4

The next morning....

The fresh sun rays, illuminated her golden hair like fire. Her pale skin was covered with tear marks, and her pillow was yet wet. She was taking deep breaths, with a faint smile on her face as if dreaming about the happy times she had spent in the royal palace. Her eyes flickered as the fresh sunrays, fell upon her delicate features. She looked a carbon copy of just her mother, equally gorgeous with long eye lashes. But she never really bothered to wear expensive clothes or look feminine. Her thick glasses were places on top of the book which she was reading last night, while her loose satin gown was partially lifted up to her knees as she slept like a scared little baby on her tiny bed.

The birds chipped on the wall of the terrace, as if singing a happy song in contrast to the sad song playing in Eva’s mind. 

“Thump Thump! GET UP!” 

The loud knocking on the door and a piercing voice of a female woke up the girl from her peaceful dream and straightened her back with a jolt. She swiped back her messy long hair locks and rushed towards the door to open it. With trembling hands, she opened the door only to see the lady she abhorred the most, standing right in front of her.

“You lazy girl. You are late again. Here take this.” She threw a pink coloured beautiful gown on her face and handed her over a ruby set, with matching earrings. “Wear this and come dressed in an hour. Or is my coronation today” The lady grinned proudly, throwing daggers at the sad looking girl. 

Diana was today going to be declared the successor of the king and will soon ne bestowed with the most prestigious royal stature as she was the widowed wife of the king. 

Diana, the royal queen married King William six years back, and thus achieved the status of the queen and Eva’s step mother. Originally hailing from a middle class family, she always had her eyes upon the king ever since Eva’s birth mother Sofia passed away due to a heart disease.  Diana had started to stalk the king, ever since the news of Sofia’s death was printed in the tabloids, eight years back. 

After several months of stalking, finally Diana pretended to have met with an accident near the Royal palace. She was rushed inside the palace to be shown to King’s doctor and the king was informed immediately. 

King William was a man with a golden heart and cared for his people, even in this modern world. He instantly rushed to see the civilian who had met with an accident and that is when Diana could finally come face to face with the king.  

“Oh, my head hurts. I cannot remember anything.” A distressed looking Diana pretended to have forgotten everything after hitting her head with the glass of the car window. 

King William looked at the damsel in distress, wanting to help her in anyway as he could. “Relax. Do not worry my lady. You are in the royal palace and you have nothing to be worried about.” He gently held Diana’s shivering hand, trying to calm her down.

Diana took the opportunity and gripped his hand tightly, taking deep breaths. Her face full of makeup and hair tied in a high bun, clearly depicted that she was all prepared to show her best side to the king. But the king thought of nothing else and instantly ordered for Diana to stay in the royal palace till she does not remember her family. 

“Oh thank you. You are so kind.” Diana gave her best innocent look and looked at the handsome royal man, dressed in a royal blue suit. 

“It is my duty Miss. The staff and the doctor shall take care of you. I shall get the right wing of the palace open for you.” The man bowed a bit in courtesy and walked away instructing his staff. 

Diana smirked as soon as everybody’s attention was diverted away from her and took out her cell phone, which she had been hiding in her dress.

‘Work done mother.’ 

She texted her mother happily and smugly and an instant reply from her mother lit up her face.

‘Don’t forget the rules of seduction. He is a man after all and you are beautiful. He should not be able to stay away from you for very long. Seduce him so much, that he forgets his earlier wife’s death. Good luck daughter. We shall keep meeting secretly.’ 

Ever since that day, Diana had been barging in the King’s personal wing and gaining sympathy. From pretending to have anxiety issues to making king take care of her personally, finally she managed to woo his heart. 

She had been a nice company to Eva as well and Eva too was happy with her father’s decision to get married again. But after sudden demise of her father, everything changed. Diana was no longer the same friendly person she pretended to be and had also banished Eva to enter the main premises of the palace. 

......

Eva looked at the lady as she held her pink gown. Diana was dressed in a beautiful pastel green coloured gown, which once belonged to her birth mother. The tiara she adorned on her head was given to the queen of the palace, with now Diana wore proudly on her head. A tear dropped down from Eza eyes as she looked at Diana and how she tried to look like her birth mother. “Not even half as graceful and pretty as my mother you are. No matter how much you try, you can never be the queen of people.” She glared at the lady, full of botox and fillers, mustering all her strength.

“Why you!!” The lady’s already stiff and raised eyebrows arched upwards in anger and she planted a tight slap on Eva’s face. “SLAAAPPPP!!!” 

The weak and feeble girl fell down on the floor and tears dropped down from her eyes at a rapid pace. Her lip was swollen and a sting on her cheek made her anger reach to the pinnacle. “One day, I will get what I deserve.” She turned to look at Diana who sneered and closed the door behind her. 

“One hour and come down. You dare utter a word about me and I shall have you thrown far away in the dungeon and tell the world that you have gone for your higher studies. And you know , I can pretty much do that.” Diana shouted loudly while closing the door.  

Eva sighed and got up from the floor, wiping away the blood from her lips. She then with a heavy heart, walked inside the tiny attached bathroom and stripped off her clothes revealing her slender and pale body. She was a beautiful 22 year old girl, but highly naive. Her father had not just papered her a lot but had also encouraged her interest in studying and painting. “I miss you papa.” She let the cold water droplets fall on her bare body, as she quickly started to rub the extra soap. 

In another two minutes the girl had already draped a towel around her body and was looking at her reflection in mirror. A week and pale girl with long beautiful golden locks with a beautiful body was standing. She was perhaps the most beautiful girl, even without a hint of makeup, unlike the other princesses of royal kingdoms, who dressed there best, had plenty of makeup and worried too much about there makeup. The royal princess’s were only trained to woo a royal prince, marry her and bear her kids. But, Eva was different. She wanted to paint and study literature and did not want to marry. 

The girl had dried her hair, when there was another knock at the door. Eva quickly opened the door and smiled looking at Samantha. Samantha was the only staff member, who was originally her birth mother’s maid. She not only loved Eva, but also secretly supported Eva and made sure she is fed well. 

“Good morning princess. I have brought you breakfast, a few books and also today’s newspaper.” The lady dressed in white knee length skirt and hair tied in s bun.

“The newspaper? Something interesting besides queens coronation and guest list?” Eva frowned holding the newspaper and gasped looking at the headlines. There was a picture of Rick and Troy getting all cozy outside a bar with two girls dressed in skimpy clothing. 

"What is this? I... I thought he loved me Samantha." A tear dropped down from her eye as she kept gazing at the picture of the boy she had loved with all her heart.

"I know princess, you do love him. But, what about him? Does he even love you? Love is never that easy my dear." The middle aged lady patted Eva's head, wiping away her tears. "At times you have to find your true love and times you have to win it." 

"Will he be here at the coronation ceremoney today?" Eva's eyes blinked as she looked at Samantha in much hope.

"Yes. But I believe your priority should be the kingdom right now. Queen has raised the service tax already and if she gets her free will, the country will be doomed and people will come on roads to opppose the royal family. Only you can save our heritage my dear. Love can wait." Samantha held Eva's hand with determination, looking on her teary eyes.