Chapter 2
Well now is that relevant time, so here's the promised table.
Snow White—14
Cinderella—18
Belle—18
Ariel—16
Rapunzel—18
Tiana—20
Jasmine—18
Merida—16
Pocahontas—20
Mulan—19
Aurora—17
Non-official princesses: Eilonwy, 11; Tinker Bell, N/A; Lottie, 20
I do not own any of the abovementioned characters. They have been copyrighted over the years by Disney and Disney Pixar.
Merida was promptly placed in one of the earliest classes and given a schedule. She groaned. Etiquette? Dancing? Well, dancing was all right. She'd seen her father dance. It couldn't be that hard. French, Latin, geometry, geography, and history would just be a review of what she learned under her mother's teaching. Deportment? What under heavens name is deportment? she wondered.
Lady Elaine introduced her to the class. "Ladies, princesses, this is Merida, Princess of Dun Broch, daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor. I expect you all to be polite and make her welcome."
Merida stared at the girls and they stared back. They were all richly attired in pastels. Oops. Merida looked down at her dark green wool dress, slightly mudstained. Oh well. At least I made an impression.
She chose a desk near the front and opened her book. The teacher continued: "As young ladies, it will be important for you all to remember that a lady must never discuss politics with a man." The teacher, a crane-like woman with mouse-brown hair, droned on in her italicized manner until Merida started to nod in time to the pattern of the stressed words. Da DA da da DA da da DA… Princess Merida! Are you with us?"
"I beg your pardon, Lady Dove."
"A lady must never nod off in public."
"Of course, Lady Dove."
Somehow, Merida made it through the entire class without dying of laughter at Lady Dove—she should really be called Lady Crane—and her antics. She noticed the other princesses paying rapt attention and scribbling notes onto their scratch papers. The sound of quills filled the air. Merida pretended to take notes as she composed a rather insulting poem.
There was a young lady named Dove
Who had a large red iron stove
She baked a large pastry.
It blew up the pantry.
And that was the end of Miss Dove.
There was a young lady named Dove
Who never could go fall in love.
She once caught a prince
But he was a finch.
Poor luck with that, Lady Dove!
Merida grinned to herself. She then started to observe her fellow students. In the front, a delicate brunette busied herself with a thick book. She had several stacks of them on the table. She wore a simple blue dress with a white apron and a white shirt underneath. To her right, a raven haired girl bent over her notes, writing them in an elegant, flowing script with a fine brush. Merida had never seen anyone write that way, and she had never seen anyone with such small dark eyes. She wore a yellow dress, under a green long sleeved top, with a blue wrap and a red sash. She seemed very intense. When class was over, a girl in pink swished over to her. "Good morning, Princess Merida. I'm Princess Aurora, daughter of King Stephan."
"Good morning to ye. My feyther's King Fergus of DunBroch."
Aurora nodded. "Lady Dove told us."
Ah, that dratted Lady Dove'll be the end of me one day! thought Merida to herself.