Alexia
Unfortunately, Princess Charlotte wouldn't even let me open the window to see outside, making me extremely sad. As the carriage moved forward I felt more anxious for when we would get off the ship.
I wiggled my fingers endlessly rubbing them together, my heart was anxious, it was as if my spirit was crying out for adventure, something to show me what life was like outside the palaces, anything at all, that was what I was looking forward to, a taste of the world.
We got off at the landing and I looked out at the vast sea in front of me before the stablesman threw me the princess's bags so I could take a percentage, there was jewelry, dresses and gifts for the king and queen of Olympus of which it took three carriages to make it all tragic.
When we climbed in and I could finally breathe I could look out to sea, standing near the edge I felt a mixture of ecstasy and fascination at the sight, the smell of the sea air, the rocking of the boat was better than anything I had ever heard about it.
When it got dark we had to take shelter in the bowels of the ship as the waves were a little rough, we received the news that we arrived in the morning in Olimper and I prepared Charlotte's bed so that she would sleep early, but the woman seemed too restless to relax, in another of her outbursts she shouted at a sailor giving orders, but the man who smells of drink did not seem to like the tone of voice of the princess.
"Come on, you have to obey me!" She shouted, he twisted his mouth with since.
"The princess doesn't know the high seas, does she?" He asked with a smile causing another sailor to crack a smile as well.
"You work for the crown!" She vociferated angrily, the princess' pale face had taken on a strong shade of red, almost like ripe tomatoes.
"No, we work for ourselves. We are mercenaries."
Charlotte alternated her gaze between them and it seemed that for the first time I saw the fear in her eyes, I pulled the princess in.
"Don't mess with her!" I said with a harsh tone of voice stepping in front.
He made a surprised expression which I took as mockery.
"This girl has more courage than the princess" The man with the thick beard left the wall where he was leaning and approached, turned my chin a little and lowered his hand "You are prettier than her too!"
" What did you say?" Charlotte's tone of voice became sharp.
" No one wants to mess with you, but I think you should sleep." He said already fed up.
I pulled the princess' arm and took her to her room and closed the door quickly, when I turned around I just felt the hard slap on my face. I put my hand on my face and looked at her in shock, I raised my hand and for a moment of lucidity when I saw her lower it I stopped.
I took a deep breath and then I exploded.
"I hate you! You are cruel, a disgusting person and nobody likes you, people only tolerate you so they don't die or get punished. No one would miss you if I threw you into the sea today and I'm sure the prince of Olimper will hate this wedding more than you because you are a spoiled and unbearable woman and you know what, you can tie me to a vine that I don't care anymore!" I huffed nervously "Just don't ever touch my face again!"
She looked at me in shock.
"What did you say?"
"I'm not going to say it again" I said still affronted, but afraid my voice would fail me I started to become aware of the things I had said.
"No one has ever talked to me like this before, you'll die when we get to dry land! Do you think you are useful? That someone will take care of you if you die?"
I looked at her with a mixture of dread and anger.
"Then I'll leave you alone with the sailors" I said angrily.
"You will die!" She said cheerfully.
" You shrew!" I said with disdain.
"Shut up and listen to me!" She walked hurriedly towards me and continued speaking "You're going to die and so am I!"
I frowned without understanding, the princess was without any notion or logic which made me worried about her mental sanity.
"Listen to me carefully, you will marry Prince Stephen in my place" She took my hands and I pulled them away.
"I don't understand!"
"But you will soon, it's a very simple plan. No one knows my face outside the castle and yours even less, we will arrive in Olimper and you will pretend to be me, you will marry Stephen and then you will die a week after your wedding. That will be enough time for me to disappear with George and marry him."
"No, that's crazy!" I said incredulously.
"I know, but there's no other way!"
"For you who are destined to marry the heir of Olimper."
"And for you too, you are the daughter of a cook and a servant who are not even alive anymore and worse, you are my servant which makes you bound to me and the castle walls. You are not even allowed to be anything else in life other than my servant because you know too much about royalty, you will never set foot outside the castle and you know it, are you going to die with this dream while I am giving it to you with kissed hands? Think about it, if you pretend to be me for a week I will give you the support to get you out of the castle, I will give you so much money that you will not worry about working for the rest of your life, you will be able to enjoy, get married, rebuild your life from scratch."
"Travel the world" I said and suddenly my thoughts went far away, to the hundreds of places and stories I had heard about.
"That's it" She shook her head excitedly and continued "You'll just have to pretend to be me for a week and then, I'll fake your death and get you out of there."
"What about your parents? Will you never see them again?"
The cheer seemed to have gone out of her face a little.
"No, that's a price I'll have to pay for love," she said firmly, "Just like disowning my name."
I looked at her in disbelief and I could have gone crazy, but I would die hoping that maybe, this plan would work and at the end of it all I would be free because living my whole life as Charlotte's servant seemed like death to me.
"It seems that fate looked at us both tonight and laughed, I must be crazy, but I don't want to die without even trying!"