Snippet #1808685

Belladonna
I knew without looking that the prince was the one who had grabbed me by the shoulder. I immediately kick him as hard as I can. Looks like, for once, these fancy, cursed, shoes came in handy. "Awful morning to you." I say perfectly sincerely.
The rest of the greeting I say in a sarcastic voice. "My wonderfully, handsome prince, who doesn't seem to realize how much I wish I weren't here. You have lost your privileges to call me Bella, or even Bell."
Then I continued on, perfectly cheerfully. "And since I know you're too stupid too understand what that means, I shall elaborate. It means that I wish, that right now, I had locked myself in my room, and insisted on having the wood replaced with metal." In an undertone I added. "Maybe then I wouldn't be here, because Mama and Papa wouldn't have broken down the door."
Since the kick seemed to have done damage enough to loosen his grip, I wrench out of it, hugging my sketchbook to myself. It was the one thing I would not show him. I stare at him in absolute silence for a few long minutes. Then I make an extremely rude gesture and turn towards the carriage.
I help my mother out of the carriage with a demonic smile. "Mama, since we're here and I've exchanged friendly, pleasing greetings, I am going to get changed." I did not tell her that the greeting I gave was only pleasing to me. I also did not wait for her to reply, because she would only tell me not to. I rushed off into the castle, and asked a butler where my rooms were.
He pointed to the stairs with a strange smile on his face. "Up those, the first door on the left, my lady."
I opened the door and hastily looked around till I saw two doors. I picked the one with the round mirror on it, and smile in satisfaction, at first. All my clothing was there, except for my normal clothes. Well, the more normal clothes. The ones that are more boyish clothing- wide breeches that pass as skirts, flowing tunics, shirts. I stare and then deliberately slam that door closed as well as the door to the suite of rooms. I walk to the stairs and never mind that I'm wearing a short dress, I slid down the banister and landed in front of my mother with a bow.
She sighed wearily. "You will never learn, Bell. Luckily, you're safe this time. Weren't you going to change?"
I smile fakely. "I was going to. Where are my clothes?"
Then she smiled. "I was wondering when you were going to realize that we had decided we would pack them and bring them with us, rather than have the maids accidentally ruin them, or get confused about why they're there."
I growled. "Am I stuck in this, then?"
"Yes, and stop frowning. You'll have wrinkles before you're thirty." She reprimanded me with a smile in her voice. I swear, my mother was as bad as the prince sometimes.