Rebel Lies

Chapter 9; Princess Theresa

What was the princess doing here? I wondered as Theresa noticed me standing in the hallway.
"Oh, hello Athena!" She chirped. I didn't have time for this. I gave a quick bow and muttered a hello in return. " I was just going to check on you and make sure you're settling in!" She continued, but this time her voice was slightly higher, and a bit fake, but that's to be expected.

" oh I'm doing fine! Please don't worry about me princess!" I said hurriedly as I bowed again, acting was never my strongest suit, but I was proud of myself for doing that almost automatically.

"Oh that's great!" She replied, "well if there's anything you'd like to talk about, just send me a note with one of the maids and I'll try my best!" The more she talked, the less genuine she sounded. She was about to walk away, but then the look on her face gave me an idea. She was looking down, or a slight bit disappointed or discouraged, being all too familiar with that feeling myself, I was surprised I hadn't caught on earlier.

" Thanks princess! If you have anything troubling you, my door is always open." I said with a bow, and strongly hoped that I hadn't missed my chance. I had no idea if this was worthwhile, but so far I had nothing to report to HQ and they weren't any help either.

"Actually," Theresa began while she faced me again, " I was wondering if I could have a word with you, in private?" She finished while glancing at my door. I knew she wanted something, if I was bad at acting then she's even worse. So I hurriedly opened my room door for the princess as she entered. "Thanks" she said as she sat on the love seat. I wasn't sure what to do with myself. Sit down on the bed? Sit down beside her? Keep standing?! But then she motioned for the empty spot beside her and I sat there. I was freaking out for no reason, I needed to calm down, I can't be this on edge form the start.
" so what is it that you wanted to talk about your majesty?"
She took a deep breath, " Well initially, my mo- I mean the queen asked me to check up on you and make sure you're okay and offer you a tour of the palace, since you never was given one." She was silent for a few seconds and it made me wonder if I was supposed to say anything but then she continued, " But then, due to some disagreements let's just say, she decided that I would be ... your guide? I don't know how to put it. Your advisor? Anyway, you get it, right?" She asked and I nodded. I think I got what she meant, not what it fully entails but a general idea. " here's the thing though," she continued, " my brother is the one usually in this role, as preparation for when then next Royal is chosen, so... I just wanted to talk to you about some ground rules?" Damn. I misread her expression outside completely, I actually thought she was a human for a second there. This is going to be a complete waste of time, but I nodded because it was too late to go back anyway. " rule 1; if you have any questions about anything, you can just come by my room whenever, and I'll help you to the best of my capabilities, just knock first please." She gives me an almost reassuring look, but at this point I have lost all ability to distinguish between emotions apparently so I just nod. "Rule number two; don't tell my brother or my mom about any of what happens unless I write it in my report- I would like to not bore them with the details."

" consider it done." Maybe this wasn't useless after all, a little blackmailing never hurt anyone, did it?
"And that's about it, I usually don't have too many things to get done so finding me should be easy, just ask a maid and she'll probably know where I am, if I'm not in my room." I give her a final nod and then she says goodbye in a hurry, and is out the door. And of course I'm left for the rest of the day to ponder about all the events and what to do about them.

I need to be very strategic when it comes to anything I say or do, from now on. I feel like the royals are running circles around me and I'm barely keeping my balance. I had a few questions filing my headspace already. So I change into a nightgown and sit at the desk in my room, and stare at the wall as I pull the different things I have been keeping in a note at the back of my mind to the forefront of my conscious. The list was longer than I expected, and dread already began to cloud my mind space.

Nonetheless I try to focus and address the first issue on the list: the study. There weren't many things that indicated whose it is, mainly because since Sebastian is the most likely successor, his father is involving him in many of the goings on of the country. However, the letters directed to a mr. Meyers are suspicious. A little too suspicious, the king surely can't be THAT stupid. There were also different maps and plans and guides, with your majesty as the greeting on the information boxes, so those weren't helpful. However, Sebastian was returning that night to the study. But it could have been to return the bottle of medicine. There was no clear day to day plan either, so it could really be Sebastian's study after all, because his father surely has his conferences written somewhere. After much contemplation, I decided to move onto the next thing on my list. I could always ask Theresa on the tour whenever she decides to take me on one, I suppose she forgot to do the main part of her job but whatever. I had to fight the urge to think about her behaviour and focused on moving systematically through the list, so far I want successful.

When I managed to return to my list of weird things that happened in the past two days, I realized that it was Diane's diary, but I had too many questions about that to be able to even think about each one clearly. And as I approached the end of the list, I realized how little I knew, how every answer seemed to bring up an extra 10 questions to think about. By the end of it, my brain hurt. And I knew that I should call it a night and think about things more clearly early in the morning, but I couldn't help but feel like a failure so far. I haven't been able to find these disgusting excuses of humans' schedules, nor have I been able to exploit them, nor find Diane, nor figure out what was wrong with Theresa. The only conclusions I could draw was that they were all very tense about something and I didn't know what. They were all acting suspicious and I couldn't even figure out what is causing their anxiety, what kind of rebel am I?!  How did Diane deal with this BS?! I glance at her diary, and contemplate whether it'll give me answers or not. Eventually I give in and the first words I read strike me to my core: apparently time is what I need and what I lack, and the patience to wait for the answers is wearing me thin. I wish I could skip this part and be back home already. I wonder how Ophelia and Athena are doing, I wish they were here to help.

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