The Green Amulet

Chapter 7

Lyra

Distractions had always been my fort. I had never quite fancied the concept of facing a problem head on. When Mitchell assured me nobody was lurking outside my chambers, I swiftly headed to the kitchen covered in a dull beige clothing that disguised me perfectly. Feasts were nothing new to me considering I was the  princess after all.

My father had always adored making merry with his people from time to time so with time I got acquitted with some of the traditions that came along with the feasts, one of them being severe wine devouring. I had searched frantically for wine to no avail and since my outfit could not go unpaid, I settled for rum. Never had my taste buds engaged in such atrocity, such bitterness, such gut wrenching liquid! Yet I still gobbled it, clearing my goblet in a matter of seconds. I was in my room when the light headedness and giddiness washed over me all at once. I was so disoriented that I could hardly put on my dress. It took me eight rounds of tugging and pulling to get dressed. That is when it hit me, I was drunk at my own father's farewell feast. Cackles of laughter escaped my throat which were a big contrast to the reaction I should have been having given the current situation. I silently whispered a thank you to the gods. Given my earlier prepping, I only needed a change in apparel. The only thing that was remaining was my speech and then I could sit somewhere in a corner and weep till I fell asleep.

The fiddler was doing violence to music when I entered the ball room. No one could stop him so instead they secretly hoped he would take a hint from them sitting down all through his songs, boy were they mistaken.

 I bumped into something...hard. Tingles spread through my body upon skin on skin contact with the stranger in front of me. I watched as he wiped the smudge off his flannel. His lowered  visage was evidently scrunched in profound  annoyance. I offered him my kerchief but he appeared to be too engrossed to take it. I was about to drift off to save my people from the fiddler when he lifted his face and frankly, he knocked the air out of my bosom.

He almost toppled backwards causing a giggle to bubble in my throat. He was strikingly handsome with a rare set of a blend of grey and green eyes that could only be distinct with the lighting of an area. He was not burly or lanky like most of the other men in the kingdom but in a way he looked like a man who could handle himself in a brawl. His chiseled face and taut jaw line were enough to charm a woman's undergarments off...wait could he charm mine off? I was feeling quite liberated and so I opened my mouth to speak, yet it was not my voice that came out.

"Mother of all apes! What are you doing here Lyra? You have to give a speech remember? The queen speech? I was supposed to stuff my face with delectable meals and you were supposed to move the crowd with words!"

Mitchell had appeared out of thin air with  his patina eyes wide with alarm and wait anger? Why was he angry? I was the one who had been abandoned by my brother. It was my father who had died. To top it all off, I was probably next in line for the throne! Me! A girl who loved to climb trees and pull off pranks! He proceeded to grab my arm to lead me away from my love at first sight...had I just said love? I must be immensely drunk, sober Lyra would have never thought of such stupidity!

"Behave Lyra lest you want to cause a scene before your own coronation."

"Bah! Such nonsense I'm perfectly capable of addressing my people! Look look I can stand on one leg."

With that I yanked myself from his grip and stood with one leg. I ended up toppling backwards, knocking a utensil from the grasp of one of the servants. I turned to apologize but Mitchell whisked me away, muttering a string of profanities that I was not sure existed.

"Where are we going?"

Silence.

"Mitchell your grip is somewhat making me uncomfortable...if you could loosen it..."

Silence.

"Mitchell are you mad at me?"

Profound, heart scorching silence.

Mitchell pushed the palace doors open with one hand and swung me round so that I could face him. The night was bone chattering chilly. Why would Mitchell bring me outside in this blood freezing cold...of course, he wanted to sober me up. Bullocks! I would have to face reality once that happened but then again had I really expected to be intoxicated forever?

"What is wrong with you Lyra? When did you even start drinking rum?"

I opened and closed my mouth successively once I realized I had no excuse for my actions.

"Then attending the feast when drunk and with full awareness of the fact that you are supposed to deliver a speech to your people? How are you supposed to give us hope if you cannot snap out of your selfish mourning?"

A sharp pang of pain hit my gut, had he just said selfish?

"Then I find you flirting with a servant? Is this how you want to start your legacy as queen? If you do not tread carefully...you will be the demise of this Kingdom."

I couldn't take it. Was this my best friend? How could he be so brutal with his words? All I had wanted was to gain pseudo courage and a little bit of distraction from my reality, something to buffer the anguish. Tears brimmed in my eyes blurring my vision, I couldn't bare the thought of the one person I had left loathing me. I stormed off, already sobered up by Mitchell 's soul crushing lecture.

"Lyra...Lyra I did not mean to-"

The rest of his words were cut off by the fiddlers ear piercing music. I headed straight towards him and smiled.

"Would you be so kind to halt your masterpiece so that I can address my people."

The fiddler pouted but respected my wishes all the same. I felt myself trembling as my heart beat accelerated with every step I took towards the elevated part of the ball room. The chattering of people had halted, all their attention was on me. I felt small under everyone's scrutiny. My eyes scanned the crowd, a part of me wishing to see Earl or at least Mitchell, none of them were present. I lowered my eyes, my knees weakening from the voice in my head that kept bellowing  that I was alone and weak. Someone cleared their throat and I looked up. My eyes locked with green-grey ones and I couldn't help the tug on my lips. There he was, with his rum stained flannel, handsome features and goofy smirk. I do not know why but that smirk boosted my confidence.

"People of Carraba, I stand here today to give you hope despite our loss. My father, your king was a man who was nothing short of magnificent and his death has given us profound sorrow and raw fear for the future of our kingdom. I am here to tell you to fear not, our kingdom will prosper. King Thaddeus' legacy will thrive!"

"Here here!"

The chorus of agreement from the people brought a smile to my lips,  yes perhaps Mitchell had been right after all, perhaps I would make a fine queen. Out of the corner of my eye,  I caught a glimpse of...wait was that uncle Louis? The ball room filled with jeering after my speech and music blasted in the air. Another talented fiddler took over and one by one people began to groove to the music. I was soon surrounded by a multitude of zealous dancers causing me to lose track of my uncle.

"Care for a dance Princess? It is the least you could do after pouring your drink all over me."