"Don't know why people don't like me more,
I have no friends but that's okay,
I don't need them anyway,
I do my best, all on my own."
- Cadmium
Lucie casually checked her blue-white manicured nails while waiting for everyone in the group to acknowledge her. Needless to say, she didnāt know that her words were vexatious, with a knack for speaking her mind just because she could. "And how, Justice, would you rule Taera Terrus when it's several kingdoms away from yours, not to mention I doubt the residents there would accept that. As for dealing with Ivelda, if our parents and Lilith couldn't defeat her, then I doubt you could handle her on your own." She looked up at Aurora and replied without missing a beat. "The British Empire is a thing you know and Iām only proposing two kingdoms." Lucie held up two fingers to emphasize her point. She didnāt see the big deal if the kingdom was already forfeited. "There will be contention for the throne but it's not hard to choose between a born princess and a poser. I also never said anything about doing it on my own." Her eyes flickered to Lilith for emphasis again as she did openly request her help. With a heavy sigh, she muttered under her breath. "Small-minded nincompoops..."
Lucie twitched as a hand grabbed her shoulder but it all happened too fast for her to react properly, headbutted hard enough to bleed and make her dizzy. As a result, she did miss the first part of what Reese said but she managed to catch the rest as she reached up to confirm that her head was indeed bleeding. Her eyes shook in their sockets in shock as her finger tips and nicely manicured nails were now covered in red.. "Lucie, Justice, whatever, your stupid size zero dress means nothing when your ego is too fat to try on some fucking human decency! Maybe Lilith sending them here to live like 'peasants' was the best thing that could've happened to them! At least they got the chance to grow into damn decent people! You never stopped being a spoiled fucking PRINCESS!" Lucie gritted her teeth ready to snap back but Reese attacked her again with more force, the girlās full body launched to pin her to the ground. "GET OFF ME!!" Lucie demanded horrified, shoving the blonde away by the shoulders then as it wasnāt working, with her bloodied hand pushing back on the girlās face. "Cut it out! We're in a public place, Euphemia! You were also so quick to act! Silvia, a little help here!" At least someone had a mind to help. "GET HER OFF ME, NOW!!! AHHHH~~~!!!" Lucie started screaming high-pitched at the top of her lungs feeling more distressed by the second. This was the worst day ever after the Ivelda takeover.
"I know you hate being touched, Justice, but I am trying to help you here." Lilith said, getting involved. "Hurry up!!!" Lucie cried out, desperate for Reese to leave her alone. In her eyes, Reese was absolutely bonkers. She started slapping the girlās face in case it would snap her out of her barbaric frenzy but when that didnāt work, pulled her hair and attempted to claw her eyes and kick her off. "I don't like you but you're not getting away," Sybilla said as she joined in. "Whatever! I donāt care! Just somebody CONTROL her!" Lucie yelled. āWhy should I help? We should let Euphemia have at her. She sounds like she is ready to take over all the kingdoms, seems like she wants to be Ivelda number two.ā It was hard to hear over everything that was happening but hear she did. It made her angry to be compared to Ivelda, lashing out at Reese with more energy even though it was a losing fight from the start.
She exhaled loudly as Ishara got a hold of Reese, mistakenly thinking that the whole ordeal was over. "You're good." Until Reese was just shoved right back. NOW Lucie was really fuming more than she knew she was even capable of. She could almost feel steam coming out of her nostrils and ears. "Are you all INSANE?! TORRESSSS!!!" The bodyguard had been frozen in shock watching his career take a nosedive into the abyss. It was as much the worst day of Lucieās life as it was his. First he had lost the VIP then he had witnessed the VIP under attack. This was not going to go well with the VIPās parents and heād be lucky to stay alive when this was over. He decided to accept his inevitable fate and step in just because it was the right thing to do. āHello, nice to see you again.ā He greeted Lilith first and then politely and quite professionally, picked Reese up off Lucie and set her aside on her feet. His arm shot up to stop her from continuing the fight if she felt urged to. āApologies for the intrusion but I think thatās enough.ā he said, his attention focused on Lucie. He wanted to help more but was considerate of her dislike of being touched. A physical fight was already pushing the boundary. Lucie was breathing heavily, panicky, her fingers running through her hair and pressing against her temples overwhelmed by the stress of the situation.
ā§ A boy around her age sat beside her, their toes dipped in the lake as their reflections stared back at them. With dark hair and a smile tugging the corners of his lips as he spoke with fang-like teeth peeking out top and bottom row, his face was a well kept secret underneath an ornate mask that Justice adored. She loved beautiful things, animals and people. The mask was particularly fascinating as she stared at him barely listening to a word he was sayingā¦ something about foxes. There was a gentle breeze, the boyās hair swaying as she thought she saw something amiss. Perhaps dirt or something else tucked between his face and mask. Justice inched closer with curiosity, her hand reaching out for him.
āYou--you bit me.ā She looked down at her hand, unfamiliar with pain and blood but knowing straight away that she didnāt like it. āI just wanted to...ā Justice mumbled, about to explain but stopping herself as her hand started to ache and the boy was no longer pleasant. He was upset at her and she didnāt, couldnāt understand why. āWhat are you? A wild BEAST? GET OUT! Donāt you dare step foot in my kingdom ever again!!ā she screamed, running away with tears in her eyes and cradling her bitten hand. ā§
Justice breathed out as she remembered him, remembered all the playdates she had with the other princes and the princesses present. She tried, didnāt she? But years later they still hated her. Justice started laughing, laughing like a maniac. Everyone was so goddamn stupid. "Fine then. Hate me for being decisive about what I want while you're all taking your sweet time, twiddling your thumbs, and crying about it." she said, standing up off the ground and scooping up her dress but almost stumbling. Reese had done a number on her but her pride and anger kept her upright for the moment. "I guess nobody here besides me has a brain so let me spell it out for you. It was I-V-E-L-D-A who killed our families, took over our kingdoms, forced us to abandon our homes and you have to sit and think about it?! What is there to think about?! She's a murderer and a thief! If you actually cared as much as your whining and tears suggest, you'd fight for that instead of me! But nooo.. you're all like,ā
She cleared her throat. āBoohoo, big scary Ivelda. We don't stand a chance and we have a life here we don't want to leave behind but we'll fight Justice because she's willing to do what we're not and it stings our precious little feelings..." Justice mocked them, exaggeratedly wiping her eyes. "That is PATHETIC. If you want to call me Ivelda two for fighting for our kingdoms then so be it. I don't care what you think of me. At least I am up to the task and grabbing my destiny by the reigns instead of pretending none of it happened. You might as well be spitting on the graves of everybody who sacrificed themselves and everybody who is still alive under her rule. You want a legacy as the princess who gave up? Iāll let our kingdoms judge you." She huffed, wrinkling her nose disgusted. "What.a.JOKE. You think sheās holding soirees and tea parties waiting for you all to GROW UP?! Itās been YEARS and I want to go homeā¦ to whatever is left of it.ā Justiceās voice slowed down as a hint of sadness appeared in the latter of her words. At least home loved her for who she is. Recalling that she was angry and talking to the other princesses, she huffed again and continued, āI hope you're all proud of being a bunch of useless hypocrites and a waste of my time. Go on and enjoy the best thing that ever happened to you while calling yourself decent people.ā Her angry venting was complete, she was beaten and exhausted and the last of her strength gave out. It only took seconds for her to collapse to the ground for the second time in the day, Torres catching her fall but thoroughly confused by her speech. āDid she hit her head that hard?ā he thought.