Lady Mary: Royalty or Casualty?

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

                Kirsten clicked the trigger and showed me a piece of paper. The timer tied around Kyle stopped. The paper was filled with words, but my guess was it was all about stepping down as a Lady. I silently approached her and signed the certificate after reading it. The deal said my mother will have to step down too and Kirsten and her daughter will replace us and Kyle will be set free.

                I knew that this would be a burden to my mother but I’m sure she’d understand. Three more weeks ‘til I turn eighteen on the 9th of June, this stupid evil mistr—I mean legal wife ruined my life. It was heavy for me. I forced myself to look at it in the bright side, but failed miserably. How am I supposed to find work when everything I know is to take care of plants—due to Hamish’s hobby, drink tea, and tonnes of knowledge?

                I bit my lower lip when I dialled my mother’s number on my iPhone, which I wanted to stay beside me. It took a couple of rings when she finally got the phone and answered, “Hello, my little Elizabeth. That was quite brave of you back there.”

                “Sorry, mum, but you will have to step down as well,” I replied with an apologetic tone in my voice. She hummed on the other line and said it was fine. I sighed.

                “Hush, now, young lady. It’s not your fault. Mum can work to raise you alone, my Elizabeth. Quit fretting over a rushed decision, we can survive in this battle,” she says in a very comforting voice. I’m glad she didn’t get mad, just as expected. No wonder my father fell in love with her. She’s everything in one pack. I hope I was as blest as her, maybe at some point I would never give in.

                 I went home with a tired body. Nobody welcomed me home. The maids were all arranging the things in the mansion. There was something wrong. I heard sniffs from cloggy noses. Then I slowly approached the nearest maid.

                “Is something wrong?” I asked, totally clueless of what was happening. She turned to me with red eyes clear from crying. She slowly stuttered between her gasps of breath, “Y-your h-highness, a-are you r-really l-leaving?”

                “Painfully yes, Marielita,” I addressed to the maid and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. I pulled out a smile to lighten the mood. “But I can apply here to become a maid here and work with you. Don’t cry. Be happy, the Prince is safe.”

                Then, I left her and headed toward my room. I lit my room and the gems all around my room and the chandelier hanging from my room’s ceiling lit up. I saw my mother, dressed in a normal tee shirt and jeans. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and her jewellery was taken out from her. She only wore her promissory ring on her left ring finger—the one that my father gave her when she and my father promised to live together. I admit she looked younger without make-up; she’s just thirty-six and she’s about to become thirty-seven on July 30.

                “Elizabeth,” she called. I ran toward her and gave her a hug. She returned the hug and gave me a kiss on my forehead. My tears went down my cheeks—the very same tears I had been pulling up not to fall down earlier this morning. She hushed my unfaltering sobs while her plain white shirt absorbed my tears. “Hush now, my little Bess, you did perfectly fine this morning.”

                Her voice hinted a crack. I sobbed harder trying to let out all the heavy feelings I was bringing. I felt guilty for being so vulnerable, for pretending to be so intrepid in Palm Islands, and being so naïve. She gulped hard and trying to fight off crying. I knew how she felt. She’s hurt; seeing her only daughter dealing with a convict for the safety of the Crown Prince and she felt she can’t do anything to help. I forced myself not to cry any further, but it makes it worse. My tears kept flowing and dampening my mum’s shirt.