The Prince's niece
Ella slowly opened her eyes. Beside her lay Prince Char, also draped in an elegant robe. He blinked a few times, and then smiled at her. He pecked her on the cheek and crawled out of their bed. She listened quietly to the peaceful sounds of morning; Prince Char sorting through the wardrobe, the servants boiling water for tea, the little sparrows outside the windowsill chirping… and then:
"You expect me to drink this bitter drink you servants call tea?" It was the dowager princess, and she was livid. "There's absolutely no honey in this slop! Is this how you low-born commoners treat royalty?"
Ella hastened with her frock. She rushed out the door of her apartments to find Princess Louise towering over a petrified servant. "Princess!" Ella cried with alarm, she knew the servants were either timid or were easily offended. "Please, your highness let me handle this."
Princess Louise sniffed, "Yes, just like a commoner like you to stand up for a servant. Just like them, I suppose you were once, weren't you now?"
Ella ignored the offensive remarks, and said calmly to the dowager princess, "Allow me to fix your tea, Princess Louise."
The princess barked out harsh laughter. "The servant's friend becoming a servant! I'd expect none less from you. Don't bother, I'll have one of my ladies do it for me." She turned on her heel and left Ella and the servant girl standing alone together, Ella having missed another opportunity to tell the princess that she was in fact of noble birth.
"My lady, I—" the young servant began.
"Sh…" Ella hushed the girl, "I know how she is. I'll have another servant attend to my lady the princess."
The servant smiled gratefully. "Thank you my lady." Her voice shook with relief. The poor girl had obviously been terrified by her brief encounter with Princess Louise. "Thank you." She repeated, and left down the hallway, more words of gratitude echoing down the corridor.
"Ella?" The prince was calling her. "Ella!" Ella opened the door to her chambers; the prince smiled. "There you are. My grandmother would like us to join her in the sitting room" he grimaced. "It shouldn't be too long."
"I'll be there as soon as I can," replied Ella. "I must attend to finding a replacement servant for her Highness."
Char sighed. "Not again." He said, exasperated. "If I recall, she was quite pleased with Lady Patrice. I'll see to it that she is notified of her new duties. Poor woman…" he added, under his breath.