Chapter Two
The Sky Tower Parlor is blue. And I mean Blue. Light blue tapestries with dark blue clouds embroidered on it covered the dark gray stone walls. Carpets stitched with birds, clouds, moons and suns were beneath my feet with silk slippers. The couches were all the shade of darker blue. Everything and I mean everything from the last spot in this parlor is blue. To be honest, the blue hurt my eyes. It is just too much.
Mother was sitting on a couch. Her violet gown was swept down with grace. A maiden was diligently fanning her with the Fan. She must be extremely tired because her arms drooped. I watched Mother raise a hand. A split second later, another maiden was giving her a glass of sweetened lemon juice. Despite all the stiff behavior the maidens have to comply, they looked extremely happy and satisfied. Maybe it's because it's Queen Sofia. The most beautiful Queen. Or sometimes called, Fairess.
Mother and I are not the same. Mother is as kind hearted as she is beautiful Which makes her the softest creature in the world. But Mother knows she is sovereign. And she knows she can get what she wants anytime. Father spoiled her. Mother is humble, kind considerate and friendly to her maidens but she gets what she wants. Period.
Me? I am the complete opposite of Mother. The only thing that is the same in us is beauty. But in the opposite way too. Mother is even colored. Not too pale and not too brown. I'm as pale as the moon. Mother has hair like the rays of the sun; as fine and as bright. While I have hair that is the darkest night woven to make it fine and silky. Mother is humble. Me? I'm arrogant and self-centered. I don't find it a bad thing though. I am a princess. And some princesses are worse than me. I know my arrogance is the reason why I don't have maidens. I'm too proud to have people do things for me. It makes me feel like an invalid not doing anything and not lifting a finger. I'm also unruly and untamable. I never obey something I wouldn't want to do.
Right now, I noticed that there were a lot of easels and paintbrushes. There were also artists scattered about.
"Mother, why are there a lot of things in here? And what's with the painters?" I asked in my haughty voice. Mother sighed.
"Dear, you should control that voice of yours. It's not nice…" I rolled my eyes and placed my hands on my hips. "Anyway, those artists will all make portraits of you."
"Why?"
"To give to the other kingdoms."
"Why?"
"So then, the kings and the princes will really see you as beautiful and not just hear rumors of your loveliness."
"Why?"
"Therefore, you will have a suitable husband."
"What?!" I shrilled. One of the maidens covered her ears.
"Therefore, you will have a suitable husband. Really, Sienna, you are already sixteen. And princesses wed at the age of sixteen. Why, Princess Faustina of the neighboring kingdom had just married King George."
"I know, Mother. I've been to their wedding. I remember it clearly. I remember the food, the gowns, the bride, the groom…" I stared at Mother, "Everything."
"Yes. I suppose you do. It was last week. And you need a husband like her. We need an heir. And what would the people think of the old maid princess?" Mother laughed.
"Can't I marry at the age of seventeen?" I asked.
"No. Everybody knows that at the age of seventeen, princesses are considered old and unworthy. Sixteen is the age. Sienna, you have been delaying this for many years since the age of thirteen. Remember the day when you rejected the suit of King Joshua? He was the only suitor of yours to actually kneel before you to say his intentions."
"I rejected him because I didn't want to marry the wrinkled old prune that is him! He was sixty-five years old, my goodness! And a widower! He would be dead before we wed! And the suitor I favored did not say his intentions. I waited but it did not come. Since then, I have vowed never to marry."
"Well, I will see to it that you will wed a young prince." Mother said. Good, good Mother. Always granting wishes like a fairy godmother.
"Alright."
"Now, sit down dear."
I sat down on a blue chair in the middle of the room. When I sat down, all the artists scrambled to their easels and paintbrushes. They dipped their brushes and started to paint.
I wriggled in my seat. An artist glared at me. I glared back,
"Princess Celeste, please refrain from changing your face. It is hard to paint if you do so." Another pleaded. I stopped twitching my face.
The session lasted for…a whole day. It wasn't even finished when night came! It was only an outline of my face. Artists are slow. They left their works in the Sky Parlor. I went down. I wanted so much to roll down instead of walk down. But then, my neck would be broken and I would be nothing but a rotting corpse. When I finished the many corridors and flights of stairs, I reached the only place with sanctuary: my room. I collapsed in my bed and I drifted away with sleep.
The Sky Tower Parlor is blue. And I mean Blue. Light blue tapestries with dark blue clouds embroidered on it covered the dark gray stone walls. Carpets stitched with birds, clouds, moons and suns were beneath my feet with silk slippers. The couches were all the shade of darker blue. Everything and I mean everything from the last spot in this parlor is blue. To be honest, the blue hurt my eyes. It is just too much.
Mother was sitting on a couch. Her violet gown was swept down with grace. A maiden was diligently fanning her with the Fan. She must be extremely tired because her arms drooped. I watched Mother raise a hand. A split second later, another maiden was giving her a glass of sweetened lemon juice. Despite all the stiff behavior the maidens have to comply, they looked extremely happy and satisfied. Maybe it's because it's Queen Sofia. The most beautiful Queen. Or sometimes called, Fairess.
Mother and I are not the same. Mother is as kind hearted as she is beautiful Which makes her the softest creature in the world. But Mother knows she is sovereign. And she knows she can get what she wants anytime. Father spoiled her. Mother is humble, kind considerate and friendly to her maidens but she gets what she wants. Period.
Me? I am the complete opposite of Mother. The only thing that is the same in us is beauty. But in the opposite way too. Mother is even colored. Not too pale and not too brown. I'm as pale as the moon. Mother has hair like the rays of the sun; as fine and as bright. While I have hair that is the darkest night woven to make it fine and silky. Mother is humble. Me? I'm arrogant and self-centered. I don't find it a bad thing though. I am a princess. And some princesses are worse than me. I know my arrogance is the reason why I don't have maidens. I'm too proud to have people do things for me. It makes me feel like an invalid not doing anything and not lifting a finger. I'm also unruly and untamable. I never obey something I wouldn't want to do.
Right now, I noticed that there were a lot of easels and paintbrushes. There were also artists scattered about.
"Mother, why are there a lot of things in here? And what's with the painters?" I asked in my haughty voice. Mother sighed.
"Dear, you should control that voice of yours. It's not nice…" I rolled my eyes and placed my hands on my hips. "Anyway, those artists will all make portraits of you."
"Why?"
"To give to the other kingdoms."
"Why?"
"So then, the kings and the princes will really see you as beautiful and not just hear rumors of your loveliness."
"Why?"
"Therefore, you will have a suitable husband."
"What?!" I shrilled. One of the maidens covered her ears.
"Therefore, you will have a suitable husband. Really, Sienna, you are already sixteen. And princesses wed at the age of sixteen. Why, Princess Faustina of the neighboring kingdom had just married King George."
"I know, Mother. I've been to their wedding. I remember it clearly. I remember the food, the gowns, the bride, the groom…" I stared at Mother, "Everything."
"Yes. I suppose you do. It was last week. And you need a husband like her. We need an heir. And what would the people think of the old maid princess?" Mother laughed.
"Can't I marry at the age of seventeen?" I asked.
"No. Everybody knows that at the age of seventeen, princesses are considered old and unworthy. Sixteen is the age. Sienna, you have been delaying this for many years since the age of thirteen. Remember the day when you rejected the suit of King Joshua? He was the only suitor of yours to actually kneel before you to say his intentions."
"I rejected him because I didn't want to marry the wrinkled old prune that is him! He was sixty-five years old, my goodness! And a widower! He would be dead before we wed! And the suitor I favored did not say his intentions. I waited but it did not come. Since then, I have vowed never to marry."
"Well, I will see to it that you will wed a young prince." Mother said. Good, good Mother. Always granting wishes like a fairy godmother.
"Alright."
"Now, sit down dear."
I sat down on a blue chair in the middle of the room. When I sat down, all the artists scrambled to their easels and paintbrushes. They dipped their brushes and started to paint.
I wriggled in my seat. An artist glared at me. I glared back,
"Princess Celeste, please refrain from changing your face. It is hard to paint if you do so." Another pleaded. I stopped twitching my face.
The session lasted for…a whole day. It wasn't even finished when night came! It was only an outline of my face. Artists are slow. They left their works in the Sky Parlor. I went down. I wanted so much to roll down instead of walk down. But then, my neck would be broken and I would be nothing but a rotting corpse. When I finished the many corridors and flights of stairs, I reached the only place with sanctuary: my room. I collapsed in my bed and I drifted away with sleep.