Extra: Fooled like a rookie

This extra story actually exists thanks to Fairytoto1 :)

It takes place during the week that followed the lucky draw and before the beginning of the Selection.

When I went to the Palace for Princess Mary's lesson, she jumped in my arms when I appeared at her office door. Before she had the time to say something, I scolded her:

"Why did you put my name in there?!"

She looked a bit surprised. I must admit I sounded a tiny bit angrier than I really was.

"How did you figure it out?" she calmly answered.

"Come on, Your Highness. You almost beg me to apply, and the picture was the one you had me taken last month, 'because mine had to be updated'," I quoted her.

Then I realized. "Don't you tell me that ID picture update was part of your plan? Of course, it was, you already knew about the Selection, the Prince must have talked to you about it... and I got fooled for it like a rookie! But most importantly... you did all that because you somehow knew that I wouldn't apply? Weeks before the announcement!?"

The Princess smiled and started to laugh as she understood she was caught red-handed.

"I plead guilty, Katy," she said while she sat on the sofa.

"But why would you do that?"

"You are a great person. Even more than that! Amazing! You have a big heart, you're patient and smart. You are gorgeous, and, believe it or not, you have more things in common with Ryo than you think."

I wasn't use to hear Prince Henry being called by his nickname. Mary once told me that 'Ryo' story, something about a flight to Rio and a sick young Henry...

"Things in common? Prince Henry and I? I sure don't believe that," I said, skeptical. "But it's not my point. I told you I was - and am still - not interested in being a Princess or in the Prince... or in the crown," I added in a mumble.

"I'm sorry-"

"No, you're not."

"OK, true, BUT! I do believe you are a genuinely good person, and I wanted my brother to have a chance to know you," she said, taking my hand.

I squeezed her hand back as she continued:

"My previous Hestéi teacher was an old grumpy lady as friendly as a prison's door. I wanted to stop but my parents said, as our oldest ally, I had to know about the Kingdom of Hestéi and its language. Even though nowadays, the political situation between our two countries is... tensed, to say the least. Anyway, I decided that if I had to keep learning Hestéi, I could at least do it with a nicer teacher. I looked for quite some time before I find you, you know. There were many good teachers, but none of them voluntarily helped the kids who needed extra tutoring. You seemed like a good person then -and you also were one of the youngest teachers, and I was glad to see I was right."

She has never told me that story before. I thought I just happened to be a super extra very lucky teacher. I was moved by her confession, by the trust she has in me, and she saw it in my eyes. We hugged and took the direction of her desk to start our lesson.

"Did you send my application or did you actually swapped the envelopes?" I couldn't help myself, I had to know.

"Ha ha ha! If I could have swapped the envelopes I would have done it!" she laughed again. "But it really seems like destiny was on your side. I like to think of myself as your fairy godmother," she said, proud of her mischief.

"Oh, cut the crap, Your Highness!"

We laughed and finally started our lesson.