Pamina's POV
I walked down the corridors of Marmoreal's white walls with a smile on my face. I wasn't going anywhere in particular. After the coronation and big reveal, I truly felt free. The joy of being able to walk anywhere I liked without sharp gasps of shock and misunderstanding. I didn't have to hide anymore.
'Look at her. That hair, that face. Just like her mother. Maybe her head will get just as big.' I heard a slightly too loud whisper. I tried to ignore it and walk on but just then a lizard servant tripped, dropping white linen everywhere.
I dropped to my knees in front of him as he collected the things he had dropped. I couldn't very well just walk on then. It would be mean and rude. I suppressed a sigh. Now I'd just have to endure what the courtiers were saying. I smiled at the shocked and embarrassed face of the lizard when he started to apologize. What had he to be sorry for? Everyone tripped once in a while.
'Hush, she could be like her father. He was such a kind, sweet man. Crazy, of course. There was a lot of love in him.' Another courtier defended me much to my surprise. I was prepared to hear hate from people but it didn't really occur to me that people could just as easily accept me. I handed the clothes to the lizard who beamed at me, scurrying away.
'And look where that got him? He married her but it wasn't enough. She had to reign over the White Queen. And he's dead. Many saw his head floating in her disgusting moat. What does that tell you? The woman killed her own husband and King. He was kind and sweet but he was an idiot.' A third courtier piped in. Daddy. Something in me broke. Something that had been broken before. I snapped my head to face her, telling myself I would not go mad.
'Don't talk about my father like that.' I snapped at them, my red curls wild. They startled, staring wide eyed at me. 'My Daddy was not an idiot.' I hissed, taking a step towards them. They cowered away from me but I couldn't lighten up now. They had insulted my Daddy. They had insulted his memory.
'You think he was an idiot because he loved my Momma? Or do you think he was an idiot because he got killed? He didn't choose to love her, he just did! He only died because he handed his life to her! I would know, I was there. I saw his head come off his shoulder. He died because he loved her to the end. Who are you to tell me he's an idiot?' I growled, eyes turning yellow. My control slipped just slightly.
'My apologies, Princess. I did not know. Your father is an honorable man.' The third courtier stammered out, tears of fear in her eyes as she dropped to her knees. I deflated quickly then. She was quaking on her knees before me, a moment away from hysteria. She was so afraid. I didn't want this. My mother did this before, I won't do it again.
'Please, stand. It isn't your fault. I'm well aware you do not know. I just lost my temper. I'm sorry.' I said fervently, dropping o my knees to help her to her feet. She looked at me with eyes of wonder now, fear disappearing as she nodded quickly.
'Pamina! Sweet one!' Mother called from the end of the corridor, holding what looked suspiciously like that damn etiquette book.
'Coming, Mother!' I called back much to the surprise of everyone in hearing distance.
'Excuse me, I must now go die of boredom.' I said to them with a sigh. They giggled as I was waved away to my Mother.
As I walked towards Mother, that's when I promised myself, never would I intentionally make someone fear me as that courtier had feared me. I felt an awful churning feeling in the pit of my stomach at the very thought of her fear stricken face as she shook on her knees. How could I have done that? I should be more understanding to what people say even if it is terrible. I should be more sensitive to their memory of Momma's reign of terror. I am after all the Red Queen's daughter. I don't want them to look at me and see her. I'll never want that.
Mirana's POV
'Do you want to talk about it?' I asked, chin in my palm as I watched my daughter practice manners in addressing the people in the throne room.
'Talk about what?' Pamina asked back just a moment too quickly.
'That courtier's eyes were shiny and I happen to know her as a mean blabber mouth.' I said plainly. Well that and I saw her shaking in terror as she knelt before my daughter. It had been one week. One week since the coronation. Was she making people cry already?
'She called Daddy an idiot because he loved Momma and she killed him for it.' Pamina said with a crack in her soft voice. 'I got so angry. I'm not sure what happened.'
'You yelled at her?' I guessed. Racie did a lot of yelling in her day.
'Worse I think. I was so nasty. I told her I was there when it happened and how Daddy died because he chose to die for her. Then I asked her who she was to tell me Daddy was an idiot.' Pamina said guiltily, looking down at her hands. I caught the glint of something sparkly falling beneath her curtain of hair.
I stood and crouched in front of her. 'She just… she fell to her knees and she was shaking and I could see tears in her eyes and fear in her face. The kind of fear I used to see on people's faces when Momma yelled at them in her time as Queen.' Pamina said shakily. I placed my hands on her shoulder comfortingly. She looked up and sure enough there were tears tracing the shape of her face.
'I don't want that. I don't want them to be scared of me. I don't want them to think I'm like Momma. I don't ever want to see someone fall to their knees in front of me with so much fear, knowing I did that. I don't want that. I want to be better. I don't want to be like her.' Pamina wailed, rambling on her fears as she recounted the courtier's fear. I caught her eyes in mine and smiled softly, wiping away the tears. This is what will make her a wonderful Queen.
'You won't be like her. You're too much like your father. Too much love in you.' I cooed gently, stroking her flaming hair as I soothed her. My poor girl. Always so conflicted inside. She'll be so strong one day. She was already. She just didn't know it.