Cassandra

Chapter Three

Cassandra POV 

Sometimes when you think everything is going right, you are wrong. Today is one of those days apparently. 

“What in God’s name is happening here Cassandra.” Mom looks much taller now maybe it’s due to the vein building in her head and her eyebrows being furrowed. I wonder how Daddy lasted all these years. She is dressed in a different color gown now but the looks are still the same. She wants to keep her complete body covered being a queen. I get that part, the only part I don’t get is, why someone would look at you even when your body is not covered. We all have the same bodies, girls, boys, grown-ups. Things like this always confuse me. 

“And why aren’t you at the ball. Oh God Cassandra, you are really a troublemaker” she has her hands on the hips and in leaning over me. 

“Mom…I mean Mother…I don’t want to go there” I am highly doubtful that she would understand this but I want to give it a try. She might have been born with a queen’s bone but I don’t have it. I don’t know how to act like one or be like one. 

I always get my white’s dirty, I have trouble putting on a corset, I don’t like growing my nails, I don’t like wearing gloves since they are slippery, I talk to guys like they are morons, I cannot avoid looking at someone when I am talking to them, my laugh is nothing like a giggle more like a horse’s laugh. But I still like the way I am, I actually love the way I am. 

“Cassandra, you have to go to the balls, you have to meet princes there. I don’t want you to grow up as a maiden” she is looking down at me like I have done a horrible crime, maybe I have. 

“And look at your dress, your hair… your…I am just fed up with you Cassandra” she is looking sideways and not at me and I release a breath I have been holding. 

“Where is Maria? She should have been with you. If I find out..” Before she could say anything I interrupt her.

“Mother, I sneaked out, when Maria was busy with the carriage, she must have been looking for me too” I look down trying to hide my smile. I don’t like lying to my Mom, but there is no other option. 

“You sneaky little girl” she brings her face near me this time and everything seems real. 

“If One more time” she raises her one finger to emphasize her warning, “ I catch you doing anything devious, it won’t be good for you” my eyes are staring into hers as I am not able to blink. I am scared that if I blink she is going to do something horrible to me. 

I nod too scared to say anything, well not too scared but a little scared. I have no idea what goes on in her brain and I don’t want to take any risk finding out. 

“Hey Little Brat, Didn’t see you there” Louis one of my most annoying brothers to the opposite of rescue. 

I know what he is doing and I don’t want to fall for it, not in front of Mom, who is just standing near me as an observer. 

Louis comes near me and makes a mess of my hair. 

“What happened, Cat got your tongue? I thought you were the bravest of all of us?”, he moves closer to me just near my ear before saying the last part, “But I think you are a coward”

“You Moron”, I charge at him with all my strength, knocking him down in the act. I pull his hair as hard as I can and bit his face. 

“Aahhhhh, Stop it, Cass, you little brat” he is screaming in pain but I won’t stop. He did it on purpose, he knows that I hate that word, I hate the word, Coward. I can tolerate any insults but being a knight I can’t put up with the word Coward. 

My Mom pulls me by my hair from above Louis and put me on the ground. 

“That’s it” she grabs my hands while I am still kicking Louis and starts to move towards the Palace. 

I have calmed down after being dragged to the palace, but the hold of her hand on mine is still tight, I guess it might bruise my wrist for a week, and it has started to pain. 

“Mom…Mom, please leave me…it hurts” I beg her now feeling the tears forming in my eyes. 

“You… don’t deserve to go out and be in public” she is whispering now which seems scarier than her yelling. It looks like she has made up her mind. 

My eyes fell on Maria standing at the door looking sad. She wants to come to me but I shake my head, I don’t want her to get in trouble, I might be locked but she will lose her only home. 

I could see tears forming in her eyes too, seeing me being dragged by my mother, I could feel my knees hurting and bleeding a little, my wrist is in immense pain and my eyes are full of tears. 

“Please Mom…listen to me…please… I will never…do it” I am finding it difficult to say this since I will obviously hit Louis again if he calls me a coward. 

“Don’t lock me, please…Mom” she pushed me inside the chambers and close the door. I bang on the door again and again but she doesn’t open it. I feel my wrist aching and my legs give out. 

“Why Me?” I don’t know if she is there but still, I want to ask her. Why me? 

Louis started it, he called me a brat which is a mean term and then he called me coward which no Knight would like to hear, still mom didn’t punish him. She always punishes me like it was my fault, I was only defending my honor which anyone would do and would be praised for it. Then why me?

I wipe my tears with the back of my hand and move towards my bed. Throwing away all the bedsheets which she asked to be laid on my bed and the fluffy pillow I lay down on the bed. 

I am hit by a shining thing from behind the mirror. I get up with all my energy and make way towards it. I turn the mirror around and see it. It’s my golden sword. Daddy gave it to me on my tenth birthday. He told me to always keep it with me and use it at the right time. I assumed that it would be when I am fighting someone in the battleground. I clean it with a cloth kept near the mirror and look at its shining blade. 

I am not weak just because I cry, I am strong since I have theses tears will one day save someone. Save the one who can’t fight for themselves.