19 4.2

I stomped over to the door with a huff, wrenching it open with all the rage I held from being deprived of any extra sleep. The view of who was on the other side almost made me close it again, but in a move trained into him by years of bratty nobles, Probably Joseph stuck his foot past the threshold, making me take a confused step back as he bowed politely. I searched through my head for possible reasons he could be here but came up blank. I had been in my room for the past three days. How could I have gotten into trouble doing nothing?

"Your Highness." The steward's voice was technically quite polite, but there was something in his manner that made every move he made seem insulting. I was getting the feeling he didn't like me, though the feeling was mutual at this point in our strained relationship. Nothing good came when he arrived in my life.

Probably Joseph stepped to the side, further blocking the door from closing, and gestured forwards elegantly. "Please come with me, Prince Haven. You have been summoned for a meeting with Her Royal Majesty." He gave me an analytic stare, and wrinkled his nose before adding "Please dress accordingly."

It appears that my bedhead and wrinkled clothing didn't meet his standards. I resisted the urge to lift my arm and check for body odor, but a shower was likely also in order. The last three days of hiding in my room had likely not done anything good for my hygiene.

The steward bowed again but made no move to leave. He was probably under orders from the queen to get me to the meeting as quickly as possible, while also ensuring I at least pretended to make an effort in cleaning myself. The thought of him watching me get ready was disturbing, but what could you do? He was under orders from a higher power, giving him every excuse to ignore my demands with as much pleasure as his frozen heart could conjure.

I took a long shower, taking extra time out of spite directed toward the overbearing manners of Probably Joseph and Her Royal Majesty. It felt nice to get the buildup of sweat out of my hair, and I took extra time reveling in the joy of hot water.

Extra time was also spent drying off, combing out my hair to a smooth texture before tying it out of my face, and put on the clothes I had brought with me.

The tunic and trousers I selected were random but close enough in color to match, and the boots I put on were a personal favorite for their comfort and practical uses. Theoretically, I looked fine.

I added a layer of golden eyeliner to punctuate my feelings of spite and took a minute to stretch out my limbs before exiting the now well-fogged room.

Probably Joseph gave me a once over, and I felt his judgment when he saw my eyes, making the extra effort entirely worth it. I had bathed, changed, and even attempted to make my clothing match for once. What more could he want from me?

I followed him down the hallways, forcing my boots to dramatically thump even when they crossed over thicker rugs. My mind wandered as my feet moved, thinking about what my stepmother wanted. She had undoubtedly been updated on all the events that had happed a few days ago, and knowing her I was in for an extended lecture on all the ways I had messed up. Life used to be so much easier than this- how did it all go wrong?