16 deaths

Chapter 2

Sitting down to breakfast, i picked at my food as James and my father dug into their usual meal for breakfast, lamb. When i was little, would ask many questions about their meals, even once in a while i would ask to have a taste of their food. My father would laugh and tell me that it was dangerous for little girls to try the food. James would scowl at me, but was alway quiet. James has never actually liked me, even though i am his only other sibling.

But now that i am 12, when i see them eat i feel sick and maybe even gag.

I was chewing on some strawberries when James spoke up.

"I saw you talking to Mia earlier, Christina. Mind telling us about your hair?" With that, i almost spit out my strawberries. My father looked up instantly.

"What about your hair?" he asked carefully, his eyes intense on me. James followed his gaze.

"M-My hair?" i sputtered, touching the right side of my head. James nodded. "Yes, your hair." he remarked. "Oh, um, er...." i thought quickly, but my father spoke first. "Christena, rules? Princesses don't stutter, speak when spoken to. you know this." He recited. Arthas leaned forward, making my heart pound. "Im going to ask you one more time, slowly and carefully." he said. "what did you do to your hair?"

Even if i lied, my father would be able to tell. So i took a deep breath and spoke.

"I wanted to change my hair, so i cut my bangs. I'm not trying to get attention, but i thought since the kingdom is changing i could too." i looked up, still fearful of him, but my father was never too harsh on his daughter, unlike his son.

"Show us." james commanded. I Looked at my father who nodded microscopically. So, as i was told i pulled my hair onto my left shoulder, then closed my eyes as my bangs fell into their spot i original cut them to.

James gasped. "What the, how the -" he began, yet Arthas interrupted.

"you said you cut your hair?" he asked. I nodded.

"By yourself?

I filled with fear.

Arthas nodded. "It looks nice." and that was all he said. James' eyes widened like mine, but his flashed red.

"Father, surely you aren't going to allow this?" James reasoned. My older brother was always trying to get me into trouble.

"My shouldn't I? Besides, there is nothing we can do, she cut off her hair and that's that. We are not able to bring it back, we will have to wait for it to grow. As a king, James, you must learn to think rationally. She cut off her hair. What can you do about it? Nothing, because once something is gone, you can't get it back. but you can make things better. She can do different things with it, and it won't be the same hair because it will simply grow back."

I had never heard my father talk and stand up for me that much. James sat there, still looking for a reason to debate. But my father's tone made it so that i knew that he could no longer argue. Yet me and James both knew that he was referring to my mother, who was gone and we couldn't get her back. Constantly i think that it's my fault she is dead, as my brother had said to my face countless times when my father wasn't around and instead locked up in his room. "Father is crying because of you, Christina. You're the reason mom is dead." It hurt so much. It shattered my beating heart, making me depressed because i knew that my mother had died giving birth to me. Was it really my fault?

When we had finished breakfast, i walked outside into the garden. My stomach was full and i wanted to go for a ride. i walked to the stables, then knocked on the door. The door creaked open. "Yes?" it was a man's voice that i had never heard before. "I'm here for a ride" i said clearly, trying to remember what my father had said about stuttering.