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1482 Words
Florentine raises an eyebrow, daring me to ask more questions. After giving such an empty response, she wants to make me plead for more information. Cassandra's face is blank, unreadable. I won't give either of them the satisfaction of dangling information in front of my face.
Instead, I shrug, "That's nice. Perhaps you could tell me something about my mother? As I'm sure you know, I never knew her."
Florentine's face softens, "She was an incredibly kind lady. She loved you more than you will ever know."
"She died the day we were born."
"She loved you before you were born. She would read you poetry, tell you stories, talk about her day, all while you were still in her stomach. I'm pretty sure she narrated her entire life while she was pregnant. She would be proud of what you become."
"I doubt you knew my mother well enough to know what she would think of us."
Florentine smiles lightly, "The royal family shared a lot with the public. They were always giving lovely little updates. Shall we go to supper? You must be starving after spending all your time in that small room. Come with us, the servants have finished preparing the food."
She and Cassandra stalk out of the room, leaving Grace and I with no choice but to follow wordlessly after them. We lag a couple steps behind them. They whisper together, a condescending laugh escaping from Cassandra every few minutes.
I lower my guard a little as we settle down for supper in the dining room. Florentine makes polite small talk, but a tiny, disdainful smile creeps on Cassandra's face after we say something. A few times she leans over to whisper something to Florentine with a snicker. Florentine scolds her lightly, but only after laughing at Cassandra's snide comments.
Despite their behavior, I keep my shoulders squared, my head high. Grace and I give up on trying to uphold our part in the small talk. Instead we have our own whispered conversation. It's nothing too critical, just in case Florentine or Cassandra could be listening.
We speak of the items in this room remind of us memories from the castle. The vase on that table in the corner reminds us of the time Emilienne tried to stand on the antique vase in the castle. The vase collapsed between Emilienne, leaving her in a pile of ceramic shards, tears, and self pity. This pair ornate tea cups are almost identical to the ones Grace and I drank of when we snuck out of the castle at dawn, watching the sunrise with overly sweetened tea.
I miss the castle more than I've allowed myself to feel.
The doors fly open, causing Cassandra to start. I can't help but smile as a small scream escapes her prim lips.
Augustine storms inside. "I heard they searched my study."
Florentine scans the room, "Keep your voice down. We can't ensure the loyalties of every servant in this room."
Augustine nods briskly and closes the doors behind him. He slumps into a seat.
Florentine watches him carefully, nervously, "I didn't think the guards would be a problem. Were they a problem? I thought I told you to prepare for this."
"I was prepared. Except, I made a mistake. A stupid, foolish mistake. I pulled out a letter to take with me on my business in the city. It was with one of your old, um, colleagues. I forgot to grab the letter before I left. It was still on my desk when the guards searched my study."
"What information was in this letter?" Florentine's hand trembles as she calmly raises her fork to her mouth.
"It was one of the first letters were wrote to each other, when we corresponding about whether I should stay with you. While there wasn't any specific information in this letter, it did specifically mention Admira's name."
I think of the letter tucked into the bodice of my dress. Surely he isn't talking about that letter?
Florentine presses her lips together, "But we have no proof that they saw the letter. They said nothing to me about it. They left shortly after they searched your office."
"The letter is no longer on my desk. They must have found it and took it."
"But why would they leave once they found the evidence?" Cassandra asks.
Augustine buries his head into his hands. "Perhaps they needed more soldiers for their attack."
Florentine glances worriedly at us, before turning back to Augustine, "Let us go discuss this in private. We don't want to cause these girls to be anxious if there is no reason. Cassandra, you may stay with them until you finish your supper. I will be back before you are done eating to give you your instructions."
Florentine and Augustine leave their room, their hissing whispers sending chills over my skin. Cassandra's pain of being left behind with us is printed across her face.
I stole the letter and I need to say something about it. I could put an end to their worries, their preparations. It has to be the letter they are talking about, my name was on that piece of paper.
But then Florentine would know that we broke her rules and didn't stay in our room or our library. Augustine would know that we broke into his study, looked through his stuff, and stole something of his. Would he be able to forgive me? Trust me?
However, if I hadn't stolen the letter, the guards would have certainly found it. I saved our lives, but on accident.
Grace kicks me beneath the table, and raises her eyebrows. She knows that I stole the same letter that they are worrying about, too. I say under my breath, so Cassandra can't hear, "We'll return it to his office after supper. He won't know that I stole it, but he'll know that the guards didn't see it."
"He may think that they saw it but didn't take it."
"I'll hide it under his desk or somewhere. Where he can find, but where the guards won't find."
Cassandra says too loudly, "Lovely supper, isn't it?"
She must not like that she isn't being included in our whispered conversation. Grace and I both smile tightly at her. I don't know if I've ever come to dislike a person so quickly.
Cassandra fakes a smile as well, "Are you enjoying your stay?" Doesn't she know that we could hear all the cutting comments she made about us to Florentine? How can she act so sweet now?
We continue to force lightly conversation throughout the endless courses of the meal. I sigh every time the servants bring out more food, wishing that the meal could simply be over.
Cassandra struggles to keep up the conversation but eventually gives up. Grace and I restart our own conversation, finding more objects in the room that remind us of the past. I would give anything to be back in the castle, laughing besides Emilienne, Violette, and...Alexanne?
Before I knew the truth about Alexanne, I loved her just as much as my other sisters. She was quiet, and obedient, but would listen to anything you had to say. If you were able to get her to open up, she was smarter than anyone realized. But the peaceful Princess Alexanne was a lot different than the aspiring-to-be Queen Alexandra.
Cassandra snaps into our conversation again, "You know I know who you are right. I know that you are criminals of the castle, and supposedly dead."
I say, "Since you are Florentine's daughter, I would expect you to know."
"I think that, though Alexandra went through horrible measures to become queen, she might deserve it. She's shown that she wants it more than anything and will certainly be dedicated. Maybe it's better than having a semi-caring royal in charge who'd rather read than rule. At least, with Alexandra, you know that she wants to be queen."
I frown, "You are saying that it's okay to murder people to get what you want."
"No, but if you work hard for something, it shows that you are dedicated."
"Alexanne didn't 'work hard' for the position as Queen. She killed four people, including two of her sisters."
Cassandra simply shrugs. "I just don't believe in my mother's ideas, the ones that say you deserve to be queen. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure you were losing the contest. As in last place. Just because Alexanne doesn't deserve to be queen, doesn't mean that you deserve the position either."
I raise my chin, "What are you trying to say?"
"Absolutely nothing." Cassandra smiles, but there's an edge to her words.
"I think you are trying to say something."
"I'm trying to say that I don't believe you should be Queen and I try to fight for what I believe."
- Writer
