Trigger warnings.
Evie ran her hands down her body, able to feel each rib. She placed her hands on her waist, muttering a sharp curse when her fingers still didn't meet on both sides. She needed to eat less.
"Evie!" her mother called.
She felt like crying. If her mother was calling her for an inspection, she was not ready enough. She needed to be thinner. Prettier. A sob welled up in her, but she pushed it down. Princesses do not cry, she told herself firmly.
"Evie!"
She hurried out of the room and to her mother. "Yes, Mother?"
"Princesses are never slow." Her mother gracefully rose from her throne-like chair and slapped Evie across the face, just hard enough to make it hurt but not hard enough to make a mark.
Evie's face crumpled from the pain and shame of never being good enough.
"No frowning!" the former queen told her sharply.
Evie straightened her face and then clothes and hair, hoping her mother would find her at least slightly acceptable.
"What is that unibrow?" Her mother looked at her closely. "Stupid girl, you can never do anything right." She pulled out a tweezers and plucked out a hair.
Evie almost winced, but stopped, remembering, Princesses do not flinch.
"Tisk, tisk." Her mother swept around her, taking in everything. Then came the dreaded command. "Strip."
Evie did as she was told, folding her clothes neatly, Princesses are always neat and clean, and then straightening for her mother to see.
"You're so fat, Evie," her mother told her. "How could you even think this is an acceptable weight?"
"I'm sorry, Mother," Evie murmured.
"Eat less."
"Yes, Mother."
"Who did your eyeliner today, Evie?"
"I did, Mother."
"It looks like a troll did it. Is that what you are, Evie? A troll?"
"No, Mother."
"Hm, well you look like one." Her mother swept around her again. "Your lipstick is no where near perfect."
The queen brought her hand up to Evie's face, almost causing Evie to flinch away, but she only roughly wiped at the corner of Evie's mouth. "There, that looks much better now. Must I do everything myself?"
"No, Mother."
Another slap. "That was not the correct answer. Princesses are never cocky and never talk back."
"Yes, Mother." Evie struggled against the tears threatening to fall. She wanted Carlos so badly. She wanted to curl into him and cry and he wouldn't care that princesses do not cry and princesses do not show weakness...
Her mother was circling her again, like a vulture closing in on his prey. She ran her hands over Evie's body.
Princesses do not shudder.
"I am shocked that you think this is an acceptable weight." The queen wrapped her hands around Evie's waist. "My fingers don't even meet! Evie, you are a disgrace to the family."
"I'm sorry, Mother."
"You should be. No one will ever want you."
Her mother was running her hands over Evie's hip bones now.
Princesses do not cry.
"Your hip bones don't stand out enough. Princesses' hip bones stand out. It's a sign of being thin."
"Yes, Mother."
"Say it."
"Princesses' hip bones stand out."
"Very good, Evie."
She needed Carlos. Desperately.
"Your hair is ugly. Is this what you call acceptable?"
"No, Mother."
"Well, do something about it."
"Yes, Mother."
Her mother ran her hands over Evie one more time before saying, "You may go, but don't let me see you again until you are pretty."
Evie snatched her clothes and all but ran out of the room.
"Evie!"
She turned, a sinking feeling overtaking her. "Yes, Mother?"
"Princesses do not run. You will walk gracefully out of the room with your head held in the proper manner."
"Yes, Mother." She gracefully turned and exited the room with grace.
Princesses do not cry.
Please let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading :)
-FlatFox