Chapter 60

8 months, 1 week, 4 days pregnant.

“Lady Livia.”

At the call of her name, Livia pauses mid-conversation with Sen and turns to see Kolton walking towards her and just sighs. Just what could he want, now? Livia thought she had made it clear that she had no interest in talking to him when she ignored all the letters he had sent to her. Amaya, out of pure curiosity, had once read one of them to her. Mostly, it was filled with false pleasantries sprinkled with blunt inquires.

She had not cared and still does not. As far as she was concerned, they had nothing to talk about.

Livia has more important matters to focus on. Like the fact that her suspicions had been confirmed. Amelia had been wearing the blue dress, Orin’s gift to her, instead of the lilac one, which had been Rodale’s gift. The game would have prompted the heroine to choose one right before she was to leave for the Fall Courtship.

Beyond that obvious sign had been the physical distance between the heroine and capture target number one. Though from what Livia could tell, Amelia was not completely off the Rodale route if the longing looks she had been throwing at the back of his head was anything to do by.

Now that Orin’s route has been confirmed, there were a few problems lying in wait in the coming days. None of which involved the third prince approaching her. She watches passively as he stops a few feet away from her. She does not miss the quick glance he shoots at Sen, who has stepped away from them to give them the illusion of privacy as he shoves his hands in the pockets of his grey pants and offers a small quirk of his lips.

“It has been a while,” Kolton says to her. His distinct eyes are practically a physical weight hanging around her shoulders.

“Has it?” Livia asks flatly and tries to ignore his blatant staring. She directs her attention over his shoulders.

She watches the small gathering of guests slowly disappear into the estate. Some pause to talk to each other, most follow the servant assigned to them. From that crowd alone, she spots too many familiar faces. Or more like, Livia makes direct eye contact with them as they are staring at her like she is the most peculiar exhibit in all of the land.

She stares back without a hint of shame, challenging.

A few gazes drop as they shuffle inside the house, obviously gossiping about her as they glance back her way a few more times before they disappear entirely behind the doors of the Valentine estate.

Livia scoffs.

Petty bastards.

Damn them all. She didn’t need to cast a spell to discover what they were saying about her. Just from their looks of aversion and heavy judgment she knew that it wasn’t anything pleasant and revolved solely around her impurities.

As unpleasant as the thought was, Livia knew that this was just the beginning. From here on, she would be forced to endure the presence of the stuck-up populace of Wisteria in her own home for the next handful of weeks.

And so close to term...

What horrid timing.

To think she would suddenly be dragged in the middle of a major event such as this.

You would think the Fall Courtship would have the sole focus on Rodale and Amelia, given their pre-engagement, but in fact, it was not. It was a crossroads of sorts. The time in which the heroine is given an opportunity to walk in between routes as they become intertwined in the original game storyline.

To make matters impossibly worse, the other targets just conveniently happen to also have some outlandish reason as to why they needed to attend as well.

Fucking wonderful. As if Livia just needed more food on her plate.

At least the crowd outside the Estate was almost dispersed.

Amelia and Orin were already gone. So was the other crown princess candidate, Lady Vivian along with Princess Adanna.

Those two...

Livia knew exactly who they were.

Of course, she did, but the problem was, she wasn’t sure what to do with them.

The obvious answer was to simply ignore them. To let two young women prance along to their scripted fates and let them remain unaware of their endings. It would be the easiest thing to do.

But the problem with that is the fact that, like OGL, they get drawn in. They foolishly get too close to the targets and try to lay claim on them as they are completely oblivious to the rules of gravity-Amelia and do not know better.

Livia feels a bit empathetic in that regard.

Their roles as the ‘love rival’ to Amelia would be their downfall, the same as it had been for her.

Plus, unlike Livia, one of them actually has a pre-determined route of a relatively happy end. It’s more of a default, ‘this-target-is-not-in-use-but-we-still-need-him-for-plot-you-have-him' type of thing, but still.

Livia knows how to give Lady Vivian everything she could ever wish for, while at the same time, devoid Rodale and Orin of it. Thinking further, it is almost a neat fit. She could put her prior knowledge to good use in this regard while also finally put a pre-mature end to this princess candidate nonsense.

Princess Adanna would not be so easy, though.

“...how are you?” Kolton asks her, drawing her out of her musings.

She blinks. Right, he was still here. Livia has almost forgotten even though he stood only a few inches away. Oops? Well, it looks like she would just have to put the topic of what to do with her fellow villainess away for now. Better to deal with the stray target before her.

So, in reply to Kolton's question, Livia looks pointedly down at her belly, then back up with a blank look, and decides to say nothing.

Kolton pinkens slightly and scuffles his shiny shoes. He was obviously a bit nervous or at least out of his element. The casual teasing swagger which usually drapes over him from head to toe was absent. She did not care to analyze why.

Soon her attention falls back over the third princes' shoulder when he doesn’t immediately respond back.

Her eyes meet wintery blue.

Leighton Wright Milnrow. He was the current president of the student council of Aster Academy. That’s right. Livia had a little run-in with him a month ago.

He nods to her, once, his expression as passive as his profile picture.

Livia politely returns it. He had helped her in the past after all.

The next thing to wonder was why such an important figure of the Aster was here, and say, not back at the academy, doing important presidential things for the council?

Any guesses?

Livia will offer a hint.

It’s pink and its name starts with an A.

She doesn’t watch Leighton step into her home, her gaze drawing back to the third prince before it could register the two targets standing beside the president. If this world had still been a game, their pictures would be greyed out with a question mark on it with ‘Have yet to unlock’ written beside them. Livia would prefer to keep it that way.

Especially with the third prince still standing before her.

“Is there something of importance that you needed to say to me, your highness?” She asks eventually, breaking the prolonged silence between them.

“hm...” Kolton blinks and clears his throat, looking away, “No, I suppose not. I just wanted to see how you were fairing after all this time.”

Livia's eyes flicker up to him, sharp, “Did you really?” She asks with a face painted in skepticism.

Of course, he didn’t.

They should not have enough interaction for anything to sprout. Especially now. Kolton should already be at five to six hearts. His loyalties were firmly with the heroine, even as just a lonesome unrequited friend. They were just strangers who had crossed paths twice in the past, and nothing more.

So, the third prince had enough of a conscience to be angry on her behalf when it came to her mother abusing her. Enough to dig further into the matter once Livia had lied through her teeth the extract another promise from Lynette. It was unfortunate that his act of kindness came after he had stated to her face that he thought she had deserved everything that had happened to her.

Livia supposes it should count that he had apologized for that bit, but that did nothing to soothe the lingering sting.

Fuck off, pretty boy. Livia was not interested. The only reason she was even standing before Kolton, on her aching feet, was because her father had a laser point focus on them at the moment. She wasn’t quite ready to spit into anyone's face until she got to the bottom of that.

“Yes, I do,” The third prince answers firmly, suddenly gaining back the confidence that had been floating around his head.

No, you don’t. Livia wanted to say back snidely upon seeing the unyielding look in his eyes.

It was grating.

The fact that even now, his eyes were probably the only thing she could admit, with great reluctance, that she found stunning. Too bad they were attached to a target.

“Fine,” she says instead, her jaw tensing, “I am fine, your highness. As you can see as much with your own eyes.”

Livia would have love to spin around in a circle just to prove her point further, but she knew damn well if she tried, she would have tipped over and fallen to the ground like an upturned turtle. Rather than doing that, she pats her round healthy stomach. For a second, she was glad to be wearing lace long-sleeves. It obscured how just how much her arms have filled out.

Stupid.

Why did she have to go and think about that?

Now Livia was hyper-aware of them. Especially when Kolton’s distinct eyes move down, following the movement, to stare at her belly.

“You have gotten...” He stops. He at least has the common sense not to finish that sentence.

“I’ve gotten what?” Livia says prissily anyway, not letting him off the hook. She was ready to storm off like a pampered brat at the slightest offense.

“Your wounds, from before,” Kolton says smoothly, taking a sharp U-turn, “How are they? Have they healed completely?” His gaze sharpened and looked her over as if he could see them from sheer force alone.

Livia drums an agitated beat on the top of her belly using her fingers as she fights the urge to look down at her arms. The welts, as they had once been, months ago from that deceased madam, were completely healed. But some had not disappeared entirely. Small, thin lines, a few shades darker than her pale skin, still remained.

Mildly, Livia had been irritated. But not enough to seek out treatment beyond Beth’s. It was just a few more scars to add to those that already lingered on her arms, after all.

And yet, why did she suddenly feel self-conscious about it?

Stupid.

“They have healed, your highness,” Livia replies stiffly, after a pause. Small talk. Gross. When could she leave?

She flinches, a bit violently, when a warm finger ghosts over the bottom of her chin, tilting her head up (When had she lowered her gaze?) to meet the distinctive eyes of Kolton.

Livia scowls darkly and takes a step back, dislodging the touch.

“What?” She snaps.

“Sorry,” Kolton says, not sounding apologetic at all as he drops his hand, “But you have been looking everywhere but at me since this conversation started, Lady Livia.”

“So?” Livia asks, irritated. The spot in which he barely touched was cold. It made her skin crawl.

“So,” Kolton drawls, “don’t you think it’s a bit impolite?”

Livia was going to kick him.

His obnoxious swagger was back in full force.

“I don’t care,” She states bluntly, “If there isn’t anything else,” She begins to leave, already turning towards Sen.

“What of your baby?”

Livia stills mid-turn. She shoots a cold look over her shoulder.

“What about my son?” She asks her voice already a threat.

“How is he?” Kolton asks with a vapid smirk.

Livia inhales.

Then she exhales.

Welp, she tried.

Press F for effort.

She nods once, to herself, decision made.

Then she turns to Kolton and offers him a sweet smile as she says, “I do not like you. At all. I don’t know why you are talking to me, or why you have gone out of your way to bother me, but now that it is done, can you kindly go fuck off?”

Then she executes a curtsy seeping in elegance, even with her eight-month pregnant belly, and belatedly adds, “Your highness,” In her most posh voice.

Livia then turns on her heel, barely registering Kolton’s astonishment, and waddles over to Sen.

“Don’t you say anything” she snaps instantly, taking note of the silent laughter in his yellow eyes.

“I wouldn’t dare, Lady Livia,” Sen says, perfectly respectful and yet so utterly mocking even with his stoic face.

She wants to kick him too.

Livia reframes. But it is a very near thing. Especially when his ankles are in such close vicinity. She might even be able to stretch out her legs without toppling over. Maybe she should just do it.

It might even relieve some of her pent-up stress.

She wishes she could return to earlier in the day, before this shit show when peace and quiet were still prevalent.

Too bad that was just wishful thinking.

“Where to?” Sen asks, looking over her head, his gaze suddenly hard.

She turns to see Kolton still standing a few feet away, his expression somewhere between insulted and dazed, but that wasn’t who Sen was staring at. Rodale was walking towards them, sweeping past his brother without a second glance to stop before her.

“Lady Livia,” He greets placidly. He even nods his head to Sen, who ignores it.

“Rodale,” Livia returns passively. She could feel her face drain of all emotions as it retreated inward to reign in the anger that suddenly swells under her skin.

When the crown prince opens his mouth again, Livia holds up a hand, stopping him.

“No,” She states, firstly. Then she forces herself to take in a breath through her nose and release it as she looks away with a clenched fist and tense shoulders.

Just looking at him infuriated her.

“What do you want?” She asks plainly, once she got a hold of the violence buzzing in every nerve of her body.

“To escort you,” Rodale says, equally blunt.

“...what?” Livia hisses, incredulously. This little fucker did not just...!

“Brother, what are you even saying,” Kolton asks, appearing beside them with a look of pained amusement, “Where did all your common sense just disappear too?”

“Lady Livia is a crown princess candidate,” Rodale states the obvious.

“Thanks, I really needed that reminder on top of everything else,” Livia mutters, massaging her aching temples.

“A reluctant one,” Kolton adds in, his amusement draining away.

“Regardless,” The crown prince says, “I have a duty to her.”

Kolton glares at Rodale, “Are you stupid?”

Livia glowers at Rodale, “I despise you. I think I have made this very clear?” She turns to Kolton, “Haven’t I?”

“You have,” The third prince confirms. The rare instances he could recall them interacting outside of the trial made this much obvious. Even if they had barely acknowledged the other. Plus, anyone would hold a grudge, giving the circumstances.

“So,” Livia rolls her wrist in the direction of Rodale, “What the fuck is this?”

The crown prince's golden eyebrows crease, his lips thinning, “Watch how you speak, Lady Livia. A lady of your standing should not know of such crude language.”

“Apologies, your highness,” Livia says, her tone subdued as her gaze casts down.

Rodale nods his head imperiously, accepting it.

Then her amethyst eyes flicker up, her lips twisting into a snide leer, “It seems I have learned a few bad habits while I was away from the kingdom. I suppose being forced to endure the presence of heathens for as long as I had was bound to have a lasting influence. I’m truly fucking sorry for the offense. I’ll make damn sure not to do it again.”

Kolton coughs into his hand to hide his surprise snicker, marveling at the look on his oldest brother’s face.

Rodale's stone expression cracks as he glares, his anger ignited, “Livia.”

“You are not escorting me,” Livia states coldly.

“Of course, he isn’t,” Kolton says, “The crown prince has already promised Lady Vivian that he was going to escort her to tonight's dinner party.”

Rodale's flinty blue eyes flicker to him, “I have not promised such a thing.”

“Oh?” Kolton blinks innocently, “Well, that is unfortunate. I could have sworn you have. Hmm, my bad. It seems I might have already stated that you did so to Lady Vivian herself.”

“Kole,” Rodale hisses, scowling.

Livia was going to walk away now. She could feel her heartbeat in her head as the brothers begin to snip at each other. That wasn’t normal, right? She massages her temples again.

“Livia.”

Oh great. Her father has decided to add to the mess before her.

“Yes, father?” She answers, her voice subdued as she lifts her head. Ugh, even moving her eyebrows hurt. Definitely a migraine.

“You seem tired,” Her father observes as the two princes fall silent at his presence.

“It’s been a long day,” She replies back.

She ignores the way her father's eyes, annoyingly identical to her own, tries to shoot beams of disapproval at her overall disposition. Yes, yes, a lady should not slump over. A lady should not look worn down or tired even if she feels so. A lady should also give a prince her full attention instead of insulting them, and so on.

Her father would not scold her openly.

He never has.

To do that, he would actually have to pay attention to his firstborn.

Livia wonders, if, in some strange parallel worlds where OGL had two normal parents who actually properly raised her if all of this could have been avoided? If OGL had been properly reprimanded and not abused by her mother and ignored by her father, would she have grown up to be a person actually confident in herself? Would she had been able to put aside her jealousy, anger, and crippling insecurity hidden behind a thin layer of false confidence?

Maybe.

But that was just something she could only speculate about.

“You should get some rest,” Her father tells her. His eyes do not venture past her face. Duke Valentine then looks over to Rodale, causing Livia to stiffen.

“Your highness, could you do the honor of escorting my daughter to her room?” It’s a question that does not give room to decline.

“Of course, Lord Luvien,” Rodale answers. Then he offers his elbow to her.

Livia stares at it like it will open its jaws and bite her at any second.

“It is probably for the best that you skip the dinner party,” Her father tells her, “You should not overtax yourself.”

Well, that was a relief. Not that Livia had intended to go in the first place, but at least she did not have to make up some excuse. But soon after having that thought, suspicion grows inside her.

Duke Valentine did not want her to make another scene.

Fair enough.

But...

“Lady Livia,” Rodale calls to her, his elbow still presented to her in the air.

Livia inclines her head to her father and Kolton, “Father, your highness, I’ll be going now,” she says, suddenly remembering her manners.

Then she brushes past Rodale, in the direction of a side entrance that leads directly to the east wing, when.

“You. Stay.”

Livia turns to see who her father was talking to.

Sen had stopped a few paces behind her, his body turned.

“Father?” Livia looks between Sen and the duke, confused. What now?

“I need to speak to your...guard,” Her father tells her, “You go on with Prince Rodale. You will be safe with him.”

But Livia does not move. Because first, what the fuck was he on? She would be safe with Rodale? The fuck? Livia would be safe, she knew this because even heavily pregnant, she could handle herself if she really needed to, but her father did not know that. And second, why did her father need to speak with Sen?

“For what reason?” She asks insolently, crossing her arms and frowning.

But Duke Valentine's expression turns cold and flinty as he says gruffly, “Do as you are told, Livia.”

Well.

This was new.

Thinking about it, Livia realizes that her father has been directly speaking to her for almost six full minutes. It had to be a new record.  When was the last time she had been given such undivided attention from the duke? Had she been two or three years old? Yes, it had only happened many years ago.

She did not like this.

At all.

Her eyes meet Sen. Her expression clouding.

His face was calm, completely unfazed, in return, it soothed her, a bit.

Sen would be fine.

Still...

“I’ll join you two,” Kolton says with a wry grin.

Livia just sighs. Why was he still here?

Her father just nods curtly, “That is fine. You three be off. My daughter should not be on her feet any longer than necessary.”

Livia shivers. It almost sounded like he cared.

It was creepy.

But she turns around after casting one more glance at Sen. When the two princes step beside her, boxing her end, Livia has to take in another breath and release it slowly, trying to ease the tension in her body as she was escorted like a prisoner to her cell. Especially when the royal guards, who have been standing by like silent shadows, fall in step behind them.

                           

---

“I’m sorry, Lady Livia, but the duke has requested that you be moved to the north wing,” The maid says, sounding genuinely apologetic, “To make way for the other guests.”

Livia stares at her blankly.

“And he had not bothered to inform Lady Livia of this?” Kolton asks with a raised eyebrow.

“Has her stuff already been moved?” Rodale asks, mildly curious.

The maid bows low, “The lord had not wished to cause stress to Lady Livia and had told us to do so discreetly. Everything has already been moved, your highnesses.” Then she peeks up at the still silent lady in between them, “We made sure to keep everything in order to the best of our abilities. Would you like me to escort you to your new room?”

Touched.

They had touched her stuff.

And moved it without her permission.

They-

“Lady Livia!” Rodale and Kolton exclaim at the same time, surprised.

“Ugh!” Gasps the maid, staring at her with wide green eyes. Her lady went from standing a few feet away to inches in a matter of a single blink.

“I remember you,” Livia growls, and curls her fingers tighter into the maids' dress, “You had been the same girl who had been assigned me when I had returned. What was your name again? Bella? Brenda?”

“It is Brenda, my lady,” The maid says, her voice weak and trembling.

“Brenda,” Livia repeat, her voice deceptively bright, “When had you been given these orders?”

“Fo-four hours ago?” Brenda stutters, “T-the lord had sent a letter prior to his a-arrival to the head butler.”

Livia's eyes narrow. It aligned with three harbingers summoning her away. Beth had been swept away in preparation and Liliana had gone with her. Amaya had stayed behind with Livia while Sen had decided to keep a close eye on the ongoing preparations. All of them had been away from the room for at least two hours straight.

Had they done it then?

A hand covers the ones she has fisted in the maid's dress.

“She was just following orders,” Kolton tells her.

Livia drops her hands, mostly to get away from his unwanted touch.

“Who is occupying my room now?” Livia asks the maid.

“Oh, um, I don’t think I-I can-eep!” Brenda flinches away from the glare of her lady, shivering.

“Probably best that you answer her,” Kolton says, directing a thin smile at the maid.

She blushes and looks down, “Lady Vivian has been assigned the room.”

Livia's shoulders relax. At least it had not been Amelia. The thought didn’t really do much to soothe her.

“Did you clear out everything?” She asks.

Brenda nods eagerly, “Yes, of course. We made sure to carefully pack it up. The only thing we left was the heavy furniture in the room; the bed, wardrobe, desk, and sitting area.”

Livia doesn’t have much faith in her words, but she does know she isn’t interested in standing in a hall that is now occupied by guests any longer.

“Oh! There you are!”

Livia closes her eyes. Damn.

Rodale and Kolton turn around, opening the view behind them. Livia glances over her shoulder to see Princess Adanna and Lady Vivian walking towards them with a small entourage.

“I was just about to send a servant to fetch you two,” Princess Adanna says when she stops before her younger brothers, looking between them, “We were just about to browse around the main gardens, you two must come along.” Behind her, the young women giggles and cast looks at the two princes while she smirks arrogantly.

Then she spots Livia.

“Oh,” Princess Adanna says, and her voice flatlines, “You are here as well.”

Livia curtsy, “Princess Adanna,” Her gaze flicker over, “Lady Vivian.”

“Lady Livia, it has been a while,” Lady Vivian greets back, her tone borderline polite even as her shrew hazel eyes scan over her ex-classmate with a hint of malice.

“We can’t join you yet sister,” Kolton says, “We are escorting Lady Livia at the moment.”

“Why does it take two of you to do that?” Princess Adanna asks immediately. Then she frowns when she notices the king guards station close by.

“It doesn’t,” Livia answers and turns her back to the crowd of people, “I am fine from here on out, your highnesses. Thank you for escorting me. Please, do not let me stop you from seeing the gardens. I can walk to my room from here. Brenda, if you would lead.”

Brenda jolts a little, before hastily bowing, “Of course, my lady. Please, come this way.”

As Livia moves to follow the maid, she hears steps behind her. She stops. They stop.

“My lady?” Brenda turns around.

“What are you doing?” Livia asks, glaring at Kolton and Rodale.

“Your father told us to escort you,” Rodale replies coldly.

“And you have,” Livia snaps.

“Only halfway,” Kolton remarks.

“You speak to my brothers as if they are common folk, Lady Livia,” Princess Adanna says, butting in as she steps forward to glare with her nose in the air, “Have you lost all sense of proper etiquette and respect?”

Kolton groans, “Older sister, not now.”

Rodale also turns to give Princess Adanna a reproachful look.

“But her highness is right,” Lady Vivian says, frowning, “Speaking to the princes in such a way is extremely rude. Especially when they are going out of their way to see you safely to your room.” Behind her, murmurs of agreement are heard in the small group.

Livia looks at the two women, wondering why she ever thought for a second to save them from their fate. Distantly, she realizes what they are saying wasn’t all that bad. She was, technically, being insolent to royal blood. The tone of her voice probably should not have been so harsh, and her answers not so direct.

Funny enough, minutes before, she had even been speaking in a manner much worse. If these young women had overheard, they would have been utterly scandalized and appalled.

But the thing was, Livia was fully aware that was not why they had decided to bring it up. Sure, Princess Adanna was no doubt actually offended at her tone of voice, but really, from the mean look in her crystal blue eyes, she really was just eager to finally have a go at Livia.

To hit start on a game of pettiness and push her down into what she thought was her rightful place. Livia would know. It was the same way in which she had once bullied Amelia.

“You should apologize, Lady Livia,” Princess Adanna decides with an arrogant tilt of her chin, a smirk blooming on her mouth.

“...”

It probably wasn’t good to be so high-strung for such a long period of time, but as much as she tried, Livia could not let go of her tense posture.

“What’s wrong?” Princess Adanna asks, blinking innocently, “Why so silent now when you had a lot to say before?”

Livia forces herself to inhale, hold it, and release the breath. With a slow, five-second countdown, she unclenches her fist. Good. Alright. Now, to beat down the urge to hit something. She counts to five again. Better.

A scoff, “Honestly, you would think I am asking you to do something difficult. In reality, it is just basic courtesy.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Livia says, finally getting her temper under control.

Princess Adanna mock gasps, “She speaks!”

“Enough, Adanna-”

“I’m sorry,” Livia says, steamrolling right over Kolton.

There was also her current placement to take note of. Being boxed in by two targets on either side of her while the mean girls glared at her was not where she wished to be. It reminded her too much of multiple scenes in the original game with Amelia standing in her exact spot. She was sure, more than anything this was what really provoked Adanna and Vivian.

“It seems that I have come off as rude,” Livia continues on.

Then she pauses, wondering which way to go. On one hand, she could easily turn this around. She could make herself look more pitiful or, she could just be an outright unapologetic bitch.

The problem was, Livia did not feel the least bit intimidated. Because no one had any real control over her. Least of all the three royals that were a part of the same bloodline that bounds them to the curse humming silent and numb in her veins.

It was also hard to take them seriously when she was not truly at their mercy. Needless to say, she had no urge to bow down and kiss at their feet just because they happened to be princes and princess of Wisteria.

It was equally hard to muster up the patience she needs to deal with the tiresome hierarchy of the land. To try to sway them to her side and better herself in their eyes. 

What to do?

Raging cold bitch was looking awfully appealing.

After all, at the end of the day, Livia owed them nothing.

And yet, still, they stand before her as if the deeds of their blood were not at fault. As if they had the right to ask anything of her, much less be graced an ounce of respect, after everything she had been through.

Arrogant.

Immature.

Little children.

“But, do you know what is even worse?” Livia resumes, her gaze lowering, her mind swirling darkly as memories buried deep begins to crawl out of their graves with rotten fingers. 

Adanna is quick to snip, “What could be worse than having to endure your horrible attitude? Hurry up and apologize. I grow weary of this conversation.”

“It's worse to see you all stand so proudly before me,” Livia says calmly, “Without a hint of repentance.”

“What?” Adanna bristles.

Kolton stiffens beside her while Rodale turns slowly her way, his eye unreadable.

“How arrogant you all must have to be, I’m almost in awe,” Livia shakes her head, chuckling lightly, “To be able to make such petty demands, to infringe on my personal space and ask of things as if it was perfectly normal. It’s amazing. Really.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Adanna demands to know.

“Nonsense?” Livia echoes, and lifts up her eyes to fastens them on the girl. She barely notices the way the princess flinches a bit, small as it is.

“Princess, tell me, have you ever stepped outside of your kingdom?” Livia moves forward like silk.

An unsteady huff, “O-of course I have. Honestly, what does this have to with anyth-”

“Have you ever been on a ship?”

Adanna's mouth closes with a click.

“Neither had I,” Livia hums, her gaze empty, “Not until I had suddenly woken up on one.”

Rodale inhales sharply.

Kolton's smirk drops to the floor.

“Darkness,” Livia recalls hauntingly, “I had been so confused. Where was I? What was all that noise?”

“It was the waves,” She looks around the still faces before her, “Hitting the hull of the ship. It was so loud, but it had not been loud enough to drown out the crying.”

“Thinking about it now,” Livia looks Adanna over, “There had been a girl who looked almost identical to you, princess. She also had gold hair and blue eyes. She was probably the same age as well. Probably younger.”

Adanna pales, her eyes wide and unblinking as her bottom lips trembling. Her mouth falls open but not a single word comes out.

“At first, she had cried like all the others,” Livia remembers, “However, her sobs slowly lost energy as the days passed, becoming hoarse and faint...until it had stopped altogether.”

“She had died,” Livia says softly, her eyes lowering, “Either from sickness, dehydration, or starvation, I couldn’t tell you. But I had known, because of the smell. It polluted the dark damp room in which we had been kept in. There had been no escaping it. Two days later, finally, they had disposed of the body.”

“Of course, she hadn’t been the only one,” Purple eyes meet the petrified ones of the maid, “Many others had been dragged up and away along with her. Because we were at sea, there was no place to bury them, so they had been thrown overboard,” Livia swallows, her eyes dry and unseeing, “Not all of the corpse landed. Some ended up getting caught along with the ship, thumping against it, before finally being swallowed whole. Another thing I never thought I would hear.”

. . .

“And yet, you dare stand here, princess,” Livia's eyes blink and sparks to life, “And ask me to apologize?”

She laughs and it is more of a croak than anything else, cracking off the walls of the hall.

“The sheer fucking gall,” Livia's laughter turns into rolling chuckles.

There wasn’t anything amusing about it, and yet, she couldn’t help but giggle.

Even if all she wanted to do was cry.

Her chuckles die abruptly in her throat, as if a knife had slit through her vocal cords.

It really wasn’t funny.

. . .

“I’m am going to go to my room,” Livia says in the screaming silence of the hall, “No one follows me.”

She then steps in between Adanna and Vivian. The small group parts as she passes by nameless faces. Not a single one can look her in the eye.

Livia doesn’t care.

About them.

Or anyone, really.

Her mind numb, she walks forward with ghostly steps, silently turning and disappearing completely from sight.