I, Diamandes Marina Earl, the 8th princess of the Earl Kingdom was born from a concubine in the deep hidden part of the palace. The palace, being the most grandiose part of the whole kingdom, located in Oukoku Capital. Grandiose is probably an understatement. When people mention Oukoku, the palace comes to mind. It takes up 3/4 of the whole capital afterall. Needless to say, as the the 8th princess and the youngest, I have only met my father, His Majesty once in my entire 16 years of my life, and that was when I was a wee child, I could not even remember the face of my father— only through potraits hung up almost everywhere, I know he's a narcissist— and a handsome man. Though his luck for having sons were down in the mud. He had a total of 8 children and all of them were female. Whenever one of his concubines would get pregnant and it was revealed that they carried a girl, he'd banish them to the deepest part of the palace, and never to be seen only to bring the child after the birth, and never again.
Needless to say again, I do not particularly like my father. A cold hearted, narcissistic king.
My mother came from a noble duke family, one of the many women that entered the royal palace. Though she held a high position, she was also cast aside by the Majesty. Ariana Brown Raza was the only daughter from the Raza Duke family and married into the royal family when she was 16. In the Earl Kingdom, 16 was the coming of age for both boys and girls. Especially for nobles, the children would already have respective future spouses decided by their parents— mostly for political purposes. Ariana was a beautiful girl, though compared to the other concubines and queens, she was just a single rose in a rose bush.
On the day of their marriage, they consumated, and a few months later, the news of a baby girl was to be born, and that was how I, Diamandes Marina Earl was born. I lived a normal life. My mother who was ambitious always tried to get the King's attention but would always fail. She would frequently blame it on me for being a girl, though I took it no mind. I had few friends since the princesses were all home schooled in each of their respective palace. I live in the huge Blossom Palace with my mother, with only few servants. I made friends with their children, though behind my mother's back.
My 16th birthday is coming up... but why am I so unlucky to have caught a huge fever?! I was swaddled in thick blankets by my nanny and given bitter medicine to drink by the royal doctors but not only did my mother not spare a glance towards my room, the fever worsened, to the point where I could no longer tell from reality to dream. I would just fade in and out of consciousness.
My eyes opened up to stare at the dim room. I didn't remember my room to have such a dirty straw padded ceiling. The only light that lit up the room was candles around me. Though, my eyes were the only part of my body that I could control. My mind immediately jumped to conclusion of me being kidnapped, but looking around there was 2 women. I cried out, and to my shock, I sound like a baby!
I raised my hand, to see pudgy fingers. I screamed but only a baby gurgle escaped from my lips. I frantically looked over to the two women. One of them was from a poorer background (one could tell from her cotton ragged dress) she was holding another baby, while the other woman looked awfully familiar. She was the second queen of the Earl Kingdom, the one that had a 18 year old daughter and another one coming soon— but she didn't seem pregnant. She was swathed in expensive fabric and wore a puffed sleeved dress, studded with gems. My mother would kill for that dress. I cried out again trying to speak, asking them to look over but it seems like my mouth wasn't used to moving and forming words.
The red haired queen shot a glare towards me and I kept my mouth shut immediately. She was known to be sweet and kind infront of the King, but vicious towards the other queens and concubines, needless to say, her daughter was like her. I encountered her once in the central gardens, she was always accompanied by her servants trailing behind her. She didn't know of me, but seeing I take so much like my mother, and was probably much more beautiful than her, she ordered her servants to push me into the water off the bridge.
In the palace, politics were always going on, fights and quarrels, though a major rule was set in place— which is the lower positioned person was never to fight back with the ones of higher position. Hence I was just to accept the "punishment" the 2nd princess gave me.
"Quickly, that child has risen and people will be woken up. I can't be seen doing this."
"Y-yes, your highness. At least... at least let me see her one last time."
"You have that boy to look at as long as you want." The 2nd queen clicked her tongue disapprovingly and almost snatched the child out of the poor woman's arms— rather rough way to treat a child. I cried once more, my voice shrill and piercing. The queen took out a sack of coins and pushed it onto the woman, and without a word, exited the straw hut.
The woman broke down crying, along with me. I didn't know why I was crying. Tears streamed down my face as I clench my baby fists tight. I hate this situation. Is this a dream?
"Shush, boy. People will wake." The woman walk over to the crib, a cheap raw wood crib put together haphazardly. On closer inspection, she was older than the queen, yet age did her well. Her features were soft unlike the queen, though she looked very tired. She picked me up, and I fussed, trying to push her away, but she hugged me tighter to her chest, and I could feel her chest heaving up and down from crying, so I just gave up, listening to her sob quietly in the middle of the night, the only heat source from the tiny candle at the corner of the room.
The next morning, I found myself back in the crib.
Let's see. Gathering my thoughts, I came up with several conclusions.
1. This is definitely not a dream. Is this what they call reincarnation? But the problem is, how did I die? The 2nd queen was pregnant and due soon, but I didn't hear news of her giving birth— which means the Diamandes who had fever and possibly passed away, had her/my subconsciousness transferred to this boy, most likely the 2nd queen's son, who was birthed right when I passed. The timing is a bit...
2. Why did the 2nd queen pass me onto a woman I've never seen before? Being a boy, it qualified me for being the heir to the throne. Was it because the queen was aiming for the throne? Her daughter? To my knowledge, the 2nd princess and her mother didn't get along well. But why pass a baby girl to her in place for a boy? If she were to aim for the throne there would be no need for an extra burden.
If I am correct, the 2nd queen came from a duke family rivaling my mother's. The Lovedust duke family from the Oukoku Capital. She was pretty and followed behind the first queen. Though she was the second queen, somehow the King always favored her to be his bed partner, and she took that as a trophy. The other queens and concubines were normally jealous.
Was it so she continued being his favorite? The possibility is high. If she were to have a son, all his attention would be given to him. The only royal heir. The King is a chauvinistic bastard. He had a father like him too, and he too was an only son, hence explaining his chauvinism.
I could imagine the King having parades after parades, feasts after feasts of celebrations just for his son. That would leave the 2nd queen with nothing. If she were a concubine, she might be promoted to be the queen, but she was already one. The King would never let any woman handle his son- a prized possession, much less the 2nd queen.
It was very smart of her to hide the royal heir and get a random girl to take the place, and continue being the King's bed warmer.
3. In conclusion, I became a baby, but not only that! I became a BOY.
A BOY with a baby banana in between my legs!