Chapter 6:
Lucina
I hate this.
No. I really hate this.
I stand with a stack of books balanced on my head. A stick is taped to my back to 'fix my posture.'
"Now smile, and walk slowly." Mrs. Friedricks paces around me.
"Being a royal is not all fun and games. You should thank His Majesty you even get to learn from me."
Mrs. Friedricks is a stick-thin, wrinkly old lady with a very distracting hairy mole on her forehead. It's just there. Like a third eye.
Freaky.
"Attention!!!"
She snaps me out of it.
"I know you can't possibly help your birth circumstances. Quite unfortunate. But the other half of your blood is actually pure and noble—the noblest on the continent." She pauses.
"I would like to say that cancels out your other attributes."
She eyes my hair.
"That hair, too. It's so unruly. I've told you over and over to at least straighten it."
She walks toward me and tries to hold my hair.
"Stop."
I firmly grab her arm.
"As I've said, Mrs. Friedricks, I inherited this hair from my mother. I won't tamper with it. I think it's rather beautiful." I increase the pressure on her arm.
"Your opinion doesn't matter. You're just here for etiquette lessons. Alright?"
"Understood. Class is over for today."
She walks away, subtly rubbing her arm.
The door closes softly behind her.
I let out a sigh of relief.
*
"How dare that scarecrow-looking hag?!"
Stacy rushes to me and removes the stick taped to my back.
"How dare she?! With those not-so-sly insults! Does she think she's royalty now after spending so much time with the Empress?!" Stacy fumes while preparing me for my next class.
"I want to poke her in the eye!"
She's so cute.
"She might as well be royalty." I stretch my shoulders.
"She's been the Empress's nursemaid and nanny since the Empress was born. She's practically her mother now."
I turn and head toward the balcony.
My least favorite class.
I'd rather spend more time with Mrs. Friedricks than be there.
Embroidery class.
Aka: a bunch of noble ladies gather to gossip and talk about eligible bachelors.
They probably don't think highly of me because of that 'tripping' incident a month ago.
I walk onto the balcony and head for my inconspicuous chair at the corner of the room. Stacy unloads my materials and heads to stand with the group of other maids outside.
Unlike the other ladies, I haven't been embroidering since I was practically a toddler. I can't afford to slack off.
The other ladies and my two 'sisters' ignore me. They carry on with the most boring conversations imaginable.
They are teenage girls, I suppose.
I really shot myself in the foot at that family dinner, didn't I? If I hadn't opened my big mouth, I would be lazing around in my room, eating fruit.
Why can't we learn something interesting? Swordsmanship? Archery?
I know it's unladylike.
For a place that worships a female goddess, they are not very progressive.
"Sister Lucina, did you hear me?"
Stella snaps me out of my thoughts.
I sigh and look up.
Why can't I be left alone?
"No. Would you repeat yourself, please?"
"I heard from Mother that etiquette lessons have been a challenge for you." Stella smiles sweetly.
"She said something about you being unfit for royalty. I certainly don't believe that. And neither does Mother." She tilts her head.
"I've never had a problem with Mrs. Friedricks' lessons. I could offer some pointers."
She's really good.
She insulted me, made herself seem better, and showed off her 'kind' qualities in one sitting.
"My, you're so kind, Princess," Lady Starforge says.
The rest of the noble ladies chime in like parrots. I can't remember most of them.
Only Lady Starforge stands out—she's Duke Starforge's only daughter. The Starforge family are exiled half-dwarves who founded this kingdom with the first Empress of Solana, Selena. The Empire was named after her.
I glance at Rose. She's basically a wallflower. I've never heard her say more than a few words at a time.
Then I look up at Stella, who is being showered in compliments by her group of lackeys.
"When Selena prayed to the moon, and Goddess Luna appeared to answer her prayers, she blessed her with divine power." I set down my needle.
"Her eyes turned grey. Her hair turned as pale as moonlight reflected by snow. It was a sign that she was Luna's beloved."
I smile.
"When I look into the mirror, I'm reminded that I'm the descendant of Luna's beloved. Mrs. Friedricks' opinions matter not when my physical appearance is proof that I'm royalty."
Stella flinches.
With her blonde hair, I suppose I hit a sore spot.
"I mean, if Sister Stella were placed into a sea of blonde noble ladies, she would look like any other noble lady to people who have not met her before." I shrug.
"For me, though? You could tell I'm Solana royalty from a mile away."
Stella's face practically fumes with anger now.
Oops.
"I apologize. I may have spoken out of turn." I look down and pick up my embroidery again.
"Forgive me, Sister."
Footsteps stomp away. The door slams shut.
The group of lackeys quickly follows after Stella.
Finally some peace and quiet.
"You're holding it wrong."
A voice comes from behind me.
I look back.
The embroidery teacher is standing there.
I can't slack off, I guess.
The embroidery teacher is from a local ladies' academy. A commoner who proved her worth through her abilities. She's decided to just do her job and not get involved in anything else.
I like that about her.
She's here to earn her money, not play politics.
I respect that.