The courting trap

Jealousy

"Ow!" I put my finger in my mouth.

"Careful Victoria."My teacher says. Smiling at me and getting back to her work.

I have had embroidery lessons for years and still don't master it. Mine don't really look like flowers, more like stains.

"You're doing great ma'am." It astonishes me how much patience Mrs Roggers has.

"How is your embroidery going?" I look over at Estelles work, she has a whole bouquet and I only have two flowers that aren't even recognisable as flowers. "I'm awful at this." I drop my embroidery down on my lap, sighing. Outside the wind is blowing through the trees and the sun shines upon the hills.

I must grab willow this instance. I stand up, putting my embroidery down in the table. "I think I've done enough embroidery for today Mrs Roggers, thank you for your lesson."

"You're welcome your royal highness." She does a curtsy and I nod my head. Almost fleeing the room.

Estelle hurries after me, I hear her heels click on the wooden floor. "Why are you in such a hurry?" She giggles, now walking besides me.

"Have you taken a look outside the window? It's a beautiful day, lovely weather!"

"So my guess is I need to alert the stable boy to saddle up Willow and Lucy?"

"You guessed correctly." I smile, looking forward.

God, how long did they make these hallways.

We grab our coats and the groom, Matthew, made our horses ready. "Thank you Matthew." I smile, grabbing a hold of Willows reins.

"You're welcome ma'am." He says, bowing for me and walking back to the other horses.

"Did you see that?" Estelle asks.

"What should I have seen?"

"He looked my way, twice!" She smiles widely, climbing on top of Lucy.

She's had an eye on him for a while now, he's around our age and very kind. So I understand what she sees in him. "Good morning Willow." I give the beautiful white horse an apple and rub her nose. I climb on top of her and squeeze her with my legs, signalling her to start moving.

We trot through the castles gardens and through the forest, but when we are finally met with the foot of the hill we start galloping.

My long dress drapes over the back of willow and the wind blows in my hair, blowing every thought clouding my mind away with it. We run along the hills besides each other and laugh loudly, spreading our arms and taking the sunlight and this feeling in. I feel so free, no duties or ma'am's. Just Estelle and I, our horses and the wind.

After some time we stop to let our horses rest, as they're eating grass we lean on them, chatting. "Some times I wish I could trade my life, no royal duty's, no crown, no having to be perfect at all times. Some times I wish I could have a life like yours."

"Some times I wish I could have a life like yours." She laughs.

"What if we trade for a day?" I offer, half serious.

"What? Do you feel ill Victoria?" She giggles. We grew up together, she's the only real friend I've got and she treats me as more than just a princess. She was assigned as my lady-in-waiting when I turned 14 and she's been there to help me ever since. When I'm with Estelle I can be myself, no title, just me. "No," I giggle. "but imagine if we did, it would be humorous."

"You would have to wake me up in the morning."

"Yeah and help you dress up."

"And you would have to be my chaperone when another bachelor wants to meet me." She jokes.

"About the bachelors, mother says that I'm getting older and I should marry soon." I pet willow. I don't want to get married. They might as well change the rings for handcuffs. "I think it won't be long before I'm engaged now." My eyes start to water.

"Oh Victoria, are you alright?" She wraps her arms around me.

"It's like they're taking away my freedom, I don't even have a say in who I'm marrying." A sob unintentionally slipping past my trembling lips. She tightens our embrace, wrapping her hand around my head. "We should go." I break our hug, "How do I look?" I wipe under my eyes.

"Ehhh..." She pats my hair and takes out a leaf. "We should get you cleaned when we get back."

Once we arrive at the castle Estelle starts making my bath ready. I was walking through the hallway towards the library when our maid, Mrs Taylor rushes over to me. "Miss Levine where have you been? We were searching all over for you!" She urges.

"My apologies I was out with Willow." I lay my hand on her shoulder, to calm her down.

"Your mother is looking for you, she needs to speak to you." She looks almost sympathetic. This promises nothing good.

"Okay, thank you for informing me."

"No problem ma'am. She's waiting on you in the dining room." And she hurries off. Leaving me alone in the hallway. I take a deep breath slowly walking over the big doors of the dining room, I push the door handle down and it creaks. The door opens and there she is, at the end of the long, dark wooden table.

She just sits there, staring off in the distance, she turns her head when she notifies my presence. Her eyes widen, "What happened to you!" She pushes her chair back and it scrapes on the floor. She stands up and hurries over to me. "You look awful, your hair is a mess and oh- what happened to your dress?"

"I was out with Willow." I speak softly, turning my gaze to the floor instead of her dissaproving eyes.

"That's not something a princess does. You should be grace itself, you act like a boy!"

"My apologies mother." I put my hands behind my back, squeezing my fingers so tight it hurts.

"How am I supposed to find you a husband like this? Maybe we should get rid of that horse, your father should've never given it to you."

"No!" I raise my hands in front of me. She stares at me with aggravation, I stepped out of line. I drop my hands back by my side. She's absolutely silent.

She speaks up after what felt like hours "Don't say no to me again, there will be consequences."

"Yes, I apologise mother."

"Those are a lot of apologies in a few days, I am very dissatisfied with you. You need to act like the princess you are or we will sell that horse."

I push my lips together, trying to stop the tears from forming.

"I called you here to tell you we've found you a bachelor, a prince, don't ruin it." With that she walks off, her servant open the door for her and closes it after she leaves. The sound of the door echoes in the silence and I'm left processing our conversation on my own.