Page 28 of Of Glass and of Gold

The next few hours of my life would be miserable. I’d drowned in a sea of regality, forced to mingle and converse politely as if we didn’t live on the verge of starvation. The thought made me want to peel the skin from my bones.

No, I wouldn’t subject myself to anymore torture than necessary. If my role was chaperone, that was what I’d be. All I’d be. I would indulge no one in conversation while there, even if they attempted. I’d be the coldest woman in that room, an ice fortress, the last line of defense possible for not letting the circumstance break me.

Though I suspected no matter how hard I’d try, I’d never forgive myself.

Each town had a dedicated luncheon this week. Our small seaside village was the first, surprisingly. A string of carriages continued in an endless round, picking up any girl and designated chaperone from the market who wished to attend.

A nice touch, I supposed, since most from our town would require walking uphill to reach the castle gates. Personal transportation was a luxury. Maybe the prince just didn’t want the parade of women about to kiss his feet looking sweaty and disheveled. No matter how noble he may appear to be, I could always see a reason behind it. A reason that benefited him. Because in the end, that’s who he was. A prince who only cared about himself.

We, along with half a dozen other formally dressed bachelorettes and their chaperones, waited for our ride in the market square. Carriages started circling around noon. They’d staggered us based on last names. Melody and Kenzie’s last name was Burton, and thankfully since I wasn’t a participant, I wouldn’t have to wait until they reached Shen.

If the gods existed, they certainly didn’t care that this was already a miserable experience for me. That was made clear when Jenta Dubois targeted us with feral intent as she made her way in our direction. I’d never cared for her when we were children. Her entitlement shone brighter than her admittedly beautiful smile, even back then. She boasted an elegant fuchsia gown with lighter pink overlays strewn across her hips. It swished with every overly cocky step. Some would say her posture was poised and appropriate, but I could see the condescension in her swagger. My eyes met the sky as they nearly rolled back into my head.

Melody, the ever polite ray of sunshine, turned to greet her. “Hello, Jenta. You look absolutely lovely.”

The way Jenta fawned and batted her lashes in an attempt at humility looked irritatingly rehearsed. “Oh Melody, you are too kind. Hello Kenzie. Nora.” She trailed me from head to toe, a hint of disgust in her gaze at my chaperone’s outfit. I knew for myself that the cool brown tone didn’t do me any favors, but it was perfect for keeping me understated and separated from the well-dressed attendees.

“Hi Jenta! I am absolutely in love with your dress!” Kenzie gushed, viewing Jenta with covetous eyes.

“It is rather exquisite, isn’t it?” Jenta smoothed her hands down the length of her pink dress, then gathered her frilly skirts and ruffled them. “Handmade by the seamstress in Sunvale.” She donned a smug smile.

Kenzie stiffened, momentarily judging her own gown. My sisters wore perfectly fine dresses, though Jenta’s did match more recent fashions of high society attire.

“It’s fortunate you still have party clothes at all, considering…” she pouted, drawing out the last syllables of her less than sincere reflection over our situation. Melody had maintained a cordial relationship with Jenta, always issuing a friendly greeting in passing, but Jenta never made any effort to invite us to gatherings once our money ran out.

Instead of socking her right in the face, I decided to play the game she started. “Yes, my sisters look breathtakingly beautiful in their gowns. I’m sure the prince will undoubtedly notice how their beauty radiates without the need for copious amounts of frills and ruffles.”

Melody’s widened eyes speared me, but I held a firm smile pointed at Jenta. She met my stare with frigid disdain.

“Quite. Though, I have to wonder, is that your approach for today? Relying on your…beauty to capture the attention of the prince by wearing…that?”

My knuckles longed to kiss her face. Any insult about Jenta being a gold-digger would only incriminate my sisters as well, so I choked down any retort.

“Nora is being our ever so gracious chaperone today as my mother has sustained an injury.” Melody looped her arm through mine, proud to stand by my side despite my informal appearance.

“What a selfless act. Maybe the prince will notice that, too.” Jenta flashed her canine grin and waltzed away.

“I hate her,” I said through clenched teeth.

“I know.” Melody patted my arm.

“I don’t stand a chance against her.” Kenzie deflated, still mesmerized by Jenta as she retreated.

“You are just as pretty as Jenta, Kenz,” Melody said. Kenzie flashed a smile that seemed forced until her eyes lit up and she danced in place and pointed.

We turned to see the parade of carriages begin their next round of pick ups. I couldn’t even muster feigned excitement as the horses approached, only aware of the growing bolder in my stomach.

Here we go.

13

Nora

Ifixed my attention out the window as we rode through the other cities. Even the bumps from the carriage had a hard time jostling my stiff posture, my muscles locked from increasing reluctance as we neared our destination.

We passed through the protective wall surrounding the castle, and it felt like a part of me broke. But I summoned a deep breath and resolved to survive the next few hours.

Guardsmen in spotless attire, with not a single thread out of place, lined the entrance to the castle’s main archway. The procession of carriages brought us there, waited for us to exit, then set off, assumedly gathering the next group from South Harbor. Jenta’s carriage may have been behind ours in the procession, but somehow she and her mother scuttled to the front of the line as we were prompted to make our way inside.

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