𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄 | 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐍 | (𝟏)

𝒙𝒗 | 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 & 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒆𝒏

𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐲 𝐑𝐮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞

...✵...

🐉 | 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐀 | 🐉

"𝐈t hurts."

I blew my white blonde hair out of my face as I scrubbed the floors in Thea's room. I glanced briefly at her, holding onto the edge of her mirror as Mileva tightened her corset. Thea's dark blue gown caressed the floor with black lace sleeves that revealed glimpses of her skin. Her mother placed a small diamond crown on Thea's head, a gift from the king, signaling his approval of her marrying his son.

"Beauty is pain," Mileva told her youngest daughter. "It won't matter because all eyes will be on you at your ball."

I scrubbed the floors harder, trying to distract myself from Thea and Arthur and their upcoming wedding. Each day, it became more difficult to see him with Thea.

"I thought Uther was backing out," Saige said from a lounge chair near the mirror. She glanced at me before turning her gaze to her mother. "He was going to let Arthur choose his queen. What changed his mind?"

"It was simple," Mileva told her eldest. "With the war with Queen Rajni, he can't afford to lose his allies." I felt Mileva's gaze and placed my brush in the bucket full of water. "Plus, I have something he can't live without."

"So you blackmailed the king," Saige said, her tone flat.

Mileva shrugged and stepped back to admire her handiwork. "It wasn't hard. The king chose his kingdom over his son." She pulled Thea into a hug as she looked in the mirror. "Soon, she will be his queen and nothing else will matter."

"I think it needs something else," Thea said, placing her hands on her stomach. She turned her gaze to me. "Carena."

I lifted my eyes to meet Thea's. "Yes."

"Can you go to the market and get me a bracelet to match my gown?" Thea asked.

"Honey, you don't have to ask," Mileva told her. "She'll do as you say because that's her job."

I forced a smile. "Of course."

Mileva walked over and smiled at me before kicking the bucket of water over, splashing me. I gasped as the water crashed against the floor.

"Oops," Mileva said. "It seems you missed a spot." She crouched and grabbed my arm in a tight grip. "Don't interfere with Thea marrying Arthur, and I won't send you back to Ayanna," she whispered. I swallowed and nodded. "Once you get this clean, then go to the market."

I watched as Mileva and her daughters left the room, their laughter echoing down the hall. Saige glanced back, her eyes flickering with a hint of sympathy, but she quickly turned away. I forced a smile and grabbed a rag to mop up the water.