A Mother's Machinations
1837 Words
Bianca
“Is that true, Bianca?” my father asked, looking at me suspiciously.
His shocked response echoed in the room, mingling with the tension that hung thick in the air. He knew me well enough to know that I would never have such thoughts about the prince. I was sure he was going to support me.
“Will I be lying to you, Peter?” my mother said, holding his hand. I stared at her. She was trying to manipulate him into believing something that wasn’t true. “Your daughter told me that she fancies the prince. You’re the king’s childhood friend. If you tell him about how your daughter feels, I am sure he will accept it.”
She lifted her hand and caressed my father’s cheek. I could hear him purr. It was over. She already had a hold on him. “I am sure the queen will be glad to have her as her daughter-in-law.”
I stayed silent, burdened by my mother’s lies that weighed on me like a suffocating blanket. I wanted to speak up, to reveal the truth about my feelings and the suffering I had endured, but the fear of my mother’s anger and the consequences for Daniel kept me tongue-tied.
“Do you think it is going to work?” he inquired, purring.
“Yes, Peter. It’s going to work. We are doing this for our daughter’s happiness,” she revealed. “She should be with the one she loves.” My mother continued to speak, her words laced with manipulation and deceit as she spun a tale to convince my father.
“But I am not sure if she is the prince’s mate,” he uttered, looking at me. “Bianca, why can’t you wait until you come of age to find your mate? Must you marry the prince?”
I felt a glimmer of hope flicker to life within my heart. I still had hope. Him asking me this meant he hadn’t completely lost his mind. I smiled, but before I could open my mouth to express my opinion, my mother cut me short.
“Peter,” she called out with a sob, trying to get his attention. I stared at her, speechless. She was truly skilled at what she knew. “Don’t you want your daughter to be happy?”
“Ha,” Father gasped, wiping her tears. “Why are you crying?” He tried to console her, but her cries got louder. “Stop crying. You know I hate it when you cry.”
“Why wouldn’t I cry?” she urged. “You deny our daughter her happiness. We should support her as good parents. She loves the prince and wants to marry him.”
“Okay, okay, I will do as you say.” My eyes dropped as he gave in to her request. “I will talk to the king on her behalf. She will marry the prince since she is in love with him.”
He turned around to face me before speaking. “You don’t have to worry, my dear daughter. I will make sure the prince marries you.”
What more could I say? The decision had already been made for me. He didn’t even listen to me before succumbing to her manipulation.
“Will you not thank your father?” she sputtered. I chose to stay quiet. I was feeling sad, and I knew that if I spoke, I would start crying. “Are you deaf?”
I stood up and bowed my head. “Thank you, Father,” I stated, trying hard to control my emotions. It was a very hard pill to swallow. I was overcome with emotion, feeling my heart racing and my eyes welling up with tears. Despite my best efforts to keep it at bay, I couldn’t.
“Look at her, all tears,” she grinned. Everyone could have thought she was wishing me well, but I could sense a hint of mocking in her tone. “They are tears of joy.” My father stood up and approached me, putting his hand on my shoulder.
“You don’t have to do this, honey,” he whispered, lifting my head up. “You must love the prince so much to show this emotion.”
I wanted to smack his hand away, showing him my disapproval, but I dare not, for fear of my mother. How could my father think I was in love with that cold, icy prince? The prince whom no one dared to approach. Why was he so easily manipulated by her? Even if I were mateless, I wouldn’t dare marry the prince.
“I told you that she is really in love with him,” she added. “Gosh, she reminds me of my youth days.” My father’s face reddened at her words. “I was running after you back then. Who knows that you would finally belong to me, Peter?”
“Awnn.” He blushed. “You don’t have to say this in front of our daughter.”
She gently tapped his arm. “She was just like me. Crazily in love.”
“I know, and that is why I must make her wish come to pass,” he vowed.
“Father,” I finally had the courage to speak. “Why do you think I am in love with the prince?” He looked at me, shocked.
“What are you talking about?” he requested. “Are you not in love with him?”
My gaze shifted to my mother, who in turn stared at me with a warning that she could kill me if I dared ruin her plan.
“Tell me. Don’t you love him?”
With a smile plastered on my face, I replied. “You got me wrong, Father. I love him.”
“Hahaha. You don’t have to be scared. Father will be there to protect you.”
Huh! Protect my ass.
“I am going back to my room,” I notified them.
“Sure. Be good. I will also be going to the palace. I will come see you when I am back.”
“Okay, Dad.” With that, I left both of them and headed to my chamber.
With everything on my mind and the need to protect him from danger, I knew I must follow everything my mother says. I would walk the path she led me if I want him to be safe. I pushed the door open and walked in. I was on my bed when someone knocked.
“Yes, who is there?”
“My lady, it is me,” the voice replied. It was Amber, my maid. “Can I come in?”
“Please do.” She opened the door and walked in.
“My lady, why are you like this?” She gasped at the sight of me. She approached me. I quickly composed myself.
“Nothing, Amber. Why are you here?”
She looked at me with confusion written on her face. “I know you won’t tell me, but I want you to know that it won’t be like this forever. You will be free from her one day when you find your mate,” she muttered. “A mate who will cherish and love you.”
I was speechless. Yes, I had been thinking about this all the time, and it kept me going, but I knew it was best to stop my wishful thinking because I would never be able to escape from her clutches forever. I would forever be her slave. She could dominate and control me until she died.
“You should stop your wishful thinking, Amber,” I mumbled.
“It’s not wishful thinking, my lady,” she announced with a smile before taking her seat on the bed. “The goddess will bless you with a mate in your upcoming age, and then you will be free from her. I know how wicked she is, my lady.”
“Shut up, Amber. Don’t ever speak ill of her.”
“My lady.” She looked at me with teary eyes. “Are you scolding me for her?”
I sighed. “I am saving you. You don’t know; maybe she is hearing us, and that could get you killed.”
“You’re the best, my lady,” she whispered before placing the fruits she dropped on the table in front of me. “Here,” she said as she handed them to me. “Eat this.”
“I am full,” I responded.
“I won’t take no for an answer, my lady. Please eat it,” she insisted as she forced me to eat the fruit she had brought. I was still eating when the door opened and revealed my mother.
“What are you doing here, maid?” She asked, her voice laced with anger. “Sitting on my daughter’s bed.”
Amber’s body trembled as she fell to the ground. “Master,” she spoke. “I’m here to bring my lady her fruit.”
She eyed her. Her face lit up with happiness, seeing how she trembled. She stepped closer. “Just fruit?”
“Yes, master.”
“Then tell me, why are you sitting on her bed?” She demanded again, using the tip of her shoe to nudge her head.
“Mother,” I called. I wouldn’t let this drag on because she could kill her. “I was the one who asked her to sit on my bed.”
She scoffed, staring at me. “You allow a maid to sit on your bed? For what?”
“She is my friend,” I answered.
“Hahaha.” She let out a dry laugh. She looked at me with a strange expression. “What do you mean?” she asked.
“I mean she’s my friend,” I said again, more firmly.
“Your what? You befriended a maid as your friend?” she sneered.
I pinched my nails relentlessly as her voice rose, praying that she couldn’t kill her.
Amber was the only friend I had. She was the only one I shared my sorrows with. How could I bear for her to die at the hands of this monster?
“Please pardon her.” I bowed my head.
“Huh! I will do that for your sake,” she began. “I won’t kill you, maid, but I can’t promise to pardon you next time you do this.”
“Thank you, master,” she retorted, her voice trembling.
“Stand up,” she commanded. “Leave.”
She immediately got to her feet. She was about to open the door when my mother called her.
“I will kill you if you dare eavesdrop on my conversation with my daughter.”
“I dare not, Master,” she said, as she opened the door and fled.
- Writer
