48 hours to fall in love

Part 18

12 years later

It had been more than ten years since Lady Greta had fled from the face of the earth, exactly twelve years since the kingdom of Empress had carried out the disembodied burial of Princess Greta. And still her absence was felt, still she was missed, still mentioning the name Greta and calling a girl Greta was forbidden. Her life had lasted only a short time, but it had marked all the years to come after her departure.

-Vilma, hurry up, we are going to be late with Pedro," cried Queen Isabel.

-I'm coming, mother, it's been the same with you all my life, making me believe that I'm late for an appointment with the tailor when in reality he is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week," said Vilma, while she put on a pair of golden slippers that her father had given her last month for her eighteenth birthday.

-Look, young lady, you respect me and if I tell you we are late it is because we are late, I will not tolerate that my own daughter treats me with a long tongue, do you hear me, you spoiled child? -shouted the queen, furious.

Then Vilma stood up and faced her mother.

-Mom, I'm not a child anymore, I'm eighteen years old, and you can't keep treating me as if I were a child, I won't let you do it. Do you hear me? -Vilma shouted at her.

Suddenly, the echo of the slap Queen Isabella had given her daughter resounded in the room.

-Look, young lady, you may be a princess, but that's no way to behave, were you raised by wolves? Let me tell you, Vilma, the crown does not make the queen, the queen makes the crown. Do you hear me? -Queen Elizabeth said, showing her authority to Vilma.

-Yes, Mama, I understand," whispered Vilma, rubbing her left cheek as a tear rolled down her face.

Vilma had become quite a young lady, and as a result, she was attracted to certain men she saw, whether in the streets of the kingdom, in crowded places, at events in the castle, or even in her own room. For there was a servant, who every morning was in charge of organizing her room, who drove her crazy, to such an extent that his name: Enod, was all over her diary, and even went off the pages. And, truth be told, you wouldn't expect anything less from such a beautiful young lady as Vilma, she had a slender figure, an oval face, and almond-shaped eyes with long eyelashes set to perfection. Little Vilma had vanished from the face of the earth, and was now another person, totally different. Even the people of the kingdom whispered everywhere that Princess Vilma's face had been carved by the angels themselves. After a few moments, Vilma wiped away her tears and sat up. She went out with her mother to the house of the tailor named Pedro, who lived a kilometer from the castle. They got into the carriage, the queen's favorite form of transport, and set off on their ride.

-Mom, when is dad coming back from his trip to the kingdom of Cilindrar? -Princess Vilma wanted to know.

-I don't know, dear, he may come today, or he may not arrive until next week, you know how he is with those business trips, my little chatterbox," answered Isabel, while she smoothed her perfectly ironed dress.

When they arrived at the tailor's house, Vilma and Isabel got out with the help of the chauffeur, and then entered the royal tailor's house.

-Oh, what a surprise that you have arrived so early, usually Princess Vilma is a little more reluctant to come," interjected the tailor, amicably.

-Yes, I know, my dear Pedro, but you see, there's nothing that a little discipline can't correct," added Isabel, looking suspiciously at Vilma.

-Oh, fantastic! -Well, I think I'll start, after all, that's what you came here for, don't you think? -he asked.