The Lady-in-Waiting

Chapter 2

Lucinda

The journey has begun. Zora is sitting up in front and is driving the car while I'm sitting in the backseat, reading a book. It is her job as my lady-in-waiting to do most of the work. So I'll let myself be lazy. Maybe I should call some of my friends who haven't said if they are coming to my wedding yet. I did pack my phone.

I decide to make some calls and most people can come (who would pass up the chance to attend a royal wedding?). Though I'm excited to get married, I wish I had gotten to pick who I'd wed. As much as Prince George is nice and my father still thinks he will take good care of me, I wish I could have at least dated my future husband. On the bright side, we've met before. But we were only kids. I haven't seen him in a long time because of the distance between our two kingdoms. My sisters will get to choose their husbands. Why can't I? Probably because I'm the heir to the throne and my father wants to know and trust the future king of Norillia. My mother wants me to marry someone that is both kind and high in society. Prince George is both. As for my stepmother, she just wants me to be happy and in good hands. My stepfather, King Thomas of Perneete wants the same. I don't know how my sisters feel. I decide to call Millicent.

"WHO ARE YOU AND HOW DID YOU GET MY NUMBER?!!!" Millicent screams over the phone.

"Millie, it's me, Lucinda. I keep telling you to get caller ID," I say.

"Oh, sorry Lulu. I've asked dad a million times and he says that I can't have a new phone yet since I just got one a few months ago. Even if it's a used one from thirty years ago"

"But you're almost twenty-two. You're an adult. You can get one if you want."

"I guess. Why did you call me anyway?"

"Millie, what do you think about arranged marriages?" I say, a little bit nervous to hear her reaction.

"Lulu, don't tell me that you want to cancel the wedding and return your engagement ring," she exclaims. Lulu is my nickname and Millie is Millicent's.

"That's the thing," I say. "My ring was mailed to me. George is hundreds of miles away. I barely know my fiance!"

"I can't say I know how you feel-,"

"Of course you don't! You're not the heir!" I shout.

"No, but I'm still a princess. Father only lets me date famous people," she says, clearly hurt by what I said.

"Look, Millie, I shouldn't have yelled at you," I start to apologize but she doesn't let me finish.

"Lucinda, you're not Father's only daughter. And even though you'll probably be queen someday, that doesn't make you any better than the rest of us!" Millicent hangs up.

The way the call ended makes me feel unhappy and Zora notices.

"Princess Lucinda, how come you look so sad?" she says.

I tell her about the phone call.

"Ugh, now my throat hurts from talking so much," I say after discussing the call. "Could you get me a drink at the next rest stop?"

"Get it yourself," says Zora. "It's not my job to serve you."

I don't know why Zora is acting so weird, so I'll get it myself. At the next stop, I buy a soda and drink it in the car. The fruit-flavored drink washes down my throat and my thirst is gone. For the moment, at least. Because a few hours later, I get thirsty again and decide to ask Zora again.

Zora

"Zora, if you would be so kind, could you fetch me something to satisfy my thirst?" says Lucinda.

She's getting fed up since she seems to be carefully wording what she says. I haven't been her lady-in-waiting very long, but I know that she does this when she's mad (King Peter told me once). This is my chance to enter the next stage of my plan.

"Get it yourself. "I'm not going to serve you. If you're so thirsty, walk to the nearest gas station or restaurant."

Lucinda sighs, grabs her purse, and gets out of the car. I watch her walk until I can't see her anymore. Then I pull over to wait for Lucinda to get back.

"That was uncalled for," says Adventurous from his horse trailer.

"Shut up, you dumb horse," I mutter. "What did your parents teach you again? 'Say something nice or don't say anything at all?'"

"Same goes for you."

"Well, you aren't even part of this. So why not stay out of it?"

"Lucinda's my best friend," he says.

"Ugh," I reply.

Why can't he just be a human? Oh, right. Because I turned him into a horse (and almost went to jail). This may be the thing I regret most in life. That, or deciding to become a stupid fairy godmother in the first place. Now, I'm Snow's companion 'till I die. I mean, who even wants that? I chose to be a fairy godmother because I used to like helping people. So cheesy. I mean, I made some friends and stuff, but I don't think it was worth it. Going back to magic school, I don't regret that.

Anyway, eventually, Lucinda comes back holding a soda. I step out of the car and purposely bump right into the drink (which is open), and it goes all over her dress.

"Guess you'll have to go back," I laugh.

Lucinda stomps off. I had snatched the camera, which was on her dress, right off the pin it was attached to when I bumped into her (it was on there very loosely, like if Queen Cecelia had used a glue stick, so it wasn't too hard). That may not have been my original plan, but it worked, so I'm not going to complain or anything.

Just then, Lucinda stops.

"Where's my camera?' she says. "Zora! What! Did! You! Do?!"

"Nothing," I reply. "Because soon, you'll be me."

A little kid notices us from a slow-driving car. I throw him the camera.

"Cool, thanks," he says.

That problem is solved. Now for Lucinda. I pull out my wand.