And In Your Eyes, I Saw Everything

Insight From the Rose Princess

-Scarlette's Point of View-

When I was younger, I always dreamed of marrying off to an elegant prince. One with class, kindness, and a heart that I could relate with. I dreamed of falling in love, but those dreams were crushed by my mother and tried to be repaired by my nanny, who watched me more than the wench did. 

"Scarlette, darling, you'll fall in love one day. Every person finds her prince somewhere along the line. Give it time. Dreams just don't happen overnight." 

I sighed, glancing out the partially stained glass window, out towards the Black's garden. She was right, dreams don't happen overnight, but I had obtained one when I least expected it. Xander was an interesting character. A charming man with eyes the color of a river and hair the color of a little wood mouse. He was okay, not very open with anyone, but he had a large heart and wasn't afraid to express himself to anyone. 

He had his secrets though. I know for a fact that he didn't go to the village yesterday. I would have saw him when I was getting my gown reduced to what it is now. 

I don't have much room to speak though. I'm not the most traditional of princesses, a fault among the rest. It's why my mother says I haven't married yet. Being sixteen and unwed was almost a failure to my family. 

I couldn't help it I didn't like long dresses that regular girls wore. I preferred to get rid of the sleeves and shorten quite a few of their lengths to show off my legs. I didn't like the velvet or the fold. Instead I preferred sating and I stayed away from putting too many ribbons and jewels on my clothes. My family said my hair color was strange, abnormal. My skin is pale like a sheet and I have freckles dotting my nose and my face, a flaw. 

"You have a beauty of a whore. Why don't you become one if you don't find a husband?"

My mother is merciless. She didn't care if I kept my royal status or not. My father had always prided my older brother anyways. He was the one carrying on the family name and he was married with a baby already on the way. 

He had saved himself for his wife also. Virginity was not a very big thing for me. I already wasn't pure. I hadn't been since I took my first breath after escaping my mother's womb. Purity was a huge thing for every princess and here I was, sleeping with knights, guards, and princes I thought I'd marry. 

I just hope Xander thinks I'm good enough... 

"Scarlette?" Isabel's voice called from the doorway and I turned around and faced her. Her woodland green dress was adorned with ribbons a jewels. She watched me carefully and my fingers twirled in my crimson hair. 

"Yes, ma'am?" I asked and she let out a sigh before stepping into the room. I noticed that she wasn't wearing a crown, but she almost rarely did. It was strange because my family always wore their's and I was taught from birth that my crown was supposed to stay on my head unless I was sleeping or it wasn't required for that occasion. Everyone should know my place in society, no? 

"I'd advise you to find your best dress or I can take you to get one made. You also need a mask. Xander has decided that we need to throw a masquerade in order for him to pick a bride. You're the one who's had the most affect on him so I want you to be stunning. I'd like for you to be his bride. The future Queen Scarlette Black," she said and a smile crossed my lips as I thought of that. I aspired to be Xander's bride. 

"What color would look nice on me?" I asked, thinking over the gowns I brought with me and I knew that I needed someone to make me mask. 

"Would you like a new gown or do you have one?" She asked and I sighed as she blatantly ignored my question. 

"I'd prefer a new gown, just as I'm able to style it to my own. Any way I want," I said and she nodded her head. 

"We'll go later. Be thinking about what you'd like. Mr. Davis is very precise about making dressing gowns. He'll be overwhelmed with the amount of girls going to the prince's ball at the chance of becoming the new queen," she said and I sighed before sitting back down by the window sill and staring down at the garden that Xander was wandering across with Thames, acting like a cat trying to creep up on a mouse. 

"Also, red looks very nice one you. It matches your hair," she said before lifting up her skirts and walking out, heels clicking on the beautifully tiled floor. 

I looked back out the window and I noticed Xander was missing and a sparse amount of the forest was shaking as if something large had just jumped in or out of the foliage. 

Those woods were strange. I was told to stay away from them here, as well as the Rayne Kingdom. I was kicked out over there because of a single misunderstanding with the late King Dimitri's sword. Queen Rayne wanted to start a war with my father, but I stopped it. 

I'm not allowed to return to that kingdom now. I did find Vladmir attractive though. 

I didn't know what was up with those woods though. The Rayne's were one the other side. I could see one of the towers from where I was sitting right now. 

What goes on between those two kingdoms? Why is there always something wrong with the forest? It's what separates them, but is there something going on to hide one from the other? 

I stared down at the woods in confusion and moments later, Xander shot out covered in twigs and leaves and looking like he was tired of running from something. I raised an eyebrow at the sight and thought for a moment. 

If the woods were forbidden then why was Xander running into the woods and what exactly was he doing when he was in there? 

Questions buzzed in my head and I was determined to get answers one day.