Abigail looked confused for a moment. The last time Abigail checked, Carol couldn't stand her, what made today any special?
"You should put on your best outfit for today Your Majesty" Adeola smirks.
"Is this a joke?" Abigail slightly turns her head at Adeola instantly making her burst into laughter
"No, Your Highness..." Adeola chuckled
"AH... I see" Abigail verbalized but at the same time, she was unsure of what Adeola had just announced.
30 minutes had passed but to her, it felt like centuries sitting on the chair while occupied with an insane amount of servants fixing her makeup, hair, nails, and dress. As far as she was concerned, she didn't expect the maidens to take this preparation more seriously than she did. She even thought that she was about to get married right there on the spot.
"Your Highness. You look splendid" Adeola lowered her head as she firmly held her shoulder while looking at the mirror. Abigail herself couldn't believe her eyes. She never thought that her natural beauty coexisted with her. Staring at the mirror completely dazed, she smirked and spun round on a spot interrogating the blue flowing dress she had on. She looked completely different...
"Are you ready Your Highness? The king is waiting for you in the dining hall" One of the maidens announced as she entered the room.
"I guess so" Adeola uttered as she kept her head up straight while checking herself out in the mirror.
'Ok... you can do this' She raises her spirits and lets out a breathtaking sigh, ready to leave her room.
After making sure she was ready, the guards opened the door widely exposing the great outdoors. Stepping out of the room with the servants separating to their lane Abigail was led right in front of the door leading to the dining room. As she takes in another deep breath before entering, she holds onto the doorknob and lets herself in with an unnoticeable smile on her face.
The moment she stepped into the dining hall, she was straight away caught off guard.
Instead of Carol, Beatrice was the one sitting right across the dining room and next to her standing was an elderly woman around her 50s. She looked rather classic and elegant as expected.
"You're finally awake. Took you long enough" Beatrice stated standing up from the chair.
"Is she the one that's getting married?" Says the elderly woman
"Yes," Beatrice answered.
Abigail scoffed in frustration seeing her presence. Just looking at her, All Abigail could see was a traitor and betrayal. She couldn't even wish her farewell when she was being sent to the castle, instead, she and the rest of her relatives just watched from their windows as the carriage took her away, with no words to say.
Abigail didn't feel the need to say anything. Instead, she turned her back on Beatrice and took off at a remorseful speed. She wanted to get out of there, she couldn't stand the sight of her sister, not in any way.
"Abigail listen to me-" Beatrice yelled chasing after her but Abigail didn't stop and just ignored her and kept on speed walking
"Can you stop walking?!" Beatrice roared only making Abigail walk faster
"Dad postponed the wedding for tomorrow!" Beatrice spoke as Abigail instantly stopped in her tracks freezing on the spot.
'Marry! Tomorrow' she thought, turning round to face Beatrice. She starts to breathe fast seeing the look on Beatrice's face. For the first time, she wished she was lying but the pitiful and stern look on Beatrice's face only made her point of view more complicated. Abigail was far from shocked. It was bad enough that she was being forced to marry, now, it only got worse and worse every day. It felt like every step she took kept trembling, even happiness was too far from her reach.
"That can't be right Beatrice-" She scoffed and walked up to Beatrice forgetting the reason she was keeping her distance in the first place.
"You're lying. Tell me you're lying!" Abigail roared at Beatrice but her silence was proven. She wasn't lying...
"BEATRICE!" Abigail roared at the top of her lungs, her eyes almost losing touch as she bit her bottom lip out of frustration.
"I- I wish I was lying. But I only got to know that you were gone when I overheard him talking with Carol about postponing the wedding for tomorrow. So he sent me here with Madam Charnel to try on the wedding dress-" Beatrice publicized.
Abigail let out a desolated sigh. She couldn't even think straight only leading her to collapse on the ground. She stares mid-air in silence, almost like she is about to give up. There was nothing she could do, the deals had already been done and no matter how hard she begged her father, it was just a waste of time.
"Dad said I should get you ready for tomorrow and make sure everything runs smoothly," Beatrice stated in a hurtful tone, her voice shaking discomfortingly.
"Your wedding dress is ready. It just needs to be fitted or adjusted" Beatrice continued but Abigail just stared at dawn.
"I'm sorry Abigail. I tried to talk things out with him but Father was acting rather impulsive." she expressed in a regretful tone.
"I hope you understand_" Beatrice hesitated watching her sister pinch herself, but what else could she do? She understood her anger and her frustration in getting married to a man you don't love, but stepping foot in convincing her Father was like forcing a horse to drink water.
Unalarming, Abigail stood to her feet and wiped her tears off.
"I'll give you time to think and process everything-" Beatrice turned her back on her, walking the opposite way.
"If you're looking for him, he's in his study room" Beatrice turned sideways murmuring to Abigail with a serious look on her face before leaving Abigail on her own, standing there lost in words.
_
"We need to talk"