Not My Fairytale

Chapter 5

A Trifling Tea

The bright, final notes of the melody still hung in the air, as Carina Asaro returned to her seat across from me, her cheeks alight in a scarlet blush. She was a young, shy thing who never would have willingly offered to put herself under the scrutiny of so many eyes alone. But, she was terribly gifted at the piano, and if there was one thing the ladies of the court liked to do, it was flaunt their children's talents in front of the queen in attempts to garner favor. Normally, such shows would irritate me to no end, but on this particular day, I was relieved to have a distraction from the tension at the table. Or, to be more exact, between myself and the occupant in the seat beside me. However, with the distraction behind us, I was quick to ensure a polite smile remained plastered on my lips.

"That was lovely, dear." Lady Asaro commended her daughter from across the table.

"Yes, quite lovely," my mother agreed, giving the girl a warm smile. "I may have to call upon your musical expertise the next time I am entertaining guests." I knew that she meant it too, that was just who my mother was: genuine and kind to the core. A breath of fresh air among the snakes in the grass that made up the ladies in our court.

If it were even possible, poor Carina's cheeks grew darker. "Thank you, Your Majesty. It would be a great honor." Her vibrant blue eyes cast nervously around the table, landing briefly on mine before quickly moving on. I, like many around the table, pretended not to notice the way she tilted her chin down to slightly shield her face from the room– or the way her mother shot her a reprimanding glare. Instead, I turned my attention to my tea, bringing it to my lips and taking a small sip. The hot, tisane brew warmed my insides, providing temporary relief to my aching body. I discreetly stretched my legs out under the cover of my thick skirts and the table, feeling a dull ache in my ankle where a bone had broken this morning at training.

True to my father's words several days ago on that first dreadful morning, my training had grown much more challenging. Having Franco there with me had proven even more challenging, still, as we all discovered that he would not go easy on me as the guards likely were. No, we were always similar in that way; in that competitive nature that fueled us.

I was pulled from my thoughts as a voice broke the silence that had fallen over the table, "Lady Lucia, I couldn't help but notice that your daughter is not here this afternoon. Is she feeling well?" The voice belonged to Rigina Baldoni, the duchess of the plentiful region to our north, best known for its wine and leather. The question was asked in a polite tone, but I knew it was likely posed as an opportunity to embarrass Lady Borgese in front of the royal family.

The words had the opposite effect, Lady Lucia's chocolate colored eyes lit up eagerly. "Gina has found her mate: a banker in the Cazzico region. She only just left last night to live with him." I tried not to smirk at how it had all backfired on Lady Baldoni, but it was rather difficult.

Excited murmurs erupted around the table as the other gathered ladies politely piped in with their questions about Gina Borgese and her mate. I did my best to pretend to be listening intently to their conversation, whilst completely tuning out their pretty words and quiet giggles. Instead, I busied myself with selecting a variety of the little sandwiches laid out on platters in the center of the table, careful to only take as many as would not be seen as rude. I knew that I should, as crown princess, be paying much more attention to the information being shared around me, as it would likely come up again in the future, but I just couldn't find it in myself to care. After all, what use would knowing the square footage of the estate Gina now lived in really be to me as a ruler. Or whatever I would become now. It wasn't as though Gina and I were very close, anyway. Though she was only two years my junior, she, like many of the young ladies of the court, gave me a wide berth. It was one of the things that fueled my deep appreciation for Franco, he was intimidated by neither my status nor my sharp personality. He was truly the only member of the court that treated me like a real person and not just an alpha to be feared and respected. That said, if she was happily mated and settled in the densely forested region to the south, then I was happy for her. But, the topic of mates was, of course, just not a terribly exciting subject for me.