Princess Divergent

Chapter 8

Tris POV:
I lay my robe out on my bed and begin picking the sunflower seeds off it from the other night. I'm about to meet Tobias and I feel my smile widening every time I think of him. My mother walks in with a box.
"Good afternoon Mother. What brings-" she cuts me off.
"My dear Beatrice, you don't have to talk like that around me. You're father is just old fashioned."
     She gives me a reassuring smile which calms me.
"Thanks. So what's up?"
     My mother sits on my bed and looks at the robe. I see a small smile appear on her face.
"Beatrice, honey,...where did you get this?" She strokes the robe so delicately like she might tear it.
"It was in my wardrobe. I just thought-"
"I thought I'd never see this again." I see a tear appear in her eye. And soon her eyes become glossy.
     "Mom, is this yours?"
She smiles at me with a tear stain on her cheek.
     "It was mine. Given to me my my mother. Beatrice, I'm going to tell you a secret."
I nod, giving her a cue to continue.
     "I wasn't always a princess."
My mom wasn't a princess?? But how did she marry my dad?
     "You see, I was a very poor maiden. My father would always have too much rum and be drunk before night fell. My mother was very sick. I lived on a farm where we made flour. I was the only one capable of delivering the flour. On one of my deliveries, a drunken man came up to me asking if he could sell me to his friends..."
     My face widened. I sit down next to my mom wanting her to continue.
"I said no of course but he didn't take that too lightly. He grabbed my arm and tried to kiss me. I screamed for help and guess who came to rescue me."
I sit up. "It was Dad right??"
    She chuckles. "Close. It was his brother. He fought the man and saved my life. He took me into his kingdom that night and that's where I met your father. See, there was no law back then about a prince having to marry a princess. Your father and I danced that night in his bedroom and that's where he proposed. And you know how the rest went. We got married and everything. But I kept this robe...hoping to remember my mother after all these years..."
     My mother has tears streaming down her face now. I place my hand on her lap and smile at her. She smiles back and shakes her head.
"Oh darling! Enough with all this sadness! I have something for you!"
     She has an excited smile and gives me a box. I open and it a shine comes through off a cushion.
"Oh Mom...it's beautiful!"
     I pull out a tiara with diamonds everywhere you look.
"It's to wear at the Kingdom's Festival. It'll take some time to get used to the pinch of the ends but I think lunch today is a good time to break it in."
     I smile so big that my face hurts. I've never been the type of girl to squeal over such girly things. But what my mother gave me shows that I can be me and a princess at the same time.
"Now, shall we go to lunch Beatrice? There is a meeting today and your father is quite excited."
     I look at the clock on my wall and see that it's 3:55. 3:55?! Tobias!
"Oh actually I'm not hungry so I think I'll just skip lunch!"
     My mother grabs the tiara and lifts it up to my head.
"Nonsense, you're just nervous about this lunch. It'll be fine. I'll be right here with you."
"Really, Mom, it's ok. I feel sick so I'll just eat with you at dinner!"
     My mother grabs my hand and we walk out of my room and down the stairwell. I'm trying to think of a way out but my mother's grip is strong but gentle so she doesn't hurt me. We reach the dining hall and I sit down.
I'm sorry Tobias. Please wait for me.