heavy is the head (1/10) (sashea) - shadysalad
an - found this completed multichap in my drafts (!!!!!) i wrote it in about november and completely forgot about it oops😬. anyways, i’ll post a new chapter every couple of days even if no one likes it cos I just can’t bring myself to leave 10 chapters sitting here. not my best work, got to admit, but when is it ever huh? enjoy :)
“Thanks Pep, I’ll see you in a bit.” Shea waved at her maid before softly closing the door, skipping down the long corridor. It was a Sunday, which meant breakfast with her parents in the great hall. She hoped the Commander of the Royal Guard, Alexis, had done as she’d asked with regards to the stationing of certain guards.
She stood at the door to the great hall, knocking twice. Pulling her robe around her a little tighter, she pushed the door open. Her mother looked up first. “Good morning, darling, have you had a nice week?”
It took a minute for Shea to respond; her eyes fell past her mother to the pair of guards stood behind the table. Aja was there, as usual, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Nina had been replaced. And not with any old guard; with Sasha. Damn, Alexis was good. Shea flashed a beaming smile to the woman, who returned a small smirk of her own. “Um.. yes, thank you, mother.”
Shea swiftly made her way around the long table, dropping a kiss on each of her parent’s cheeks, seating herself at the opposite end of the table to them. Her father cleared his throat, eyes still on the plate of French pastries in front of him. “We need to discuss your coronation dress, dear. Any thoughts as to the colour?”
Shea groaned internally; everything was about her coronation these days. She locked eyes with Sasha and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. Sasha let out a small giggle. “Not particularly. Are you sure it can’t just be black?”
“Oh, of course not, darling! Black is the colour of mourning! How about a lovely crimson, or ultramarine, perhaps?” Shea watched as Aja’s eyes disappeared into the back of her head, and wished she could get away with the same a second time. She hummed lowly in lieu of a response and sunk her knife into the croissant that had been placed before her.
“Honey, your mother and I have been thinking…” Shea whipped her head up at the sound of her father’s voice. “We think you should take some etiquette lessons before your coronation, just so you will be prepared for life as Queen and so we can do away with…” He gestured vaguely towards Shea, who had frozen with the croissant hanging out of her mouth and flakes falling into her lap. “…this.”
She was quick to deposit the croissant back on the plate and brush herself off. “Are you sure that’s necessary? I mean, I can be prim and proper, I just choose not to.”
Her mother grimaced. “Yes, we think so. Your first lesson is at 2, in the ballroom. Your instructor’s name is Trinity. Don’t forget that: Tri-ni-ty.” Her mother sounded it out as if Shea was a child, like Trinity was a difficult name to remember. Shea nodded, stuffing her face with the last of the croissant and standing from her chair. That was enough family time for the day.
Shea waved to Sasha and Aja and left the room, foregoing her usual route to the gardens and making her way to the extensive library. She usually loved spending her days in the gardens, but not when it was pouring down with Autumn rain and freezing cold. If she didn’t go in the garden, she probably wouldn’t ever see outside the palace, except from the occasional state visit. The only upside to being Queen, she supposed, was the fact that she would be leaving the palace a lot more.
The library was cosy and warm, a log fire already blazing in the hearth. Shea made her way over to her little corner, where books of all genres were still strewn around and fluffy blankets shrouded a soft velvet sofa. It was a little colder over there, but Shea would rather that than be eventually stifled by the direct heat from the fire, where the rest of the furniture was set up.
She picked up Pride and Prejudice, continuing from where she left off. As she read on, she thought of Sasha. It was the type of book she would like, all old-timey and smart. She began to lose interest, her mind wandering further and further away from the adventures of Elizabeth Bennet. After a good while only pretending to read, she decided there was no point in fooling herself. She went looking for Sasha, grabbing the book as an afterthought.
Instead of blindly searching the whole castle, Shea made a beeline to Alexis’ office. She always knew where everyone in the whole palace was at all times; that was her job. “Hey Alexis!”
Alexis looked up from the paperwork on her desk. “Sasha?”
Shea nodded shyly. “You know me too well, girl. Thanks for moving Nina, too. That bitch, I swear to the gay gods.” She gasped softly, a smirk settling itself on her lips. “Hey, since you have the power to move people, do you have the power to fire them too?”
Alexis chuckled a little, turning her attention back to the pay receipts in front of her. “Get out of here, Shea. Sasha’s down by the kitchens.”
Shea skipped out of the office and sprinted down 4 floors. She slowed to a fast walk as she descended the last flight of stairs to catch her breath, running a hand through her hair. She spotted the bald girl underneath the giant mural at the end of the corridor, and broke out into a run again. “Sashaaa!”
“Sheaaa!” Just as Shea reached her, Sasha pulled her into a hug. “What’s this?” She gestured to the book that Shea has all but forgotten she was holding.
“Oh! I was reading this and I thought you might like it, so I brought it for you to take back to your room tonight.” Sasha turned the book over in her hands a few times before placing it on the sideboard next to her, smiling widely as a thanks.
Sasha bit her lip, eyes roaming around the hallway. “So… queen lessons, huh?”
“I know. I’m not that uneloquent, am I? I mean-”
Sasha interrupted with a giggle. “Hate to be that person, but before you go any further I feel like I should point out that it’s ‘ineloquent’.”
Shea groaned exaggeratedly. “Fuck! Maybe I do need etiquette lessons. But- ugh! It’ll be so boring!”
“Yes, preparing to become one of the most powerful and most respected rulers in the world must be so tedious.” Sasha deadpanned.
“Shut up, Sash. I’m sure Alexis has you in some of them. You’ll be able to see for yourself. I just hope this Trinity girl is nice.” Shea mused.
“Yeah, I’m stationed in the ballroom today. Isn’t that where your mom said it would be?” Shea nodded thoughtfully.
“Ok, well, I have, like, half an hour? So I’ll see you in a bit.” Shea pulled Sasha in for one last hug, before setting off down the corridor. Just before she went to climb the staircase, she turned back, yelling over her shoulder, “Hope you enjoy the book!”