Porcelain Princess

(Prologue)

I was five years old when the Orphanage Director announced that the Queen would be coming to adopt a child. I remember how all the children and all the assistants rushed about madly as they worked to prepare for the sudden visit. The older girls of the house did their very best to look as nice as possible for the visit, and made sure to get us younger girls ready.

I recall sitting on my small creaky bunk while Charlotte, whom was nearly fifteen and easily the oldest girl in Orphanage, laced up my shoes for me since I had yet to learn to do so myself. Charlotte had given me a dress she wore at my age, hand-me-downs came about often for us younger children so it was nothing new and the dress was naturally nothing very special. Charlotte was the closest thing I had to family in the Home, she was what I imagined having an older sister to be like.

"Now listen to me," Charlotte said as she combed my hair, "when the Queen comes you smile, stay quiet, that means no tomfoolery, and you bat those great big cobalt blue eyes of yours that makes all the adults melt."

"No tomfoolery? But, Charlie, what's the fun to be had?" I questioned impishly.

"None, there is no fun to be had at this moment. This moment is when you leave Poorhouse and live richer than any of us could ever dream!" Charlotte exclaimed, she clearly had thought very deeply about the subject.

"But, Charlie, if it's so important to you why don't you go and live with the Queen?" I inquired innocently, Charlotte chuckled lowly.

"I'm far too old to be adopted, Silly. Too old and too full of bad habits, but you, you can still be trained to act like a civilized lady just like Her Majesty." I didn't know how to respond to such a thing so I merely changed the subject.

"I don't make adults melt with my eyes." My lips formed a pout.

"Oh don't be ridiculous, you'd get away with murder with those orbs! You've even made mean old Mrs. Jackson soften up with a single look!"

You see the Queen herself hadn't had any children due to her husband's sterility, obviously an heir to the throne was needed, and so the royal couple had set out to find an, albeit unofficial, heir to the throne of England.

The Monarchy had arrived, all the young children in the Orphanage were lined up, standing straight, feet together, shoulders back, chests out, it was such an uncomfortable way to stand but Mrs. Jackson had absolutely insisted.

I was the smallest of all the children, hardly reaching anyone's shoulder, and I was standing right in the middle of the line so I suppose it was only natural that the Queen's gaze didn't even fall on me due to my tininess.

I was disappointed, my eyes fell to the floor immediately I hadn't even been recognized and Charlotte had put so much work into me that day. Something shiny caught my eye and I looked ahead just in time to see a golden earring plummeting to the hardwood. I stepped out of line quickly as I hurried toward the jewel, I picked it up then raised my eyes, the Queen hadn't even noticed it had fallen. A small tug on her dress and the lovely royal turned to me, I extended my hand to her, holding the earring up as high as my little arm would allow.

"Mrs. YourMajesty, you dropped this." I stated, "it fell in front of Grabby Greta so I thought I'd give it to you before she snatched it." I glanced to the girl in question just in time for her to give me a sour look and make a fist at me. The Queen laughed as she took my hand into hers causing me to look back to her.

"Well thank you very much. What a darling little girl you are. What is your name, Dear?" My eyes roamed over the lovely jewels the Monarch adorned, and the charming dress I had so carelessly tugged on.

"I'm Freddy." I exclaimed with a grin.

"Oh and what might that be a nickname for?" The Queen seemed amused by my infancy.

"Frederique!" I answered happily, then I remembered something. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. YourMajesty." I fluttered my lashes just as Charlotte had told me to, and I witnessed the Ruler of England melt.

I was taken away from the Orphanage immediately, the very moment I fluttered my eyes in fact. I wasn't given the chance to say goodbye to the children whom I'd grown up with, not even to Charlotte. But as I was loaded into the Royal carriage, which was idle just before the Poorhouse, I heard a rally of cries and voices. All the children had rushed outside and were chasing after the carriage, waving as big as they could and shouting their goodbye's. Charlotte, being the oldest child and therefore much faster than the rest, was at the head of the crowd.

The Queen and King were very affectionate to me instantly, Her Majesty insisted that I share their chamber she claimed it was because at my age she was afraid to sleep on her own. The Royals went out of their way to take me on weekly outings, they would parade me all around England and proudly at that. They made a point to dress me in the finest dresses, once I had commented on a doll I saw in a shop window, more specifically, I commented on its dress and the Monarch's ordered it be made for me. From then on the Queen made a habit of having the dresses she witnessed on porcelain dolls made for me, the citizens of England came to know me as the Porcelain Princess.

I was of course made to attend etiquette classes every day and such. I was often scolded for my tomfoolery toward the instructor; I would always play tricks on her then end up wearing that stupid 'Dunce' cap and sitting in the corner during break time. Nonetheless the instructor somehow managed to teach me how to properly act like a lady, at least in public anyway.

After nine years of lessons, I was still attending etiquette classes once a week, even though most girls my age had completed the course. It wasn't due to my being a 'poor student' I knew all there was to know about decorum, public and private, I just wasn't comfortable with all the restrictions being a lady came with and simply refused to show any sort of learning curb. Two more years of torture and I finally escaped the wretched class, though it was really my own fault for being so tenacious.

Mother and I went off on a trip not long after I finished my classes, a tour of Europe which would take about three years to complete. Mother of course couldn't stay for the entire trip, she was needed in England and so she left me, I was known to most countries then as the Porcelain Princess then, to be the face of Britain, to make deals, give speeches, go to balls, and have dinners with nobility in the name of England. It was the dullest three years of my life! Imagine being in a beautiful country and not being able to properly explore it, I snuck away a few times but for whatever reason trouble always seemed to find me when I did.

Two years into my tour of Europe Papa passed away, I was eighteen years old at the time I received the notice. I was devastated, naturally, we weren't flesh and blood but that didn't make him any less my Father. That day I gave a speech in honor of His Highness, my voice tremoring every now and then as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. It would take months for me to return home, there was no possible way that I could've made it in time for any sort of service; besides that, England needed a spokesperson at the time and the dealings with Europe were still at hand. I had no choice but to stay until the end of the expedition.

I was nineteen when I was finally able to see England again. Europe had been boring and I knew that home would be no different but I still found myself thrilled at the thought of being home again, most of all seeing Mother once more.

I had returned home a day earlier than expected, word had yet to reach Mother and so she would be quite surprised upon my premature arrival. As soon as the carriage stopped I threw open the door, not waiting for my footman to do so for me, and dashed up the palaces front stairwell. The two doormen stationed at the entrance hardly had time to open the towering doors before I rushed inside, my heels clicking on the marble inlay as I hurried into the throne room.

The splendid doors were opened for me at two servants saw my sprint, the throne room was just as ostentatious as I had remembered it to be but the familiar nostalgia of it never caused me pause in my rush.

"Mother!" I cried and the woman whom sat upon the throne rose immediately, as she descended the short stairs, which lead to her throne, she opened her arms wide for me.

"Freddy!" She sobbed as she wrapped her arms around me tightly and began to kiss me on my cheek and forehead. "You came back to me! And a day early no less!" She exclaimed with moistened eyes.

She had changed so much within the three years I was away, she had gained more wrinkles and age spots since we last saw one another; she wore all black as a widowed woman should but even with her changes she was still very much my Mother.

"You've grown so much," she placed a hand on my cheek, "you're nearly reach my chin now," I had always been an abnormally runty child. "You're even more beautiful than when I last saw you, and so thin. I'd venture to say that the only thing that hasn't changed about you, Dear, are those doll eyes you've got, I've missed seeing those vibrant cobalt globes of yours, peaking around corners to see what mischief to stir up." She touched my raven curls, "it was so short the last time, now its near your waistline and I see you're wearing the dress I sent you. I saw it on a porcelain doll in a shop window and just knew you would be divine in it!" She gestured to my crimson evening gown, which showed off my shoulders, sported lace and ruffles as well as black bow around my waist.

"I've missed you very much Mother," I said with a smile and dry eyes. "I'm so glad to be home again, just promise me something okay?"

"What is it, Dear?"

"Next time I go to another country, don't let Mr. Walsh be my supervisor that man hasn't even the slightest clue of how to relax. The entire trip I felt as though I was talking to a brick which was in great need of a massage!" Mother laughed loud and heartily at that.

"Dear, your wit has been missed as much as the rest of you!"

Mother and I talked for a while longer as she lead me to her throne where she took a seat, and I took the Kings chair as I always had before my journey and his departure. She listened to my travels favorably, which didn't include much outside of what I saw through the window of my room. Mother updated me on the political, as well as private, happenings of the England and the nobility within it. We were so busy catching up and laughing we hadn't noticed two men enter the throne room until they addressed Mother.

"Ah! Grey, Phipps, come here I would like to introduce you to my daughter!" She exclaimed with a wide grin, I rose from Papa's throne quickly, knowing that I wasn't supposed to sit there when others were present.

The two men climbed the short staircase giving me little time to inspect them, both were dyed white from head to toe, their shoes, trousers, shirts, tailcoats, even their hair was snowy and blank. I immediately began to wonder what they would look like if I were to dye them with actual color, something vibrant and fun, pink would be nice and silly on the two maybe add some dots to really goof them up. I giggled at the thought.

"What's so funny, Dear?" Mother questioned, knowing that my mind tended to wonder to odd places.

"I was thinking of how these two remind me of clean canvases and wondered how silly it would be to paint them pink with yellow dotting." Most would keep the thought to themselves but I honestly saw no reason to, my wondering was causing no harm to them not yet anyway. Mother chuckled at the idea.

"Thoughts are perfectly innocent, just leave them out of your clowning. Personally, I always imagined them in magenta with blue stripes." I giggled at the thought as she turned to the men. "No worries you two it's all in good fun!" She exclaimed.

I turned to the duo once more, expecting to see expressions of offence, however, I was instead met with smiles of genuine amusement on the young men's faces which I was somewhat disappointed by, if you can't get a rise out of someone by saying something like that then their either boring or strange, and I didn't like either.

"Of course You Highness." The said together. Mother stood and approached me, placing her hands on my arms.

"This is my daughter, the Porcelain Princess, Frederique." She looked to me, "Freddy, these two are acting as my both my butlers and guards this is, Earl Charles Grey." She gestured to the younger looking of the two, whom appeared to be around my age, "and Earl Charles Phipps." Hearing 'Charles' caused me to think of Charlotte suddenly, I had left the Orphanage at a very young age and didn't remember much of the place, but the one thing I did remember was her.

"Charlie…" I blurted, both the men looked to me in confusion as did my mother. "I-I was just reminded of a girl from the Poorhouse, Big Sis Charlie, that's all." I smiled at the thought and I noticed Mother smiling at it as well, probably because Charlie was all I could talk about when I first arrived at the palace.

"I'm glad to see all those years of etiquette didn't stop you from speaking your mind." Mother turned back to the men, "oh, Grey you'll have an entertaining time with her so long as you don't fall victim to her mischief!" I gave her a questioning look. "Freddy, Grey will be serving as your guard from here on out."

"Why? What happened to Nickolas?" I questioned as I wondered about the guard whom I had been introduced to when I first arrived at the fortress, and whom I had grown close to as well as begun to consider family.

"He… Was a traitor to the crown," she answered carefully, "he committed many serious crimes and… He was executed for his wrongdoings." A frown found my lips as my heart sank past my stomach and to my feet.

"...I'm not exactly sure how to respond to such a thing." I spoke in a not so careful tone, "the criminal you speak of wasn't the man whom protected me as a child, so I won't think of such a thing as to keep the memories of him playing hide and seek with me, and sneaking candy to my room untainted." Just like that I erased the information from my memory completely. Mother chuckled at my childlike exposition.

"That's a good mindset to have, keep it."

Mother had business to attend not long after Double Charles had entered the scene, she left reluctantly, Phipps close by her side, and took on the strong expression she was always known to wear, the face of a true Monarch.

It was just Grey and I left alone then, I exited the throne room and found that, even though my extravagant home had changed substantially in the last three years, I was becoming bored with the familiar yet new surroundings. Besides that, I was getting annoyed with Grey following me everywhere especially with his being so dreadfully silent, this thought caused me to spin on my heel so that I was facing him.

"You could at least strike up a conversation." I said with a pout, the man blinked thrice before responding.

"I wasn't aware that the Young Princess wished for conversation." A mischievous smile crept onto his face which made my blood hot, was that how people felt when I displayed the very same naughty smile?

"It's awkward otherwise wouldn't you agree? The silence I mean. Am I supposed to simply ignore your very presence until I'm in need of assistance? I wouldn't treat a dog in such a way, then again I am very much an animal lover." My words were quick as they often became when I came across a new someone, nerves and all that.

"Most normal Ladies would do with treating their guard as a shadow so- "

"You are not a shadow!" I exclaimed, rather loudly as I caused the man to jump, "and don't ever try to be one it's maddening!"

"As you wish, Porcelain Princess." He stated in an almost hesitant manner which didn't match the smirk which stayed on his lips. I wasn't very noble-like even after all my dreadful training.

"Freddy will do."

"With all due respect Milady, I couldn't possibly call- "

"It's an order. Call me Freddy, unless of course there's an official matter at hand then simply have Princess proceed it."

"Whatever you like, Freddy." His tone was formal, but I noted his eyes held the amusement of a child. I sighed as I turned away from him and continued on, it would clearly be very hard to get to him, all my fun would be ruined if he only laughed it off.

"I've never seen Her Majesty so jubilant as she was today." Apparently Grey had noted my want for conversation.

"What are you talking about? She's always like that, except when she goes to those stuffy ol' meetings or gives a speech." I wasn't too fond of the man thus far and so my tone wasn't very pleasant.

"I've worked under Her Highness for nearly three years now, and never have I seen her in a more pleasant disposition as when she was reunited with her daughter. She was quite miserable beforehand, and so for you returning Her Majesty's happiness, I am grateful." I stopped in my tracks.

"Alright, I know I'm the one who brought this on and I wasn't very specific." I turned to him, "but when I said I wanted conversation I didn't mean one which was tailored to my ego, or anything sentimental about Mother's love for me. I don't care for sappy conversations; they're foolish and make me vomit." Grey blinked once again in surprise, I supposed it was because most women would swoon at a man bringing up something so sweet and delicate, but I was not that kind of lady, I hated those types of discussions and I most certainly wouldn't swoon for them.

"Forgive me, I was unaware." This time that foolhardy smirk stayed vacant from his lips, which caused my own to reveal itself.

"And Grey, your subtle attempts at courting me in such a way are ineffective, mild men are of no use to the royal family and are quite unattractive contrary to what women want you to believe. Perhaps you should try again but more so as you actually would instead of misleading a woman into your arms with false emotional vulnerability." His smirk found him once more.

"It seems as though I've been caught in my performance. I suppose I should have no other choice but to redeem myself in the eyes of Young Princess Freddy."

"Should the Princess even be interested in your redemption." I stated, a strange gleam appeared in his eye. "Do keep it interesting otherwise I should become bored of you quickly." We must have appeared as two rascals playing a bizarre game as be both continued to leer at the other. We must've been cut from the same cloth, I wagered as I looked upon the very impish gleam my mother claimed to have witnessed a multitude of times in my own doll eyes. "Oh! That reminds me. I'll be going into the city today." I turned away once again.

"Eh? Shouldn't you enjoy staying in on your first day home, Freddy?" He questioned as he followed behind me.

"I said: 'I'll be going into the city today.' Does that not answer your completely unnecessary question, or shall I speak more simple-like from here on so that your stupid ears may comprehend?"

"No." He answered. Oh I had struck a nerve, I gave him an amused look over my shoulder, I could tell by his tone.

"Good, because I haven't the need to dumb myself down for a bloke. My wit's much too valuable." I gave him a wink he had to learn that my humor was quite cruel, which he must have understood due to his daring sneer. "Prepare for the outing," I told him as I entered into my room I whispered under my breath, "this is where I'll test this so called man's metal as a guard."