A Princess Named Harry

Chapter 18

Harry did not feel like a beautiful flower at all. The carriage ride made her nauseous. She had only ridden in a carriage once in her life, and that was when she and Caroline were being taken to the palace. She was trying to take her mind off of the constant swaying and focus on something else instead.

Harry looked up at Kaitlyn. She had been desperately trying to not look at her, for fear of feeling inferior to her, and that is exactly what she felt. Kaitlyn was staring out of the window listlessly. The sun hit her at such an angle that her eyes sparkled like gems and her long wavy hair glistened like gold. It was such a shame that the princess couldn't be as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.

"Please, don't embarrass me today," said Kaitlyn in a soft, but still icy tone.

"I wasn't planning to," Harry replied meekly.

Kaitlyn shot her a dirty look. "That's it!" she shouted as she pointed her finger angrily at her. "That sass of yours! How dare you, a dirty commoner, use that tone with me, the kingdom's one and only princess?"

"But aren't I also . . . one of the kingdom's . . ." Harry didn't have the confidence to finish her sentence, but Kaitlyn already knew what she was going to ask and replied, "No. No, you aren't. Just because your mother married the king, that doesn't make you anything." Kaitlyn looked down on her and added, "Don't get arrogant, after all, you're just a nuisance." Harry didn't respond, she was already aware that she was a nuisance.

Shortly after that, the pair arrived at the duke's residence. When the carriage driver opened the door, they both stood up. "And I'll say it again," Kaitlyn hissed. "Don't embarrass me today." With those kind words of parting, Kaitlyn exited the carriage first. Harry decided to let her have a head start.

The tea party was being held outside, but there were no gardens around. Harry was the last one to arrive. She ended up sitting in between Loraine and Sierra.

"I'm delighted you could come, Princess Harry," said Angelina sweetly. Her hair was longer than Harry's. It had a bright shine to it even though it was much darker than hers. Her eyes were as black as the night itself.

They stared at Harry intensely.

"I'm happy to have been invited, Lady Grayson," replied Harry.

She laughed and responded, "Oh, there's no need to be so formal. We're going to be friends, right?"

Harry felt a little excited and asked in disbelief, "Really?"

"Yes," Angelina answered. "Please call me Angelina."

"Me too!" shouted Sierra Parkings. Her orange hair was short and curly, and her light brown eyes darted from person to person.

"Well, since everyone is going to let the princess call them by their names, I might as well too," sighed Loraine. She had two brown pigtails, and her brown eyes looked everywhere but at Harry.

Harry smiled at them. "I would be glad to . . . um-"

"I'm Sierra."

"My name is Loraine."

Kaitlyn sat silently at the other end of the table. Harry replied to the girls, "Then if you would . . . please call me by my name too."

"Pfft."

Harry could hear the sound of snickering. "Honestly," sighed Angelina. "Telling those of lower class to call you so familiarly, how disgraceful can you be?"

"Eh?" squeaked Harry quietly.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Sierra agreed.

Loraine nodded, "Yup, shameless."

Kaitlyn still did not say anything, she just listened.

"B-but," Harry stuttered. "All of you said it was okay to call you by your names, so I was just trying to be nice as well."

Angelina sat back in her chair and threw her hands in the air. "Oh, you poor princess, don't you know the simple rules of social etiquette?"

"I can't believe you didn't know such a simple thing," retorted Loraine.

Sierra shook her head and sighed, "To think that the princess has to put up with someone like you."

Angelina said as sad as she could, "I pity our princess. She has to deal with you as a sister? Oh my, if I was Her Highness, I don't know how I'd ever live!"

"Right?" agreed Sierra. "I would never be able to show my face in public again."

Angeline smirked, "How ever do you put up with it, Your Highness?"

They all turned to Kaitlyn, as she lowered her cup. "Please," she replied. "As far as I'm concerned, I don't even have a sister." she glared at Harry. "I told you not to embarrass me."

Harry looked down and tightly gripped her fists. She felt like her tears would fall at any moment, so she did the only thing she could think to do; she ran away.