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

Lucia opened her eyes and blinked before the events of the previous night flooded into her mind. She put her hands to her mouth in shock. Had all that really happened? Had she...?

She pulled her blanket over her head as a zing of electricity ran up her body as she remembered… remembered…

She remembered that she'd dropped out of the game as she had gotten a little tipsy. She had not and still did not think a hangover was worth winning that game. But maybe she should have consumed more alcohol. Then everything that transpired would be a blur. She wished it was a blur. She'd take a hangover in place of the memories in her head.

She remembered that Prince Michael had dropped out of the drinking game first. He had said something about not being willing to be a distillery. After him had been Lucia as the room had started spinning. She remembered getting a glass of water to sober up while she had watched the rest compete.

In A World Of Pain