Happily Ever After

Rosemarie's POVAfter delivering Rhea, Vasilisa, and Jillian's overwhelmingly heavy suitcases, I went upstairs to my bedchamber. My pale blue dress was dark from nearly being drenched, and the fabric irritated my skin, as if it was viciously glued to me. My poor stockings were ripped, my sturdy shoes were squishing with rainwater, and my beautiful hair was so wet and tangled that I just wanted to pull it out.Sad and frustrated, I yanked off all my clothes and laid them out on my ebony bedframe to dry. I pulled off my shoes and sat them in an empty corner near my polished bookcase. The only things left were my undergarments—a solid, white brassiere with lace-edged bloomers. I quickly got out of them and grabbed a satin robe, one I hadn't worn since Mother died. It was colored a rich purple, and it actually used to belong to her. Sometimes, it felt like I could smell her scent, as if she was still alive and here with me.Tears gathered in my eyes, but I forced them away and exited my b

RPOVAfter pouring out my heart and soul with sorrowful tears, I got off my bed—which was now a little damp—and took my journal from its place under my large mattress and got the gold key from the bookcase. The velvet material felt soft as I opened it and went back to my earliest entries, specifically the one when I had found out that Mother died.My hand mindlessly stroked the dry ink on the off-white page. I could feel the tears gathering again; however, I blinked them away and forced myself to read.December 28th, 1682Father is depressingly solemn this evening. He won't leave his private study, and I brought him dinner, hoping that he would let me in, yet he merely cracked the door open and took the plate of food wordlessly before shutting me out.The reason for his behavior is because Mother died today. She left in a carriage to run errands; however, she got lost and ended up falling into a deep ravine, where she was killed from the impactful injuries, along with the horses and c

RPOVThe sky was beautifully dark as I stepped out of the delicate carriage that had picked me up from Fairston Academy. Its blue-black hue seemed like the depths of the ocean at nightfall—frightening yet captivating. I struggled bringing my loaded, leather tote into the manor when a royal messenger suddenly appeared.I nearly jumped out of my dress as he walked up to me. The fellow appeared slight and awkward in his commoner clothes, his skin very pale and his eyes and nose too big for his face. He looked very goofy and young, however I put on a smile and ridded my judgments."May I help you, sir?" I wondered kindly.The royal messenger bowed, displaying a black satin hat. "Good evening, Miss Mazur," he greeted respectfully, his voice fairly high. He moved his small hands from behind his back and gave me something that resembled a package. "I've been sent by Prince Adrian to deliver this gift to you," he explained.My eyebrows rose in curious interest. The package felt fine and fragi

RPOVHer gloved hand lightly touched my shoulder, as if she suspected I was dead. I could almost feel her jade-green eyes boring into me—she was silent and lowly breathing for a long while. I was ready to turn over...until Jillian softly said, "Rosemarie, you need to get dressed. We have school, and we're going to be late if you don't hurry."Going to Fairston Academy was the last thing on my mind. Its Gothic architecture and art seemed to be a distant memory. I had been lying awake all night pondering my date with Prince Adrian—did it feel right or did it feel wrong; would I do it again; should I even go to his party? It was consuming me inside, and I knew I had to forget about it.However, not thinking about it would make me feel guilty. If I couldn't go through with our courtship, I'd have to tell Prince Adrian, and his feelings would be hurt. He wanted me to be with him so much…I couldn't just crush his heart.I rolled onto my side, staring at Jillian's chartreuse dress. "I'm not

APOVOnce all of the maidens left the palace, I went to an empty table in the ballroom and practically swallowed a glass of red wine. The bitter liquid raced down my throat, lightly stirring my stomach, bringing me a familiar and comforting burn. I could hear my mother, Queen Daniella, coming up to me, her heeled shoes clicking against the marble floor."Adrian, what's wrong?" she questioned, placing her manicured hand on the shoulder of my suit jacket. Her forest-green eyes were swimming with worry as they penetrated me. I sighed loudly, setting the wine glass down, internally wishing that I could just continue drowning myself in alcohol without any disruptions.I turned around to face her. "I'm stressed, Mother. How am I going to choose a bride in a month when there were countless maidens that came here tonight?" I demanded, running a hand through my stylishly messy, brown hair. She nodded in sympathy, moving closer to embrace me. I was too uneased to return the gesture, but I appre