Out of sorts- Tagatha

Chapter 2: The Princess

-

Agatha had been playing around with Reaper when it all happened. It was his turn to chase her around the castle until he got his hairless paws on her, and though she was fast, he was always faster. This came as a surprise for anyone who didn't know the cat well, always looking lazy and taking naps in weird places, like an open drawer or on the staircase. But Agatha knew that, when he was in the mood, he was always fun to play with. Not that he was particularly careful, he had a tendency to slash at everyone and everything for his own entertainment, hence the girls arms being littered with scrapes and scratches.

But this time her cat let her have a head start, so she ran. He wont find me outside, surely, Agatha snickered to herself. She picked up her gown and started towards the main doors, intent on making use of her extra time. To her luck, the doors were open already, not unusual, but there would be a reason, all the better for me anyway, so I don't have to wait for them to be opened.

The morning sun had spilled into the castle, and cast a glow on her face, warming her cheeks, and as she passed the doors and scrambled down the steps, she swung her head back to see if Reaper had followed her.

That's when she crashed into something. It was abrupt and unexpected, so she took her time registering the situation, laying on something stiff and broad. Ugh... ow.

When she felt movement she knew it was a person she'd bumped into, and a scowl formed on her face.

-

"AGGIE, WHERE DID YOU GO???"

The maids covered her ears as Sophie stormed out of her chambers, infuriated and pink faced.

"AGATHA!" She screeched.

She bunched up her elaborate pink ballgown, trudged down several staircases and out into the courtyard. Sophie drew in an aggressive breath, ready to scream her lungs out if she had to, when she caught the sight of someone so strapping, so striking, so stunning... so...

On the floor.

What??

Sophie's eyes bulged, staring in horror as she witnessed the Camelot crown on the floor behind a very pissed King Tedros, who was looking up at Agatha, who was lording over him murderously with her arms at her hips.

She'd waited all week for this??!!

No.

The princess cleared her throat, and prepared to fix this embarrassment. "Oh my goodness! King Tedros? I am so sorry for this inconvenience, my lady, Agatha, is so very clumsy, you must forgive her!" She said in her innocent voice (which was usually reserved to be condescending to other people).

Agatha looked at her with a stone dead face, secretly telling her "really?" with just her eyes. "Im sure Agatha has already apologised profusely" Sophie added while the King was helped up by a maid. He stayed silent, dusting himself off and looking at Agatha a little red in the face. My god, he must be fuming, he's probably the silent angry type, with that sort of straight face- concentrate Sophie!

"Im not apologising to that insipid fool"

"Agatha!"

"Well, if I'm the fool, I wonder what that makes you, since you're the one that bumped into me" Tedros lashed back.

Lord help me.

"I think its best if Agatha informs mother that he's arrived? Hmm?" Sophie shot her a look.

"No need."

Everyone turned their heads towards Queen Vanessa at the top of the stairs.

-

"I'm telling you, reaper, this is an injustice. He was in my way, how was it my fault he doesn't know how to use his limbs properly to move away?"

Agatha grumbled, looking around her bedroom, which was small and modest. There was a bed in the far left corner, next to a small window, with a bedside table filled with letters from her friends back at home. She had a desk against the same wall and a closet opposite it. To the right of it was a small, one person bathroom, which was awfully cramped but enough for Agatha.

She didn't really ask for much anyway, and the Queen, although not fond of her at all, was letting her stay here after the death of her mother, Callis, (per Sophie's request) out of courtesy, on the condition that she be Sophie's lady in waiting.

She never knew why the Queen didn't like her, just that she had known her mother back when she was a royal doctor. Maybe she hadn't gotten on with her mother well? She wasn't sure.

Reaper sensed Agatha thinking, and leapt from the floor to curl up in her lap. She sat there, still, thinking about her mother. It had barely been a year, the sudden change coming all too quickly, but she'd managed to survive and see Sophie fawn and jump around thinking of her future husband.

Agatha groaned.

"Who does he think he is?" She murmured to her cat, pulling him close.

She had been sat on the bed, but could hear the phoney laughs Sophie always made sure to blurt in the face of any idiot man she'd encounter that she was interested in.

Don't even get Agatha started on that cursed story. She didn't want to think about all the bogus boyfriends she'd been dating over the years, but made a mental note to add King what's-his-name to the growing list. She was not bothered for this week, at all.

-

Lady in waiting? Where'd they get her from?? Off the streets? With her poor manners, probably. Tedros thought, looking down at his cup of rosemary jasmine tea. He despised jasmine tea, but kept his mouth shut.

He'd gotten over the initial attraction towards the woman, hating everything about her from her impoliteness to her dastardly cynical attitude.

Who does she think she is?

He still smiled as Queen Vanessa talked about her daughter's 'desirable' attributes, clearly thinking her beauty was one of them.

Princess Sophie... not at all original Princess Sophie. He'd encountered hundreds of Princess Sophie's ever since he was old enough to make a decision on his own. But what could he do? He needed a bride and he needed one fast.

So much for being just to my liking...