The Alliance

Chapter 6: Two sides of a coin

The soft glow of the evening sun filters through the silk curtains of Princess Bianca’s chamber. Jasmine stands quietly by the window, her hands folded neatly in front of her, as the young princess sits at her ornate vanity, brushing her blonde curls.

Bianca glance at Jasmine through the mirror, her sea-blue eyes sharp and appraising. After a moment of silence, she spoke, her tone calm but carrying an edge of intent.

“Do you know why I asked my mother to bring you to the palace and I chose you to be my maiden, Jasmine?”

Jasmine, hesitates, unsure if the question requires an answer. “No, Your Highness,” she replies softly, her voice tinges with weariness.

Bianca set down her brush and turns to face her, a small, knowing smile on her lips. “It’s because of your irresistible beautiful”

Jasmine blinks in surprise “My irresistible beauty?”

“Yes” Bianca says, standing and stepping closer. She reaches out, lightly brushing a strand of Jasmine’s dark hair over her shoulder. “You’re.. captivating, in a way that turns heads and silences rooms. Such beauty is rare, and it will serve a greater purpose for me in the future.”

Jasmine frowns slightly, unsure of what the princess means. “I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to,” Bianca says airily, stepping back. She turns her attention to the window, gazing out over the sprawling gardens. “But you will, in time”

There is a pause before Bianca speaks again, her tone more wistful now. “Have you heard the rumor? They say father has arranged my marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.”

Jasmine looks down, unsure how to respond. “I’ve heard whispers, Your Highness.”

Bianca sighs, her voice laced with frustration. “He’s old, you know. Nearly twice my age. And dull as a stone. But it doesn’t matter what I want—-it never does. All that matters is the alliance.” She turns back to Jasmine, her eyes narrowing slightly. “That’s why beauty and cleverness are so important. In a world like ours, they’re the only real power we have”

Jasmine nods faintly, though her thoughts are far away. As the princess continues speaking about politics and court intrigue, Jasmine’s mind wanders.

She thinks about her mother’s warm embrace, the scent of freshly baked bread in their modest kitchen, and the laughter of her friends, here, in the ruins of Eldermere. She misses the simple life she once knew, free from the cold stares of the palace and the weight of servitude.

If only I’d been born into a normal family. She thinks bitterly. A family where my father wasn’t a thief and my life wasn’t traded like a coin. She swallows the lump in her throat, forcing herself to keep her composure.

“Jasmine” Bianca’s voice snaps her back to reality.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Are you even listening?”

Jasmine curtsies quickly, lowering her gaze “I apologize, Your Highness. I was lost in thought”

Bianca studies her for a moment, then smirks. “Good, stay thoughtful. You’ll need that wit to survive here. Do not forget to fetch my dress from the royal seamstress, An ambassador from Mercia is joining us at the feast tomorrow night.”

She says and returns to her ornate vanity, picking up a jewel-encrusted hairpin.

As Jasmine stands silently by the window, her heart aches for the freedom she’d left behind, even as the shadow of her new life looms over her.