[14 YEARS AGO]
"Are you sure this is okay, Rolly?" I squeaked, biting my bottom lip in worry.
Rolan turned my chair around, my feet hovering slightly over the ground.
It was simply NOT fair that he was growing taller whilst I remained short.
"This is going to help you. I promise," he huffed his eyes widened in encouragement.
My gaze trailed to the large pair of scissors in his small hands, not at all satisfied with his answer or the way they shook in his hold. He pulled the chair back into an angle, taking a fistful of my hair.
"I'll just trim a bit off the top. I've seen Jacob do it a million times on my hair, Archers, and even Fathers," he continued with a small shrug, "it doesn't look that hard-"
My fingers trembled, "Rolly? I-I don't think I want a haircut," I whispered, fumbling my fingers.
"You're just scared Kera. All girls get scared," he shrugged, moving toward the dressing table. He leaned over it grabbing something.
"Here, focus on this. It will be over before you know it."
I glanced at the lollipop, still not entirely on board with this, but if it would help, I guess it couldn't hurt.
Taking it, I unwrapped it as Rolan positioned himself.
"I'm ready," he huffed.
I took out a deep breath, shutting my eyes, a hand tightly wrapped around my lollipop stick.
"D-don't cut too much!" I blurted frantically, "or I won't look like a princess," I managed to gurgle, popping the lollipop in my mouth.
"Don't worry. I'll cut just enough to make sure you don't need to take so long to get ready," he pursed his lips, whilst I crouched low, dreading the sound of the first snip.
"Almost got it," he huffed.
"Rolan!"
Both our eyes snapped up, whilst I almost jumped out of my seat, my eyes landing on Archer's darkening gaze as it set on Rolan, who was just about ready to begin snipping.
He looked surprised.
"What on earth are you doing?" he asked, stepping further into the room, blue eyes trailing down to me.
"Rollys giving me a haircut," I explained, sitting up straighter in my seat, kind of relieved at the interruption.
"Is he now?" Archer huffed, his eyes crossing down on his brother.
He looked a lot like the King with that face, I figured, my head slanting as I realized the resemblance.
He strode across the room, grabbing my hand and helping me off the seat.
"You don't need a haircut Kera," he huffed, as my feet finally found the ground to my relief, my lollipop was now fully out of my mouth.
"Of course she does!" Rolan countered though he kept his long scissors half-hidden behind him.
"Look at her," he whined, "it's so wild!"
I frowned at this, my gaze lowering to the floor.
"I don't see anything wrong with it," Archer replied, turning to face me. My eyes stayed on his shoes, still in a frown.
"It's perfect."
At this, my hope was revived, sparkling eyes trailing back up to him, a small smile on my face.
"S-She looks like a lion!" Rolan blurted out.
"I'm a princess!" I snapped back, not amused by the resemblance.
"You're not a princess," Rolan grumbled.
"I am too!" I blurted out, tears now filling my eyes, "tell him, King, King" I whimpered, turning to Archer.
"Just because Father calls you his princess doesn't mean you are," Rolan huffed, rolling his eyes, "you're a girl, just an ordinary girl!"
I breathed hard at this, tears clouding my eyes, "I'm a princess," I replied, this time my tone lower.
"Even if you were, a crown wouldn't fit on that wild head, now would it?!"
My lips trembled, tears filled my eyes, and my chest heated up. I threw the Lollipop at his feet before bolting out the door.
I almost run into poor Gertrude, the Royal nanny, who managed to balance her tray of tea and cookies just in time.
"Little miss!" She called after me.
——————
I pushed away the tears from my eyes as I straightened my Dollie's frolic, sniffing as I grabbed a brush, pushing through her long blond hair.
It was easy. Stroke after stroke.
Her hair was light, long, and straight.
My eyes settled on the toy tiara that sat on the table a few feet away. Walking towards it, the doll in my arms, I sat on the floor, tucking her tiara in.
It slid in like it was meant to sit, tears clouding my eyes further.
Why couldn't my hair be as easy as this?
I was much too involved in my tears to hear the door open.
"Little miss, won't you eat something?" Gertrude asked as she walked in, setting my supper on my dressing table. She was dressed in the usual royal attire that was a little tight around her round chubby figure. She had light brown hair and brown eyes that always looked friendly.
"I'm not hungry," I huffed, my fingers slipping into my doll's hair before turning around suddenly to Gertrude, "is momma back?" I sniffed.
Gertrude sighed, "Your mother is the Royal Private Secretary, she is in the company of the Queen, as she tours the western estates."
I looked down at my doll, trying to stop the tears from clouding my eyes again. Ever since she took this stupid job, I rarely saw her these days. I wasn't surprised anymore, but that didn't make me any less sad.
My bottom lip quivered, but I sniffed it away, my eyes trailing back to the doll.
"She loves you, you're her little peanut, right? You just gotta eat something darling'" Gertrude began, moving towards me with a bowl of hot soup.
Even if I wanted to, that was the last thing I would eat.
I remained stubborn, turning away.
"C'mon miss, I know you're angry but-"
The door squeezed open and we both turned, two figures standing at the door.
Gertrude immediately got up, curtsying lowly, but I only scowled, turning back to my toy, now brushing it angrily.
"Go on," King William stated, pushing Rolan slightly ahead of him as they walked into the room.
There was a short pause before I heard his voice.
"Kera?" the voice paused and I frowned, but didn't look his way,
"Go away-" I huffed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"
"Go away, Rolan!" I screamed.
His hands covered his ears for a second, shutting his eyes, before turning back round to the figure behind him, "she's not going to listen to me," he whined, "and she called me Rolan-" he shivered, "she's very mad."
"What did I teach you, Rolan?" King William asked, "what do you do when a princess is upset?"
I stared hard at my doll, but my ears strained to hear their conversation.
"Get her 3 of her favorite things-" he replied, his voice small.
"And what is that?"
A silence loomed and my frown deepened.
"Caramel chocolate, ice cream, and...Apples-" a voice stated, causing me to slightly turn. My eyes landed on Archer who stood halfway in the doorway.
Both his brother and Father looked at him as he stepped in, "bright red- like snow white's lips, her favorite princess," he added, eyes trailing to me.
King William's gaze lingered on his son.
"A-am I right?" Archer asked in slight hesitation, his eyes trailing from the ground and meeting mine.
I nodded, "sliced with no seeds," I huffed, looking back at my doll.
There was a short pause before King William spoke up.
"Well then, you're in luck Rolan, The apple trees are in full blossom," he stated, "let's hurry to the courtyard before she loses her appetite," he grinned pushing him along, moving past Archer and towards the door.
He paused, turning back- "Gertrude?"
"I will make sure she eats and is put to bed, your majesty."
"Thank you, but do not put her to bed quite yet. Rolan still needs to apologize," he finished, eyes landing sternly on his son, who gulped, before being pushed away. The door closed behind them.
I turned back to my doll, my hands tightening on the brush.
"You need to take at least 10 spoonfuls," Gertrude stressed, lifting the spoon with the green ugly soup.
"She's not going to eat that," Archer chuckled, "it's green," he paused, "anything green Kera thinks it's vegetables. She won't even eat green candy-" he grinned.
He wasn't wrong, but I still didn't look his way.
"Oh.. then, I guess we'll move on to the brisket," Gertrude stood up, walking across the room to where she had set my dinner.
I kept my eyes on my doll though I could still feel Archer's hesitant figure behind me. I didn't blame him though, even my mother said it's hard to get close to me when I'm angry.
"D-does it matter?" He suddenly asked...
My eyebrows arched at this, sniffing, "of course, it matters! Vegetables are disgusting," I gagged, sniffing again, as I fixed my doll's tiara.
"No," Archer chuckled, walking closer to me. He stood slightly behind me, "does it matter if you're a princess or not?"
I paused at this, my eyebrows furrowing further as I looked down at my dolly.
I had never really thought about the question, "Well, you're a prince," I stated, "why can't I be a princess? I already live in a castle," I reasoned- frowning further.
"Palace," Archer corrected, slipping his hands in his pockets.
"Doesn't matter. Rolans right." I sniffled, "I'm not a stupid princess," I grunted, tears filling my eyes, "I'm a girl. An ordinary girl."
Huffing, I turned to look up at him, tears clouding my eyes, "I didn't even want to move to a palace, I just want to go home."
Archer paused, his blue eyes holding mine, as I tried to blink my tears away.
"Oh but little miss, this is your home now," Gertrude stated, lifting a plate from across the room.
"B-but how can a palace be my home when I'm not a princess?" I huffed, wet eyes setting on her.
Gertrude seemed at a loss of words for this, letting out a dry sigh-
"You c-could be a Queen," Archer stated.
We both turned to him.
"A Queen?" I echoed.
He nodded, sitting down cross-legged across me, "mother said this wasn't her home until she became Queen," he explained, "her home was across the sea-in Falgon," he stated, eyes studying my face.
I looked at him unsure of it, "Are Queens like princesses?"
"Better than princesses," he explained, "mothers crown is bigger than theirs, her dresses are prettier, and even princesses curtsy before her. She's like the princess of all princesses!" He exclaimed.
My eyes glowed at this, a warm glow in my chest, "a-and I can be Q-Queen?" I asked.
"Oh- but to be a queen you'll have to marry a king," Gertrude chuckled, as she walked toward us, a plate and a glass of milk in her hands.
"Oh," I said, my eyes dropping.
"I-I'm going to be King one day," Archer stated, both Gertrudes and my gaze snapping back to him, "you can be my Queen," he offered-
"Uh-" Gertrude began but I cut her off.
"Really?" I asked excitedly, eyebrows arching.
Then a frown deepened, "don't lie."
"Truly!" he stated, "I give you my word," he promised, grinning softly,
"When I'm King, You'll be Queen and you'll be the prettiest of them all," he stated, eyes shining.
I smiled wildly, "Queen-" I paused, lifting my head in pride, "I'll be Queen one day."
"My Queen," Archer replied.