Remember When

Chapter 2

"Do you prefer this color or this one?" Constance asked, holding up what seemed to be the thousandth dress this afternoon.

I was already holding twenty dresses in my arms and couldn't bear to add another.

"Why not this one?" I asked, referring to the one on top of the pile I was carrying. It was white and did not have any sequencing or design on it, low for my standards but Constance seemed to be deliberating on whether or not to buy it for the past thirty minutes.

"It's too, bleh. Clearly it's something you would have worn, back when, you know. But I have better taste than you. I guess it's a good thing you became a servant after all," she said without even batting an eyelash.

"And why is that?" I asked bluntly.

"To gain a better sense of fashion, of course!"

Her words angered me but not enough to make my blood boil. This was nothing I hadn't heard before, what with her constant daily remarks about my past. I guess I became numb to the hurt and the pain that was my past self, which was beneficial since Constance seemed to amuse herself by bringing light to it.

"I'll just go with the pink. It suits me," Constance threw the dress on top of the pile I was already juggling, making her way outside. I guess she assumed I would pay for it and put the other gowns away. How fitting.

"Sorry, Jane. I can return the gowns to their proper place, with your permission of course. She only wants to buy the pink gown for today," I sighed, resignation clear in my eyes.

"That's quite alright, sweetheart. You have enough on your hands these days," Jane smiled softly.

"That I cannot argue with," my lips rose into a lopsided smile.

"Besides, my lady, you have always been so kind and generous. It's the least I could do for you." I nodded, knowing quite well that she was referring to my past, a past that was very much behind me.

"Well I appreciate your kindness, Jane. It has not gone unnoticed," I smiled.

"Neither has yours, my lady."

With that, I bid her farewell and left the shop.

I stepped onto the crookedly paved street, suddenly immersed in a crowd of civilians.

Everybody seemed to be clapping but to what I did not know. I pushed myself politely through the crowd, willing myself to get to the front and see for myself what was going on. The clapping was getting faster by the second. Finally, I was able to make my way to the front.

There, surrounded by a circle of civilians, were two men juggling glass plates and cups. One of them was balancing a glass cup on his head as well. It was madness but also impossibly fun. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, encouraging the crowd to clap along with them. I found myself joining them, happy to have found a distraction.

The men continued to toss plates and cups into the air, smoothly catching them as they fell, and gracefully tossing up another. The crowd was laughing and smiling, something that felt foreign to me.

"Why is it that you're the only one here who doesn't appear to be enjoying yourself?" A man whispered in my ear.

I whipped around, startled.

He chuckled.

"Don't worry, princess, I was only teasing," he smiled.

Princess? How could he possibly know? Only a select few knew about my past and I was certain I had never seen this man before in my life. He was a bit taller than me, with brown eyes and hair alike, although it was short so I could hardly make it out as brown. He was handsome for certain, but I did not recognize him from court or any other matters I had to attend as a noble child.