The King's Obsession

38

C186 - The prince harming- Part 1

In the East Carswell village, Momo Harris walked down in the market where her mother had asked her to fetch wool from a store, as the ones they had, had got over. With a basket on her hand, Momo continued to walk before she finally reached the store. While she was standing in front of the store, she heard a lady greet her,     

"Good afternoon, Momo. How are you doing? It feels like I haven't seen you for a few days."     

Momo turned around to see it was Mrs. Winkle who lived two houses away from her own house. She bowed her head in greeting, "Good afternoon Mrs. Winkle. I have been doing well, how about yourself?" she asked. The shopkeeper at the same time came with the ball of wools she had asked for.      

"You know me. Never been better," replied Mrs. Winkle and saw how the older daughter of Harris took the ball of wool in her hand and inspecting it, "By the way, I heard about your sister's marriage to the King. Is it true?" asked the lady, her eyes looking at Momo who raised the wool to indicate to the shopkeeper that she would be taking it, "It must be really hard, isn't it?"      

Momo turned her head to meet Mrs. Winkle's gaze, "No, the King is taking care of everything," she offered the older woman a smile. Momo had not stepped out of the house much because of the rumours of her sister getting married to the King that had started to circulate in the village. She noticed the looks she received from the villagers.      

Mrs. Winkles nodded her head, "Of course, the King will look after it, but I meant how you are doing," saying this, the woman moved closer to Momo and placed a comforting arm on the young girl, "It must be truly hard on you. I mean your younger sister marrying before you," the woman shook her head in pity. Momo felt the prick but she tried to put a smile on her face.      

"I told them I am okay with Lisa marrying first," said Momo, trying to show that she was a better person here, letting her younger sister marry first while she was still unwed.      

The older woman nodded again, "You will need to, considering Mr. Danvers chose not to go ahead with you. I hope God gives you strength," the words spoken were not comforting. It felt like the woman was rubbing salt over her open wound.      

In the past, Momo would have never imagined that she would have to go through a humiliation like this and her hands clenched, trying to control her anger. When her family had gone to the ball of Hallow, it was Momo who was looking for a suitor and by custom, the King should have picked her. Lisa had no interest, worse, she had her interest in the tailorman. But the King chose her, and the tailorman was a coward to give up on her sister.      

"It wasn't Mr. Danvers but I who rejected him," answered Momo, which was indeed true but Mrs. Winkles and some other women around them tried to hide their giggles.      

"That is understandable," patted the woman and then said, "I will see you later."      

Momo had rejected Mr. Danvers so that she could focus herself on the King. But rumour now spread that it was Mr. Danvers who had rejected her. To make things worse, the appeal that she held before had been lost in the eyes of her admirers. Men spoke less to her and didn't try to court her, even if they did speak to her, it was all about Lisa this and that, and how they could get favours from her sister. She was nowhere in the conversation.      

She found it hard to come in terms that her popularity was plummeting so fast; while Lisa who was betrothed to the King was rising up in the conversation.      

When Momo had turned twelve years old, she had started to receive attention from everyone because of the contrasting colour of her dark brown hair and green eyes. She loved every bit of the attention. The attention that she received had been taken away from her, by her very own sister. The shame she felt, the embarrassment was all because of Lisa. Momo's hate only grew that much more.