Rebellion

Chapter Three: Evangeline

Chapter Three: Evangeline

                Meet me at my rooms when you’re free.

                                                                -Rose

            I groaned. I had forgotten about the fittings today. Rose wouldn’t hold it against me—she never did—but I’d be getting dirty looks from the others.

            I could just not go, I mused. Pretend I hadn’t received the note. Sneak out, hide for a few hours. No one would really miss me.

            Moon nudged my hand with her cold nose. I sighed, and stroked the top of her head, between her ears.

            “I’ll go,” I said grudgingly. “But I’ll be miserable the entire time I’m there.”

            She nudged my side, pushing me toward the door.

“Well, what are you going to do?” I demanded, slightly outraged that she was going to abandon me like this.

            She padded out of the room, and headed down the hallway. I poked my head out the door, and sighed when she disappeared into my father’s room. I sighed, and let her go, knowing her company kept him happy.

            I strode quickly through the corridors, knowing that no one would stop me to talk. I stopped outside Rose’s door, and briefly considered running away before forcing myself to knock lightly.

            The door swung open immediately, and Rose hugged me tightly, smelling of flowers.

            “Evie!” she cried, sounding elated. “I knew you would come!”

            I felt guilty for my unwillingness to be there. “Of course,” I said weakly. “How could I miss out on this?”

            She didn’t notice the lack of enthusiasm in my words, instead seizing my hand and dragging me into the room. Her bright personality had only intensified with her recent happiness. “The other girls left,” she said, and I felt a surge of relief course through me. “But we decided to go with blue.”

            “Blue?” I asked, confused.

            “For the dresses,” she explained patiently. “And Madame Le Clair is designing my gown,” she beamed, her face lighting up. I smiled. Rose was always so easy to please.

            “You’ll be beautiful,” I promised.

            “You think so?” she asked.

            “I know so,” I reassured her. Her modesty kept me from hating her when her life was perfect like this. She didn’t ever rub it in my face.

            Joy seemed to radiate from her.

            “I hope Jacob thinks so,” she whispered as though confiding a great secret.

            “He loves you,” I said. “He’ll think you’re beautiful if you show up wearing a sack.”

            She laughed gaily, and I felt a twinge of envy. Rose was getting married to a man she adored, and she would be crowned queen come winter. There would be dinners and balls and parties in her honor.

            And then there was me. I would be living in the corners of the palace with my father and a wolf until one of us died.

            I sighed, and pushed down the envy. Rose deserved to be happy.