The Fake Bride

After helping the princess into her day dress and bringing her breakfast, Trinity excused herself to assist the others in preparing for tonight’s celebration. At first, Princess Farsiris protested against it for she wanted to spend some time with Trinity. Only after Trinity had promised to join her for dinner and dance, was she willing to let her go.

The courtyard was starting to gather people. Servants scurried back and forth in all direction, shouting words of haste. Garden keepers busied trimming shrubs into elaborate topiaries, maids collected early spring blossoms for bouquets, and men climbed ladders to hang lanterns and decorations. Despite the frustration of the process, there seemed to be a sense of joy in the atmosphere and on the faces of all alike.

Trinity couldn’t help feeling a little fluttery in her stomach. Was it the anticipation or the fact that she stood out among the hundreds of people dressing in the same plain clothing? She had expected a few stares or even a few kind remarks from her fellow workers. But as she crossed the palace grounds, no one seemed to pay her even a single glance. Everyone was too absorbed in his tasks. Trinity didn’t much like attention on her. Still, she was half relieved and half disappointed.

She headed down the corridor toward the Great Hall, finally found the one person she needed to see. Gloria, the head maid, was a plump aging woman, who was usually kind in most days. Now, in the mid of the chaos, her stringent personality had taken over temporarily. And it wasn’t a pretty sight to see. She was jabbing her stout fingers in commands at the poor maids, when her beady, see-all eyes flicked to Trinity. There was a frightening look in her eyes that made Trinity wince. She stomped one foot impatiently, hands on her hips.

“Good morning, Gloria,” Trinity said nervously.

“Where have you been?” she demanded, her voice rising to full pitch.

Trinity bowed her head. “I’m very sorry. I had to meet with Her Highness.”

“Her Highness, is it?” She looked the girl up and down, noticing for the first time. “Oh my! Look how lovely you are. What a clumsy old lady I am. How rude can I be? Ha ha ha ha. I didn’t even notice your new dress. You look absolutely stunning, my dear! Was this what it was about? Why didn’t you tell me in the first place? This is a good reason for your lateness. Yes, a very good one. I don’t blame you, really. What a girl got to do to make herself pretty, eh?” She laughed some more, smacking Trinity’s cheeks so lovingly that she saw stars.

“Um…thank you,” she said vaguely, her vision spinning.

“Since it’s a special day, I will let this one go,” Gloria pardoned. “But girl.” She hit Trinity’s cheeks again. “You got to eat more. Get some meat and color into these cheeks.”

Trinity wasn’t sure what the conversation was about, she was only glad to escape Gloria’s hours of lecture. The thing about Gloria was that she could be grumpy one second and energetic the next.

She proceeded into the Great Hall, where the revelry was going to take place tonight. Servants were in the middle of laying clothes onto the dining tables and arranging flower vases. A few steps to her right, she saw a girl trying to throw the roll of tablecloth across the long bench. Trinity came over, grabbed the other end, and stretched it to the head of the table.

“Tha…” The voice faltered, and she looked up to find Lorena glaring at her. Trinity found herself groan inwardly—and for good reason.

Lorena hated her. She was always the one to criticize Trinity for the smallest mistake. One would think six years were enough to make a person forget about childhood grudges, the same thing couldn’t be applied to their case. She couldn’t remember what she had done to be treated so terribly by Lorena; she was relatively nice to the other girls in the palace. Trinity, however, was treated like an unbearable eyesore.

“Finally decided to arrive, now, are you?” she said disdainfully, crossing her arms.

“I am the princess’ personal maid.” Trinity replied calmly. “Serving her is my first priority. I am sorry if you had to do my part because I was late.”

“’I am the princess’ personal maid’,” she mimicked shrilly. “No one asked you, so stop acting all high and mighty!” By now, some other girls in the room were starting to stare at them.

“Lorena,” she sighed. “I don’t want to quarrel with you. At least for today, please.”

Wren, an older maid by a few years, moved closer. She put her hand on Trinity’s shoulder. “Don’t mind her, Trinity. She’s being her childish self again.”

“Wren, don’t side with her!” she yelled across the table. “This is none of your business. Stay out of it.”

“It is my business if you started a fight when you’re supposed to do your work,” Wren said, obviously annoyed. “If you couldn’t shut your mouth, then leave now!”

Lorena’s eyes widened, her face turned scarlet, fuming with humiliation. Then, she clenched her fists, her glower darkened. Flaring, she marched irately for the door, but not before turning around one last time. “You think you’re so pretty with that dress,” she spat. “But you’re still just a dirty street urchin who kisses the princess’ feet. Don’t think you can climb anywhere higher than that!”

Those words hit her like a slap in the face

Did she ever think she could ever be anything more than a lowly commoner?

No.

Without Lorena’s derision, she knew full well where she belonged. She was forever the little girl who lived in the slum, scraping through garbage for food. That was always her.



Trinity came to the princess’ call once the commotion of the bustling had died down. She forced on a smile despite the empty feeling that still lingered from the bitter experience with Lorena. It wasn’t the first time she had insulted you, she thought. Besides, this wasn’t the worst name she had called you. But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. The truth always hurt.

Trinity found the princess in the Library. As usual, she smiled at the sight of Trinity, and the world seemed to brighten around her.

“Here you are,” she said, putting a volume back on its shelf. “I’ve been waiting.”

“I apologize.” She curtsied respectively. “I have kept you waiting.”

Trinity waited, head still down. She didn’t dare look into those earnest eyes. The princess’ skirt scuffled as she approached Trinity. She was strangely quiet. Taking her by surprise, the princess touched her chin and lifted her face.

“What’s wrong, Trinity?” she asked softly. “Why do you look so sad?”

Trinity bit her bottom lip, shaking her head vigorously. “No. None at all. I am fine, princess.”

“Really?” she said, smiling sadly. “Then why does it look like you’re about to cry?”

It took all she had to hold back the hot tears behind her eyes from spilling. It saddened her that Lorena had belittled her, but what made her want to cry the most was the kindness in the princess’ voice. The princess was the only one who truly cared for her. In this world, there was no one else who she would cry for.

“It is only me,” she said. “Because I’m weak, I can’t even handle a little comment.”

The princess gripped her hand. So tight that it made Trinity look up. Princess Farsiris stared her dead in the eyes with a seriousness that she couldn’t comprehend. “Who said you are weak? I won’t tolerate this. Whoever that is, I can assure you that the person is a fool! How dare anyone have the nerve to affront you?”

“It is all right, Princess” Trinity said hastily. “I don’t want to trouble anyone.” Even though she was better off without Lorena around, she still didn’t wish ill thought on her.

She hesitated. The princess wanted to do much more for her friend, but if yielding was the only way, she would do it.

“Fine. I won’t do anything,” she conceded. “But don’t you ever think, even once, that you are weak.”

Trinity smiled faintly at her. Princess Farsiris had that effect on people. “Princess, if you don’t mind my asking, what makes you think I’m strong?”

“Isn’t it obvious? You once promised to protect me with your life, and I trust you with mine. You would never lie to me.”

Trinity nodded, acknowledging. It was her who had made that vow, and yet she was the one grateful to have gained the princess’ trust. Suddenly, she felt different than she had been a few hours ago. Lorena’s cusses were now left behind, buried, diminishing. All she needed to know was her devotion for the princess. And, every time, that was all it took to save her from falling into despair.



Gloria was out of breath by the time she found Trinity in the kitchen, brewing tea for the princess’ afternoon’s meal. The abruptness of her name being hollered from behind almost made her spill the content onto the floor.

“Gloria? What the devil happened?”

She gasped heavily, beating her chest. “Listen…You…Listen.”

“Yes, I’m listening. Take it easy, all right?” She patted the old woman’s back.

“I…saw…him…in the courtyard. It…it’s him…all right?”

“Him? Him who?”

“The princess…let her…know. The Lord…Parlem.”

“Earl Parlem?” she gasped, disbelieving.

“That’s who…it is, all right?”

“Thank you, Gloria. I’ll fetch the princess right away.”

She abandoned the pot and dashed for it. She could imagine how happy the princess would be when she heard the news. And, of course, when she rushed through the door and told the princess, her face lit up like a thousand candles. Together, they raced down flights of stairs and corridors. Trinity had to speed up to catch up to the princess’ pace. For a lady of noble birth she could sprint too fast to be graceful.

Up ahead, she caught a glimpse of a young man in proper royal apparel pacing through the garden. His head swept up as he heard footsteps heading toward his direction. A smile broadened on his face as he stretched out his arms to receive the exuberant princess. She fell into his embrace, her head buried in his chest. She looked happier now than Trinity had seen her all day.

Trinity stopped just a few yards away to watch and to give them some privacy. He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. The little gesture of passion brought the blush to the princess’ cheeks—and Trinity’s. She averted her eyes, feeling like an intruder to their intimate moment.

“Damon,” the princess said. “I thought you couldn’t be home for tonight. You said so in your letter.”

He chuckled teasingly. “Forgive me, my princess. I have lied to you to give you a surprise. I hope I have not offended you.”

Princess Farsiris smiled coyly. He was playing his games again. How he could always win her heart with that suaveness of his.

“It will take more than an apology to compensate for your lies, Earl Parlem,” she said in pretend resentment.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way, Your Highness.”

It brought a giggle to the love-struck princess. He lifted her up and spun her around, laughing as if the world only belonged to them. Trinity wasn’t the only one there to look away. Finally, he saw her standing in the corner and came over.

“How do you do, Your Grace?” she regarded him, curtsying.

He smiled warmly at her, the smile which could melt any woman’s heart. “I’m terrific. Thank you, Trinity. How have you been?”

“I am well. Thank you for asking, My Lord.”

His soft eyes gazed at her, and he sighed. “There’s no need to be formal, Trinity. I’ve known you all these years. You are a friend to me now.”

She couldn’t bring herself to look at him. The thought of an earl treating her as a friend embarrassed her. How could a servant dare dream of such status?

The princess, sticking her tongue out at the earl, linked arm with Trinity, “Trinity was my friend before she met you. Don’t go around stealing other’s friend.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t dare, my princess.”

The princess grinned, hands on her hips. “Of course, you wouldn’t,” she said.

Trinity stood, silently watching as they continued to tease one another. How perfectly matched they looked together, she thought. Earl Parlem was a handsome and honorable young man, loved by women of the court and the land alike. They had been raised together and betrothed by the time the princess was thirteen. If anyone could bring the princess happiness, it was the earl.

The first time Trinity met him, she was only eight. At the young age of eleven, the earl was already the subject of the girls’ adoration. Whether it was his bright personality or his intelligence, the ladies couldn’t help falling head over heel in love with him. Trinity was no exception. There was a time when she had been infatuated with him. The way his hazel eyes twinkled like gems, the way his smile dazzled her, and the way his kindness stirred her heart. He was, indeed, the perfect gentleman. But like everyone else, Trinity could only watch from afar, admiring him, but dared not to yearn for his affection. But time passed and so did that fleeting first emotion of youth.

The feelings she had for the earl was nothing compared to what she felt for the princess. This, she was sure.

“Oh, yes! Before I forget, here,” the earl said, pulling out a wrapped object from his satchel. “A present for you.”

Trinity received with both hands, quite startled and overwhelmed at the same time. Gingerly, she removed the cloth over the rectangular object, revealing a little book underneath. She stared at it in awe, stroking her fingers against the leather cover.

Inked in gold letters, the title read: Herbal Remedy.

“I found it in an antique shop and thought it didn’t quite belong there,” he explained. “But I knew you would find it expedient, anyhow.”

She nodded, beaming blissfully. “Yes, thank you. I will take good care of it.”

“I’m glad you like it.” He turned to the princess now. Trinity, lost in her thought, clutched the book to her chest. She wasn’t aware of her wide smile.