"So, we're on our way to the best party ever?" Jane asked Hana as they made their way towards the lawn picnic.
"Yes!" she exclaimed. "It's a large tea party with lemonade, finger sandwiches, and butter cookies. Oh the butter cookies."
'Well I can't blame her for thinking that's a blast. My parties are normally video games…' "Honestly, I love a good tea party."
Hana looked up at the sky, likely imagining all the snacks. "What's not to love about them? There's nothing better than eating scones off a pretty set of China on a sunny afternoon. When I was young, I didn't have many toys...my parents believe them to be frivolous…anyway, I was allowed a tea set. It was two-fold, because it helped me learn to be the perfect hostess."
Jane nodded. "Naturally."
"Oh, and don't forget! We'll be meeting the Queen today! That's sure to be...eventful."
"I'm surprised she wasn't at the masquerade last night," Jane said, now only realizing it. "We were only able to meet the King."
Hana thought. "Likely a previous engagement. Or she doesn't normally attend the event. Well in any case, we'll meet her today. I've actually met her once, a long time ago. But I doubt she remembers me. She meets with so many people there's no way to keep track of it all. But today will be our first official meeting." She looked around and lowered her voice. "I'm a bit nervous, to be honest."
They stopped when they reached the laneway and a limo stopped in front of them. "This is me," Hana said. "I'll see you down there."
Jane gave her a small wave as another limo pulled up behind it. The driver walked around to open the door for her, and she heard Maxwell call out to her from inside.
"Hop in, Jane! No, glide in gracefully!"
Jane laughed and slid into the limo. She was about to greet them when Bertrand cut her off.
"Was that Lady Hana? You seemed friendly with her."
"I think we're actually becoming friends. She's quite nice, despite what Drake says about people at court."
Bertrand nodded and stroked his chin thoughtfully, ignoring the last comment. "An alliance with her family isn't the worst idea, as long as you don't allow her to distract you from the Prince. But today your focus should be on the Queen. She holds more sway than anyone else at court, perhaps even more than the King."
That surprised Jane. "Wait, seriously?"
"At least socially, yes. You'd be a fool to underestimate her," he warned. "Thankfully you heeded my earlier advice. She'll love what you're wearing."
"Well, if I want to get to know her better, tell me about what she hates." When Bertrand looked at her questioningly, she explained. "Sometimes that's easier. If there are things that I should avoid, I'd prefer to know that rather than simply trying to suck up to her like everyone else will be."
"She's wary of ladies not born in Cordonia," Maxwell told her. "So watch your step there."
"And the Queen hates it when royal protocol isn't followed," Bertrand added. "Call her Your Majesty the first time you meet her, and then 'ma'am' thereafter. Also, don't forget that you must always stay a step or two behind her when keeping her company."
Jane perked up. "Oh, I knew that one! It's like with the Queen of England."
"I think most royal etiquette is fairly similar," Maxwell agreed. "And I know you have a great sense of humour, Jane...but she does not. So...maybe keep most of it to yourself?"
"Ultimately," Bertrand jumped in. "The Queen is concerned about Liam's bride will be partly responsible for Cordonia's future. Keep that in mind when talking to her, and talking to anyone, really."
"You know," Jane said. "I am concerned about it. I know what is expected of whoever Liam chooses, and I know he'll choose the person who will rule best beside him, not necessarily how his heart wants him to choose."
"I hope you do know that, and understand it. Because one slip up is all it will take to tear down the small reputation you've already built for yourself."
Soon they arrived to the lawn picnic, and this time Maxwell and Bertrand got out of the limo along with Jane. She looked around at the beautiful tents set up with gorgeous floral arrangements on the tables and flowers lining the trim of the tents.
"Wow, this looks like something straight out of Downton Abbey."
Bertrand looked at her quickly, and doubtfully. "You've been to an abbey? I find that hard to believe."
Maxwell patted him on the shoulder. "It's a show, brother. It's pretty good, but you wouldn't like it."
Bertrand pulled away as though burnt. "Good God, television? Don't you dare bring that up with the Queen. Jane, just..go stand over there with the rest of the ladies in the receiving line before I...I don't even know what to say to either of you."
Jane and Maxwell shared a look and a knowing smile before she joined the other suitors. She smiled as she stood next to Hana. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Welcome to the tea party," Hana greeted her.
"And only almost late this time," Olivia said, her lips curled into a sarcastic smile.
The ladies turned their attention to the front as the herald announced the Queen.
A regal looking woman stepped forward and gave a small, polite wave. "Welcome, all. I'm so delighted you could join us this afternoon." She began down the receiving line, greeting and speaking with each lady.
Jane leaned a bit forward to get a better look and noticed a woman escorting the Queen. "Hana, who is that?"
"I have no idea," she whispered back.
She stared harder and she began to remember something from her late-night Google search on Cordonian royalty. "She seems a bit familiar. I think her name is...Madeleine."
"That's Countess Madeleine of Fydelia," Olivia interjected and turned to Hana. "If you haven't even heard of her, then you must have been living under a rock the last few years. She was betrothed to the former Crown Prince until he abdicated."
Kiara leaned in from the other side. "It was most embarrassing for her to just be thrown over the way she was. She was the one chosen during that social season, and now to go through all that and not be royal…"
"The poor thing," Olivia said, her face almost considerate. "She must be the Queen's guest as a consolation prize."
The ladies quieted as the Queen came closer, greeting each other them. Finally, she reached Jane and she resisted the urge to reach out and shake her hand. She smiled politely. "It's an honour to meet you, Your Majesty."
"This is the one I was telling you about, ma'am," Madeleine said in a low voice.
The Queen nodded. "Ah. A pleasure to meet you, Lady Jane Warren. The press speaks well of you. It certainly takes great effort to manage one's image as responsibly as you have done. And you've selected the appropriate attire for the event." She paused and looked her over. "They're calling you 'The Everywoman.' Someone who is...common, like them. It's good for the people to see themselves in you, but I hope you'd be well aware of your true status if you became queen."
Jane nodded somberly. "Of course, ma'am. I'd take it very seriously."
The Queen considered Jane for a moment. "Tell me. What do you think is the best quality for a ruler to have?"
"A sense of duty, without a doubt. Loyalty to the kingdom and the people you serve should carry you through any crisis."
"A very thoughtful answer. Governance is not to be taken lightly. You, as many other queens before you, will be bombarded daily by a hundred little decisions. Few will be glamorous, and many will weigh heavily upon you. Loyalty to the kingdom and to your people must guide your every decision. We must always portray a sense of calm and dignity. If the rulers appear in control, then everyone will be reassured."
Jane nodded, remembering Liam's words to her. "Of course. A stoic leader makes for stoic people."
"Precisely. We are to be an example, which is why we must not enable the scandal hunting impulses of the press. The people will devour anything put in front of them." She turned to the rest of the ladies and raised her voice to address them all. "Everyone, please follow me. It's time to begin the ceremonial croquet match. You are all here to represent Cordonia and show your abilities. Madeleine has been the embodiment of dignity and devotion. I hope you will all learn from her example."
The Queen began to lead the procession, but quickly took a step back, as though stumbling back, nearly colliding into Jane.
Jane stepped back, gracefully staying behind her as the Queen turned. She glanced at the woman and thought she noticed a slight smile on her face. 'Was that a test? Now that I think about it, she spent more time with me than any of the other ladies. Then again, she probably already knows the others will take this seriously. They were raised for this. But I'm a fast learner.' She followed the rest of the group and noticed Prince Liam waiting near the game equipment, greeting each lady politely as they passed. She held out her hand as she approached him and he brushed his lips over her knuckles briefly.
He kept his head low and whispered, "I'm so pleased to see you again so soon."
"It's nice to see you, too." She dropped into a curtsy, but gave a quick wink. She cleared her throat and continued on, putting her focus now on the Queen.
"Custom has it that the Queen and the Prince play a round of croquet with two of the season's suitors," the Queen announced to everyone. "I have chosen Madeleine as my partner."
A wave of murmurs and whispers rose from the ladies, and Penelope leaned towards Jane and Hana. "She's a suitor?"
Olivia's eyes burned with fury. "That little…"
"As for myself," Liam called out, quieting the suitors. "I shall choose Lady Jane."
Olivia's jaw dropped. "Jane? But...Liam…"
Penelope put a hand on her arm. "The Prince has made his choice, Olivia."
Part of Jane wanted to feel bad for Olivia, and perhaps she did, but now was not the time to think about it. Instead, she composed herself and stepped onto the field with the other three. She took her mallet and they set up at the beginning of the circuit.
Liam smiled down at her and leaned towards her. "Looks like we managed to steal a few moments together."
"They may, in fact, be only a few moments. I don't actually know how to play croquet. I think I hit a ball with this..mallet, right?"
He laughed. "Just follow my lead. Hit your ball through the same hoop as mine, and you'll be fine."
"And how much hand-eye coordination do I need for this?"
He laughed again as he stepped up to the ball. He knocked the ball smoothly through the hoop. "You're up."
Jane took a breath and moved forward to set up her shot. She took a moment to line up her shot before tapping the ball gently, sending it smoothly through the hoop. A few of the onlookers clapped politely, reminding Jane of a very slow game of golf. With just a few more higher stakes.
The game continued back and forth, both sides calm and graceful. While Liam was busy setting up his own shot, Jane took the chance to speak with the Queen and Madeleine who seemed to already be deep in conversation.
"Am I interrupting anything?"
Madeleine eyed her and smiled. "Not at all. We were simply discussing how to best undress when meeting with ministers during the coucher."
The Queen let out a dignified laugh when she noticed Jane's shocked expression. "Oh, Madeleine. You're too funny."
"Forgive me, Jane. I hope you won't begrudge us a small laugh at your expense. You're graceful enough to handle that, I hope."
The Queen held up a hand to calm Madeleine. "Let's give Jane the opportunity to speak her mind. I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on governance."
"Well, in general," she said slowly. "I believe it's an art lost on most people. There is so much nuance to it, and so much that happens behind the scenes which people don't often see."
"This is very true," she said with a nod.
"Jane!" Liam called out to her. "My apologies, but I believe it's your turn." When she approached him he lowered his voice. "No pressure or anything, but if you hit the peg in the centre, you'll win the game for us."
She looked over her shoulder at the Queen, and Madeleine, and knew exactly what she had to do. She stepped up to the ball, and lined up the shot. Letting out a breath, she knocked the ball and it hit the centre peg perfectly.
Liam grinned, and Jane noticed the slight flick of his arm as though he had wanted to raise his fist in a very Maxwell-manner. "I believe that means victory for us."
The Queen approached Jane with an approving smile. "I'm impressed. Too many ladies have thrown the game on purpose to gain my favour. Which is why I decided to make it a point to lose the match on purpose. If you still lost after my obvious lack of skill, I would have written you off." When Jane didn't respond, the Queen leaned forward. "It was a test, my dear. One which you passed admirably. I'm sure there will be times in the future we will find ourselves on opposing sides. Next time, however, we won't be playing croquet and I most certainly won't be holding back. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Warren. You...you've certainly shown yourself to be unlike any of the ladies at court, which is no small feat."
Jane smiled and gave a low curtsy. "You honour me, ma'am."
Queen Regina turned her attention to the rest of the ladies and gave another small wave. "Thank you all for coming, and I look forward to seeing you all again soon."
Liam escorted Jane to a nearby table, as Hana approached them.
"Jane, Prince Liam, that was a well played match. Jane, I'm impressed you took the win from the Queen."
"Thank you, Hana." He stood and pulled out a chair for her. "Won't you join us?"
Her eyes widened with surprise, but she smiled. "I'd love to!"
Jane leaned forward across the table. "While I enjoyed playing, Liam, I'm not sure how often I want to watch people play croquet."
He laughed as a few servants brought them tea and sandwiches. "Yes, it's not the quickest game, but near the end it can get quite nerve-wracking, depending on the stakes of course." He looked up as Maxwell and Drake joined them.
"Food!" Maxwell cheered, and stuffed a tiny sandwich into his mouth.
Drake sat down and picked up a sandwich with a sad frown. "If you call this food…why is it so small?"
"As much as I hated working at that bar," Jane started, staring at the food. "I could really go for one of those Deluxe Burgers right about now."
"They were damn good burgers, Warren." He continued to stare at the sandwich as though he could make it larger with his mind, before sticking it in his mouth. "One bite…a one bite sandwich."
"Jane!" Maxwell patted her on the shoulder to get her attention. "Do you think you impressed the Queen?"
"I think so, at least." She turned to Liam. "You know her best. Did she seem to approve of me so far?"
He nodded. "Honestly, yes. You performed quite gracefully in front of her, and I think you were able to ease any fears she may have had about you being...not from the court, let's say."
"You can just say commoner, Liam," Drake mumbled as he put another tiny sandwich in his mouth. "It's not a dirty word. We all know where she's from. The sandwiches are all gone, and I'm still starving."
"Never fear, there's more food back at the palace!" Maxwell announced triumphantly.
Jane's mouth began to water. "Oh man, I could really go for a cronut right now."
Liam stared at her, his expression perplexed. "A...what?"
Hana shook her head. "No, Jane, I think you mean a donut."
But Jane looked between the other at her table. "You guys have never heard of a cronut?" When they all shook their heads, she patted the table. "Okay, this is a critical problem, and it needs to be rectified as soon as possible. I can't believe you've never had one."
"Pray tell what is this elusive food?" Maxwell asked, intrigued.
"It's the sumptuous inside of a croissant, with the glazed outside of a donut. It's delectable, and it's a shame you've never had it."
Maxwell nodded. "That sounds very American."
"From New York with love."
Liam grinned. "While finding one does sound like an adventure, our schedule doesn't allow for any extra activities."
But Jane's eyes gleamed with adventure. "Then about a jail break? I'm pretty sure I saw them in a bakery close to the palace on our way here. If you're up for it, meet me out front of the palace after dark. It's definitely time we had an adventure away from all of this," she gestured around and they all nodded, Drake grinning the widest.
"Finally, some fun away from the palace. Count me in."
'And the best part, seeing Liam without all the other suitors around. Just a group of friends hanging out.' Jane nodded, happy with the outcome and she happily sipped on her tea. She stayed quiet for the rest of the time, simply listening to her new friends talk about cronuts, pastries, recent food disasters. It was nice, if just for the moment, that they could all at least seem normal.
