Evelyn

❇︎ Chapter Four ❇︎

- Kenley -

  The King had never admired his daughter's desire for adventure. It was something the nobles despised, but his wife told him the same thing each time. 

  "It's just a phase." The Queen said, her voice like bells. "She'll learn."

  Kenley sighed, sitting back in the tall pristine throne. The morning carried on for what seemed like hours, though it had barely been minutes. It was when the door open and a little girl jumped into the room, that time passed more quickly. The girl smiled, her eyes glowing as she passed her father and mother. Sitting beside them, facing the long wooden table. Evelyn giggled, placing her doll on the table beside her before reaching to pull her hair into a pony tail at the back of her head. 

  "No dolls at the table Eve." Kenley said, his voice dark.

  Evelyn looked up. "But Papa. Sir Peaches is a nice doll, he means no harm."

  Kenley raised an eyebrow, as if to ask her to challenge him, so she did. Raising both her eyebrows instead of one, Evelyn stared at her father menacingly. He tried not to laugh, but when his daughter erupted in giggles, he chuckled. Evelyn did not move the doll, only sat it beside her plate and hoped it would not fall over. But of course, gravity had other plans. 

  The doll hit the plate and Evelyn let out a scream. "Oh no!" She exclaimed. "Sir Peaches! are you okay?"

  Cooked tomatoes fell off the dolls face as Evelyn pulled the doll away from the plate. She pouted, turning to her father. Kenley and his wife laughed, though Kenley kept a straighter face than the Queen. 

  "We must take him to the medics Papa!" Evelyn shouted. 

  Kenley nodded, turning and beckoning a maid over to the table. She bowed respectfully, her greying hair falling over her pale cheeks. Walking over to the Princess, she crouched down and spoke to Evelyn, before taking the doll and walking away toward the washing rooms. Evelyn frowned as the maid left, her green eyes darkening. 

  "Will he be okay Mama?" She asked.

  The Queen chuckled. "Of course sweetie. Now eat, then we can go to the town." 

  With those words, the King saw the girl's eyes brighten again. As she stuffed her mouth with breakfast, she talked of the forests she wished to visit. The monsters she wished to face and the people she wished to meet. This left the King frowning, his arms crossed and his mind wandering. Hoping that one day, she'd become a proper lady. If she was not one already. Evelyn jumped up, announcing that she was leaving to get changed. The Queen nodded, standing to leave as well. 

  "Evelyn." the King said, before his daughter could disappear into the bright hall. 

  She turned, her mahogany hair falling around her and dancing in the wind. "Yes Papa?"

  The King frowned. "Do you know anything of the missing blade in the armoury Eve?"

  Evelyn kept her cool, holding the hem of her dress before dancing around as she answered. "No Papa. I've never been allowed in that room."

  Kenley sighed but nodded. "Of course. Off you go."

  Evelyn grinned, before turning and racing away. Her blue dress was the last thing that disappeared into the hall, the fabric dancing around the doorway. Kenley sat back in his chair, there was no doubt that she'd taken the blade. Probably out of curiosity rather than want. But there was also no doubting the fact that she would not change. Forever she would be Evelyn, the girl who wanted nothing more than to explore worlds that did not exist. And this complicated things. Standing, he pushed the chair behind himself, before walking out of the room. He marched through the halls, sunlight flying through the open, stained windows. Stories of his ancestors sat on each of the windows in this hall, the hall that led to the East tower. The one that housed the King's quarters and office. 

  Pushing the wooden door open, he stepped into the room  and sat behind the dark oak desk. He pulled the drawer open and pulled a notebook out from the top of the pile. Ten years, one decade before she'd be ready for the throne. Hopefully. If she put her desire for adventure away, then maybe she'd be ready for the throne. He opened the book, staring carefully at the notes and timelines that had planned out the Princess's life. Her coronation and her crown. Everything that needed to be planned, to create the perfect Queen. Lists of suitors and advisors for her lined three pages each. Each outlining which noble they were born to, as well as their riches. He wanted his daughter to go on to marry someone kind, someone who would keep the interests of the people at heart. But so far, that list was short. People only seemed to care about money and riches. They would begin the thing he'd be preventing for years, a war.

  Kenley sighed, pushing his grey hair back as his blue eyes darkened. What if Evelyn decided to leave? Who would rule then?