His Royal Highness

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Trigger warning in the description. This chapter does not contain anything graphic, but do be cautious if you are sensitive!!

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-Just another day of work in the beautiful Kingdom of Frankishia. Selling nothing but the freshest fruits, homemade beverages, and many other items at our convenience store. I can proudly say that our shop is one of the most popular ones in the kingdom.

We prioritize customer satisfaction and rely greatly on their reviews. Our competitors, however, continuously try to stain our name due to my family's reputation. But customers always walk back into our store.

Like right now.

"Madame Keen, how great to see you again!" I say as she enters with a smug look on her face.

"Don't act happy to see me, Maria. How would an actual customer react knowing you don't sincerely appreciate them?" She adds, scanning our items while walking towards me.

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm sure I'll be able to deal with that if the time came."

"Same way your parents are dealing with their debt, I suppose?" And there she goes. Always pushing the wrong buttons.

"Was there something I could help you with?" I ask, dropping the sincerity and sarcasm.

"Well, as you've probably heard, the King is hosting a party in order to find the prince a bride. My girls will be attending, of course, and are in need some of the hair oil you sell. If I even trust them." She whispers the last part, but I wasn't bothered.

"What type of hair do they have?"

"Long hair...? What kind of question is that?" She whines as if the question asked was simply hysterical.

"Curly, straight, bleached? These all matter when choosing a product. If the wrong product is chosen, there will be no change, or they could just damage it more."

"Well, we simply wouldn't know too much about that, would we? Your people are more experienced in this field, so just give me something."

"My people?" I ask, my head tilting.

"Well don't twist my words now. You know what I mean."

"Then just say it. Don't beat around the bush. Black people you mean, yes?"

"I mean, shouldn't it be a compliment? Praising your skills in hair should make you feel better."

"No, not really. Double check the way you deliver your sentences, Madam Keen." My frustration grew bigger. I couldn't deal with her much longer.

"I'm getting annoyed, Maria. Give me the oil, or you'll lose some good money to make. The prices for these bottles are simply outrageous. You're lucky I even passed by here." As much as I despised her, we needed all the change we could get. I turn around and grab some hair oil from the shelf.

"That'll be $16.89. Cash or Card?"

"17 dollars for some concoction that I highly doubt even works. No wonder business is slow for you." She taps her card on the monitor and walks away with her receipt and bag. Once at the door, she spits a few more words.

"Once one of my babies becomes princess, I'll have them find a way to make use of this wasted land you're on." She walks out, smiling at people passing by.

"Fucking bitch..." I mumble.

"Maria Capri, watch your language." A voice behind me shouts. I turn and face my stepfather, Lorenzo Diaz. I ignore him and wipe the counter.

"How many customers have you served today?" He asks, opening the cash register.

"23." I respond.

"Only 23? We've been open for 3 hours now."

"I've been open for 3 hours. You've done nothing but roll on your ass all day."

"Watch your tone."

"Or what? You'll fire me?" He stays silent and looks dead in my eyes. I take my apron off and walk past him. "Have a good shift." I grab my sweater and walk out of the shop. I take a deep breath and pull out my phone.

I scroll through social media, trying to find any truth to Madam Keen's claim about the ball. I didn't have any intention of going. Not that I'm allowed to anyway. My mother and biological father both tried fooling the King and Queen by paying part of their taxes and tricking others into an "easier" way to pay taxes. After the royal family found out, they were in debt to them until they could pay it everything back. My father, however, was jailed. My mother divorced him and married Lorenzo who owns the shop.

I don't know if it was money or love that drove my mother to him. All I can say is she has horrible taste in men. Both or her husband's make me sick. And she's too naive to see though their manipulation

"Yo, Maria!" A voice shouts. I turn and find one of my "friends" walking to me.

"Oh, Omar. What's up?"

"Nothing, was about to pass by your shop." Omar is my stepsister, Dezyre's, boyfriend. The two of them go way back, I've heard, but they've been a mess.

"What you need?" I ask him.

"Have you seen Dez?"

"No, not since this morning. Why?"

"She hasn't been answering my calls or texts. Not sure if she's ok." His face showed serious concern.

"She's probably getting high somewhere around town. I'll let you know if I see her." It almost broke my heart not being able to tell him that she isn't interested anymore. If she ever was.

"Alright, thank you!"

"You got it." He walks away, slightly reassured. To be honest, I have an idea of where she is. And even though we don't get along, I should value her life as much as I value mine.

I walk to one of the neighborhoods known mostly for frequent drug activity. It isn't somewhere you want to be seen at, especially by the residents. They weren't very keen to outsiders.

"Hey now, what you in a rush for?" A man says, standing in front of me. He reeked of alcohol.

"You're in my way."

"And you haven't answered my question. That's a little rude, don't you know? Let me help you destress a little, yeah?"

"I'll pass." I try to push by him aside, but he grabs my shoulder and pushes me back.

"Hey, I've tried being nice and giving you some respect. But you're pushing it now."

"I'm pushing it by refusing to do shit with you?" A few others come around us, some of them with bats, blunts, and beer bottles

"I'm giving you one last chance lady. Come on, let's have some fun." He tries to pull my arm, but I move it away. He didn't seem to like that. Alright you bitch-"

"Get your fucking hands off her Red." Dezyre walks into the crowd towards us, a man by her side.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, I do. Let her go."

"I can't just do that. She's got to give us something at least." He looks at the man standing by her for confirmation.

"You heard her. Let her go." He says in a deep raspy voice. I don't recognize him.

"You good, Maria?" Dezyre asks, walking towards me.

"Yeah, I'm good." The man beside her approaches me and extends his hand.

"I'm Gold. Nice to meet you." I shake his hand and look at Dezyre.

"I need to talk to you."

"Follow me then." She walks me to an apartment, isolating us in an environment private enough. "Why are you here?" She asks, not wasting a second.

"Omar was looking for you. So was I."

"Since when is my business yours?"

"I came all the way here to check up on you, and that's your answer?"

"Yeah, it is. As for Omar, I'll deal with him. Just stay out of my personal affairs."

"Personal affairs, as in gang life? What's this one called?"

"None of your business. Just leave and don't come back. I won't be able to help you again." She points her finger to the exit.

"You're ruining your life, Dez."

"No, you ruined my life. Ever since you and your mother entered my life, it's been full of shit. My reputation, everything I ever had, just gone! I could probably have an invitation from the royal family to attend the ball if it wasn't for your stupid debt! Just get out of my face." I walked to the door, closing it on my way out. I couldn't blame her. I just wish she understood I didn't choose this life, nor did I contribute to what they did.

"Is she alright?" Gold asked, standing by the door.

"Oh, yeah. Maybe just some comfort would help her."

"That's my job as her boyfriend, isn't it?" He smiles and walks towards me. "Violet has helped me get through tough times. She's contributed to helping others here too. Even came up with the name. We've gained so much more respect from others around here. Don't know what I'd do without her."

"And what name did...Violet come up with exactly."

"Kaleidoscope. Smart, isn't it?" What a joke.

"Yeah, real nice." I clear my throat and check the time on my phone. It was getting late. "Listen, I've got to go. Nice meeting you, Gold."

"Same here, get home safe." I give him a smile and make my way home.

Dezyre cheating on Omar wasn't surprising, being part of a gang called Kaleidoscope was. The sudden name change was questionable too. I've learned not to be surprised by what she does and to just accept it.

I finally arrive home after making a pit stop at the library and coffee shop to rest and clear my mind. The sun had practically set, but the sky was still a beautiful blue with hints of purple.

Upon entering, I hear a cheerful voice. Making my way to the living room, I see Lorenzo with a big smile painted on his face. Unlike him, my mother sat on the couch, an unpleasant look on her face and a letter in her hand.

"What's going on?" I ask, removing my sweater.

"We got an invitation from the Royal Family to attend the ball! Oh, just the thought of my sweet Dezyre getting the news! To see her in a beautiful dress with a chance to become princess!" He shouts.

"Oh, that's great news. I've always wanted to see the inside of the palace. It's almost like a dream! Oh my god!" I couldn't believe it. Had the royal family have a change of heart? "What's wrong, ma? You look down." I ask, walking towards her.

"There's a little problem, Maria." She hands me the letter sent by the Royal family. It reads:

"To the members of the Diaz and Capri family,

This letter is to formally inform you of His Majesty, King Anthony, Her Majesty, Queen Amelia, and His royal Highness, Prince Leopold's request for your daughters to attend the royal ball. Due to the debt of Jasmine Katherine, formally Jasmine Katherine Capri and her ex-husband Tyrone William Capri, their daughter, Maria Chantall Capri, is to work under the King and Queen as a server during the time of this event. This service will pay part of the debt, depending on how many hours and how effectively Ms.Capri is able to perform her duties. Miss Dezyre Kenning Diaz is welcome to join us and participate in the event. We are delighted to have you attend and aid us in making this event one to be remembered. Please dress accordingly and understand the importance of this event. Ms.Capri's attire and manual are inside the box sent along with this letter. We thank you for your services and eagerly await your arrival.

-The Royal Family."

I scoff, fighting tears from pouring. Dezyre was to attend as a guest, and I was to be their servant? It wasn't fair! It wasn't my fault...

"Of course. It is a dream. Your actions, my consequence." A tear drops on the paper, my heart aching.. "Do you ever feel ashamed? Guilty?"

"Watch the way you speak to your mother, Maria." Lorenzo says, butting in.

"Lorenzo, please...shut the hell up when I speak to my mother." I tried as hard as I could not to break, but with each second that passed, every fiber of my body wanted to scream, to express what I really felt.

"Maria Chantall Capri! That is your stepfather. You will speak to him with respect." My mother says standing up. That was the final straw.

"I can't stand either of you! I can't even get a place of my own or find the person for me because I'm known as the daughter with parents who tried to screw the Royals! You've ruined my life before it fucking began." I crumble the paper in my hand, looking at the box on the ground. It was a square carboard box with nothing else on it. I grabbed it, wiping my tears away. "There will come a day, the two of us will be strangers, Ma." I walk to my room, and slam the door shut.

I took some deep breaths, hoping to calm myself down and not waste any energy on this. Days like this would only increase. I open the box and find a well folded and ironed uniform, white gloves, and a small handbook. Flipping through the pages, I realize it's the manual mentioned in the letter. It was short and explained my duties. "Don't speak unless spoken to. Don't stare. Don't address the Royals unless addressed." Basic rules. It took me a few minutes to finish the reading it all. Our debt would be covered by a few hundred dollars, maybe a thousand or two if I'm lucky, which is practically pocket change, but better than nothing. Every cent mattered. The more I do, the quicker I escape this hell.

For my sake. Because as I've discovered, making that choice in your own has much harder consequences.

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Chapter 2 linked on my profile 🌸🫧

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