AnotidaMandemwa

[WSA 2024 Entry]
Everyone is playing a regal game. Everyone except Lucia (who probably should).

After her father faced accusations of trying to seize the throne from his father and king, he was exiled along with his family. They were no longer royalty, but his wife would not have it. She was friends with the queen of Vershia and used that to her advantage. Her two older daughters were the right age to marry the two princes, and she would make that happen come what may.

That became a problem when the oldest daughter was ignored by the crown prince, who formed a friendship with the youngest of the girls. There was still hope; Lucia could become the future queen. But Lucia was not groomed for this role. She did not want to live for the type of marriage she could snag. She did not want to take the man who had been planned for her sister.

But that’s the thing with plans, isn’t it? She never planned to fall in love with the man, and there she was: an unwilling participant in the regal games. Would she capture the crown? How would everything affect her relationship with her sister? Was there ever pleasing her mother?

Regal Games

Caroline walked up the hall and saw Lucia walking out of Adela's room. She breathed a sigh of relief. She would have never looked for her in there.

"We are ready to go," Caroline told Lucia with a bright smile.

Lucia nodded and walked towards her room. Caroline frowned. Her little sister looked pale.

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked wondering what Adela had said to her that took all the colour from her.

Lucia paused at her door and wordlessly shook her head. The look on her face was reassuring but there were shadows in her eyes. She was not okay. Caroline narrowed her eyes at her. What had Adela done now? She had not wanted to get into a fight with her before she left. Should she?

"Meet me downstairs," Caroline said as she walked towards Adela's door, "I need to talk to Dela before we go."

"Okay," Lucia said and Caroline could hear the hoarseness in her voice.

Goodbye