Princess of Athelia: An Unfinished Fairy Tales Novella by Aya Ling Page B

academics.” Thomas doesn’t look at me, but his voice is gruff. He doesn’t treat me with the same harsh condescension he has shown toward his sister, but it’s only because I’m a princess.
    “This one does.” I put my hands on my hips. Maybe I shouldn’t interfere with their education —after all, this is nothing like child labor—but Thomas’s disparaging remark about a girl’s mental capability has gotten on my nerves. I don’t want Rosie believing that she’s inferior.
    “How about a bet? Suppose you show me your arithmetic workbook, and I’ll work on the problems you want to copy from Tristan’s. Rosie has the old workbook with answers, so we can compare to see if mine are correct. If there’s a single question that I can’t do, then I’ll ask Bertram to take you riding.” From an earlier conversation with Constance, I know that Thomas is obsessed with horses, and Bertram is a great trainer. As I expected, the boy’s face lights up. “But if I can complete every problem, then you’ll promise not to bother Rosie. You will apologize and concede that a girl is capable of studying the same subjects as a boy.”
    Both children seem taken aback at my confidence.
    “Aunt Kat,” Rosie says hesitantly. “Have you taken arithmetic lessons before?”
    I just give her an enigmatic smile. “What do you say, Thomas? Or are you so terrified of losing that you don’t even want to bet?”
    That does the trick. “Fine.” Thomas plunks his workbook—which looks brand-new—on Rosie’s desk.

 
     
     
    13
     
    The men caught an avalanche of birds from their hunt. For breakfast, we have roast pheasant, partridge, chicken sandwiches with buttered cucumbers, and turkey meatballs dipped in a rich tomato-and-cheese sauce. There’s more than enough to feed an army, which makes me cringe. Back home, I remember how Mom would save scraps or freeze leftovers for us whenever she wasn’t going to be available. Anything home-cooked was better than pizza and burgers.
    I mention to Constance about the abundance of food, but she just pats my arm. “Don’t worry, dear—I always arrange for the leftovers to be packed into food baskets. We will be going over to the village to distribute the food.” She smiles. “Part of our duty, you see.”
    An image of those villagers lining up to welcome Edward and me pops up in my mind. Serfdom—that’s what Philip and Constance are running here. Maybe it’s normal, and maybe the villagers are happy with the arrangement. Still, it doesn’t mean I should be comfortable with it. I take up my fork, making a deliberate decision to finish everything on my plate.
    When Edward takes his seat across from me, I smile at him. Yesterday, I had a total victory over Thomas. I did have some apprehension about completing the questions, but it turns out I needn’t have worried. My high school math totally trumped his thirteen-year-old Athelia-boarding-school math.
    Edward smiles back, but there is a questioning look in his eyes as though he’s wondering why I’m in a good mood this early in the morning. Usually, I’m grumpy and impatient—at the palace, I rarely get much sleep because of the onerous and time-consuming princess duties. I start to open my mouth, but Lillie glides into the room, radiant as usual, and pauses near us.
    “May I sit here?”
    While Constance imposes formality with dinners, even going as far as installing name cards on the table, she’s more lax when it comes to breakfast. Since everyone gets up at different times in the morning, there is less restriction on where people can sit. Lillie doesn’t really have to ask, but she glances at me as though she needs my validation.
    Back off; he’s mine.
    “Go ahead.” I shrug.
    She looks as if I just tossed her a piece of candy. A servant pulls out her chair, and she sits down, a smile playing on her lips as she shakes out a napkin and spreads it on her lap.
    “Did you know that we are going to the village