Trash

His Royal Secret. 6

Shrugging, I bit down on my bottom lip. Might as well get this over with. Queen Catalina handed me her gold engraved handheld mirror. 

The curls in my hair were gone, replaced by sleek, shiny stands. The freckles on my face were matted out to a flawless, even pale complexion. The darkness in my brown iris' suddenly popped in contrast to my full crimson red lips. 

I crinkled my eyebrows and dropped my mouth, studying my unrecognizable reflection. 

"Well, darling, what do you think?" The Queen asked. 

I paused. "I look . . . nice?"

The Queen threw up her hands. "She hates it, you see that ladies, she hates it! Why I ought to punish each and every one of you by chopping off your --"

"No, no, no! It's just different . . . that's all," I trailed off, but continued when I saw the Queen glaring at me with suspicion. "I'm just not used to it yet. I'll take some time."

The Queen approached me, and whispered in my ear. "Are you sure you're alright with this? I could have them beheaded in a second if you wish."

I gulped from the image that had been put in my head. I was beginning to realize what this royal family was capable of . . . soon, I was to join them and their sadistic ways.

"Thanks, but that won't be necessary," I mumbled back.

She nodded brightly and stepped away. "If all is well, then you shall make your first royal appearance tonight at the Pantavian Ball," she announced.

"What?" 

"Did you not hear me dear?" The Queen questioned, obviously not accustomed to the common day idioms of an American teenager. 

"No, I heard you alright, but I don't think I'm ready for any sort of appearance . . ." 

The Queen scowled. "Of course you are, Adele, why look at you! You look like royalty," she cooed romantically.

"That's the thing . . ." I shook my head. "I look like royalty but I don't know how to act like royalty." 

"Oh well save that for another night," she replied, waving her delicate hand in the air. "Tonight, just look beautiful, walk tall, dance gracefully and stay quiet. Very simple, not much to it."

I sighed. To her, it may have seemed simple. But she was born regal, a true natural. I didn't doubt that I would somehow manage to mess this up.

"Okay, if you're sure . . ." I muttered.

"I am," she cheered. Clapping her hands, she ordered the maidens to leave us and fetch some possible evening ball gowns. When they were gone, the Queen sat beside me on the velvet footstool and placed her hand on my thigh. "Is everything alright Adele? I'm sensing some negative energy. Tell me what's wrong."

I bit down on my lip. "Nothing's wrong." She raised her eyebrow at me in disbelief. I sighed. "This all is just happening all too quickly. I arrived just a week ago. And now, I'm in princess training, soon to be engaged? Nothing like this has ever happened before. I never thought that I would end up here, living in a castle. This sort of thing doesn't happen to normal girls, to me. For eighteen years, my life has been a dragging process, slowly developing. For eighteen years, my life has been nothing but ordinary. Now, everything just seems to be rushed and well . . .  surreal."

The Queen nodded. "This must be a terribly difficult process for you. The transition that you're making is yes, surreal. But it's also magical. Adele, this is your fate. Your dreadfully tedious life has led up to this, which is why it is happening so fast. Because everything is falling into place. It was fate that made you leave your home behind and hop on a plane to Percucia. It was fate that caused you to run into my son, who happens to be a prince. It was fate that the search team's protocol brought you to us. And it was fate that helped us decide to eventually take you into our family. You cannot resist fate, you can only trust it." 

Her words reminded me of a fairytale. Magical and powerful. But my life was not written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. This was no fairytale, besides the talk of fate and royalty. This was a nightmare. I didn't ask for a life of luxury and royalty. I didn't ask for a prince to sweep me off my feet and save me from my wretched life. 

Sure, my life wasn't perfect: my father, the only person I ever really loved, was dead, my mother was 3,000 miles away, and my future was hazy. But at least I was the only one in control of my life. That was being taken away from me, as well as any chance of ever leading a normal life again.

I left my home in hopes for a new life. Becoming a princess was not what I had in mind. 

"I just don't know if I can do this," I muttered. 

The Queen looked at me with her jeweled eyes. "You can and you will." 

* * * 

After a wide selection of dresses, the Queen settled on a sleeved, emerald gown that made her eyes pop. Choosing my dress, however, was a much bigger struggle. Every dress in every style imaginable was at my disposal, and in every color as well. 

After a long, seemingly-hopeless process of putting on and taking off every gown available, we landed on a winner. A strapless purple satin gown, with a ruched bodice and floor-sweeping train. After my hair was braided into an up-do, and my makeup was done, I examined myself in the full length mirror. 

The woman who stood before me looked like a princess, held herself like a princess. The girl inside of me felt like a wallflower. 

"You look absolutely royal," Louisa complimented, clipping a diamond necklace around my neck.

"That was the goal, wasn't it?" I muttered under my breath, as she walked away, finally giving me space to breathe. 

My moment of peace was short lived. Before I could even collect my thoughts, Queen Catalina was by my side, staring at my reflection with me. 

"You look lovely, Adele. A complete transformation," she cooed. "I'm off to the ball. Make your appearance when you're ready. Just remember to wear this," she snapped her fingers. Louisa was back, carrying a diamond tiara and laced masquerade mask on an embroidered pillow. "I forgot that you don't know Percucian tradition. The Pantavian Ball essentially is a Masquerade. Of course, you and me are spared the mystery because we are announced, but for all of the commoners, the ball is quite mystique."

I nodded, and nervously accepted the opulent accessories. I slipped the mask on, grateful for the partial concealment, and stared widely at the tiara. The crown I held in my hands was a symbol that all of this was real. I wasn't playing a character on a Broadway show, or dressing up for Halloween. This was a real royal crown. 

I pinned the tiara on with some bobby pins, and stared at myself again. I was hidden by the mask, but revealed by the tiara. I was a nobody being represented as a somebody. I was a literal juxtaposition. With one last look, I headed down the stairs, through the castle, to the Grand Hall, where I made my first appearance as a Percucian figure.

* * * 

okay, here we go! sorry for the long update. i hope you enjoy. kind of an iffy chapter, but im working on the plot as you see. the next chapter will actually focus on the ball. hope you all are enjoying the story. i am writing it for you guys after all. so please, show me your support and comment and vote! thanks guys! make sure to check out my new story The Game of Love!