Mira's Ornaments.

'Oh my god!'

Watching her royal Highness, my stepmother dance because of her beauty being destroyed was highly amusing.

Even little Catherine woke up early today to watch her.

The boils were going to leave marks and I was going to love it. Her beauty was what had attracted my father and now I took it away. It was fun.

But it also made me feel guilty. Someone cried because of me. 

"Your highness!" She cried to my father who looked disgusted at her appearance. "Look what happened! Someone conspired against me!"

"Obviously," her son muttered. He wasn't even on her side. He was on no one's side and for this, he was plain stupid.

"Go to the physician, Mira." My father grumbled.

She looked heartbroken. My father had always called her 'my queen' because after my mother's death, she had achieved that status.

Won't have it for long, though. I smiled along with Estelle as we watched the scene downstairs. Merilyn was laughing behind me as well.

"Let's go down for Breakfast," Estelle said, taking Catherine's hand in hers.

As we sat down at the table, both of the males were missing and the queen joined us a little later with herbal remedies applied to her face.

"I know one of you did it," she spat at us. "Remember that I will retaliate as well!" She yelled.

"Born out of peasant blood, you have their manners as well. Ladies of royal blood do not yell but how would you know?" Estelle sighed, looking in her direction she spoke, "All you know is how to seduce men for status."

"I did no such thing!" She defended herself making me scoff in return.

"Is that so?" I retort. "From a servant to a concubine to The Queen? I wonder how that happened." Sweetly smiling at her, I drank my tea.

"I am a Queen! You two, no, you three will be married to other princes!" She gloated. Oh, how foolish of you to think so.

"If that is what you are hoping for, then it shall never happen," Estelle said.

"And even if it does," I continued with my smile, "I shall make sure that you no longer exist to witness it." And I will make sure of this. The proof of my threat was on her face.

After that she stayed quiet, knowing my threats are never empty. I hardly made any threats but when I did, I carried them out. 

Walking to back my chambers, I sat down in the greeting room where I often handle my palace duties.

"Your highness," the head chef came in first, "Here is my budget for the month."

Taking the paper from him, I gathered all of them from different workers and keep them with me until no one is left. I kept them all on the table side by side, noting down the final prices and the budget I had.

It was in a deficit, a huge one at that.

I needed hundreds of thousands of more coins and I couldn't use the royal treasury because that was for my wedding. Yet, feeding the soldiers and the help was important as well and I had not even counted the one for the public.

Closing my eyes, all I think about is, what must I do?

******

"We must cut from the unnecessary ones," Estelle immediately answered.

"I have already cut those. The ones you have are important." I sighed and so does my father.

"Feeding the army is more important!" Augustus, my stepbrother declared, as if the final say would be his. "Leave the staff!"

"Really? Who shall cook for the army?" I questioned his idioticy. 

He simply glared my way because, again, I had better reasoning.

"Your highness," a member of the staff comes in, "the army is outside with the generals. The word of the budget is in the air."

I released a long sigh. This was bad. The army shouldn't be concerned but now it was. Making our way to the front of the castle and I stood on the balcony. I would have gone down to the gates but my voice won't be heard.

"My king," a general calls out, "has the princess arranged for the expenditures?"

"Of course, she has not. Incompetent like a mother." I hear Queen Mira snicker behind me. 

That was it. 

"Do not blame me now," I turned around to her and smiled. She was wearing a light veil to conceal her face. Ever, with what I was about to do, veil or not, she was going to be hurt massively and this time she would not be able to cover it. 

Turning back, I moved in front of the balcony and announce the news, "Yes, I have." I said loud and clear, "The Queen has provided with her Jewelry to fund every expenditure that the Kingdom is facing until I get married!" I loudly declared, making sure everyone heard me. 

The army screamed in joy and the members of staff also expressed their joy by screaming and chanting the names.

Long live house Hearthorne. 

Smiling, I nodded and walked back inside, ready for confrontation.

"When did I say that?" She came behind me, screeching as loudly as she can.

"Didn't you mutter this while you were standing behind me?" I asked with an innocent expression on my face. I did say, she did not get to blame this on me. 

I knew she won't say anything to my face, especially about my mother.

"I-I," she stammered.

I turned around and ignored her. Merilyn followed closely behind me.

"Yours highness, what if she gave you the ornaments of her highness?" Merilyn hurriedly rushed out. I loved her, she has been my companion and we share the same thinking at times but a different speed.

"I had them taken out when she went to the royal physician," I told her, this was before I had planned anything. "They are safely secured."

"Yes, your highness." She smiled. "What a thinking."

"Prepare my cloak. I shall visit my mother's grave tonight." I told her. It has been long overdue.