The World Was Hers For the Taking

Chapter Two

I walked down the lonely hallway that I used to spend my days running with my sisters and pulling pranks on the servants with my brother. Now, I am utterly alone, besides my three closest friends. Oh, how I adore them. They're not royalty, so it is hard to spend time with them, but we do get our moments. Mary, my maid and friend since childhood, has always been there when I needed someone to talk or cry to. And John and Edward, knights in my fathers army, oh how they make me laugh. Mother is always finding new things to do in town and I don't care enough for my father to pay attention to what he does with his time, so I spend quite a lot of time with them since my siblings left.

I walk into the great hall wearing an ice blue dress, which is the ceremonial color of our kingdom, also mandatory for when you come of age.

"Mother, father." I bow, but only for the sake of my mother so my father doesn't yell at her for not raising me the right way.

My father, King Vasilius The Seventh, a cruel man and an even crueler ruler. In my life, I have never met someone so self-conceited and hypocritical. I rarely ever speak to him and I would enjoy keeping it that way, so it is odd that he wants to speak to me today when he never makes an effort.

"Adelaide, very kind of you to join us. Let us get straight to business. Your birthday ball is tonight, as you may know, and I have invited some other guests, if you know what I mean."

"No. I don't. Maybe explain it more and then I can try to wrap my mind around your twisted thought process."

My mother, of course had to defend him,"Adelaide! Apologize right now."

"I am quite sorry, your majesty." "Ugh, I rather muck the stables than be sincere about this apology."

"Of course I accept your apology. We all make mistakes, don't we, dearest?" As he said this, he held his hand out for my mother to hold, I assume it was just an act to make them seem in love in front of all the servants and knights so gossip won't spread to the outlying kingdoms. My mother loves my sad excuse of a father, so she held his hand and I could feel her happiness from across the room.

My father quickly pulled his hand away and started speaking to me again, "Adelaide, I know you have dismissed many of suitors, but I have made it my personal mission to find you a husband, and now I have. His name is William Geier and he will be at your ball tonight.