Not all
princesses wear crowns
“Cleo-Rose Margaret Thorn! You are the
princess of Fel’Daera. It is high time you start acting like it! Why can’t you
be more like your sister?” Cleo-Rose’s mother yelled, fuming as she stomped out
of the room. Cleo-Rose groaned.
Being a princess should have been amazing.
Cleo-Rose could get anything she ever wanted. She had hundreds of servants at
her beck and call. A whole country adored her. But she didn’t want that.
She stared into her ornate golden mirror,
which was carved with inscriptions. Staring back at her was a 16-year-old girl
with bright, green eyes filled with imagination, and loose, flowing amber
locks. She looked uncomfortable, and out of place, like she belonged somewhere
else.
She glanced at her gigantic mahogany bookcase,
overflowing with books of all genres. Books could whisk her away to faraway
places, show her people with more interesting lives than hers. They made her
happy. She had hoped to write one day, but she knew that was just a dream. It
wasn’t real.
She smoothed her gown and straightened her
crown. Maybe she wasn’t the perfect princess, but she had to act like it. She
left the room, knowing nothing about the news awaiting her.
Scene 1-The
Heir
Cleo-Rose waltzed into her sister’s room,
anxious to release all of her worries. Instead, she found it empty. Hayley’s
belongings were gone. The bed was made, and her broad, oak table was bare,
except for a single album.
Panicked, Cleo-Rose started pacing the room,
her head spinning. A servant, Alex, entered the room and bowed. “My lady?” he
asked nervously, his eyes down. “Your sister has left the premises of the
palace, and she will not be returning.” He paused, waiting to see her reaction.
It took her a moment to register the news in her head. The whole world around
her was spinning. She stumbled and collapsed on her sister’s magenta love seat,
her hand placed firmly on her head. “Your parents are deeply grieving too.”. He
handed her the album and left, almost running.
“Wait-but-why-how ugh!” she started, but gave
up as he had almost sprinted across the corridor.
She
opened the album. Pictures, and pictures and pictures. Memories and memories
and memories. Inside jokes, and shared hopes. A true bond. Now broken. There
was a note left on the last page:
Dear Cleo,
I am deeply and
truly sorry. There are many things I have not told you. I know we promised each
other that we would be sisters and friends forever, and I have broken it. I
could no longer handle the pressure and burdens of being the crown princess,
and one day, the queen. You are smart, strong, brave and beautiful, and I know
you will make a wonderful monarch. Please do not try to find me, I have moved
on, and you have to as well. Do not question anybody about my leave, you will
not get the answers you are looking for. Fel’Daera looks up to you. I love you
to the moon and back and miss you very much.
Love,
Hayley Elizabeth Thorn
Cleo-Rose was stricken with grief, and a deep
sob was buried inside her throat. She was trying to make sense of the terrible
world around her. Hayley was the perfect princess. She was always the better
one of them. She was everything anyone could have ever wanted to be. And now
she was gone.
Cleo-Rose had so many questions to ask, so
many answers to find, but she felt numb, and lonely. She curled up in a ball,
wishing she could just disappear, or turn back time, but those were just dreams.
They weren’t real. She stroked the cover of the album as a single tear fell
upon the page.
Scene 2-The Crown
It’s beautiful! My, darling, you look so
lovely!” Lorenzo Fletcher grinned from ear to ear, admiring his creation. Cleo-Rose
said nothing. These people disgusted her. Who knew where Hayley was, no search
party had found her, and she was about to celebrate it with her whole country
in a designer gown. Seriously?
Cleo-Rose’s hair was woven into a series of
intricate braids, topped with a gleaming eagle-shaped headpiece, it’s wings
spread, soaring through the air. How ironic. She was nothing but a free bird, a
prisoner in her home, trapped in her own castle.
***
Cleo-Rose composed herself and took a deep,
shaky breath. The pain of Hayley leaving her kept coming back, and it never
truly left her. And it never truly would. As she stepped onto the stage, her
knees were buckling and yet, somehow, she managed to reach the center of the
stage.
“And now, I proudly announce Cleo-Rose
Margaret Thorn, the crown princess of Fel’Daera. Cheers echoed across the
palace grounds. Banners and flags were held up, and whoops and whistles could
be heard. She hurriedly scanned all the faces in the crowd, hoping to find the
beautiful face of her sister, but couldn’t. With difficulty, she hid her
disappointment under one of the many masks she had acquired over the years.
“And now, do you promise to put your heart and
soul into running Fel’Daera?”
“I do” Cleo-rose choked out and received the
jeweled dagger that had been passed on for centuries in her family. She pierced
it through her skin, and pain coursed through her. Her bright, red blood fell
onto the embers and sizzled. She was bond to this role her entire life. And it
was a bond she couldn’t break. She wished she didn’t have to seal to this bond,
but she knew that was just a dream. It wasn’t real.
Scene 3- The Death
Cleo-Rose stared at her bandaged hand, that
was stinging with pain, pus and blood oozing out. She grimaced and turned away,
her face turning green. Oh, how she despised the sight of blood. She wished she
could turn away from everything else in her life. If only it were that easy.
The clock chimed. It was half-past two, and
nobody had visited her room. She hadn’t gone for any meals or lessons. What was
going on? Another hour ticked by, and another, and another. She waited and
waited and waited. She had no desire, passion or energy to do anything else. It
felt like days and days had passed.
Finally, at around eight o’ clock in the
evening there was a soft knock at her door. She wriggled out of her silk
sheets, and slowly walked over and opened it. It was Nerissa, her
lady-in-waiting.
“My lady?” Nerissa was carrying a tray with a
glass of rosemary-herb tea, a roast dinner, and a slice of Victoria
sponge-cake. Cleo-Rose wrinkled her nose. She still wasn’t hungry.
“Please sit down. I have something to tell
you.” she said, gesturing to a stiff, ivory armchair. Cleo-Rose dragged herself
over, not really caring. Nerissa grasped Cleo-Rose’s hands. “Your parents,
they…my lady, you see…they…they…they passed away, miss. It was peaceful…a car
crash. They didn’t feel a single thing.” She explained and flinched, waiting
for Cleo-Rose to strike out. Then, slowly, she walked out.
At first, Cleo-Rose’s face turned white with
horror and shock. Then the whole impact of it hit her. She was terrorized. She
was scared. She was sad. She was angry. She was alone. Really and truly.
She crawled into her sheets and cried. And
cried. And cried. She cried herself to sleep, to gruesome nightmares where all
her darkest fears and terrors were let out. And instead of wishing to turn back
time, she wished that she too, could be gone.
***
She stood at her parents’ burial sites. It was
a quiet and peaceful valley, a beautiful meadow filled with daisies and
daffodils and surrounded by tall willow trees. She was all alone as she walked
over to the graves and placed her bouquets of carnations. There was so much she
wanted to say, but nothing came out. The cold, heavy rain drenched her as she
sat there, her eyes shut, a solitary black figure.
Scene 4- The Ash
Somehow, Cleo-Rose made her way back to the
palace. She entered her room, and something was quite off about it. And she
immediately knew what it was. Her bookshelves were missing.
Nerissa barged in and saw Cleo-Rose’s
expression. Cleo-Rose could almost see the guilt on her face. “Well…what is
it?” Cleo-Rose asked nervously. She had heard enough bad news to last a
lifetime.
“You see miss, the ministers? The ones who
have been deciding procedures? T-t-t-th-the-they-they-b-b-bur-burnt th-t-the-them!”
she stammered, her face stricken with fear and guilt as she hurried out.
Another betrayal. Another loss of something
she cared about. What did it matter? The very last bits and pieces of Cleo-Rose
were gone. She was nothing but an empty shell. She didn’t know what she wanted
anymore, or who she was. She could be dead for all she cared. Surely anything could be better than living
this terrible life…if that’s what it could be called?
Scene 5- The Coronation
Cleo-Rose woke up and was filled with a
feeling of dread. She had known her entire life that this day would come. But
not this soon.
She walked to her golden mirror. Everything
she had ever known had changed, along with her. Her eyes no longer held their
spark. She was thin and sickly. Her spirit was gone.
She no longer knew what she wanted anymore.
All her dreams and hopes were nonexistent. So, she would do what she had to do.
She would be the queen. She would do everything expected of her. She had to:
“Stand straight and tall”
“Keep her shoulders open”
“Keep her chin up”
“Give a diplomatic speech”
“Be the perfect queen”
***
Cleo-Rose walked onto the stage, looking
straight ahead at the distant mountains. She wasn’t nervous, or scared. She was
above things somehow. She was emotionless, and felt nothing but nonchalance.
She couldn’t feel the passing time.
She performed all the rituals, she followed
all the rules, until it was time to give her speech. She walked forward. All
eyes were on her, piercing through her, examining her. These people knew
nothing about her. They had absolutely no ideas about what was truly going on.
And yet they expected so very much of her.
“Citizens of Fel’Daera, we are gathered here
today to celebrate my coronation.”, she started off confidently. “This country
has grown so much under the reign of my parents. It has evolved greatly.”Lies, and more lies. She was
sick of it. Anger coursed through her, she felt like she was drowning in a pool
of lava. She needed to let it all out, she had to. “But really, why are we
celebrating? Are we celebrating loss? Are we celebrating betrayal?” The crowd
was stunned and murmuring to themselves. “Hayley left. She’s gone. And my
parents, well they are gone too. For all these years I never understood them
one bit, and they never understood me. And yet now they’re gone, and it hurts
so much. Oh, so very much. But that’s life, isn’t it? And you people treat this
like a TV show! Just watching, and waiting to see what happens next.”. There
was a complete silence. Everyone was gaping at her. The ministers were glaring
at her from above, outraged. But she felt so satisfied, so free, so
unstoppable. A maniac-like smile curled around her lips.
The officiator hastily
started the final ritual, and placed the gorgeous crown upon her head. It was
pure gold, lined with diamonds and sapphires, and other precious stones. And at
that moment, her smile disappeared. As did her satisfaction. The worst feeling
she had ever felt filled her. It was a mixture of fear, guilt, worry, and true,
deep sorrow. Her freedom was being taken away from her. She was officially the
queen of Fel’Daera. And she wasn’t the only one unhappy about that.
Scene 6- The Surprises
Cleo-Rose rushed to her room, and locked the door
behind her. She sat down, leaning against the door. She wasn’t ready to face
anyone or anything yet. She kicked her heels off, and removed all the bobby
pins out of her hair. She changed out of her orange coronation gown and left it
crumpled in the corner. She crawled into her bedsheets and drifted off…
She was woken up by a strange noise, that
sounded a bit like knocking. ‘I’m probably dreaming it’, she thought and closed
her eyes again. But it kept getting louder and louder. Where was it coming
from? It wasn’t the door. Was it…the window? That was absurd. Who could
possibly be knocking at her window at this time of the night? And then she
heard a voice calling out her name. It sounded a bit like…no that couldn’t be.
Cleo-Rose grabbed a torch, put on her dressing-gown, and hurriedly walked to
the window. She opened it, and her jaw dropped open. It was none other than
Hayley Elizabeth Thorn.
It was like she was seeing a ghost. She stood
there, unable to move. “Well, are you going to let me in? Hanging here isn’t
the most pleasant activity one can do.” Hayley asked her. Oh, how Cleo-Rose had
missed that sarcastic tone. She unlatched the window and hauled Hayley up. She
was wearing a simple black t-shirt smeared with mud and dirt, and a black
jacket that was in tatters. Her jeans were torn, and a few thorns were sticking
out. Her hair was wild with a few leaves stuck in it, and her hands were
covered with blisters. She was carrying an old black satchel that looked very
weathered and worn out.
The two sisters embraced each other. A warm
feeling filled Cleo-Rose, like unwrapping presents on Christmas Day. She beamed
a thousand smiles.
“B-but Hayley? What are you doing here?”
Cleo-Rose stuttered, confused.
“All in good time sister. Lend me something to
wear, will you? And request the kitchen stuff for some peppermint hot cocoa and
marshmallow squares? Oooh, and a hot shower would be nice.” Hayley replied,
completely calm for her physical state.
“All right Hayley.” Cleo-Rose said an hour
later as she entered the room carrying a tray. “I think you’ve got everything
you wanted. Now can I hear you out?”
“Well, Ok I guess” she answered, wiping her
sticky, marshmallowy hands on a napkin, and dabbing her mouth with it. She was
so very well-mannered.
“Cleo, I couldn’t take it anymore. Mother and
Father expected so very much of me. And I just had to leave. I desperately
needed to. So, I decided to flee the palace. I would stow away on a ship to a
different continent and start a new life over there. Cleo, remember how much I
loved to paint as a child? Well, I think I want to pursue a career in art now.There
was a brief silence for a minute. “I then found some relatives who live a
couple of days journey from here. They were banished from Fel’Daera after a
huge feud with our parents. You never met them, I myself was about three or
four years old. They accepted me into their home with warm arms, and indeed
agreed to keep my secrets. They will provide for me until I can earn my own
living. But I was in town, trying to figure out transportation, and I heard
about mother and father. And I was so worried about you, and I attended your
coronation. After your speech, I had to see you, so I waited till late night
behind great-grandma’s statue, and sneaked through the air ducts to my old
bedroom. Then, I climbed out of the window and scaled the ivy to reach yours.” “Your
turn, Cleo”.
So, Cleo-Rose told her about reading her
letter, then discovering the death, the funeral, the burning of her books, then
the ministers preparing her for the coronation, and finally about her anger and
sense of loss.
Then, she asked Hayley the question Hayley
knew very well was coming. “How could you leave me Hayley?”. Hayley’s pale
glassy eyes were shining with tears.
“It was the most difficult decision I ever
made. But I know you have a soul of fire, and can survive absolutely anything
that comes your way. But now we can visit each other frequently. Listen, I have
to go, but here is everything you need to know about my new identity. Don’t
tell anybody about anything that just happened. I’ll see you soon” Hayley
stroked Cleo-Rose’s hair, changed back into her clothes and left.
Cleo-Rose couldn’t stop thinking about what
Hayley had said. Did she really have a soul of fire?
Scene 7- The books
It is amazing how much of us is tied to our
beds when we wake up in the morning. When Cleo-Rose woke up, for a moment she
forgot who she was, and everything that had happened to her. And then it all
came flooding back to her. Seeing Hayley, and knowing she was an arm’s reach
away. Having a soul of fire.
What time was it? Cleo-Rose wondered why no
one had investigatedabout her. Realizing that it was nearly noon, she pulled
herself out of her bed and opened her door. There was an old, large carton
lying outside. With a great effort, she pulled it inside her bedroom. She
slowly opened it, not that enthusiastic about it’s contents. She was completed
shocked when she saw her rare book collection, and all her old journals.
She quietly dragged the carton to her bed,
hoping no one would hear the noise. Reading through her old notebooks, she felt
strangely disconnected from her characters, and she realized why. All her
characters had dreams which kept them going through all their hardships. Cleo-Rose
had left hers in the past and given up. Was that really who she wanted to be?
The damsel in distress, who needed a knight in shining armor? The girl who gave
up and wept? NO. She didn’t. It would take a long time for all her fire to
rekindle, but at least she had a spark. She smiled, a real, pure smile as she
opened the book on politics.
Scene 8- The Politics
Her whole life, Cleo-Rose had lived in a
bubble. She didn’t know anything outside of Fel’Daera. It was time to go
beyond.
She hydrated herself, and wolfed down three
salmon and avocado sandwiches along with a jug of raspberry-infused lemonade.
She cleaned herself, and took a stroll in the garden.
By afternoon, she had finished the book. She
took a deep breath before entering the courtroom. She had no reason to be
afraid of the ministers. She could fire them all if she wished. Confidently,
she strode in. She could feel their angry stares on her.
“Good evening. How do you do?” she greeted
them politely. Most of them looked at her suspiciously. “I would like to
apologize for my atrocious behavior and conduct at the coronation. I assure you
it will never happen again”. They didn’t look very reassured.
“Child, you made a fool of yourself. Don’t
apologize to us”, a thin lanky minister dressed in a deep purple suit remarked.
A few others nodded in agreement.
Not bothered, Cleo-Rose continued,
straightening herself and lifting her chin up. “I am sure that many of you
would not like me to be the current monarch.”. There was an uncomfortable
silence. “But I have promised to fulfill my duties. So, I shall. In three days,
ambassadors and emissaries from all over the world will be visiting the palace.
They will be telling us about the various governments of their countries.”.
There was a stunned silence as the ministers took this in.
“No, no, no!”
“Your parents would never have done that”
“Outrageous”
“Scandal!”
“Silence!” Cleo-Rose yelled, raising her palm.
The ministers quieted down. “I know many of you are worried about change. But
maybe there is something better for our citizens. Monarchy can’t possibly
remain forever! Nothing truly can” she said wistfully. The ministers still
looked unsure, but nodded in agreement. Cleo-Rose grinned.
***
The palace had gone through intense cleanings
and preparations for the ambassadors and emissaries. It was crucial for
Fel’Daera to make a good impression if it wanted to be involved in world
politics. Though they wouldn’t admit it, the ministers were bursting with
excitement. The various representatives spoke about various government forms
such as theocracy, oligarchy and even anarchy. But one caught her eye. It was
called democracy.
“Democracy is a system of government by the
whole population or all the eligible members of the state, typically through
elected representatives.” That would definitely work out well for Fel’Daera.
She could see that the ministers thought this too.
When the conference was over, she held her own
with the ministers. She asked them what they felt would be best suited for
Fel’Daera.
“Oligarchy”
“Monarchy!”
“Democracy”
“Democracy”
“Anarchy…maybe?”
“Democracy”
“Democracy”
“Democracy”
And so, the poll went on. Towards the end
there was a clear winner.
***
Cleo-Rose cut the red ribbon. “I very proudly
declare Fel’Daera a democracy!”. A huge cheer erupted. Cleo-Rose felt like she
was on the top of the world. She looked at her parents usual standing area, and
hoped that for once she had done something that would make them proud of her.
***
Cleo-Rose stood in front of her golden mirror
and glanced around her room. Everything was packed up, and boxes and crates
were stacked against the walls. A month ago, if someone had told her that she
was going to go to high school, and that Fel’Daera was a democracy, she
wouldn’t have believed them. But look at her now!
Nerissa knocked at the door. Cleo-Rose opened
the door and curtsied to Nerissa. The poor girl looked shocked! “I know you
gave me the books. Thank you for everything, and I wish you all the best for
your career in politics, and everything else you do.” Cleo-Rose grasped
Nerissa’s shoulders. The girls hugged.
“Thank you” Nerissa whispered before leaving.
Cleo-Rose started walking. Memories hit her from every direction. Playing in
the gardens with her sister, wearing her first crown, giving her first speech.
And she knew that everything was going to be different. She was a hard-worker
now, and strongly opiniated. She knew that as long as she had dreams, and
hopes, she would face anything that came in her way.
“Are you ready?” Hayley asked her, waiting
outside the castle, as she reached the final steps. She gave one last look at
the castle she had lived in for sixteen years. She nodded, ready to begin a new
chapter of her life.
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