***
Latrice Evans
"We greet Duchess Latrice Evans and the future Crown Princess, Lady Marissa Braun." The knights saluted us.
"Lattie? I'm not okay with them calling me Crown Princess before I am the Crown Princess." Rissa whispered.
"Future Crown Princess." I spoke as I clasped her shoulders.
"Everyone present here respects you because of how you carry yourself and who you are." I told her.
"You cannot look down on yourself just because there were old dying noblemen who thought and believed that you are not a fit and eligible candidate for the Crown Prince. They have no say in the crown prince's choice and should accept you. And you have to prove them wrong and not let them try and tear you apart like you were a stuffed toy being pulled by multiple kids at the same time." I added as I shook her a bit.
"Prove them wrong." I let out.
"And stop looking down on yourself. You are not unworthy of the title FUTURE CROWN PRINCESS. You are the woman who will stand next to the future emperor and you should behave like one." I explained to her.
She stared at me smiling. Her eyes twinkled as if she was in love.
"Thank you for saying that." she let out hugging me.
"Did something happen?" I asked her.
The way she hugged me felt like she had been through a lot over the past few days. It was like she needed someone to give her reassurance to make her feel better.
The fact that she felt like this made me realise what the problem was...
"What did that wretched woman do?" I asked her as I broke the hug.
"It's nothing." she responded grinning a reassuring smile.
"It doesn't feel like that." I let out.
"It's really nothing." She declared shaking her head as she said these words.
I sighed as I took her hand and took her to my bed chambers on the ship.
"Thomas! Jack! Please come here." I ordered as I dragged Rissa.
We arrived at my Chambers and I sat Rissa down on the sofa as I sat in front of her on the table. Thomas and Jack entered and stood at the door.
"I'm going to ask you again." I let out after minutes of silence.
"Did that wretched thing do something?" I asked calmly.
"Isabelle didn't do anything," Rissa answered sighing.
"Marissa Braun!" I let out angrily.
***
Marissa Braun
Lattie looked at me angrily. Her eyebrows were scrunched towards her nose which created creases in her forehead. Her eyes stared at me with concern and anger. Concerned because she did not know what was wrong and angry because I would not tell her what happened. I... How could u tell her what had taken place? How could I tell her what I had discovered?
***
Two days ago...
"I can't believe my daughter could potentially become the Future Crown Princess." My mother let out as she combed my head.
"Neither can I." I spoke looking up to see my mother smiling at me.
"Your brother will be the future head and you and your sisters will get married." she spoke sadly.
"I hope I can find a nice man for your sister, Mari." my mother told me as she sighed.
My sister Isabelle. She is twenty-four and unwedded. It scared my mother that Isabelle wouldn't ever get married.
"Mother..."
"Please, mother. Do not worry about me."
We turned our heads and Isabelle stood there. She had a snark on her face.
"Why are you standing there?" My mother asked her.
"I was just admiring how Mother cared for us." she answered.
Isabelle was a villain. One you did not want to ever know. She acted like a saint when she really was just evil.
"You look so tired Mother." Isabella told my mother with innocence and care lacing her words.
" I'm okay." my mother let out in a reassuring tone.
"Mother...You should kid." she stated pouting...
"Let's do this." Isabelle offered.
" I'll help Marissa and Mom can go rest." she offered my mother.
She thought about it before agreeing. My mother walked about and Isabelle walked towards me.
"It must be nice." she spoke as she sat on my bed.
"what do you mean?" I asked confused.
"And you think you would make a great empress?" She let out scoffing.
"You know. You do not deserve the title of the future Crown princess, right?" she asked me, as she lay on my bed.
"I don't understand." I tell her.
"Of course, you don't." she mocked me sarcastically.
"Just so you. No one wants you as the Crown princess, because you are nothing but similar to a commoner." she adds.
I bit my lips as I let her words sink in. She did this because she was jealous but... She was right. I was unworthy of the title... But her calling me similar to a commoner was the same as her insulting me.
"Wouldn't that also make you a commoner?" I mocked her back.
"Not for long though." She spoke.
"What?" I asked shocked.
"You heard me." she started smiling menacing before she walked out.
***
"Rissa!" Lattie shouted.
I snapped out of my thoughts and I stared at her.
"I'm sorry." I let out.
"Rissa, It's okay. Just tell me what Isabelle did." She told me calmly and gently.
"She didn't do much but say that I was unfit and her words just ate my thoughts away." I murmured.
"What?" She asked me.
"Huh?" I asked back confused.
"Rissa, Do not murmur, you have to speak up." she told me.
I sighed taking a deep breath before I told her again.
"She said that I was going to be an unfit crown princess and I let that get the best of me. I let my thoughts wander as I thought about how her words were true. I won't think I'm the right per..."
Lattie shut my mouth with her hands and I stared at her confused.
"Rissa! You should stop listening to someone who is yet to get married!" She exclaimed frustrated.
"Isabelle is a jealous bitch that has an inferiority complex that she still needs to become aware of. She added.
"The fact that you listened to her like she was God disappoints me." she added again.
"Your sister is a jealous person and listening to her is like listening to faeces. Can faeces talk?" She asked.
"No they can not." she answered herself.
"I..."
"You nothing. " she interrupted me.
"Your sister needs to get laid because she is clearly not in her right mind." she added.
"It's not that..." I let out softly.
"Then what is it?" she asked me gently.
How could I tell her... How can I say it to her?
"It really is nothing." I tried to reason.
I did not want to tell her... I did not want to see her sad because of me.
"Lattie, I will tell you when I am ready. Okay?" I informed her.
She stared at me and sighed before hugging me.
"Rissa, stop looking down on yourself. It makes me feel pathetic for watching you act that way." Lattie let out.
I gasped as I stared at her shocked. She has said it so calmly that I was at a loss for words.
"That is mean." I informed her.
"It is the truth. Every time I see my best friend act and treat herself this way I feel pathetic." she replied sounding sincere.
"I'll do my best to or even that from now." I promise her.
"You better!" she warned me teasingly.
We stared at each other and Lattie pulled me in for yet another hug.
"I'm always rooting for you." she told me caressing my back.
"I am also rooting for you." I responded.
"I hope you are and will be happy." I added as I hugged her tighter.
"I hope the same for you Rissa." she responded.
We broke the hug and Lattie kissed my forehead.
"Let's do our best on this journey." I tell her.
"Yes. Let's do our best." She responded excitedly.
We got up and we went on a tour of how big and what the ship looked like. Lattie glanced at everyone who was present on the ship as if she were looking for someone important to her. It made me curious who she was looking for.
"Is there someone you need to see?" I asked her.
"Not really." she answered vaguely.
"Are you hiding something?" I asked her curiously.
"it is my secret weapon." she answered sticking her tongue out in a playful manner.
I shook my head as we continued looking around...
The knights and everyone treated us with respect as if we were royalty. Lattie acted the part of a Duchess and everyone respected her for that. I still felt cautious of the title that I would receive and the responsibilities that came with it. I did not want to act ungrateful nor did I want to act graceful. It was a dilemma that I had to figure out before I get married. Would I be of help to him? Can I do my best?
What am I thinking? I shouldn't think this way. Lattie told me I would be a great Crown Princess and I should believe in her and myself.