AZALEA

Yumi prepared my dress and the maidservants helped me on my bath filled with roses and lavender scented liquid soaps after eating breakfast in my room.

"The Crown Prince will be out today for business so the ladies can't meet him as scheduled," Yumi explained. She helped me dress after the bath, zipping the back of my cream, flowery dress.

I nodded, quietly celebrating the good news. I didn't even wish to see him.

The maidservants combed my curly red hair as I sat in front of the mirror. I let them tie my hair on a half ponytail. They also put on a light makeup on my face which emphasized my amber eyes and lightened the freckles on my skin.

It was Wednesday and for today's class, we had fashion-related lessons and History. After the preparation, I walked to the drawing room and met the three ladies along the way, wearing fancy dresses. We formally acknowledged each other's presence before heading inside the drawing room and sitting on the upholstered couches, waiting for our instructor to come.

I hadn't properly interacted with these ladies yet since we arrived in the palace. I would only meet them in classes and sometimes, at dinners. And it seemed they also wanted to keep their distance from the other candidates. Well, it wasn't the right time to be friendly. And we would be wary if someone approached us with kindness and friendliness, thinking they had ulterior motives.

Marchioness Jade, our instructor, entered the room with a placid expression on her face followed by some assistants. She wore a voluptuous green dress and her black hair was tied on a high bun. Her black eyes scanned the room.

"Good morning, ladies. I will be your instructor for today, Marchioness Jade of House Daniel, about Fashion and trends. I will also teach you embroidery and knitting. These hobbies will improve your focus and discipline. Also, a good distraction from unnecessary things and negative emotions. You can use embroidery and knitting whenever you want to unwind and think."

She gestured to her assistants and they provided the tools we needed for embroidery.

"For now, I will teach you the basic and intermediate embroidery techniques. I know, some of you are already familiar with this, probably studied embroidery before you even came to the palace. But I still need to gauge your knowledge before jumping to the advance lessons. So for now, please bear with me."

She taught us how to use the tools and how to place the white cloth on the embroidery hoop. She taught us the basic to intermediate techniques until we were already prepared to embroider simple flower designs and leaves.

Marchioness Jade walked around, checking out our needlework. She openly praised my skills. Well, this was connected to my business and previous line of work. Something I totally enjoyed so I had my full attention on our class. She even praised the other ladies who were doing well. Lady Candice, Lady Shirdine and Lady Jaera were also good at this. They knew their way through the needle and their designs were smooth and fine. Even though I was faster, their needlework was also of good quality.

I didn't dare lag. Although I was not competing for the Crown Princess position, I couldn't afford a poor performance on this class–on something I totally enjoyed and proud of.

"You're really good at this, Lady Azalea. Why didn't you just pursue your passion instead of joining the selection?" Marchioness Jade asked with curiosity. Her black eyes peered down on me. I'm not sure if she meant any harm but she looked innocent and level-headed. As if her question was just pure curiosity. Even Lady Candice, Lady Jaera and Lady Shirdine turned their gazes to me, interested on my answer.

"I would love that. I mean, sewing and designing all my life. It's just that I have no choice but to be here. But it's not like I will be chosen as the Crown Princess. Maybe, after the selection, I will return to my old routine," I answered frankly.

"I see. Everyone is wary of you. Because the Crown Prince personally picked you. Love is considered poison in this kingdom. And everyone fears the Crown to break. Everyone is just afraid," she said with a soft smile. She had understanding black eyes. As if she understood what I was going through and at the same time, she understood everyone's concern.

I nodded. "I understand. I'm not really bothered by it. I know the truth. And we're not in love. The Crown Prince is definitely aware of his responsibilities and what's expected from him."

Marchioness Jade nodded. "That's reassuring to hear. Now let's continue with our lessons."

She continued with her class and gave us some threads to knit. After class, we returned to our rooms and ate lunch. The life in the palace was kind of boring. Although it was just a few days since I moved here. We couldn't leave the Ruby palace unless we were summoned by the Queen or we were visiting the Crown Prince's palace.

We headed to the library for our history class. There were cushioned seats prepared for us and a small board where our instructor stood. Duchess Diana of Duchy Juxe was our educator this time. Her black hair was pinned into a half ponytail, wearing a bulky pastel dress.

We received history books and the topic for today was the history of our heartglass.

Duchess Diana scanned the pages with her reading glasses and then she turned to one of us. "Lady Candice, can you tell us what you know about our heartglass' curse?"

Lady Candice nodded. "This curse all started a hundred year ago. We were all normal humans with beating hearts before but a witch cursed this kingdom. I was not familiar of the exact details but according to hearsays, the witch enamored the King and was burned alive due to treason and illegal practice of witchcraft," Lady Candice answered.

Duchess Diana turned to Lady Shirdine and Lady Jaera. "Something to add?"

Lady Jaera bit her bottom lip. "They said the witch is a red-haired one?"

Lady Shirdine gazed at Lady Jaera with wide eyes but she spoke quietly. "I don't have anything to add."

Duchess Diana turned to me. "What's your take on that?"

I shrugged. "I used to be taunted because of my red hair when I was still a kid but it didn't bother me. And the curse is not very clear. Are the hearsays even correct? Do we have a clear record about that? In books? We only know we are cursed by a red-haired witch but we never really delved deeper into it."

Duchess Diana let an inward sigh. "All the Kings who reigned this kingdom looked for ways to fix the curse but they failed. Although words spread in this kingdom that a red-haired witch cursed us, the exact events on how this happened was not disseminated. And as years went by, the people were no longer interested of the curse itself. They are more worried about survival and how to live with a fragile heart."

I got her point. As a result, we opted not to love. We chose to be coldhearted. We disregarded other people's feelings except our own. We raised our guards up. We created walls around our hearts, around ourselves. We were resolved not to let anyone in. We were determined not to fall and break.

We fell in silence but she continued. "We were cursed to wear our glass hearts openly. The King who ruled, a hundred year ago, was King Steve III. He ruled the Kingdom of Glass with a queen. But for some reasons, he fell in love with a palace maid. It was a tough love but he chose to marry the palace maid despite the backlash from the nobles and aristocrats. The palace maid fell in love with him and marry him despite her fears. Her love for him burned brighter than her fears."

My forehead knotted. "Then King Steve was in love with the palace maid? Why was she accused of being a witch?"

She smiled. "This is one of the secrets of this kingdom. And when one of you become queen, you'll fully understand this and you'll discover more. For now, I can only tell you that the palace maid became a concubine and witchcraft materials were found in her room. She was found guilty of bewitching the King. The King couldn't protect her nor save her. When she was burned alive, she left words out of vengeance and regrets."

"What were her exact words?" I asked with curious eyes.

Duchess Diana opened her mouth and recited the curse.

I place a curse upon this kingdom

For all the citizens

And for all generations to come

Your days filled with indifference and strife

Your heart will become the window of your feebleness

Fragile like glass

Easily crushed and destroyed by a broken love

I now bind this curse to start

With my death, the curse is done.

I could only say that the people really made a witch out of her in the end.

Despite the witch's curse, I felt like I missed some important details. It made me curious. Well, maybe these important details were only revealed to a queen. And I guessed, I didn't have to worry too much about it.

Because I would never be queen.

***