Cloaked Beauty

Chapter Three - Part Two

Chapter Three - Part Two

"Your his... fiance?" I asked slowly. She nodded and smiled.

"I'm lucky right." Frankly, I didn't think she was. I didn't shake my head or nod, just stared at her.

"Well, aren't you kind of mad that he'll be marrying other girls too. You know that right? That's what the ball he's having for is," I said, pronouncing each syllable as if she couldn't really understand. She sighed.

"I'm pretty, but I'm not dumb. But I can't really say the same for Derek." He looked from me to Francesca, then back again to me, as if he was watching a tennis match. Then his eyebrows scrunched.

"Hey! You know you guys are talking about me right in front of me. Don't you think I would have noticed?"

We didn't notice him talking.

"Then why would you marry him?" I asked. She shrugged.

"Same as-" She stopped and glanced at Derek as if she suddenly just noticed him. "Can you leave? We're talking." His eyebrows rose in surprise. "Your mother's worried. Go see her so she knows your okay." Suddenly, he nodded, then sprinted towards the doors of the castle. Then she turned back to me. "Same as why any other girl would marry him. He's a prince, and one that owns a very large piece of land."

"So you wouldn't be jealous of all the other girls?" I asked. She shook her head, then shrugged.

"Don't know why I should be. I mean, I'm actually a princess. That's why we're already engaged. So I should matter more to him. It's a duties princesses's duties anyways." My eyes widened.

"Wait what is? What is your duty."

"To marry him, isn't it? That's how I can help my country." I shook my head quickly.

"No, you don't! I mean, it may be the only way to be queen, but you deserve better than that. Well, I mean not that Derek isn't bad, but you don't deserve to have to marry to serve your country. There are so many things you can do without marrying. I mean sure you won't be queen, but think about this. What if you do find someone you love, and I mean really love. And if you don't, there are so many things you can still do. You can help out with the poor kids in the city, build hospitals, or even create households for the elderly and the homeless! Think about it, there's so much you can do. I think your followers would care more about what you did to help them than marry some prince and prancing around in a frilly dress. Sorry, am I babbling." Francesca stared at me for a long, long moment. Then grabeed me into a crushing bear hug."

"Omigosh, thank you for that. You've opened my eyes to so many possibliities! Thank you Miss Edulici!" I smiled as she pulled back.

"Your welcome, glad I could help." She nodded, and grabbed my hand.

"I'll try to take some of your advice. I might marry him, I might not. But I am so going to do things for community my ancestors never did. Thank you!"

Then she pulled me into the castle.

I couldn't really say it was as wonderful as I imagined. It was so much more.

A large chandelier hung in the foyer, that splayed crystals of lights over the floors, walls, and stares. The walsl were a color mixed of beige, and cream white. The windows were made of glass and it was completely grand. If you had imagined a fantasy castle, this was probably it.

"So," Francesca said to me as we walked. "Your one of the Edulicis." I nodded slowly, not knowing where this was going. "Once, I heard a rumor." She let go of my hand and I warily watched her as I walked behind her. "About one of the Edulici's. Not certain it was your family, there are different generations of Edulicis. But I heard a poem once. It said;

Shining is she

Cloaked in her own beauty

Though undiscovered

Strong is she

She who deceived

Never had you seen such as one

Powerful and sneaky

Never undone

The unspoken beauty of Loredenian

Hair the color of-"

I gasped, almost stumbling into her as I stopped mid walk.

"How did you learn that?" I asked completely astounded. "That poem is only known by the king and queen and usually the elders. How, how did you know?" She smiled.

"I overheard some royals talking at one of the feast. Apparently, she's like a legend." I paused.

"Yes," I said. "Yes she is." Francesca frowned when I didn't continue.

"I was hoping you would know more on it, but apparently not. Ah well, follow me. You should have dinner with us, since you brought Derek back. Follow me." I wasn't going to argue with a princess, so I followed. As we walked, she began to talk again, though what I really wanted was to get far away from this sort of weird princess. "Your father was a nice man." My jaw clenched slightly.

"You knew him?" I asked. She nodded.

"Yeah, he was my dad's personal knight. They were bery close friends. My dad nearly broke down when he found out your father ... never mind. Should I not talk about it? Is this hard for you." My face showed no emotion as I shook my head.

"It was very long ago. I forgot what it means to cry." Francesca frowned.

"Well that's... sad. I'm sorry."

"I don't see why your apologizing. Everyone apologizes for something they didn't do. I don't understand that."

"It means your trying to show sympathy. Tell them you know how they feel."

"But when someone says that," I said," they usually don't." Francesca paused for a moment as we stood by a doorway. Then she spoke.

"Come on. Why don't you meet the royal family?"

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