Disclaimer: We don't own fairytales.
Crystal:
"Jake, what on earth are you doing?" I gasped as he finally put me down.
"Are you really as dim as they say, Your Highness?" Jake asked me in an icy voice. "Or is it, as still others say, that you are merely a stuck-up prick with her nose too high in the air to notice what is going on around you?"
I cannot say anything, only gape.
"Your precious brother is dead." Jake continued, cold eyes boring into me. "He was truly stupid. And you, Princess Crystal … you are as good as dead."
He pushed me into a room and slammed the door.
"Blackmail always works, Your Highness. And you are the incentive."
His footsteps receded into the distance, as I lie sprawled on the floor. Straightening up, I can only stare at the wall through the dusky darkness.
How could I have been so terribly stupid?
Adriene
Nathaniel was right, that week apart from his Duke was almost a godsend. The hallowed halls of the castle were free from his laugh and weight as he blundered around. I spent hours inside for a change moving between libraries and drawing rooms.
My maid, Kate hurried up to me telling me that the Prince wished a word with me before my betrothed arrived and I grudgingly agreed. Alej's mind had been playing with him since his return from his 'perilous journey' to find my sister. I walked to the main drawing room, when the Duke had asked for my hand come to think of it and sat awaiting the Prince's entrance.
"Your Highness," he entered in all his finery including medals and ceremonial sword.
"Is there some formal procedure that I was not informed about?" I asked as he sat in one of the chairs.
"Not formal ceremony no," he said as his eyes had a glassy feature about them. "Your fiancé arrives tonight correct?" I nodded, "He is bringing his sisters with him is he not?" Again, I nodded. "I have heard many things about the young ladies and wish to make myself known to them. Could you see to it that I am situated next to the elder of them during the evening meal?"
I struggled to keep my face transparent as I smiled, "Would it not be better to ask one of the kitchen maids to do so?"
Alej shook his head, "You are soon to be the mistress of a castle, it is you I should come to."
I nodded, "Well, Alej, I will see to it-"
From my chair in drawing room I could hear the great doors open outside and stood, "It seems my fiancé has arrived earlier than expected," I said feigning enthusiasm.
Alej nodded and stood to escort me to the great hall.
There he was, the one I had waited for. He smiled softly at me as his master stepped into my line of sight and bowed low. "Princess Dove," The Duke said using his pet name for me that made me wish that I were free to cringe. "May I present to you my mother the Dowager Duchess and my sisters, Lady Mary and Lady Jane."
Crystal:
Now, I had options. Firstly, I could sit on the floor of this grimy place, cry and wait until Jake dearest returned. Or … I could attempt to escape. I fingered the worn wooden door. It looked old … possibly due to the fact that it was old. Brilliant. I reached into my boot for my dagger. So Jake, who's the stupid one now?
I inserted my dagger's point into the lock and twisted it sharply. The door creaked open. I grinned.
Freedom called.
Once outside, I started running. It might have looked suspicious, but I needed – needed! – to see if Jake had been lying about Daniel. I reached the inn and wrenched open the door.
The innkeeper looked up at me.
"Ay, girlie, where have you been? Your brother's dead!" Points for subtlety … zero. "The guards are in there … apparently he's the Prince!" The innkeeper squinted at me. "Which would make you the Princess."
Ignoring him, I ran upstairs … and straight into a guard.
"No one goes upstairs, girl." He held my arm in an iron grip. "Hang on…" The guard placed a grimy finger under my chin and raised my head up to his.
"Hello Captain Pierre." I squeaked.
Adriene
Nathaniel walked up to me before dinner was announced just as Kate finished my hair. I smiled to him while he waited for me to feel like standing. "Lady Jane wishes to sit by your side highness," he said formerly.
"Please Nat," I said tiredly, "You've called me Addy before, do you have to go back to the formalities?"
He laughed quietly as he took my arm, "Well then, Addy," he said leading me down the stairs, "be nice, and polite, and maybe you may be able to sneak away early."
I smiled as we came to the dinning room and Bernard the butler announced me, Nathaniel didn't warrant an announcement. My mother smiled at me, her eyes hiding the sadness that she knew my marriage cost me, while I finally caught a long look at the Dear Duke's sisters. Lady Jane was slightly older than me, her blonde hair reminding me slightly of my aunts and smiled as Alej caught her eye. He used to give my sister that look, he was easily pleased. My father talked with my mother as I took my place at the Duke's right side.
I ate my meal quietly sometimes talking to Jane and Mary, sometimes laughing at a 'joke' my fiancé made other times talking with his mother about the wedding plans.
Nathaniel was called away before the cheese course came out and didn't return for at least fifteen minutes, when he did he held a piece of parchment in his hands and looked as though he had encountered a poltergeist.
"Nathaniel boy, whatever is the matter?" Lady Mary asked as Alej stared at her openly.
"I have a letter here, for the King and Queen," he said somewhat distractedly.
My mother took the letter from him and gasped as she handed it to my father.
My father retained his expression as he excused them both from the table apologising for the intrusion. As they walked past, they asked Nathaniel to follow them and after a minute of quiet deliberation, they asked me to follow as well.
They led us into a library where my father handed me the letter and asked Nathaniel who had given it to him, had he seen the person at all. I wasn't listening, my complete attention was on this note.
Your Majesties
It is my duty to tell you that your son Daniel, who left you some years ago, now lies dead in his rooms while your youngest daughter Crystal struggles to escape my grasp. To have any hope of seeing either one again, I only have one simple request.
The Princess Adriene as eldest of your living children will become queen upon your death and her husband be hailed as king, all I ask is that I be that husband.
Follow this request and your daughter is released to your care, deny it and she follows your son to a cold tomb.
Jake
My mother looked at my face and asked if I knew this 'Jake'. I shook my head and looked to Nathaniel who didn't know him either.
My mother sat down in a chair suddenly and I feared she had fainted before she said that it was like losing Daniel all over again.
I made no noise while Nathaniel rubbed a hand over my eyes.
"What am I to do?" I asked my parents. "If…if marrying this man instead of the Duke will mean that Crystal comes back, then so be it." Nat looked like he was about to say something when my father beat him to it.
"I wont let you be taken by him," he said softly, "we just need to find another way."
"Sire, I could go to the city and try to find him, and the princess."
My father thought about it for a few moments and before he could answer a maid came to the door telling the four of us that Captain Pierre had news for us.
Crystal:
I was tired; I was exhausted.
I was triumphant.
As I was led into the room, I watched as each person's jaw dropped.
"Did you rescue her, Captain?" Mother asked.
"No, Your Majesty." The captain replied. "She must have escaped herself."
"Well… thank you, Captain… you may go." Father dismissed him. I stood by myself, swaying slightly on the spot, but meeting each person's astonished gaze.
"How … what … where…" Mother breathed. Father stood up suddenly, knocking his chair over. He strode over to me and grasped me by the shoulders and shook me.
"Where on earth have you been young lady?" He boomed. The noise echoed loudly in my ears. Somehow everything suddenly seemed far too bright.
"With Daniel … he said he needed help." I replied aloofly.
"Daniel's … dead." Father told me.
"I know." I said angrily. "I was there – you weren't there for him, were you?" I noticed dimly that Nathaniel was in the room. "What did Jake want anyway?"
"To marry your sister – wait. You know Jake?"
"Daniel introduced us. He said that Jake was his friend." I scoffed. "What a fool we both were to believe that." I pulled away from my father. "So basically I've saved Adriene from a marriage with a fool … and the country and you're still angry?" Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.
"Actually…" Adriene spoke up. "I'm marrying the Duke."
"What?" I whirled around, suddenly furious. "How can you do this to her?" I asked. "The Duke is far older than her, she deserves so much better –" I broke off in a bout of coughs. "I may be a stuck up brat with no concern whatsoever for anyone else …" The room faded in and out of focus. "…but I can tell…"
"She's babbling." The voice came from so far away …
"…when something's not right…" Why is it so dark?
"Catch her!"
Black. Cold dark blackness.
Adriene
Nathaniel caught my sister as she collapsed to the ground. He placed her on one of the ornate chairs that I'm not sure people actually sit on.
"Thank you Nathaniel," my mother said as she sat next to my sister. "She has had a hard ordeal, she needs rest." I didn't point out the obvious with that comment as I walked outside and found a maid to take Crystal upstairs while my parents had to go back to the dining room to explain the situation. Nathaniel followed me upstairs as the maid did not bother taking her clothes off and simply laid her in the bed. I thanked the maid and looked at my sister, so deathly pale that it surprised me when I saw her breath. I turned and without a word walked out of the room Nathaniel following me. "Addy!" he called until he came to stand in front of me. "Why did you walk out? What if she wakes up?"
"What am I supposed to do Nat? She hates me because I'm doing what…is right for my kingdom – I'm marrying the right man, while she would have me marry…another."
"Another? Who?"
"You know, as well as I do. And as much as I might want to marry this other, I can't. It isn't possible."
He nodded silently and gave me his arm, "That doesn't mean that, given the chance, you wouldn't, does it?"
"If given the chance, I would. But I'm marrying the Duke, his sisters and all. He shall become King and France will prosper."
Nathaniel laughed a hollow laugh as he kissed my hand before walking into the dining room a step behind me.
"How is Crystal?" my mother asked.
"She is sleeping,"
My fiancé snorted…at least I think that was the noise and we continued our meal.
Crystal:
"I want to see Adriene." I insisted.
"Yes ma'am." The maid nodded as she disappeared out of the door. The door to the world that I now have no access to. I grimaced as I sat back amongst the pillows, feeling dreadfully uncomfortable.
"Crystal?" Adriene's voice sounded small in the big room.
"Sit." I commanded imperiously. I'm sick, why can't I be a little domineering? She sat. I observed her. "Why are you doing this?" I asked suddenly. She looked slightly taken aback by my directness, but answered.
"Because I have to."
"No you don't." I disagreed.
"It's for the good of the country!" She exclaimed.
"No it isn't." I told her. "How is having a snobbish Duke as King and a pliant Princess as Queen for the good of the country? He will rule – you will not. I know, Addy. You're not doing this for the good of the country. You're doing this because you're scared." I eyed her. "You're scared."
She was silent. I flopped back in the pillows.
"Will you take me down to the river?" I asked her, reverting back to my younger sibling role. She looked up.
"You are too ill!" Adriene protested.
"No." I snorted. "They only wish to think me ill. I am not."
"I cannot carry you …" She looked uncertainly at me.
"Then call your lover." I told her briskly.
Funny how our roles have been reversed.