The Matheneya Realm: Princess of Matheneya

Chapter 3: The Cursed Kingdom

      "Yes! I heard they are all in trances!" I maid quietly exclaimed to another, with her hand by her mouth. "Momma, do you really think it's dark magic?" A little servant girl asked her mother. "Shush, Lilith!"  Her mother scolded in response, "We don't know what it is! All we know is of it being dangerous to walk on the streets or be anywhere near that part of the kingdom." She explained to her. I heard many other rumors of something happening in the southern part of the kingdom as I was walking to the throne room. The southern part was the less fortunate region.

     I realized how hungry I was since I didn't eat breakfast. I didn't even brush my teeth. I knew that Mother wouldn't approve of me walking around the palace in my night clothes. Being  a princess takes so much sacrifice, led alone a ruler. There's no time to be yourself. There cannot be any mistakes, if there are, your people will question you. There truly is no private life. If I had it my way, I'd rather not sit in a throne all day for the rest of my life. I want to give out steaming, fresh food and warm blankets to the poor. I want to buy homes for orphanages, to live freely, to choose who I love and can surround myself with, I want to live a happy and content life.

     I hear my parent's voices from outside the Large Victorian white double doors. I cleared my dry throat from laughing with my sister. "They'll think we're insane!" I hear Mother's muffled voice cry, "What is there to do? The sickness will spread across the regions!" She continued, "Don't you regret what we did to her?" Her? Who's Her ? "Yes, but what she did to us was unexceptionable." I hear my father say. "We deserve this. What the both of us did was worse." Mother drearily dozed off. Father just sighs. I knocked on the door. "Name." Father said plainly before opening the door. "May." The doors slowly open. Father seemed so stressed out while mother was worried.

       "Enter." Father strictly commands and I obey, "This is a very serious matter, May." He lectured sternly, "You, as a soon to be queen, should have early experience with a crisis like this." I was never informed about what was happening. I nervously gulped. I had an idea to find out what's happened. If I admitted that I had no idea what's been going on, I'd be in trouble. I would smooth my way into it with questions. "What would you advise me to do?" I cunningly asked them. Father thought for a moment, stroking his chin. "Since the illness spreads quickly, you out to separate the ill from the healthy. I'd suggest a massacre." He seriously said. Mother nodded her head in agreement, "They are non of our consent." How could they be so cruel? "They are non of our worries? Pardon me?" I nearly sobbed out loudly, "What queen would I be to neglect my people?" I cried. "Are you questioning our way of ruling a kingdom? As far as I'm informed, we have more experience than you. Would you pefer a hanging in each town square?" Mother threatened to me with her eyes lit with fire. I furiously glared at my father's eyes, which mimicked Mother's.

      "These sicknesses, they're coming from nowhere?" I gently and calmly asked, "I think we ought to build new hospitals for the sick and let them pass there. Some people may have another chance at life." I told them, "When all of them are passed on or well, the hospitals will be burned to avoid more further spreading." Mother's eyes sparkle with delight. Father's expression stays the same. He's just like that.

     "Very well. We'll announce tomorrow evening at five o'clock." Father gave me his, 'shoo, now or I'll make you work as a kitchen maid for a week.' I curtsyed before leaving the large room. No one had told me anything about the, 'Dark magic' or 'Curses' or 'Trances' why wouldn't anyone tell me? Was someone holding a knife behind my back?