Hazel woke up an hour to dinner time, she didn't have anything to do so she opened the door leading to her quarter's balcony and stepped out, it was exceptionally quiet and calm in the huge palace and the only sounds that could be heard were the chirping of the birds, this quiet silence surrounding her felt lonely to Hazel.
How she desperately she misses her village, this time of night in her village the whole place would still be bustling with life traders would just be coming back from the market, children will be sitting under the huge mango tree in the village center playing and she would be feeding the hens with her parents.
"Are you both currently feeding the hens without me, I miss you so much". How did her life take such a drastic turn within such a short time, this still feels like a dream, if it is then I want to wake up, please wake me up mom, I never wanted to be away from my parents",
Hazel felt something wet fall on her hands and she saw dropped her head to seee that it was a drop of water, she was already crying again, "Mom" she cried for a while longer and only stopped when she heard someone knock on the door.
"Your Highness", Kloy and Anna bowed to her when she got back to the room
"What is it", Hazel asked
"Your Highness, the Royal Mother has requested your presence in the Dinning hall for dinner", Kloy reported
"Okay, can you help me look for something else to change into", Hazel said and entered the wardrobe, Kloy and Anna helped her change into a sapphire blue gown and tied her ear in up in a bun ardorned with a golden phoenix hairpin, while her ears and neck were adorned with a simple string diamond jewelry, and she wore a silver wedge heels.
She walked out of the room with Kloy and Anna, and Marioo and Oliver followed behind, she left her quarters to the Imperial East Wing. The dining hall for the Royal Family and the General meeting room for the family along with the King's Personal quarters were located in the Imperial East Wing. All the maids who saw her on the way bowed to Hazel but she just ignored them like the High chief said, a while later she was standing outside the dining room.
The guard in front of the door bowed to her before announcing her presence, once the King gave permission the door was pushed open and Hazel entered while her maids and guards stayed outside the door
"Evening your Majesty", Hazel bowed to the King and Queen. But both of them were to dumbstruck to reply,
Hazel standing in front of them right now reminded them deeply of her mother Astra. They both had an uncanny resemblance that could be noticed with a single glance, same eyes, same nose, same lips, same body shape, same skin colour and even the same face contour the only thing Hazel got from her father was her hazelnut hair and eye colour, the only difference was that Hazel looked more beautiful than her mother.
The King was the first to recover from his shock and he replied curtly sparing her one more glance.
"Evening my dear, come here", the Royal Mother said smiling happily
"You look so beautiful Sister Hazel", Crown prince Roshan complemented beaming happily.
"I don't remember you ever complementing us like that Crown Prince", Princess Klara pointed out annoyingly
"That's because you have never looked as beautiful as Sister Hazel. The day you or Sister Astrid look as beautiful as her I will compliment you Sister Klara", the Young Prince replied innocently not noticing how ugly Princess Klara and Astrid expression had become upon his comment.
"Sit beside me Your Highness", The Royal mother said
"No, my sister will sit beside me", Crown Prince Roshan commanded had already pulled Hazel to sit beside him before the Royal mother could object. The Royal mother just snorted at him unhappily before they all began eating.
"That's not how a princess eats your Highness", Princess Astrid pointed out mockingly and Hazel lowered her head awkwardly and the two evil sisters just smiled.
They really couldn't stand Hazel's grace and aura which could be felt from a thousand miles away, she didn't look like a girl from a village at all, they didn't know if it was the dress on her but she looked every aspect a dignified Princess and her heavenly beauty further complemented that grace in her, so they just had to find a way to ridicule her and her mannerisms were a perfect way to do that
"Leave her Princess Astrid, the poor girl is not used to all this, she must be feeling so overwhelmed by all this luxury around her", Princess Klara said looking at Hazel's embarrassed expression
"You are right about that Sister, she has never had the luxury to be taught basic etiquettes and you can take the girl out of the village but you can never take the village out of the girl", Princess Astrid added and they both burst into laughter.
"Stop it you both, this is a dining table", Royal mother yelled obviously pissed by the insolent brats in front of her and they both quickly shut up.
"Is this what you taught your daughters, Marah", the Royal Mother said turning to the queen. Queen Marah glared at her daughters "why do this two idiots always have to get me scolded by Queen Dowager",
"I am sorry Royal Mother, I will discipline them properly", she apologized to the Royal Mother awkwardly.
"You better do or I will discipline them for you, and you both apologize to Hazel now", The Royal Mother ordered
"Your Highness do we have to apologize to her" Princess Astrid asked in shock.
"No you don't have to apologize to her, I think you should fall on your knees and touch her feet instead. What do you think", The Royal Mother scorned
"No mother they will apologize to her", Queen Marah quickly said and whispered to her daughters
"If you both don't apologize to Hazel, forget about only kneeling the Royal mother is going to have the both of you on house arrest as well. So just apologize and get this over with", the two princesses looked at each other uncomfortably before turning to Hazel
"Sorry",
"Is that how to apologize", the Royal mother yelled glaring at the two girls
"We are sorry Hazel, please forgive us", They both quickly said, what they were afraid of the most was their grandmother's anger, The Queen Dowager anger was ruthless.
"Its okay", Hazel replied but she couldn't stomach anymore food after the whole facade
"I am done Grandmother", she said turning to the Royal Mother
"No sis you haven't even had half the meal", "you know what I will feed you", Roshan said and picked up the spoon on Hazel's plate
"Come on open your mouth aahh", Hazel smiled gratefully before opening her mouth, what if her stepsisters and stepmother hated her, she had the cutest brother in the world. The rest of dinner passed in silence and once they were done, the King and Queen were the first to leave then the two Princesses.
"My dear I am quite tired, So I will go to bed now let's talk tomorrow okay", The Royal mother said standing up.
"Alright Grandma, Goodnight", Hazel replied and the Royal Mother walked out steadily.
"Shouldn't you also go to bed now, Prince Roshan", Hazel asked turning to her brother as they walked out of the hall.
"U hmm, I will go now but my face will be the first one you will see tomorrow so you better wake up on time"
"Okay I will your highness, goodnight", Hazel bid and Roshan replied smiling before walking away with his Personal maids and guards, Hazel watched him leave before walking out of the Imperial East wing as well.
"The night sky is beautiful tonight and weather is strangely soothing too" Hazel said looking at the night sky with her arms wrapped around herself.
"I want to take a stroll Kloy, can I", Hazel informed her maid
"Yes of course your Highness let's go", Kloy replied and they all walked closely behind her. Hazel took a walk around the Palace gardens and only went back to her quarters when she became tired.
Kloy and Anna helped her with her night routines and left her alone for the night once they were done. Hazel kept on turning and tossing on the bed unable to fall asleep, she was able to sleep in the afternoon because she was tired from the long journey and all the crying she had done but now she was unable to sleep, there was nothing she could do so she just looked up at the ceiling, she finally fell asleep after a while.