your grandmother."

" How serious can this be, you and me both know she doesn't enjoy my company that much"

" It's not just your regular meeting Miss, it taking place in the war room"

I didn't say anything after that and dismissed her. My heart was racing uncontrollably as I jostled out of my nightclothes. The war room. There could only be one reason that she would want to see me there. She was finally gonna fulfill my request. I was going to start my studies and training to be a General. My heart leaped as I thought this.

When people see me they won't be disgusted they won't look down on me. My royal standing would mean something more than just the fact that I lived in the palace. After we win the war, with me leading the charge, I will finally gain my country's love. I would finally be able to prove that I was fit for the throne and more than just the birth giver of the country's next leader. The country would finally belong to me, they would finally listen to me.

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" All I'm wondering is how nobody could see this coming, I thought we had people for these types of things"

" And whose job was that commander, you reassured me that you had spies gaining information in Mirvania."

" They have been"

" So you've either you had been lying or you have recruited incompetent spies"

" They have the highest ranking for your information"

" Then how could this happen"

" What exactly happened?" The room quieted once I spoke, not because they owed me their respect but because they had to act as they did. They tried to keep their faces as blank as possible, but I could see through them. Hints of fear and hints of hatred showed deep within their skin. Not a hint of respect or the acknowledgment that I was more valuable than they were. I was a freak in fine clothing to them, that should be nowhere near a war room.

" Mariana, your highness deepest of apologies for not greeting you as you came in," The Commander says. He's not as bad as the others when it comes to speaking to me like a human. He still doesn't treat me as if he would have treated my mother, he seems to forget that commanders are not permitted to call the royal family by their first names.

" Oh Tarsus, I care more about learning what has everyone yelling at 11:00 in the morning." I shouldn't be petty this early in the conversation. Grandmother always said to speak to the people who want to watch your downfall kindly and with grace. Grandmother would understand that more than any other person in the world.

" We are waiting for the queen your highness" he rolls his shoulders back nervously. Though he looks down on me, he's just as scared as the others. What brings the most fear to them is their ignorance of my ...... abilities? Commander was the person who found me with the boy.

" Alright I understand, I suspect she should be here shortly."

He seemed relieved that I didn't say anything else and started talking in a low voice to the person next to him.

I take a seat with a look of disinterest on my face. Emotionless, the face of stone, the way my grandmother looks when she knows that people are watching her.

Okay so they didn't call me in to start my studies, but with this chaos, a much bigger opportunity could arise.

Everyone turned their heads when they heard the large doors of the war room open. Since no one was yelling at each other anymore, the sound resembled thunder. Everyone rose from their seats to greet the queen, what they should have done for me. I rose from my seat as well but a smile crept on my face when I saw who it was. I quickly erased the expression off my face and sat back down.

" Well thank you for the greeting, I wasn't expecting this." The man who walked in said

"My apologies we confused you with someone else with much greater importance." replied the commander

" Who would that be I would love to meet them," Another voice said from behind the man

" Queen Agatha, your Majesty, I am deeply sorry for the confusion."

" You seem to be apologizing for a lot of things Commander, I should not have these mistakes happen so frequently I should degrade you."

I had to stiffen a laugh after seeing his face turn 5 shades of purple.

" But I'll give you another chance to learn how to respect others, especially someone who might have your job in the next coming years."

The Commander looked relieved for two seconds before having a look of confusion on his face. He looked like he was going to say something next, but seemed to decide otherwise when the Queen took a seat at the head of the table.

I knew that she was just bluffing, the Commander has had this job for so long the soldiers have grown a loyalty to him, but the fact she had the power to make the man nervous was one of the reasons I loved her so much.

" So it looks like Ricovia has finally decided to return to Veldernia"