Wednesday: ball dancing

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"Wednesday is officially the day I hate the most." I mutter more to myself than to Harriet who's curled up on the sofa beside me.

"It's probably because it has you in it." Theresa's annoying voice makes me regret coming to relax in the Common Room.

After hours of learning the art of ball room dancing, my feet were tortured from the area, Harriet insisted we come here.

"Why do you look for trouble so much?"Harriet demands, looking annoyed.

I touch her arm. She's just wasting her time with Theresa. "She's not worth it, Harriet."

My words are barely ended when Theresa splashes a liquid that smells like apples on me.

Multiple sounds of surprise fill the air, including mine.

"You looking for trouble, you got it, witch."

My fingers latch onto her hair and I pull at it. Yelping, Theresa tries to wriggle out of my grip but to it's worthless.

"Let go of me you animal." She claws at my face. There will certainly be bruises.

"What is going on here?" Madam Alicia successfully pulls us apart with the help of two guards, mine and Theresa's.

"Isaiah, Maverick, escort the girls to their rooms." Her glare at us makes me visibly wince.

She's scary, no jokes.

Isaiah wordlessly leads me outside. He's probably judging me right now, but my level of concern at the moment, zero.

Zero.

One.

Two.

Three.

"What happened?" Isaiah asks as we bypass the corridor where the maids use to get around the palace.

"She annoyed me and so I attacked her. No one messes with me and gets away." There's still anger in my system because of my ruined hairdo, I probably looked like a lioness with a ruffled mane.

"Lady Alanna-"

"-if this is a lecture about proper behaviour, forget it. I didn't ask to get brought to this place, I was happy and contented with my life in Eaton before some prissy princess offered me her position. I don't like it here at all. The food is bloody expensive, when there are starving citizens, all they care about is pampering spoilt brats who derive sick pleasure in bullying others!" My chest rise and fall rapidly because of how rapidly I was speaking.

Isaiah doesn't deserve to bear the weight of my wrath and before he can protest, my legs take me far away from him, all the way to the disused library I had cleaned.

It's not as empty as I thought it would be. There's a stranger seated at that lone table, literally startled by my entrance.

Through my tears, I cannot deny that this stranger is easily the most beautiful creature I have encountered.

Vivid green eyes partially covered by his snow white locks stare at me.

"Who are you?" I demand, maintaining my position.

"Does it really matter who I am?"

His voice, like a heavenly melody. It could easily beat the tunes of St. Andrews Anglican Church.

Focus, Alan focus.

I snort. He raises a brow at that. "Nah, it doesn't. What are you doing here though?"

His lips tilt up in a small smile that doesn't seem genuine. "Reading. Your eyes are functional or aren't they?"

My brows shuffle closer in a frown. Why are the handsome ones gifted bad attitudes?

"My eyes are functional, thank you." I snap, eyeing the book his fingers are wrapped around.

He sends a judgemental glance up and down my frame. "But not as functional as the rest of you. You should be ashamed walking around like a madhouse patient."

"Just who the fuck are you?" My first thought is to squeeze his neck until my problems faded with his consciousness, but then, I could as well kiss my freedom goodbye.

Not a chance. I still have a lot to do with my life.

"A proper lady should not have such dirty words in her language."

Rolling my eyes and turn to leave. "First of all, I don't care, second, I'd rather be back at Eaton than in a palace constantly deprived of fresh air and monitored like a prey for some cowardly prince who chose to remain hidden in the shadows. I wonder if he's a vampire or something... Or maybe, he's ugly." A snicker leaves my lips, meanwhile the male scoffs, deepening a frown that does little to mar his delicate features.

To me, he seems fragile, just like china wares that must be handled with caution.

"Have you ever seen him?"

I look over my shoulder. The stranger's wearing an unreadable expression. "Nah. He's probably overrated."

His jaw slackens. While he's stil in shock, I escape into another disaster outside.

The huge flower vase standing in the corner, topples over when I blindly slam into it.

Hundreds of tiny broken pieces soon stare in my face and many eyes are attracted to the scene.

Oh fuck.

|||||||||||

"Your Majesty, Lady Alanna Kennedy has caused more trouble than all the ladies of two years Selection put together."

What an exaggerated account.

I shoot Madam Alicia a flat look despite us standing before the King whose sharp eyes flies from the grumpy hag to me.

"Young girl, do you have any words in defence?" He asks.

"No. It's her word against mine. There's no need."

I'm certain the glimmer in his eyes is nothing but pure rage. But I can't make that conclusion because he isn't physically showing the signs of anger.

"Your Majesty, she ought to be sent home. All she has ever done is cause trouble for everyone."

Madam Alicia dodges the glare I sent her way.

Despite my tendency to cause mischief, I wasn't the one that poured fruit juice on my head.

All that was Theresa.

But no one would believe because I have a pretty ruined reputation.

"I'll make my decision tomorrow. For now, you're both dismissed."

The tension inside my chest eases a little as the king dismissed us both. I fight against blowing the raspberry at the cranky lady while she led me back to my quarters.

Symphony and Judith were quick to dress me up for the interview while I narrated my encounter to them.

Judith picked out a lavender gown made out of lace and my shoes, a pair of heels.

"There's no way in hell I'm wearing that torture machine." I grumble, earning a chuckle from Symphony.

"Every girl would be putting on heels tonight." Judith reasons.

"I don't care."

Huffing, she dives into my closet again, murmuring something about 'obstinate mules' under her breath.

"Theresa was spreading rumours that you attacked her in the Common Room." Symphony says, slipping in some adornments in my hair.

"She's a liar."

Already, I had a revenge plan cooked up. She'd learn never to mess with me again.

"Don't go causing any trouble, Alanna." Judith advises. She must have seen the evil smile on my face.

I shrug but make no promises about not causing trouble because trouble is my middle name.

|||||||||||

Theresa was first to mount the dais with that superior smile of hers.

"Straight to the question, Lady Theresa. Tell us about your stay in the palace."

With excited eyes, she launches into a detailed explanation of everything, from the food to the girls, to the Prince.

"What would you do if you become Queen?" The interviewer questions.

Theresa blinks for a quick second. "I would expand the finances of Explodia."

"And how would you do that?"

She chuckles. "By more taxes of course."

A frown crosses my face. That's a stupid thing to say. Already the shoulders of the locals are sinking with the weight of taxation.

How could she know? She probably has never lifted a broomstick in her life.

I on the other hand have seen the effects.

Theresa's moment ended and other girls were called up in turns. I was last.

"Miss Kennedy. What would you if you are Queen?" The interviewer asks, shoving the microphone at me.

Despite the hundreds of eyes on me, I clear my throat.

"I'd make sure the children of my Kindom get better access to education. I'd cut off the extravagant
meals in the palace and ensure everyone else enjoys the same thing as us."

The hall is awfully quiet that I fear I might have said something wrong.

"Then, yes, those ridiculously expensive gates will need to be taken down and the proceeds used to take care of the poor."

The interviewer nods, pressing his lips into a thin line. I turn my eyes to the crowd.

"Next, I'd agitate for the reduction in taxes. Coming from Eaton, I'm fully aware of the poverty existing because of the imposed taxes on the masses. Next, I'd make sure the Districts are better represented in the Parliament and the mine workers are fed healthy meals. A happy people is a prosperous kingdom they say."

I'm surprised that my speech is met with deafening screams and applauds.

The grin on my face widens. Well done, Alan.

"You did so well, Alan." Harriet says, spotting me in the crowd.

I smile. "And you too."

Her own speech was centered around improving women's involvement in Parliament, establishing a new sea port and making allies with the neighbouring kingdoms.

"What do you think they're going to do with our answers?"

I simply shrug. Honestly I have no idea.

"Look at you thinking your little speech can buy the sympathy of the people." Theresa appears out of nowhere, blocking our progress. Her hawkish eyes are set on me.

"Well, why don't you leave that for the people to decide?" I reply, quite bored because I had a lot already planned out for her.

Theresa turns to Harriet. "Why are you still hanging out with the likes of her, Harriet?"

Another girls surfaces. Celeste. "Didn't you hear? The king is sending her back home."

Something sinks in my guts, but I can't let them see how worried I am.

I can't go home just yet.

"Where did you hear that?"

Theresa smirks at me. "Don't worry about how I heard that, worry about the disappointment you'd bring to your family when you show up with nothing."

Rolling my eyes, I start moving away, hoping Harriet follows. "Seriously, you all need to go back to whatever hell you crawled out from."

What did I ever do to deserve this?

"Where are you going?" Harriet asks, pulling up beside me. I had taken a right turn instead of a left, in the hallway.

"Somewhere. Don't worry about coming along."

"B-but-"

I had already dashed into a dark corner before she can protest further.

Now, where to get some rats.

What evil is Alanna plotting now? And what are your thoughts about the new character, the mysterious guy with white hair and green eyes?

A fair chance he could be the Prince?

We'll see, won't we?