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

Adela saw when Prince Michael entered the room. He had been on the balcony with Lucia. She had seen him follow her there. She kept her face blank. It would not have mattered if she did not feel like a few people noticed and were looking at her and waiting for her to react. At least that is what she felt. It took effort for her to focus on her dance partner and the waltz he guided her through. All her energy was being spent on appearing nonchalant and happy. It was humiliating.

The song came to an end and she drew away from her dance partner and gave him a curtsey as he bowed. She straightened with a smile and opened her mouth to say something to the gentleman but the words died in her throat.

"May I have the next dance?" A voice she recognized asked.

She watched as her dance partner bowed to the man behind her while mumbling something and then scurried away. Her lips thinned at that.

Castle In The Sky