Peas and Princesses

by Aleese Hughes

  The King nodded. “There better be some more in this group. This is exhausting,” he said.

  Minerva paled. She bowed her head and stepped out of his way.

  “Line up!” King Leopold bellowed.

  All of us immediately scurried about to comply.

  Rubbing his chin, he slowly walked down the line, vigorously shaking his head no at each girl he passed. I stood at the end of the line, shifting from foot to foot, not knowing what I wanted to happen. He nodded at the girl right before me, and she was led out of the room. He then stopped in front of me, and I froze.

  “You there. Look at me,” he said, calmer than I expected.

  Forcing my body to stop shaking, I lifted my chin to meet his gaze. As I did so, my fear dissipated and the loathing I felt for our ruler took over. Who was he to take us by force and judge us like swine?

  King Leopold raised an eyebrow in interest. “I want this one, too,” he said, pointing at me.

  I shook myself from his gaze. “What?” I tried to say, but nothing seemed to have come out.

  I looked over my shoulder at Laura. Her eyes were wide, watching as I was hurried out of the room. That was the last I ever saw of her.

  Chapter 7

  I sat with five young women at a large, wooden table that stretched across the spacious dining room. Upon further inspection, I noticed one similarity among all of us: we each had long, blonde hair, like Princess Amelia. The shades varied, like mine was significantly lighter than the rest, but we were all blonde. They had dressed each of us in simple, yet uncomfortable gowns, probably trying to make us look more presentable. Mine was a very dull pink and was scratchy in all the wrong places. As if there were any right place to be itchy.

  Ignoring my discomfort, I looked up and blinked in the bright candlelight as it shone within the elegant chandelier dangling above us. Surveying the rest of the room, I counted six intimidating guards. Borge, the one who had kidnapped me, was among them. All of us girls were too scared to speak, eyes wide in apprehension of whatever was to come. I kept thinking of Janice. She was going to be worried sick when I didn’t show up, and all I wanted was to see her and be safe at home.

  Footsteps sounded on the marble floor, and we turned. Lady Minerva was trotting toward us, same bored look on her pinched face as before.

  “Good morning, ladies,” she said, throwing a stack of books and papers on the table before us. “King Leopold has instructed me to start on your training.”

  Hands on hips, she surveyed the young women she had to work with. She didn’t seem pleased.

  Against everything in my gut telling me not to, I raised my hand.

  Minerva turned her nose up at me. “Yes?”

  I gulped. “Um, am I right to understand that you’re training us to be the actual Princess?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Mildred, is it?”

  I nodded.

  “We told you that when you first got here! You really need to pay attention. Another stupid question, and you will be whipped.”

  I almost objected, but I bit my tongue.

  “Now, if there are no other questions, we will begin. First,” Minerva spread the books across the table, “we read! Within these books and documents before you is everything you need to know as a princess: mannerisms, geography, politics… You get the idea. I will leave you ladies for the next eight hours, and I will expect all of you to have made significant progress. You will each be questioned right before dinner, so that we can evaluate your retention and learning abilities.”

  All of our mouths were hanging open as we stared at the books and papers we were expected to read.

  A girl beside me, maybe sixteen with beautiful brown eyes, slowly raised her shaking hand.

  “What?” Minerva spat, exasperated.

  “I can’t read,” the girl whispered.

  Minerva rolled her eyes again, something she seemed very fond of, and snapped her fingers. One of the guards snatched up the poor girl and dragged her out of the room to… who knows where? Those of us left took the cue and scrambled to begin studying right away.

  “Lunch will be brought to you in three hours. Don’t stop studying, though!” Minerva shouted as she stepped out of the room. Two guards followed her, leaving three with us to supervise.

  I looked down at the worn book in my hands. The title was hard to read due to the age of the book, but I was able to decipher the words, A History in Politics of the Kingdom of Mardasia. I groaned. Not only did it sound terribly boring, but it was, like, a thousand pages! But, out of fear for my well-being in this crazy situation, I got started. Who knew what would happen to me if I didn’t cooperate?

  Chapter 8

  “Next!”

  Wringing my hands, I stepped into the enormous library I had been in when I first arrived. Bookcases hugged the tall walls and so many candles burned in the room I was afraid the books would catch fire.

  “Have a seat, Mildred.” Minerva gestured to a cushioned seat across from her. She sat in front of a warm-looking fire, surrounded by her regular entourage of guards. The set-up was cozy… if you could disregard the circumstances.

  “What did you read today, Mildred?” The light from the fire reflected off the glass of her spectacles, making it impossible to see the look in her eyes.

  “Um…”

  “You never start a sentence with ‘um’!”

  I clenched my fists in annoyance. “I read a lot of A History in Politics of the Kingdom of Mardasia, ma’am.”

  She raised a thin eyebrow. “Oh? That’s all?” I really didn’t like this woman.

  “That thing was huge!” I gasped at my own outburst, and a couple of the closest guards started inching towards me, waiting for the command. Minerva waved them away.

  “Fine. I’ll just quiz you on some politics then. See how much you retained.” She shuffled through a stack of papers on her lap. “Ah, here it is. Who was the first king of Mardasia?”

  “King Geoffrey,” I said without hesitation.

  Minerva nodded. “What law was he most famous for?”

  I knew this one, too. “Fathers were allowed to kill their daughters’ lovers.”

  One of the guards snickered, and I chuckled back. It really was a funny law. King Geoffrey ordered it because his eldest daughter had a tendency for inviting male callers into her bedchamber on a regular basis. Minerva shot the guard a dirty look. He cleared his throat.

  “That’s correct,” the woman said, flipping a page. “How many men are elected into the king’s advisory council?”

  I thought for a moment. “Ten,” I said, confident.

  Minerva slipped her spectacles down her nose and gave me a pointed look. “Eleven,” she said.

  I gulped. “That’s right. I thought ten because our fifth king, King Bradley, had one of his advisors killed and was the only king to have ten during his reign.”

  “Humph,” Minerva mumbled as she folded her arms across her lap. “I think we’re done now. Joseph, please escort Mildred to dinner.”

  The guard to her right, the one who had laughed at King Geoffrey’s law, nodded and gestured me to follow him out of the library.

  “That’s it?” I asked.

  “I’ve heard all I need. For now.”

  So much for eight hours of reading, I thought, standing up and straightening my skirts. I then proceeded to follow Joseph out the library doors.

  The halls were gloomy and lacked any real color. Each side of the halls were adorned with an abundance of paintings. Every royal depicted within the frames looked down at me with a regal arrogance. I couldn’t help but admire each painter’s ability to capture such a thing.

  I looked ahead at my escort. He was tall with dark, wavy hair and walked stiffly, yet confidently. He didn’t seem to be much older than I, and he had laughed during my meeting with Minerva. He probably wasn’t so bad.

  “Joseph?” I said, daring a conversation.

  He stopped and turned towards me. “Yes?” He seemed shocked a
nd confused by my speaking. He probably wasn’t expecting to talk with a prisoner princess trainee, or whatever I was.

  “Were you sitting in on any of the other girls’... tests, I guess you could call it?”

  Joseph nodded. “Yes, miss.” He turned on his foot and began walking again. I caught up to him and began walking by his side.

  “How did I do?”

  He shot me another confused look, but kept his rhythm in stride. “Better than some, I think, miss.”

  I chuckled. “Really? Mine was so short!”

  I caught a little bit of smile on Joseph’s face. He actually was quite handsome. “You were much braver than a couple of the girls. Two were so scared they couldn’t even answer some of the questions.”

  I gasped. “What happened to them?”

  He shrugged. “They didn’t pass.”

  I stopped for a moment, causing him to halt. Something didn’t feel right.

  “What’s wrong, miss?”

  I hesitated for a moment, but feeling comfortable with him so far, I continued, “Where have they been taking the girls that fail?”

  Joseph quickly lifted his finger to his lips, quieting me. He darted his eyes around the halls, looking to see if we were alone. He stepped towards me, our faces just an inch apart. I could feel his breath on my cheek.

  “You need to be careful about what you’re saying. I really shouldn’t be answering your questions,” he whispered. I quickly nodded, feeling scared all over again. He didn’t move his face away from mine. He was close enough that I could count all the freckles on his face. I studied his deep, brown eyes, but couldn’t find anything.

  “Please, we have to hurry, or they’ll suspect something.” He started walking again.

  I moved to follow, but was not satisfied. I was hoping to have gotten some more out of him.

  Joseph led me to the dining hall the other girls and I had studied in previously, but this time the table was set with an abundance of food instead of a mountain of books. Even the smell of it was better than anything I’ve ever experienced. My mouth began to water. The fruit and cheese they gave me for lunch a few hours before had not been sufficient.

  Two of the other girls were already sitting at the table, gazing at the food with eagerness. They were both very thin, and their gowns kept slipping off of their freckled shoulders.

  “Was I last for the test?” I whispered to Joseph.

  He gave me a curt nod as he pulled out a chair for me to sit.

  Just three of us left, I thought. The contestants, if you could call us that, seemed to be dropping like flies.

  As I sat, all the guards bowed their heads. The King had stepped over to the dining table. I sat up straighter, not knowing what to feel… whether it be anger, awe, or fright. I grabbed at my hands to stop from shaking.

  King Leopold eyed each of us girls in turn for what seemed to be forever, then Minerva came waltzing in, first speaking in hushed tones to the King. They each took seats at the table, King Leopold at the head, Minerva the seat next to his on the right.

  “Ladies,” Minerva said. “This dinner will be a lesson in table manners. First take the smallest fork to begin.”

  I looked down at the multitude of utensils in front of me. Why did there have to be so many? I could always eat everything with just one fork and, if need be, one spoon. Scratch that, all I really need are my hands.

  As soon as my fingers touched the fork, four servants rushed in with plates and put a meager amount of the greens on the table in front of me. It was a small serving, especially considering how much was on the table, but I eagerly dug my fork into the salad.

  “Mildred!” Minerva snapped.

  I paused, food halfway to my mouth. What now?

  King Leopold raised an eyebrow at me, and the other young women shot me nervous glances.

  “Ladies, take the napkin at your place and set it across your lap,” Minerva said, demonstrating with her own napkin.

  We all followed suit, eager to start eating.

  “You may begin,” the King said.

  My first bite of food finally made its journey to my mouth, and I trembled with satisfaction. It was the best salad I had ever had! With juicy chicken and savory cheese sprinkled all over it, and a sweet dressing to top it all off.

  “Now, ladies. Be delicate! And sit up straight,” the old lady barked.

  I snapped out of my reverie and consciously made an effort to look poised. The girls beside me had trouble keeping their hands steady from nerves.

  “Next course!” the King shouted, seemingly disgusted with his plate.

  I had barely finished three bites before my plate was whisked away and a new one was set before me. A small serving of roasted potatoes, and a glowing piece of duck glistened on my plate. It smelled divine. If I hadn’t been fearing for my life, this was something I could get used to. After we were directed to use the right utensils, I dug in. I tried to eat as much of it as I could while trying to look graceful at the same time.

  “Dessert, please!” the King snapped, rubbing his belly. He was able to finish his whole plate. I watched sadly as a servant took the rest of my beautiful duck away. I couldn’t have been eating it for more than thirty seconds!

  A small cup of chocolate mousse met my eyes. I couldn’t remember the last time I had chocolate. It didn’t come by cheap.

  Minerva lifted up a small spoon beside her dish and gestured for us to grab our own. Every bite of the rich dessert was heavenly, and, miraculously, the King took a longer time to finish this course than the others. He must have been savoring it, too.

  I scraped at the final bits of chocolate on my dish with my spoon. The sound of the utensil clinked against the glass bowl loudly. Minerva cleared her throat, pointedly staring at me again. I set my spoon down and rested my hands on my lap, groaning inwardly.

  “Ladies, as the King leaves the table, bow your heads in respect.”

  We did so as King Leopold pushed his chair back and briskly left the dining hall. He definitely wasn’t there to socialize.

  “Now, it is time to dance!” Minerva said, leaping from the table.

  My stomach rumbled. I was still a bit hungry. Dancing didn’t sound too appealing to me at that moment.

  “You will each be paired with a guard in the room who will instruct you in the waltz. I will call in the musician to play the music!”

  Joseph pulled my chair out for me and offered his hand. I took it, and he led me to the other side of the room, the dance floor I assumed. Two of the other guards in the room did the same for the other young women.

  “You know how to dance?” I asked him.

  “Of course! Even soldiers are noble. Though we are ranked lower than royalty, all nobles must know the ways of court— including dance. I’ve been to many balls and have danced with many ladies.”

  A short and plump man burst into the room and rushed to the grand piano in the corner, stern Minerva right on his heels. The pianist began playing a slow, pretty piece.

  Joseph lifted my left hand onto his shoulder and placed his own on my waist.

  “How much do you know about dancing?” he asked me.

  “Enough to surprise you,” I replied, winking.

  Joseph smirked. “Let’s just see how much you know. Follow my lead.”

  And follow I did. I was light on my feet, and he gracefully swept me across the floor. I could see the other girls struggling. They stepped on the toes of their partners, and one looked close to tears. My heart ached for them. I didn’t know what to feel— a part of me wanted to survive the best way I could, and if that meant winning, so be it, but I didn’t want those girls to fail, either.

  “Where did you learn to dance like this?” Joseph said as he twirled me.

  “My father loved to dance. He used to hold his own balls at home with my mother, sister, and me and would ask us each to dance with him.” I smiled at the fond memory.

  “Used to?” he whispered in my ear. Our faces were close.


  “He and Mother aren’t around anymore.” I looked down at my feet, trying to hide my discomfort, but it made me stumble. Joseph caught me immediately and brought us back into our rhythm.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” he said.

  I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Who knows if I’ll ever get back home, anyway?”

  He looked sad at that comment, but I brushed it off.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Minerva watching me, lips pursed.

  “Does she have something against me?” I asked.

  Joseph cast a quick glance at the woman. “Maybe, but I think her attention towards you has more to do with how well you’ve been doing in comparison with the other girls.”

  “Am I really doing that well?”

  “In addition to your knack for dancing, you did far better in the test earlier than anyone else. I’m surprised the other two girls are still here.”

  That made me angry. This was all so unfair. “Do they really expect everybody to learn so much in just a day?”

  Joseph looked around the room, wary. He lowered his voice even more than before. “They don’t have much time.”

  “Time for what?”

  He stopped leading me and studied me for a moment. I cocked my head and looked back at him, confused. He leaned forward, breath on my ear.

  “I want to help you. Let’s talk tonight. Don’t look for me. I’ll come to you.”

  The music came to an abrupt halt, and Minerva clapped her hands for everybody to stop dancing.

  “Thank you, gentlemen!” she said. “And now it is time to retire!”

  Chapter 9

  My bedchamber was huge. Never had I seen such a large space for one person. It was at least twice the size of our single room cabin in Marviton! I had my own powder room with a beautiful, porcelain tub, a fireplace, and a mattress big enough for five people! The deep red wallpaper was gorgeous, and the rug spanning the room was just as soft as the bed. Under different circumstances, I would have felt like I was in heaven.