#cleoso

Why is it that Headless Headmistress Bloodgood wants us to dredge up the past? The last thing I want to do is write about how my family went from ruling the greatest dynasty ever to being betrayed and dethroned by people we trusted. I will not write about that because even after so many thousands of years, it still hurts. What to write then? I have the ability to charm snakes - not with a stupid flute - but I can speak to them, and they will do what I ask them to. It's not something I do all the time - I mostly just use it when Hissette crawls inside a shoe I want to wear and won't come out. No, I've never used it on Deuce, although I've been tempted a time or two...just kidding. He likes me for who I am; why would I want to ruin that by manipulating him? I must also wear some of my wrappings at all times; otherwise...well, it's not something I really wish to think about. Father also has quite a collection of amulets and charms that will work only for those in my family. Of course, they usually also come with a curse if you over-use them.

I'm beginning to think that allowing Purrsephone, Meowlody, and Toralei to stay on the Fear Squad was a mistake. My sister brought them onto the team; she always was a cat person when she was the Fear Squad captain. If they weren't so athletic and graceful, I would have kicked them off when I became captain, despite my sister's insistence that I keep them. They definitely have their own agenda, and even though on the outside they act like they are sold out for the team, I do not trust them. I think if something "better" came along, they would leave me up the Styx without a Charon. I even overheard them making fun of Ghoulia one day, which they totally denied when I confronted them about it. I, on the other hand, have one agenda; making the Fear Squad the best it can be. If they get in the way of making that happen, I hear Lagoona is looking for new members on the swim team.

Spectra ...leave it to her to make a mausoleum out of a molehill. I saw Deuce at the end of the school day, and he told me how everything started. He wrote a song for my upcoming birthday celebration, and he wanted Operetta to put it to music and make a recording for me. Of course, there have been thousands of songs composed in my honor, but this was different...anyway, so Deuce goes into the band room with Operetta and starts reading her the song. Spectra floats through and misinterprets what's going on like she always does, and all of a sudden, the whole school is in full-scale gossip mode. Before I know it, I'm being dumped by Deuce and getting back together with Clawd. She even had the audacity to ask me for a comment! I was so angry I shouted at her in Ancient Egyptian... probably a good thing since what I said was not exactly befitting royalty. I even canceled Fear Squad practice because I totally couldn't focus. I know that Clawd tracked Spectra down and tried to reason with her, but that actually made things worse because if she thinks she's being persecuted, she gets even louder about what she thinks the "real" truth is. I appreciated Clawd trying to stand up for me, though. He is an honorable wolf, and under different circumstances, maybe we'd still be together, but undue speculation is something with which commoners concern themselves, so I'll stop now.

I didn't sleep very well last night at all. I had this dream that I was about to lead the Fear Squad onto a stage where we were supposed to perform in front of an undead TV audience with millions of monsters watching all over the world. Only when I looked back, Frankie had forgotten her arms, Draculaura had a tiny bat body with her normal-sized head, and Deuce had turned the rest of the team into stone. He kept saying, "It's okay; we'll take them home, and they can live in the garden with the other gnomes." Then I realized I was wearing a lurch lady outfit, and my pompoms had turned into gravy ladles. Fortunately, I woke up before we had to perform. I told father about the dream, and he said, "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." Well, perhaps I should lessen that unease with more team practices.

I got an email from Nefera today. Ugh... having had that name haunting over my head since she graduated. Just writing it after so long sends chills down the spine and not in a good way either. She said that she was up for five magazine covers and a spooks model contract. She was also up on all the MH gossip and what was happening on the Fear Squad. Wonder who she's getting all her information from... not. Of course, she gave me a whole list of things I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to fix them. As the older sister, she is entitled to correct me if I do anything "unbecoming to one of royal birth." I am entitled to sit quietly and listen, which I did, a lot. The Fear Squad is not about royalty, though, and as a past captain, she is entitled to her opinion, but I'm no longer entitled to sit quietly and listen. It's my team now, and even though we haven't yet won the awards, her teams did. I believe that we can and will. I don't know why she should care anyway since her email made it sound like she's one step away from ruling the world. If I were in her place, what's happening at high school would be the last thing on my mind.

"Can you please take your own notes and give me just a moment of privacy?" Then she turned her back on me and started drawing again. I think what hurt my feelings the most was not that she yelled at me but that she thought it wasn't her company I wanted. She apologized later, which I accepted, of course. I like having Ghoulia around because I absolutely trust her. I wish I could tell her that, but it's just not done. I am royalty, after all... although perhaps I need to learn to make exceptions for my friends.

Our royal recollections are not for the eyes of commoners.