The Third Queen
1243 Words
Chapter Two:
Princess Matilda slowly rose from her seat after Prince Kylian left the dining hall. His harsh words still echoed in her ears, as though they were arrows lodged deep within her heart. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil inside her, then quietly left the hall, keeping her eyes fixed on the floor more often than on the path ahead.
The corridors of the royal palace stretched wide and magnificent. Massive crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, while golden paintings adorned the walls, depicting the glory of the House of Cristallo throughout the centuries. Yet despite all that splendor, Matilda saw those corridors as nothing more than a cold place that suffocated her whenever she walked through them.
Servants, knights, and nobles looked at her whenever she passed by, yet no one bowed to her with the respect they showed the other princes and princesses. Quiet whispers followed behind her, and looks of contempt appeared openly on their faces without the slightest attempt to hide them.
"She's the traitor's daughter..."
"How is she still living in the palace?"
"She doesn't even deserve the title of princess..."
Matilda had grown accustomed to those words over the years until she heard them as though they were simply part of the palace's everyday noise. Even so, they left a new wound in her heart every single day.
Emperor Charles had three wives.
The first was Empress Elena, the woman of the highest rank in the palace. She had given birth to the Crown Prince and Princess Tenarin, and as a result, her family held the greatest influence.
The second was Queen Kanaria, who had given birth to four princes. She was renowned for her wisdom and political cunning, which earned her sons great respect among the nobility.
The third wife was Queen Isabella... Matilda's mother.
---
Twelve years earlier...
Isabella was a young woman who came to the royal palace for the first time to attend her coming-of-age celebration. That day, she captivated everyone present with her breathtaking beauty. Her long blonde hair flowed well past her waist, while her warm brown eyes carried a gentle sparkle that naturally drew every gaze toward her.
Her grace was perfectly balanced by her innocence, and Emperor Charles found himself unable to take his eyes off her throughout the entire celebration.
It was not long before he announced his desire to marry her.
From the moment she entered the palace as his wife, she became the one closest to his heart. He spent most of his evenings with her, showering her with gifts and affection, igniting the flames of jealousy within Empress Elena and Queen Kanaria.
Then Matilda was born.
The little girl inherited her mother's silky blonde hair, while receiving her father's clear blue eyes. Everyone agreed that she was the most beautiful child the royal court had seen in many years.
The Emperor held a grand celebration to mark her birth, and gifts were distributed throughout the kingdom in honor of the little princess.
But that happiness did not last.
Driven by jealousy, Empress Elena and Queen Kanaria devised a carefully planned conspiracy. They accused Isabella of a******y, claiming that she had been involved with other men.
Despite the complete lack of real evidence, jealousy had blinded the Emperor's heart, and he believed the accusations without giving his wife a chance to defend herself.
The sentence was passed swiftly.
Queen Isabella was confined to her private wing and forbidden from leaving her residence indefinitely, while Matilda was stripped of most of her royal privileges and became known to everyone as "the traitor's daughter."
From that day onward, no one addressed her with the respect due to her title. She became an object of contempt, even to the youngest servants.
At last, Matilda reached the wing assigned to her mother.
It was far removed from the other royal family's quarters, as though it were a forgotten part of the palace. The walls were cracked from dampness, the ornaments that had once decorated them had decayed, and dust covered the old furniture. Rats hid in the corners, while insects crawled freely across the worn wooden floor, as though no one had cared for the place in years.
As for the few maids who worked there, none of them seemed to care that the princess had arrived. They merely cast a brief glance at her before indifferently returning to their duties.
Matilda quietly entered her room and closed the door behind her, as though trying to shut herself away from the rest of the world.
She changed out of her formal clothes into a simple nightgown before sitting down on her old bed. A light cloud of dust rose with the slightest movement. She looked at the faded bedsheet and the tiny insects crawling along the edges of the bed, yet she showed no sign of discomfort. She had grown used to it long ago.
She slowly closed her eyes.
But one image refused to leave her mind.
Prince Kylian's face...
And that cold look he had given her only moments before.
She drew her knees to her chest and whispered in a voice that was barely audible,
"Why... why do you hate me so much?"
She paused for a moment before a sad smile appeared on her lips.
"All I ever wanted... was to help you."
Ever since Kylian had arrived in the Kingdom of Cristallo a year earlier, Matilda had been unable to forget the first time they met during his official welcoming ceremony. That day, their eyes met for only a brief moment, yet she felt her young heart beat in a way it never had before. As the days passed, those innocent feelings gradually blossomed into a silent love that she kept hidden deep within her heart, never daring to confess it to anyone.
---
The following morning...
The bedroom door was thrown open without so much as a knock.
One of the maids hurried inside, yanked the blanket off Matilda with unnecessary force, and shouted loudly,
"Get up! You're going to be late for your royal lessons."
Matilda slowly opened her eyes, the traces of sleep still evident on her face, but she did not say a single word.
The maid grabbed her by the arm, pulled her out of bed without the slightest consideration, and shoved her toward the bathing room.
The water was so cold that Matilda's body trembled the instant it touched her skin, but she bit her lip in silence, refusing to show any weakness in front of the maid.
Afterward, the maid picked up a comb and began brushing Matilda's long blonde hair with such force that it felt as though the strands were being torn out by the roots. Her scalp throbbed with pain, yet she remained silent, for she had learned years ago that protesting would only earn her even harsher treatment.
The maid looked at the princess's reflection in the mirror with a gaze filled with both envy and irritation.
Although Matilda was only twelve years old, she possessed delicate features and a natural beauty inherited from her mother, leading many to describe her as the most beautiful princess in the palace. That beauty alone was enough to stir jealousy among some of the maids, who saw in her nothing more than the daughter of the queen who had once been the Emperor's favorite before her life was turned completely upside down.
- Writer
