“I don’t want to.” Before her mother even voiced her question, or whatever it may have been she was going to speak, the second princess shot her down immediately. Nala, plastered on frown, golden locks a tangled mess atop her head for she hadn’t found the chance to comb them thoroughly, and her arms folded across her chest stared right into her mother’s eyes.
“Sweetheart, you haven’t even given me a chance to say anything yet.” Iris voiced a tired sigh, seating herself in a nearby chair. She was well aware of how much of a pain her second eldest could be, and unfortunately more often than not, conversations like this would drain her of all energy she thought she once contained.
Rolling her eyes, Nala flicked her wrist dismissively towards her parental figure. “Fine, I’m listening.”
Folding her pale hands into her lap, the Queen slowly inhaled a breath of air before attempting to start again. “Your father and I have decided that we’ll be taking a trip across the ocean, to Belvia.” Pausing as she spoke, she watched her daughters expression.
Highly uninterested.
As she expected, unfortunately. “To strengthen relations between us and them...through marriage, hopefully. Their son is rather handsome. Please Nala, give him a chance.”
If Nala was standing within a closer radius of a bookshelf, or even a desk, either would have been knocked over or cleared of its holdings. “And you didn’t even once think of asking me first? Aria is the first born, why can’t you throw her towards prospective marriage partners more, how come its always me?!”
“That’s because…” Iris turned her head away in shame. She had no answer Nala would have accepted, so she chose the route of staying silent.
“Because, nothing! She’s your golden child, so you’re just saving her for when the time is best! I bet Soren put you up to this, didn’t he? Gosh you’re just so...Ugh, I can’t stand you! I’m done with this conversation. Fine, I’ll go. But I’ll make one hell of a scene. This so called prince will hate me by the end.” With that, Nala sent one last angry glare towards her mother before storming out of the room.
Her own room, that is.
Hearing the commotion from way down the palace hallway, Fayt had came running, or rather walking relatively fast over to see what was going on. “Nala!” Her little brother called out with a mild worried undertone in his voice. This was rather rare of him, so immediately she found herself cheering up to this. “What was all that noise about?”
“Oh that? Eh, nothing new.” Deciding it better to brush the other conversation off, for her sake and her sibling's, she forced a new emotion into her system.
One that involved a huge smirk to overtake her face.
“Did you happen to grow shorter since I last saw you?” Giggling, Nala nudged Fayt’s side with her elbow.
“Oi! We are the same height. That, and it is impossible to grow short!” His face started to dust with a soft shade of pink as he boiled with frustration.
Fayt Arcadus, Nala’s younger brother was a near mirror copy of herself. She refused to grow her hair out like her elder sister Aria, instead wearing it cut near her ears somewhat like he did. They each bore similar shades of azure colored eyes, common only to the royal family in this Queendom. Nala, also the tomboy of the three princesses, preferred more comfortable and free fitting clothes than dresses, could be found wearing rather similar clothes to that of the prince.
Unfortunately for the palace staff, both took advantage of this frequently as children.
Sighing softly, regaining his composure, Fayt remembered once more why he was here in the first place. “Are you quite sure you’re alright Nala?”
“I…” She bit her lip, catching herself before she could go on to say something stupid. “I’ll be fine. You know me.” Reaching a hand out, she ruffled the others hair, earning an annoyed huff. “You should return to your lessons. One of your caretakers may yell at me if I keep you for too long.” Turning around, she took a few steps in the opposite direction, paused to hear a quiet ‘shit’, and walked away.
Unsure of what to do now, Nala decided to just wander the halls. There wasn’t all too much else to do. Yawning rather loudly, she outstretched her arms towards the ceiling, extended them back behind her head and continued her trudge forward.
She did so, until she came upon a figure off in the distance.
The figure was adorned with long, braided golden hair. A simple, yet somehow seemed to be extraordinary simply because of the wearer, summer dress with flats to match. Nala found herself looking down towards her clothes in turn, and back towards the figure, taking in the drastic difference.
What I would give to be like her…
Gently slapping her cheeks with her palms, she straightened her posture, and soon found herself following behind her elder sister, following in her footsteps. Walking as she did, step by step.
While Aria walked with grace, Nala could only find herself stumbling along in her attempts to keep slow and steady. How she wished to go back to her normal fast and lazy pace through the halls. Yet it was ‘unlady like.’ She could practically hear the maids sneer at her pathetic attempt from a nearby corner.
‘At least I’m trying…’
Through the halls Nala kept this up, unaware of how Aria knew of her stalking, until they came back upon her bedchamber. “Ah!” Accidentally, she voiced out, afraid she’d pass by and be forced in an endless loop. To her sudden outburst, Aria chuckled and waved goodbye, continuing on.
Sighing, Nala entered her now empty room and flung herself onto her mountain of pillows; her only savior, or so she deemed from this mess.
“I guess my only option, is to hope to the goddess that this doesn’t go too bad…” Nala muttered to herself, burrowing her face in her giant pile of pillows. “And, that perhaps, she’d send me a princess instead of a prince. That can’t be too much to ask for, can it?”
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