It took us three days to get to Dranda. During that time I barely spoke to my husband, he was cold and distant, like he could not care less about me being there and I appreciated it; having him near was intimidating so I preferred his silence and indifference. I was indifferent to him too, every time I had a question or needed something I resorted to Norton or Rudyard who were the friendliest among the king’s knights.
At last, we arrived at our destination. The City of Dranda was surrounded by a thick forest of tall trees, it had four main avenues that led to the castle located right in the middle of the city. As we marched down the North Avenue, people looked outside their windows to witness the king and his new wife. Luckily, the carriage’s roof covered me from their curious gazes. After three days out in the wild, I was in no condition to be seen by an entire kingdom
I finished my breakfast and then I took a long bath, I had gone many days without taking one and it was as if I could wash away all the pain and anguish that I had experienced since the day I was forced into marrying Gregory Dominis.The seamstress was already waiting for me when I finished, Cora offered me a white nightgown to wear while the woman took my measurements. Since Gregory had not allowed for me to bring anything from Lerene, I possessed nothing but the clothes I wore during the journey here."Lady Addison, my name is Arlene Polk, it is a pleasure to meet you," the seamstress introduced herself.She was around 50 years old, her brown eyes had a maternal air to them which made her look more beautiful than she really was. I liked her instantly, she was a person with sweet gestures and an affable personality. She w
Four days went by, Cora taught me everything she knew about royal manners, she was a kind yet a strict teacher. During those days, Arlene and Sadie came back once again to bring me some other beautiful dresses that they made for me, some were casual for everyday and others for special occasions. The best thing about those days was that I did not see my husband once during that time, he usually went to bed very late at night and awaked very early in the morning. I could hear him as he came and went through the common area that connected our bedrooms but we never ran into each other and I preferred it that way. Unlike my husband, desolation was a constant visitor. I inevitably felt broken every day before going to bed and every morning as I woke up. I missed my brothers, Lerene, and the life that was taken away from me without even taking my feelings into consideration. I hated my uncle for doing this to me
The king kept on staring at me as I desperately tried to remember what Cora had taught me. This was not a simple dinner, this was a test and I was about to fail it. I could not recall what piece of cutlery was used with what dish, where I was supposed to lay my napkin, or how I had to address the people around me, especially the king."Are you comfortable in the room I gave you?" He asked as the servants poured wine into our glasses.His voice drew me out of my worries."Yes," I replied curtly, before taking a sip from my glass.I didn't normally like the taste of wine, but I was nervous, and maybe a little alcohol would help ease my nerves or help me remember my lessons.The first dish arrived and I had no idea what piece of cutlery to ta
I woke up in a bad mood, I wanted to go home and forget I ever knew this place. Cora misinterpreted my moody behavior as annoyance because I had not spent more time with the king the night before. She was so wrong! She was so devoted to the king that she thought everyone felt the same way. In her mind, it was impossible for someone not to love him as much as she did, so, of course, she had no clue about my real feelings for Gregory.We continued with the lessons, this time I put more attention, I did not want to go through what I did the night before and forget everything I learned under pressure. Cora appreciated my extra effort.After the lessons were over, Arlene and Sadie brought more dresses for me, it seemed like their only goal in life was to sew. I enjoyed their visits, apart from Cora, they were my only distractions.
Hours later, when Cora brought my breakfast, I told her about what I had witnessed. My maid’s face blushed as I spoke, so I immediately guessed that she knew exactly who that woman was.“We should not speak about unpleasant matters…” Cora whispered as she picked up the tray to leave the room.Desperate to know what was happening, I did something I had never done before.“Tell me what you know, Cora, it is an order from your future queen,” I stated firmly.Using my power in such a way made me feel dirty but I had no choice, I had to know who that woman was. Cora sighed, aware that she had no choice but to tell me.“Her name is Constance Labelle, she is married to the kingdom’s doctor. Believe
The morning of my coronation, I was strangely calm. Thinking about what was going to happen step by step helped me not to lose my mind. Cora had explained to me in detail everything that was going to happen: first I was going to be crowned in a formal ceremony here at the castle, then I was going to go out in a carriage through the streets of Dranda so people could see their new queen, after that I was coming back to the castle to have a big celebration with the members of the court, the party was going to last all day and at midnight there was going to be fireworks. The idea of having an entire kingdom celebrating me was intimidating but at the same time made me feel proud. For the first time in my life, I felt special.I made sure I looked impeccable more than ten times before leaving my room, Cora accompanied me to the antechamber of the room where the coronation ceremony was going to take place and there we waited patiently f
Once at the castle, we went to the ballroom, where our select guests had already begun to celebrate without us. We could hear the music and laughter even before entering.People started clapping as we came in, everyone’s sight was fixed on me. They were analyzing every aspect of me, my dress, my hair, the way I moved and smiled. Their scrutiny was overwhelming but I did my best to remain calm.Instead of approaching me as I expected, the people in the ballroom started to form a line. Gregory took me by the waist and led me to a seat at the side of the room where the line started. I then remembered that Cora had explained to me that people were going to bring me many presents to show me their appreciation for their new monarch. So they were going to introduce themselves at the same time they were giving me a present.
It was time for dinner and I had to sit next to Gregory at the enormous rectangular table.“Are you having fun?” He asked while stroking my hair."I guess," I replied without enthusiasm shrugging my shoulders.“You guess? Wow, do not be afraid to hurt my feelings. I mean, I just spent the last few weeks planning every detail of this party so that everything would be perfect, not a big deal,” he commented sarcastically.I looked at him out of the corner of my eye and said nothing.The knights and their families sat at the table with us. While everyone was chatting with each other, I just ate in silence and listen to their conversations. No one at the table seemed to be offended by Gregory's jokes and sarcastic remarks, everyone treated their king with great affecti