The Step Sister vs. Cinderella

Chapter 20

            Paige walked through the arch rubbing her ear. It still hurt from the combination of Valerie dragging her around by it and the following shouting she’d had to endure once they got back to her rooms. Darren had been less than sympathetic towards her though he’d still intervened, distracting her sister with news that Lyel was bringing Felan and Miette to visit them.

            She reminded herself to get back around lunch. As much as she wanted to avoid her sister until she’d cooled down, she wanted to see Lyel and Miette’s new baby more. Though she felt a bit bad for the kid, getting saddled with a name like Felan. She hoped Valerie and Darren didn’t name her niece or nephew something that’d get the kid beat up for it.

            She looked up as she left the shadows and saw Axton already sitting on the fountain’s edge. The look on his face made her wince, her hand dropping away from her ear. He was watching her, not a hint of a smile anywhere on his face, both hands clasped loosely in front of him.

            He said nothing until she sat down beside him, her hands wrapped around the fountain’s lip. “So,” she said quietly, knowing he’d take it poorly if she tried to make light of it. “Now you know.”

            “You lied to me,” he replied, looking at her.

            Her chin jerked up and met his eyes squarely. “I did not! You never asked me who my sister was. And before you say I should have told you, I’ve never told anyone. The only people I normally spend time with around here already know,” her chin dropped as did the volume of her voice. “And I didn’t want you to get all weird around me.”

            Axton opened his mouth then closed it, nodding. “You are correct. I did not ask. I should have.”

            Her eyes dropped to where her hands were clutching the skirt of her dress. “I’m sorry. I just…I was happy to have made a friend that wasn’t related to her somehow and then…I don’t want you to hate me.”

            He stared at her for a moment then grabbed her hand with his, a light ting sound rising when his watch hit her bracelet. “I do not hate you. I am simply…confused would be the best word I believe. Though it has explained many other things. I had wondered why the king had taken such an interest in both of us.”

            She squeezed his hand, not looking at him but smiling. “Darren’s alright. He understands at least. And no one, except maybe for Isaac, is better at handling my sister. He knows she sometimes overreacts to things.”

            “I do not believe this morning was an overreaction. Your safety is important and you should take better care not to put yourself in danger,” he replied.

            She winced, the gentle rebuke in his voice stinging her worse than Valerie’s yelled lecture. “She’s been more emotional than normal the last little while. And paranoid. She keeps trying to put more guards on me and is always asking me where I’m going to be at all hours. I don’t like being caged and that’s exactly what she’s trying to do. If I’d been somewhere other than the training ground and if I’d been with anyone but one of her group, I probably wouldn’t have snapped. But I was and she didn’t bother to check with him or me about my training schedule.”

            Axton sighed. “I understand what you wish but you do not understand what life here is like. Court has changed since you were last here. The atmosphere has become far more tense and there has been more plotting in the dark. Her majesty’s pregnancy has caused many people worry, some of whom are willing to act. Your sister worries about your safety, as do I. I believe I shall be more worried now that I know you are a member of the royal family.”

            She made a face. “I wish you wouldn’t. And I’m not much of a member. No one here who doesn’t know me, even remembers what me and Cate’s names are. We’re just Valerie’s little sisters. Which I have to say is better than I thought we’d get. I’m glad almost everyone here’s forgotten what kind of princess she is.”

            He blinked, momentarily distracted. “Princess? Ah. I had heard that Queen Ruby was a Sleeper.”

            Paige grinned as her eyes met his. “Nope. Everyone always guesses that or Donkey Skin. The only sleeper in the family is Uncle Amorrt and he’s in Methus. Nah, Valerie’s a Cinderella.”

            He opened his mouth, then snapped it shut as his eyes widened. “A Cinderella? Truly?”

            She giggled and nodded. “Yep. And I,” she said throwing one hand up in the air dramatically. “Am an evil stepsister.” When he only stared, she laughed. “Oh I’m not really. At least not the evil part though if you were to ask her now, Vally’d probably tell you I am. There was no slaving, no harassment, no cinders. Heck, I spent most of my early childhood climbing all over her and trying to be exactly like her.”

            “I had no idea,” he replied, shaking his head slowly. “I cannot believe that Queen Ruby, one of the most feared women to ever wear a crown, who has ridden a dragon, led an army, and is a living legend, is a Cinderella.”

            “Yeah well don’t mention it around her. She hates when people call her Cinderella. Only Darren can get away with it these days. She’s big on respect now. Which makes sense and all. She’s been fighting the rest of the court to be seen as Darren’s equal from the beginning. She has some hilarious stories about the old council. My favourite was always the one where she threw water on them to shut them all up,” Paige said, leaning back so she was only kept from falling by her braced legs and the one hand still clutching the lip of the fountain.

            He frowned. “I had not heard of that. Has it truly been that difficult?”

            She stared, dropping her legs back to the ground as she fell forward. “Are you kidding? Have you met most of the old, stuffy set of lords? They still gasp when they see me wearing a sword. Some of them won’t even look at Valerie when she’s wearing pants. They’re puffed up toads and if she’d let me, I’d have squashed them already. Bleh. Makes me glad I was born where I was. I don’t think I could have taken being a proper lady.”

            His forehead creased as he thought it through. She resisted the urge to poke him there. “I see. I…I believe I have much to think on. Thank you.”

Paige met his eyes and squeezed his hand. “Does that mean you’ll still hang out with me?”

            He smiled at that. “Yes. I have had enough of us being apart.”