Running through the hallway of the palace, decorations glitter in chandelier light as a dress drags against the red carpets. Maria panting as she nearly fumbled part of the dress she was holding but ran anyway. Tripping over uncomfortable heels and flinching when a loud voice calls for her. Quickly throwing off her shoes, she got up before running again. Tears developed in her eyes as her fear rose in her chest and came out in hyperventilated breaths. Pushing a grand castle door with strained yells and slipping through when open enough. " Bring the carriage now!", she screams out to her footmen and runs down the stairs as a carriage nearly wrapped entirely in gold and ivory pulls up at the bottom of the stairs.
"Maria!", a voice yelled out " I order you to stop as your crown prince and the heir to the throne". The prince follows quickly behind her as Maria wasn't going to stop even if it meant risking offending the royal family. Swinging the carriage door open she scrambles inside and closes it behind her as the prince crashes into it, sending her onto the velvet floor of the carriage. Pearl beads fall from her hair and go in every direction. Moving her hair out her face she looks behind her as she catches her breath to see the prince knocking against the door. Fumbling through near-transparent petticoats and a purple dress she locks the door and looks into the prince's betrayed eyes as he tries to force his way in. "....Start the carriage. Take me home", she breathes out while looking at him coldly as horses neigh with the crack of a whip. The vehicle moves off with a rattle of wooden wheels on gravel. Leaving the glistening castle behind and leaving the figure standing there as the building became a faraway mirage. Staring at the shaking carriage ceiling, lamp shining brightly, tearing up before letting out a quiet sob. Sliding onto the soft cushions, she muffled her cries.
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The mansion doors open before her as she walks in. Sniffling and drying her face as her feet pitter pat against the cold marble floor as lingering servants look on with concern. Hurried footsteps come soon after and Maria looks up to see her friend, who was Skyrana in this life, in her nightgown with a worried expression on her face.
'I should've just come up with an excuse and stayed home as she did'. Maria's lip trembled as her friend stopped at the bottom of the stairs and slowly came closer as she saw her friend's makeup-ruined face and red eyes. "Maria? What are you doing here did the party end early?", she said softly. Reaching out to her friend who silently stared at her. A few minutes of silence passed before Maria burst into tears again and tackle-hugged Skyrana, rubbing her face into the woman's gown as they collapsed to their knees on the floor. Loud and distressed sobs echoed in the once-quiet halls. "Get another room and change of clothes ready. And said a message to Duke Lotus that his daughter is with me", Skyrana ordered while rubbing her friend's back comfortingly. Quietly shooing away any hidden onlookers.
"It was terrible absolutely terrible!", Maria cried out in another sob when she lifted her head before sobbing into the now ruined nightgown again. " slow down Maria, and tell me what happened before you turn my nightgown into the next ghost painting of the century", Skyrana answered sternly, " I can't know what happened if we stay here on the cold floor all night". She got up and pulled Maria to her feet with her. 'Just what exactly happened at this party?'. Skyrana didn't want to attend as she cringed from the main character's romance enough to have to stand guard by his side all day. Unlike Maria, she was reincarnated as the crown prince's personal guard and headknight who he saw as a sister respectfully. In the original, the headknight did hold feelings for him but she refused to bring her acting to that level. But her focus was now on her emotionally distraught friend. She tried to think what could've caused this reaction but nothing could come to mind. Another sob from Maria brought her back to reality. "Come on Mari lets go upstairs and get you changed so we can talk while your comfortable", she cooed, leading the sobbing girl upstairs with comforting circles rubbed on her back. One thing was for sure though. She was going to give that crown prince an interrogation of his life.
Because no one makes her best friend cry and thinks they can get away with it.
YOU ARE READING
Love and Reincarnation a Story of Sugar and Spice
FantasyNeoma and Charlotte have lived through the many MANY stories they've read in their years of knowing each other and before that. There was always the routine, Get reincarnated as a side character, wait for the story to start, watch it unfold from the...
