To Love Somehow

Within five month, the King remarried. It wasn’t supposed to take that long, but it did because the new Queen wanted the wedding of her dream. She worked everything to death. The King did not want to marry someone else, as his heart belonged only to his one and only, Tara. But he was given no choice in the matter because the law stated that the King, or the Queen cannot rule alone, therefore a secondary ruler was a must. The King had the final say in almost everything, but the councilmen of the kingdom outvoted him. The law remained.

Everything was back to normal. Well, as normal as it would ever be. Nothing was the same. Already in such a short time, the new Queen, Brianna, had managed to change many things, starting with no more giving away to the poor in the kingdom. The leftover food would simply become wasted. There would be no more parades, which were done every four months, because Brianna believed the unprivileged didn’t deserved to be part of the rich and fame. Instead, Brianna now organized a private party every month and invited the riches that wished to join the ballroom with music and dance and wonderful tastings.

Meanwhile, Roxy was sad. While everyone else was oblivious, even Fred who had accepted the way things were now and moved on, Roxy saw the truth through the evil eyes of Brianna. She replaced Tara, the true Queen, with no remorse whatever. She took control of the kingdom from the moment she was named Queen and Tara was soon forgotten as if she ceased to exist. Roxy would never forgive her for that.

It didn’t stop there. Since Roxy wasn’t a direct bloodline of the royal family, Brianna was on the verge of kicking Roxy out to the curb when the King stepped in and threatened Brianna of stripping all her credit cards. Brianna fought to have Roxy removed from the castle, but Brianna didn’t stand a chance because as fate had it, Tara had written in her will that Roxy was to stay until she was legal. That was a promise she made and one she was keeping, even beyond her grave.

Brianna fought hard to have the will changed because it was absurd, apparently, to care for another child that wasn’t family. However, the law stated that a will of the dead was to be followed as per word on the paper. Also, Tara was the Queen, so the councilmen really didn’t even try to help Brianna and her new awful ways.

So Roxy was staying, but Brianna had plans for her. And that was how Roxy, a princess in the waking, became a servant.

At the rate things were going, Roxy was being looked down for wearing the servant’s clothes. They no longer talked to her, or made eye contacts. Roxy was no longer family, and that meant Fred was had to treat her as though she was not important. How would you tell that to an 11-year-old girl?

“I can’t stay and play with you,” Fred hissed, as he picked up his pace making his way down the hall where his piano instructor was waiting for him in the music room.

“But we used to play together all the time,” Roxy pouted, trying to keep up with him. For a 12 year old, he was taller than most boys and he was maturing quite promptly.

Fred whirled sharply causing Roxy to bump into him. He stared down at her.

“I’m not allowed anymore or else I shall be punish,” he said in flat tone. It was enough to make Roxy’s heart ache. Everything was different now, even Fred.

She was no longer wanted anywhere in the castle. She wondered why she was still here.

She packed with little she had. She didn’t wait too long to sneak out. The castle was huge and she knew the place inside and out. She knew where the all the exits were and which doors were almost never used. She pushed the door opened and was greeted with a splash of heavy wind before the calm returned. The moon was hiding tonight, hovering behind the cloudy sky. The night was grey for the weather was matched with her mood.

It wasn’t long before she heard her name. Startled, assuming she was alone, she froze.

“Roxy!” the voice screamed again. Having to listen a third time, she finally recognized the voice.

She turned, confused. Fred? Why was he chasing her?

He finally caught to her. Roxy had made it quite far before he realized she was missing. He was hoping to apologize to her when he found the room empty and her things gone. He had to explain to her. It wasn’t fair, but then again, nothing was ever fair anymore for both of them.

Fred bent over as he held up a finger, panting, trying to catch his breath before speaking. Roxy waited patiently as she always had with him.

“Roxy,” he said, then released a long breath and stood up straight. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” she shook her head. She hadn’t thought that far. She knew there was a back road to the rest of the kingdom and that she was going to follow it. “I want to go home,” she added sadly.

“This is home,” he said softly and approached her.

She stepped back and shook her head. “No,” she said firmly. “I lost this home when Queen Tara died. I want to find my real mom.”

Fred gasped, clearly caught off guard.

“Roxy, you’re only 11-”

“I’ll be 12 next month.”

“Still, you’re young and clueless-”

“I don’t like you anymore.”

Fred sighed and paused to reorganize his thoughts properly. He approached her again, “Roxy, you can’t go. You can’t leave me.”

“But I thought you didn’t want me.”

“What? No,” he said quickly. “Brianna has ears and eyes all over that castle. That’s why I was harsh to you earlier. Brianna can’t know that we talk sometimes because she’ll do bad things to you.”

Roxy looked at him. What bad things? Brianna had always been verbally abusive with her, but was there more to it?

“If you leave, I can’t protect you,” he said slowly. He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her tightly, afraid to lose her too. “Please, come back.”

Roxy didn’t hesitate. She nodded. Fred wanted to protect her. That was all that mattered to her now.