Chapter Three- That of Poison and Roses

Three

Perfection.

Perfection.

Perfection.

Yes, that's what's required of me. 

I hate it.

I walk through the halls in proper formation. Head up, perfectly straight, perfectly balanced. Behind me, I know my mother is doing the same, and behind her, my father. We walk in this order always, for every formal meeting.

The less important figures always walk first.

I stand in the front.

I know it's not because my parents don't think I'm important. It's customary for the king to be last, and the queen afront him. I’m the only child left now, and therefore have to stand in the front.

It's funny though. I'm the least important, and yet everything I do feels like there's an entire kingdom on my shoulders. Every breath, every word, every step is carefully planned. 

It's all fake.

Welcome to the life of royalty.

Be glad you don't have to deal with it.

As we approach the front of the vast room, I observe two large, grand thrones. The first is in the exact center of the room, solid gold with a single diamond placed at the very top. Around the diamond are what seem like hundreds of small rubies. The other throne, to the right of the first, is silver, dotted with different sizes of sapphires.

It's so beautiful, it makes me sick. 

Sitting in these two thrones are the King and Queen of Eldoria, likely the most infamous of the powerful and untrustworthy Aldridge family.

As we approach their thrones, I bow low, just as my parents had told me to. 

I hate every second of it.

I still do not understand why we are here, why peace is necessary when the same thing will happen now that happened all those many cycles ago.

Eldoria will call for peace, and then they will stab us in the back.

That is, at least, what I've been taught. Obviously I wasn't alive back then, but in the castle we had a vast, vast library. I wasn't much of a reader, but even I knew that every tome told the same tale. 

The Aldridges were traitors.

They were backstabbers.

The Aldridge family cannot be trusted.

"We are honored to have you here," states King Aldridge, as my father finishes his bow and approaches the throne. 

Lies.

"As are we to be here. Thank you for your generosity."

I wish my father would just cut the act. I wish that everyone would quit with the lies. They claim peace is mandatory, and yet, they don’t tell us why. Something doesn’t add up.

"I suppose," nods the Eldorian King, looking contently at my father, "Dinner is in order before we begin the negotiations?"

"Of course, sir."

Dinner. How wonderful