Bellona (Part 1.5 of The Saskia Trilogy) Read Free Page A

chest and on the back just makes it a hideous creation. I will look like a fool. I push the tears away, what choice do I have?
    “Well come on, get me ready you fools,” I roar. The servants move and start by carrying in a large tub of water. From there I am scrubbed, pulled at, dressed, prodded with clips in my head. The end result is horrible as I stand in front of the mirror three hours later. The dress is worse on. The gray drains the color from my face, leaving me looking ill. My eyes look too dull. My hair is clipped to my head severely, painfully. My face looks stretched and the white powder that covers it makes me look like a freshly made-up corpse. Ready to be laid out for all to see. I look ghastly.
    “They’re waiting for you.” I look away from my refection to the nervous servant who holds my door open. I take a deep breath and follow him through the castle in silence, until we stop at the dining room doors. The servant opens them for me and I enter.
    My parents and Nierra sit at the table that could hold up to forty people. They rise as I enter. My eyes flicker to my father. He’s drunk and laughter spills from his mouth. He slaps the table, shaking the contents in everyone’s goblets. I can see Nierra tense and my mother smirks. I stop walking, my body frozen in humiliation.
    “You look like the dead,” my father roars and his laughter continues. My shame burns my flesh.  Nierra clears his throat very loudly and my father’s laughter dies. What I see in Nierra’s eyes makes me want to cry. He is angry, not at me for looking ugly but at my father for laughing. He looks at me then and smiles, while pulling out the chair beside him for me. I return the smile, my stomach fluttering as I take slow steps towards him.
    “Thank you,” I whisper shyly and sit down, meeting my mother’s cold stare. My father reaches across the table, slapping Nierra hard on the back. He doesn’t flinch at the gesture but I notice his jaw tightens.
    “Nierra, how is your training? I do hope it is benefiting you greatly.” My mother smiles at Nierra as she holds her goblet of wine by the stem, twirling it between her thumb and index finger. Her eyes assess his frame greedily and my heart slams against my chest. She looks stunning, her long blond hair flows down her back and covers her bare shoulders. The red dress she wears plunges at the front showing plenty of cleavage. My eyes shoot to my father to see if he notices his wife’s antics, but he is too busy stuffing his face with food. Juice from the chicken runs down his chin. I look away, embarrassed.
    “The training is great. Thank you both for the facilities that are in place for us.”
    My mother tips her head, smiling, while she sips slowly from her goblet. Silence falls on the table as my mother watches me with a hidden smile that makes me squirm. My head is aching from the severity of my hair style and my hands itch to massage my scalp but I keep them joined together, resting on my lap.
    The silence is broken as my mother takes a deep breath and her hand flutters in Nierra’s direction. “The future King of Saskia.” She beams, then her head swings to me, her eyes scanning me. “And the future Queen.” Disgust is what I see in her eyes. I look at my lap, mortified that Nierra is witnessing my humiliation. A strong hand squeezes mine and I find myself staring into the most beautiful, kind green eyes I have ever seen.
    “I think Bellona will make a fine Queen.” A slow smile grows on my face and my mother’s words come back to me about looking ugly when I smile. My hand shoots to my mouth to hide it, but I continue to smile behind my hand. Nierra breaks eye contact, his face held tight. My hand and smile fall and I return to looking at my lap.
    “It’s such a beautiful day outside. I would like your permission to take your daughter for a walk in the gardens.” I look up holding my breath, while waiting for my father’s answer.
    “Good riddance,” he