23 Rumour

I'd been at school for months now and nothing out of the ordinary had happened. It was quiet. A part of me wanted to say it was too quiet but really, it wasn't. It was just the way school shoot be with the exception of people avoiding me.

Or rather, they were looking at me from afar as if I was not on the same level as them. Some because of my different appearance, and others because of our status's and a couple of rumours.

My engagement to Prince Rudo had been announced months before. I was now the future wife or the future king. So in obvious sense, I was to become the queen of this nation but it was like this thought didn't come into the minds of most people in this school.

Most people didn't try to suck up to me like they would anyone else. This was because, I would assume, they either believed Prince Illya would be the one to rule or that my marriage would be annulled due to me dancing with one 'mysterious man' at the ball.

I was being called a cheat because I had danced with 'a albino man' at the ball when I was supposedly in a courtship with Prince Rudo.

Even if I didn't marry him, I couldn't wait to see the faces of some of the noble daughters and sons when they find out the man they were mocking so much and the person they were accusing me of 'cheating' with was Prince Rudo himself!

The thought almost made me laugh out loud but someone who was not as amused as I was, was Hilda.

Because I had no friends, I spent most of my time with Hilda. This wasn't strange since most of the maids or butlers who attended with their nobilities would usually hang around them unless ordered expressly not to.

Though because I had no friends, other rumours spread about me saying that I was mistreating Hilda. Mostly after they had found out that Hilda was unable to speak.

"She wouldn't be able to speak out if she was being abused! Isn't that cruel?!" I had once heard a noble lady say.

I had seen her maids face twist slightly when she said this but I paid it no heed until Hilda, sneered into my mind,

"She's one to talk."

I had almost laughed at that.

Hilda was showing more and more of herself and with that I thought that something good had come out of this situation.

"Young Miss, we need to stop these rumours, what if the king hears? What if he breaks off the engagement or has you killed for adultery!"

"It's okay. We have nothing to worry about." I said calmly. I wasn't going to tell her why I was so confident. I wasn't going to reveal Prince Rudo's true identity and I wasn't going to concentrate on things I couldn't change. All in all, this was turning out like the game. Cecilia Ashington was never an important character. She was simple and unimportant. Which, for now, made me safe and allowed me to do as I pleased.

"Let's just focus on the task at hand shall we?" I said as I continued to walk, despite the weird glances.

Hilda followed behind me without more questioning until I heard her voice in my mind,

"She's here."

Hearing this, I looked around, and without taking much time, my eyes fell on a head of bright blonde hair.

Ellie...

But she wasn't the only one there, beside her Kyril stood. They walked side by side in conversation.

Ellie was smiling brightly. I wasn't sure what they were talking about but For some reason, it annoyed me.

Kyril was not my favourite person to see, which was a shame since he was my brother but this was caused directly by his strange disgust for me which I didn't understand and didn't even want to try to understand.

However, despite my bad relationship with him, because I knew Ellie would sooner or later replace me as my father's daughter and my brothers sister, I felt a sinking feeling in my chest but because that was considered a rejection of the bond, I felt a burning sensation in my chest which made me go pale.

As if feeling my pain Hilda winced and then she grabbed me before I fell to the floor.

She supported me but I acted as if I was just slightly tired and I needed someone to hold me for a moment.

"Young Miss!" Hilda's voice rang in my ear.

"I'm fine... I'll be fine. Just... give me a moment." I said weakly, trying to calm the anger, the sadness the feelings of inner turmoil within me.

In moments like this I was glad Hilda couldn't scream out loud on accident. I didn't want anyone to notice my condition.

But as soon as I thought this, I felt as if someone's hand was grabbing around in my mind. It sent shivers down my spine.

Ah yes, this is what it felt like to be 'aware'. Knowing was a scary thing in this world, and for a moment, I could hear Prince Rudo's voice.

"Once you know... it doesn't work anymore..." it said.

But truly, for people like Hilda it was not like that. It was 'once you know, you'll always know.'... always feel.

I know I had told Hilda she could look in my mind if she wanted but in a moment like this, I felt a bit strange. I didn't want someone to see my ugly side but it was too late.