The Forgotten Princess

"There are no burn marks." It was I who first talked. "I can only see the scratches the cat made. But there are no burn wounds in your face. You lied to me."

"So what if I lied!" Elizabeth yelled. "You are guilty if I say so. No one will dare defy me."

She was right. If grandpa was not here to defend me, then the queen would have punished me. If Richard wasn’t here to tell them that Elizabeth was lying, then I am sure Leon would have fought with the queen’s guard and be branded as a traitor to the kingdom.

I saw what they were aiming for. They wanted Leon to be out of the way so that I will lose my defender. They still want to bully me despite of everything they have done since I came here inside the palace.

Rage burned up inside me. I walked towards Elizabeth in a daze. I can’t seem to stop myself, to stop my body from moving forward.

’SLAP!’ The sound of the slap rang around the courtyard.

Elizabeth was holding her cheek, the one that I have just slapped. She looked at me with shock and disbelief.

"You bitch!!! How dare you..." Elizabeth yelled.

’SLAP!’ I hit her at the other cheek. Elizabeth fell towards the ground with the force.

"How dare you slap my sister." Veronica rushed towards me.

I simply stepped back to dodge her advance.

"Ahh." Veronica was out balance and fell to the ground.

"I might have let you bully me in the past. I didn’t mind it, knowing that I am an illegitimate child born out of king father’s affair." I said standing up proud. "But now that I have friends and family that I know supports and loves me. I will stand up proud for them. I may tolerate your anger and pain towards me. But I won’t let you hurt my loved ones."

"You bastard. You have no right to do that to my children!" The queen yelled. "Guards seize her this instant!"

"Stop!" Robert yelled. "You will not do anything unless I tell you to."

The guards stood there ground. They didn’t know who to listen to. The queen or the general?

"Father, why are you siding with her and not your own granddaughters?" The queen asked.

"I am siding in what is right. Elizabeth clearly said so herself. She faked her wound in her face to frame Alicia." Robert said.

"So what?! My daughter is the legitimate child. She will always be right even if she is wrong!" The queen yelled.

’SLAP’

The queen looked at her father with disbelief. She can feel the sting of her father’s hand in her cheek.

"Is this how you educate your daughters?" Robert flared in anger. "No wonder they grew up like this. I have never thought that my own daughter will behave this way. I am very disappointed in you."

Tears were now running out of the queen’s eyes. Never has she been slapped by her father in her younger years. She was spoiled by him, being an only daughter. But now because of this bastard daughter of her husband, her father slapped her in front of many people.

"Now go! Before I lose my temper." Robert yelled.

"Veronica, help your sister up. Let’s go." The queen said.

"Yes mother." Veronica stood up and helped Elizabeth stand as well. The maids around assisted them outside the courtyard.

The queen still walked tall and proud. She passed by me and gave me a piercing glare. If it was in the past I would have shivered in fear. But knowing that grandpa, Richard, and Leon was there to back me up, I stand tall and proud. I answered her glare with my own stare.

The queen and her entourage left my courtyard at last. I sighed in relief. I felt my knees lost it’s strength and gave away. I was falling down when someone behind me caught me.

"You did good." Leon whispered to me from behind. He was the one that caught me before I fell on the ground. Leon helped me up.