When I opened my eyes the next morning, I thought of many things. If not by humility I could withold my position as Crown Princess, maybe wield it like a sword. I jumped out of bed and went to my closet.
It was filled with pastel colored dresses and blouses. Even the skirts and pants were light colored. Maybe it was time for a change. I heard my servers enter my room, the two, were calling for me but Edna went in my closet.
"Dearie, I want you to do something. And Good morning." I said while smiling at her.
"What is it you want me to do, Princess?"
"I need you to replace all my pastel colored clothes to dark colored ones. Can you? I think you might need the help. But please, the dark ones should be favored."
"But, Princess... why the sudden change?"
"Maybe I'm getting worn out of pastel? I want change somehow."
"B-but... As you wish, Your Highness." She curtsied and went outside the room to call Camille and Cyrah.
I went around and pulled out my black dress and black pumps. My three server went in my closet and they curtsied.
"Black is what I would wear today, ladies." I told them.
"Of course, milady." All of them said.
"I would start you bath, Princess." Said Cyrah.
I know that all of them are shocked of what I am doing. But I know that dark colors might pair up what I feel right now. I will let them see the strength I have. Not the weak Princess who whines about her lifestyle. I'm going to be Queen and I should start acting like one.
After I dress, Cyrah told me that grandmum invited me for breakfast. A good way to show my new taste in clothing.
I went to the dining area and I found my Grandmum being served there. She was with Princess Kathaina and Prince James. Everything is planned and all I have to do is to execute it.
I went in the dining room and my Grandmum saw me. She was surprised. My attire was unlikely. Her eyes went through my exquisite dress and pursed her lips. She wasn't used with my new interest.
"Good Morning, Grandmother." I greeted her. I looked at the Princess and her son. "And Good Morning, Your Royal Highness Princess Kathaina and Prince James."
Both nodded and returned to their food. I sat on my place and I was served a full plate. I started slicing my cinnamon roll and took a bite.
"This is new, Jamielle." Grandmum said. "I mean, this display. I'm an not used with your darker side."
I swallowed my food and replied with a cool tone. "I like a change. My attires in my wardrobe wasn't matching my age. Maybe I should carry it mature enough. Don't you like it?"
"Well I am not used with the darker colour, my darling."
I swallowed the other piece I chewed. "It was preferable this was." My appetite was carried by the wind talking about my interests. Why didn't they ask this when they chose my groom? I put down my utensils and stood up. "Excuse me, I think I lost my appetite."
I walked away. Grandmum called me but I was hard headed, I didn't look back. I just walked away and went up to my study.
There were a pile of work to be done since I'm going to run the country myself. This was a job that can't be refused to be sought. There were millions on my shoulders. Everything will crumble down if I didn't give attention to any of this matters.
I started working. I checked many papers. Making sure there were no cheats. And looking at loop holes if there was dishonesty included here.
Maybe thirty minutes later, I heard the doors open and I looked up. My Grandmum gracefully walked in the study.
"Respect wasn't in our to-do list today, my dear?"
It was obvious the sentence was full of sarcasm. I pursed my lips.
"It may be like that, Grandmother."
"Why did you change your tastes, my dear?"
"Don't you like it?"
"It has a darker aura, darling girl. But since it was your liking, should I unlike it?"
"Should you unlike your liking on James?" I shot back.
"A Princess doesn't answer back that way."
"I'm sorry, Grandmother but I have many to attend to."
"Why are you so cold, dear child?"
I looked up to her again. Her eyes were full of concern. She doesn't even know that by her doings, I am very suffocated. She doesn't even know that by what she did, I'm even more trapped in this cage they call a paradise.
"I don't know what you mean, grandmum."
"You've been acting differently. Somehow you became distant."
"Maybe I'm just maturing. I'm going to shoulder millions of people. I've to run a whole kingdom and our colonies. I need maturity."
"You are taking a load. I know that, but please, rule the country with kindness and humility. Not like a sword. A sword is a weapon and it can harm you."
"I know what I'm doing, grandmum."
"Very well." I heard her tone was clipped. She was containing herself. Maybe I'm pushing her but I don't want her to see me weak. I'm strong.
Grandmum went to her desk and started off working. This will probably be our arrangement in the next days or weeks or months. But I will never look back. I would be strong.
"What is it for?"
The butler didn't answer me. Perhaps another of my grandmom again. We just rushed to the parlour and he left me there. He shut the doors and I heard the clicking of the lock. My eyes widened and I ran to the door and slammed it hard.
What the hell is happening?
"Hey! Why did you lock the doors? Are you crazy?! Open this door this instance! Are you hearing me?!" I shout to the persons beyond the locked double doors. They are wretched. Has my Grandmum planned this again?
"We apologize, Your Highness but this was Her Majesty's orders." A man from behind the door answered.
"What?!" Okay, now I'm pissed off. "Tell my grateful Grandmother that I will break down this door!"
I turned away from the door and looked around. I made a mistake because once I turned my eyes back, I saw a head poking from the chair. It was James' head.
I chinked my eyes and stomped my way to him. He returned his head from it's position and just sat on the chair. He was composed. But I can see that he was nervous. Why? A future King shouldn't show emotions.
I was trained to be like that.
"What are you doing here?" I asked with a high pitched voice.
"Uhm... I'm summoned here before you. And the door was locked when I got here also." He said. He returned twiddling his thumbs.
I raised an eyebrow. "So you were trapped here, Prince James."
"Oh, please-no formalities and such. Just call me James."
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Okay, James. Do you know why they locked us here? Have they got reasons?"
"Uhm, from what I heard, we are to plan the basics of the wedding."
Wedding, huh? I rolled my eyes again. I don't want to talk about this now. I still have many paperworks and a meeting to attend to.
"This is a joke." I sniggered. "You could leave, I don't want to talk about this right now."
"The Queen ordered this-"
"What? Come on. We don't want this. Neither of us didn't want to be wed, right? But here were are. I don't want to talk about the basics right now. The coordinator would know what to pick."
Then suddenly I heard my Grandmum's voice from behind the doors.
"Neither of you won't leave the Parlour until you've cleared everything about the basics of the upcoming wedding in two months!"
"What?! Two feckin' months?! Ridiculous, Grandmother! Let me out of here!" I ran to the doors and slammed it I kicked it hard. I didn't even feel the pain.
"And, that is not how Princesses act."
I heard the clicking of heels from beyond the doors. Of course, that was my Grandmother's.
I pursed my lips and kicked the the doors again.
I stomped back to James and faced him. "Let's get this done. Where would we start?"
James pulled himself from the chair and leaned on the table. There were papers there. He gave me one paper and I looked at it. I raised and eyebrow and sat on the lush chair. I read the paper. It was like a form or a bio-data I have to answer. The motif, the theme, chosen church, date of wedding and flowers were on the form. So they made it easier for us. I took a pen and started scribbling my careless choices.
Maybe it was two hours since I was locked here with James. He was just looking around all the time. It bought me time to stare at him.
He was slightly tanned. I learned that he grew up in California and stayed there until he was eighteen. Just like me. His eyes were light brown and they have long lashes. His eyebrows were fine, boyish thick eyebrows. His nose is perfect, pointy. The jaws were strong, chiseled into perfection, the stubble growth there wasn't long, it was groomed that short way. His hair was combed but some locks of hair fell to his face. He was really handsome. The epitome of a woman's dream.
But he was my nightmare.
I looked down and I feel weak again. I shouldn't be like this. I turned away and looked out the window. We already finished the forms and now we would discuss the details of the wedding. I'm just eighteen and I had to be married.
As I turn to the door, I heard it being unlocked. I stood up and when the doors opened I walked past one of the servers going in to bring refreshments. I didn't mind them. I just went upstairs to the study. I know Grandmum isn't there, she is travelling to Ireland.
When I reached the study, I started my work again. Tomorrow, I'll be in school. This will be a whole lot of troubles again.