Tuesday: etiquette of royalty

Breakfast next morning was a torture. I had to listen to the girls gush about being held in the Prince's arms. But I didn't complain, rather minding my business while seated in between Stella and Harriet.

"It felt like heaven." Florence says, cupping her cheeks dramatically.

Rosa sighs dreamily. "And his eyes are so blue." She says, supported by Violet,  Maria and Oakley who giggle like it's the best thing in the world.

"You girls need to get a life." Theresa snaps, getting everyone's attention.

"As if you have one." I counter, hating the way she acted all the time like every one else was filth.

She narrows her eyes at me. "Shut up, Commoner."

I'm about opening my mouth to retort but Hilda beats me to it.

"No, you shut up, Theresa. Who do you think you are?"

Gasps rise around the table. Not many dared speak against Theresa for whatever reason.

Theresa's scowl deepens. "You're making a mistake, freak."

"Like your parents did with you, right?"

I don't miss the sniggers my comment earns. Venom clouds her features, adding to the darkness she already carries around her.

"You didn't get the message did you?" She pushes her chair and storms out of the area.

"Yeah, go burn in hell, witch." I murmur, slightly bothered by her comment.

Harriet nudges. "What was that all about?"

"I have no idea."

"You didn't get the message did you?"

What message?

↭↭↭

After breakfast, we head straight to our lesson for the day.

Etiquette of Royalty.

Our teacher, a willowy woman who's a mother of two girls sailed us through the lessons with ease.

Occasionally, I found Theresa staring at me and she'd glance away once our eyes met.

I was starting to feel unsafe within these walls.

Lady Joanne addressed us after lunch

She spoke about an upcoming general test of knowledge and then according to her, our final test would be something practical.

On the rankings, I had climbed up two places, being currently on eight. It was good progress but still not enough.

Theresa still remained as troublesome as ever and Harriet still snuck out to see my bodyguard, Isaiah.

I had to plan an event for the Great Test but to do that, I needed the people's opinion. What best place to get that than in the kitchen?

Ruth welcomes me with a smile. "Hello, Alan, long time no see."

Most of the workers are quite used to seeing me sneak in here, so no one bothers us, not even the Master Chef.

"Sorry, I've not been here in awhile." I apologise, watching her roll a dough into shape.

She nods. "I know you were busy preparing for the Outing Ball. There's no need to apologise. What's the pen and paper for?"

Laughing, I hold up the mentioned items. "I came to get your opinion on something."

"Hmm." She hums, dumping the dough with others in a separate tray.

"What are you baking?" I ask, staring at the ingredients she sticks into the dough.

"Fish rolls."

"Ruth makes the tastiest fish rolls." A young man swings by, standing beside Ruth.

She rolls her eyes. "You need to stop  appearing from nowhere, Wen." She chides him.

Wen grins, looking me over. "Fancy seeing you here, Alanna."

"You know me?" I ask, my jaws a little slack.

Wen nods eagerly, his dirty blonde hair bouncing with the movement. "Who doesn't? I'm rooting for you though because-"

"-why are you here again?" Ruth questions, her eyes brightening as she picks up the tray. "-yes, I remember. You're here to take these rolls to the oven."

She shoves the tray into his chest with so much force that the six footer stumbles.

"You're the worst, Ruthie." He grumbles, taking the tray away.

"I love you too, best friend." Ruth calls out to him, laughing pleasantly. then turns to me. "So, you needed my opinion?"

↭↭↭

Exhausted after a day of running around, I return to my room at half past five in the evening, thankful that Danae had already drawn up a warm bath for me.

"Where's Symphony?" I ask, putting my hair in messy twists. If I didn't, I'd look like a drowned rat after bathing.

"She's running some errands outside the palace." Danae says, working the strings on my corset.

"Oh. Okay? So, you want to talk a little about yourself?"

Danae's widened eyes show that she's surprised about my request. "I'm a boring person."

I grin. "So am I. Talk."

Sliding into the bathtub, I immerse myself into the story she tells me.

Danae Brighton. She's from Northwood, the town next to Eaton. Sometimes, dad goes there to buy some goods not present in Eaton.

She has five sisters, Enti, Raine, Pearl, Sophie and Arin. 5, 7, 10, 16 and 20 years respectively.

Danae's father was a goldsmith and her mother, a seamstress, the best in town. I confirm this from the intricate patterns of the red gown she's wearing.

I would have loved to listen longer but sadly, I had a dinner to attend.

Danae picked out a forest green dress for me. I scrunch my nose in disgust.

"Eww! Throw that dress out. I don't like the colour of moss."

Chuckling, she tosses the dress aside and chooses a teal gown instead and then after getting dressed, Isaiah escorts me to dinner.

Guess what?

Finnegan chooses to be at this very dinner.

The conversations that normally would be at maximum vanish because all the girls are focused on impressing the Prince who decided to engage me in a brief stare before claiming his seat at the head of our table.

He clears his throat to pull our attention even if he didn't need to. "Good evening ladies."

"Good evening Your Highness!" We chorus together.

"I apologise on behalf of my father for the incident yesterday. The traitor has been taken care of and measures has been put in place that no such thing happens in the nearest future."

Okay.

"From tonight, I'll be going on dates with each one of you ladies to get to know you better. I'm sure the future Queen of Explodia is seated here." He explains. But why is he looking straight at me? I break eye contact and he looks somewhere else.

"So, get ready for an experience of your lifetime with me, ladies."

Excited giggles travel round the table. Truth be told, I'm excited as they all are. Well, because.

"So, let's get right to the food because meal time is the most important time of the day, right?" He asks.

"No, sleep time is." Harriet responds, receiving laughter from most of the girls and Prince Finnegan. He regards her curiously before focusing on his food.

Something stirs inside me. A certain green-eyed monster.

Theresa is smirking at me when I glance her way.

↭↭↭

One of the guards pass me a piece of paper after dinner when the girls struggling to get an audience with the prince.

Meet me in the library.
F

I frown. Finnegan has never sent me a note ever. Even with the girls around, he would still talk to me if he wanted to.

Sighing, I crumple the note up and start walking to my room since I didn't see Isaiah in sight.

Someone just had to jump out from behind one of the numerous pillars lining the corridors.

"At this point, nothing surprises me anymore." I say, shooting Theresa a look of disapproval.

She raises a brow. "You're not scared?"

"You sent that note. Why are you talking with me?" I say, throwing the crumpled paper at her face. She glares at me.

"There's something you need to see."

"The only thing I need to see is you out of my sight, Theresa." I say, continuing on my path.

"Don't you want to know about the Scorpion Masters?"

↭↭↭

What do you think? Could this be a trap? It gets intense from here onwards.

Thanks for reading up to this point  😊

My work resumes this week so I'm going to post at least three chapters at once because I'm not sure when next I'll be on this app.

Adulthood sucks!! ugh!!! 😷