Disguised in black and gold

Loreli

The gardens were always beautiful before the change to Autumn. Flowers and trees were blooming with their grand goodbyes before they tucked themselves away for winter. Immortalems morning sun always left a rich attitude that toasted my skin almost as if it charged me to come alive.

I sat down at a beautiful table, highly decorated with morning tea sweets. Closing my eyes and lifting my face to the sun I could feel every drop of it exactly how everyone feels rain. I was lost in the moment of silence I almost didn't hear the girls approach.

"Madeline, Caroline. How good to see you" I embraced both girls with a hug accompanied with a smile. "I am so glad you could join me for tea this morning, please have a seat"

Madeline was such a natural beauty with her wavy black hair and beautiful smile, she looked at home in the garden. Whether Caroline belonged in the palace with her perfect features designed to look her best all the time.

"Princess, we are so honored to join you. Thank you for the kind invite." Caroline was so well spoken which sort of stung.

"Please Caroline, call me Loreli and remember we went to school together for so long so please don't treat me like the princess" Madeline smiled but Caroline formed a thin line over her lips.

"Loreli, what do we have here?" Madeline always loved sweets and she quickly added a few tarts and cakes to her plate before we did. That's why I enjoyed Madeline's company she treated me like her friend not her future Queen.
"Oh the cooks were informed on your love for sweets and they baked up a storm!" I grabbed a tart and mini chocolate cake. Because I was eating with two school friends I ate the tart with my hand and the cake with a spoon. It felt strange slightly unnatural but I did enjoy a change.
Madeline lent forward "Now Loreli, I have to ask I have heard rumours that you have volunteered to be this years maiden in the annual recruit 'find the maiden?" I leaned in as if this was a huge secret getting revealed,

"Well actually it's true." She gasped before leaning back smirking. Queens or Princess aren't allowed to compete in this particular event. "I know, I know but the whole event is based on a princess trying to escape and they need to know how I think if they're ever going to catch me." Caroline kept very quite while buttering a plane scone.

"Oh my goodness those boys aren't gonna know what to do when they see that your volunteering." Madeline popped a tart in her mouth in between little laughs. "Doesn't that go against the secret code of 'thou princess can never wear anything but giant dress's and huge crowns'. How did your mum take it because it's in a few days isn't it?"

"Yeah it's just under a week. I honestly don't know if she's even heard yet..." Caroline's face went completely stoic. "And um if she has then she's taking it very well." I felt very un-ease the way Caroline was looking at her plate with a scone she barely touched.

"Oh my. Have you seen what you would wear for the whole chase thing?" Clicking her fingers a maid poured Madeline a tea.

"No I haven't yet they'll probably make it some big royal outfit. I guess it'd make sense as I'm always in big royal outfits" Madeline let out a laugh before Caroline snapped the laugh in half,

"The royal family has never participated in 'find the maiden' that the recruitment's have in their training process. The Queen is to be respected, having not told her your decision is completely disrespectful. Mind what I am about to say but you do not deserve to be a princess Loreli you dismiss it because it was simply handed to you. Then your dad died and you acted like it was the end of the world and shut us all out,"

"Caro that is enough!" Madeline silenced her sister. I will admit Caroline's words were true but she did sting, she has no idea the pain I staggered through over the years after my dad died and how I had to keep getting up everyday making speeches, presenting awards along side my mother, just dying inside.