Regent Witch

Chapter Four

"Princess, can you give me at least three agricultural exports of Farenwood?" Madam Crowley asked.

The answers hit Sasha in a blink. "Honey, cotton and wheat," her answer came almost immediately, as if it were just written on her hand.

"That is correct," Madam Crowley nodded.

The lecture continued. Sasha quietly breathed into her nostrils and watched her tutor travel back and forth, like a guard on duty.

Out of the many subjects, Foreign Economics was one of her least favorites. She knew the subject was important and that she needed to pay attention. Unfortunately, Sasha could never keep her mind from lingering into the clouds. Glossaries were far more interesting than most of the topics covered in recent weeks.

Sasha's eyes started to droop, while her head struggled to remain steady. Madam Crowley may have been speaking coherently, but Sasha mostly heard gibberish. This continued for several painfully long minutes, until a knock was heard on the door.

Rosemary stepped inside and bowed before speaking.

"I apologize for the interruption, Madam Crowley," Rosemary said. "However, the regent has requested Princess Sasha's presence in the ballroom."

Sasha's attention suddenly revived, upon hearing this. She practically jumped off her seat with her eyes popped wide open.

"Is there a particularly good reason to why the princess is needed?" Madam Crowley asked.

"The Lady Regent told me only to fetch the princess," Rosemary replied. "I know nothing else."

Madam Crowley scoffed. Slamming the book in her hand shut, the old tutor turned to the princess. "Go child," she said, as she gestured her head to the door. "You shouldn't keep the Lady Regent waiting – even if she is a witch."

Sasha faintly smiled at the remark. Quickly erasing the expression, Sasha got up and followed her lady-in-waiting to the ballroom.

It was a large and spacious place, coated with marble. Sasha remembered playing in the ballroom as a child. She would yell as loud as she could and listen to her voice echo, as if another person were calling out to her.

At the end of the long ballroom, Sasha found her. Uriel sat on a pretty little chair with a gilded frame and a crimson cushion.

"Come forward," Uriel commanded. Despite being quite far, the regent's words managed to travel across the ballroom and into Sasha's ears, as if she were only a few feet away.

Sasha approached. After a few steps, she was suddenly halted.

"Is that the best you could display?" Uriel asked.

Sasha groaned silently and refrained from answering. Recalling the years of etiquette lessons with Madam Crowley, Sasha held her head up, straightened her body and held out her chest. With a small breath, she glided through the hallways like an elegant swan. Sasha kept this up, until she had reached the regent.

Upon meeting Uriel, Sasha promptly stopped and gave a low curtsy. Uriel stared for a moment and then applauded long and slowly. Her claps resounded around the ballroom, like several crashing bolts of thunder. As much as Sasha enjoyed praise, she found it difficult to smile.

Glancing at Uriel, Sasha found the regent dressed a little flamboyantly. The regent no longer stood out like a peacock, but her attire still demanded for attention. The two servants remained still, but found it difficult to keep their eyes rolling towards Uriel's features.

"Very good," Uriel said, as she stood from her seat. "You know how to carry yourself around an audience."

"Thank you, my lady," Sasha replied with a contradicting tone.