The Kingdom of Belmar

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

She's laughing at me. She's mocking me. She's enjoying the pain and shock displayed across my face. The Margarite in front of me, is from my world as well?

"If only camera phones were invented in this world, I'd take a picture of your face because your expression right now is priceless." Margarite slouches a bit now that we've both acknowledged that neither of us have had proper etiquette training. The way she croons her neck tells me she must have been waiting a while to do that. "I'm gonna talk more casually if you don't mind, I can't stand those prissy princes and the way they expect me to talk."

"What do you mean you're from my world?" I ask, cutting off her ramblings of how she's not-quite-fit-to-be-a-lady. "If that's really the case then what happened to the original Margarite? How'd you get here? Why are you marrying Prince Tristen?"

She covers her ears in annoyance, "My god, so many questions. Relax Amy, I'll explain everything if you would stop yammering for a second." Reluctantly, I stop talking and just stare at Margarite waiting for her explanation.

"I came to this world about a year ago. I was terminally ill in my other body, and to pass the time I'd read a book called 'The Kingdom of Belmar'. When my body finally gave in, I woke up here." She gestured around while never making eye contact with me again, but I could still feel her aura boring into every orifice of my body. "I looked in the mirror, and I was the beautiful Margarite. I upgraded in the looks, health, and wealth department. Not only that but I was the main character of one of my favorite books, you can't imagine how happy I was. So I lived her life for the last year, waiting for the events of the novel to begin. Over that time, I admired the prince from afar and slowly fell in love, like Margarite is supposed to, and I enjoyed living my life in this world as a praised, carefree, and beautiful young lady while looking forward to the power and prestige I'd get once I was Queen. I had so many changes I wanted to make, you see, for the sake of the people."

"The story, from what I can remember, starts at the Sonna Festival ball, three months ago, at this exact spot. But I heard from Baron Hastings that a certain Lady had refused the hand of the Crown Prince." She glared at me, seeing through every choice I made since I was here, and spitting the "certain lady" part like it was poison.

"You didn't marry the Crown Prince," she continued, "At that moment I was confused. Amalie was always in love with the Crown Prince, she'd do anything to be with Cole, but you refused Queen Rista's proposal. I didn't think about it back then as much as I should have because I thought it was just one less obstacle to get to my happily ever after.

"The ball came around, and it was time for our fated meeting. I stood exactly where the book told me to stand, wearing exactly what the book told me to wear, excited that the time to meet my true love was finally here, but as he descended from the staircase, he didn't look at me. Our eyes didn't meet like the book said it would, there was no click of fate or immediate attraction because he was too busy searching for someone else. Then he asked you for the first dance.

"Cole wanted nothing to do with you in the novel, so what changed? Why did he approach you first, why did you talk and dance like a proper lady and not a spoiled brat, why wasn't he looking at me? Then he asked you to be his personal knight. I heard later that you guys dueled during the knights exam, and something snapped into place. The original Amalie wasn't so poised, she wouldn't refuse the hand of the Crown Prince, she wouldn't be caught dead wearing armor and holding a sword; the original Amalie was long gone."

She looked at me, probably waiting for a response but I didn't say anything. Of course I didn't act like the original Amalie, because if I had, then I'd be dead in a few months. It's not my fault Cole never tried to look for her like before. I earnestly tried to step back and watch their relationship from the sidelines, but in a way it was my fault. I changed the story so much that they were never able to have their fated encounters like the author planned.