beyondthecastle

[beyondthecastle]

Whenever Vic needed someone to talk to she looked towards Kallie. Some royal servants found a cold, dirty, and tired Kallie on the side of the road outside of the city walls. She couldn’t remember who she was or where she came from so when the servants presented her to the King and Queen they decided they could give her a place to stay in return for her loyalty. At the time she had no idea what that would entail but a hungry stomach often made decisions easier if it meant finally being able to eat.

No one knew how old Kallie was but they all figured she was roughly Victoria’s age and since they grew up together Vic secretly celebrated Kallie’s birthday on her own. She always made sure to bring her some cake once her parents fell asleep because she wanted Kallie to know that even if her parents didn’t treat her well that she was always going to be her friend.

“I just wish she would listen to me. Rosie has to know our parents aren’t messing around.” Victoria sighed. It was clear that her parents had lied about where they had sent her but she wasn’t sure she was ready to tell people about what really happened in the past three years. 

“Be gentle with her. She’s had a rough time here by herself.” Kallie had made sure to watch over Rosie in Vic’s absence but there wasn’t much she could do to stop her from rebelling. Once she had her mind on something she was a force to be reckoned with and it only got worse once Victoria was sent away.

“We need do something about Rosalie. What if the nobles get wind of her disrespect.” Reputation was everything to him and he couldn’t handle yet another daughter making him appear weak. If he couldn’t control his own family how could he control the kingdom?

“I am handling it. We could always send her away like we did Victoria. No one needs to know.” Corinne had set everything up perfectly at the first send away and she could do it again. It seemed to have worked too. Victoria was behaving now and it seemed to be a fine reeducation indeed.

[beyondthecastle]

Tense family dinners were the norm but Vic desperately wished it wasn’t.

[beyondthecastle]

Victoria: I guess Rosie got into painting after I left.

Rosalie: What are you doing in my room?

Victoria: Look I can explain. I just wanted to come talk to you. I know you dont want to hear this, especially from me, but just listen to mom. Wearing what she wants you to won’t kill you.

Rosalie: It’ll kill my soul. Why are you suddenly on their side anyways?

Victoria: I just think it would make everyone’s life easier and I don’t want them to send you away too.

[beyondthecastle]

Corinne: You are NOT wearing that to dinner. Your father would throw a fit.

Rosalie: What is with him and the color red anyways? And who cares about fancy clothes?

Corinne: Change. Now. Something blue and nothing too short. End of discussion.

[beyondthecastle]

Victoria: Father I’m-

Dorian: I’m busy go bother someone else.

Corinne: If you were looking for a welcome party you are sorely mistaken. Now I recommend you leave me.

Kallie: Good evening Princess Victoria! Welcome home!

Victoria: At least someone doesn’t want me gone.

Victoria didn’t expect a welcoming party but she wasn’t aware it would be so cold either. She wasn’t sure why her parents would have sent her back home if they so obviously didn’t want her there. The only person who seemed happy about it was Kallie.

Kallie had come to the family when she was a small child. She was found outside the city walls covered in soot and with no idea who or where she was. The royal family took her in and trained her to be one of the royal servants. Even after many years the only things she started to remember was her name was something with Kal, hence Kallie, and that fire makes her uneasy but she doesn’t know why. Though Kallie didn’t know how old she was everyone figured her and Vic were of similar ages so they had always been close.

During her time away Victoria found herself often thinking of Kallie and how she was doing. Her parents were always rough on Kallie and Vic hated it. She always stood up for her and that was part of what ended up getting her sent away but she never regretted standing up for her friend. There was talk about getting rid of Kallie but truly she was the one who kept the castle running smoothly.

[beyondthecastle]

Rosalie: What are you doing here? thought Mom and Dad sent you off to boarding school forever or something.

Victoria: I uh, I guess they changed their mind.

Rosalie: Well you should have just stayed wherever the hell you were. Can’t just come back home, sit on the couch, and act like you haven’t ignored me for the past three years. 

Victoria: You have no idea what I’v been through. I don’t know what our parents have been telling you but- Nevermind I shouldn’t say anything.

[beyondthecastle]

Calling out to see who was home did nothing. The castle was too vast and it didn’t seem like anyone even expected her to come home.The only family she had missed was her sister and she searches the family room for her. Thankfully she was there but even as she called it was as if she couldn’t hear her. Or more like she didn’t want to.

Victoria: Rose?

[beyondthecastle]

Victoria thought she would never step foot in her home again. Could she even still consider it her home anymore? After everything she went through in the past three years how could she just go back to the castle and act like everything was completely normal? Just as they had taken everything away and now they were just giving it all back? 

The king and queen, Victoria’s parents, had decided it was time she came home and Victoria didn’t know how she was supposed to feel. The big golden gates that used to welcome her home now just seemed intimidating and overbearing.