Doubt. It's always there, lingering, a warning that whispers to you, "Don't let your guard down...." It slowly eats at you, or it shatters you in one blow. No matter where you run, no matter where you hide, no matter which path you take. Doubt will be there to conclude it, to snatch away your hope. ~ I'll try to update every day. :3
I could stand here for the rest of my days, gazing through this window like a heartbroken widow. But, I suppose, that's exactly how they would expect me to behave. Like mother, like daughter. Sparing one last glance out at the crashing waves and rolling winds, I turned away. I would have to do something eventually. Something to show them I was still lively and beautiful, something to prove myself worthy of the crown. As if on cue, my sister pranced into my bed chambers. "Norelle," She announced. "I think it fit to inform you of who your up against." Responding to the impatient snap of her fingers, a short, stump man stumbled into the room. He bowed clumsily, to me and then to my sister, who merely looked irritated at his attempted show of respect. "Calv Johan will be designing my gowns." She smiled, her face cruel. "Much more experienced then Mother." She ended with a sneer, turning and waltzing away. I rolled my eyes, but I watched them recede, a flutter of nervousness in my stomach. Unlike other, more sensible kingdoms, Exercitus Corda did not pass the crown on to the older sibling. After a contest of beauty, a wedding, and a vote from the citizens, the more beautiful, kind, and loyal sibling won the crown. Well, that was what was supposed to happen. Here, everyone cared only of beauty. And by that fact, my lovely younger sister, Yannabeth , would win immediately. Compared to her, I was merely pretty, maybe even plain.
No creater of gowns was willing to design for a non-beautiful princess. They all lined up for Yannabeth, but none even glanced at me. Well, maybe a few looks of pity. Everyone knew I would lose. My sister defined beauty. One was filled with such pleasure when looking upon her, her golden curls, fair skin, and shining blue eyes made every maiden in the land a sickly green with envy. My sister had grown up being praised and overly complimented, a perfect princess. Despite her flawless face, her insides were those of an old, crumbling hag. She was cruel, and rotten. If only my kingdom could see that. ~ The servant held out his hand, and helped me into the carriage. Mother and I were heading into the more crowded part of town to purchase cloth for the gowns I would wear at the beauty contest. "Do not fret, my daughter." My mother laid a hand on my shoulder, comfortingly. "Yannabeth may have looks on her side, but your kind and generous heart outnumbers her." I felt warmth threatening to spill from my eyes. My mother would never call me beautiful, for she did not lie, but nevertheless her words spread a happiness through me. My mother agreed that my sister was not fit to rule, and she loved me whether I was prettiest or not.
Short update The days were passing quickly, and the date of the beauty contest had finally been decided. As cruel yet unsurprising as it was, the date was set for Valentines day. The same day that my father had died, only 2 years earlier. I suspected this was my sisters doing, she knew my mother hadn't fully recovered from her dear husband's passing. As Valentines day approached, I grew more and more anxious. My mother had only finished the first three, out of four gowns. The fourth, the wedding gown, was the one that mattered more then the others through. And, ahoy, I had no husband. All had wanted Yannabeth, over me.
"Get this disgrace away from me at ONCE!!" I fell out of sleep to a horrid scream. One would think,after 16 years I would be used to it. I wrapped a silk cloak around me, and headed down the hall to see what all the comotion was about. My sister was standing over a servant, fuming. I recognized her as one of my favorites, a young girl of only the age 14, Jezebel. Jezebel was weeping, cowering beneath my sister. "How dare you, HOW DARE YOU?!" Yannabeth shouted. I stepped forward, frowning. "Yannabeth!" I scolded. "Stop, you're frightening her!" She turned her steely glare on me. "I care not! She dumped her disgusting slave food on me..." I looked down at her dress, and it did have stains and mushed food smeared across it. "It was an accident...I swear...I swear" Jezebel sobbed. "Shut up!" Yannabeth grabbed her by her thin arm. "You will clean this immediately!" "Stop, sister!" I pleaded, reaching out for Jezebel. She would be broken in Yannabeth's grip, surely. Yannabeth began to drag her, screaming and sobbing away. "Please! Please!" She cried. "STOP, Yannabeth!" I demanded, and my sister looked up in surprise at my outburst. Anger soon hardened her face. "You do Not order me around, Norelle. You ugly hag, you have no place here. I don't care if you're princess, you're not fit and you're just a burden on everyone." she spit at me. The crowd that had gathered, stared at me, waiting for my response. They expected a fight. I stood motionless, breaking under her words. Shock shook my body, she had never called me out like that before, not in public! Tears clouding my vision, I turned and ran.
After running as far as my legs could take me, I collapsed on a bench in one of the large gardens my mother kept. Well, servants kept it for her, but she liked to take the credit for it. I could see why. Flowers of all colors stretched out around me, like a heaven. I laid on the bench, staring at the sky, and soon fell asleep, tears left to dry on my cheeks. Mini update