The next day, Launcekrona led them to the duchess's boudoir. Both girls were dressed in the clothes that befitted their new status. They weren't costly silks, but close enough. In the room was a girl in a costly dress. The symbol on her foreheard, a sign of her royal birth. She certainly looked excited enough to see them.
"Welcome to my court!"she said to them. "To my boudoir. One of them. This is actually one of the parlors."
The room, which was one of the parlors, was huge. Great windows overlooked one of the courtyards. It was painted in shades of pink and gold. The large portraits were just as huge as the pictures. Everywhere there was statuary. On several tables there were bowls of quinces, pears, apples and other fruits.
"They're from my father's duchy of Ishtar."she told them. "My mama always scents herself with quince, and my father's duchy is famous for the best quinces."
Fayruza remembered that her father also had a Venusian title. The princess had given him a dukedom shortly after their marriage. Fayruza observed the girl before them. She sat not on a throne, but on a very fancy chair. She smelt faintly of cinnamon.
"The quinces remind me of both of my parents."
She handed each of them an apple from another of the bowl.
"When the fruits begin to ripen, they usually go into pastries, jams, or beverages. But while they're here, not only do they fragrance the rooms, everyone is welcome to eat them."
Ceres stood up, and pointed out a tapestry.
"It dates back, almost to the beginning of the Empire of the Moon."she told them.
They saw that it was her family tree.
"My maternal grandfather was a Prince of Bacchus."she told them. "So I do know how to appreciate good wine. So you see, I am also related to the Royal House of Bacchus. I am also related to the Martian royal family, because one of my mother's great uncles was a Prince Consort of Mars. On my father's side, I have Lady Aquamarine, a sister of King Peridot of the Middle East. Aquamarine married into the Royal House of Neptune. Many Princesses of Venus married into the Neptonian royal family, as well, as many of their brothers became consorts to Neptonian Princesses."
"A very fine mixture, Your Grace!"exclaimed Malwina.
"Thank you! Mama and Papa sent it to me. To learn all my ancestors. They say it is important to all rulers. I learn minerals and gems, as well. That is also important for my Terran heritage. And I must learn much faster than the other girls."Ceres told them.
"Oh?"asked Malwina.
"Oh, yes."Ceres nodded. "I am my parents' daughter. My mother is Princess of Venus, and leader of the princess's senshi. My father is one of the Four Kings of Heaven, and leader of the prince's shittenou, you see. Therefore, everything they have must be the best. I am their daughter, so I must be the best."she paused for a while. "You are Launcekrona's niece."
Malwina beamed and curtseyed again.
"I am pleased to serve Your Grace."
"Does your father own many estates? Lands?"Ceres asked.
"Some. None, of course, compared to Your Grace's own father."
"You are Launcekrona's niece. You will. I will give you your own when I am old enough. I'm not supposed to when I grow up. Mama and Papa favors must be earned."
Aunt Launcekrona would be pleased to hear that she was already on a good path so to speak. Already, it seemed, she was earning favors.
Ceres nodded, and turned to Fayruza, and looked at her curiously.
"You are Fayruza. You are from Earth."
Fayruza did the same as Malwina.
"So you must know all the gemstones and minerals. "Ceres stated. "And you know Terran as well."
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Am I styled 'Grace', as well, as the Lady of the Evening Star?"
"Um, no. Back home, people style Your Grace as 'ladyship', or simply 'lady'."
"I like 'lady'. So, the Terrans serving me must call me 'lady'."
"We shall remember, Lady, uh, Shinju?"
Ceres giggled.
"That sounds so funny. You came with the entourage my father brought with him. Have you ever seen the Evening Star?"
"Yes. It looks like a very bright star. Sometimes you can see it during the day, too."
"You can see Earth from here, too. I like to see it. I'll love to see Venus from Earth, when Papa takes me there."
For a while Ceres stood, tapping her chin with her fan, staring at Fayruza.
"Are you a 'lady', too?"Ceres finally asked.
At this, Malwina's attention turned back to Fayruza. She seemed just as interest in her answer as Ceres.
"I…have never been addressed as 'lady'. I don't have a title."
"The daughter of a Heavenly King without a title?"said Ceres.
She did not say it with scorn or dislike, but more like she was trying to grasp and understand an unusual concept, a curiousity, the way Malwina had.
"My father arranged a marriage for my mother when he was betrothed. My father instructed her husband was instructed to marry her when he became betrothed."
"Here people never have marriages arranged for them!"said Ceres, still frowning, trying to understand. "And people bearing children for anyone other than a spouse?"
She turned to Malwina, as though asking her to explain it to her.
"Some people might, I guess."Malwina said, uncertainly, looking at Fayruza. "People here only have children conceived in marriage. Monogamy is the custom among us. You know, otherwise, why marry? If you feel any kind of insecurity or that you cannot trust someone, you do not really love them. To marry, you want someone to love you back. Things such as insecurity and sexual jealous are not part of true love."
Ceres nodded as Malwina spoke.
"Oh, yes."she said. "My ancestress Aphrodite was forced to marry a man she did not love, and was not happy. That is why she sought the company of other men. She wanted to love and be loved. Married people would not seek the company of others. And both of us, I'm sure, Malwina and me, know what you're thinking, and yes, we are a pleasure loving people, after all. Think of that as a legacy left by Aphrodite to her people, especially her descendents. She was sought by many for her beauty. And in her unhappy marriage she sought other men. But regardless how many lovers either of my parents may have kept before their marriage, my parents love each other, and are happy in their marriage. They chose each other. What is odd, however, is that other women bore my father children before he married. My mother has never born children for other men. How odd that other women could have borne my father children! Is that the custom among Terrans? Are there many like you? Among my entourage?"
Did she mean her father's, or in general? Fayruza took it to mean the former. Ceres seemed to find the concept odd enough.
"Like me? I have a half brother. But he will serve the prince. My mother has children with the husband my father chose for her."
Did all the Terrans expect her to find husbands for them, after they had children?wondered Ceres. She found it so odd to believe this odd girl had any connection to her father at all.
"What an odd custom. Arranged marriages, I know some people do. Children outside any marriage, I've never heard of. I want to be a good Queen of the Middle East, as my father wants. It is important for a ruler to understand the customs of her people. I will understand Terran customs."
xSmallLadySerenity13-They have to attend many duties which must be done at Magellan, including the social season with the debutantes, charity, state dinners, etc. That's on my list to write.