Zylith.

When I was a kid, I dreamt of wanting to be a retired lottery winner when I grow up, not an aging royal elderly inside a sealed library on a fine sunlit day.

I looked out of the closed and bolted windows of the Royal library, and silently stared at the bustling capital below which appeared more like dollhouses rather than a real panorama, and secretly sighed all over again.

And then I turned my gaze back to the grumpy old hag.... (Ahem!) I mean grumpy old lady before me and exhaled heavily. At her age, she should have one foot in the grave rather than torturing me with heavy books mentioning royal decorum.

Countess Regina Wroth, was the finest of the fine etiquette instructors the nation of Reveldron had to offer. She was a frail old woman who always had a very gentle expression on. At a glance, her gait looked as if wonky with arthritic joints and her eyesight seemed to be failing faster than my school grades.

But despite all that, I knew what truly lied behind that facet of wrinkles. Stubborn and headstrong like that of a wild boar, with a tongue so sharp, one could nearly be sliced in two if the woman believed you to be worth her time in the very least, let alone bothered to utter a word to you at all. As the first Queen, I had the misfortune of continuously falling victim to this old woman's harsh remarks after the conniving Queen Dowager set me up.

Looking at her now, I felt this foul mouthed 'Old Hag' always had something to say. A comment here and a comment there, about my unkempt conduct or the way I presented myself or walked or talked. It didn't matter if I was in my best behaviour with my demeanour all noble or my performance all awesome; she always managed to find something wrong, from the way I held a fork down right to the way I dressed myself. And all I could ever do, was curse and curse a thousand deaths to her in my heart.

She was everything that I ever hated and more. But the worst part of it all was that, I could not choke this old witch to death who looked like her heartbeats within her pigeon chest would stop at any given moment as she openly insulted me in front of every living being who resided in the royal castle.

"Your Highness." Rang her shrill wobbly voice in my ears and I could not help but clench my teeth in irritation, "I can see that my lessons aren't exciting enough for you to pay attention." She mouthed out in a sarcastic tone and I wanted to kick her out of the library window.

"Of course not, Lady Wroth. How dare I not appreciate your lessons?" My unenthusiastic smile looked as if it was more a chore rather than out of sheer propriety.

She narrowed her beady old eyes as though she detected something foul in my words and snorted in disdain, "It had better be that Your Highness. I can guarantee that you shall never find a more proficient instructor than me in this whole wide nation." Her arrogant bearing was something I had long been used to now. I never thought that a mere countess would not bother to show any regard towards the first Queen of her own country just because she had the backing of the aristocratic faction behind her. Initially she shocked me, but then when I thought about the snotty guards and the head-maid of the Queen Dowager who didn't even put the king nor me in their eyes, I came to the understanding that all the people of the Queen's faction were as conceited as they come.

I'd then made peace with that fact but it still didn't make me feel better when I had to listen to such cutting remarks. I could very well see that this old hag was resolute on making my life a living hell in the palace.

"Anyhow, I hope you will be ready for your inspections tomorrow. I shall want nothing but the best performance from Her Highness on tomorrow's examination." She groused in aloofness.

"Of course." I replied in curt indifference.

Tomorrow, as per schedule, the king, as in Alexteris and the Queen Dowager would come to inspect my progress. I wasn't a big fan of these supposed inspections but there was nothing I could do about them. Might as well cross that bridge as I knew I must sooner or later.

I sighed in relief as I finally was dismissed by my demon tutor and left this hellhole of a library after a long tiring day of mocking remarks.

~ ••••••••• ~

"What are you going to do tomorrow, Your Highness?" Little Liana asked in anxiety as she leisurely combed my hair that night.

"What is there to do?" I shrugged, unconcern in turn.

"Your Highness, you do know that Countess Wroth will try to demean you again in front of His Majesty and the Queen Dowager, right? Why are you not worried?" She mumbled with worry.

"Of course I'm aware. That's what she is good at." I said.

"And you're just going to swallow such a humiliation?" She grumbled in angst, "You can't Your Highness!"

These days, I had been training Liana good, and now it seems all that trouble was not a waste of time at all, "Of course I'm not going to swallow such humiliation." I smiled gently at her, "Do you think I'm the kind of person who would just tolerate without retaliation? That old hag has tortured me enough. It is time for her to pack her bags and begone once and for all." I smiled at the thought.

"What are you going to do Your Highness?" Liana frowned in excitement, for she felt tomorrow would be a good show. Well, she was not wrong, it would be a good show indeed.

"Here, quickly go and give this to Fredurd to deliver it to His Majesty." I handed a sealed letter to Liana, "Tell him it is urgent."

As ordered, Liana ran out to find Fredurd and I leaned back on the soft cushiony chair and let out a wicked smile in consequence. Ah! Bullying back felt so good. I could finally let that hag have a taste of her own medicine.

~ ••••••••• ~

The next day was a fine sunny day, a perfect day for a perfect performance.

I woke up early today and got dressed according to the concurring occasion. There should be no mistakes today.

My dress was a shade of pale pink with beautiful golden lining. I had my hair done into a loose but elaborate bun and a dazzling pink diamond tiara sat on my head.

The otherwise deserted ballroom was in a hustle and bustle today. When I arrived, I saw servants running around making the necessary arrangements. The old hag was nowhere in sight. Well anyways, I did not expect her to appear prior to the arranged time either.

I took a seat on the couch and looked at Liana, "Are all the preparations done?"

She slightly nodded to answer my inquiries, "Yes My Liege, all is according to your words."

"Hmm. Good." I took a sip of my lemon mint tea while I watched the commotion being made in the name of my supposed royal examination. According to the norm, it was not courteous of the servants to let me see this racket as the preparations were supposed to be done before my arrival, but I was new to the palace and my foothold was not stable enough for them to pay me much heed. So I was showed such disrespect. But I was not a stingy person, at least not today.

I waited patiently for the people who were supposed to make an appearance on today's inspection, and fortunately I didn't have to wait for long.

Very soon the Countess Regina Wroth strode in with a mob of noble ladies in tow, looking as haughty as ever.

The gang walked to me and made a single perfunctory bow in acknowledgement and I amicably nodded my head at them with a smile.

"Are you well prepared today, Your Highness? This Countess has high expectations of you." The hag mouthed in a crud cynical tone, to which I answered with only a smile.

Very soon, all the players appeared on the field. The Queen Dowager sauntered in with Princess Cordelia and a pair of maids, while Alexteris came in with Lord Xavier and a few influential folks tagged in as well. I knew the first initial inspection of the First Queen was a big deal to the royal court, but I didn't expect it to be this grand. Well, I was not really complaining either way since more the spectators meant more monkeys could fly.

"We are expecting a good show today, Queen Sister-in-law." Came in Princess Cordelia's sarcastic voice.

I looked at the perverse Princess with a smile on my lips but eyes of distaste, "Of course Princess, I shall try not to disappoint."

She let out a low scornful snort but didn't say anymore.

Everyone was served tea and snacks, and all looked rather cheerful on the face, as if they were celebrating some happy event instead of turning up in the palace to behold the inspection rite of a Queen.

In a while, Countess Wroth's voice chipped in making the otherwise lively ballroom hushed with silence. "Alright then, shall we begin Your Highness?"

I walked forth to the middle of the ballroom and felt all eyes on me. It made me a bit unnerved but I was getting used to such probing glances nowadays, not that I was comfortable under such gawping gazes, but I somehow managed.

I took in a deep breath and looked right ahead at the old saggy face of the Countess whose skin looked so fragile that it seemed to just rupture on anything more than the softest of touches.

My eyes glowed with a determined look and I silently taunted her, 'Come on you Hag! Let's see what your old bones are made of.'

To be Continued.........