Struggle for Acceptance

Chapter 1

Have you ever felt that your life is planned out? That you're expected to be someone you aren't? Well, Louisa and Augusta have felt like that all their lives. They didn't want to marry off to anyone. They didn't care about getting a handsome prince who would just control them. After all, that is what men do.

They never planned on falling in love. Especially with each other. Both of them were princesses, needing to eventually wed a prince. But what if they just wanted to be with each other? Two princesses ruling a kingdom has never been spoken of. Women are said to not be strong enough to handle the responsibility of a kingdom. But with the personalities of these women, they are strong enough to rule the world.

Louisa held her head steady as the maids braided her hair intricately. She didn't like it when they did because it felt like they were sending her off to marry already. She was really dreading the time when that would happen.

Her parents had always taught her proper etiquette and how to be the perfect princess. It really tired her since she just wants to be herself. Her mind thought, just because they want me to be someone I'm not, doesn't mean I have to listen. She wanted to be free. Not free of her parents or eventually of a husband, but she wanted to live alone. Without the royalty and fancy stuff. Just be a normal townsperson. Every time she has gone to the cities and towns, she always finds people starving on the streets. And her parents don't even do anything about it! That really angered her. She tried to tell them to help those who need it, but they say that there are enough jobs and they should be able to find one to sustain themselves.

Once the maids had tied the last hairs into place, she stood up to leave. "Wait, your Highness, we still need to put you in your dress for later," said the head maid.

"Um, can't I just go like this? And I've told you multiple times to just call me Louisa," Louisa said.

"I am afraid not, Louisa. Majesty's orders. You need to look your best tonight," said the maid, not flinching at Louisa's tone.

"Well I have a message for her. Tell her, 'I don't even want to go. If you want me to come, let me dress how I want,'" demanded Louisa.

"I will tell her, but I cannot let you go without us dressing you up. I am not allowed to disobey her Majesty," sighed the maid.

"Wait, you're the new maid right? What's your name again?" she asked the maid, who looked like she was about to scream.

"Angela Ryder, your Highness," said the maid, glaring at Louisa. Louisa didn't miss that 'your Highness.' It was people like Angela that made her want to throw away her title.

"Okay, Angela," sneered Louisa. "If you prefer to keep working at this wonderful, extravagant palace, I recommend you stop glaring at me and listen to me as well. I have as much authority as my parents do. You cannot make me dress up tonight. My mother can come talk to me about that, since she knows how I feel about the ball. So please take your fellow maids with you and get out of my sight."

"Of course, Your Highness," sighed Angela. At that point, she knew there was no arguing with the princess. She gathered her maids and left, leaving Louisa alone.

"Your Highness, we are sorry to interrupt, but we need to start helping you get ready for the ball tonight," peeped Augusta's favorite maid, Dorotia, from the other side of the door of her room.

"Yes of course, come in!" yelled Augusta.

"Yay!! Oh, Your Highness, you're going to look so beautiful tonight. We're going to make you look more amazing than you already do!" squealed her maids with delight.

"Well I can't wait to see what you have in store for me!" said Augusta. She loved all of her maids, but this particular group was her favorite. These maids really understood her and were more of her family than her real family ever was. They were never there for her except when it was about marriage. It upset Augusta and made her feel lonely. Even her sisters weren't there for her. They were all married off to princes, now kings. Her sister, Margarette, at least still wrote her letters, but her new kingdom was the farthest away from Augusta's.

The maids pinned her hair to her head in puzzling patterns that made Augusta look stunning. They stepped back from her hair and stood there, taking in their good work. "Are you done? Can I see it?"

One of the younger maids put a mirror to the back of her head so that she could see it in the mirror in front of her. "It looks amazing, I love it!"

"We're glad you do! It was so much fun trying to make it!" chirped the maids at once.

"Now to put you in your dress for tonight!" said Dorotia to Augusta and the maids.

"Of course! You all have been working on that gown for months now, haven't you?" asked Augusta.

"Yes, and we hope you love it," Dorotia gushed.

"I'm sure I will," smiled Augusta. As she said that, two maids rushed through the door of her room and helped her put it on.

They put her in a corset the same color as her creamy, beige skin and tightened it. They pulled for at least 10 minutes, trying to get it tight, but not too much. The maids were aware that Augusta did not like the corset so tight because she wanted to still be able to breathe.

Once having that on, they put her into the dress and zipped up the dress. It felt so comfortable, Augusta could fall asleep with it. She turned to face the mirror, astonished at what she found. She began to tear up, her maids hugged her while telling her she looked stunning.

The dress was a pastel blue with a bird in the middle, its wings flowers. The flowers covered her chest and the extended all the way around her waist. Almost as if it were enveloping her.

Going down, there were colorful petals, scattered across the dress like sprinkles on ice cream. Augusta was absolutely in awe with it. She would never be able to make it up to her maids for all that they had done for her.

They began to leave, but before they did, she asked them, "What can I do to satisfy you? Or make it up to you? You all have done so much for me, and I haven't done anything in return," said Augusta.

"Absolutely nothing. Just be yourself and we'll be just fine," replied Dorotia sweetly.

Augusta smiled at them as they left.