Narrative Writing, Hailey

Charlotte's Nightmare

I tried not to fall asleep, for Madame Leery’s voice was so wearisome. My eye lids tended to droop, blurring my vision. My muscles relaxed, forming themselves into lenient rubber bands. Slowly, softly, Madame Leery unknowingly caressed me into sweet slumber, until her ruler snapped down on my desk.
“Miss Charlotte, what ever will I do with you! How can you expect to rule a kingdom you know not a thing about it?” She exclaimed. I responded by groggily slumping down with my forehead on the table, letting out an exasperated sigh at her reference. Me, Queen? Bah! I’d rather be a common girl! Also, being Queen meant Marriage. How dreadful! A fine, independent girl like me doesn’t need a Man in her life! Soon, I realized that Madame Leery must’ve known what I was thinking, for she made a disgruntled noise and scuttled back to her desk.
Madame Leery was a very noticeable character in the kingdom. Her gray hair was always in a tight, painful looking bun on the crown of her head, which topped off her seemingly invisible neck. She was quite corpulent, and her cheeks and nose always made it seemed like she was embarrassed. Her overall appearance was that of a plump tomato! She always smelt like stale bread, which I have no explanation for. She had the eyes and nose of a bird, quite a homely little bird at that. Her voice though, oh dear! How awfully raucous it was! It’s as if she swallowed gravel!
“Madame Leery, no need to growl at me.” I said sourly, using my best so-called ‘proper’ dialect. “It’s not that I don’t want to learn about the kingdom, just that I would much rather prefer to be a peasant girl in common rags than to have to sit in a class as tiresome and lengthly as this one.” I paused for a second, for dramatic effect, then slowly, almost too innocently, said, “Maybe if I had a better tutor.” Madame Leery just growled again, and turned to me, her tomato pigmentation more distinct now.
“With all due respect, Miss Charlotte, you’re being a...a...” her face was the color of blood, and her gravely voice was turning even more hoarse. “A royal twit!” At that, she threw down her lesson book, and stormed out the door. That was the third time this week...new high score for me!
Completely unbothered by her overdramatic exit, I picked myself up, brushed off my skirts, and walked to the garden. It’s where I usually go after the tutors have their fits, because when father comes to scold me, what looks more innocent than a Princess sitting in a forest of flowers? After he said my name, I would put on the waterworks, and tell him of my horrific turmoil with Madame Leery, how she yelled at me and stampeded out like a wild animal. I would then collapse myself into his chest and sob, until he finally said he would speak to Madame Leery. I could only do this three times until the tutors finally gave up on me. I should see Madame Leery leaving with her bags packed, not looking back, by sundown today.
Sure enough, father came out into the garden and sat beside me. He didn’t have his crown on, for he claims it gives him hair loss. He was still in his velvet robes, though. He was wearing the purple ones, or so called ‘casuals’.
“Charlotte...” he started to say. His eyes were pointed towards the ground, his back slumped, as though he was tired. I interrupted as usual.
“Oh, father, you’ll never believe what Madame Leery did this time!” I proclaimed. “I almost fell asleep during class, so she smacked her ruler in front of me, and stormed out when I told her how rude it was. She even called me a twit! Oh, father, I just can’t bear all of these teachings much longer!” At that, I started to sob, and collapsed into his chest, my brunette ringlets cascading down my back like a waterfall. I expected him to rub my head, as he always did, but this time he was still as stone.
“Charlotte, stop crying now.” He said, cold as steel. Appalled, I stopped, and lifted my head to look at him. I would imagine my ivory skin was now red tinted, as it always was when I was upset. It didn’t catch him off guard one bit. “Madame Leery has already left the castle. She said she couldn’t stand how spoiled you were.” I was shocked.
“You let her say that? How could she! Oh, daddy, why don’t any of the tutors like me?” I started to sob again.
“Charlotte, stop that this instant!” He snapped. I stopped. “I agree with Madame Leery. You are spoiled, spoiled rotten. Your mother also agrees. So, we have made a decision.” At that, he took a deep breath and softened his voice to a loud whisper. “We have enrolled you to go to Mistress Mary’s boarding school for girls in the next kingdom over.”
I couldn’t move. I was paralyzed. My jaw hung open, and I felt as though the world had been put onto my shoulders.
“Isn’t that a, a, a public school? Filthy peasant girls go there!” I could hardly breath. I felt as though my world has been turned upside down.
“Please have your bags packed by dinner. We will arrange for a carriage to drop you off in the morning.” With that, he sighed, stood, and walked backed to the castle as though nothing had happened.
I somehow found the strength to stand, and slowly walked to my room. Once there, there was no longer a reason to keep myself from coming apart at the seams. I burst into tears. I cried and cried, until it seemed I could cry no more.
Only then did I realize the pool of water forming around my ankles. Water! In my room! Impossible! It turned from an arctic temperature to scorching hot within seconds, and somehow my body withstood it. The room spun, and the lights flickered incoherently. Vines started to grow all around me, and I could’ve sworn I saw a snake wrap it’s way around my bed post.
I swam to the door, knowing if I could open it, I would be safe. It was locked. My door was never locked! Surely someone was doing this to me! I swam to the windows next, which were also locked. I banged on them, knowing how fragile their glass was, but they didn’t shatter. The glass felt so strong, it could’ve been three inches thick!
“Help!” I tried to scream, but no sound came from my mouth. It was like somebody took a jar of honey a poured it down my throat, making it so thick I couldn’t speak. My eyes started to burn as the now acidic feeling water reached my shoulders...then my neck...then my chin...
Then, dry on my bed, eyes watering, my voice suddenly strong...I woke.
“What a relief!” I told myself. “Boarding school would’ve been so dreadful!” After that was said, I stood up, straightened my skirts, and walked to my morning lesson with Madame Leery. Might as well go. She’ll most likely be leaving by sundown.