Villainess Reborn: SEASON ONE

CHAPTER 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Tatiana was bored.

Going to the library and studying about the kingdom and its people were boring because Elliot wasn't there. She also hung around her room all day because she didn't know where else to go.

On the bright side, she was served ice cream every day and read novels that Emma sneaked in for her. Apparently, royalty was not allowed to read such things as romance or fiction books because it was against the rules, and Emma could be hit a hundred times with a paddle if she was discovered, but Tatiana wasn't royalty—at least not pretending to be one.

The days passed by slowly and excruciatingly slowly, but Tatiana managed to live. At least she was not called in by the queen after the incident at the tea party.

"Your highness, please. You should at least be doing something productive throughout the day." Emma rattled inside, bringing afternoon tea and starting to pick up garments on the floor.

"There is not a thing I could do inside this palace. I'm not even sure if I really am the princess." Tatiana sat up from laying in her bed and closed the book that she was reading. "I thought princesses had duties and responsibilities as preparation for the future. Isn't there anything else I could do here?"

Emma answered, "Princesses are meant to stay at home and be beautiful and take care of themselves so that their future husband will be pleased."

"Why is everyone here talking like women are objects that are only meant to be on display?"

"Can a woman be anything else?"

The princess's face turned sour and she glanced at Emma to see if she was joking or something, but the poor girl looked like she was genuinely curious. Sometimes, Tatiana forgets that she lives in a fictional world. The world seems too real and the details seem real too. Even the problems in society and the stigma against women seem real too.

"Have you ever wanted to be anything else other than working in the palace?"

Emma paused from dusting off the cabinets and thought about it.

"I had a dream once. I wanted to become a writer who

created love stories like what you're reading."

"Then be one."

"Peasants like me don't have the luxury of being someone like that, princess. Also, I do not know how to write."

Tatiana paused. "Come to think of it, the ladies from the tea party said that they did not know how to read. But you know how to read. Do you even have schools here for kids and people who want to learn?"

"The people of this kingdom don't see reading and writing as something important, and yes, there are schools but only for noble boys"

"How did you learn to read, then?"

"Well," Emma paused and smiled, "there was a school at my hometown and when I was a kid, I listened and learned on my own outside the school's window. But the children and teachers there discovered me and I was beaten half to death."

"Oh," Tatiana winced, "that's not right."

"I was lucky enough to be spared alive. They had the freedom to kill me if they saw fit."

"I don't like the way this kingdom works." Tatiana scrunched up her nose in disgust and stood up from her bed. "It's messed up."

"It is?" Emma asked, as if it was normal. Tatiana could not blame her. If kids grow up in an environment where people are illiterate and look down on others, they see it as a normal standard in society.

'But then again, this isn't my world, and therefore, it isn't my problem.' She thought to herself.

"Let's go," Tatiana said, and she walked towards the door.

"Go where?"

"I want to explore the palace."

Palace workers stumbled and immediately bowed their heads in fear when Tatiana passed by. Most of them are surprised to see the princess casually walking down the hallways at an ordinary day.

The sun was high up and the sky looked bright and blue. The princess hummed as she skipped through the hallways and looking around while Emma strutted behind her.

"Princess please be careful. You might fall down!" Emma called after her looking all worried but the princess ignored her and ran towards the window.

Thinking that the princess would jump out of it, Emma, including the servants that surrounded them ran towards the princess as an attempt to save her but the princess held on to the railings and looked outside the window with pure amazement.

"Woah, the palace looks good on the outside!" she gasped looking over the palace grounds. She excitedly looked back at Emma only to see the servants surrounding her with their hands frozen in the air like they were about to catch something.

"What's happening?" she asked.

Emma sighed in relief and massaged the temples of her forehead. She felt like her heart was about to burst out from her chest. The other servants sighed in relief as well and respectfully retreated and went back to what they were doing.

"Why?" Tatiana squeaked out a sound and looked around after everyone around her dispersed. She wondered why everyone looked that like that in the first place.

"Nothing, your highness." Emma answered.

"Hmm," Tatiana looked at the sky and down to the palace grounds. "Let's go on a picnic! The weather is great and I'm bored in my room. This is a nice thing to change things up."

"A what? Your highness?"

"A picnic!" Tatiana repeated. "Where's William? He should join us!"

"But sir William is busy attending to other affairs."

"Maybe next time?" Tatiana asked.

Emma had smiled and nodded at the princess saying, "Yes, that would be for the better."

They continued walking down the hallway. The palace hallways had cinquefoil arches every ten meters apart and each one is intricately carved with leaves vine designs. The red carpet is laid on the floor that stretches out at the length of the hallway including every corner.

Tatiana looked over one of the open windows showing another part of the palace from the outside. She also noticed the gargoyles outside the windows. Some of it are in good condition but others are covered in moss and algae, and some have cracks and weed growing in it.

"Tatiana?"

"Hmm?"

She turned her head just to see an unfamiliar person wearing expensive clothing. She tilted her head in wonder and tried to remember who the familiar face was and that's when she noticed that every person around them were bowing their heads.

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END