Setting a Precedent
Title: Setting a Precedent
Author: faith_adeline
Summary: The Prince realizes the castle has been awfully quiet for the past couple days... (1,010 words)
The palace was quiet. There was the general noise, of course. Cooks making food, guards talking amongst themselves, etc. But, a certain voice was surprisingly absent from the daily hum of palace life. A distinct voice; one that had been bothering him since he was a child, always preaching to him that he could be so much more if only he tried a little harder.
As a general rule of thumb, the Prince tried his hardest not to involve himself in…well, anything, really. It was hard not to notice, however, the fact that something was amiss at the castle. “Has anyone seen Snow White lately?” he asked one of the guards. “It feels like she hasn’t bickered at me to get off my arse and accomplish something in forever. Really, how else will I know what day it is without her yelling at me?”
“I’m sorry, my lord, I haven’t seen her. I can ask around, though.”
“Please do. Except, don’t tell anyone I’m wondering. It will appear as if I care. I’d hate to set a precedent.”
“Yes, my lord.” The guard bowed his head and set off.
The Prince looked around and sighed. Where could she have gone? he wondered. And why wouldn’t she have told me where she was going? True, he and his sister weren’t exactly the closest of siblings, but she wouldn’t have just left without telling him. He tapped his fingers against the wood of his chair, biting the inside of his lip. Making a decision, he stood and made his way to the throne room, where he knew his mother was attending the rather boring aspect of the crown: taxes. Honestly, was there a reason so much tedious paperwork had to be involved? And why she insisted on doing it in the throne room when she had a perfectly fine office was beyond him, as well.
“Mother,” he said, bowing his head in respect.
The Queen managed to look perfectly at home in the large, ornately decorated throne. On a stool beside her feet lay the box of paperwork, full to the brim. She folded the rather thick stack of papers she was looking at down onto her lap and replied, “Darling, did we have an appointment?”
“No, I--”
“If there’s anything you need the White Rabbit will see to it, dear, Mommy’s busy.”
The Prince smiled thinly, vaguely wondering if she always talked to him in such a condescending tone of voice. “Mother, I was wondering if you’d seen Snow White lately.”
She arched a brow. “Why? What have you heard?”
He arched a brow back. “Nothing; I merely haven’t seen her in a few days.”
“Well, I’m sure she’ll turn up. You know Snow White, she has a mind of her own. She’s probably off gallivanting with half the town. She’ll show up eventually. Now, be a good dear and close the door on your way out.”
The Prince bowed in closing and left, the clicking of the door echoing throughout the hall. “Why? What have you heard?” What a peculiar way to respond.
“You look strangely affected by something, Prince,” a voice called from down the hall.
The Prince shook himself from his thoughts, knowing immediately who the owner was of such a grating voice. “Your brilliant sense of deduction never fails me, Red. Tell me, just what is your secret?
She smirked, coming to a stop in front of him, her arms crossed. “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
He laughed. “Well, that wouldn’t earn you much favor from the Queen, now would it? Besides, what makes you so sure you could kill me?”
Red smiled a bit more sweetly, coming closer. “Looks are awfully deceiving, Prince. But, tell me, what troubles you? I haven’t seen you look this concerned in…well, ever, really.”
Contrary to popular belief, the Prince was more observant than he appeared. He knew the close relationship between the Queen and Red. For that reason, he watched what he said carefully. “I haven’t seen Snow White around; I was simply asking the Queen if she had any information.”
“I see.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?”
Red’s eyes glazed over. Just like that, anything she thought was blocked off from him. For a second, he wondered if this was how her eyes looked before she-- “No. I know nothing of your sister’s whereabouts. I’m sure she’ll turn up eventually, though. She always does. You know Snow White likes to run off every now and then.”
“Yes. Yes, of course.”
She ushered him aside, her fingers pressed against the door to the throne room. Before she entered, she told him, “Don’t worry, Prince. I’m sure she’s fine.” Then, she was gone.
“For some reason,” the Prince said softly, “that worries me even more.” He glanced at the closed door, wondering just what the Queen and Red had to converse about today. He couldn’t help but feel that it concerned his sister.
…
He lived a lavish life. His mother never hesitated to give him exactly what he wanted whenever he wanted it. It had never seemed abnormal to him, the attention she paid towards getting him every little object he desired. He’d often see Snow White around the castle with just a book in her hands, none of the same lavish ornaments bestowed upon either her person or her room. “Just ask her for something, Snow White,” he’d tell her. “She’ll get you anything you want.”
“I’m not you, Prince, I’m not sure the same rules apply,” she’d respond.
“Don’t be silly. Come on, don’t you want pretty jewels? All girls want jewels.”
“Some girls prefer books.”
“Books are useless.”
“Books teach you to think for yourself. You could use a lesson in that particular facet of life, Prince. Is there ever an original thought running through your head?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about; of course there is.”
But, was there? He looked around his room and for the first time the Prince had doubts about his mother’s intentions.
I haven't written prose in a long, long while. I apologize if this is complete crap; I was inspired by the picspam!
Author: faith_adeline
Summary: The Prince realizes the castle has been awfully quiet for the past couple days... (1,010 words)
The palace was quiet. There was the general noise, of course. Cooks making food, guards talking amongst themselves, etc. But, a certain voice was surprisingly absent from the daily hum of palace life. A distinct voice; one that had been bothering him since he was a child, always preaching to him that he could be so much more if only he tried a little harder.
As a general rule of thumb, the Prince tried his hardest not to involve himself in…well, anything, really. It was hard not to notice, however, the fact that something was amiss at the castle. “Has anyone seen Snow White lately?” he asked one of the guards. “It feels like she hasn’t bickered at me to get off my arse and accomplish something in forever. Really, how else will I know what day it is without her yelling at me?”
“I’m sorry, my lord, I haven’t seen her. I can ask around, though.”
“Please do. Except, don’t tell anyone I’m wondering. It will appear as if I care. I’d hate to set a precedent.”
“Yes, my lord.” The guard bowed his head and set off.
The Prince looked around and sighed. Where could she have gone? he wondered. And why wouldn’t she have told me where she was going? True, he and his sister weren’t exactly the closest of siblings, but she wouldn’t have just left without telling him. He tapped his fingers against the wood of his chair, biting the inside of his lip. Making a decision, he stood and made his way to the throne room, where he knew his mother was attending the rather boring aspect of the crown: taxes. Honestly, was there a reason so much tedious paperwork had to be involved? And why she insisted on doing it in the throne room when she had a perfectly fine office was beyond him, as well.
“Mother,” he said, bowing his head in respect.
The Queen managed to look perfectly at home in the large, ornately decorated throne. On a stool beside her feet lay the box of paperwork, full to the brim. She folded the rather thick stack of papers she was looking at down onto her lap and replied, “Darling, did we have an appointment?”
“No, I--”
“If there’s anything you need the White Rabbit will see to it, dear, Mommy’s busy.”
The Prince smiled thinly, vaguely wondering if she always talked to him in such a condescending tone of voice. “Mother, I was wondering if you’d seen Snow White lately.”
She arched a brow. “Why? What have you heard?”
He arched a brow back. “Nothing; I merely haven’t seen her in a few days.”
“Well, I’m sure she’ll turn up. You know Snow White, she has a mind of her own. She’s probably off gallivanting with half the town. She’ll show up eventually. Now, be a good dear and close the door on your way out.”
The Prince bowed in closing and left, the clicking of the door echoing throughout the hall. “Why? What have you heard?” What a peculiar way to respond.
“You look strangely affected by something, Prince,” a voice called from down the hall.
The Prince shook himself from his thoughts, knowing immediately who the owner was of such a grating voice. “Your brilliant sense of deduction never fails me, Red. Tell me, just what is your secret?
She smirked, coming to a stop in front of him, her arms crossed. “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
He laughed. “Well, that wouldn’t earn you much favor from the Queen, now would it? Besides, what makes you so sure you could kill me?”
Red smiled a bit more sweetly, coming closer. “Looks are awfully deceiving, Prince. But, tell me, what troubles you? I haven’t seen you look this concerned in…well, ever, really.”
Contrary to popular belief, the Prince was more observant than he appeared. He knew the close relationship between the Queen and Red. For that reason, he watched what he said carefully. “I haven’t seen Snow White around; I was simply asking the Queen if she had any information.”
“I see.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?”
Red’s eyes glazed over. Just like that, anything she thought was blocked off from him. For a second, he wondered if this was how her eyes looked before she-- “No. I know nothing of your sister’s whereabouts. I’m sure she’ll turn up eventually, though. She always does. You know Snow White likes to run off every now and then.”
“Yes. Yes, of course.”
She ushered him aside, her fingers pressed against the door to the throne room. Before she entered, she told him, “Don’t worry, Prince. I’m sure she’s fine.” Then, she was gone.
“For some reason,” the Prince said softly, “that worries me even more.” He glanced at the closed door, wondering just what the Queen and Red had to converse about today. He couldn’t help but feel that it concerned his sister.
…
He lived a lavish life. His mother never hesitated to give him exactly what he wanted whenever he wanted it. It had never seemed abnormal to him, the attention she paid towards getting him every little object he desired. He’d often see Snow White around the castle with just a book in her hands, none of the same lavish ornaments bestowed upon either her person or her room. “Just ask her for something, Snow White,” he’d tell her. “She’ll get you anything you want.”
“I’m not you, Prince, I’m not sure the same rules apply,” she’d respond.
“Don’t be silly. Come on, don’t you want pretty jewels? All girls want jewels.”
“Some girls prefer books.”
“Books are useless.”
“Books teach you to think for yourself. You could use a lesson in that particular facet of life, Prince. Is there ever an original thought running through your head?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about; of course there is.”
But, was there? He looked around his room and for the first time the Prince had doubts about his mother’s intentions.
I haven't written prose in a long, long while. I apologize if this is complete crap; I was inspired by the picspam!