1 shot, 2 shots, 3 shots, 4 shots. After 4, Briar lost count. But the consequences were her ending up in her Mother's bad books and a stranger's bed. Maybe she wasn't a stranger, Briar rationalised, she just got to know her when she was really drunk. She had a raging headache and she did not have the capacity to to get to know someone she just had a one-night stand with. 

At least she had picked a good one. She had curly red hair cut to her jawline, and glimmering blue eyes. She had thin, straight brows and a cute button nose. Her complexion was creamy, and she looked like the sort of person who blushed a lot. Gods, Briar didn't even know her name. It wasn't publicly known, but Briar was attracted to women and men. Her parents would disinherit her if they knew but Briar didn't want to limit herself to men to protect her title.

"Hey Princess," The girl said, in a charming southern accent while wearing a cocky smile, "If I'm guessing correctly you were too drunk to remember anything about last night." Damn it, she was right.

"Yes", Briar reluctantly admitted, a palm to her temples. Her headache was get worse, if anything, and it made it hard to fully listen to her.

"My name's Maeva Anglecliff, I'm 24, and you just made love with me last night, Princess Hallie-Hazelle-Briar."

"Please call me Briar" This girl seemed feisty. But there was a flicker of recognition in Briar's mind. The name Maeva Angelcliff was familiar, and gave Briar a sense of foreboding, as if something bad was about to happen. Whatever she had heard out about Maeva, it was bad. She racked her brain, but she was still having trouble thinking properly. The vodka was still very much to her head.

"Kay, I will, sweetheart," She said, her tone a tad condescending.

"I need to go," Briar said, sick to the stomach. Something was wrong with Maeva, the way Briar recoiled when she heard her name was not normal.

"Bye then," Maeva said, chucking the ickily pretty pink high heels over her shoulder in Briar's vague direction, "Have fun Princess."

***

Briar walked through the streets of Charmine, the capital city of Norton, In the disgusting dress and shoes. It was a walk of shame that Briar had taken too many times.  When she felt uncomfortable or shown off, she drank an ungodly amount and ended up at a unknown persons house. And then she had walk back to the castle in the outfit her mother had picked out for her.

She traipsed through the city, stopped over, the hem the monstrosity most people called a dress trailing along the dirty cobble stone roads. Maeva lived on the edge of the slums, about as far away from the castle as you could get. Briar was obviously attracting stares, but people kept their words to themselves.

Her mused hair, smudged makeup, dirty face and just overall disheveled appearance was quite common the slums. Her clothing was not, and it was clear that most people believed her to be a lady or duchess returning from a night of partying. No. one here had seen the royal family close up, not close enough to recall her face. No one here had enough money to afford the tiny plates and cups with her face painted on it either.

Briar kept moving, keeping her head down. She finally reached the castle, and she walked through the gilded iron gates, flocked with guards, into the enclosed courtyard. It had smooth sandstone tiles, and inbuilt sandstone flowerbeds planted with herbs. In the center was a large reflecting pool, large enough to be a swimming pool. Briar passed the courtyard and walked up the sandstone stairs and onto the final reception area. It had plush couches, plants and a fire pit, overall very welcoming. Briar then walked into the castle and down the long hallway laid with marble flooring. She had almost made it to her suite when a serving girl stepped in front of her. 

"Your Highness, Her Majesty Queen Arabella wants to see you. Go to her chambers immediately."