Søren's child (Ash Princess fanfic)

Chapter seven: Yana

I wake early in the morning, soft sunlight tickling my eyes through a crack in my curtains. I yawn and, sit up, glancing down at my night dress and sheets. No burns. I smile, swinging my legs over the side of my bed. The second my feet hit the ground sharp spikes of pain shoot through the soles of my feet. I yelp and sit back on the bed. Cautiously I inspect my feet and wince at the sight of a hundred tiny pin pricks, each one welling with tiny bead of blood that shine like jewels against my pale skin. Press the heels of my hand into my eyes to stop the tears. Not again. I lift the corner my rug and groan as I see the backs of a dozen or so sharp pins, points poked through the rug to prick me in the morning. Great, now my feet will hurt like Hell for the rest of the week. 

This isn't the first time Ophelia has played a trick like this, picking the lock on my bedroom door at night and sneaking in here to lay her trap. It's especially creepy, because I never wake up and catch her in the night. She's as silent as a ghost. 

So I'm well-practised in the fiddly job of picking every single pin out of the rug, cutting my fingers countless times. Once I'm finished I chuck the pins in to bin and pad across to the bathroom, wincing with every step. I wash my feet and dry them carefully before wrapping a bandage around each individual foot. The bandage would lessen the pain but make my feet hot a sticky all day. There really was no relief in Ophelia's traps. 

Having wasted enough time I quickly dress in a light blue chiton and hurry down to breakfast. 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

When I get down to the breakfast hall the room is already filling up with nobles and advisers and ambassadors. It that time of the week, where everyone eats together. Great.

Mother is a burning torch amidst to organised chaos, attracting people like moths to a flame. She is surrounded, seemingly holding discussion with a dozen or so of them, all while having her breakfast. I honestly do not understand how she odes it.

I take a seat as close as I can get to her and pour myself a mug of strong coffee. The sight of so much blood so early has put me off my appetite. And Ophelia knows this. 

I pick up a pair of tiny, silver tongs and pluck a cube of  honeycomb when a flash of silver snatches it from my grasp. "Too slow Princess." I look across the table to see Ophelia holding the last piece of honeycomb triumphantly in her tongs. She smirks smugly at me. "Good morning Lady Ophelia." I say, politely, trying to hide the fear in my voice. I fail.

"And a good morning to you Princess Yana." She says, making the title sound like a curse. "I do hope you're morning has been pleasant." She knows just how pleasant my morning has been. I wince at the memory and she grins wickedly. 

I used to wonder why Ophelia hated me so much. I was never popular even before she and her friends started picking on me. But still I wondered. 

I'm not a threat to her. Her Mother and Father are both powerful earth guardians, close to my Mother. 

I've never hurt her, or challenged her, or spoken much to her at all.

So what is it?

Mother said that the other girls in court might be jealous of me, but I can't think of anything about me that would make someone like Ophelia jealous. I'm not charming and lovable like Ampelio. I'm not brave and powerful like Mother. I'm not even strong like my Father. 

I'm nothing.

So I've given up wondering my Ophelia hates me. Why everyone hates. I probably wouldn't understand it anyway. I'm just a weak little Kalovaxian bitch.

"Princess Yana," a voice calls from my side, dragging me out of my thoughts and back to the real world. I look up and into the face of one our servants. I can never remember their names, like Ampelio and Mother can. She's... Nora, I think. "Yes?"

Nora holds out a letter, "This is for you to read out, my lady," I take the latter form her, "They are reports of Prince Ampelio's progress so far." Nora says. I nod,

"Thank you." I turn back to my coffee and look over the contents, forgetting to dismiss Nora. She huffs and walks off. I glance over my brothers progress evaluation and frown, irritated. My does he get to enjoy himself learning to fight while I have to while my days away here. I pain and torment. Not fair. "Something the matter, Yana?" Ophelia asks, jumping on my unhappy, expression with glee. "No, no Lady Ophelia," I say. As angry as I am I'm not going to betray my brother by complaining about him. I turn and look up the table, searching for Mother. I catch her eye for a second and her eyes flick down to the paper in my hand then back to me. She nods subtly at me, then turns back to the noble talking at her. I stand up and clear my throat. The noise of the breakfast hall has lessened now everyone is settled, so I know everyone can hear me. They're just ignoring me. I clear my throat again. Still nothing.

Finally, Mother does it for me and everyone's attention is finally on me. "T-thank you," I say, stumbling. I continue with my speech, "We have received a report from the Talvera's entailing my br- Prince Ampelio's progress with his training." I clear my throat and read out the rest of the letter that states my brother's excellent work in far too many long words. I stumble through a few words but all in all it goes alright. Of course, people mutter and yawn liberally throughout, but there's nothing I can do about that. Finally finished, I sit down, nervously awaiting the reaction of the people. I get a smattering of applause and a couple of cheers for Ampelio (started by Amiliy of course), but that's it. Talk about respect. You wouldn't even know I was a Princess if it weren't for... oh.

I don't have a crown or a tiara of some sort.

My clothes are of the same finery as the other people here.

I'm not even sat next to Mother today.

There's nothing.

Nothing to show if I'm meant to be here, or Ophelia is.