Hey there, in this chapter I am setting the scene. The Selection starts next chapter :)

Hope you like it.

"You really are doing great, Your Highness"

"Merci," answered Princess Mary with a beaming smile. "You are a good teacher Katy."

I smiled back at her. Princess Mary could have been the spitting image of her father with her honey-blond hair if it wasn't for her dark brown eyes and harmonious face she got from her mother, Queen Kiera.

The Princess stood up to accompany me at the doors, as she always does after our classes.

"Next week we receive the Italian delegation. You know how my great-grandma loved them. I am afraid I will not have enough time for our class," she said. "But I will let you know if I can escape one of my mother's endless tea party!" she added, crossing her fingers.

"Of course, Your Highness," I answered, echoing to her light chuckle. "Just give me a call if you manage to escape," I added with a wink.

"Parfait! Alors à bientôt!" she said in a perfect Hestéi, before waving goodbye and leaving me at the doors.

The guards nodded a goodbye as one of them opened the small entrance door next to the gigantic Palace doors. As I walked alongside the grass towards the main gates, I heard someone calling me near the gates: "Hey, Katy! What's up, babe?"

I could recognize this cheerful voice among so many others.

"Jakub! What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see him. "Where is Timothy?"

"He hurts his leg this morning during training," he said. "I finally kicked his butt!" he added in a whisper, a huge smile on his face.

I chuckled. Jakub is quite small for a guard. He is still taller and larger than me, but compared to other guards, he is not often the one who 'kicks people's butt'.

I was about to go check my ID to leave the Palace when he asked: "Did you see your mother?"

I turned around. "She has a day-off today," he added.

"I didn't know that!"

I rushed back to the Palace as I thanked Jakub. This Palace was wonderful with its four floors and large windows, but I definitely preferred the gardens. From the Princess's office, on the second floor, we could see this great stretch of grass, its trees, and the large fountain. There even was a maze with a small but splendid pavilion in the middle of it.

I sneaked in the Palace by one of the service doors, under the stairs. I took a long corridor up to the common room where a small group of maids and cooks were having an early lunch. I greeted them on my way to the servants' quarters when I heard a voice said: "Your mom's at the Park."

It was Niles, the Chef. He nodded in direction of the Park and added: "Same spot as usual I guess."

"Thanks. Have a good day everyone!"

A few corners and corridors later, I reached a door leading to the western part of the court and the royal stable. Behind it, a paved road was guiding me to the park, adjoining the Palace's gardens. Many years ago, a large part of the royal gardens and of the forest were offered to the city and a vast park was created, to the greatest pleasure of the people of Angeles.

On my way to the royal greenhouses - where I knew my mother will be, I walked by the pavilion where a band was playing to the passers-by. The lake behind it reflected the clear blue sky and all the shades of purple of the blooming lilacs. The weeping willows were touching the surface of the water when the breeze blew through the branches. It was a peaceful day on this end of spring. Summer will soon arrive, bringing more warmth every day.

I arrived at the greenhouses just in time to see my mother coming from it.

"Maman!" I called.

She looked around and smiled when she saw me. She was wearing her aged-old blue jean jacket on top of her pants and shirt.

"Hi my baby girl," she said when she hugged me.

"Maman, I'm almost twenty-two and an independent working woman... you should consider stopping calling me your baby."

"But you will always -"

"Be your baby, I know," I said, repeating on more time that sentence she said so often.

"You're still wearing your cloak I see," she said, grabbing its edge to make me walk.

I grabbed her arm and said: "Says who? "

"At least we can see my clothes! And they are not as fancy as yours. You hide this wonderful pantsuit the Princess offered you!"

Indeed, under my black hooded and ankle-length cloak, we couldn't see much of my dark blue high waisted pants with its matching short jacket. The Princess offered me this outfit for my birthday last year. We barely started the classes at that time, but our relationship rapidly grew into a true friendship.

We followed the path up to the Black Swan, our favorite restaurant in the Park, and had lunch. Finally, we headed back to the Palace. A guard let us in at the park's gate and I left my mother at the common room after a goodbye. I will meet her on Saturday evening at the bar to watch the Report Show, as we always do.

But now, I was running late to my next class and Angeles is quite a busy city at this time of the day. I rushed to the gates, waved at Jakub, and hopped on a tramway at the last minute.