Blood stained crowns

Chapter 2-Bright,Bubbly-down,dull

•Oaklynn•

I stood on my balcony, trying to escape my mother's incessant nagging about me getting married.

"Remind me to kill you later on in life," I thought to myself.

My mother seemed never-ending in her efforts to bribe and bargain with me. "Oaklynn," she said, "how dare you speak to your mother in that tone? I am appalled at this behavior you are displaying."

"No, Mum," I replied, "I'm your daughter, not a salesman from the town!"

"That's it!" my mother shouted. "You are the next queen of our kingdom, therefore you have no choice but to marry a suitable prince. We said you should marry Caspian Winterfield, the son of our enemy, to mark peace between the two countries. You will marry Caspian in two months' time, end of discussion."

I was so angry that my mother would disregard my wishes. How could she force me to marry someone I didn't even know? I felt trapped with no choice.

"Oh yes, Mother. A prince of the Winterfields!, the family we have been in a constant feud with for years," I spat. "That will definitely make for a happy marriage."

I threw my arms up in exasperation, not even caring to hide my frustration.

My mother looked at me sternly, "Listen to me, Oaklynn. You must do this for the kingdom. It is your duty as the future queen."

I rolled my eyes, feeling completely helpless in the face of my mother's authority.

Fine, Mother. So be it, but just know I despise being in your presence more every second."
I stormed off inside my room, shutting the doors to my balcony and walking past my mother without even acknowledging her. My heels clicked against the wooden floor as I headed into my drawing room, a less worn and covered in paint blue gown covering me.
A canvas and my supplies were waiting for me, ready to help me paint out my emotions. A peaceful scene from outside my window stood in stark contrast to my inner turmoil.

Once slightly calmer, I decided to pay a visit to my younger sister, hoping her stupid jokes and cheerful attitude could lift my spirits.
On my way through the castle, I passed my father's office. I took a peek inside, watching him write documents and look through other paperwork.
"Oaklynn, honey," he said without even looking up. "When will you stop your peering? I am trying to focus here!"
I was sheepish as I explained to him that I was just enjoying the quiet noise of his writing and movement of papers.

I smiled, telling him I would be off to speak with my sister in her private area by the aviary, and walked off into the garden, enjoying the fresh air and soothing ambience. The aviary was a large crystal glass dome with lush bushes, roses, and trees for the birds to nest, play, and live in. It was a peaceful oasis in the midst of the busy castle.

As I entered her private area, I found Lucy there, reading a book and enjoying the company of a bunch of chirping birds that had made their home in her aviary. She looked up and smiled. "Hi, Oaklynn! What brings you here?"
"Oh, just needed to get out of the chaos of the castle," I replied. "And I was hoping you could help cheer me up with your usual sense of humor."

"Oh, oh, oh! You're in trouble with mom again, aren't you?" she giggled.
I groaned. "She's forcing me to marry a prince from our enemy kingdom to forge a peace treaty. I don't even know the guy, and I absolutely do not want to marry him."
"Why don't you want to marry him?" she asked, trying to understand my situation.
"He's a complete stranger," I said. "I can't just marry somebody I barely know."
"And here's the thing he's a winterfield!"

"How terrible!" Lucy replied, her eyebrows raised. "That sounds like a recipe for disaster."
"Exactly," I nodded. "But my mother has no consideration for my feelings. All she cares about is forming a peace agreement between our families."
"But she has to listen to you, right? You're the future queen. Can't you put your foot down?" Lucy asked, puzzled.
"I wish I could," I sighed. "But, mother is relentless. There's no chance she'll budge on this."