Alexia
"Take these too!" Soraya said, handing Linda five more books.
"I won't be able to read them all this month," I said to Soraya, the day had started less than an hour ago and she had already knocked on my door and demanded that I show up at the library in twenty minutes.
"A month? You've got until the weekend to read them, you have to read them," she said, smiling sideways.
"That's impossible Soraya, there are more than ten books"
"It's not as impossible as the position you're in, that's what being a princess is all about, there's nothing impossible for us!" She said firmly as she walked "I'll train you since you're married to Estevan, you can't embarrass him, you're already taking language lessons as well as etiquette, but there's still a long way to go!"
"I thought princesses only had to organize parties and smile" I said, remembering Charlotte, although I knew she could play fifteen instruments and speak in all languages, most of the time she just walked around the castle irritated giving orders, smiling when convenient or necessary and organizing the parties.
Soraya turned to me with the look of a few friends.
"Don't be inconvenient, don't say what you think and keep your mouth shut. Are we clear?"
I looked into her eyes as she stared at me, waiting for an answer.
"Aren't you going to answer me?"
"You told me to shut my mouth."
Soraya's mouth curved slightly in disgust, but soon returned to normal.
"You're very funny, aren't you? If these books aren't enough, let me know so I can get next week's shipment ahead!"
She stopped in front of another bookcase, probably already thinking about the next book she would put in Linda's arms as a form of punishment for me, and I stopped beside her, looking at her face.
"Queen Soraya, I'm sure knowledge is essential, but there are things we need to talk about urgently. Let's arrange a meeting with the king and Estevan."
"There's no need, all outstanding issues will be decided by me and Acácio, didn't Estevan tell you?" She raised her eyebrows.
"This is about me, you can't leave me out!"
"We can do anything, little flower," she said mockingly, picking up a book and opening it. She glanced at me, saying, "We accept you into the castle, but you must understand that you'll have to work hard to get close to the standard we want and that your voice is not welcome here."
"You'll regret it if you don't listen to me"
"I think you'd better start your studies soon Charlotte" She emphasized the last word "You've already got enough on your mind"
I watched her walk away and felt my blood boil, I looked at the books.
None of them were urgent, none of Soraya's show was urgent and her pride and anger could bring the kingdom to ruin, as well as ending many lives.
My true identity threatened the stability of Olimper and they decided to leave me in the shadows of what would be discussed, of how they would act when everything revolved around the bomb that I was, when my truths could undo important agreements, anger the nobles who would want my head and cause wars between Olimper and Torrem.
Even though I didn't know the streets of Torrem, I loved the kingdom, having been born there and having heard the stories of its riches, I was used to the customs of Torrem, I had it in my veins that my origins were not to be forgotten.
What would I do in a confrontation between Torrem and Olimper?
These were issues that I needed to think about, I didn't owe anyone anything, but I was no longer alone in the world, I had the freedom to choose and I had Estevan as a husband, things that in themselves brought up several other issues.
I wanted everything to be peaceful, I didn't care if I seemed wrong in the story, but I wanted to be called Alexia so that I could have a bit of relief knowing that the real Charlotte was still out there and that she hated me, the fact that she still used her name made her send a letter to the kings which almost got me killed.
I was sure she wouldn't give up until she saw me dead and that worried me too.
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Estevan
"We can't go on with this" I said "I repeat that it's madness to keep up this farce"
"This farce started with that maid"
"Don't speak in that offensive tone about my wife," I said angrily, staring into his eyes. "You'll have to swallow that Alexia is my wife and will be until I die, the children she bears will become powerful kings after me, so we need to maintain more respect or what little we still have as a family won't last!"
My father looked at me seriously, the tension between us only seeming to increase.
"You know that without the dragon she wouldn't be here"
"If she wasn't here, neither would I be"
"You've gone mad, you've turned your head!"
"I've never been so clear-headed, Dad, I'm not like you're my mother, family is important to me!" I took a deep breath and straightened my posture, trying to stay calm and back in focus. "By now Zaim and Torrem know, we have to worry about both of them. Princess Charlotte is alive and she can still give us a headache!"
"I'll send a group to look for her, do you or Alexia know where she might be?"
I shook my head in denial.
"I can check with Alexia." I leaned on the table, tired of this discussion, we'd been arguing the same thing for two hours, Alexia should be here.
She was the one who knew the princess of Torrem, she was the one who had been through everything, she was the one who knew the walls of Torrem castle, its guards, its weapons, not us, she had been to Zaim and until now we hadn't talked in depth about Zaim, but because of her simple origins my parents wanted to disdain Alexia at all costs and that cost could be high.
"She should be here"
"She doesn't have to cause any more trouble than I already have"
"But we need her, so don't pretend that this isn't her problem too!" I spoke in a harsh tone of voice, as always when arguing with my father.
Tired of deep breaths, long pauses, tension and holding back, I looked at the door and walked.
"Where are you going?" My father asked, "We haven't sorted anything out yet."
"We're not even going without Alexia, we can't. If you really want to solve problems before they explode all over the kingdom" My words were sure to make him tend to gravity "If you want to have a meeting with me again about this I'll tell you now that all I know about Torrem is the same as you, but she knows the kings, Princess Charlotte and those walls well"