Rhiannon woke up with a gasp, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.
Another nightmare... She realized as she looked around her chamber. The morning light was just starting to filter in through the window, casting a warm glow on the room. She reached for the cup of water on the table beside her bed and took a long sip, trying to calm herself down.
As she set the cup back down, her gaze fell on the portrait hanging on the wall. It was a family photo that had been taken years ago when her parents and little brother were still alive. Rhiannon's eyes filled up with tears as she looked at their smiling faces. How cruel it was for them to die and leave her behind, trapped under the oppressive wings of her relatives.
Just as she was about to break down and cry, loud knocks interrupted her thoughts. "Princess Rhiannon? Princess Rhiannon?!" her old nanny and handmaid called from outside the door.
"Go away! I'm not awake!" Rhiannon yelled back, pulling the covers over her head. But the knocks continued, insistent and loud. "My lady, you need to get up!" her nanny shouted.
Rhiannon groaned in annoyance. She hated being woken up early, especially when she had, had a bad night. "Shuu! Go away, nanny. You are disturbing a princess's beauty rest!" she shouted back, hoping they would leave her alone.
And with that, the knocks subsided and Rhiannon exhaled a sigh of relief... Finally! She was free...
And just as she was about to shut her eyes, the door banged open revealing Rhiannon's nanny and handmaid who rushed in with frantic expressions on their faces. "My lady, you need to get up immediately!" the nanny said, her voice trembling.
Rhiannon sat up, suddenly alert. "What is it? What happened?"
"My lady, your uncle the king wants you down within some minutes, he requests your presence immediately in the dining room, and the reason is unknown". The old nanny explained while Rhiannon's handmaid was already pulling off the bed covers from her body.
Rhiannon glared at them and then snatched the bed covers from her handmaid, placing them back on her body. "Tell your king that I am in no mood to appear before him. I need my rest!". Rhiannon could see how the faces of her old nanny and handmaid turned pale and she rose a questioning brow at them.
"We can't, princess!". Amelia, the handmaid exclaimed with wide eyes as she stared at the princess who was sending them to an early grave. "Your uncle would have our heads even before we can explain, please get up princess." She begged but the princess was adamant, still on the bed and glaring at them.
There was no way she was getting out of bed. Rhiannon rolled her eyes and then lay on the bed again.
"My princess please, for the sake of our lives... The King wishes to see you immediately in the dining room," her old nanny pleaded.
When Rhiannon saw the looks of fear and anxiety etched on their faces, she sighed. "Very well, go prepare my bath," Rhiannon grumbled and then folded her hands with a frown on her face.
Her old nanny and handmaid's faces lit up with happiness. The old nanny quickly nudged Amelia to go prepare a bath while she goes to sort out the princess's dress for the day.
Rhiannon closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to shake off the grogginess and nightmare that clung to her like a heavy cloak. She knew that the King would not summon her to his presence for a good reason, and the fact that her nanny and handmaid looked so worried only added to her anxiety.
As she waited for her bath to be prepared, Rhiannon swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She stretched her arms above her head and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She knew that she had to be alert and ready for whatever was to come.
When her bath was ready, Rhiannon stepped into the warm water and let out a sigh of contentment. The heat of the water seeped into her bones, easing the tension from her muscles. As she washed, she thought about what the King might want from her this time. The last time he had summoned her was for the reason of selling her off in the name of a marriage alliance and she had been so smart and had done horrible things to those men, to escape it so many times... And she would do it again if such a case arises again.
After her bath, Rhiannon's old nanny and handmaid helped her dress in a gown of deep emerald green, which brought out the color of her green eyes. They brushed her blonde hair until it shone like gold in the sunlight.
Rhiannon's green eyes were like two precious gemstones, sparkling and vibrant in the light. The deep emerald color of her irises was rich and intense, like the forest at the height of summer. Around the iris, a thin ring of lighter green added depth and dimension to her eyes, drawing the viewer in. When she was happy or amused, her eyes would crinkle at the corners, giving her a mischievous look.
But when she was focused or determined, her eyes would darken, becoming almost emerald-black in their intensity. Despite their beauty, her eyes also held a hint of sadness, as if she carried weight beyond her years.
And then she began to personally apply lighter makeup to highlight her beauty. Her hand moved with precision and confidence as she applied just the right amount of powder and rouge to her cheeks, emphasizing their natural rosy glow. Her long, blonde hair fell in soft waves around her face, framing her features like a halo of sunshine. She smiled to herself, admiring her reflection in the mirror.
That was the only thing that made her the upper hand over her cousin in the palace - Her beauty.
Of course, Rhiannon knew that beauty was not the only weapon in her arsenal. She was also clever, sharp-tongued, and had a knack for finding weaknesses in her enemies. Today, she would need all of her skills to deal with her uncle, his wife, and his daughter.
"Can you help me bring my father's ring and my mother's necklace?" Rhiannon asked her old nanny and handmaid, who were watching her with admiration.
The two women quickly complied, bringing her the gold ring and emerald necklace that had belonged to her parents. This was the only possession of her parents that were in her hold, the rest were locked up and taken away by her evil uncle.
Rhiannon carefully put on the ring, sliding it onto her forefinger, and then fastened the necklace around her neck, feeling its weight against her skin. She looked at herself in the mirror again and nodded, satisfied with her appearance.
"So beautiful," Rhiannon murmured to herself, tipping her chin up with pride. Her old nanny and handmaid exchanged a knowing smile, accustomed to Rhiannon's self-confidence.
"Let's go, princess," Amelia said, offering her arm. Rhiannon took it, and together they left the room, walking in elegant steps towards the dining room where her evil relatives awaited her.
****
Rhiannon's handmaid, Amelia, quickly released the princess's hand once they were out of her chambers. She stepped back to let the princess walk in front of her, following the rules of decorum that were expected of her. Rhiannon walked in her elegant steps, chin tipped up with pride, and a few maids who were walking in the corridor gave her a little bow as they passed by.
As they approached the door to the dining room, Rhiannon's steps faltered, her expression of confidence slowly falling away as she faced the closed door and her eyes swirling with many emotions. Her hands balled into fists, and she took in deep breaths to calm her nerves. She forced a smile on her face, turning to face her old nanny and handmaid.
"How do I look?" Rhiannon asked, seeking their approval.
"As beautiful as ever, my princess," her old nanny praised, a smile on her face.
"The most beautiful in the lands, my lady," Amelia added, bowing her head.
Rhiannon nodded, pleased with their responses. She turned the doorknob and entered the room, trying to maintain her composure despite the growing sense of unease she felt. She could feel the eyes of her cousin and mother on her, their gazes sharp and unyielding, as for her uncle? His hypocritical demeanor was already fixed on his face.
"A beautiful morning, your Majesties," Rhiannon curtsied with a sweet smile plastered on her face.
"You are late!" Rhiannon's uncle, the king, said with a hard and firm voice, then dabbed his mouth as he took in her makeup and dress. The dining room turned quiet as the other two people in the room dropped their cutlery as they stared hard at Rhiannon.
Rhiannon's smile was still intact, and she proceeded to take her seat in the room far away from her relatives, signaling for a waiting-maid to begin serving her meal, ignoring her uncle's words. She could see her cousin's eyes darken as she scrutinized her and Rhiannon's smile widened.
That was one of the plans... Look on sister!
As the waiting maid served her meal, Rhiannon took a sip of water, and her uncle cleared his throat, demanding her attention.
"Oh I am sorry uncle, I forgot you just spoke". Rhiannon said feigning an air of innocence. and then sighed as though she was hurt. "The way you keep tabs on me scares me, uncle, it makes me feel as though I am your wife and such thoughts make me cringe". She shivered and then pulled her tongue out showing her disgust. Her cousin almost choked on her water as she heard Rhiannon's words while her aunt was already flaring up.
"How dare you? Did your late mother not tutor you on basic manners!?". Lilith, her aunt barked as she stood up, her chair screeching on the cold tiles. Rhiannon's expression turned cold as she threw a glare at her aunt who was also shooting daggers at her.
Trying to compose herself, she said in a low but hard tone. "And I wasn't speaking to you, wife to the king!". Lilith was about to pounce on her when the King raised his hands for her to stop.
Lilith heaved in anger as she pointed at Rhiannon whose face was already infuriated. "Did you see that? Your stupid niece has no manners. She dares to speak back at me, the Queen !". She emphasized the last word and Rhiannon clenched her fists under the table but on the surface, she was calmly looking at her barking aunt.
"Enough!" The king's voice boomed across the room, silencing everyone. "I will not tolerate any more of this behavior. We are here to have a peaceful breakfast and discuss matters of the kingdom, not to argue and insult one another." He took a deep breath and looked around the table, his eyes landing on Rhiannon. "And you, my dear niece, must learn to respect your elders and superiors. Your behavior is unbecoming of a princess."
Here it was... The hypocrisy. Rhiannon turned to look at her hypocritical uncle, the man she loathed with the breathing air in her. A man who acted as a loving and caring uncle on the surface and for the world to see, but in secret was a venomous snake who had killed her parents and only brother and is also slowly preparing to bite and kill her at any given opportunity.
Rhiannon knew better than to argue with him, so she bit her tongue and nodded her head in compliance. "Of course, uncle," she said through gritted teeth, her hands still balled into fists under the table.
"You didn't answer me, Rhiannon," the King repeated, his voice firm.
Rhiannon turned slowly to face him, her expression carefully neutral. She knew better than to show any sign of weakness or hesitation in front of her uncle. Instead, she took a deep breath and forced a smile onto her face.
"A thousand apologies, my lord," she said, her voice smooth and controlled. "I must have been lost in thought. What was it that you asked me?". She feigned another ignorance and could see the jaw of her uncle ticking in anger. She gave further a little smile as she took in the expression of her uncle who knew she was deliberately annoying him.
The King's eyes narrowed, but he didn't press the matter. Instead, he took a sip of his wine and glanced around the table, his gaze lingering on Rhiannon's aunt and cousin.
"Tell me," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "What have you been doing all day?"
Rhiannon reached up and began to rub the emerald necklace on her neck, making sure her uncle, aunt, and cousin noticed it.
She could feel the emotions running through her aunt and cousin's eyes, and they slowly looked away. Her uncle, however, remained focused on her, his eyes boring into hers.
"I have been in my room, contemplating on how to snatch back the kingdom, my lord," she said, her voice calm and measured.
The room fell into a heavy silence as Rhiannon's words hung in the air. The only sound was the faint clinking of silverware against fine china as her aunt and cousin froze in shock. The king, however, narrowed his eyes and leaned forward in his seat.