Uncultured Swine

I left that brunch fully intended on making the birthday party happen.

The Dowager's palace is grand and wealthily decorated. Standing in front of it, I felt like a fly.

"Her highness would receive you now." A court maid said.

The dowager's maids like the queen's look less robot like and acted like humans. That deepened my suspicions.

"Your highness," I said with a bow.

"I heard you want a birthday." Was the first thing she said. Her demeanour immediately made me feel caged. I felt like a prisoner, like I made a mistake coming here. Looking at the dowager was like looking at the bullet that would end my life.

She held on to a small white dove that pecked seeds of her other hands. The hall was huge and cold,

There were royal consorts from the king's palace who came to visit her, but none of them seemed to be here on their free will, the looked like beautifully decorated prisoners, all sullen and looking down. If they were not so beautiful and dressed in exquisite garments like tropical birds, I would not have noticed the mourning crew.

"I only thought…"  I tried to say looking at the heavily depressed women and happy bird, it felt like a circus on reverse.

"Don't think. You only got here, and you already have an opinion. Princess or whatever they decide to call you in the future. Remember, you are tainted blood. And the royal family does not need you." She said quite childishly, before glaring at the women, who jumped in their sits frightened, before laughing at me, as that was what the glare was for

I could feel the gavel coming down. "Rejected!"

"Oh dear, the little bastard really thought herself to be a princess." One of them said unaware of her lack of creativity.

The queen dowager rolled her eyes and the woman who just spoke immediately shut up and put her head back down.

One in particular, not too heavily decorated and had a baby on her lap spoke up calmly with malice as she patted the baby's back. "Her Royal Highness is so kind to bestow such an honour on a lowly bastard, but I guess uncultured swine will still snort and run to mud when they see one, even if you give it a human name." She said with a faint voice, before turning to the dowager, "spare her your highness," she said to the dowager. "Pigs know no better; it is their nature that is vulgar. One cannot be punished for their nature, as you have given this one a human name. Spare her."

"Spare her, your highness, "everyone chanted. The one who spoke turned to face me with her nose touching the sky and a mocking glint in her eyes.

The dowager seemed pleased.

"What are you waiting for?" She asked me.

"Your highness" I greet and walk away dumb founded. What the freak?

One was too young; the other is too old. This is not funny.

Back in my palace I sat in the minimally decorated hall deflated one leg on the chair handle, another on the table, both hands flailing at the side as I rest on the other arm of the chair. Joke's on me. I thought I could make it different this time. I thought life was manageable. I thought this was my ghost of suicide present. But it is just a ghost. Cold and flitting. I only had three quiet months before I am locked away again.

In that moment I heard the voice I will not forget soon, like butter on fresh toast like a campfire in winter, like hail in the middle of a dessert like all the things, warm sweet and hard not to miss, his voice cracked my walls I built with anxiety to cage myself and barged in.

"Is there anything lady-like about you?" A-hole.

I was so stunned I almost fell off the chair as I gaped at him. His charming eyes looking at me deeply in thoughts. For a moment it felt like he was here. But he was not. This is the shitty prince. It oddly disappointed me, my heart squeezed painfully, and I fight to breathe.

"Do I need to strip to answer that?" I asked sitting up to grab at my clothes by the neck.

"For you to think that is already worrying." He said with a scowl as he watches me. His eyes scanning me as if checking my bar code, to see if he got the wrong order. He did. You had this before, it didn end well. Let us not do it again.

"To what do I owe this visit? You should visit your mother; she worries for you." I said referring to the fifteen-year-old creep.

"Don't tell jokes like that." He says watching me intently before sitting on the opposite chair.

"She asked me to call her mother." I said watching to see his reaction. He does not seem surprised. The maids besides busy themselves setting up a table of refreshments.

"What is this about a birthday party."

"Who wants to know?"

"The prince, your future husband."

"…" Is this A-hole for real?

"If I find it appealing, I will put in a good word at dinner today."

"Dinner?" I do not immediately give information as he could be in on my captivity too.

"We are gathering today with family." He said looking at my maids.

Understanding his thoughts, I immediately said. "They are basic robots, without 'inform beforehand' setting." I spoke. No caring if they hear. But now that I think on it, they have access to my food before I do. Shit!

"Who assigned you to this palace." The prince asks the head maid. I think.

"The queen dowager." She said with some implied pride.

"You have disappointed her highness in this task my being too lacking." The prince says not looking at her. "You are dismissed."

I could finally see some emotions and they were not cute. She tried to say something but slapped herself and the ladies behind her do the same before walking away backwards.

Well, they are intense.

Boom chakalaka boom!

When the place emptied out, I felt as though I had been liberated. "Thank you," I said.

"Tell me princess, what is a robot?" Something is different about him.

"Mechanical beings, without emotions." I say watching him poke at the bread. Spoiled brat.

"Mechanical?" He asks looking intrigued.

"Man-made"

"And did you read this in your picture book?"

"Your highness, if I may ask, why are you being nice to me?"

"You may not ask." He said curtly, okay he is still shit.

He pointed the bread to one of his attendants and said, "get this palace properly staffed before diner is over." Turning to me, "Your birthday." He said.

"Happy birthday. A crowd shouted. The scene around me changed and it was last year again. I was back in the world were KFC existed, Except I was watching from outside my body. I could see myself beaming as I stared at Jupiter.

"Happy birthday, Precious." Jupiter said bringing a cake over to me with 18 candles. I walk over coyly, writhing in happiness.

"Jupes you are too much," I watch myself saying as i blush. I was stunned at the genuine smile on my face. My foreign mannerism caused a queasy feeling in my stomach.

The place was beautifully decorated. Everything was perfect. It was. As they sang the birthday song, I watched as Cam, my best friend, came in with a camera giggling as she stealthily followed my movement.

I watched myself blow the candle and wished like a fool, for something that would not happen.

I did not want to watch this sham or torture myself either. I watched the scene and wondered where all that happiness came from and where they went.

for I... right now, had no emotion within my body to jold on to. Not even sadness.