Chapter one:
"You made me this way!"
"You - "
"I did not make you this way - you chose to be this way."
Even though my voice was frantic with anger, she remained her calm self.
"I did not." I grit out. "I never wanted this life. I wanted to be something else - someone else!"
She stops in her tracks and faces me.
"You need to be the next queen." She keeps herself compose but I can see the flames of anger dancing in her eyes.
"I am not you, mother."
She just lifted her chin and turned away from me, walking again.
"What queen just gives up on a fight?!" I yell after her and she stops again but does not turn to face me this time.
"A queen chooses her battles wisely, my child. This is not one to fight."
Her words left me with more anger.
I am just thirteen.
I want to ride horses and play outside the castle walls.
I just sag my shoulders and start for my room at the end of this very long hallway.
A big castle is so lonely and boring.
"Princess Aria."
I face Guard Phillip and scrunch my nose at the way he formally greets me.
"Do not call me Princess. I hate it." I state and carry-on walking, my gown sweeping across the floor.
"You know I have to, otherwise Queen Amber will have my head on a platter."
I roll my eyes in a not so ladylike way.
"As if - you're like her favourite guard." He just chuckles behind me as I enter my oversized bedroom.
I flop down on my bed and stare at the extremely white ceiling.
Royal life is so exaggerated, everything needs to be perfect and clean.
I sit up again and look out my window at the grey clouds forming.
My mother and I have never seen eye to eye. I do not want to be the next heir to the throne, but she wants me to train for it ever since I turned eleven.
I am the only child.
By eleven my child life had been forced to stop and I had to dress up accordingly, act accordingly, be accordingly.
My father is always gone - traveling the seas.
He is barely home, and I am sure if he knew what Mother is doing to me, he would put it to stop.
He will take me horse riding again and we will go for a swim in the river across the village.
We would visit the village again.
That thought made my heart sink.
I miss the village and the kids.
We used to play so many games and tell each other so many stories. I would probably never see them again since I need to be queen.
My mother does not like the way I act - non ladylike. She hates it very much, and I intend to keep it on until she accepts me this way.
I have ordered all the guards to take lunch - hence the fight we just had.
She does not want me to take control, yet that is exactly for what she is training me to do.
She confuses me and I honestly wish she would just leave me be.
I hate being her puppet.
I hate being here.
I hate being royal.