text: Millie waited patiently in the sidelines for her new mother, Adoria, and same father, Mathis, to finally, finally, get to the real point of their speech. It's not like they called 60 percent of the village for kicks and giggles. For of course, Adoria is the new queen. Yes, Millie should be more excited about that, but she's not big on women only care much more about profit then personality. And even though Millie knew how much of that her father had, Adoria didn't care a single bit. Maybe she's just biased, maybe she just hates any woman who tries to take the place of her late mother's place. But, Millie has some strong evidence. If only she could speak... "Millie. Millie!" The sound of a familiar annoyance brought Millie back into the real world. "Yes, Blake?" She looked up at her younger brother. One of three. "Stand up! Adoria is here!" "Oh!" Millie stood quickly and civilized at the same time. Flattening her frizzled dress and looking around to see what everyone else was doing. Clapping. She started to too, but by the time she began, the applause was over. Making her delay-of-mind much more noticeable. And embarrassing. "Graci, thank you." Adoria spoke with a thick Spanish accent. Not only was that a little unconventional for the monarchy of Herein, them all being British, but it was blatantly hard to understand. "I can not express in words how happy I am to rule alongside my dear Mathis. And I only hope I can bring you that same happiness, all the years I am able." Sure, Adoria. Millie mocked to herself, as she slumped back into her chair. And, don't worry, everyone else was too. Adoria droned on about her thankfulness and appreciative spirit. While Millie only listens slightly, judged, and repeated. Some part of her wonders if there is some good in Adoria. A light in that dark spirit of hers. But if Millie's going to find the light, it won't be at a public speech. She knows, better than anyone, that royalty never shows the truth, the real truth, to the public. "Good heavens, that speech took a while, no?" Addison, MMM (Millie's Main Maid), acknowledges. "Indeed..." She trails off, quietly. Paying more attention to her threads in her blanket then Addison's question. "Something the matter, princess?" She asks. Oh nothing, I just am very against my new mother and think she's a danger to the monarchy as it stands. Millie thought, no, wished she could say. But all that came out of her was shrivel "No." "Are you positive, Lady Millie?" "...I don't know. I am just nervous." An understatement, and a large one at that. "What's bothering you?" Addison sat alongside Millie in the bed. Millie only looked down at her feet, while an odd thing started happening to her eyes. Tears. Why in the world was she crying? Sure there are many reasons to cry, but those are all in the past. And she's wasted enough tears on that. Why now? "Oh Millie, dear." Addison reached her hand out for Millie's shoulder. "I'm sure that whatever it is, we can talk about! I can even get the jester, to make you smile!" She only cried more. Still not aware of the cause, but she did. Addison pulled Millie's head close to her, cradling it. And they sat there for a while, while Addison quietly shushed her. Frequently saying, "It's ok, It's ok." And then, Millie found out what it was. Her mother passed when she was the mere age of 9. Long enough to love her mother, but too short to truly know what she did. Millie had to learn that without her mother. And only with people like Addison. And now, whenever she thinks of her mother now, it's just Addison's face. A fact revealing enough to know how long it's been, and who has truly been there for her. When she realizes this, the crying stops. "Apologies, Addison." Millie says, her voice still small. "I just- Thank you. For all you've done over the years." "Oh please, Millie. You didn't have to be all gloomy because of me!" The girls laugh together. "To add, you sound like I'm leaving you! And please know, Millie, I will serve you as long as you're alive! Or as long as I'm alive. Lord knows my age." Millie laughs again. That's another thing, Addison's witty spirit. Something it seems she'll never lose. "Now Millicent, you should get some sleep. The detainers out there might get cross if you're up past curfew again." "Alright then. Good night, Addison." "Sweet dreams, Millie." She stands up, blowing out some of the candles. Then heading out of Millie's room. Now it's time for sleep. The hardest part of the night... *** ...And it wasn't any easier this night. In fact, it might've been even more difficult. Tossing, turning, and thinking are big trends tonight. Not to mention the weird urge to explore the castle. And, Millie could. She has experience. But Addison was right about the guards. They would get cross with her... Then again, Millie was a quiet walker. And they would understand. Right? A princess can clear her head when she wants to. And on that idea, Millie stood up, lit a candle and quietly started her quiet walk around the quiet castle. Or, hopefully, a quiet castle. The small flame was only helpful for Millie's immediate vision. Anything further was dimly lit by the castle lights and basically a danger zone. But it did have a warm welcoming aura. And the fire's movement was so flawless, electric, and mesmer- "Millie!" Oh no. A guard just whisper-yelled at her. "What the blazes are you doing out here? You should be asleep!" Or at least, Millie thought that was a guard. No legal man would curse like that, and usually they call her ‘princess’... She turns around. And of course, “Why aren’t you asleep, Edward?” She whisper-yells back at her older, but not eldest, brother. “I- That’s not important. I’m the adult here.” Millie blinks rapidly. “You’re sixteen.” “Close enough, now get to bed.” Edward reaches out to grab Millie’s candle, but she, impulsively, turns away. “Millie, don’t be difficult.” He groans. “Sorry, I just-” She sighs. “I couldn’t sleep so... I didn’t want to be alone with my thoughts. I had to clear my head.” Edward nods his head, slowly at first, but then a little faster. “That’s understandable. But I wouldn’t advise being out too long. Someone cou-” He gets cut off by a scream. By a familiar voice. Scarily familiar. Then there are words: “No! Please!”. And that’s the giveaway. “Father...” Millie mumbles. Edward looks frightened, aware of what Millie could, and probably will, do next. “Father!” She runs toward the voice as it shrieks even louder. It’s a distressful call. A call for help. Her father is in danger. She treads faster, almost tripping on the carpet that bunches up with every step Millie takes. She reaches the doors of her fathers chamber. What scares her is the sight of fallen guards. But most of all, the open door. “Millie!” Edward, who has been chasing her this whole time, gasps for air. “Don’t go in, we should tell someone- leave it for people who know what they're doing.” Millie turns sharply. “I know what I’m doing.” “Millie please.” He grabs her arm gently. “I don’t want you to see something you wish had not.” She quivers, imagining all the possibilities she could walk in on. But she has to come to her father. He’s not safe. With much hesitation, Millie enters the room. Gently opening the door... And everything Edward said comes to pass. *** “Are you going to inform the council of what we saw?” “No. I can’t. But you can.” “It’ll be better if it comes out of your mouth.” “Well, does the council really need to know?” “It is fairly damning evidence, Millie-” “Excuse me, your young highness's.” The deep, regal voice of one of the government officials cuts in on Millie and Edward’s conversation. “But we are here to discuss the recent regicide of King Mathis. Any differing conversation must be saved until further notice” “Apologies, Lord Kelton.” Edward properly bows. “And evermore, but I must intrude.” Kelton turns his podgy head in a confused manner, raising an eyebrow. “As me and my dear sister have something to share.” Millie gulps, but clears her throat, thinking of what she’ll say. Knowing there’s no escaping this, she tries to envision what will happen: Ok, I’ll stand up and finally tell just about every important person in the monarchy about who I think, no, know did this. How it was Adoria. We saw her jewelry, clothes, and maybe even a lock of her hair. And then after, I’ll tell them how she only trying to weasel out money in her new queen-ship. She’s proved how much of a threat she can be, by killing father. And this, this, shall be his justice. “Mr. Lord Kelton Sir-” Millie starts strong but weakened so quickly she would impress a fire in the rain. And it was all due to the look she got. Or the look s. From Kelton. From the council men. From her eldest brother. Her youngest brother. And even Edward. It all put out her little flame of passion. She really felt insignificant. “Yes, Lady Millie?” “...Nothing. Nothing, nothing.” She covers up quickly. “I just had an outburst.” She laughs, difficultly. While the councilmen keep their blank expressions. Her brothers? One’s cringing, one stifling a laugh, and the last just looks disappointed. You could probably put together which. "Are you positive, princess?" Kelton queried. "I'll take it from here, Kelton." Edward starts. And continues. And continues. Knitting and binding words together so effortlessly in a way Millie never could. And probably will never be able too. As it seems this little doubter inside of her won't go away any time soon. And by the time it does, it'll be too late. Millie is always late. She can only have the desire to help, but she never executes it. What’s wrong with her? The meeting ended with Adoria’s arrest along with Adoria cursing at just about every child in the room. It all went the way Millie wanted to, justice was made for her father. But she didn’t speak a word. She wouldn’t like to admit that she wanted to. She’d seem like a pride chaser. But who is she tricking. She hates herself for not saying anything. That is why she’s here anyway, at Herein’s penitentiary. To talk to her father’s killer . “You sure you’re ready for this?” Graham, Millie’s eldest brother and Herein’s promised new king, questions. “No. Nothing can ever prepare for something like this.” Millie responds. “So why do it, Millie? It’s fine to back out now.” Graham proposes. And Millie’s willing to take the offer, she doesn’t want to regret something as potentially scarring as this. But she’ll keep that self-hate if she doesn’t finally speak now. “No, Graham. I have to do this.” Millie states. And her brother does not stop her. Instead, he smiles, and opens the door to the prisoner's cell. Adoria speaks immediately. “Welcome to my humble abode, Millicent.” Millie clears her throat. “Prisoner, pardon me but it is lawfully rude to call me by my name without putting ‘lady’ in front of-” “Please save the legal act for someone else, Millie.” Adoria cuts off. And Millie does accordingly. “You’re right, I shall get to the meat here.” “I firstly want to say that I knew for a long time. I knew your motives and desires out of your relationship with my father. Money. Cliche but, you still wanted that.” Adoria rolls her eyes. “I didn't come here to shame you, or vent, or condemn. I only want to tell you to please keep your truth, and stay honest. Falseness really only hurts the human heart, as it did with mine. And my late-father... Just keep that in mind Adoria." She only sighs. "Do you really think I'd worship some 12-year-old's words?" “I’m 13, actually.” Millie says a-matter-of-factly. “And I don’t expect you to worship my words, I only want you to remember them. And don’t think of it as a child telling you this. Think of it as your princess.” She smiles smugly, then leaves the room. Millie closes the door in a way you would with a book, or envelope. She finished something. Bigger than talking to a convicted felon. She spoke. And it was that fulfilling. Millie has closed the chapter of silentness, stillness, today. She will no longer wait for others to speak for her, and will respond to whatever questions she is asked- “Millie!” Graham shouts for, probably, the hundredth time. “Ah! Sorry, I was thinking.” Millie apologizes. “I asked you if it went well.” “Oh, it did. At least, in my mind.” “Good. Now, let’s get back to the castle.”