I COULDN'T PULL MYSELF TOGETHER. I spend most of the evening in my room, sitting at the windowsill and staring particularly at nothing.

There was a knock on the door and as Mei answered, I saw Iris's kind face on the other side of the door. "Hi Mei!" She cheerfully greeted my maid. "Can I borrow Princess Cora for a minute?"

Mei hesitates as she turns to me. "Are you well enough to go?" She knows the day that I had and she wouldn't allow anyone to steal me knowing I don't want to leave the comfort of my room.

I stood up from the sill, nodding my head to assure her that I would be fine. "It's okay, Mei, it's probably Cait calling me."

Iris is Cait's maid, so I know it must be my twin who needed me more than ever. I walked over to Iris and she led me to my sister's room.

Once I reached her door, I gave a soft tap. "Cait?"

I wasn't expecting her to unlock the door and drag me by my arm inside. She showed me a white board with different hair colors on it.

"What do you think?" She asked.

"What is it?"

"It's my plan, everything. We're not going to marry them, I promise."

I stared at the whiteboard, I merely shrugged my shoulders and pushed my light brunette hair back.

"How though?" I frown. "Father is still going to make us marry them?"

"Cora, we are going to make ourselves hideous, I'll dye my hair, paint my face, I'll do whatever I need to do and if that doesn't work..." Cait trails off, reaching for an envelope on the back of her whiteboard, "Inside this envelope is enough money for us to get out of here."

I shook my head in disbelief, I opened my mouth but slammed it shut. "But what about Cindy and all of our friends? Are we just going to leave them here?"

"Do you seriously think that we'll stay in Illèa? After we're married, we are going to be sent off to our husband's countries, I'm going to be forced to have his children, you will never be with another girl again." My back stiffed at her words. "Our lives will be over! If we're lucky our husbands will let us come home on the holidays. Hyacinth, your friends, it won't matter."

I stared at the envelope and Cait for a matter of seconds, before sighing. "I can't marry him," I whispered. "I'll think about it. Just give me time, Cait?"

"Time is running out and I won't be a bride," my sister said determinedly. She sighs, putting the envelope back, "One week, if you haven't decided by then I'll take it as a no."

I stiffly turned to the door, "Okay," was all I managed to say in a calmer voice. Her plan could work but I was afraid of facing the consequences afterwards.

"Please," Cait begged, "Come with me, I don't want you to be like mom."

My palm touched the handle before turning to face my sister. "I don't know about that yet, Cait, you can be open with your relationship but I can't. And now look at the mess that we both are in." I refused to meet her eyes. "All because I like your lady-in-waiting."

I wasn't upset with Cait. No, it wasn't even her fault. It was mine for being naive about my feelings.

I opened the door and left.

✧˖*°࿐

After speaking to my sister about the plan to run away, I was walking back to my room when I saw her... Xiomara Valentine's dark hair wouldn't be mistaken especially in the dim hallways.

She still looks the same after we last spoke months ago. I feel my anger bubbling inside me. I rarely get mad but when I do, I lose control.

I felt the urge to approach her, so I did. "Xoie!" I said in a firm voice, approaching her in the middle of the hallway. "Can we talk for a moment?"

Xoie stopped walking begrudgingly, her back continued to face me.

I reach for her hand, turning her around to face me. "Xoie? Please, hear me out?" I hate how pathetic I sound. But I just need to know the truth of why she told the press about us and slandered my sister in the process.

Xioe sighed before turning around, ripping my hand away from hers, "I'm really not in the mood to speak to any Schreaves."

I groan, hitting my face with my palm. "Why?" I demanded, refusing to walk away from her. "Was it because of Cait? Or the fact that you told the press about us?"

My heart cracked just to see her dispatch herself from me and throw away a connection that we once had. Around my family, I appear fine ignoring the pain that she brought on me. But I know in my heart, I would never get over Xoie. And seeing her in the stupid hallway, made me furious!

Xoie stared at me, her face an expression of utter shock, if I didn't know any better, I would have guessed she was as surprised about our secret getting out as I was. "What do you mean? I- I didn't tell anyone. W- Who knows?"

I roll my eyes, "Don't act like you didn't know."

"Cordelia! What do you mean? I didn't tell anyone. I would never!"

"Father knows!" I cried, trying not to think of my engagement situation. "And he is sending me away because of it." Xoie's breath got heavy, she looked like she was about to cry. I loosen up, maybe she didn't tell anyone. "Xoie! Please! Did you tell anyone?"

"Yeah..." She sighed, "I— I told Miller. Cordelia— I never thought... He wouldn't!"

"You did what!?" My voice rises louder than necessary. "Why would you trust him with our secret?"

"I loved him!" Xoie cried, "I was going to marry him! He deserved to know! We were happy and then your slut sister—"

"What did you just call my sister!?" I sneered. I wouldn't allow anybody to slutshame Cait. "And what about me, Xoie? You decided to throw away everything that we had for some guard. And you throw my sister under the bus. And now the whole country knows about us!?"

I was so furious that I didn't hold anything back. She did left me for Miller. And look at the mess that we are in.

"We had no future, Cory! What we had, it was just fun! But it wasn't like we could get married or have kids. Boys and girls are meant to be together. Girls and girls... it was never going to last, you know that!" Xoie said with a straight face as her face covered with disgust. "And don't get me started with Caitlyn! She slept with my fiancé! We were getting married in two months! She's a whore, just like your father and brother!"

"She's not a slut!" I said defensively as I crossed my arms over my chest. "That's perfectly fine by me but next time let me know when your boyfriend decides to tell my father about us."

Her words hurt more than what the press wrote. She hated my sister, she's heartbroken by her fiance and she couldn't bear to face me.

"Whatever Cordelia, once again, it's all about your family, this doesn't just affect you. Your father is probably going to fire me and no one is going to hire a dyke!"

I held my breath, not knowing what else to say. It stings of what she called me, herself and any other non-straight person in the country.

"And no one wants a lesbian princess, anyways!" I step away so I can head back to my room.

✧˖*°࿐

The next morning, Mei came in to get me ready for breakfast. I rolled onto my side so I could face her. "Cora, are you alright?" She scanned my face for any tears and imperfections.

I didn't answer as I got up from the bed. Mei went inside my closet to pull out a pastel blue dress and matching shoes.

She rested it on the foot of my bed while I was brushing my hair. I glance at the mirror briefly to make sure nothing is out of place. My mother expects me to look my best.

"Cora?"

"I'm fine, Mei, really?"

"You're not fine, you hadn't said a word since I got in," Mei took the brush out of my hand and started to brush my hair.

I hummed to a song as she braided my hair. I didn't feel like talking so I allowed Mei to speak if she wanted.

As she lace the back of my dress, that's when she brought up the worst news that I had ever heard as of late. "Are you really leaving, Cora?" Mei had a look of pity in her eyes. "I don't want you to go."

I meet her eyes through the mirror. "I hope not," I try to appear determined about my future. "I'm not leaving, Mei, it's just rumors." I said with a straight face.

It's just a rumor, another threat that my parents managed to throw at me. Father doesn't mean it when he will marry us off yet.

"I don't know, Cora, everyone is talking about it," she wished that was true as well. She has been my friend since she was assigned to me when I was 12 and she doesn't want me to go. So do I. "Even the maids as well."

"Mei," I assured her as she finished lacing the last button. I took her hand, "I'm okay, thank you for caring about me. I'll miss you."

My eyes grew watery, I wiped my face not wanting to smear my makeup.

"I'm not allowing your father, Clarkson, and that prince to take you away from us." Mei spat as she wrapped her arms around me.

My face went pale when she mentioned my brother. I've been avoiding him in case he heard about my relationship with Xoie. Clarkson is just like our parents, he's a control freak and he hates non-straight people. People like me. He probably hates me now because of my sexuality.

"I've been avoiding Clarkson," I said. "He won't bother us."

Mei pulled away and turned to the window. "He approached me the other day, he... he..." tears appeared in her eyes.

"My brother did what?"

Mei didn't answer.

"I'm sorry, Mei," I hoped Clarkson didn't sleep with my friend. Mei always talks about cute guys and girls with me, when we will look at the maids and guards in boredom. She hopes to settle down and get married. I don't want my own brother to crush her hopes.

She pointed to the clock, "it's time for breakfast, I don't want you to be late."

She does have a point. My father is really upset with us as of late. And I don't want to face his wrath alone.

✧˖*°࿐

I wasn't the only one who was late, Cait entered in a pink dress that revealed her curvy hips and legs. She sits besides our parents and Clarkson.

I didn't meet my family's eyes. Instead, I focus on devouring my meal.

My father cut his scramble eggs while staring at my sister's dress. "Proving the reporters right, aren't you?" Father replied coldly to Cait.

I sighed, here we go again!

Cait smiles innocently, "If they already think I'm a slut, I might as well look my best."

She's not a slut dad

He shakes his head but leaves it at that. Usually I used this opportunity to say something to lighten the mood, but today I wasn't in the mood to do so.

Clarkson puts down his knife and fork and wipes his face with a napkin, "Father, are there any jobs you wish for me to have completed today?"

My father nods, "Your mother and Hyacinth are doing the party planning, the Palace needs to be looking perfect for when Emperor Mikhail and Prince Fredrik arrive. Clarkson, I need you to fire some staff, Lady Xiomara Valentine and Sir Miller John, you are also responsible for finding their replacements." My mouth was gape open at my father's words

"You're firing Xoie?" I asked.

She was right. I refuse to believe father will actually fire her, I thought she was joking or pointing a jab at me. But I was wrong.

"She is lucky I don't have her stripped of her title and caste." I duck my head in guilt. "And you Caitlyn, you're spending the day with me. Emperor Mikhail had asked me to take some extra precautions..."

"Precaution?" Cait questions, "Like what?"

My mother chuckles darkly, "He wants to know if you're pregnant. No man wants to be stuck raising another man's child," she spits her last sentence, her eyes flicking from my father and Hyacinth.

Cait's cheeks turn red, "I'm not pregnant!" She squeals.

What?? A pregnancy test??

I glance at my sister and she glances at me back. I almost considered her plan to get out of this stupid twin wedding.

"It's just a precaution—"

"I'm on my period, dad! I'm not pregnant!" Clarkson coughed as she said the word period.

"Still—"

She rolled her eyes, "You probably don't even know what periods are."

My father sighs, "Caitlyn, I have a sister."

I knew the story about my father's sister and my Aunt Aelena. We hadn't seen her or my cousins in years, she was married to a Duke in England, a nice enough man, we had only met him once or twice.

"How old was Aelena when she was married off?" Cait snaps.

"That is none of your concern!" My father scolds.

Cait gritted her teeth. I feel bad for her for having to be alone with Father all day. She stuffed her face with bacon and toast, too afraid to say anything else.

✧˖*°࿐
2338 words
written by cat && storiez0