A/N: Hello my lovely readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Chapter Two: The Banquet
Today is May ninth. It's the week before Aurora's birthday, but, like every year, we celebrate it a week early, ending on her true birth date. As usual, my parents produce an immense celebration. For a week, nobody will have to do their daily duties, not even the commoners (yet, they still have to pay the taxes that fund this week-long celebration. Free food and drink are distributed to every peasant, commoner, and merchant. Looking out the window, I already see the laborers setting up the colorful tents and flags, preparing for the jousts. Butchers are cooking up the meats, the brewery chimneys are smoking, the beer and ale being freshly made for this day. Even the wineries are being opened. This is what happens every single one of Aurora's birthdays. My nurse has just entered,
"Oh, Princess! Isn't this a fine and glorious day? Your darling sister's birthday week, oh! Your mother, the Queen, orders that you wear the royal colors to commemorate this day!"
"Very well, If my mother requests this, then I shall wear my purple dress, with the silver trimmings and my red petticoat. Do you think mother will be pleased with that, Nurse?"
My Nurse kindly smiled, she knew, from long acquaintance, how much the I longed for my parents' approval.
"Very lovely choice, milady! I'm sure your Lady Mother will approve. Now sit down, I call in your Ladies-in-Waiting to prepare your hair."
I sighed as I watched my Ladies-in-Waiting file into the room. My ladies are dull, shallow and stupid. None can read or write. My sister had been provided with educated Ladies-in-Waitings, daughters of my father's favored courtiers and advisers. Mine were the daughters of the minor nobles, who sent their daughters here, to court, in hopes of finding them husbands. They are vain and, once again, uneducated. More than once, they've asked why I preferred to read, when I could've gone to the jousts with Aurora or flirted with courtiers. I despise jousts, they are pointless and time consuming, not to mention dangerous, two men go and try to knock the other off of a horse with a jousting lance. More than once, men have been killed in this sport, but my sister adores it. I favor the theater, the other form of public entertainment, here writers show the audience the greatness of their minds, not their strength. As for flirting, it goes against etiquette to flirt with anyone of lower status than yourself. Of course, that doesn't really prevent Aurora from doing so. My parents don't stop her though, they turn are blind to her faults, to them, she can do no wrong. But if I were to even look at a courtier in a peculiar way, my mother would summon me to her chambers to lecture me on my lack of modesty, then send me to the chaplain to help me repent my audacity of looking at a man that is not of my rank.
"Your Highness," the ladies curtsied and all rose, "how would you like to do your hair, which ornaments, ribbons or pearls?"
"I don't care which style, as for ornaments, only thin silver chains."
Some of the maids looked at each other, they knew that my mother abhorred silver things, I know this as well, but after remembering what things Aurora had gotten away with, I felt the need to irritate her. The maids would later report to her about my choices. Did I forget to mention that the majority of them are spies? My mother loathes me because I've disappointed her and once I broke the vase that had been in her family for centuries. It was one of the the few items my mother had brought with her during her wedding to my father.
They wove ropes of silver into my black hair and put on my jewels. Then my Nurse brought out the dress, garters, petticoats, under slip, and corset. She shoved me behind a screen and I quickly changed out of my nightgown and into my under slip. She came in and laced me into my corset. I was dressed quickly and as soon I was done, someone knocked on the door. Promptly, one of the ladies opened it, I walked to the door, it was pageboy.
"Good Morning, your Highness. The Royal Majesties and your Princess sister request your presence right now in the throne room. The guests have arrived with gifts."
With that, I left. This is going to be an eventful morning. I get to listen to people I don't know compliment my sister about her beauty and give her presents. Then there's the joust to attend. Afterwards, there's a ball and banquet, where we have to play our instruments, she at the harpsichord and I at my harp. I hadn't practiced for weeks, my playing will be abysmal. This is another disappointment to my parents.
My Nurse has left to follow the page,
"Come Lady, you'll be late!"
She pulled me after her and gestured for the ladies to follow. When I arrived at the throne room, the announcer proclaimed my arrival,
"Presenting Princess Aura Ebony Bordeaux, Daughter of the Royal Majesties, Sister to Princess Aurora, Second Heiress to the throne of Germenia, Marchioness of Brooksfield, and Holder of the Key of Wisdom!"
Yes, I know it's a long title, but if you think mine is long, then wait until you hear Aurora's title. Of course, though, she is already here, always on time. I am ten minutes late. Mother and Father looked at me disapprovingly. Everybody in the room is staring, I blush and so the three mandatory curtsies and walk up to greet my parents,
"Good Morning Mother, Father."
Aurora gave an expectant cough.
"Good morning Aurora, I hope you have a pleasant birthday."
She nodded and I took my place next to her.
A/N: Thanks to LaurieH! I really liked your advice and as you can see, I edited it to make sense...wouldn't want the Prince to be a pedophile, like you said right? lol yea...and for anyone else...feel free to criticise...I shall consider the criticisms and correct the mistakes...but feel free to comment...yea there's a little blue button there...see? -hint hint-