"You look beautiful, Your Highness." Complimented Caila with a sincere smile, watching her Lady as the seamstress adjusted the gown Marona was wearing for her Coronation, minding her own business. Marona had almost not heard Caila had it not been the last second that she pulled herself down to earth. She offered a tight smile, trying to seem genuine but it was proving extremely hard to do so. The nerves were getting the best of her.
Calm down Marona. She told herself, sucking in a deep breath which was just as hard given how tight the seamstress had pulled her corset. You have been preparing for this day for ages. You can do it. just like mother did.
Mother…
She hadn't thought of her mother in the last few dyas, having no time to think of anything at all. But now that the thought had crossed her mind, it clenched her heart. It took her a long while to realize why she felt so stiff while thinking about her mother now.
She resented her.
"Your Highness, are you alright? You look pale-"
"May I have a minute to myself?" Marona cut in with a tight smile, stopping the seamstress mid-way. Caila did not need to be told twice. Seeing the discomfort on her Lady's face, she knew she needed it. Even if the seamstress had other ideas.
"But Your Highness, the dress isn't done yet. Just a few more minutes and-"
"I'm sure you can get back to it in a while. Her Highness isn't going anywhere until she is fully dressed." So saying, Caila nudged the lady on her shoulder, slowly ushering her out until they were out of the massive dressing room.
Marona released a sigh of relief, which wasn't very relieving at all given the tight corset.
After spending hours pinching me, she says she's still not done. What has she been doing this whole time then?
Shaking her head in disbelief, Marona walked towards the table that held a pitcher of water, trying to ease her nerves somehow. But she never made it to the pitcher, for her attention had been divided to something else in her room.
The portrait of her Mother, the former Queen.
Queen Rebecca stood with all her elegance and might. Her presence in the portrait alone speaking how regal she was in every way possible. She was every bit of a Queen, a mother to this nation.
But not as much to her own children.
Now standing directly before her mother's portrait, Marona stared up at her face, swallowing the spit that was forming in her mouth, but the hatred that was bubbling to the surface was unable to be swallowed.
After leaving me alone with this secret, how could you do this to us? How could you do this to them?
Unbeknownst to her, a single tear slid down her eyes, resting on her cheeks that had been dusted with rose powder to increase the flush on her cheeks.
You don't want them to know, at the same time you made them risk their lives for me. What are they to you? You knew exactly what war does to Chiffery, and Zoronus was still a child, why rob them of their youth?
"Heartless." She whispered, angry wiping away the tear as she could feel her mother's voice in her head.
I did what I had to, to protect the throne. To protect you. Chiffery and Zoronus knew the risk when they agreed to it.
"Then you should have told them the secret." Marona seethed, a bitter scoff leaving her lips. "But you didn't. You are a coward."
The voice disappeared after that, leaving the red haired girl all on her own as she breathed in and out, calming herself down.
While Marona stood there all on her own blaming her mother for reasons unknown, Mimin, on the other hand, stared at the pocket watch in his hands that had a tiny sketch of his father, a proud smile on his face. "Wish me luck, father. I shall be taking my first steps as King very soon."
The young man was in his room in the Palace that was offered to the delegation of Hucklebee. Yes, the three Prince of Hucklebee were in Hallowywoods. And yes, it was Mimin's coronation as well.
Because the two nations shared a fate that brought them closer than Austin and Zoronus's birth did, to show solidarity, the two nations had decided to hold their coronations together, crowing the two most largest nations at the same time.
It was a historic moment, and delegations from all across the world were here to see it, even the vessel states under Hallowywoods and Hucklebee. Never had a time come where two nations showed support for one another in this way. Because doing this meant much more than what the Princes and Princesses were told. This meant family.
And yet, the three brothers were still to see the three sisters and vice versa, or at least Mimin and Marona have to. Minder had already met Chiffery and so did the girl although unaware she may be, and so did Zoronus and Austin. Now the only ones left to meet, were Mimin and Marona.
So per the customs, The Royal family of Hallowywoods had offered to host the Coronation, so here there were, staying at one of the subsidiary Palaces own by the three sisters to get prepared themselves.
"I hope I'm at least half as good as you father." Mimin continued with his eyes turning glassy, missing his parents at this auspicious occasion more than anything. "I wish mother and you were here."
The moment is ruined as the double doors to his room is pushed open with force, and in stormed a fuming Austin, fully dressed for the occasion.
"I cannot believe the audacity of that girl!" He fumed with anger, slumping down on the couch while Minder followed behind him, laughing to himself at the youngers expanse. "Was she that terrible?"
"Do you need ask!?" Austin asked dramatically which only made Minder chuckle. "She dared laugh at me! At me! Although I told her I was a Prince from the neighbouring Kingdom! What sort of ladies do they have here!?"
"What happened" Mimin finally stepped in, the pocket watch disappearing from view. While Austin continued to fume, Minder retold the story. "He met a lady at the meadow. Apparently she disrespected him by 'laughing' at him, although he made it very clear that he was a 'Prince'."
"You told him you are a Princess?" Marona asked in shock, staring dead beat at Chiffery who was still fuming after her encounter at the riverside. Zoronus stifled a laugh, earning a glare from the blonde which didn't faze her a bit.
While the two younger didn't seem affected a bit by the encounter, Marona sighed in disbelief, her past emotions towards her mother disappearing at the mere company of her beloved sisters. "Chiffery, you don't go around telling people you are a Princess. What if he was dangerous?"
"That's what I told her." Zoronus mentioned with a shake of her. "What if he was a bandit? He would have abducted you and asked for ransom on the coronation day of all days."
"She wasn't a thief!" Austin exclaimed, silencing his brothers as a blush crept its way into his cheeks. "She was to pretty to be a thief."
"Oh so now we judge people based on their looks?" Mimin asked incredulously, baffled at his younger brother's stupidity. And to think he was the General of their Army.
Austin stood up with his hands raised, ready to defend himself. "Look I- I don't mean it that way."
"You sure meant it that way." Austin didn't miss to glare at Minder before he continued. "She really wasn't a thief. She was dressed in riding gear suited for nobility. She's from the high society."
"Perhaps even Royalty." Chiffery added, making her sisters give her the look. Marona couldn't believe what her sister had done on the first day of her being Queen. And she wasn't even Queen yet. "You are saying you might have met one of the Royalty present in our Lands? There are at least seven Royal family delegations present at the moment."
"Speaking of Royalty," Zoronus begin, a sly smirk on her lips as she walked to the table holding liquor before pouring herself a glass. "I met someone myself today."
This made Marona and Chffery exchange a look as the two asked at the same time. "Who?"
With the smirk still present, Zoronus took a sip before replying. "Prince Austin."
"Princess Chiffery! The Princess Chiffery!? The sister of Crown Princess Marona?" Austin asked in disbelief, Mimin masking his reaction. Minder laughed lightly, watching the amber liquid in his glass as he swirled it around, thinking back to his encounter with the doll like Princess.
"Well?" Mimin asked. "What happened?"
Taking another sip of the liquor, Minder spoke with a smile grazing his lips at the memory of Chiffery, not even sure why he was so fascinated by her. "She almost lost her life on her sister's coronation to a snake. I killed it, but she thought I tried to kill her."
"You don't say!" Marona and Chiffery gasped dramatically, hands on chest as they walked toward the raven-haired girl in slow steps, their large gowns slowing their movements. Zoronus nodded. "Indeed. He thought I tried to run him over with my horse."
"And then? How did you know it was Prince Austin?"
At this, Zoronus stared at Chiffery with a silly smile. "Because you and he might be very similar in foolishness."
"What did you just say?"
"He introduced himself to me to threaten me, just like you, Chiffery."
"She did that? She? Princess Chiffery?" Mimin asked in between laughter while Austin smacked his own forehead in both their foolishness. "And I thought only I was the stupid one."
"Princess Chiffery was the one behind the coup to capture the traitors of Hallowywoods." Minder mused, still remencing his memories with her. "She isn't known for being stupid. She must have been taken by surprise."
"Or…" Mimin suddenly begin with a teasing smirk on his face. "She might have fallen for you on first sight."
"Is that all you could come up with?" Zoronus asked with a deadbeat expression, staring at her two sister's giggling like hyenas within themselves as the created scenarios up in their heads. Meanwhile all Zoronus did was shake her head in disbelief, wondering if she really was the younger sibling or them.
But as the two girls continued with their imagination, Zoronus zoned out, recalling the incident in her head as she remembered the young Prince and the surprise on his face when she almost ran over him.
He was…breath taking.
With his brown hairs a tousled mess from riding in the wind, he looked like he had jumped out of a painting from the finest artist. His eyes the colour of the ocean clashed against that of her emerald green, and she felt herself falling in a hole until his unsavoury mouth opened and the very unsavoury words spilled out. That was the reality she needed to pull herself out of the hole.
Too full of himself.
Too full of herself indeed.
Minder thought about Chiffery, shaking away the thoughts clouding his brain as he laughed along with his brothers. But no matter how much he told himself otherwise, that the Princess, the saviour of her nation, was taking over his mind. All he could think about was when he would meet her again.
And then it hit him.
"The Coronation." He begin, catching the two laughing fools attention. "Princess Chiffery will be there too, won't she? I wonder what her face will look like when she finds out who I am."
"He might as well run for his life while he is still alive." Zoronus threatened, playing with the dagger she always kept with herself. But her sister's weren't having any of it as they smirked, making Chiffery giggle as she said. "Can't wait to see him again huh?"
That did it. Minder jumped on his brothers and tackled them to the ground, which only resulted in more fits of laughter and dishevelled clothing. Their dressmaker will have a fit or faint at the sight of them.
It was only when a knock sounded on the door did the three sisters pull themselves away from each other, Marona preparing herself to give the command. "Come on."
"Your Highness," Came the stern voice of the Seamstress as she walked inside the room with Caila, Reina and Dany in toe. "Shall I finish the final touches?"
It took a full minute for Marona to comprehend what the older lady was saying. She had completely forgotten she was still not entirely dressed. And that truth hit her on the face when she heard a sudden zapping noise, startling both her sisters as Chiffery placed a hand over her mouth while Zoronus gasped.
"What…was that?" Asked the seamstress in caution, walking deeper into the room in slow steps as Marona internally feared her wrath. She hopped no one would speak but of course, Zoronus the great had to mention it.
"I believe," She began with a chuckle as she held back laughter. "Her Highness's dress is about to fall off."
And then, all hell broke loose.