The Princess' Golden Cage

Caroline’s POV:

I woke up in that morning to another common day in the palace. I did not need an alarm, because there was always someone to wake me up, and normally this someone was Lucille, my personal servant, and best friend. Lucille was 20, two years older than me, and this made me consider her as my older sister. She was tall, with strawberry blonde hair that was always stuck on a bun at the top of her head, and covered by a maid’s hat. Her hearted-shape face and sweet eyes were always alert to my needs, and she could read me better than my parents. This time, my best friend was opening the curtains of my room, letting the light in.

“Urgh! So early!” I said, hiding my face.

“I am sorry, Your Highness, but it is time already.” Your Highness? That always means that she was not alone. She was allowed to speak freely when there was just the two of us, but every morning there was a small army of maids invading my room - too early in my opinion - to prepare me for my day: they helped me with my bath, makeup, hair and clothing and were responsible for my impeccable appearance day after day. Lucille was their leader and my chaperone. She was learning directly from my mom’s chaperone to occupy her position when my mom stepped back or died.

“Well, come on, Care. You can take a Royal Nap after lunch. I can always tell to whom it may concern that you are indisposed, but now, your Mother and Father request your presence for breakfast,” Lucille murmured as she got close to my headboard.

“Urgh! Fine! What good is it for me to be the princess of The Kingdom of Tresoria if I cannot get up whenever I want?”

“Your Highness knows that it is not like that,” Lucille murmured. I knew that whoever came to wake me up with her was back at earshot.

“Is Your Royal Highness already awake?” Madam Ameline Tremblay asked Lucille. I would recognize her voice anywhere. This voice inhabited my nightmares of long and endless etiquette classes. It is not as if I was not grateful for all the classes. The thing is that I wanted to be normal, just for once in my lifetime.

“Yes, Madam Tremblay, I am.” I told her in a polite way. I did not want to start my day with a misunderstanding with my governess. Although I have a higher real position than hers, I knew I would never win an argument with her, especially if I took it to my parents. Madam Tremblay was always right.

My name is Caroline Andermier, the heiress Princess of The Kingdom of Tresoria, daughter of King Maximus and Queen Lianne. Our territory was built where it used to be an old country named over its states being united or something of the sort. Almost all the history before the rising of the Kingdom was wiped away from common knowledge and the rest was forbidden for most of the people, including me.

I have always been educated on the issues of economics and political science, etiquette, and negotiation. At 17, I was practically a lady of the society. Although I would assume the throne only in the event of my father's resignation or his death, I could already be considered practically prepared to ascend to his occupation. Still, sometimes I was considered by them as a child.

A couple of years ago, my father decided that it was time for me to attend his strategical meetings. In fact, I started to attend to them whenever I could, but I was never heard. His advisers were all noble old men who had never seen the people they govern up close. Most of them were so arrogant that they did not even realize their own arrogance. They were stuck in their false importance. All of them ceaselessly fawning over my father in exchange for power, influence, money, or any other benefit that being an advisor or friend of the king could bring them. I doubt that my father believed there would be any sincere friendship between him and any of the palace goers, as he always told me that people like us lived in their ivory towers. Never trusting anyone, never letting your guard down.

Well, these advisers and my own father allowed me to take part in watching the strategic kingdom meetings. That was when I started to understand trade and agriculture, army and defense, expansion and growth versus retraction and poverty. In theory, I understood all of this, but every time I opened my mouth to give an idea, they would laugh at me and think any of my innovations was an absurd idea. All of them, including my father. I would like to be able to better help, to be able to do more than just listen, but unfortunately, I never had the opportunity.

An hour after the maids woke me up, I have been washed, scrubbed, combed, had my make-up done, and was ready to see my parents. Just a common morning in the summer palace. During summer, we visited the northeast coast of Tresoria. There were beautiful places in this region, and it was cooler than the west side of the country at this time of the year. I loved the summer. Unfortunately, I was never allowed to enjoy it.

There was always an excuse, but I could never leave the palace, well, at least not without being under strong protection. Our country had been at war for ages. There were internal conflicts thanks to the rebels that my father said were untamed, and external conflicts because Tresoria was always looking for expansion and growth of wealth, and any member of the royal family could be the target of a direct hit, or a kidnapping well executed.

I was what could be called a bird trapped in a golden cage. Anyone who was on the outside would affirm with certainty that I had everything and that I could not complain about anything, because nothing was missing in my life. Still, there were nights when I cried for a sadness that I could not explain. I wanted more. I wanted to go out and meet my people, I wanted to bring peace and prosperity in my reign, I wanted to understand what life was like out there. I wanted to see the sea because I had only heard about breathtaking horizons, but I had never come close to any of them.

I entered the private dining room after being announced and made a small courtesy. My dad dismissed the formalities saying: “Come, child.” I walked to where both my parents were and said to them: “Good morning, Your Majesties!”

“Good morning, my dearest daughter,” my mother told me smiling a little bit. Of course, I was her dearest. I was their only child!

After my birth, my parents tried to have more children, and in fact, my mother got pregnant two more times. My first brother was stillborn, my second sister was never born. I was a little girl, but I remember the suffering that these two tragedies brought to her, and her years of depression. After that, they gave up trying to have more children, and I was placed in this glass case. I was the untouchable girl, sometimes so untouchable that my father treated me like the heir to the throne instead of daughter and my mother were afraid of getting too close to me and something happening to me. It would break her heart all over again, so she kept her distance.

“Come and seat with us for breakfast,” my dad said, gesturing to a seat near them.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I told him with a smile. My father was formal all the time. The rare times when he would allow himself to be more natural were the moments that there were just the three of us. Never a servant would see us as a common family. My mother was more carefree, and she would cuddle me now and then in front of some palace worker, but obviously not every time, and definitely, not in my father’s presence. That was why sometimes I felt like Lucille knew me better than my own parents. She was my maid and my chaperone. The friend who made things bearable behind the palace walls.

I have learned a lot about my kingdom and what my future role would be, but I was sure that I lacked some real experience. However, our security was always threatened, so leaving through the door that led to outside the palace was only possible after everything was carefully studied and never on unaccompanied occasions. I wanted to see how my people lived out there, if they were well maintained and how I could help to make their life better, but according to my father and his counselors, the risk was too high to leave our safe castles.

And with that, I also do not have many friends. I was educated at home, and just knew the noble’s children, but never had the opportunity to develop a sincere friendship with any of them. Some of the girls were brought to the palace on certain occasions for play dates when I was a kid, and now for tea and other ‘official’ events, but they were all distant as if they were told to keep their distance from me. My only true friend was Lucille, and the worst part of it all is that she was paid to accompany me. Fortunately, she was not self-serving. Lucille had a good heart and took pity on me. And she became my friend with no vested interest. I admired that about her. There was an abyss between my position and hers, but I did not look at her from above, nor did she have the arrogance to think of me like the typical 'poor rich girl'.

When I became a teenager, I felt how heavy was my crown. I have almost no friends and almost all my relations were with people interested in something that I could give them: political advantage, richness, or influence. I felt bad because I knew that one day, I would have to get married and have an heir. My marriage probably would happen after a ball or a contest for my hand, or it could even be arranged between my parents and his parents. Everyone sees the bright side and the glamour of being royalty, but very few realize that the few choices you will normally have in life could be taken away from you because of your position.

After breakfast, I accompanied my father to one of the strategic industry meetings. Lord Deveraux and Lord Chapman were the main representatives who were accompanying us today. I sat in the seat reserved for me watching the discussion of the adults present.

"So, we have to double the production of iron and other metals, both for our base industry and for the manufacture of ammunition. We cannot abandon the front not giving the inputs they need!" Lord Deveraux told everyone, and several heads nodded in agreement.

"But for that, we will have to double the shifts!" my father observed. "We will have no other option!"

"We can offer an extra 15% to workers and encourage women to also work in factories," Lord Chapman told everyone.

"Excuse me? Can we increase this incentive to 25%? Maybe it will make workers see the difference in their wages and accept other shifts more often. And maybe we can set up childcare centers for women who have small children and who could work if they have someone to look after their children” I suggested timidly.

After my suggestion, there was a sepulchral silence in the meeting room, until some of the representatives laughed softly behind my back. Lord Deveraux then said to me, "That idea of childcare is not viable, Your Highness" and I heard Lord Chapman say quietly to my father, "Where does she get these crazy ideas from?" I blushed violently and since then I have not said anything else at the meeting, which has seemed to drag on for all eternity.

Finally, more than an hour later they ended the meeting, and I was dismissed.

I walked with my head down to the exit of the meeting room and when I had my hand on the doorknob, I heard Lord Deveraux saying to my father, "This girl is incontrollable and has the most stupid ideas. She cannot ascend the throne."

My father replied, "Whether you like it or not, unfortunately, she is my only heir, so when I go, she will rise to the throne, and you will have to respect your new Queen."

"Then she cannot do it alone. She must marry, and her husband must rule."

I saw from afar my father nodding and realized that perhaps my fate had been sealed at that moment. With tears in my eyes, I left the meeting room, running desperately to be alone.