(Naetalia)
I didn't understand what had made him so upset. And for him to treat me like that, it was one thing that I was marrying him against my will, now I find out he has no qualms about punishing me like that. I didn't understand, I don't understand. Did he think that I should feel honored to be 'chosen' as his bride? I mean, I did, I do, but, it doesn't change how I feel about him or that I wouldn't leave the arrangement if I could.
I just feel so stuck.
The weather didn't help either. Around lunchtime, the first snow of the winter began to fall. It was just light, but a few hours later the ground was already being faintly covered with white. It was beautiful, just, it could make someone feel very lonely, and worse of all, trapped.
I had some more social gatherings. The week before the family of Del Rochi had arrived, visiting the royal family. They had apparently been good friends for some years, and I apparently was the recent subject of conversations. The women, Hannietta and her two daughters, Emma and Rochelle, and I would chat on things. They would gossip for the most part. They would ask me about the wedding, and congratulate me, and I would smile, and nod, and be that polite woman they expected. But I hated to lie, I wanted to tell them that I didn't want this, I wanted to tell them, I wanted to tell them something other than what I would force out of my mouth.
So there we sat today, talking. Apparently another of the servants was caught stealing the candlesticks.
I wondered about the frog. Was he too cold? Silly me, can they even feel the cold? We were inside the gardens, a garden room I suppose you could say. There were various flowers and plants that could live indoors and withstand the chill from the marble walls. There was still that chill though, causing us all to wear our heavier dresses. I hope he isn't cold.
Oh, it's the queen and her sister.
.............
"Hannietta, you look lovely. I've always adored that shade of rose on you," Queen Elyiana beamed, her tired gray eyes lit up at the sight of her friend. She looked elegant walking towards the group as her blue velvet dress lightly scraped the ground behind her. Her matching gloves traveled up her arms just over her elbows. "I do hope we haven't missed very much."
Her younger sister, Caytaline, followed close, though her garb was much simpler in a deep shape of gray. Unlike her sister's tightly held tresses, her hair hung in long locks, speckled with white strands. She stayed quiet, smiling to the small group of women as they both approached.
"Nonsense, nothing of importance, though, what was keeping you two so long?"
Elyiana's face seemed to dim.
"I'm afraid my husband's taken a bit ill. I'm sure it's just the weather. He always seems to catch a bit of something this time of year."
"Don't worry," her sister commented with a comforting smile. Her soft voice made her sound like a woman younger than she appeared. "He'll be fine, he always is."
"I know," Elyiana replied with a smile of her own. The lines of worry seemed to shrink away for the moment. She looked over to Naetalia with an even wider smile.
"My, you look lovely today, tell me, how are things with you and Kayell? Are you excited?"
Naetalia forced a smile back and reluctantly started to respond. This was what was going to become of her life. How she wished she could just up and take a ride again.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but I'm not feeling so well myself," she calmly stated, rising from her seat. "I think I'm going to excuse myself to my room for a while, until supper."
"Oh, I certainly hope it's nothing serious. This does seem to be the season, doesn't it," the Queen said with a hint of worry. "I hope you feel better, and we will see you later?"
"Yes," Naetalia smiled, curtseying politely. "Good day."
She smiled to the guests and proceeded to walk down towards her room.
.............
(Frog)
Naetalia. I had heard her name mentioned by the servants. It was a beautiful name. It suited her. I don't remember her or why she was here. They talked about a wedding. Were we to be married? Things were becoming clearer, though, in small patches. There was still a lot that just didn't make any sense yet. Luckily, the headaches were almost gone.
I was on a counter near the window, looking out. The skies were gray and the snow was coming down a little faster now. She left me in the room today, saying the women might not like me so much. I understood.
Even with no one in the room, myself excluded, the servants kept the fire going, warming at least the inward sections. I'd probably move back over there in a little, now that I'd seen the outside.
Then, she came walking in. Her face displayed an annoyed frown as she told a single servant girl to leave. The young girl dropped the small pile of cleaned cloths on the bed and departed.
Naetalia moved closer to the fire and laid down on the cushioned bedcovers. Even in the middle of the day, the room was darkened from the clouds outdoors and shadows flickered around the room.
I hopped down, and moved to the other side of the bed, in front of the fireplace. A small, brief smile came to her lips when she saw me. The smile faded away as she seemed to lose herself to her thoughts.
"At least I don't have to be a perfect lady around you," she whispered. "All happy, and pleasant. Do they even care about how I feel in this?"
I hopped onto the bed.
"If my father hadn't died," she faded off.
The shadows flickered and I could make out the water in her eyes.
"No, this all still could have happened if he were here, even if he didn't like it. It's one thing to be part of nobility, the expectations, the demands, the dangers, but to be a future queen? I don't deserve it, and I don't want it, not with him."
If I could have said anything, I didn't know what I could have.
We just sat there, quietly. She absently watched the fire. Then I decided to try something. I began to sing, well, in a manner that frogs seem to do I suppose.
It was quiet, mostly just a faint hum, soft clicking.
She smiled again, closing her eyes briefly to listen.
I didn't understand what had made him so upset. And for him to treat me like that, it was one thing that I was marrying him against my will, now I find out he has no qualms about punishing me like that. I didn't understand, I don't understand. Did he think that I should feel honored to be 'chosen' as his bride? I mean, I did, I do, but, it doesn't change how I feel about him or that I wouldn't leave the arrangement if I could.
I just feel so stuck.
The weather didn't help either. Around lunchtime, the first snow of the winter began to fall. It was just light, but a few hours later the ground was already being faintly covered with white. It was beautiful, just, it could make someone feel very lonely, and worse of all, trapped.
I had some more social gatherings. The week before the family of Del Rochi had arrived, visiting the royal family. They had apparently been good friends for some years, and I apparently was the recent subject of conversations. The women, Hannietta and her two daughters, Emma and Rochelle, and I would chat on things. They would gossip for the most part. They would ask me about the wedding, and congratulate me, and I would smile, and nod, and be that polite woman they expected. But I hated to lie, I wanted to tell them that I didn't want this, I wanted to tell them, I wanted to tell them something other than what I would force out of my mouth.
So there we sat today, talking. Apparently another of the servants was caught stealing the candlesticks.
I wondered about the frog. Was he too cold? Silly me, can they even feel the cold? We were inside the gardens, a garden room I suppose you could say. There were various flowers and plants that could live indoors and withstand the chill from the marble walls. There was still that chill though, causing us all to wear our heavier dresses. I hope he isn't cold.
Oh, it's the queen and her sister.
.............
"Hannietta, you look lovely. I've always adored that shade of rose on you," Queen Elyiana beamed, her tired gray eyes lit up at the sight of her friend. She looked elegant walking towards the group as her blue velvet dress lightly scraped the ground behind her. Her matching gloves traveled up her arms just over her elbows. "I do hope we haven't missed very much."
Her younger sister, Caytaline, followed close, though her garb was much simpler in a deep shape of gray. Unlike her sister's tightly held tresses, her hair hung in long locks, speckled with white strands. She stayed quiet, smiling to the small group of women as they both approached.
"Nonsense, nothing of importance, though, what was keeping you two so long?"
Elyiana's face seemed to dim.
"I'm afraid my husband's taken a bit ill. I'm sure it's just the weather. He always seems to catch a bit of something this time of year."
"Don't worry," her sister commented with a comforting smile. Her soft voice made her sound like a woman younger than she appeared. "He'll be fine, he always is."
"I know," Elyiana replied with a smile of her own. The lines of worry seemed to shrink away for the moment. She looked over to Naetalia with an even wider smile.
"My, you look lovely today, tell me, how are things with you and Kayell? Are you excited?"
Naetalia forced a smile back and reluctantly started to respond. This was what was going to become of her life. How she wished she could just up and take a ride again.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty, but I'm not feeling so well myself," she calmly stated, rising from her seat. "I think I'm going to excuse myself to my room for a while, until supper."
"Oh, I certainly hope it's nothing serious. This does seem to be the season, doesn't it," the Queen said with a hint of worry. "I hope you feel better, and we will see you later?"
"Yes," Naetalia smiled, curtseying politely. "Good day."
She smiled to the guests and proceeded to walk down towards her room.
.............
(Frog)
Naetalia. I had heard her name mentioned by the servants. It was a beautiful name. It suited her. I don't remember her or why she was here. They talked about a wedding. Were we to be married? Things were becoming clearer, though, in small patches. There was still a lot that just didn't make any sense yet. Luckily, the headaches were almost gone.
I was on a counter near the window, looking out. The skies were gray and the snow was coming down a little faster now. She left me in the room today, saying the women might not like me so much. I understood.
Even with no one in the room, myself excluded, the servants kept the fire going, warming at least the inward sections. I'd probably move back over there in a little, now that I'd seen the outside.
Then, she came walking in. Her face displayed an annoyed frown as she told a single servant girl to leave. The young girl dropped the small pile of cleaned cloths on the bed and departed.
Naetalia moved closer to the fire and laid down on the cushioned bedcovers. Even in the middle of the day, the room was darkened from the clouds outdoors and shadows flickered around the room.
I hopped down, and moved to the other side of the bed, in front of the fireplace. A small, brief smile came to her lips when she saw me. The smile faded away as she seemed to lose herself to her thoughts.
"At least I don't have to be a perfect lady around you," she whispered. "All happy, and pleasant. Do they even care about how I feel in this?"
I hopped onto the bed.
"If my father hadn't died," she faded off.
The shadows flickered and I could make out the water in her eyes.
"No, this all still could have happened if he were here, even if he didn't like it. It's one thing to be part of nobility, the expectations, the demands, the dangers, but to be a future queen? I don't deserve it, and I don't want it, not with him."
If I could have said anything, I didn't know what I could have.
We just sat there, quietly. She absently watched the fire. Then I decided to try something. I began to sing, well, in a manner that frogs seem to do I suppose.
It was quiet, mostly just a faint hum, soft clicking.
She smiled again, closing her eyes briefly to listen.