Chapter 1
ℭ𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔬𝔫𝔢
𝔏𝔦𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔥
I rush inside the palace racing past all of the servants. If mom finds out I was reading outside instead of getting ready for my coronation she would have a fit! I run up the stairs my feet barely touching the wood. I run down the corridor and hook it right to my bedroom door. I open it and walk in. I sigh a breath of relief when I lean against my door.
“You’re late.” I gasp and turn to see my mother sitting on my vanity chair facing me with an irritated expression. Her nose scrunches up when she sees the mud on the bottom of my dress.
“Lilith, not only are you late but you’re filthy! How will this look to your future spouse?” She says with a disdain in her voice. She has been obsessed with marrying me off since I turned 15. She has arranged all of the suitable dukes, princes, and earls for my coronation tonight. I am to dance with each eligible man throughout the night. My mother has done this kind of thing before. That ended in someone getting knocked out. By me. Duke Earlsting; a 48 year old bachelor tried to kiss me out in the gardens and I punched him in the nose. My mother gets up and leads me to the bathing quarters where a bath has been drawn for me. Once she leaves I slip off the uncomfortable dress and corset and step in the warm water. The bubbles pop in my face giving me a sense of happiness and relaxation. Well until my mother and three other servants come prancing in with oils and outfits. Mary, the head servant, pours a soap in my hair that smells like roses and scrubs it in. Faythe pours a bucket of water over my head to rinse it out. They rush me out and dry me off with a silk towel. Once my hair dries they shove me in my vanity seat and start working on my hair. Faythe works on my makeup while Mary and my mother braid and pin my hair up. By the time I get my dress on I have around 20 minutes until I have to go downstairs. Mary, Faythe, my mother, and Sydney, have left my bedroom. I look in the mirror and see a completely different person. My auburn hair is pinned in a bun at the back of my head. The dress makes me look like I have no legs due to the multiple layers making it poof up. I really don’t understand why I have to get married. I turned 18 three weeks ago. Arnold, the butler, steps in my doorframe and nods to let me know it’s time. I take a deep breath and plaster a fake smile on my face
and step out of my room. I take Arnold’s arm and we walk down to the steps.
“Princess Lilith Grace Calipso.” The announcer yells from the top of the stairs. A fanfare starts playing and I walk gracefully down the stairs an applause breaking out. I reach the landing and Arnold hands me off to a Duke. I don’t pay any attention to the men that I dance with. I finally find my mother and make an excuse to go back to my room. I walk back up to my room when I feel a hand grab my wrist. I turn to see Duke Earlsting holding onto my wrist.
“I believe, young lady, you owe me a dance.” He says a sly grin spreading across his perverted face.
“I believe I owe nothing of the sort to you.” I say yanking my wrist out of his grip. I start towards my room when my mom calls after me; until she stops saying my name mid- sentence. I turn and see Duke Earlsting walk to her and start chatting with her. I make an escape and dash to my room. I shut the door and strip out of the dress and throw on my nightgown and collapse on my bed. I reach over and grab my favorite novel off of the bedside table. I get one or two pages in when my mom bursts into my room fuming.
“You ungrateful child!” She screeches.
“How dare you defy the Duke?! He made a harmless suggestion to dance but you were a complete imbecile towards him!” I wince at her choice of words. I feels tears prick my eyes. She continues her rant. I can barely hear her though. I zone out until I feel my novel being ripped out of my hand. I snap my head up.
“I’m guessing all of this cursed reading is giving you ideas?” She says. I reach toward the book until she tosses it into the fire. I start bawling and don’t notice her walk out of the room.
