The Cursed Princess Club fanfic: The Secret of The Plaid Family

Ch.3

Frederick's thoughts

Be aware for: Language and alcohol use.

When the people of the kingdom think of the Plaid Queen, the image that pops in to their minds is the dictionary definition of regal, poise, and grace.

These are not the words that Frederick would use to describe his mother.

The young prince deadpanned as he watched his mother try and fail to pick up her broken wine glass pieces with her body swaying from side to side; The sharp smell of alcohol rolled off her body in waves.

Frederick sighed which caused his mother to turn her head to the doorway. "Oh shit...hic*...not now kid. Mommy's having me time...." The queen slurred as she waved her hands, thinking Frederick would take the hint. The latter entered the room anyway and picked his mother from the floor and sat her on the bed. "I'll clean up. You just lie down." Frederick said in a disheartened tone. She's at it again. For as long as Frederick could remember, his mother only had a few emotions: indifferent, annoyed, and stupidly happy. The last one only happened when she had a few glasses of wine in her. His mother had started drinking back when they were small and now, even more ever since their father announced the engagement; The king and queen also started sleeping in separate rooms since then too. Not that it affected the boys all that much. Frederick felt like they all understood the relationship their mother had with them. She neither hugged, kissed, nor ever showed any affection to neither Frederick, his brothers or even the king himself;To the queen they were strangers that she had to tolerate. Most of the boy's care was done by the palace nannies and they were fine with that

arrangement. When Frederick was little, he thought that this estrangement from his mother was normal but as he grew up he realized that it was anything but. As Frederick stewed in his thoughts and picked up the shards of glass, he felt a thin finger brush his hair. He looked up into the eyes of his mom; her red and unfocused orbs stared at him like he was the worlds hardest puzzle. " Hey... aren't you.....supposed tobe...hic*... In class?" she asked, poking his nose with her finger. Frederick froze. A look of terror crossed his face. The queen then gave a big lopsided smile as she laughed aloud. " I'm fucking with ya, boy. You think... I give a damn about..hic*...gettin ya in trouble with that ol.... Meat headed dad of yours! Don't worry..." The queen put a finger to her lips and winked lopsidedly. " It'll be our little secret." The queen laughed again as she threw her upper body to the side of the bed. Frederick heard her rummaging for something under it. Then she pulled out another bottle of wine. She rips off the cork and raises the bottle in the air. "A drink for mother-son bonding....." she says before tipping the bottle and guzzling down the wine like water. Frederick gently clasps his mother's hand, trying to take the bottle from her. " Mother. I think you've had enough for today." he says in a soft voice. Her demeanor changed from chill to livid within the drop of a dime as his mom snarled and yanked the bottle back; A splash of wine spilled onto the floor. "Don't patro.... Patre......patri... Ah,fuck it. Don't act all high and mighty with me, boy. I'm your mother and I've had enough when I say so. I'll stop when I forget whom I married" she snapped.

He winced.

Frederick had a feeling that his mother hated being with his father. Even though the king would do anything to make her happy, Frederick knew that no matter what, his mother would never be happy with them. The queen continued to drink as she scoffed and ranted about the king and her arranged marriage to him. Frederick opted to stay quiet and tune her out; a method that sometimes worked when his father was yelling at him.

But his heart still grew heavy, regardless.

"...look at me, trapped in this wretched shit-scum kingdom married to that old...hic*Ummmm. Goat....face.....ugh, forget it! And to top it all off I have to stick around for you lot.... Wait, which one were..hic* you again?"