a dark shade of green

"Mother, be reasonable! I do not want to attend a school filled with spoiled rich brats!" I yell, my voice coming out louder than I had planned. The contents of my stomach threatening to come out on the floor if I raised my voice any louder. "And you Nicoli are not one of these said spoiled rich brats? Living in your castle with your private lessons and servants?" She challenges my words with a quirk of her brow. Cringing slightly, I run my hand through my hair. She's got me there. But I can't back down. If I show my weakness now I have no chance of getting out of this. "The jealousy that I know I'll receive because I excel past them by tenfold in every aspect. Money, fame, etc. isn't something I want to deal with." "These emotional outbursts are the exact reason why this is necessary. Enough with the tantrum, Crown Prince. Every day there is new pictures and videos of you spread cross the media. Your face is on every magazine sitting in a convenience store as of now." The way she used my title. (The crown prince) set the boundary crystal clear between us. "Tantrum? I'm voicing what I want to you; does what I want not matter anymore? Jackson always made sure my opinions were heard. He let me feel like I actually had a voice." What I want has never mattered to the queen. My throat felt tight at mention of my brother. "Do not speak ill of the dead. You will thank me when you are king and regret your hooligan days." Mother's words sounded ever so calm as she neatly folded the newspaper she was reading before I stormed in ever so rudely on her tea time. "What you want and what this country needs are two separate things. You are the crown prince Nicoli. Now act like it. Hillston is a spectacular school for you to attend. With plenty of socialite peers for you to socialize with while you peruse furthering your studies. Instead of throwing yourself away drinking and attending disgusting gatherings partaking in drugs." Arguing with her was even harder than a normal person. She held herself with such poise. And used such proper English I felt ridiculous every time I spoke. She was always going to look down on me I knew that. But it didn't stop the ache I felt in my chest every time it happened. "They have a wonderful Rugby team. A grand choir. You think I don't know when you sneak off every night? It's a pity the servants relay your every move to me. Of course you will also attend etiquette classes. It seems you've forgotten your manners." I hold my forehead. "Manners?" I ask trying to focus and pull myself back into the conversation. My head was aching from the shots of tequila I had just last night on the Duke's boat. My mind fading out as a ringing bled in my ears. "There's I no privacy in this house?! And what about my tutors? All my private lessons. Those are enough. I don't need to be sent away to some boarding school locked up until graduation. Because you're upset I've lived my life." "Mind yourself." She lowers her gaze to her teacup as she sips slowly. "Use proper English or choose to not speak. Don't is for hooligans, Nicoli. You will go without another word and finish your high school career inside of Hillston happily." Happily coming from her mouth was bitter. I will do no such thing. Pacing back and forth. I thought of my next words to argue my point further, but before I could speak up again, she had already begun. "Your belongings are being packed as we speak. You leave tomorrow morning at 6 am sharp for a prompt 8 am arrival. Jeffrey will accompany you during your stay. You, the crown prince, will give a thank you speech for your acceptance into the prestigious school, conveying your gratitude—" I couldn't believe her as she spoke so haughtily. Sometimes she would forget I was her son and not another person for her to control. "Jeffrey? So I need to be watched like some child. No one inside that school is going to attempt to assassinate me. If anything, I'll just kill myself!" "Do not joke about your death. Do you want to end up like your brother? Dead, all because he chose to party instead of following his royal duties." Pulling at the ends of my short hair I take a deep breath, attempting to calm myself before I say something that makes this all so much worse. Mother never took kindly to words without thought behind them. "I've done everything you've asked of me. It is not my fault that a picture of me got posted on social media. I am a human mother! I need to blow off steam. It's not like I can walk into a room and have people not recognize me! What am I supposed to do, stay locked up in this castle forever?" All of this is happening because of a picture that a random person had taken of me when I wasn't paying attention, getting shitfaced last week. Had spread like wildfire. News outlets, blogs, twitter. You name it has covered a story on it. Apparently people don't take kindly to seeing their future king at the receiving end of a beer funnel. Who would've guessed? "Like you said, I'm the prince; everyone knows my face. How is that my fault?" I throw my hands up as I talk. The sound of the raging music from yesterday pours into my ears. I need sleep more than I need to argue. I got all of 3 hours of shut eye before being awoken by maids coming in to pack my belongings. It was a sweet good morning call. "Nicoli I will not argue this further. Now take your leave; you've given me a headache.... And at least wash up before seeing me next. You reek of vodka." "Mother, please..." She doesn't respond as my I try to look into her eyes for some kind of kindness. There was none. The queen sat before me, not my mother. Her eyes never locking with mine blowing ever so gently on the scalding liquid. I couldn't argue anymore it was getting us nowhere. But I could negotiate. I bite my lips thinking. All of my freedom and privacy is going to be stripped away as soon as I'm inside the walls of that school. A thought popped into my head. Yes! "I'll go. Without any protest and I'll behave whilst I am undergoing my stay. But I do not want Jeffrey there. I'm already going to have everyone in that school staring at me like some caged animal being presented. I don't need a large, brooding bodyguard drawing more attention to me." "This isn't a discussion." Mother affirms, setting her cup down with grace. I plop down in my seat, about to give up. leaning forward to bring some sense of personal perspective to my reasons. Placing my hands on my knees I try to use body language. Manipulation is going to be the best thing right now. "No one else in that school is going to have a bodyguard. Mother..." I try to give the saddest eyes I could muster trailing my words off. "Please they don't allow unsolicited people on campus, as you've said. It's a wonderful school. Completely gated high security. It's all I ask." Her face was void of any emotion; her dark green eyes that matched my own looked like they were desolate. The room was so silent I swear the people that accompanied us had stopped breathing. She snaps her fingers, calling over her assistant, who was silent with her head down while we argued—well, I argued, and Mother ignored me. Her hands shaking as she handed over the iPad she was squeezing so hard in her grip her knuckles had turned white. "Find accommodations for Jeffrey no more than 5-10 minutes from the campus. He must be on call for our crown prince." She tapped madly on the screen, not raising her gaze. My eyes widen. She was listening? Sort of. But at least it's a start. "Thank you—" I try, but she gives me a look that could make dogs cower and children cry. "You, Prince Nicoli, are not to leave the campus unless escorted by him personally. If there are any public events that allow outsiders in, he must be on duty, following no more than 10 feet away." I nod, leaning back in my chair. My shoulders that had been taut this whole time finally relaxing. "And you will give that thank you speech at the beginning of the year event as I said. Despite your social image being so tarnished as of late. They still accepted you. Be grateful." How could they deny the prince? I sigh, rolling my eyes. "Okay I'll do it." I agree. "It wasn't asking. I was telling." She snaps her head to the assistant. "Is his boarding properly arranged?" She bites out at the assistant. "Y-yes, your majesty, his personal housing accommodations have been set." Mother sighs. "Tell him. It's not me that'll be living there now is it?" "U-uh Crown Prince, there are no single rooms but we argued the need for privacy. So you will not be given a roommate." "Knock that shaking off and speak correctly." "Yes, your majesty. The school does have a uniform but you are allowed to wear a pullover and or different undershirts. Along with the main pieces." "Adjust his closet appropriately and take your leave." I don't care if she wasn't speaking to me. I was taking this chance to get out before she changed her mind.