MY FATHER WAS REALLY FURIOUS WITH CAIT. I never saw him this angry before and usually Mother dealt with us. Not him.

"Lady Xoie Valentine comes forward about the truth," I grimace from hearing Xoie's name. My father folded the newspaper neatly as he cut his eyes at my sister. "Lady Xoie had recently called off her engagement with Illèan Sir Miller John, after finding him and the middle princess, Princess Caitlyn Schreave of Illèa, performing unholy acts out of wed."

It was my fault that Cait fought with her lady in waiting. It's my fault that I saw Xoie in secret, kissing here and there. It's my fault that I like girls.

I glance at Cait and she stare at me back. 'I'm so sorry, Cait,' I whispered to her so Father doesn't overhear.

"That's so dramatic!" Cait laughed as she stared at our two other siblings.

Clarkson ate his chicken without paying attention to us, while Hyacinth kept her head down. I pity her. She's not our full blood sister, our father is actually her second cousin. Hyacinth is the daughter of Justin Illéa and our mother.

I play with the chicken breast, already losing my appetite. Even though Cait hates it when I blame myself everytime we get in trouble. But this time is far worse. I came between her and her lady-in-waiting through my relations with her.

No one gets it except my sister. And thanks to me she's paying for it.

My father wasn't amused as he took off his glasses. He stared callously at Caitlyn, I tear my eyes off him refusing to look at him any longer. "Caitlyn, please tell me this isn't true. If you aren't a virgin, that means that you can't be married. As a princess, your one job is to be wed!"

Or hookup with girls wouldn't count either!

I started to breathe harder, harder than before. I can't be in the room and watch my father berate my sister for my actions.

"Hyacinth is a princess! She's twenty, why haven't you married her off yet?" Cait pointed angrily at Hyacinth.

"Cait..." I touched her shoulder. "It's not her fault!"

I feel bad for my half-sister, almost... but Cait does have a point. Hyacinth is the oldest. Why can't he marry her off first before us?

"You know why Hyacinth can't marry!" Father yells.

"Yeah I do! It's because you don't have a legitimate claim to the throne without an Illèa heir alive!"

I gasped at Cait's cruel words. She doesn't mean that. Or does she? I turned to see Cindy's face drop as she made herself feel small as usual. I hate seeing her like this. And it makes me so angry!

"Cait! Stop!" I snapped as I stood up from the table. My family was surprised to see me snapping or standing up in the middle of a meal.

I try to maintain the perfect image of a regal princess. I did it to make my parents happy. But for once I cracked.

Father tear his eyes off my sister to lecture me for my outburst, but I was already striding angrily towards the door.

"Excuse me for the moment!" I breathe as I ran out of the dining hall.

✧˖*°࿐

My mother was in the Women's Room as I entered, she nodded at me and I greeted her stiffly. I walk over to the windowsill to watch the guards train outside.

I wasn't expecting to see her too soon, especially right after another hangover. My mother is an alcoholic and it's no secret. The Women's Room is peaceful without Abigail Schreave.

Eventually Hyacinth joined us after lunch, she sat on the chair beside Mother to help her sew some handkerchiefs. My oldest sister is a regal young woman, I learned a few tricks from her since my own mother refused to teach me herself.

I kept my gaze on the trees or anything in particular as I tried not to cry. I couldn't get the thought of Xoie out of my mind and the situation with Cait was overwhelming. It took a troll on me.

"Cordelia!" Mother snaps me out of my thoughts. "Stop staring in space and act like a lady for once!"

I sigh, not wanting to argue with her. "Yes, Mother," I got up to join them with the sewing. It wasn't one of my strongest traits, but it did help holding the needle and thread.

Caitlyn walked inside to find us sewing handkerchiefs. I saw the confusion on her face as she glanced at both Mother and Hyacinth. I merely shrug as she walks over to us.

My mother hates our sister and she'll tell her at any given chance. She leans forward on the chair, her eyebrows knitted together in irritation. "My, Hyacinth. There's something about that dress that isn't quite right. I suggest you go and change before joining us again," Mother said cruelty before turning to Cait, her face showing nothing but resentment and bitterness. "Oh hello, Caitlyn. It's nice of you to finally join us."

"Mother, Hyacinth is rather lavish in her gown," I gave her a comforting smile.

Mother cut her eyes at me in warning me to stay silent.

And I did despite how much I hate her for being cruel to Hyacinth.

"Did you know that Father had moved forward with my engagement?"

My heart stopped beating as I whipped my head to face Cait.

"Of course I did. Your suitor is a suitable young man. It's time for you to get married, Caitlyn. You know that's your duty." Mother rolled her eyes. Her tongue clicked against her teeth. "Caitlyn don't slouch, and be happy."

"Mother!" I gasped.

She sighed as she turned to me, "Cordelia, I guess your father hasn't told you yet, you and Caitlyn will be sharing your wedding, a twin wedding," she glowed at the news of a twin wedding.

I'm going to be sold too...

"What?" I was stunned at the news. "What do you mean by my engagement?" My mouth was wide open.

Mother had no pity in her eyes, she just smiled at us like we were dumb enough to understand. There was no shame and nothing in her expression. She doesn't even care if Father married us off to strangers.

"Close your mouth, you'll catch flies!" Was all she said to me.

Hyacinth smiled softly at us, I returned her gesture as Caitlyn sat down with us. She folded her dress before sitting down. "I know it's my duty! But I'm not eighteen yet! You can't let father do this!"

"But Mother! I don't understand?" I burst, forgetting myself. "How come I didn't know of this until now?"

My mother rubs her temples with her thumbs, no doubt too hungover to be dealing with us. "Your father is the king and he has decided!" Her voice rang with authority, she wouldn't bulge. Not on this anyways. "If only you were behaving as a princess, Caitlyn instead of sleeping around."

She sneered at me as she spoke, I wouldn't forget the words she called me. "And don't get me started on you, Cordelia, what had gotten into your head to think you can marry a woman? God forbid if word of this got out. What would happen?"

How did my parents know about Xioe? I never told anyone about her. Unless she or someone else reports back to my parents. I look away, ashamed to speak.

"None of this would have gone out in order for your father to clear your names and the mistakes you have brought upon this family. You're going to marry the king of Russia and the prince of Swendway, do you understand girls?"

I look up to see my mother's seething expression, no matter how much we might disagree with this, she would not change her mind. I may be my mother's favorite but even on this she doesn't care about us enough to fight Father on this.

"But Father sleeps around!" Cait yells, "Don't act you didn't know, why else would he have his own castle—"She cuts her off in a stiff manner.

"SILENCE!" Mother yells, her voice rising with anger. "Do not question your father, young lady!"

"No! This is my life! I'm not going to marry the king of Russia. He sounds like a creep! He wants me because of my 'situation'? Don't you understand what that means? He's going to make me have children, I'm not ready. Mother, please, I'm not ready for this."

"Please, Mother, don't allow Father to send us away?" I begged.

It didn't take a minute for Mother to reach forward with her palm. As her hand went over Caitlyn's face, her face hardened. "I don't care if you do not like him or not! You're going to marry him!" Mother replies coldly. "Go to your room, girls! You need a minute to cool off and think about what you just did. You're starting to sound like an ungrateful little brats!"

I got up from my chair, throwing down the needle and thread and bolted to the door. I cried as I ran out of the doorway towards the main stairwell. So Father is marrying us off after all.

✧˖*°࿐

As I opened the door to my room, I was expecting my maids to greet me. But I saw my father's cold suillette instead. He sat at my desk, no smile, no blink, nothing as he saw me closing the door.

"Hello, Father," I curtised out of politeness.

He frowned at me, gesturing to one of the chairs for me to sit on and I did. "Cordelia, you know same sex marriages are illegal in Illéa, yes?"

I fought the tears, not wanting him to see me cry. "Yes?"

My father rubs his temple before sighing. "It's important as a princess to marry a prince in order to carry on the royal lineage. If words got out that you were intimate with a girl," he started to raise his voice. "How bad we would look, Cordelia!? You gave me no choice but to find you a husband to cover up your relationship with Lady Xoie." He had included.

"What? No. Father, I can't!" I was more surprised that he knew about Xoie. I felt even more betrayed by her than the day she got engaged to that guard who Cait slept with. "How did you know about Xoie?" I asked.

"You should have never liked a girl, Cordelia!" He stood up, brushing off his coat. "Your wedding will take place after Caitlyn's. It's for your own good."

He finally left me alone in my room. As my maids came inside to bring me my tea, they found me staring at space with tears in my eyes.

✧˖*°࿐
1805 words
written by cat && storiez0