My Charlotte Hates Me

Chapter 3: First Friend

As I got to know Lady Arielle, I found her grow lovelier every time I looked back at her.

She was kind, fair towards everyone, and had a more beautiful soul than anyone I had ever met. No matter what kind of situation she was placed in, she would always find a solution and help bring people together. Most people say that this part of her makes her most attractive to other other people. My heart seemed to scream in joy just by being in her presence. It takes nearly all of my energy to not reveal my true intentions in front of her, lest she be scared and run away from me in fright.

I just liked her so much...

"Lady Charlotte, forgive me for being a little forward, but I feel a strong connection with you...It is like a soulmate?" Lady Arielle said.

"I...I feel the same way, Lady Arielle!" I said as I grabbed her hands.

"It is my first time having a close female friend...I want to be even closer to you. Do you mind if I call you without honorifics?" she asked.

"P-Please allow me to do the same," I said.

"I would like that very much," she said.

The more that I hung out with her, the more I found that she really did not make her relationship with Crown Prince Erik Arundel public. They were never around each other. Of course there were many students saying that they were perfect for one another, but no one could say that they were particularly close with their limited interactions.

I could not say that I was not jealous that they were engaged, but it did bother me to see them together...

It worked out in my favor anyways if I could be with Arielle more often.

On my way to class, I saw Arielle pulled into the shadow of one of the storage buildings. She was suddenly kissed by Prince Erik.

When I saw that scene, my heart felt as if it was being stabbed by a thousand needles. The prickly feeling was so unbearable.

I was aware that I loved her, but was unaware that I was in love with her until that moment.

I silently cried and wailed as I knew that this love would never come to fruition as she was truly engaged to the Crown Prince and would never share these feelings I have for her with me.

"Arielle, what do you think of same-sex relationships?" I asked after she returned from her meeting with the Prince.

"...It is all love in the end. Everyone just has a different concept about it. I think it if fine, but the law and our predecessor's long standing views and traditions may find trouble with accepting new views," Arielle said.

"Maybe you can make things change once you are Queen," I said.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Me? Queen?"

"You are Prince Erik's fiancée, yes?" I asked.

"...Yes, I was not aware that you knew I was engaged to Prince Erik," Arielle said.

Her eyes showed a sign of loneliness.

"...Are you by any chance not in love with him?" I asked.

"...Since I was very young, I was always told that I had to be befitting of not just as Prince Erik's fiancée but as a Queen. Someone I cared about told me that feelings like love are meaningless when it comes to Nobles. Any remaining kind of emotions have all but dried up now. My purpose from now on is to be a proper fiancée to Prince Erik and hopefully...be of use to him," Arielle said with a melancholic tone. She soon grabbed one of my hands and held it tightly. "Do not tell anyone yet, but I want to make schools where all children can have an equal chance at learning and make it so that not one more child goes starving one day. I want to live for the people...and with the people. That is the kind of Queen I want to be."

If she is not in love with him, I want her to be with me...but she would be an even better person by being Queen.

"You will make a great Queen," I said.

All I can do now is support her from the side like this.

As I was approaching my art club, a group of girls had approached me with exaggerated looking smiles.

"Lady Charlotte, I am Noel Lowell and these two are my friends Karen Alburn and Merle Bryce," a girl with short blonde wavy hair said.

If I remember correctly, her Father Count Lowell is close with my Father.

"Greetings, Lady Lowell. What brings you here?" I asked.

"I just wanted to express my grievances with you, Lady Charlotte. I think it is a shame that you missed out on being incoming class Valedictorian and now you are forced to entertain Lady Arielle against your will," Noel said.

"...You are mistaken. I am not forced into anything," I said.

"Really? Lady Arielle had undergone strenuous education in manipulating the psyche in her younger years. It is so easy to find how many people have fallen for her charms and brought to her side," Noel said.

"Lady Arielle is a Duke's daughter. She is not someone who does shameless things unbefitting of her prestige," I said defensively.

"Is it not true that you are slowly losing your place as Crown Princess?" Noel asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Lady Arielle is in your way of becoming Crown Princess, but don't worry. I shall support you with all my resources," Noel said before making her exit with her friends.

"What a strange girl. She said all she wanted and walked away..."

The next day, I was asked to go to the Principal's office.

"Do you know why I have asked you to come here, Lady Castile?" Principal Norman asked.

"...I am not aware," I said.

The door to the office suddenly burst open with several Royal Guards parading through the office and grabbing me by the arm.

"Unhand me!" I screamed at the men.

"Lady Charlotte Castile, you are hereby under arrest for the death of my fiancée," Prince Erik said with a cold tone.

My entire body went cold as I fell to the ground.

Fiancée?

Death?

"Arielle is dead?"

How could he say such unconvincing words! I just spoke to her yesterday! She was alive and well!

"Come willingly with me, Lady Castile," a Royal Guard said as he pulled me by my arm.

I was too in shock to hear that Arielle had died that I did not notice where I was going until I was thrown in a prison cell.

I found several people coming in and out of my cell telling me to confess to a murder I did not commit nor had any knowledge of.

They all said the same thing...Arielle Maddox had irrefutably left this world.

"...Arielle," I said as I cried into my hands.

"You do not have the right to say her name," Prince Erik said.

"Who are you to tell me what my rights are when concerning my friend? You are just a walking heathen with a stick between your legs," I said angrily.

Unable to control my emotions, I resorted to insulting this man.

"I should applaud you for your acting. It looks as if you really did care for her. Arielle considered you her friend, but you betrayed her and led her to her death all in the name of being Queen," Prince Erik said as he pulled me by my hair. "You will never take her place..."

He soon tossed me back to the ground before leaving me alone in my cell.

I stopped wanting to be Queen ever since I met Arielle...

Shortly afterwards, one of the guards brought in Noel Lowell who was dressed in worn down clothes for some reason.

.