I hit the page of the book as I sat on Marigold's lap. She was the niece of the Aeternum places housekeeper and truly lived up to her name. After four months of mostly greys, reds, and greens, I could finally see a full range of colours. Which also meant I could actually see.
Mari had neat blonde curls that were often decorated in bows and ornaments. Today she was wearing an emerald hairpin to match the emerald broach she had attached to her uniform. I often heard her auntie chastising her for customising her uniform but I suppose nobody really cared. I personally think she looks very pretty in green.... and in literally any colour because she looks like a model.
The blonde lady smiled as I continued to hit the page. She had been reading a legend to me, as she often did when it was her turn to play with me, and each fairytale in this collection came with a single picture. Although, the drawing was spectacular, despite being in only black and white. I was also very much interested in gaining my main motor functions back. I would like to be able to crawl, thank you very much.
"Do you like this drawing, Princess Aria?" She chirped as she repositioned her arm to hold me better. Many of the ladies had come accustomed to saying my new name regularly so that I might come to recognising it quicker. My new name?
No matter how hard I tried, I could only really think of 'Cade' as being my real name. Even though it was a nickname for 'Cadence,' I still feel more accustomed to it rather than my past full name or my current name. It doesn't help that Aria, in my humble opinion, just doesn't fucking suit me.
"auhh!"
Babbling is actually embarrassing but I would rather figure out how to speak again sooner rather than later. That was my attempt of saying 'yeah,' by the way. Amazing right? I'll be doing slam poetry in no time!
"Do you see her, Princess?" Mari pointed to a woman clad in armour standing next to the empty throne. The war scene raged on around her but, even in this still image, she looked like an unmoving statue. "That is Lady Drusilla Aphelion."
Aphelion?
"Haaa?" That one was close to 'huh' I guess.
"She's also known as 'the lady that tamed the sun.'" Marigold continued happily, "She is my great great grandmother."
Woah. I want some god-like title like 'the lady that tamed the sun.' I mean, I would know if I got one since, you know, I'm reincarnated and all that jazz. However... I may or may have not read past the second chapter of Gods Land...
Well, if I had known that I would have been reincarnated into one of the main supporting characters that reaches her expiry date way too soon, then maybe I would have read the entire light novel. It's just that.... it was almost six hundred chapters long and I have the attention span and commitment issues that could compete with a dehydrated house lamp.
Honestly, in my current state, I'm barely one step up from an inanimate object. A very cute inanimate object, but basically a fucking houseplant nonetheless.
All of a sudden, Marigold was standing up and holding me with her. Her head had bowed slightly so I looked up to see who she was greeting.
A tall, slim man with shoulder-length brown hair tied into a small ponytail stood at the doorway. He was dressed in a simple orange and black suit and he looked... pretty. With freckle dusted cheeks and calm, brown eyes, he made his way over to us.
"Good morning, your grace."
The man paused in front of us and seemed to have his eyes on me.
"Lady Marigold Aphelion, I presume. It is a pleasure to meet you." His voice was smooth and calm, like an untouched lake. Although that does sound like a compliment, he also had the air of someone who could murder his wife and get away with it. "Your highness," He bowed fully towards me. A cute, babbling houseplant.
"What do we owe the pleasure?" The woman sounded almost frightened by the prospect of the man's visit.
He cleared his throat slightly before continuing to speak. "I have been sent by his majesty to inspect the princess." His brown eyes roamed over me once again.
"With all due respect to his majesty," Mari began. Oh no. Never, in the history of man, has any words following that statement been respectful or a good idea. "Why has the king not paid a visit to the princess himself."
Damn Marigold. I didn't think you had it in you. On a related note, I'm pretty sure she's about to be beheaded and dead in a moment. I'm glad I met you, Mari. You will be truly missed.
"His majesty has been rather busy as of late." I think both Mari and I could tell what the man was really thinking. Something along the lines of 'where does this blonde bitch get off talking about the king like that?'
"eyo! I ehie!" Which translates to, 'No! My Mari!' Nobody speaks to Marigold like that. The audacity. I will rearrange his respiratory system in alphabetical order and eat it.
The audacity man (new name) sparred me a small glance before diverting his attention to the sweet woman. "He had also sent me to remind the staff that the royal family will be having their family annual family portrait in exactly six months. I left the instructions for the princesses attire on the housekeepers' desk."
It was obvious that Marigold highly disliked the man. I don't blame her! All my time watching true crime will finally be put to use once I murder him. I guarantee that he murdered his wife.
As nobody spoke, the man began to make his way back to the door. "I shall continue with my expectation of the palace. It was a pleasure, Lady Marigold."
Just before he closed the doors behind him, Mari quickly replied. "The pleasure was mine, your grace." And the heavy wooden doors shut.
After a few moments, Marigold sat back down again.
"You should remember this day, Princess." I had no idea what she was talking about. I mean, I was going to regardless since it was the most exciting day I'd had after four months of being here. "That is his grace, Duke Wylon Bessard, and he just highly disrespected you."
Honestly, I don't know how but I don't need to know how. Usually, I wouldn't care but as of now, I am a princess of a kingdom. Technically disrespecting me right now, as a babbling houseplant, will lead to bigger issues in the future. Also, that kind of hurt my feelings so someday I will make him rue the day he disrespected me.
After I'm not a houseplant.