Disclaimer: Ok so I'm a total Princess Diary fiction virgin, this story just came to me while waiting, I had to kill time somehow and this is the result. And thanks to Regina-sp it's not full of faults and it's a real story, woohoo. So thank you so much Gina! Please read and review and remember this is my first try at this.
Enjoy
Leaving the nest……..
Okay, so here I am! I do not really know if I am happy about this or not. For about four years now, I have known this day would come, but I feel as if these last six months have flown by way too fast. I am certain I am not the only one finding all of this rather difficult because I think I saw a tear or two from my mother and my father tried to smile but there was also a hint of sadness in his eyes. Even though, I too, can feel the anguish of leaving, I do not really understand why they are this sad, when they can see me as often as they choose. I think even my brothers were a little touched by the moment, it has not been easy living with all five of them, but I do know that it will be just as difficult to live without them.
The funny thing is, this part was actually supposed to belong to the eldest child, but since he is my brother, he of course would never do, and then the second child was supposed to take over the part but he also would never do, so it took my parents four more tries to finally have a child that would do, me! The only girl out of six siblings and that is why I am here, right outside my future home.
Oh my God! This is to be my home; it's so hard to believe that all this will be my future home. It is so big and so….yes well I don't really know what to call it, intimidating would be the word, I think.
I am to move into the Chinese room today, oh God, I do not even know Chinese, but hopefully that will not be necessary anyway. I am not talking to the furniture I believe, but am suppose to spend time with the Queen. Oh, the Queen! She is always so neat and prim and……..clean, can you say that about a queen?
Well, I am not really sure, but I guess I can as long as I just don't tell her that. She does seem so nice, but then again, I've only met her twice, and the first time I was only in the room so that she could look at me from head to toe, front to the back, and then all the way around. No one spoke a single word and I remember feeling a little like a circus animal. The second time was when she came to my parents' home and told them that everything was in order and would be ready for me to move in, within the next six months. Furthermore, I was to attend lessons of all sorts and with that last statement, my curtsey almost had me fall flat on my face, but even though the Queen looked over at my parents she still returned her look to me and smiled as if nothing had happened.
Now there is a woman greeting me, I don't recall seeing her before. Hmm… I wonder who she is; I guess she is employed here. She is leading me up the long staircase and through a long hallway, where at the end, she asks me to take a seat, so I sit down gracefully, making certain that I do not make creases in my skirt. I look around me in the hall, there are paintings everywhere and anywhere, but I do not know any of the people in them, well I'll probably learn some more about all of them in my lessons.
My thoughts were interrupted by a relatively young man coming out of the door right next to where I'm seated. He's older than I am, by five, maybe seven years. He is tall, okay maybe not that tall, but definitely taller than me. Dark, handsome, seems muscular but it's hard to tell though in a pair of black pants and a dark shirt. I try to look away but somehow my eyes are fixed on him, maybe because I think I know him, but yet I don't know him from anywhere! He then turns around and looks back at me, flashing me a blinding smile, which I return, he walks the few steps over and extends his hand to me, and I mirror his actions, while standing up he then takes my hand and kisses it, and says with the softest, but very masculine voice "A pleasure to finally meet you!"
I look back at him dumbfounded and he squeezes his eyes together for a second before adding, "You are Clarisse Gerard, are you not?" I don't know what to do or say so I plainly nod my head yes, and he again flashes me a blinding smile, which I again, can only return. He then lets go of my hand and leaves me standing there.
After a moment, I recover and take my seat again; looking down the hall in the direction he went, trying to see if I can get one more glimpse of this man. I do not know what is wrong with me, I have never felt this way before, every time a man has looked my way, I have always looked the other direction or simply left, but this man, well I don't know what happened and I… Oh my God I don't even know who he is? I might not even meet him again, let alone see him. Oh why didn't I ask him his name! Wait, where did he know my name from? Well he probably works here; I guess my moving into the palace has been announced for weeks so they probably all know my name. I hate that, I like being invisible, but I do not think I will have much luck with that here, or maybe I will, it is so big here that no one will even know who or where I am. Still I would like to know who that man was! I look back down the hall in the direction he went in hope of just seeing a part of him, just a hair, a hand, anything.
Then my thoughts was interrupted again, by that woman whom I still don't know, she told me that the Queen would see me now. I rose from my seat and followed her into the Queens…..hmm office, I assume. It was a huge office, my father has as big office, but it is nothing compared to this. I try not to seem as shocked as I am about the size; frankly everything about this place has taken me by, almost surprise. She, the Queen, rises from her chair behind a large desk and walks around it to greet me. The moment her hand touches mine I drop into a low curtsey, but quickly rise again. She tells me to take my place and she herself sits down in a comfortable chair by the fireplace. She looks at me with a questioning gaze; I do not really know where to look. It is not like this is an old friend or something, no; she is someday going to be my mother in-law. Even though I have not even meet the Crown Prince, I am still to marry him, which is a little weird to think about, I am one day going to be the Queen of Genovia, not what I have always dreamed about. I wanted to be a nurse, or teacher, or something like that. Oh no, the Queen is looking at me as if she has said something to me, oh no, what do I do? Mother told me not to daydream like this when I came here. Well, if I just apologise I can save myself from this.
"Oh, I'm sorry Your Majesty?"
"I just said, you've already meet my aide, Karen!"
Oh, so that is who she is, of course! I could have said that myself. Why didn't I think about that? I slightly nod to the Queen.
"And she will show you to your room shortly, she will also be the one to whom you turn to if something does not suffice, or if something is wrong, anything really. She will also provide you with your schedule every morning, tell you when and where to be and so on. She will also be around at all times during these lessons I have arranged, any questions you might have….."
I was about to cut in but noticed the Queen's staring eyes, so I just closed my mouth.
"….you call for Karen. Is that perfectly understood, my dear?"
I do not know how to act, say, or do for that matter; so I just nod and cast my eyes downwards. Then I can see the Queen rises again, so of course so do as well I. I curtsey to the Queen as does Karen when the Queen passes by her. I do not know what do to then so I look over at Karen, who is clearly waiting for the Queen to leave the room and as soon as the doors are closed, she turns around towards me.
"Lady Gerard, follow me please and I will show you to your room!"
"Thank you!" I say as I follow behind her out the door. I make sure that I pay attention to everything I pass as we walk. We go back down the long hallway and when we reach the staircase again, we turn to the right and walk along this side over to the opposite side of where the stair is, then walk down another long hallway and go through the third door on the left, which is a door to another hallway. I am afraid we will not get to my room until I am too old to remember my way back, but then we walk up to a door that has three small steps leading to it and Karen stops.
"This is your room, for now!" She gestures to the door.
"For now?" I reiterate.
"Yes, you will of course move to the royal wing as soon as the engagement is official!" She replies.
"What? Official! When is that?" The questions come tumbling out.
"When the Queen thinks you are ready!" Karen replies smiling.
Oh my! I did not see that one coming. I have not even met the Crown Prince yet, let alone the King, and already I am informed that this is only temporary. Until the Queen thinks I am ready, but ready for what? Oh my God, what is…..?
"Lady Gerard wont you go in and take a look, see if everything is sufficient to you, your needs and wishes?" Karen interrupts my thoughts.
"Uh, oh yes, yes of course!" I quickly reply.
I walked up the small steps and the guards that were standing next to the doors immediately opened them for me, so I stepped inside to the most beautiful, gorgeous, bright room I have ever seen in my life. I have seen pictures from China, and this was just like looking inside a Chinese house, silk and satin all over the place, but uh…..where am I suppose to sleep, I do not see a bed, I turn to Karen.
"Uh, not to be demanding or anything, but I would really like a bed!" A little shocked that I would even have to ask for one.
Karen looked over to the right where there was a door, I did not see before. I walked over and opened it, then peeked inside. On the other side was a bedroom about the size of the first floor in my parent's home. The bed was the size of my old room, I may need a map just to make sure I get out of it again, next to the bed the was another door, I had to see what was behind that and it was a golden bathroom about the size of my father office, it was amazing. When I walked back out, Karen was standing there next to the bed waiting. I looked at her with huge eyes.
"It's amazing Karen, I love it!" I practically squealed in delight!
"I'm glad. Here are your schedule for today and for tomorrow, I'll show you where all the different rooms are later, you are to meet with the royal family in one hour in the yellow garden, I'll walk you there when the time comes. Dinner is at 6 and don't be late." She spoke, walking towards the door.
Then Karen left, as soon as she was out the door, two ladies walked in and they immediately curtsied before me, telling me they where my ladies maids and were here now to assist me in getting ready to meet with the royal family. I looked down at myself; did I not look presentable enough for the royal family? I looked over at the maids that avoided eye contact with me completely.
"Oh um…, if this is going to work, then I need you to be able to at least look at me!" I said incredulously.
"We're sorry my lady, but we've been taught not to!" Both maids suddenly replied.
"Well I don't care, and I need your names as well?" I demanded.
"Veronica and Nadia!" They answered in unison.
50 minutes later:
I am in fresh clothes that my ladies maids informed me were chosen by the Queen and the Crown Prince, at least I am marrying a man with good taste. I am now on my way to the yellow garden which seems to be far away; well it feels as though we have been walking for hours. Karen has stopped so I guess we are here. She tells me to wait for just a minute so I look around at the paintings that surround me again. Then the doors are opened and Karen gestures for me to enter. I walk slowly in, but not to slow. As soon as I am past the two guards I see him again, only now he is wearing a pair of light pants and a white shirt, and he is standing to my left. The King and Queen are right in front of me so I better go to them, but I wonder where the Crown Prince, or my future husband, is I still have not seen him. I curtsey in front of the royals, as I do I look back and catch his eyes, and oh my God, I have never in my life seen such beautiful green eyes. I can feel my cheeks redden and he flashes me a blinding smile, just as earlier. I rise and the Queen looks at me suspiciously and then smiles while she reaches out her hand to…oh my God, to him.
"Lady Clarisse Gerard, may I present my son, The Crown Prince of Genovia, Rupert Renaldi." The Queens proudly introduces her son to me.
I feel as if my chin just hit the floor, it was him, my mysterious man from earlier, he was not employed here, oh well, yes he kind of is, but not in the same way as many others, I would never have guessed, he does not look like a Prince. I don't know where to look so I try to look over his head, but right behind him is a family portrait of course, so that did not help me. Anyway, he takes my hand just as gentle as before.
"I have the pleasure again, my lady!" He smiles at me adoringly and then kisses it and I feel as if I'm fainting, but I pull myself up and return his smile.
"I did not think you were you! Oh um, you know what I mean, do you not?" I ask nervously. He smiles back at me and nods.
"Yes and I apologise for not introducing myself earlier, I do so hope that I am still on you good side!" He teases gently.
I just smile even wider at him. I cannot seem to remove my gaze until the King's voice is heard. "Well maybe we should see if tea is ready, shall we?"
He escorts his wife out to the garden and I stay behind with the Prince, I cannot move my feet, I just stand there, then he offers his arm to me and I accept it, and that seems to break the spell. We walk out to join the King and Queen.
This has been the best day ever I think, even though I have moved away from my parents and I now have to follow the Queens schedule. I have finally met my future husband and now it does not seem so bad that this was all arranged, but we still have a long way to go.
To be continued………..
