ヾ ₍ ⸙ᰰ۪۪ CHAPTER ONE ──̇─̇─̇─❒͡ a strange beginning; Audrey's younger sister, and an attempt to discover more . . .᭢⠀
After about ten minutes trying to find something in the closet — which looked more like a miniature shopping mall than anything else, I must add as a good narrator — for Audrey Rose to wear that wasn't pink, tacky, or where the fabric didn't seem like a personal torture in her quest to be majestic (which I found ridiculous since she was just a damn teenager), I simply gave up on that idea. So, I dignified myself by brushing my hair, applying an expensive cream to help with the frizz, tying it in a low ponytail, brushing my teeth, putting on a beige robe over my floral pajamas, and leaving my room. And all of this while ignoring the birds singing outside my window.
To my surprise, there was a butler to accompany me to the dining room — I confess I found it a bit strange at first, however, upon seeing the size of the table, I understood perfectly why that area was used for meals —, which I promptly refused to allow the man to take my arm.
I almost reverted my actions upon seeing the confused expression that covered the blond man in a suit's face, but Ipushed that thought down as deep as I could, and followed him to the designated place in complete silence, noting the path to manage to navigate the castle by myself next time.
I am perfectly capable of walking alone, thank you very much.
That said… what on earth do two princesses need with a feast for breakfast? There was so much food on the large table — I could say the piece of furniture was roughly nine meters long and two meters wide, but math, unfortunately, is not my favorite subject —that I was sure it could feed at least three families.
This can only be a rich people or movie thing, because in no other world do two girls need that much food at eight in the morning.
And seriously… who wakes up at eight in the morning on a Saturday, for the love of God? And yes, I am agnostic. Sue me for being born into a family of religious lunatics, feel free.
Before the memory of my religious mother had the chance to dominate my thoughts for the next few hours, I resurfaced — whenever I got lost in my mind, I tended to compare it to the feeling of being underwater, getting deeper depending on the power of my memories —, when my ears picked up on a feminine voice, one that I was almost sure belonged to Audrey's sister.
- "Do you think Mommy and Daddy will send me to Auntie's cabin?" - The voice was soft as a summer breeze, but it sounded sad as if the answer to her question was already manifesting right before her eyes. The volume was also low, in a way that I could only hear it thanks to the silence in the large room. It was almost as if the girl were saying goodbye.
What the hell was happening?
- "Rise, I don't want to leave." - Another pause followed, and I could see her holding back tears with alarming ease. - "I'm scared."
- "Sweetheart, you're not going to be sent away for something like this." - Another feminine voice said, this one with a heavier timbre, but even she seemed a bit doubtful of her words, as genuine as her tone was, evidently trying to alleviate the girl's doubts. - "Your mother would never let that happen, trust her a little more."
This situation was beginning to irritate me.
Tired of this, I finally made a noise to announce my presence, clearing my throat unnecessarily, which caught the attention of both, who were so focused on each other that they didn't even notice me approaching the large table with a butler by my side.
The two women raised their chins in the next instant, turning to look in my direction, and I didn't hesitate to analyze them: they were close to each other, which explained the low tone used; the older woman, who could only be the maid, was next to the girl, holding a porcelain kettle with a surprised expression on her face, and the girl at the end of the table, looking to be without appetite.
The woman wore a uniform that I only now realized was quite similar to that of the butler, the predominant colors in the fabric being dark blue and silver white, along with some small golden details on the sleeves and the names stitched near the chest of each employee, being an obvious way of identification.
The older woman had her hair perfectly pinned in a high hairstyle, a bun that held her wild red hair, flaunting some white strands that betrayed her age to curious eyes. The light makeup on her face was something I looked at for a moment longer, mainly surprised that I was able to notice such a thing, something that wasn't the case in my 'past life.' The bun was accompanied by a fabric tiara that adorned her intense red hair, something I found quite elegant.
The girl was a bit simpler, despite the elegant dress she wore, it seemed to be for the brunette to wear at home; the fabric was long and perhaps even dragged on the floor when she walked, and the sleeves were equally long, which reminded me of the medieval dresses I saw when I went to a cosplay event with my nerd cousin — it wasn't an offense, it was a fact, and Leonardo would hardly be offended by being called a nerd, as I was one too when it came to superhero comics, and I'm not afraid or ashamed to say that.
However, the color of the dress seemed worn out, almost as if it had seen a good number of years of use, despite the good state of the outfit — something that gave me a pang of envy, as I, unfortunately, was not the best example of a person who took care of clothes. Or maybe it was just my imagination running wild, and I was just assuming too much.
Unlike the redhead beside her, there was no hairstyle holding her long hair, as the strands were slightly damp, indicating she had bathed recently. And there was no trace of makeup on her face, which was already beautiful naturally.
Before I had the chance to utter a single word, in an attempt to find out what had happened that was so bad to leave the younger girl so worried, the maid spoke first: "Are you feeling better, Miss Audrey?" - The use of the character's name, though already expected, still made me grimace in response; my lower lip naturally pouted, and I shut my eyelids for a brief moment as if I had been suddenly burned.
Apparently, my reaction was the worst possible, as the red-haired woman seemed concerned upon seeing her, almost in a panic if I observed closely, and it didn't take long for her to start apologizing. Realizing this, I raised one of my hands, asking her to stop, and that's exactly what she did, closing her lips as if I had just recited a magic spell to seal them.
- "There's no need to apologize, Roselina." - The maid showed such surprise at the fact that I knew her name, even though it had been right there next to her chest, in elegant golden cursive handwriting, that a feeling of anger quickly overtook my body.
Gods, how was Audrey acting with these people, after all? She couldn't be that mean… or could she?
I pushed the thought aside, along with the persistent feelings, making a mental note to think about such things later.
- "Just…" — I paused for a moment, wondering if my next choice was the right one. However, I was sure I wouldn't be able to respond to the name Audrey.
I'm sorry, Audrey Rose Beauty, but that's not going to happen. Your name is not mine; it's yours. And as I intend to change the things you did and were going to do throughout the franchise, I'll start with that.
"I ask that, from now on, you call me Dreya. Or Drey. I don't mind which one." — I suddenly stopped when I remembered the butler near the entrance of the dining room, silently observing the scene. Somehow, I knew he was listening intently to that conversation. Sorry, you will choose. Just pick any of those and we'll be fine.
Silence reigned for a long five minutes, which made me uncomfortable. I was ready to say something when the other princess in the room did me that favor.
- "Sister, are you feeling okay?" - I shifted my attention to the younger one, smiling in her direction in an attempt to convey confidence. Something tells me this only served to scare her.
- "Of course I am!" - I affirmed at a louder volume than was necessary to sound convincing, seeing the brunette flinch for a second. Maybe I could take advantage of this moment to try to discover something. - "Why do you ask?"
The girl bit her lower lip, diverting her gaze to the table. Insecurity was practically shining in her body language. She was thinking about her next words, I was sure of it.
I patiently waited for her decision, this time not minding the silence that dominated the room. When the younger one did, she lifted her chin, trying to appear confident, but I could see the fear dancing in her expression.
- "Are you not… upset?"
I frowned, confused by that question, and I didn't try to mask that feeling from my face, thinking it was better to let such things show. Maybe that would make them speak without fearing my next actions.
- "And why would I be upset?" - I asked simply, but I could see the moment the girl seemed sad with my words, her face falling once again, something that confused me. What was I missing? - "Look, I don't remember much of what happened yesterday. I…" — I stopped, biting my lower lip, thinking once again if it was the right thing to say.
Again, I threw my sense out the window; it was now or never. I couldn't ask the questions I wanted without lying a bit for that, without a good alibi for my memory loss, so let it be.
- "I fell yesterday in the bathroom and I think I hit my head on the sink, but I'm not sure." - I almost laughed openly at the expressions of shock that overtook the faces of the maids, the guards, and the princess. However, I controlled myself. - "So, I apologize if I don't know what to say, I..."
- "Did you hit your head? - Roselina asked, concern dripping from each word. However, what shocked me the most was the speed with which the redhead moved, quickly being by my side, gently touching my head, and paying attention to my movements. - "Miss Audrey, you shouldn't go through something like this without alerting anyone! We must move to the..." —
- "I'm fine, Roselina" - I said, affirming gently, not wanting to be rude to the older woman. The redhead looked at me with a disbelieving expression, yet equally kind, which I didn't imagine could be possible. -"Really. If I feel any pain, I won't hesitate to alert any of you about it."
I raised my hand, resting it on the older woman's, squeezing it in an attempt to convey my feelings to the redhead. I pretended not to see her eyelids widen, an action that served to reveal her surprise at my gesture.
Apparently, I would have to get used to these looks, so I would dignify myself to simply ignore them, or I would have a twitching eye until the end of the day. Or possibly sooner.
Thanks to this, I was quick to return to my previous expression, withdrawing my hand, placing it on my lap, and trying to put a smile on my face.
- "Now, please, I would like to know if something important happened last night." - I asked, and only received a look of pity from the maid, and a sad one from the brunette across the table. - "Something tells me it was important, even though I..."
- "I like girls." - The girl spoke all at once, interrupting me, with such speed that I feared I hadn't understood correctly. A furious blush was spreading across her face, rising from her neck to her cheeks.
Internally, I found that adorable. However, I didn't say anything, not wanting to worsen the situation for younger Rose. I waited patiently for her to speak more, as I caught a glimpse of one of the maids nodding to her, obviously supporting her.
- "And I… I don't want to rule any kingdom." - She shrank back, closing her eyes as if expecting an explosion from me. Which didn't happen. And it wasn't going to happen.
- "That's okay." - I agreed simply, in a soft voice, almost indifferent if seen from another angle. This made the brunette open her eyes in a sudden burst, genuine shock filling her facial lines.
- "That's okay?" - She repeated, completely skeptical, looking at me for the next few seconds, perhaps for nearly two minutes, searching for something, any negative reaction from me. - "You… aren't mad?"
Okay. Maybe I have to say more because this isn't working.
- "No. I'm not. Look, if that's what you want, what you truly want, I don't see why I would be upset, angry, or whatever else." - I waved my hand in the air, making an automatic gesture, a habit I picked up from an old roommate at boarding school. - "As long as you're happy, do what you want. But of course, without hurting or killing anyone. You know, I don't want you to get arrested or anything like that."
Alright. After this disaster I said in succession, I realize that maybe the best thing is for me to talk to people in this universe by letter. I didn't like my voice — or Audrey's voice, I don't care how it's put.
I definitely can't talk like a princess for long.
- "I… don't know what to say." - The brunette murmured, but thanks to the deafening silence around us, I was able to hear her comment without difficulty. - "Last night, you called me promiscuous, yelled at me, asked Daddy and Mommy if you could go live somewhere else, and today you're…" - I could see the edges of her eyes shining, barely holding back the tears that had accumulated.
Wow. Audrey was a terrible sister yesterday, maybe that's why she's being punished for who knows what? Who acts like that when their younger sister is opening up in a way she struggled for years to accept herself? And, in a ratherironic way, I saw myself in that girl.
I had done the same thing years ago when I told my mother about my sexuality, that I was pansexual, and was interested in a schoolmate. That afternoon was so disastrous that my mother almost kicked me out of the house because of how furious and disappointed she was.
Imagine if I had known was polyamorous at the time…
- "You're supporting me." - The last part was said with such strangeness, as if it were something miraculous, impossible, that I had to force myself not to shout. With that, I dignified myself to clench my hand in my lap, turning it into a fist. -"You're not judging me, much less breaking anything. I don't understand."
Screw it. I can't deal with this.
- "I was having a bad day." - I said without thinking much. However, thanks to that, I somehow knew the next thing I would say. - "I wasn't at my best. And that's no excuse for treating you the way I treated you yesterday." - I spoke, convinced of every word, trying to express my thoughts with truthfulness.
I was fully aware that those were not my actions, but rather Audrey's, yet I refused to leave it blank without trying to say anything. I knew exactly what the girl was thinking in that moment of weakness, without her parents or her sister by her side, supporting her as she should have; that there was something wrong with her, that if she had been born differently, maybe everything would be different, maybe her sister wouldn't hate her. I couldn't let her think such things about herself.
I wouldn't be like my mother.
- "I shouldn't have yelled at you, and I promise I will never do that again. Well, I'll try in every way not to do that because I seem to have anger issues." - I murmured the last part more to myself than to the brunette, averting my gaze from her for a brief moment. However, I believe I had managed to convey what I wanted. - "You… do you think you could, one day, forgive me?"
Raising my eyes, I wasn't surprised to see tears falling from the younger one's eyes, wetting her face, allowing her emotions to flow freely, something I wasn't capable of doing at the time I was in a similar situation.
- "I can, I'm sure of it. I think it will take some time until it doesn't hurt anymore, but just you…" - A sniff interrupted her, and she paused for a moment. Raising her palms, she tried to wipe her tears clumsily, in an attempt to make herself more presentable, no matter how impossible it seemed.
Infinite salty drops fell freely down her cheeks, which were now flushed. - "Just you apologizing already hurts less. So, thank you."
- "You don't need to thank me for that, it's the least I can do after treating you so badly yesterday." - I tried to force my memory, searching for any information that could be important. Unfortunately, as I had already expected, there was nothing.
I didn't remember anything that Audrey had said or done the night before, and that left me frustrated. How was I supposed to deal with an alleged memory loss? The excuse of hitting my head wasn't going to save me forever.
- "I'm just… let's say I'm trying to be better. I've been terrible to a lot of people, especially to you, who are my family, so I would like to redeem myself if that's okay with you."
The brunette nodded a few times in my direction, still with her hands raised, wiping her cheeks now in calmer movements, trying to control her emotions. Watching this, I waited until she found herself.
- "I would like that, Dreya." - Hearing the use of my 'new nickname' made me smile, and I could see a small smile beginning to blossom at the corner of the younger one's lips, increasing as she saw my action, appearing genuinely happy.
That girl was an angel. How did Audrey have the audacity to yell at her?
I parted my lips, ready to start a new topic of conversation between us, until I was surprised by the entrance of a messenger into the room, which made me stop, sealing my mouth.
- "Forgive the intrusion, Master Rose" — Ah, how wonderful. Another nickname I won't like. — "But there is someone here to see you."
- "Who?" - I asked, and I felt a curious gaze settle on me, but promptly ignored it, placing all my attention on the new man in the room.
- "The future King of Auradon, Benjamin Florian."
What a load of crap.
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