Lady Grim: A Fantasy Short Story

Chapter 7: Responsibilities and Ulterior Motives

Clotho was in the throne room where Persephone was having Clotho practice for her crowning. During the rehearsal, Persephone questions Clotho,

"Clotho, who was that girl outside with you and Hubris?"

Clotho felt her heart race, thinking that Persephone is catching on to her and Lida.

"She's...a friend." Clotho lied.

"Since when you had friends?" Persephone asked. "How come me and your father never heard about her?"

"Only because y'all don't allow me to have a life." Clotho thought to herself before she spoke. 

"I just met her a few weeks ago." Clotho answered. "I was going to tell you about her soon." She lied.

"Is she royalty?" Persephone asked.

"Not that I know of." Clotho answered honestly.

Persephone scoffed in disgust.

"I bet she's a commoner." Persephone comments in an arrogant tone.

Clotho raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong with that?" She asked.

"Me and your father don't allow commoners in the palace." Persephone points out. "They're the lowest, filthiest, imps to ever exist in the Underworld." She comments.

Clotho grew angry because when Persephone was besmirching commoners, there was a possibility that she was also referring to Lida as well. Clotho then realized something that contradicts her mother's prejudice.

"What about Hubris?" Clotho asked. "He's a commoner yet you and dad had me marry him." She points out.

"That's different!" Persephone scolds. "Your father and Lucifer are best friends so he promised Hubris your hand in marriage." She explains.

Clotho rolled her eyes and was utterly confused at Persephone's reasoning.

"So, it's okay for a commoner to marry a royal if their parents are kissing yours and dad's assess?" Clotho asked.

"Watch your language!" Persephone ordered. "And you heard what I said, that commoner girl is not allowed near the palace end of discussion!" She yelled.

"She may be a commoner, but she's less of a dick than Hubris." Clotho thought to himself.

At that point Clotho was getting pretty fed up with her mother insulting Lida. How was it fair? That's the thing, it's not fair at all. Clotho never wanted her life to be like this and doesn't know what to do in order to gain control of her life.  

Until...

She had an idea, a malicious compliance type of idea.

"Hey mom, as a queen, do you get to change the rules and everything?" Clotho asked.

"Not exactly, only the king gets to change the laws." Persephone answered.

Clotho thought,

"Shit, if I were to become queen I would be able to de-throne Hubris narcissistic ass."

Clotho then thought of something else.

"What if...something unfortunate happens to Hubris if he was king? Like a fatal accident or something? If that's the case, there would be no king and that'll probably make me the law maker and I could probably marry Lida AND be queen. It's a win win situation!"

"Okay, I was just asking mom." Clotho finally replied.

"Alright then." Persephone spoke. "Anyway, we're done for today, you're dismissed."

Clotho flashed a fake smile as she walked out of the cathedral. Clotho looked to see if Hubris was around. He wasn't, much to Clotho's delight as she ran into her room and took out a piece of paper to plot her plan.

Clotho explained to herself,

"Okay, if mom and dad die then I become next in line to the throne...I could come up with a way to...eliminate Hubris and make it look like it was an accident." She began. "After Hubris dies, I could have Lida live with me and we could get married while I still have my title of queen and no consequences coming for my ass at all since I would be my own ruler to my life for once! It's badass!"

Clotho then began to think,

"Wait, but I'm alluding to actual murder in order to marry someone else."

As much as she would like the idea of having Lida in the palace with her, she was afraid that it'll mark her as 'The Evil Queen who murdered her husband'. Clotho shook it away, knowing that she's letting her parents get to her. She then muttered,

"For once in my life...I'm giving the opportunity to take control of my life and I'm not going to ignore that opportunity at all. This is my life, and I wanna live it like me, myself, and I."

Clotho folded the paper up and hid it in one of her books then walked out of her bedroom.

"No more chains, no more control..." Clotho thought to herself.

Hubris was with his friends ranting about what happened yesterday.

"The audacity of that little bitch!" Hubris yelled out.

His two friends looked at him and sighed.

"I mean, she wasn't wrong though." One friend spoke.

"I don't care! How dare she insult me! I'm more superior than her!" Hubris yelled.

"Well, I did hear somewhere that the next person in line becomes the owner of the throne usually when their parents die." The second friend explained.

Hubris raised his eyebrows, interested.

"Wait, so would this mean that I become king if her parents were dead?" Hubris asked.

The second friend shrugged their shoulders.

"Probably so." The second friend replied.

A wicked grin grew on Hubris' face.

"Guys, I'll see you later." Hubris announced.

"Wait, where are you going?" The first friend asked.

"Just going to go do some...thinking." Hubris replied as he walked off.

After he walked off, Hubris still had that wicked grin on his face.

"I know what to do in order to gain the title 'King'." He thought.

"I'll murder both Hades and Persephone and when Clotho becomes queen...BOOM! I'm king and not only that but I'm going to find that little smart ass bitch and have her executed." Hubris muttered to himself.

Hubris then began to start laughing quietly until his laughter grew louder and transferred into a more maniacal laughter. He sighed as he wiped away a tear.

"Time to say farewell to some in-laws." Hubris thought as he ran back to the palace.

June 27th, 2023