Erin (book 1 of Erin Series)

forty-one

The first class seems to go one forever. I have been sitting in the same chair for who knows how long, and my butt feels like it might fall off when I stand up. My instructor is an old woman, who reads bits and pieces from books to me. She can hardly see what she is reading, and squints to see the words, reading them off slowly. I want to slam my head against the desk in front of me. My mind wanders off often as she reads.
It would do you best if you at least looked at the instructor. Dakota nags at me.
Maybe if she wasn't reading about shit i could care less about, she would have my attention. She's so busy trying to figure out what she's even reading, she won't even notice I'm looking away. I snap back at her.
I must say, I am impressed that the woman has hardly even noticed Dakota here. Then again, she is so blind, I wouldn't be surprised if she thinks Dakota is a cloud following me around.
The woman continues on, reading about some war that happened centuries ago, that created the kingdom. She had talked about old traditions that have changed over the years. I remember her saying how the women would wear certain dresses to certain events. She showed me a few pictures of them, and I did not think it was possible to wear a worse dress than I did at the first ball.
Some of the dresses she showed me were full of wires sticking out, feathers everywhere. The entire skirt was on top of a large fence like cylinder. How did they even sit when they wore them?
My eyes perk up when I hear the door open. Godrik enters the room. I stand up with a sigh.
"It's time for your next lesson." He speaks to me and turns to the woman.
She squints when she looks at him. "That's a shame. I wasn't even half way done with the lesson."
I want to laugh out loud, but I keep it in.
"You'll have tomorrow, Miss Olga." He turns to me, holding out his elbow to escort me. "My lady?"
I gratefully take his arm, saying goodbye to Olga. We exit the room, and once we are out of hearing distance I finally speak. "Thank you for saving me. God. That was the worst thing I've ever had to sit through."
He chuckles at me. "You'll have to get used to it, my lady. You have much to learn, and she has much wisdom to give."
I glare at him, "she couldn't even read the books with out digging her nose into it so deep, I'm surprised ink didn't stain it."
"Erin, now you should have a bit more respect for her than this. I understand she's old, and doesn't see well anymore. But her words are wise."
I just shrug. "Where are we headed to next?"
"It's almost lunch, so you are to be trained how to eat properly at a dinner with and without out guests."
"There's a proper way to eat? Isn't eating just for survival?"
He sighs, "yes, when you're out on the battlefield. It's different when you're eating for the enjoyment, and when there are people all around you, watching you."
"That's just weird."
"It's how royalty works." He opens the door for me, and I enter a large ball like room, with tables everywhere. They are all fancy, with center pieces, but the nicest one is the center table, where my mother sits. I don't see my father anywhere, so I proceed to go up to the table.
"You're late." Mother doesn't even give me the chance to say hi to her. She then turns around to look at me. "But that is to be expected of someone not used to a schedule."
I don't even know how to respond to her. I open my mouth to speak, but decide to not say anything at all, and sit down across from her. "Where is father?"
"The correct response is for you to apologize. And stand back up. You sat down horribly wrong." I tilt my head in confusion. "Come on now." She snaps.
I stand up once more. "Yes, my uh, apologizes."
"Well do you mean it? Or are you just stammering because you don't know how to apologize?"
Who knew my mother could have this fire in her. When she's around dad, she's so soft, and calm. Now she's like a cat. I understand where I get it from.
I open my mouth to speak, but stop myself when she smirks and stands up. "When one apologizes to royalty, even royalty their selves, they stand straight up, and either bow, or curtsy, while apologizing. Now try it."
She walks around the table and stands behind me, pulling the chair away from me. I turn to face her, but she turns my face forward with her hands.
"Pretend I am standing in front of you."
I nod and bend my knees, lowering my back slightly. "My apologises, your grace."
Mother grabs me, forcing me to stand up straight again.
"Do it again."
I sigh.
"Don't get huffy with me, you will do this, until you get it right."
I roll my eyes, thankful she can't see it, and a moment later I get a slap in the back of the head. I turn around to face her, with a scowl on my face.
"What the hell?"
"Don't roll your eyes either."
I turn back around and bend my knees once more, bending slightly forward. Mother grabs me by the hips before I can say anything, and straightens my back. I straighten my knees out, figuring she wanted me to stand up straight again.
"As you were. You were doing just fine."
Confused, I bend my knees again, and she fixes my back once more. Her hands grab my shoulders firmly, bringing them back too, before she puts a finger under my chin lifting it up barely.
"Stay like this."
She steps around, and lifts my skirt up, sighing.
"Take your right foot, and place it in front of your left foot. Only your tip toes should be touching the floor of your right foot."
I do as I am told.
"Good attention to detail. Straighten your back."
I do. My back begins to ache from this position.
"You hardly have any back muscles. You will approach me in this manner every day, until the muscles don't ache anymore."
"What?!"
"Don't argue with me. Now, apologise."
"My apologises, your grace."
"Don't move."
She walks around the table, and slowly sits back down in her chair, the servant pushing in the chair for her.
"You never stand straight up until given the command."
She looks at me. "Breathe child!"
I hadn't even realized I was holding my breath and let out a long sigh, steadying my breathing.
"Sit down."
I look behind myself to grab the chair, but hear mother make a choppy "ah" noise. "The servants will always move your chair for you."
I turn to face her once more and sit back, scared the chair won't be behind me, but when I sit comfortably in the chair I am a bit surprised.
Mother chuckles. "You will learn that you don't have to do everything yourself anymore."
"I'd prefer it if I did."
Mother scowls at me, "you are a princess now, and one day will become queen. You will not speak that way."
"Yes, mother." I say.
The servants bring out the food, but only place any food on her plate. I figure I have to wait until they make sure she has everything she wants, since she is queen.
"Don't worry. You will eat. I told them not to bring your food until after I am done with mine, so I can watch as you eat, and fix anything you do wrong."
I refrain from rolling my eyes, and simply dip my head. It does not anger me, for I don't get hungry often. I am used to going days with out eating. Water is sufficient enough.
This is more entertaining than watching my late brother fail at catching a rabbit. Dakota pipes in from across the room.
I want to glare at her, but I fear I will get another slap in the back of the head. I have already noted that mothers slaps sting.
When mother finishes, she wipes her mouth and sets the napkin down, neatly folded on the table.
"Now, did you watch how I ate?" She asks as the servants clear her place.
"Uh-"
"Of course you didn't."
The servants bring another portion of food out, filling my plate up with dark meat, mashed potatoes, some sort of dark syrup over the potatoes and meat, some vegetables, and a bowl of soup with bread on the side. How am I going to eat all of this?
I grab a fork and stab the meat with it, lifting it up.
"No! No! No!" My mother scoffs. "Put that down! Are you an animal?"
I look at her and put the meat down gently letting go of the fork. It falls over flinging what ever that sauce was on my face, and I flinch.
Mother presses her lips together, lifting her hand to cover them letting out a few chuckles that she was obviously trying to hold back.
I look at her for a moment with a glare on my face, and the second her eyes meet mine I burst into laughter. She doesn't hold back the laugh anymore.
I wipe my face off, setting the napkin back down.
Once my mother stops laughing, she speaks again. "The napkin goes on your lap. When you eat, you take the nice and cut small bites."
I do as I am told and pick up the small bite with my fork. She stands up and walks over to me. I almost sigh, but don't, waiting for her to fix what ever it is I am doing wrong.
"You're holding the fork wrong. Hold it like this." She takes the fork, and places it back in my hand, so my whole fist isn't holding it anymore. Only two fingers and my thumb hold onto it.
"Why does this even matter?" I look at the meat on the fork.
"Stop arguing with me. Now you lift it to your mouth delicately."
I do what she tells me to do.
It takes me about a half an hour to finally finish eating. I learn that one doesn't eat soup straight from the bowl, and the pinky finger stands up straight when taking a drink.
Mother tells me quite often that it's not perfect, but I will learn in time. I find it ridiculous that people actually worry about the way they eat.
The servants clean up, and mother stands up telling me to stand as well. "You will head to the ball room, and be taught how to dance. Godrik will escort you."