To Hate Love

Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

POV: Florence

"Young man, do you even hear me?" I looked up, dazed. My mother was standing in front of me, the look on her face exasperated.

"I'm sorry what?" I asked, readying myself for the outcome of my spacing out. My mother was always pestering me these days, she never seemed to stop. To my great surprise, she didn't yell or cause a fuss, she just sighed.

"I said you're going to the King and Queen's ball next week." I quirked an eyebrow.

"I thought that was for them to find suitors for the princess, why would I go?" My mother scrunched her face and sighed again.

"You're getting married Florence." Pardon? I don't think my brain comprehended that correctly. Why in Lord's good name was I getting married?

"Mother, why are you doing this?" She looked so disappointed that I was asking.

"You're getting married, no questions asked. You are a member of the nobility, and you WILL be attending the ball to charm our dear princess. Do you or do you not understand me Florence?" She glared at me, eyes full of expectations.

"Nobody's ever seen the princess before Mother, how do we know she's not an ogre?" My mother, quick as a dart, smacked me in the face. I raised a hand to my stinging cheek as she stared at me with fury.

"How dare you!" She whispered angrily.

"The princess is a member of the royal family, she is not an ogre, and you will never refer to a princess like that again or I will personally send you to the dungeons myself!" I bowed my head down and nodded. Guess I'm getting married.

...

I stood at the threshold of the palace, mother on my arm, dressed in my finest suit. I loved this suit, it was adorned with gold details and there was a white tulip pinned smartly to the pocket. My hair was gelled to perfection, and I was wearing the best cologne to bless anyone's nose (Le Male, Jean Paul Gautier😝).

"Shall we mother?" I asked, looking down at my mother. She was dressed in her best gown. An emerald green piece with her blonde hair pinned into a do-up. She smiled at me and tapped my arm.

"You will shine my little star." She said as she reached on her tippy toes and kissed my cheek. We walked up the castle's steps, and the footmen opened up the great oak doors. A bright, glowing light shone on my face and I had to squint my eyes to see my surroundings. My mother let out a soft gasp at the elegance of the monstrous ballroom. Gold drip ornaments hung from every chandelier, while the stairs and tables were draped in off-white velvet. Fountains of syrups poured from every corner of the room, but the real show stoppers were the thrones. Two thrones sat at the top of the stairs, both made of gold with purple cushions adorning them. At first glance, the thrones looked to be equal in size, but if you looked closely, the Queen's throne was just a hint smaller. A waiter appeared and offered my mother and I glasses of something that seemed to be champagne. I took a slight sip.

"Lychee champagne" I told my mother.

"Let us dance as we wait for their majesties." I set down my glass on another waiter's tray and held out my hands to my mother. She smiled and took them. We headed to the dance floor and waltzed

(Song playing: K. Cigarettes After Sex)

My mother leaned forward halfway though the song and whispered in my ear.

"You have no competition my dear, these boys all look like they were raised by common folk." I frowned at my mother's comment. She's always been sort of an elitist. Just as I was about to retaliate, horns sounded and everyone cleared off the dance floor. A sliver of a girl dressed in a navy blue ballgown stepped in front of the thrones and cleared her throat.