Rina paused outside of Vivian's room. 'My personal slave driver', she muttered to herself. Taking a deep breath, she knocked. "Come in." Called a voice from inside the room.
Rina opened the door to see a pretty blonde girl of sixteen sitting in front of a mirror. The girl was dressed in a fancy blue dress that matched her eyes. "Did you want to see me, my lady." Rina murmured, curtseying.
The girl ignored Rina for a few minutes and then turned her head as if noticing Rina for the first time. "Oh Rina!" she shouted with false concern. "Do get up. I'm sorry, but I didn't notice you. It must be painful, to hold that position for so long."
"It is nothing, my lady." Rina replied, gritting her teeth. "What may I do for you today?"
"Their majesties are to arrive in an hour. I was hoping that you would do my hair for me. You are the best hairdresser of the servants." Vivian coaxed in a sticky sweet voice, but Rina understood her motive: she was going to try to waste all of Rina's time, so that Rina would be forced to greet the king and queen in her ugly, stained work dress. Vivian enjoyed torturing Rina. Rina had been forced to be Vivian's playmate from the time she was young. She had to endure all of Vivian's bossiness and orders, unable to offended the lord and lady of the manor. Now, Vivian treated Rina as one of her prisoners, someone to toy with when she got bored. Vivian knew as well as Rina that Rina hated Vivian and all her orders beneath that polite smile. She now enjoyed pushing Rina to the edge of her patience; waiting for the day she would be able to punish Rina for insubordination.
"You are too kind my lady. I would be honored to fix your hair." Rina spat out in her most courteous tone.
Throughout that hour, Rina pinned and unpinned Vivian's hair. Each time, Vivian claimed she had changed her mind about the design and apologized repeatedly for her indecisiveness. It took all of Rina's self control to stop herself from jabbing Vivian with a pin.
Finally, when their majesties were minutes away from arriving, Vivian said, "my hair looks beautiful. Thank you Rina."
Rina forced herself to smile and tried to walk away. "Wait!" a sugary voice called at her retreating back. Rina decided that she was far enough away to pretend not to have heard. She quickened her pace and she continued to hear her name called. Finally, after several thunderous shrieks loud enough to cause several servants to look up from their work, Rina stopped and turned back.
"Oh! My lady! I'm sorry. I did not hear you." Rina cajoled.
"Oh that's perfectly alright, Rina. I just want you to come with me to meet their majesties." Said Vivian.
'That scheming harpy.' Rina thought to herself. "I'm honored, my lady. But I have not yet changed."
"Oh what you're wearing right now is beautiful. You have no reason to change." Vivian said maliciously, her sweet smile now wicked. "You will greet royalty in what you are wearing now." Her face dared Rina to disobey her.
"I am flattered, my lady." Rina replied through gritted teeth.
"Come with me." Vivian left with the air of smugness.
"King James, Queen Anita, and Prince Phillip." The herald declared. The royal carriage, surrounded by guards in uniform, stopped in front of the manor. The king, queen, and prince stepped out to be greeted by the lord of the manor and his family. Rina had forced to stand beside Vivian, where her rags were further degraded by Vivian's expensive clothes. As the royal family was welcomed, Vivian made sure to let the prince see Rina's dirty clothes and face before she released Rina, fuming and humiliated, to stomp back to her room.
The next day, Rina woke up refreshed. She entered the kitchen ready for another day of cooking. Terra, however, stopped her. "The mistress says you are to help serve breakfast. Take off those rags and put on a decent dress." Terra ordered. Rina ran back to her room to change into her best dress.
Half and hour later found Rina standing quietly behind the monarchies. King James was sitting between his queen, Anita, and Lord Profest. Lady Vilene (means "bad" by the way) was deep in a conversation with Queen Anita.
"Your gown is of such soft silk and so well made. Oh, you must introduce me to your dressmaker." Lady Vilene crooned in a sweet voice.
"Why thank you, Vilene." Queen Anita replied courteously, her face emotionless.
"I love your necklace, Anne. Can I call you Anna for short?" Vilene continued. Rina resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. Lady Vilene was such a fake.
Rina directed her gaze farther down the table. Prince Phillip was sitting beside the Lady Vilene's sixteen year old daughter, Vivien. Vivien, dressed in a gown far too fancy for just breakfast, was obviously trying to snag the prince. She evidently wasn't doing a very good job. The prince looked bored out of his wits.
"So Prince Phillip," Vivian started, smiling sweetly, "I hear you're an only child. Am I correct?"
"Yes you are, my lady." He replied with a smile that looked suspiciously forced. He proceeded to stare at his plate.
"I'm an only child, too." Vivian continued, not realizing that the prince's attention was wandering. "It's amazing what we have in common, isn't it." Vivian smiled sweetly at the prince.
"Er. . . Yes." The prince said uncertainly. Vivian seem to accept the answer and continued chatting.
"Have you seen our gardens?"
"No" came the princes somewhat sharp reply.
"If you're not doing anything, you can visit it this afternoon." Vivian said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.
The prince looked disgusted at the girl who was nearly hanging off his arm. "Um. . ."
"I'd love to come with you!" Vivian interrupted.
"Um . . . Ok." The prince looked uncertain of what to make of this forward young girl. Rina, who was listening to their conversation, was getting redder and redder with laugher as the conversation progressed. This last comment was too much. A snort escaped her lips. Instantly, the prince and Vivian turned to her. The prince grinned as Vivian glowered. Rina rolled her eyes, but disguised it by staring at her shoes as if embarrassed and ashamed.
The prince turned to Vivian. "Excuse me, my lady, but I feel a bit tired. I must go to my room." He stood up and tried to leave but Vivian held him back.
"But breakfast has just started." She whinned, pouting.
"I've eaten plenty in the time I spent here." The prince tried to leave but again, Vivian held him back.
"Will you not wait until I am done?"
"My lady. I'm sorry. I would love to but I feel my fragile health might stop me from granting you that favor."
"Then I will accompany you." Vivian said decisively. She stood up and linked her arm with Prince Philip's. She dragged him up the staircase and out of sight.
Prince Philip's POW
I was sitting at the breakfast table, bored out of my wits. The girl beside me, Vivian, as chatting incessantly. She was one of those scheming girls who wanted to marry me for my throne. I wouldn't be surprised if her mother was plotting with her. Beneath all that fake charm, Lady Vilene is cold, cold and thoughtless. I saw her trying to gain mother's favor. Mother won't fall for it.
"So Prince Phillip," Vivian started, smiling sweetly, " I hear you're an only child. Am I correct?"
"Yes you are, my lady." I said. I forced a smile onto my face.
"I'm an only child, too." Vivian continued to talk. Does that girl ever stop? "It's amazing what we have in common, isn't it." Vivian smiled sweetly at me.
I had been daydreaming I realized she had addressed a question at me. Uncertain, I said, "Er. . . Yes." Vivian seem to accept the answer and continued chatting.
"Have you seen our gardens?"
"No" I said almost snappishly. I winced inwardly. It wasn't good to be rude to your future subjects, even ones as annoying as Vivian. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice.
"If you're not doing anything, you can visit it this afternoon." Vivian said sweetly, batting her eyelashes.
I was thoroughly disgusted. The girl was nearly hanging off my arm!. "Um . . ." I started to answer but the girl interrupted me.
"I'd love to come with you!" Vivian said. She had to be one of the most forward women I have ever had the misfortune of meeting.
"Um . . . Ok." I was momentarily stunned. Vivian was a bit too clingly for my taste. I just wanted to get out of here. At that moment, I heard a snort behind me. I glanced behind me. A servant girl who looked slightly familiar was red with confined laugher. Viven glared at the girl and then turned back to me with the sweetest fake expression on her face as if she had not given the servant a malicious glower the moment before. I grinned at the thought. The girl looked at her shoes, but I could see her roll her eyes.
Hoping to escape, I turned to Vivian. "Excuse me, my lady," I started politely, "but I feel a bit tired. I must go to my room." I stood up to leave but Vivian grabbed my arm.
"But breakfast has just started." Vivian whined.
I tried again. "I've eaten plenty in the time I spent here."
"Will you not wait until I am done?" Again the vixen held me back. Can't the girl take a hint!
"My lady. I'm sorry. I would love to but I feel my fragile health might stop me from granting you that favor." Fragile health indeed.
"I'll accompany you." She said. I've never met a girl as clingy as her. I started to scowl but forced it into a smile. Vivian stood up and linked her arm through mine. Without waiting for me to lead, she nearly dragged me to the staircase.
When we reached my room, Vivian tried to go in too. "Prince Phillip! If you are so tired, perhaps I should call the doctor and wait here until he arrives. I would hate if something happened to you." Vivian pouted. Wow, that girl never gives up.
Politely stating that I needed a nap, I shut the door in Vivian's face. I waited in the room for a couple of minutes until I was sure she had left. Opening the door a crack, I peered out. When I saw no one in sight, I sneaked out of the room, joyous that I was able to spend the rest of the morning without Vivian's company.
Rina had been dismissed from her duties for the afternoon. Bored, she wandered the grounds aimlessly. She was visiting the makeshift dragon stalls outside when she spotted a green dragonet trying to swallow a fruit too big to fit in his mouth. Thinking it was one of the many partly tame dragonets that lived in the stables, she headed over to it. Plucking the fruit that was embedded halfway into its mouth, Rina tore the fruit into smaller pieces. The dragonet crooned sweetly as she hand fed him the pieces one by one.
Unconsciously, Rina began to talk to the dragonet. "Awww, you sweet dear thing, what's your name?"
"Kirby" said a voice behind her. Rina jumped. Behind her was Prince Philip. He reached out to stroke Keith. "Kirby is my dragonet" The prince continued. "He's really friendly. No, that's alright." he said to Rina who was muttering apologies. He held out his hand. "Call me Phil."
"Rina," Rina reached out to shake his hand.
"You're that girl from the first day, right and that girl at breakfast." The prince accused.
Rina blushed. A moment of silence passed before she ventured timidly, "You seemed pretty bored at breakfast."
Phil nodded.
"I can't blame you, with Vivian hanging all over you." Rina surprised herself with her boldness.
"That vixen. I can't stand her."
"I know how you feel. She often enlists me as her personal maid."
Phil started to walk. When Rina hesitated, Phil smiled and beckoned to her. "I feel sorry for you. I saw how she glared at you."
"She thinks she's so intimidating."
Rina enjoyed the stroll to the garden. Not only was Phil handsome, he was friendly and funny. Just then, she spotted the one thing that could ruin her day: Vivian. The moment Vivian saw Rina and Phil together, she all but pounced on them.
"Prince Philip, it's nice to see you." Vivian murmured sweetly, completely ignoring Rina.
"It's nice to see you too, Lady Vivian." Phil said.
"Prince Phillip, you must come with to see the Lotus Pavilion. It's absolutely magnificent." Vivian crooned. Before Phil had a chance to say anything, Vivian dragged him away, shooting daggers at Rina at the same time.
Phil's POW
I don't know why I suddenly asked Rina to walk me to the gardens. Maybe because I didn't know the way, or maybe because I liked the fact that she fed Kirby. Either way, I enjoyed the walk. Rina was pretty. Her hair was shoulder length. Her faced was tanned. She was pretty in a natural sort of way. She wasn't one of those dolls who are afraid the sun would tan their face or wore so much make-up, their faces looked drawn. Rina also had a nice personality. She was kind, sweet, and laughed at my jokes. She seemed to like me for who I am, not for my crown.
When I reached the garden, my happy mood completely dissipated. Vivian was waiting. She rushed over when she saw me. "Prince Philip, it's nice of you to come." As if I had a choice. Vivian forced herself between Rina and me, grabbed not just my forearm, but hugged my entire arm.
"It's nice to see you too, Lady Vivian." I said with disappointment that did not show up in my voice.
"Prince Phillip, you must come with to see the Lotus Pavilion. It's absolutely magnificent." I was about to reply but she quickly dragged me into the garden and out of sight, leaving Rina standing alone and astonished. I guess two escapes in one day is pushing my luck too far.
Vivian had gotten a hold of my arm and proceeded to yank it out of its socket. She pasted a smile on her face whenever she looked at me, but I could see her glower at Rina behind my back. She muttered things like, who does she think she is and my, am I going to kill her in a tone she thought I could not hear Female jealousy. This could get ugly.
Only when Rina was out of sight did Vivian release her death grip on my arm. There probably wasn't any circulation. She stopped, took several deep breaths as if to compose herself, and curtseyed. I bowed. Pretending that nothing happen, she dandily took my arm as if I had offered it and proceeded.
Vivian proceeded to the rose, orchid, tulip, and many other gardens. At first I played the part of well-mannered prince with an expression of polite interest plastered on my face, but then I got bored and gave quick brisk answers. I mean, who could stay interested when she was talking about flowers, dresses, and upcoming social events. I swear all these gardens were built just so Vivian can torture her crushes!
It was nearly evening by the time I escaped Vivian. My legs were overworked and my feet ached. All I wanted to do was go to my room for a much needed nap. Her speech had put me half to sleep.