The Princess

"And you did what?" Mother asks me calmly.

She's never calm.

"I left the North Palace, and walked into the courtyard," I mutter.

"Louder, Zilla, I cannot hear you."

"I left the North palace and walked into the courtyard!" I nearly shout. "Was that loud enough, Mother?"

"As the heir, you should not be so rude to your mother! What did your father and I tell you about leaving the North palace?"

"It's dangerous because I'm the heir and I shouldn't be doing rash things like that." I drone. "I could get ambushed because the courtyard has fewer guards than the palace itself, and I could get killed. Blah, blah blah.”

“Zilla!”

“What? I’m bored here, and there’s nothing to do.”

“You’re twelve.” Mother blankly points out. “You can work on your studies, embroidery, and needlework. No need to be bored.”

“Motheeerrrrrrr,” I inwardly groan. “That’s boring. Can I train with the guards?”

Shock flies over her face, and I know, my young mind at the age of twelve knew, I struck a nerve. 

“YOU DARE-”

“Darling, when is the Duke of the Northland coming for dinner?” My father cut in. “We need to make the menu, and prepare the maids and all, is all,” Was his instant response when he saw that mother was in the midst of yelling at me. He swallowed nervously. “Is it tomorrow night, or the night after?”

Her face softens, and so does her voice. Her eyes don’t, telling me she’s not done with me yet. “Tomorrow night, dear. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to teach Zilla some manners.”

Father now looks nervous and scared again. “I’m just going to, you know, leave.” 

“I’m sorry!” He sends me telepathically. “I have a gift for you though, so once you’re done, come to the Smaller Library.”

“Thank you, father!”

“Zilla, I am punishing you for your uncooperative behavior,”

“I knew it! I knew you couldn’t let it go,” I grumble. “You never forget a single slip-up I have!”

Mother sighs, clearly drained. “Zilla, we need to protect you, but if you keep disobeying the rules, we need to teach you.” Her voice weakened, like a pulled something out of her. 

I suddenly felt guilty for making my mother worried all the time. Then it hit me. 

“Mother! Stop using emotion altering!”

That was her ‘skill’ you could call it. She could alter people’s emotions, and at times, convince people to do things her way. 

“Worth a shot, you know.”

Mine? My ‘skill’ was a lot like my father’s, I could read minds, and speak telepathically. 

“You never get away with it on me, and you know it. Honestly, mother.”

I am always able to tell when she’s using her ‘skill’, and it unnerves me at times. It was useful though. 

“What’s the punishment this time?”

“Embroider three rising suns in five days.” She looks at me smugly. That woman, I swear. “I do know how you enjoy embroidery,” the falseness drips off of her voice. 

“Five days? I’m going to lose my mind.”

“Then do six.” Mother smirks. “In the same amount of time.”

“Oh, hell no.” 

“That is not how the princess of the kingdom speaks!” Mother snaps. “Watch your mouth.” Looking me up and down, she sighs again. “Go get cleaned up for dinner, and prepare what you’re going to wear for the Duke’s arrival here.” 

“Alright,” I agree, planning something malicious. 

Mother cuts the thought from my head. “It better be appropriate, and not a guards uniform again.”

~~ Six months earlier~~

The Earl’s Dinner Party, held at the royal palace.

“Now presenting, Crown Princess Zilla of Thornewood kingdom,” A lackey announced. 

“My time to shine!” I thought to myself. 

Mother had scolded me for climbing the tree in my ‘Persephone’s Garden’, and I was quite angered. 

I wore a female guards uniform, stolen from the storage in the North Training equipment shed. 

Everyone was puzzled when I walked in, right after being announced. Mother flushed red, once she realized that it was me. 

“It seems our daughter has played a little prank to get the party started!” She nervously tried to cover up my lash out. 

When I lashed out, I did it quietly, and in ways mother would regret. 

It was quite fun. 

~~

“Father?” I called to the dark library. 

All the braziers that were usually, well, blazing, were dark and cold. Even the fireplace was empty and cold. 

“Wait. this is not the Smaller Library.” I remembered. This is the bigger, lesser-used one!

Once I was at the right one, I knocked, then walked in. 

“Father, are the Duke’s son and daughter coming tomorrow as well? And the Dutchess, of course.”

“As far as I’ve heard, they are coming. Unless something comes up.” He looked at me slyly. “You have an interest in Alexander? Or perhaps Selene?”

His tone went from serious to playful in one sentence. I knew he was joking, but I flushed red anyway. 

“Maybe,” I risked. “I like both of them.” I was still flushed a severe shade of red.

“Hm,” he grunted. “We’ve got to get you married someday, I reckon. The Duke’s children are quite the match for you.” Father grins big, the skin around his eyes crinkling. “As long as you’re happy, my little flower, as long as you’re happy.”

He looked as if he had just remembered something. 

“Ah, the gift I promised you!”

Father handed me a beautiful cream envelope, with my name flourished on the front. 

“Who’s this from?” I ask him, very confused. 

“Just open the envelope!” Father was excited, and it was a little odd, but it was a nice emotion on him. 

I quickly scanned the contents. 

“Why, it’s from Alexander and Selene! And they’re inviting me to-” I trail off, being very surprised by this sudden invitation to go to their palace for a few years for training and studies. “Oh, Father! Please?”

“Of course, I’ll allow you! But your mother, on the other hand,” He says. 

“Her mother, what?” mother asks from the door of the library. 

“Eeep!” 

Both of us basically jump out of our skins. 

“Well, dear, Kedrew’s children are inviting Zilla over for a few years to study and train. I have already told her it’s alright, what do you say?”

“Selene is quite the accomplished little lady,” mother said. “Alright, just remember to write. And, we will be coming to the Duke’s social events, so you better behave yourself.” She warned.

I jumped up in excitement. 

“Oh, thank you mother! Thank you!” I squealed. “I need to pack my things, mother tell Minna to come to my chambers, I’ll need the help.”

“Now, don’t get too far over your head, if you forget anything, send a letter, and we will send it out.”

I ran out of the library, to my room like there was a fire at my heels. 

Minna was already there, my trunks ready, already half full with dresses.

“I’m finally getting out of here! Minna, can you believe it?! All this time we just needed the right moment!” I blushed at the thought of living in the same place as both Selene and Alexander, and it sent flutters through my mind. “I’m excited, Minna, just a little.” 

“I’ve noticed,” she said quietly, as she continued to pack my things into the trunks. 

~~

“Zilla!” Mother snaps first thing in the morning. “You need to look presentable! The Duke is coming today!” 

She snaps my comforter off of me. “To the baths with you!”

“What time is it?” I groan. 

“Six,” was her monotone response. “But that doesnt matter, you need to get ready.”

“Can’t I sleep a little longer? They’re only coming in the evening,” I beg, desperately trying to sleep some more. 

I wonder what time Selene and Alexander wake up in the morning. 

I blush madly, and pull the sheet over my head. “Let me sleep!!” I gargle out, trying to hide my face from mother. 

“No, out of bed with you!” 

Mother grabs my arms and shoves me towards the maids. “Get her ready for the Banquet this evening.” She glares etra hard at Minna. “You will be leaving to Northland estate with the princess, so prepare yourself as well. You are, in fact, the closest to the princess, so there will be no objections from you.”

“Yes, your Majesty!” the girl practically shouts. “Thank you!” 

~~

I was scrubbed, lotioned, perfumed, and dressed for the next four and a half hours. It was quite dull since all the maids were buzzing that I was going to the Northland estate, with Lord Alexander and Lady Selene no less. 

“I’ll be back eventually, I think,” I semi-confidently tell all the maids. “I’m just gonna go to visit and study.”

“And fall in loooooove!!!” the maids shriek excitedly. “Just imagine it! The young miss! Married!!”

~~

“The Duke and Dutchess of Northland!” announced a lackey.

Selene and Alexander spotted me from my hidingplace instantly. They excused themselves from the presence of their parents and came in my direction. 

“Princess Zilla,” Selene said as she curtsied. 

“Your Highness,” said Alexander when he bowed. 

I curtsied out of formality, and the fact that Mother was keeping an eagle eye on me. “Lord Alexander, Lady Selene.” 

The three of us burst into laughter. 

“Long time no see!” Selene smiles. 

“Are you coming to the estate?” Alexander asks impatiently. “Please please tell me you’re coming!”

“I’ll tell you at dinner!”

“Why do you torture us?” Selene playfully wails. “I’m kidding, you’re totally coming, right?” She gets all up in my face, Blue eyes unwavering. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going!”

Selene gets so excited the nearby glasses of champagne explode. Her skill was with water-like substances, so in other words, the was a hydrokinetic, but not only with water. 

Alexander gets hyped up, all because I’m going to the Northland estate for a few years. 

“You’re gonna basically be part of our family!” both of them said excitedly. “We came in a separate coach so that parents would have some time to themselves. We get the larger coach, since there’s more of us.”

Selene squeals. “These are gonna be the best years ever!”

~~

“Are your trunks all packed and ready to go?” Duke Kendrew asks after dinner. 

“Yes, Sir. They are.”

“Alright, we’re off then!”

My journey of topsy-turvy life had only just begun.