Little Queen

Chapter 4

I cut into my delicious, fluffy pancakes.

"Someone's in a good mood." Ethan points out.

"I slept well." I reply, not taking my eyes off the newspaper I am reading. It was true, I slept like a baby last night, and I feel great.

Picking up my glass of orange juice, I take a sip, finishing it. "Alright, I've gotta get to work." I say to no one in particular, but as I stand up, push my chair in and turn around I see my dad in his wheelchair. Dad hasn't been in the dining room since mum passed. I stop dead in my tracks as Ethan and Oscar run past me. Oscar jumps onto Dad's lap and Ethan, ever the gentlemen, stands at the right of the wheelchair.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, thrilled

"Yeah, are you gonna eat pancakes with us?" Oscar adds

"Mmm... pancakes! Sounds yummy!" Dad says, acting childish for Oscars sake.

"Yay!" Oscar jumps off dads lap, grabs his half eaten, soggy pancakes and holds them out to dad. "We can share!"

Dad laughs. "Sure, son." He then turns to Ethan. "I was wondering if I could have a look at your geography homework, your tutor tells me you're doing great."

Ethan looks moved. "Sure!" He replies enthusiastically.

"What's on the agenda for today?" I ask, sitting at my office desk.

"Not much." Lady Bree answers while looking through some files. "Were did I put that PDF form?" She mutters to herself, looking flustered.

"What time is my meeting with parliament?" I ask whilst going through mail, throwing irrelevant letters in the trashcan beside my desk. I don't get an answer so I try again "Do you know? I can't remember when I scheduled it."

I look up from my desk. Lady Bree picks up a huge file, finding it hard to balance it. Paper is falling everywhere. "I'm sure I put it in here. Where is that damn thing!?" She yells in frustration. A piece of loose brown hair from her tight bun falls out, which irritates her further. Brushing it out of the way with one hand, while balancing the file with the other; she drops it and papers fall all over the floor.

She slams her hand down on her desk and looks up at me. Her cheeks turn red, knowing I just watched her little fit.

Sighing in exasperation, she finally talks. "I'm so sorry my lady. I'm a mess." Lady Bree has told me before that her ex husband sometimes visits, with his young girlfriends, just to stir her and her son up.

I stand up walking over to her desk, which is opposite to mine, and pull her in for a hug. She leans her head on my shoulder. "We were married for 20 years." She whispers, though not really to me, more like she is reminding herself.

She pulls away, dabbing at her eyes. "He visited last night." She mumbles at the floor.

"It'll be okay." I whisper.

She looks up at me. "So everyone keeps telling me. But it won't be okay and I know it." She says sternly, not breaking eye contact.

If anyone else spoke to me like that; not addressing me properly, that is, I would have called them out, but not with Lady Bree. She has been working at the palace for a long time and was my mum's lady-in-waiting, so has known me since I was born.

I honestly don't know what to say. I have never been in a situation like Lady Bree's so I am afraid to say the wrong thing. But I tell myself that I will figure out a plan to help her. She's like a mother to me. Families help each other.

Elenor holds up another gown.

My meeting with parliament starts in an hour and I'm not even dressed yet.

"Next." I say, simply flicking my hand. Frustrated, I sigh "I don't want a gown. This is a meeting with parliament not a ball."

Elenor bites her lip, thinking. "Like a business woman look?" She guesses.

"Yes that's it!" I exclaim. She walks back into my closet and pulls out a tight, navy blue pencil dress with a collar. It's marvellous. I smile "I'll put it on now."

My Dad and I sit patiently. Parliament can't seem to grasp the idea of me becoming Queen.

"She is too young." Mr McNutly declares to Mr Bailman.

My dad looks up at the ceiling, annoyed. We seem to be running in circles.

"And female," Mr Jones announces. Ouch. That stung. I open my mouth to defend myself, but dad shoots me a look like let it go, Averi.

I shut my mouth and cross my arms, fed up.

"I don't think it will be a good idea to leave the country with a moody teenager." Says Mr Jones. As insulting as that comment is, I nearly burst out laughing. Little does my country know that I was the one who actually has been ruling Pivvotlee this past year. Dad would just present my idea's on the R.N. (Royal News)

"I agree. She should not be ruling alone."

"What about if someone rules alongside her highness?"

I don't like were this is heading.

"No. She is too young to be married."

Yes!

"Who's to say?"

No!

"Actually, that is not a bad idea, it will give someone to keep her in line."

No, no, no!

All the men start nodding their heads. I look over at dad. He has a hand on his chin, thinking. How could he even be considering this?!

I want to scream. I have to sit down and keep quiet while a bunch of ignorant men plan out my life. This is so unfair!

You know what? No. I have power. It's my life and I get to decide what happens.

"What if the princess doesn't wish to be wed?" I ask.
Mr White turns to me, amusement in his eyes. "If you actually do deserve to be crowned Queen, then you will do anything for your country." He stares me down. Every man in the huge room is staring at me. I feel so small, so worthless. I want to speak, but my throat is not letting me. "Will you not?" He adds, staring into my soul. I look down at my lap. Trapped.

The Prime Minister, Mr McNarmana slams his wooden hammer on his desk and yells. "Princess Averi Fadaye of Pivvotlee will be crowned queen as well as marry a man to become prince consort this month!"

My farther reaches over and holds his hand out for me to take, but I don't. I can't. I feel frozen as I watch my world turn upside-down, right in front of my eyes.