| the perks of royalty |

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    Sunny days were so uncommon in the kingdom of Northgarde. The thick forests of the realm rested well above the arctic line, but it's vast greenery could never be masked by white snow. Northgarde was known for it's brutal weather, as well as its' brutal rulers. Generations of kings have made wenches of their wives and servants, and in some cases, mistresses. They visited brothels among their very subjects. The women didn't have much power to stop them. While other realms respected their women- or their queens, at least, Northgarde seemed barbaric. No ruler seemed to think his decisions all the way through, and thus, the kingdom created more enemies than friends. Recently, King Edmund has increased his patrols and troops surrounding all borders- war seemed imminent these days. But despite all this, including his brash decisions, King Edmund was already different than his ancestors: he greeted his firstborn as a daughter with pride rather than disgust. He respected his queen rather than demand she produce a worthy heir, a son. He genuinely believed his daughter had the means (and the bloodline) to turn the fate of Northgarde around, to create a realm where the monarchs were beloved kings and queens rather than feared tyrants on a throne. And thus, Princess Wendeline had her life's work cut out for her. However, this joyous turn of events was not released for public consumption. People on the outside made horrible remarks and assumptions about the brand new royal delivery. People who had lived through a few royal births feared for the future of their families, and no one attempted to understand that change was truly here.

    ----

    Princess Wendeline woke up to a loud clap of thunder right outside. It shook her towered bedroom, and a mirror fell off the circular wall near her vanity. Before she could get up, she heard feet scuffling across the room. It was still dark out, but a servant had lit a few candles and carried one with her as she hurried to clean up the shards of glass.

    "Natalya?" Wendeline groaned, rubbing her eyes sleepily.


    The servant whipped around with wide brown eyes. "My Lady! Did I wake you?"

    Wendeline shook her head and sat up, moving to get out of bed. Natalya watched her warily. "Your father is in the dining hall, awaiting your mother and the others," she reported quietly.

    Wendeline nodded and dressed herself, something Natalya always protested, but not too far. The princess styled her brunette waves into something of elegance topped with a metal tiara of leaves. She nodded to Natalya as she left the room to meet her family in the grand dining hall. As she arrived, her father's booming laughter brought the dozing guards to attention. King Edmund's gaze fell upon his daughter and he greeted her with a smile warmer than the fire in the grand fireplace.

    "Wendy," he rumbled as she bent down to kiss his cheek. She smiled slightly, taking her place in the seat next to his. Her younger brother, Edmund III, sat across from her. He was fifteen and felt her should be the rightful heir to the throne, and on many occasions, he has found himself in a lot of trouble with their father, usually for wishing something dreadful upon Wendy.


    Nevertheless, Wendy smiled at her brother, who just grunted in acknowledgment. Queen Orleanna entered the room, carrying a toddler and holding the hand of a small child. Princesses Camila and Pearl both had rude awakenings due to the storm. Orleanna set the children up in their seats and slowly lowered herself into her own- she was heavily pregnant, and the court physician suspected twins, or maybe even triplets.

    Wendy watched her mother and felt a twinge of anxiety. She was very close to being of age, and she knew her mother had suitor plans for her- she had spoken vaguely of them before, but the look Orleanna had on her face now told her that a more detailed itinerary might be coming up. The family ate their breakfast in relative silence, minus the pounding rain against the stone castle, and the occasional rumble of thunder. Afterwards, Orleanna shifted in her seat.

    "Son, you are dismissed. Take your younger sisters with you," she instructed quietly. Wendy felt her stomach drop when Edmund shot her a death glare. He reluctantly gathered his sisters and stomped out of the throne room. In turn, Orleanna turned to face her daughter.

    "Wendeline. As you know, your coming of age celebration is drawing.. alarmingly close. As it draws nearer, I need you to understand a few things. A few things that neither one of our parents would have told us," she nodded to Edmund, who nodded his agreement. "Your father and I are so incredibly proud of you and we want you to realize that we didn't bring you into this world just because we needed an heir. We brought you into this world so you could make something of yourself and make a difference for Northgarde. You know our kingdom has had a rough life, and it hasn't gotten any easier." she inhaled a deep, shaky breath. "I will not live to see the birth of these babies. I'm still months away from birth and I'm dying. Your father is going to step down after my passing, and you will step up as Queen Wendeline of Northgarde," she caressed her daughter's cheek gently. "We brought you here so you could turn things around and make Northgarde a place to be beloved and respected. It's a lot of work, but you are going to turn this realm into a thriving, amazing place that will go down in history positively. We know you can't do it alone, and your father and I have made arrangements for your marriage in roughly three or so months. We may move up the date depending on how your ceremony goes."


    It was so much information, Wendeline didn't know how to process it. "You're dying?" she choked. Orleanna only offered a grim nod. Wendeline didn't want to know why, so she didn't ask. The news of her betrothal was the last thing on her mind as she stood up and bid her parents good day. She was going out. It started as a calm walk, but Wendeline found herself dashing to the stables to pick out a horse and find somewhere quiet to think about the news she'd just received. Saddling up, the princess rode off the palace grounds and into the thick brush of one of many forests.


    Princess Wendeline

    There was a kingdom located farther south of the arctic line than Northgarde. Its name has been long forgotten and buried by other kingdoms over the years. The land was full of rolling hills and green fields. Sunny days were quite common and on those days, children could be seen out playing amongst themselves. Though the weather wasn’t as brutal as the neighbors to the north, it held its own hardships. The king and queen wanted all citizens to be given their chance to speak and help advise them. They wanted as much input as they could so that they were able to keep the kingdom well for their citizens. It had worked for generations until around twenty years ago. The kingdom was seeking the help of Northgarde in a war against another kingdom. They were close to winning, but needed a final push to get them through. Northgarde had agreed to this arrangement, stating they would attack the next morning with them. They did not stick true to their words. They ended up turning against their agreement and killing the royal family as well as many commoners. A few made it out alive and hid. Their time of hiding has finally come to an end.


    - - -


    Alexander knew this day had been coming. He had been preparing for it since he was a young child. His parents had been two of the commoners to escape from the kingdom that day. They hid in an abandoned house around three miles from the castle. That is where he was raised an trained. He had been taught how to read and write, like any male of the higher order would. He had also been taught how to fight and kill. He had been raised with one goal in mind; get revenge on those who took everything from your family.


    The day was quite dreary, to say the least. He wandered through the streets of Northgarde, a piece of parchment in his hand. He was heading towards the castle gates. He tried his best to forge a letter stating that he was needed as a servant to the princess. He didn’t want much trouble to come from this. He knew he needed to get close to her, earn her trust, and then go in for the kill. He had a knife stuck in the inside of his boot to where it wasn’t seen. He got up to the gates, handing the letter to the guard. His breath caught in his throat. He was terrified that this wouldn’t work. If he got caught, he would be executed immediately. Thankfully the guards let him into the courtyard and towards the castle.


    A male escorted him to the main dining room, figuring that was where the king would be. Alexander glanced around him as they walked, trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings. Otherwise, he kept his head facing down. He only lifted it when two large doors were opened and they stepped in. “Sir I apologize for my intrusion, but there is a new servant to your staff. He was sent it seems by your brother. He used to be one of his guards and believes he could do a well job protecting your daughter during these troubling times.” The man that escorted him there explained. Alexander looked at the family in front of him and bent some in greeting.



    King Edmund rose from his seat at the arrival of whoever dared to interrupt him. At the guard's words, his eyes narrowed. "Let me see that parchment. William sent me no notice of any new staff.." he mumbled curiously, handing the parchment to his wife to interpret. Orleanna heaved herself up and examined it, shrugging. "Perhaps he has his reasons, dear. You can't go wrong with extra protection." she nodded to her husband.

    "Let me show you to your quarters. It's in the lower level, so it gets colder than the rest of the castle. Plenty of torches and blankets have been provided," she stated, moving to lead Alexander there.

    Alexander stood next to the guard a bit nervously. He hoped that it wouldn’t be revealed that he wasn’t there to protect his daughter and that he was actually there to kill her. He felt relief flood him when he was led towards where his living quarters would be. He stayed in pace with the queen as she walked. He began to take in his surroundings once more. He kept silent for most of the walk. “I know that it is not my place to speak madam, but I was wondering when I would meet the princess. She is who I have been assigned to by the king’s brother.” He asked in a soft tone.

    It couldn’t be seen from his appearance on who he was. He looked almost like any other servant, though he was a bit more buff and a lot more educated. His wet clothes cling to his body as they walked. He had his hands holding each other behind his back. It helped keep his posture as respectful.

    Orleanna frowned slightly. “I’m not sure. She’s out right now, but I’m sure you will see her around soon. You’ll know who she is if you pass her in the hallway, she gives off this powerful aura of pride,” the queen sighed, looking up at him walking next to her. She came to a stop in front of a wooden door and pushed it open, revealing a small room that Alexander would have all to himself.

    Alexander gave her a slight nod and offered her a smile. “Thank you madam.” He stated judgment before they came to his room. He looked around the inside before turning back to her. He bowed his head once more. “What should I do for the time being?” He inquired. He didn’t want to be sitting there doing nothing. He hoped he would be given permission to wander through the castle.

    Queen Orleanna paused for a moment. "I want you to find the areas you will be working in. Aside from aiding the princess, you will be a part of kitchen staff. Go there and introduce yourself to your peers. They will help you with whatever you need, and don't forget to take their words to heart- they know how things work around here and you will need to know how to behave in this kingdom," she instructed curtly, nodding her head and turning away to head back to the dining hall.

    Alexander felt his eyebrows furrow some when he heard how she said “this”. He felt his heart rate pick up a little bit as he felt some nervousness hit him. He forced himself to calm down. He gave her a smile. “I will. Thank you.” He tried to his appreciation so that no one would get suspicious. He waited for her to leave before he began to wander. He walked slowly towards where he figured the kitchen would be.

    The head of the kitchen watched the young man wander around. "Pardon me, sir, can I help you? You look like a lost puppy," he noted. He was a man a little taller than the king, and much wider. He looked grandfatherly, with a graying beard and years of laugh lines plastered along his face.

    Alexander heard himself being addressed and turned to face him. “Actually sir, you can. I am new to the staff. I was assigned as a guard to the princess, but the queen informed me that I would also be working in the kitchen. I was wondering if you could direct me to the head of the kitchen.” He informed. He just kept replaying the words of him mother in his mind. He kept reassuring himself how he would have to be patient, gain their trust. Once he got that, he could take out the princess without any consequence.

    The man smiled to himself. "I am the head of the kitchen. What's your name, boy?" he asked gruffly, taking Alexander by the shoulder to direct him in the area of where he would assign a mentor to him.

    “My name is Alexander. It isn’t nice to meet you sir.” The brown haired male stated somewhat truthfully. He jumped a big when he felt himself get grabbed. He followed along with where he was being taken though. One of his weaknesses was that he had absolutely no clue how to cook. It hadn’t been alimoirtabt to him when he was younger.

    "Nice to meet you, Alexander. I'm Mr. Smythe to you. We have plenty of cooks, so I think we're just gonna have you help serve meals and probably also cleanup when these people throw their numerous parties a year. Lord knows that with the queen carrying more than one baby, the celebrations will be twice as big and last twice as long," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I've been here ever since the king was a boy, and let me tell you, no person on this planet throws more parties than Edmund. His wedding and coronation happened on the same day, but the party lasted nearly a month. The townspeople like to throw their own parties every time Orleanna announces a pregnancy. I've seen the christening of all four royal children, and there's nothing quite like it. No one likes them as people or rulers, but they really do a mesmerizing job at taking care of their children. I just hope one of them can restore Northgarde to its former glory," he sighed, tossing Alexander an apron.

    "Alysin, this is Alexander. I want him to shadow you for a few weeks. He'll be serving alongside you, so brief him on everything, including manners around the royals. We don't want a repeat of last time," Mr. Smythe instructed, and Alysin nodded quickly.

    Alexander listened to the long backstory that he was given upon all the parties that were thrown. He truly didn’t care but tried to show some interest. He wasn’t head to learn love for this kingdom. He hated it with a passion after everything that had happened to his family. “Yes sir. I’m positive that I won’t show any disrespect to anyone.” He assured. He turned to look to Alysin then. He began to put on his apron. “So what is ignorant that I am needed for first?” He inquured.

    Alysin frowned and thought for a moment. "I hope you know to keep your mouth shut around the royals. Or, at least, the king and queen. My last charge coughed and Edmund had him put to death. And since you are the princess's servant, I suppose you will be in charge of delivering her food. To save time and hungry stomachs, each royal has a designated person to bring out their food at the same time. You won't really be around to cook, so I'll save you that lecture," she smiled slightly, reaching up to retrieve crystal glasses to begin pouring the wine that the king and his advisor requested.


    //she's gonna flirt with him so hard o;

    oooooooooo))


    “I have already spoken to the queen so I do not think that is going to be too much of a problem. I know how to be respectful when I speak. It was something my parents were keen on teaching me. You won’t have to worry too much there.” Alexander assured her. His tone had dropped some. He listened to everything else that she said and nodded. “Okay. That doesn’t seem too hard. I should be able to handle it.” He informed.

    "Good- and I'm not talking about being respectful when you speak, I'm talking about staying silent," she breathed, pouring the wine into each glass. She handed him one. "Take this out to the Baron. I'm not responsible if you breathe enough to make him angry," she warned coldly, watching him go.

    Alexander allowed himself to roll his eyes when he heard her words. “I am positive I will be fine.” He muttered before turning and walking out. He walked to where he assumed the baron and the king were. He kept his posture prideful as he walked out. He had no fears of getting sent to die. He would find a way out of it. It would be hard though. He would just need to testify his boundaries some so he knew what they were.

    Baron Caldwell shifted his hard gaze onto the serving boy. He accepted the wine and glanced back over to Edmund. "Is Orleanna bring new staff into the palace?" he questioned.

    "No," Edmund sighed, rubbing his temples. "My brother sent him, apparently. Thinks Wendy needs better protection. If that were the case, I don't know why he would send me bodies if he were in his right mind.. he has seven daughters to protect, I've only three."

    Baron Caldwell offered a small nod of understanding and waved Alexander off.