Here is chapter four! To everyone who has reviewed it, you guys are
SO nice! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. Standard
disclaimers apply. I don't own Sailor Moon, or A Royal Pain, so
don't tell anyone, okay? As Long As You Love Me is property of the
Backstreet Boys. Also in this chapter, the appearance of Darien!
Grr...what a hottie...even though he's a drawing.
Ash
Switched at Birth - Chapter 4
Dear Molly,
Hey girlfriend, guess who? You would not believe what the royal
dressmaker was planning for the ball that is being held in my
honor. Remember that movie we saw, the one with Grace Kelly? It
was called The Swan. Remember that dress with the hoops? That's
what it looked like. Gag me with a spoon. Thanks so much for
buying that ball gown for me.
Guess what? I'm betrothed to a prince. Guess which one? I'll
give you a hint. He has black hair and blue eyes. Prince Darien
of Outopia. Can you believe that?
Oh, I'm going to be on TV this week. It's an interview for the
BBC. Maybe you'll be able to see it on CNN or something.
I really miss you Molly. Please write soon, and tell me how
everything is going.
Forever your friend,
Serena
I put the letter into and envelope, sealed it, and addressed it.
Then, I placed the envelope in a tray for Lita so she could mail
it for me.
It was nice to have several hours to myself after a whirlwind
week of public appearances, constant instruction, bouts of
homesickness, and the strain of trying to speak like a princess
instead of like me.
It was exciting and all that, and some of the instruction was
very valuable, but most of it was a reinforcement of the lessons
my American mother had made me take. So, I informed M. Artemis of
my numerous etiquette and dance lessons, and to my surprise, many
of my lessons were cancelled.
I was happy that I saw Andrew at every ceremonial appearance I
made. It was nice to see a familiar face among the crowds of
people that I had to appear in front of, offering silent support.
I recalled my visit to the University of Paradeisos this morning.
For some reason, Mlle Meiou had not designed any clothes for me to
wear; the rumor was that someone had broken into her office and
ruined all of her sketches. I swear that I did not do it. But
secretly, I was overjoyed that I could wear my own clothes. I wore
a white turtleneck sweater under a hunter green, fitted jacket. My
skirt was the same color; it was pleated and reached my knees. My
shoes were black, with thick two-inch heels.
I spoke in front of the entire student body, over 20,000 students,
about my life in America, and my adjustment to the royal life.
I also spoke of my plans for post-secondary education. The
students were impressed by my grasp of various languages. I think
I shocked M. Artemis when I announced that I was able to speak
the majority of the European languages fluently, and I had
working knowledge of the many of the Asian, African, and a few
obscure ancient languages like Mayan, Sanskrit, and Latin.
When my visit had concluded, I was allowed to take a half-hour
break, before I had to return to the palace. I found a somewhat
secluded spot underneath a clump of trees. There was a stone
bench nearby, so I took a seat. I looked around the campus of
the university, wondering if I would have the chance to study
there.
"Hello, Your Highness."
I looked up and saw Andrew standing in front of me. I smiled
when I saw him. "Hello!" I stood and held my hand out to him,
intending to shake his hand. I was a bit surprised when he took
my hand and kissed it.
"How was your visit?" he asked me.
"I thought it went rather well," I replied.
"So did I," he said. "I had no idea that you spoke so many
languages."
"It was once my dream to be a translator for the United Nations,
perhaps even an ambassador," I told him.
"You could still be a translator," Andrew pointed out. "When
Queen Serenity or King Terrence have to visit foreign countries
for trade agreements and such, you could accompany them and act
as their interpreter."
"I never thought of that," I admitted. "It's a very good idea."
"May I ask you something, Your Highness?" he asked me.
"Of course."
"Why were you allowed to explore the university campus,
unchaperoned?"
"I wasn't," I replied, laughing quietly. "If you look to your
right, you'll see M. Artemis watching us like a hawk." Andrew
looked over and, sure enough, saw M. Artemis standing a few
meters away, trying to look inconspicuous.
"How did you manage to convince him to stay so far away?" Andrew
inquired.
"I promised to greet each of the guests at the ball in their native
language," I answered. "I don't mind really. It gives me a chance to
practice."
"Ahh. Very clever, Your Highness," Andrew said.
"Thank you," I replied.
"I thought that you would be back at the palace learning how to dance
the waltz or the foxtrot," Andrew said. "After all, the ball is
tomorrow."
"When I was in America, my mother made me take all sorts of dance
lessons," I explained. "I can dance practically every western type
of dance, from ballet to jazz to the minuet."
"That's amazing," Andrew said.
I shrugged, "A lot of the steps are similar."
"Excuse me, Your Highness."
I turned and saw M. Artemis standing there. "We must return to the
palace now."
"Very well," I said. I turned to Andrew "Will you accompany us to the
limousine?"
"If Her Highness wishes," Andrew said.
We walked to the limousine, with M. Artemis a couple of meters away.
"It was nice to see you again. It is nice to have a friend outside the
palace," I said.
"Likewise, Your Highness," Andrew replied. "If I may say so, you remind
me of my sister."
"Your sister? "Was she a misplaced princess as well?" I asked, teasing.
Andrew smiled. "Of course not. She passed away a few years ago, from a
childhood illness. You have the same wonderful spirit."
"Then I am honored to remind you of her," I said sincerely.
We reached the limousine, and the chauffeur opened the door for me.
Before getting in, I spoke to Andrew, "I hope to see you at the ball
tomorrow night."
"I will be there, Your Highness," he said.
I smiled and got into the car.
When we arrived at the palace, I was told that my afternoon lessons
had been cancelled, and I had the rest of the day to myself.
Earlier in the week, I had been given permission to use one of the
rooms in the palace as an art studio. Whenever I had free time, I
would go in there and draw or paint. I had only been able to bring
my watercolor set with me on the flight to Paradeisos. My American
family was shipping the rest of my art supplies, like my oil paints
and canvas.
So there I was, in my studio, trying to recall what the University
looked like and painting it from memory. The door to my studio was
open, and I didn't hear anyone come in, but as I painted, I suddenly
had the strangest feeling that someone was watching me.
I turned around. Beryl was standing behind my. She was holding her
bear. They were both staring at me.
I felt a cold shiver down my spine.
"Hello, Beryl. Would you like to paint with me?"
For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then, softly, she began to talk
to her bear.
"She is going to the ball tomorrow, Grizzly. Everybody will be there,
except you and me. They will announce her betrothal to Prince Darien.
Prince Darien will not like her. He loves me.
"But he will marry her anyway and they will live in the palace. She
will become the queen and I will marry a civil servant and live in an
apartment and shine shoes for a living."
She talked so softly and the room was so large, that I had to strain
my ears to hear what she was saying. I hardly breathed as I listened,
and I started to get goosebumps.
Spooky. All right, she wouldn't poison my food, but she sure wasn't
the type of person you'd want creeping up on you in the middle of the
night. I made a mental note to lock the door to my studio from now on.
As politely as I could, I spoke to her. "Beryl, please get out of my
studio, now."
She looked shocked that I had spoken to her in such a manner. "How
rude these Americans are, Grizzly."
"It is even more rude to talk about someone when they are still in the
room," I pointed out.
For a moment, it looked like she was going to throw a temper tantrum,
but she pursed her lips and left my studio.
Stupid! Stupid! I yelled mentally to myself. Why did I do that? I thought.
She probably really, REALLY hates me now. She might actually do something
about it.
************************************************************************************************
The next afternoon, I started to prepare for the ball. I took a long,
leisurely bubble bath with a light, flowery-scented bath gel, and I
washed my hair with a similarly scented shampoo. When my hair was dry,
Lita styled it into a simple, but elegant updo, with tendrils that
framed my face and brushed my shoulders.
I started to put on some makeup when someone knocked on my chamber
door.
"Who is it?" Lita asked.
"It is Mlle Luna. May I come in?" came the reply.
"Tell her I'm busy," I murmured, as I applied a very thin layer of
foundation. I heard Lita relay my message.
"She must get ready for the ball," Mlle Luna told Lita. I heard her try
to open the door, but I had locked it.
Lita replied that I already was getting ready for the ball.
"But Mlle Meiou did not make a dress for her to wear," Mlle Luna pointed
out.
"Tell her I already have a dress," I said, as I put on some lip-gloss.
Lita told Mlle Luna that I already had a dress. Then, someone else spoke
through the door. It was Mlle Aino.
"Please, Your Highness, let us see the dress," she pleaded.
"Tell them that if they wanted to see the dress, they should have asked
earlier in the week when I was not busy," I said. I put on a pair of
diamond teardrop earrings.
Lita repeated my message. Then, I heard another voice.
"Your Highness, please open this door," M. Artemis said.
I stifled a giggle. I wondered how many people they would send. Would
they work their way through the ranks before sending the king or queen?
I handed the matching necklace to Lita and got her to fasten it around
my neck.
"Your Highness, I understand that you are exhausted by the events of
the past week, but sulking in your chamber will not help you,"
M. Artemis told me.
I rolled my eyes and didn't bother answering him. Lita took my dress off
the hanger and helped me step into it. She pulled the straps onto my
shoulders and arranged them properly. She then zipped up the bodice,
and straightened out the folds of the skirt as I pulled on a pair of
evening-length, white satin gloves.
"All done," she told me quietly. Her eyes were shining happily as she
looked at my appearance.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. It was quite a sight to
behold.
My dress was made of iridescent lavender silk that changed color from
lavender to blue or pink, depending on the angle you looked at it. It
had a fitted bodice and a floor-length, full skirt that flowed
gracefully. There were three spaghetti straps on each side that
criss-crossed across my back and connected to the back of the bodice.
Diamonds sparkled at my ears and my throat.
I stepped into the matching, three-inch-heeled shoes and told Lita to
open the door. The poor girl was nearly trampled by the three people
that rushed in...and stopped dead in their tracks.
"Is this acceptable?" I asked, keeping a straight face.
Mlle Aino was the first to regain her voice. "Ahh...yes...you look
quite...lovely..." she stammered.
M. Artemis cleared his throat. "If Her Highness is ready, the king and
queen are waiting for you."
I nodded. "I am ready." He held out his hand. I put my hand on his
forearm and he led me to the receiving room to join the king and queen.
I would also meet my betrothed for the first time.
I could hear the king and queen talking to someone as I approached the
receiving room.
"She will be here shortly," Father said.
"Please remember your protocol," M. Artemis whispered before we entered.
I nodded. We entered and saw my parents seated on one couch, and the
most handsome man I had ever seen in my life seated on another.
Standing behind him, were two people whom I assumed were the man's
parents.
"Your Majesties," M. Artemis announced. "May I present Princess Serenity."
They all stood. Each had a different expression on their face. Mother
looked delighted to see me. Father had a look that was a combination of
wonder and pride. The man's parents had approval on their faces. The
man just looked surprised.
I let go of M. Artemis' arm and curtseyed deeply to my parents. "Your
Majesties."
I looked up and saw that they were very pleased.
Then, M. Artemis gently guided me to turn towards the other man. "Your
Highness, I have the honor of presenting His Royal Highness, Prince
Darien Endymion Mamoru, heir to the throne of Outopia."
Our eyes locked, just for a moment. I thought my heart would stop. I
held out my hand, which was trembling. He took my hand and lightly
kissed my gloved knuckles. I felt a jolt of electricity shoot up my
arm the moment we touched. While he held my hand, I curtseyed to him.
"Your Majesty," I said softly.
"Princess Serenity," he said in a soft, sincere, deep voice. "It is
an honor to meet you."
The prince gestured to the other couple in the room. "Allow me to
present my father, King Stephen, and my mother, Queen Gaia."
I curtseyed to them. "Your Majesties."
"Your Highness," M. Artemis said to the prince, "we would be pleased if
you would stand in line next to the princess. I'm sure our guests would
be honored to greet you."
"As you wish," he replied. He took my left hand and placed it on his right
forearm.
"Shall we?" he asked, gazing down at me.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
We followed my parents into the ballroom. As soon as we entered, a hush
fell over the entire crowd.
M. Artemis motioned for the two of us to take our places for the receiving
line. My parents sat down on two ornate thrones behind us. Prince Darien's
parents took a seat nearby.
When Prince Darien and I had taken our place, the receiving line began to
move. M. Artemis stood on my right, so he could introduce me to each guest.
The ballroom was quite a sight to behold. It glowed with the light from
crystal chandeliers. The chairs and couches lined up against the walls
were covered with blue velvet. The refreshment table was half the length
of a football field.
"This must be such a dramatic change in your life," Prince Darien whispered
to me.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied softly.
"Prince Akishino, and Princess Nori, of Japan," M. Artemis announced. I
nodded graciously as the prince bowed and the princess curtseyed.
When they straightened up, I bowed back. "Konichiwaa, Akishino-sama.
Konichiwaa, Nori-sama." I said to them.
They smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Konichiwaa, Serenity-sama," they said,
bowing, and then let the next guests greet me.
I met the king and queen of Spain and I spoke to them in Spanish. I greeted
Irish nobles in Gaelic. I spoke to each and every guest in his or her native
language. I could tell that everyone was very impressed. Everyone, that is,
except for Prince Darien, who stood there with a polite, but bored,
expression on his face.
Finally, the last guest trickled down the receiving line. What a relief. My
feet hurt, my back hurt, and my throat was a little sore from the various
inflections and tones I had to produce with my voice.
I noticed Andrew standing at the entrance of the ballroom, taking pictures
of the guests. He was in formal wear, and except for his camera and notebook,
he looked just like a guest.
When he turned to look at me, I nodded slowly, trying to signal hello to him.
Apparently, he understood, and gave me a two-fingered salute, smiling.
"When is the announcement?" I asked M. Artemis.
"Just before supper."
When is supper?"
"After the dancing."
"All right," I said, a trifle impatiently, "when is the dancing?"
My father, the king, stepped forward. He pointed to the orchestra, which was
down at the other end of the room. "Hit it Michiru!" he cried. "Come on,
everybody, let's boogie!"
I was trying to figure out how one could boogie to The Blue Danube Waltz, which
is what Michiru hit, when M. Artemis touched my elbow.
"Perhaps, Your Highness, you should dance with His Majesty," he suggested.
I turned to Prince Darien to see his reaction to the suggestion. He smiled
politely. "Perhaps later," he said, bowing. He went to stand beside his parents.
He must be in love with Beryl and wants nothing to do with me, I thought. He
probably is very upset that he will not be able to marry her.
Sighing softly, I went to the refreshment table to get something to drink. When
I got my glass of punch, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Good evening, Your Highness."
I turned and saw Andrew standing there. I smiled at him. "Good evening, Andrew.
I am pleased that you could be here tonight."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Andrew said. "You look very lovely tonight. I'm
certain that your pictures will appear in many fashion magazines."
"Thank you, Andrew," I told him.
"You're welcome," he replied. "Why are you not dancing with the prince?"
"The prince did not want to dance with me," I answered.
"How unusual," Andrew murmured thoughtfully.
"Unusual? Why?" I inquired. "Perhaps it is because he is in love with Beryl
and he regards me as a replacement for her."
Andrew looked at me as if he was debating whether or not to tell me something.
"Your Highness, if I tell you something, will you hold it in the strictest of
confidences?"
"Of course."
"The reason I know this is because I was witness to it. I assure you that it
is the truth, with no journalistic embellishment.
"The prince never loved Beryl. Their pairing was arranged when both were very
young. To avoid forming a fraternal bond with each other, Prince Darien and
Beryl were not permitted to meet each other until Beryl was fourteen. It
proved to be a poor match.
"When they finally met, Beryl behaved rather poorly. Instead of a cultured,
poised and respectful princess that she was raised to be, Beryl was your
basic hormonal teenager. She threw herself at Prince Darien. And when he
refused her, she would go even farther. She would wear indecent clothing
and outrageous make-up. She would be boisterous and rowdy during public
appearances. The two families hoped that with time. Beryl would act more
mature, but she did not.
"Prince Darien wanted to break off the engagement, but there was too much
at stake; trade agreements, military alliances, and other things. King
Stephen and Queen Gaia told Prince Darien that if he broke it off, then
he would be disinherited."
My mind was reeling with the information. "But why did you say that it was
unusual that Prince Darien did not want to dance with me?" I asked.
"Because you are exactly the type of woman that Prince Darien should be
with," Andrew replied.
"That is very kind of you to say, Andrew. Thank you," I told him. "Thank
you for telling me everything. I will not share this information."
"I felt that you needed to know," Andrew said. "I hope that it answers some
questions for you."
It certainly did, I thought. Now I know why Beryl hated me so much. In her
mind, I stole the man that she loved.
"Serenity, dear."
I turned and saw my mother standing behind us. Andrew bowed to her. She
nodded.
"Serenity, dear," she repeated. "The Prince of Wales would like to dance
with you."
"Very well," I said. "It was a pleasure talking to you, Andrew."
He bowed, and walked away.
*********************************************************************************************************
I danced with the Prince of Wales. After that, I danced with the Crown
Prince of Yugoslavia, the King of Belgium, and the Prince of Cambodia.
I was able to converse easily with all of them in their native languages,
and later, I discovered that they were so enchanted that the royal family
had been invited to visit their countries.
The orchestra attempted some dance music, in my honor I assumed, and Father
asked me to dance with him to As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys.
Let me tell you, that you haven't heard As Long As You Love Me until you've
heard it performed by a 60-piece orchestra. Father turned out to be a very
good dancer, and I realized he must have requested the music himself.
Father and I danced around to the music, with moves from the video and
everything. I couldn't half laughing as he spun me around unexpectedly.
The guests all stopped to watch us. They hummed along with the music and
tapped their feet to the beat.
When the song ended, everyone burst into applause. The prince leaned down to
kiss my hand, and I curtseyed.
"You're a terrific dancer, Father," I said.
"You're pretty good yourself."
Prince Darien approached us. He spoke to Father. "Your Highness, may I
please speak to the princess privately?"
"Of course. Why don't you kids take a nice stroll on the balcony?" Father
suggested.
Prince Darien nodded and held his hand out to me.
What did he want to talk about? I wondered. I hesitated.
"Go ahead," Father urged. "Everything will be fine, you'll see."
He practically shoved us towards the French doors that opened onto the
balcony.
********************************************************************************************************
There were several other couples taking in the air as we went outside. The
balcony overlooked the formal gardens and the maze. There was a waist-high
stone railing the length of the balcony, and potted trees were set here and
there for decoration.
The population on the terrace was decreasing rapidly. One couple glanced
our way and exchanged whispers, another couple smiled and winked at us,
and all four guests walked back inside with exaggerated casualness.
"I wanted to apologize," Prince Darien said.
"Whatever for, Your Majesty?" I was confused.
"For my behavior earlier," he explained. "It was inexcusable."
"It is all right," I assured him. I recalled what Andrew had told me. "I'm
sure you had your reasons."
He took my left hand and squeezed it gently. "Thank you for understanding.
I want you to know my reasons."
"You don't have to tell me-"
"Yes, I do," he insisted. "You see, I had a rather unpleasant experience with
the previous princess, and I did not want to have it repeated."
I frowned. "I see. And you assumed that since Beryl and I have been through
similar experiences, that I would be just like her?"
"No! It's not like that," he said in an annoyed tone. "I just thought that
since Americans are more liberal with their-"
"I beg your pardon?" I interrupted him. "First you insult my character and
now you're insulting my first home?"
"Stop interrupting me!" he said angrily. His grip on my hand tightened
unconsciously.
"I think that I would like to go back inside, Your Majesty," I told him
curtly. I tried to pull my hand away. Reflexively, his grip tightened
even more. "Please let go of my hand."
"Not before I say what I have to say," he retorted. His grip was very
uncomfortable, and was starting to become painful.
"Please, Your Majesty," I pleaded, trying in vain to free my hand. My eyes
watered. "You're hurting me."
He immediately let go. I whimpered softly and cradled my injured hand.
"I'm so sorry," he stammered. "I do not know what I was thinking."
"I want to go inside," I whispered. My hand was throbbing with pain.
"Of course," he said. He opened the door and we walked back into the
ballroom.
**********************************************************************************************************
"...on this joyous occasion, to drink a toast to our beloved daughter,
Her Serene Highness, Princess Beryl Serena Angelica Christine Anastasia,
Serenity the Fourteenth, and His Royal Highness, Prince Darien Endymion
Mamoru, who are to be joined in wedded bliss."
Everyone cheered and raised their champagne glasses.
Prince Darien and I stood up and acknowledged the congratulations with
smiles and waves.
I think I smiled. I tried to, but my hand was really hurting.
I didn't eat much of the elaborate supper that followed.
I noticed something very strange about the wedding proclamation. It wasn't
anything the queen said-it was something she _didn't_ say.
There was no mention of the wedding date.
I had a terrible feeling of foreboding. Maybe they don't want me to know.
Maybe they think that if I find out how soon I'm to be joined in wedded
bliss, I would abdicate.
This is not good, I thought. My fiancé and I did not get of to a good start;
he accidentally sprains my hand and spends the rest of the night looking
guilty, I spend the rest of the night ignoring him, and I don't even know
when we're supposed to be married.
SO nice! Thank you very much! I really appreciate it. Standard
disclaimers apply. I don't own Sailor Moon, or A Royal Pain, so
don't tell anyone, okay? As Long As You Love Me is property of the
Backstreet Boys. Also in this chapter, the appearance of Darien!
Grr...what a hottie...even though he's a drawing.
Ash
Switched at Birth - Chapter 4
Dear Molly,
Hey girlfriend, guess who? You would not believe what the royal
dressmaker was planning for the ball that is being held in my
honor. Remember that movie we saw, the one with Grace Kelly? It
was called The Swan. Remember that dress with the hoops? That's
what it looked like. Gag me with a spoon. Thanks so much for
buying that ball gown for me.
Guess what? I'm betrothed to a prince. Guess which one? I'll
give you a hint. He has black hair and blue eyes. Prince Darien
of Outopia. Can you believe that?
Oh, I'm going to be on TV this week. It's an interview for the
BBC. Maybe you'll be able to see it on CNN or something.
I really miss you Molly. Please write soon, and tell me how
everything is going.
Forever your friend,
Serena
I put the letter into and envelope, sealed it, and addressed it.
Then, I placed the envelope in a tray for Lita so she could mail
it for me.
It was nice to have several hours to myself after a whirlwind
week of public appearances, constant instruction, bouts of
homesickness, and the strain of trying to speak like a princess
instead of like me.
It was exciting and all that, and some of the instruction was
very valuable, but most of it was a reinforcement of the lessons
my American mother had made me take. So, I informed M. Artemis of
my numerous etiquette and dance lessons, and to my surprise, many
of my lessons were cancelled.
I was happy that I saw Andrew at every ceremonial appearance I
made. It was nice to see a familiar face among the crowds of
people that I had to appear in front of, offering silent support.
I recalled my visit to the University of Paradeisos this morning.
For some reason, Mlle Meiou had not designed any clothes for me to
wear; the rumor was that someone had broken into her office and
ruined all of her sketches. I swear that I did not do it. But
secretly, I was overjoyed that I could wear my own clothes. I wore
a white turtleneck sweater under a hunter green, fitted jacket. My
skirt was the same color; it was pleated and reached my knees. My
shoes were black, with thick two-inch heels.
I spoke in front of the entire student body, over 20,000 students,
about my life in America, and my adjustment to the royal life.
I also spoke of my plans for post-secondary education. The
students were impressed by my grasp of various languages. I think
I shocked M. Artemis when I announced that I was able to speak
the majority of the European languages fluently, and I had
working knowledge of the many of the Asian, African, and a few
obscure ancient languages like Mayan, Sanskrit, and Latin.
When my visit had concluded, I was allowed to take a half-hour
break, before I had to return to the palace. I found a somewhat
secluded spot underneath a clump of trees. There was a stone
bench nearby, so I took a seat. I looked around the campus of
the university, wondering if I would have the chance to study
there.
"Hello, Your Highness."
I looked up and saw Andrew standing in front of me. I smiled
when I saw him. "Hello!" I stood and held my hand out to him,
intending to shake his hand. I was a bit surprised when he took
my hand and kissed it.
"How was your visit?" he asked me.
"I thought it went rather well," I replied.
"So did I," he said. "I had no idea that you spoke so many
languages."
"It was once my dream to be a translator for the United Nations,
perhaps even an ambassador," I told him.
"You could still be a translator," Andrew pointed out. "When
Queen Serenity or King Terrence have to visit foreign countries
for trade agreements and such, you could accompany them and act
as their interpreter."
"I never thought of that," I admitted. "It's a very good idea."
"May I ask you something, Your Highness?" he asked me.
"Of course."
"Why were you allowed to explore the university campus,
unchaperoned?"
"I wasn't," I replied, laughing quietly. "If you look to your
right, you'll see M. Artemis watching us like a hawk." Andrew
looked over and, sure enough, saw M. Artemis standing a few
meters away, trying to look inconspicuous.
"How did you manage to convince him to stay so far away?" Andrew
inquired.
"I promised to greet each of the guests at the ball in their native
language," I answered. "I don't mind really. It gives me a chance to
practice."
"Ahh. Very clever, Your Highness," Andrew said.
"Thank you," I replied.
"I thought that you would be back at the palace learning how to dance
the waltz or the foxtrot," Andrew said. "After all, the ball is
tomorrow."
"When I was in America, my mother made me take all sorts of dance
lessons," I explained. "I can dance practically every western type
of dance, from ballet to jazz to the minuet."
"That's amazing," Andrew said.
I shrugged, "A lot of the steps are similar."
"Excuse me, Your Highness."
I turned and saw M. Artemis standing there. "We must return to the
palace now."
"Very well," I said. I turned to Andrew "Will you accompany us to the
limousine?"
"If Her Highness wishes," Andrew said.
We walked to the limousine, with M. Artemis a couple of meters away.
"It was nice to see you again. It is nice to have a friend outside the
palace," I said.
"Likewise, Your Highness," Andrew replied. "If I may say so, you remind
me of my sister."
"Your sister? "Was she a misplaced princess as well?" I asked, teasing.
Andrew smiled. "Of course not. She passed away a few years ago, from a
childhood illness. You have the same wonderful spirit."
"Then I am honored to remind you of her," I said sincerely.
We reached the limousine, and the chauffeur opened the door for me.
Before getting in, I spoke to Andrew, "I hope to see you at the ball
tomorrow night."
"I will be there, Your Highness," he said.
I smiled and got into the car.
When we arrived at the palace, I was told that my afternoon lessons
had been cancelled, and I had the rest of the day to myself.
Earlier in the week, I had been given permission to use one of the
rooms in the palace as an art studio. Whenever I had free time, I
would go in there and draw or paint. I had only been able to bring
my watercolor set with me on the flight to Paradeisos. My American
family was shipping the rest of my art supplies, like my oil paints
and canvas.
So there I was, in my studio, trying to recall what the University
looked like and painting it from memory. The door to my studio was
open, and I didn't hear anyone come in, but as I painted, I suddenly
had the strangest feeling that someone was watching me.
I turned around. Beryl was standing behind my. She was holding her
bear. They were both staring at me.
I felt a cold shiver down my spine.
"Hello, Beryl. Would you like to paint with me?"
For a moment, she didn't say anything. Then, softly, she began to talk
to her bear.
"She is going to the ball tomorrow, Grizzly. Everybody will be there,
except you and me. They will announce her betrothal to Prince Darien.
Prince Darien will not like her. He loves me.
"But he will marry her anyway and they will live in the palace. She
will become the queen and I will marry a civil servant and live in an
apartment and shine shoes for a living."
She talked so softly and the room was so large, that I had to strain
my ears to hear what she was saying. I hardly breathed as I listened,
and I started to get goosebumps.
Spooky. All right, she wouldn't poison my food, but she sure wasn't
the type of person you'd want creeping up on you in the middle of the
night. I made a mental note to lock the door to my studio from now on.
As politely as I could, I spoke to her. "Beryl, please get out of my
studio, now."
She looked shocked that I had spoken to her in such a manner. "How
rude these Americans are, Grizzly."
"It is even more rude to talk about someone when they are still in the
room," I pointed out.
For a moment, it looked like she was going to throw a temper tantrum,
but she pursed her lips and left my studio.
Stupid! Stupid! I yelled mentally to myself. Why did I do that? I thought.
She probably really, REALLY hates me now. She might actually do something
about it.
************************************************************************************************
The next afternoon, I started to prepare for the ball. I took a long,
leisurely bubble bath with a light, flowery-scented bath gel, and I
washed my hair with a similarly scented shampoo. When my hair was dry,
Lita styled it into a simple, but elegant updo, with tendrils that
framed my face and brushed my shoulders.
I started to put on some makeup when someone knocked on my chamber
door.
"Who is it?" Lita asked.
"It is Mlle Luna. May I come in?" came the reply.
"Tell her I'm busy," I murmured, as I applied a very thin layer of
foundation. I heard Lita relay my message.
"She must get ready for the ball," Mlle Luna told Lita. I heard her try
to open the door, but I had locked it.
Lita replied that I already was getting ready for the ball.
"But Mlle Meiou did not make a dress for her to wear," Mlle Luna pointed
out.
"Tell her I already have a dress," I said, as I put on some lip-gloss.
Lita told Mlle Luna that I already had a dress. Then, someone else spoke
through the door. It was Mlle Aino.
"Please, Your Highness, let us see the dress," she pleaded.
"Tell them that if they wanted to see the dress, they should have asked
earlier in the week when I was not busy," I said. I put on a pair of
diamond teardrop earrings.
Lita repeated my message. Then, I heard another voice.
"Your Highness, please open this door," M. Artemis said.
I stifled a giggle. I wondered how many people they would send. Would
they work their way through the ranks before sending the king or queen?
I handed the matching necklace to Lita and got her to fasten it around
my neck.
"Your Highness, I understand that you are exhausted by the events of
the past week, but sulking in your chamber will not help you,"
M. Artemis told me.
I rolled my eyes and didn't bother answering him. Lita took my dress off
the hanger and helped me step into it. She pulled the straps onto my
shoulders and arranged them properly. She then zipped up the bodice,
and straightened out the folds of the skirt as I pulled on a pair of
evening-length, white satin gloves.
"All done," she told me quietly. Her eyes were shining happily as she
looked at my appearance.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror. It was quite a sight to
behold.
My dress was made of iridescent lavender silk that changed color from
lavender to blue or pink, depending on the angle you looked at it. It
had a fitted bodice and a floor-length, full skirt that flowed
gracefully. There were three spaghetti straps on each side that
criss-crossed across my back and connected to the back of the bodice.
Diamonds sparkled at my ears and my throat.
I stepped into the matching, three-inch-heeled shoes and told Lita to
open the door. The poor girl was nearly trampled by the three people
that rushed in...and stopped dead in their tracks.
"Is this acceptable?" I asked, keeping a straight face.
Mlle Aino was the first to regain her voice. "Ahh...yes...you look
quite...lovely..." she stammered.
M. Artemis cleared his throat. "If Her Highness is ready, the king and
queen are waiting for you."
I nodded. "I am ready." He held out his hand. I put my hand on his
forearm and he led me to the receiving room to join the king and queen.
I would also meet my betrothed for the first time.
I could hear the king and queen talking to someone as I approached the
receiving room.
"She will be here shortly," Father said.
"Please remember your protocol," M. Artemis whispered before we entered.
I nodded. We entered and saw my parents seated on one couch, and the
most handsome man I had ever seen in my life seated on another.
Standing behind him, were two people whom I assumed were the man's
parents.
"Your Majesties," M. Artemis announced. "May I present Princess Serenity."
They all stood. Each had a different expression on their face. Mother
looked delighted to see me. Father had a look that was a combination of
wonder and pride. The man's parents had approval on their faces. The
man just looked surprised.
I let go of M. Artemis' arm and curtseyed deeply to my parents. "Your
Majesties."
I looked up and saw that they were very pleased.
Then, M. Artemis gently guided me to turn towards the other man. "Your
Highness, I have the honor of presenting His Royal Highness, Prince
Darien Endymion Mamoru, heir to the throne of Outopia."
Our eyes locked, just for a moment. I thought my heart would stop. I
held out my hand, which was trembling. He took my hand and lightly
kissed my gloved knuckles. I felt a jolt of electricity shoot up my
arm the moment we touched. While he held my hand, I curtseyed to him.
"Your Majesty," I said softly.
"Princess Serenity," he said in a soft, sincere, deep voice. "It is
an honor to meet you."
The prince gestured to the other couple in the room. "Allow me to
present my father, King Stephen, and my mother, Queen Gaia."
I curtseyed to them. "Your Majesties."
"Your Highness," M. Artemis said to the prince, "we would be pleased if
you would stand in line next to the princess. I'm sure our guests would
be honored to greet you."
"As you wish," he replied. He took my left hand and placed it on his right
forearm.
"Shall we?" he asked, gazing down at me.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
We followed my parents into the ballroom. As soon as we entered, a hush
fell over the entire crowd.
M. Artemis motioned for the two of us to take our places for the receiving
line. My parents sat down on two ornate thrones behind us. Prince Darien's
parents took a seat nearby.
When Prince Darien and I had taken our place, the receiving line began to
move. M. Artemis stood on my right, so he could introduce me to each guest.
The ballroom was quite a sight to behold. It glowed with the light from
crystal chandeliers. The chairs and couches lined up against the walls
were covered with blue velvet. The refreshment table was half the length
of a football field.
"This must be such a dramatic change in your life," Prince Darien whispered
to me.
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied softly.
"Prince Akishino, and Princess Nori, of Japan," M. Artemis announced. I
nodded graciously as the prince bowed and the princess curtseyed.
When they straightened up, I bowed back. "Konichiwaa, Akishino-sama.
Konichiwaa, Nori-sama." I said to them.
They smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Konichiwaa, Serenity-sama," they said,
bowing, and then let the next guests greet me.
I met the king and queen of Spain and I spoke to them in Spanish. I greeted
Irish nobles in Gaelic. I spoke to each and every guest in his or her native
language. I could tell that everyone was very impressed. Everyone, that is,
except for Prince Darien, who stood there with a polite, but bored,
expression on his face.
Finally, the last guest trickled down the receiving line. What a relief. My
feet hurt, my back hurt, and my throat was a little sore from the various
inflections and tones I had to produce with my voice.
I noticed Andrew standing at the entrance of the ballroom, taking pictures
of the guests. He was in formal wear, and except for his camera and notebook,
he looked just like a guest.
When he turned to look at me, I nodded slowly, trying to signal hello to him.
Apparently, he understood, and gave me a two-fingered salute, smiling.
"When is the announcement?" I asked M. Artemis.
"Just before supper."
When is supper?"
"After the dancing."
"All right," I said, a trifle impatiently, "when is the dancing?"
My father, the king, stepped forward. He pointed to the orchestra, which was
down at the other end of the room. "Hit it Michiru!" he cried. "Come on,
everybody, let's boogie!"
I was trying to figure out how one could boogie to The Blue Danube Waltz, which
is what Michiru hit, when M. Artemis touched my elbow.
"Perhaps, Your Highness, you should dance with His Majesty," he suggested.
I turned to Prince Darien to see his reaction to the suggestion. He smiled
politely. "Perhaps later," he said, bowing. He went to stand beside his parents.
He must be in love with Beryl and wants nothing to do with me, I thought. He
probably is very upset that he will not be able to marry her.
Sighing softly, I went to the refreshment table to get something to drink. When
I got my glass of punch, I heard a familiar voice behind me.
"Good evening, Your Highness."
I turned and saw Andrew standing there. I smiled at him. "Good evening, Andrew.
I am pleased that you could be here tonight."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Andrew said. "You look very lovely tonight. I'm
certain that your pictures will appear in many fashion magazines."
"Thank you, Andrew," I told him.
"You're welcome," he replied. "Why are you not dancing with the prince?"
"The prince did not want to dance with me," I answered.
"How unusual," Andrew murmured thoughtfully.
"Unusual? Why?" I inquired. "Perhaps it is because he is in love with Beryl
and he regards me as a replacement for her."
Andrew looked at me as if he was debating whether or not to tell me something.
"Your Highness, if I tell you something, will you hold it in the strictest of
confidences?"
"Of course."
"The reason I know this is because I was witness to it. I assure you that it
is the truth, with no journalistic embellishment.
"The prince never loved Beryl. Their pairing was arranged when both were very
young. To avoid forming a fraternal bond with each other, Prince Darien and
Beryl were not permitted to meet each other until Beryl was fourteen. It
proved to be a poor match.
"When they finally met, Beryl behaved rather poorly. Instead of a cultured,
poised and respectful princess that she was raised to be, Beryl was your
basic hormonal teenager. She threw herself at Prince Darien. And when he
refused her, she would go even farther. She would wear indecent clothing
and outrageous make-up. She would be boisterous and rowdy during public
appearances. The two families hoped that with time. Beryl would act more
mature, but she did not.
"Prince Darien wanted to break off the engagement, but there was too much
at stake; trade agreements, military alliances, and other things. King
Stephen and Queen Gaia told Prince Darien that if he broke it off, then
he would be disinherited."
My mind was reeling with the information. "But why did you say that it was
unusual that Prince Darien did not want to dance with me?" I asked.
"Because you are exactly the type of woman that Prince Darien should be
with," Andrew replied.
"That is very kind of you to say, Andrew. Thank you," I told him. "Thank
you for telling me everything. I will not share this information."
"I felt that you needed to know," Andrew said. "I hope that it answers some
questions for you."
It certainly did, I thought. Now I know why Beryl hated me so much. In her
mind, I stole the man that she loved.
"Serenity, dear."
I turned and saw my mother standing behind us. Andrew bowed to her. She
nodded.
"Serenity, dear," she repeated. "The Prince of Wales would like to dance
with you."
"Very well," I said. "It was a pleasure talking to you, Andrew."
He bowed, and walked away.
*********************************************************************************************************
I danced with the Prince of Wales. After that, I danced with the Crown
Prince of Yugoslavia, the King of Belgium, and the Prince of Cambodia.
I was able to converse easily with all of them in their native languages,
and later, I discovered that they were so enchanted that the royal family
had been invited to visit their countries.
The orchestra attempted some dance music, in my honor I assumed, and Father
asked me to dance with him to As Long As You Love Me by the Backstreet Boys.
Let me tell you, that you haven't heard As Long As You Love Me until you've
heard it performed by a 60-piece orchestra. Father turned out to be a very
good dancer, and I realized he must have requested the music himself.
Father and I danced around to the music, with moves from the video and
everything. I couldn't half laughing as he spun me around unexpectedly.
The guests all stopped to watch us. They hummed along with the music and
tapped their feet to the beat.
When the song ended, everyone burst into applause. The prince leaned down to
kiss my hand, and I curtseyed.
"You're a terrific dancer, Father," I said.
"You're pretty good yourself."
Prince Darien approached us. He spoke to Father. "Your Highness, may I
please speak to the princess privately?"
"Of course. Why don't you kids take a nice stroll on the balcony?" Father
suggested.
Prince Darien nodded and held his hand out to me.
What did he want to talk about? I wondered. I hesitated.
"Go ahead," Father urged. "Everything will be fine, you'll see."
He practically shoved us towards the French doors that opened onto the
balcony.
********************************************************************************************************
There were several other couples taking in the air as we went outside. The
balcony overlooked the formal gardens and the maze. There was a waist-high
stone railing the length of the balcony, and potted trees were set here and
there for decoration.
The population on the terrace was decreasing rapidly. One couple glanced
our way and exchanged whispers, another couple smiled and winked at us,
and all four guests walked back inside with exaggerated casualness.
"I wanted to apologize," Prince Darien said.
"Whatever for, Your Majesty?" I was confused.
"For my behavior earlier," he explained. "It was inexcusable."
"It is all right," I assured him. I recalled what Andrew had told me. "I'm
sure you had your reasons."
He took my left hand and squeezed it gently. "Thank you for understanding.
I want you to know my reasons."
"You don't have to tell me-"
"Yes, I do," he insisted. "You see, I had a rather unpleasant experience with
the previous princess, and I did not want to have it repeated."
I frowned. "I see. And you assumed that since Beryl and I have been through
similar experiences, that I would be just like her?"
"No! It's not like that," he said in an annoyed tone. "I just thought that
since Americans are more liberal with their-"
"I beg your pardon?" I interrupted him. "First you insult my character and
now you're insulting my first home?"
"Stop interrupting me!" he said angrily. His grip on my hand tightened
unconsciously.
"I think that I would like to go back inside, Your Majesty," I told him
curtly. I tried to pull my hand away. Reflexively, his grip tightened
even more. "Please let go of my hand."
"Not before I say what I have to say," he retorted. His grip was very
uncomfortable, and was starting to become painful.
"Please, Your Majesty," I pleaded, trying in vain to free my hand. My eyes
watered. "You're hurting me."
He immediately let go. I whimpered softly and cradled my injured hand.
"I'm so sorry," he stammered. "I do not know what I was thinking."
"I want to go inside," I whispered. My hand was throbbing with pain.
"Of course," he said. He opened the door and we walked back into the
ballroom.
**********************************************************************************************************
"...on this joyous occasion, to drink a toast to our beloved daughter,
Her Serene Highness, Princess Beryl Serena Angelica Christine Anastasia,
Serenity the Fourteenth, and His Royal Highness, Prince Darien Endymion
Mamoru, who are to be joined in wedded bliss."
Everyone cheered and raised their champagne glasses.
Prince Darien and I stood up and acknowledged the congratulations with
smiles and waves.
I think I smiled. I tried to, but my hand was really hurting.
I didn't eat much of the elaborate supper that followed.
I noticed something very strange about the wedding proclamation. It wasn't
anything the queen said-it was something she _didn't_ say.
There was no mention of the wedding date.
I had a terrible feeling of foreboding. Maybe they don't want me to know.
Maybe they think that if I find out how soon I'm to be joined in wedded
bliss, I would abdicate.
This is not good, I thought. My fiancé and I did not get of to a good start;
he accidentally sprains my hand and spends the rest of the night looking
guilty, I spend the rest of the night ignoring him, and I don't even know
when we're supposed to be married.