Royal Performer - Chapter 1

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available for Preorder Now on Amazon Kindle Store Releases on August 16th!

In 2020 BigCloset ran a Princess Contest that led to my inspiration of a book, 'Suddenly Royal' that I enjoyed writing. I had every intention of coming back to it rapidly, but that was the year that kept on giving with stress! I plugged away every now and then at it over the past several years, and finally had a chance to focus on finishing it in the past couple of months. This work continues Allie's tale from the previous book, and I believe you should read Book 1 first. I'm a big proponent in sharing my work to all, but do offer versions for sale on the Amazon Kindle store of all of my completed novels. This completed book is on presale now, and will drop in full on Amazon next Friday, August 16th. Thank you to all who have already preordered it!

Chapter 1: Bienvenue!

I FELT BUTTERFLIES in my stomach as our plane came to a landing at the small airport. I watched through the window as our plane was pulled inside a hangar. “Come on, Allie,” my grandmother said. “You should get changed and freshen up before we leave.”

I turned and looked up at her, realizing she had changed and looked like she’d gotten ready herself. I found myself nodding. “Is there something specific I should wear?”

“Tyler put a dress in a garment bag for you. Geneva hung it back in the bathroom for you.”

I turned and walked back to the back of the insane private jet I was on. Less than a week ago, I had just started my summer break, and my only care in the world was to privately be myself with my best friend, Ellie… How swiftly things had changed!

I closed the door to the bathroom and opened the garment bag that was hanging inside. When I unzipped the bag, I found a light peach-colored dress that looked like it would fall just above my knees. They had thoughtfully included a fresh bra and panty set inside as well. I thought the dress wasn’t really a color I liked, but I knew I had no choice in my wardrobe right then. Having my house burn down and being completely limited to what had been purchased and packed overnight left me no personal freedom to choose!

I stripped off my outfit, used the restroom, and put on the fresh underwear. I ensured I was carefully tucked before pulling the dress over my head. I struggled momentarily with the back zip as I felt movement from the plane’s undercarriage, and they shifted us in and out of motion again. I smiled with pride as I managed not to fall over… barely! After a second more, I was able to pull it up without help. I stopped then and took a look at myself in the mirror.

Despite the color, I decided the dress was cute and had an almost vintage look. It had a pleated skirt by the high waist and then flowed outwards to the skirt. It was the casual look of someone of extraordinary wealth, and I felt more butterflies in my stomach as I understood somehow, I had found myself in that category. I looked at the dress’s square neck and ensured that my bra straps were in no danger of showing.

I quickly brushed my hair out into the simple style it naturally sat in after Demi’s attention before putting on some basic makeup, so I didn’t look like a ten-year-old. The makeup made me look a little closer to my fifteen in the face, even if my short height and undeveloped body seemed to have more in common with an elementary schooler!

I returned to the garment bag and found a simple set of one-inch white pumps inside. I slid them on my feet before hanging up my old outfit and everything inside the bag. As I opened the door to the plane’s main cabin, I looked at Geneva, my grandmother’s principal aide. “Where should I put my bag? I put my old outfit in there?”

“Just leave it; we’ll have someone take care of it,” Grandma said in French, coming around her. “You look very pretty, Alexandria. Are you ready?”

I shrugged, “Non?”

She had the nerve to laugh then, “Well, let’s go anyway. We’ll follow Giuseppe out to the car, and we’ll be off to the chateau.”

I grabbed my gift bag, but Geneva said, “I’ll make sure it gets to your room before the end of tonight.”

I looked longingly at the bear and tiger I’d been given before leaving the day before. I wanted to feel the safety of cuddling one. Still, I nodded and followed Giuseppe, carrying my purse, cell phone, and makeup inside. We had been parked inside the hangar with the main door closed almost completely, with just enough room for the waiting car to get through. I looked at the beautiful old classic car waiting for us. “What is that?” I asked Grandma.

Giuseppe answered instead, “It’s a 1934 Packard Coupe Roadster,” he smiled. “It works well if you want to make a good first impression, like bringing a lost princess coming home for the first time.”

The white body and chrome featured in many places along the body were beautiful, along with the leather back seat that I found myself awkwardly climbing into before Grandma joined Giuseppe in the front. The open top meant my hair began gently flying even as we drove slowly out of the hangar and into the bright daylight of morning.

I sat with a simple lap belt across my lap that I knew had to have been a recent addition. My grandparents had told me many times that seatbelts and child car seats didn’t become standard until my mom was born. The back area of the Packard wasn’t necessarily the biggest seat ever. However, I still felt tiny as we began driving off the tarmac and past a security gate arm that opened up for us to pass without stopping. A man in a military uniform saluted, and Grandma waved at him. I followed suit and found myself looking around at my first-ever foreign country in wonder!

A police car with blue flashing lights and a black SUV with hidden lights pulled in front of us, while another pulled in behind us – clearly, we had a security escort. ‘It’s like I’m with the president or something…’ I started thinking before blushing at the realization that was essentially the truth. ‘Will it be like this for the rest of my life…?’

I shook off that thought and looked to my left as we drove down a fairly wide road. On that side, I could see the Mediterranean glistening not far away, and old buildings began to appear in front of us. Giuseppe made a turn, and I felt my stomach drop!

Ahead of us in the morning sun were people lining the narrower street behind barricades! They saw the lead car and began cheering loudly as we slowed to about five miles an hour. Big signs had been hung and painted, ‘Bienvenue Princesse Alexandria!’ All around me, signs with my name or welcome were being held up in the air. I waved back and forth between the sides and smiled… while my face could have fried an egg from embarrassment!

I looked at hundreds of adorable little girls dressed up like princesses with tiaras on their heads and smiled at them. ‘They get tiaras before I do…’ I whined in my head a bit while waving at them. If we had stopped, I would probably have wanted to say ‘hi’ to them, but the procession kept moving slowly through the streets. It seemed to lead all the way up to our destination, the massive Chateau d’Hérisson that was the ancestral home of my dad’s family.

I couldn’t help but giggle again that it was the ‘Hedgehog Castle’ that we were approaching. Apparently, it had begun life as a medieval castle with the typical big blocky wall and parapet around the entirety of the grounds. The walls were massive, sixty feet tall in most places, and I had read twenty to thirty feet thick in places. I could just make out the palace rising above the protective outer wall that enclosed its grounds and a few other buildings and gardens.

We had to cross a small river on a large stone bridge, but a couple turns later, we turned into a massive gated opening in the wall. I was so grateful for the open car as I looked up and around the opening. My jaw dropped at the large iron gates, and wooden doors meant to keep invaders out. I could just make out murder holes above me as well!

The lines of people extended all the way along the route until we pulled in front of the main palace, which would likely become my main home in the future. The palace featured a beautiful grand exterior staircase leading up to the entrance from two sides. Less fortress and more like Louis XIV had in mind for Versailles; it was a vast six-story structure with the typical royal court, ballrooms, and such on the first floor and bedrooms above. From what I had read, the first floor acted as a museum area with marked-off areas for tourist access, but for special occasions, it was opened up and still used fully. Giuseppe pulled the car beside the steps, and a suited man with an earpiece helped me down from the vehicle. Genuine royal herald trumpets were blaring fanfare.

I continued to blush and feel terrified as Grandma led me to the top of the curved outdoor steps that overlooked a large gathering crowd.

A microphone and speakers had been set up, and I nervously stood beside her as she addressed the crowd in blazing-fast French.

“Thank you for coming and greeting my granddaughter, Princesse Alexandria Leonora Alessi!” The crowd cheered, and I blushed deeply. She spoke for a few more minutes, and my mind spaced off, looking at the crowd that seemed to fill the entire open court area from the walls to the palace with people. I looked at families with little girls, older couples curious, and probably hundreds of tourists all staring at me.

After a few minutes, she touched my hand. “Why don’t you say something?” she asked, motioning me to the microphone.

I didn’t know I could blush any redder, and I tried not to pass out or vomit right then as there was a gentle nudge on my shoulder. I looked at the crowds and decided to keep my remarks short and simple. In French, I said, “Thank you all so much for this warm welcome! I’m more than a bit overwhelmed by it!” I paused briefly before adding, “I look forward to learning more about Osané and meeting you. Thank you very much!”

I stepped away as a loud cheer broke out, and Grandma finished up before putting her arm over my shoulder and guiding me inside the Château.

Two men in fancy blue military dress uniforms opened two enormous doors for us as we passed through, closing them when our party had passed inside. “Well done, Alexandria,” Grandma told me.

“Huh? I didn’t know what to say?”

“You did well! Most of the time, when you have to address a crowd, I’ll make sure we have you prepared. I thought today would be more genuine if you did what you just did.”

I blushed, “Thank you.”

I looked around at a grand entrance with substantial red marble pillars leading up to a high-painted ceiling. The floor was white marble, and the walls were covered in absolutely exquisite details. Gothic styling was evident from the fifteenth-century design of this section.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” she said to me.

I nodded, “Wow, doesn’t begin to cover it?”

She laughed, “I felt the same the first time my father brought me here to meet your grandfather.”

I wrinkled my nose, “Yours was the last arranged marriage, right?”

“Right!” She said to me with a smile, “Your grandfather and I eventually fell in love, but we both hated that stupid tradition. Then, of course, your father led some other reforms so you, as Princess, can take over without being required to hand the title to your husband.”

I shook my head, “This is all so unreal…”

She took my hand, “Would you like the grand tour?”

“Please?”

She squeezed my hand and then put her arm around my shoulder. “Most of the time, the ground floor is marked off so tourists can come through and visit.” She led me through the principal floor first. As we walked, I was shown one wonder after another. A colossal throne room was opened, revealing an elaborate throne in the middle and a smaller but prettier one beside it.

“One for the King and one for the Queen?” I asked curiously.

She shook her head. “This can be adjusted depending on traditional needs. We actually have a fireproof, secure storage vault just for thrones. It’s currently set up for myself as the queen and you as the Crown Princess.”

I found myself gently touching ‘my’ throne. “Mine doesn’t look comfortable?” I said, looking at the straight back.

She laughed lightly, “Intentionally so! Yours is a princess’s throne. Traditionally, you weren’t meant to rule and were just meant to be pretty and be married off for political gain.”

My stomach twisted, “Not to be rude, but that sounds awful…”

She shrugged, “I thought so when my time came. Though I will say, at least my life has been well-to-do. I’ve never had to worry about having a meal, a job, or a roof over my head. It was a small price to pay?”

I shrugged, “I guess… Pardon me, Grandma, but I’ve grown up in the United States, and other than fairy tales, our cultural memories of a monarchy aren’t positive?”

She nodded, “You are right, of course,” she smiled. “Come on, we’ll have more than enough time for you to sit bored in here while we listen to petitioners with their problems. Unless you want to sit down and try it out, of course?”

I turned and looked at her oversized chair, which I couldn’t accept would be mine one day. “That’s okay,” I told her with a forced smile.

She and I walked through a vast room named the Hall of Memory, which she told me was decorated in the style of the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles due to a jealous ancestor. The walls were adorned with countless frescoes, mirrors, and gold gilding everywhere! Adjacent to that room was a long corridor of art and tapestries that looked like a museum, and then we came to another large room. It wasn’t quite as large as the Memory Hall but was still quite large and featured a full-sized grand piano and a nearby harpsichord. Fabric rope barricades prevented visitors from accessing them, but I so wanted to try them. “What is this room?” I asked her.

“The music room,” she told me with a wide smile.

The walls were impossibly beautifully inlaid wood with intricate designs that made me want to trace the patterns with my fingers. The floor was also wooden, with patterns of smaller pieces joined to create a beautiful polished floor. Large carpets sat underneath some sitting room furniture, and my eyes again went to the piano and the harpsichord. “May I?” I asked.

She smiled, “Those barricades are for tourists, not for you. Just be careful with the antiques,” she told me.

I smiled and lifted it up so I could go under it. I sat at the piano and saw it was a classic Bösendorfer grand piano. I hesitantly played the first Beethoven sonata I remembered learning from piano lessons as a kid. The piece was nothing fancy, but I could tell the piano was fantastic with how the action responded and sounded. The room also had acoustics that lent itself to a concert hall with the reverb.

She smiled at me as I stood up. “Very nice!”

I shrugged, “I haven’t honestly played piano that much in the last few years. It’s a beautiful instrument! How old is it?”

She pointed to a placard, and I blushed as I read ‘1864 Piano-Forte pour Princesse Angélique.’ It told a brief story of how she was the last princess to ascend to the throne since her father had no other heir before he died. The piano was bought for her when she was about eight years old. I read further that she had been very accomplished, and her father even hired Clara Schumann to teach her for a time!

“That is amazing,” I said and approached the harpsichord. I noted it was from 1771 and felt my brain freeze thinking of the fact it was older than the revolution that founded the US. I hesitantly pressed a few of the keys down, and it sounded like the one I had heard perform with the symphony once. Not having the skill to do much with it, I moved back and said, “I wish my clarinet hadn’t burned up… I bet this room would be amazing to practice in…”

She gave me a sideways hug. “Someday we’ll take care of that…” she told me. Then, she showed me the large kitchen that was responsible for producing formal meals.

An older man in a chef’s jacket spotted us and bowed. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” he smiled, “What may I do for you today?”

I bit back a smile as I couldn’t help but think of Lumiere from Beauty and the Beast. While everyone on Osané spoke French, he had the most over-the-top Parisienne accent I had heard.

“I’m just showing Princess Alexandria the castle. I decided we’d be thorough and show her the kitchen of our amazing chef. Alexandria, this is Chef Dufort,” There was a twinkle in Grandma’s eye there.

“But of course!” He gave me a quick tour, and I realized the renovated kitchen would have probably put many Las Vegas hotel kitchens to shame.

“Wow, I can’t wait to eat a meal prepared by you,” I told him with a smile.

“Your Highness, you are too kind,” he told me with a smile. “But of course, you will get your opportunity shortly. You are ready for breakfast, Your Majesty?” He asked Grandma.

“We will head for the dining room next,” she told him with a smile. “I figured we could also take a shortcut through here,” she told him.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he said with a chuckle. Grandma led me through another door we hadn’t come through, and I found myself inside a massive formal dining hall. It looked like it could be reset for different-sized events up to over a couple hundred. Still, it currently had one long table with two places set at the head of the table and beside it on one side.

“I hadn’t even remembered breakfast…” I told her.

“Well, it probably feels more like a really late dinner right now,” she smiled. “It’ll take a while to get used to the time change.”

I nodded.

Not a moment later, I was asked what I wanted to drink. “Umm... coffee and Orange Juice?” I asked.

“Of course!” the young woman said.

Grandma already had a cup of coffee and a glass of water. She smiled at me and said, “They know me well.”

I nodded, “I guess they would…” I looked around at the exquisite paintings on the wall, gilded molding, and a massive fireplace with my face in disbelief. “Is this where you usually eat?”

She smiled, “Sometimes… usually I eat in the antechamber of the Queen’s rooms.”

“I’m going to need a map…” I said with a smile.

She laughed, “You’re not alone there! I must have gotten lost here once a week for a year or more!”

I giggled with her as the food came out to our table. Breakfast was some fruit, some fresh bread and jam, and, at my request, some scrambled eggs. The coffee I received helped wake me up once I put enough cream and sugar in it. I’d always heard European coffee was stronger – they weren’t joking! I learned that was at least true in the chateau!

“So, what else are we doing today?” I asked.

“Well, I want to finish giving you the grand tour and then let you settle down in your rooms.”

“Rooms?” I asked.

She smiled, “After my husband passed away, your father moved into the King’s Apartments since I was happy with my own. Since you will be taking over down the road, I believe it easier to just have you live there.”

“Okay… dumb question… you didn’t live in the same rooms as your husband?”

She laughed, “Remember the whole arranged marriage?”

I shook my head, “So, you didn’t have to be stuck with him?”

She gave me a smile, “Or him with me. Once the newness wears off of a marriage, it’s not that uncommon to want to sleep in different rooms so that you don’t have to listen to your husband’s constant snoring.”

I giggled a bit at that and then took a last bite of toast. Grandma had finished her light breakfast before that, and I followed her lead, standing, “Let’s go see the rest of this old place!”

Royal Performer - Chapter 2

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 2: Governing

THE NEXT STOP on our tour was to go upstairs to what they referred to as the first floor. “Why do you call this the first floor?” I asked in confusion. “What do you call the bottom floor?”

“That one’s the dungeon,” she smiled, “But if you’re referring to the floor we were just on, it’s the ground floor.”

I shook my head, “That’s weird.”

She smiled, and I looked over the staircase banister at the grand entranceway. The staircase was a beautiful curved bit of architecture, and simply walking up it made me feel special! She directed me through a hallway and came to a set of security personnel guarding the hallway we were going to enter.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness,” one man said as they gave us a bow.

“Bonjour,” I said awkwardly and followed Grandma. I noticed signs about ‘private residence’ labeled as we passed into another more ornate castle area.

“Now, we don’t actually live in the original King and Queen’s chambers,” she said with a smile.

“No?”

“No, we keep those for tourist purposes… or if we’re putting up a special visiting dignitary or something. Honestly, they’re quite staid to me and may not be altered for historical purposes.”

“Oh, so they’re probably not that comfortable?” I remembered seeing pictures of old chairs and the throne I had already seen, and they looked pretty uncomfortable.

“Other than the bed?” She smiled down at me, “Definitely not!”

I giggled nervously at that. “So, these are like other rooms?”

“Your great-grandfather had another wing turned into a set of King’s and Queen’s chambers so that the traditional one could be preserved. The best part is that we are allowed to make changes there.”

We passed through an ornate door, another security guard, and into a large open sitting room. The floor was still inlaid wood with beautiful patterns created, but the walls featured a pleasing light blue color and more modern artwork. A large TV was mounted on a wall opposite a large fireplace on the other side adjacent to our entrance. Both featured sofas and armchairs nearby where you could sit. It was a pretty inviting space, “What’s this room?”

“In the old days, it would be called a receiving room,” she told me. “We share this one with our chambers beyond.” She pointed to two doors that split off the room on the sides of the room in between the fireplace and TV. “My chambers are down that way, but let’s go check out yours,” she said with a smile.

The door opened to a hallway. To my left, as we entered, I saw a small sitting room with a dining table that could comfortably seat eight to ten people. It looked more intimate, obviously, than downstairs had been! The walls were decorated with some beautiful artwork that appeared to be impressionist artwork, and a frescoed ceiling meant it was still pretty lavish. I spotted one painting that caught my eye right then. The content made me think about a history assignment on art in middle school. I looked at the corner and asked, “This is a real Monet?”

She smiled, “It’s one of several we have throughout the castle. My husband loved his work and was excited to collect it from his Water Lilly series.”

“How…” I started to ask how much it cost, but changed to, “How many works like this are in the castle?”

“Oh, there’s probably a dozen paintings from Monet, many from Degas and van Gogh. Your grandfather was just the latest art collector in the family, though. There are plenty of paintings from Rembrandt and others, too.”

“That’s really cool,” I told her, feeling aghast at the monetary value!

“I think so too,” she smiled at me. “Now come along, plenty still to do today!”

The next room was another sitting room with a TV, couches, and chairs. It looked relatively modern and straightforward compared to the dining room. The couches looked crafted from soft leather, and large speakers were placed around the room. A plush carpet was laid down in the room, and I presumed it was probably the one ‘comfortable’ room I had seen so far, and I classified it in my mind as a Living Room.

Following her down the hallway, I noticed two small restrooms across the hall, which I assumed guests would use. Down a little further was a vast library room with a big desk. “What’s this room?”

“Well, it’s an office, a library, and I guess it was your father’s hideout.”

I walked around the room to the nice desk chair, looked at the desk, and wondered again what he was like. “I really wish I had met him,” I told Grandma sadly.

“Me too,” she said with her own regret. “I wish your grandfather and I hadn’t been fools back then…”

We stood silently for a moment before she beckoned me down the hall to the last door. Inside, I found a large bedroom that was not decorated as I expected!

“My dad didn’t have this decorated like this…?”

“No, definitely not his taste! I had it redecorated for you,” she said with a bemused laugh.

I looked around the room with walls painted in a lighter white color with just a tinge of pink in the shade. A beautiful four-poster bed in ivory white was dressed with beautiful lavender curtains pulled back to reveal a huge bed that I guessed was at least king-sized. There was a large vanity table with a mirror on one side, a large chest of drawers, and a side table beside the bed. A set of curtains was pulled back to reveal a beautiful balcony beyond some glass doors that overlooked the gardens beyond. I saw an open door into a bathroom and found myself entering a very anachronous bathroom. A large glass shower with multiple nozzles on the wall and ceiling stood a few feet from an enormous whirlpool bathtub. A long countertop and sink sat opposite the wall, with a toilet that looked to have a bidet attached to the third wall.

“Did they demolish old walls to build all of this?” I asked in surprise.

Grandma nodded, “Yes, it was approved, though, so we could maintain the other quarters for the public.”

I had never imagined being in such a luxurious bathroom, let alone it being mine! I walked back out to the room and opened the final door that was closed to reveal a closet fit for a princess and made my old one look miniscule.

‘Less of a closet and more of its own room!’ I thought, noting it took up more space than my mom’s master bedroom had at home. I fought back some tears at that thought and ran my eyes around the room. Along all four walls of the room were bars to hang clothes. I already had two dresses hanging alone on a taller section, but the closet was still empty.

Grandma must have guessed my thoughts, “We’ll have more clothes arriving for you today, along with what we brought on the plane, but it might take a bit to fill this space even with help!”

“Is your closet like this?” I asked curiously.

“A little bigger, actually,” she admitted. “Kings don’t have nearly the need for clothes that Queens do,” she told me.

I giggled and walked back into the main bedroom.

“Now, I’m sure a nap would probably seem like a good idea, but from experience, we should keep you moving until bedtime tonight so you can deal with the jet lag.” A knock on the door came, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, Madame Lavigne has arrived.”

“Please send her into Her Highness’s sitting room; we’ll meet there.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” the woman’s voice said.

“Come along, Alexandria. This is someone you need to meet.” She beckoned for me to follow her out the door. I looked around the room one last time and followed her out to the sitting room.

A rather severe-looking woman with her hair in a tight bun stood beside one of the uniformed castle staff members. She curtsied to us both and bowed her head, “Your Majesty, Your Highness.”

“It’s good to see you, Madame Lavigne,” Grandma said to her.

“You as well, Your Majesty. It’s been a long time. I was so sorry to hear of the tragic loss of your son.”

“Thank you, and thank you for the card you sent.”

“It was but a small token.”

“Still, it was appreciated. Madame Lavigne, I would like to introduce you to my granddaughter, Princess Alexandria.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said to me in English, with the look of an older teacher on her face. It was the look of the kind of teacher you knew not to cross in school.

“Nice to meet you as well,” I replied to her in kind.

Grandma was back in French, though, as she said, “I appreciate you taking my call the other day and getting here so quickly. I figured it would be a couple of weeks at least?”

“You caught me at a good time, Your Majesty; I had just retired and sold my house. I was planning on traveling for the next few years. Still, I certainly can’t refuse the opportunity you offer.”

“Opportunity…?” I asked.

“Madame Lavigne is to be your governess.”

“Governess…?” I asked. “That’s a real thing still…?”

They both laughed. Madame looked to Grandma, and said with a smile. “Such an American question!”

After a few chuckles all around, Granma continued, “Yes, though not normally for a girl your age. We need to quickly teach you so much that I don’t think there’s any way around hiring someone. She managed to teach your father at his school to behave like a proper young man, which was no small task, mind you, and I think she’s probably the best qualified to get you ready for your role.” I squirmed awkwardly as Grandma motioned to a loveseat opposite the one we approached. “Please have a seat,” she told her as she swept her dress demurely beneath her and sat down. I awkwardly did the same next to her, still trying to get used to this stranger who was suddenly my most immediate family within nearly six thousand miles!

“Now, before I let you two talk on your own, I need to make sure you understand that absolutely no information about what we discuss here can be shared with anyone… ever.” Grandma’s icy voice made me shiver slightly.

“Your Majesty, you can be assured I have never violated the privacy of any student I have ever had.”

“I know, and that’s why I trust you enough to entrust my granddaughter to your care. She has not had anything close to a normal upbringing for a princess… she’ll have many things she needs to learn.”

“I got that impression from what you said at the press conference the other day…? Obviously, we’ll need to work with her on court etiquette, deportment, and the like…?”

“This goes a bit beyond that. Alexandria grew up as a bit of a… tomboy, you might say?”

She laughed, “That’s not the first time someone has told me that about a young girl such as Her Highness.”

I sighed, “What she is not quite able to put into words, Madame, is that I am transgendered… I spent the last fourteen years being raised as a boy.”

“Mon dieu…” she breathed out. “Your Majesty…?”

She nodded, “Yes, this is the truth.”

“You are keeping this secret…?”

“For now, at least,” she responded. “Here only you, myself, Giuseppe, Geneva, and her maids shall know the truth. I would like to keep it a secret forever, but I’m not so foolish as to believe that is likely. Right now, my biggest concern is keeping her safe and preparing her to be introduced properly to Osané.”

“How long do we have?”

“Well, we need her to survive a banquet in her honor tomorrow night. I plan to hold a ball to formally introduce her to society soon… maybe at the end of this month. Geneva is planning a date that can tie in with some other events with Parliament.”

“So not long…”

“No, unfortunately.”

Madame Lavigne looked me up and down as if she was examining my soul. “Well, we will do what we can in that time. Hopefully, we can just brush off any idiosyncrasies from her time in America. Your Highness, I hope you are willing to work hard at this? This will not be an easy time for you.”

I gulped, “I have always worked hard at everything…”

“We shall see… You have just flown in, and I must get situated myself; we’ll begin first thing tomorrow morning. I want to understand where Princess Alexandria is with her education. American public schools are not known for their high standards compared to the schools she should attend… I want to see which areas need the most focus,” she told Grandma.

“I trust you completely,” she told her.

“Well, with that, if I may, I’ll go see about getting moved in?”

Grandma rose, and I followed suit. “Yes, by all means! Do plan to join us for dinner tonight please. I know it’s a good idea to let Her Highness rest a bit today, but it would be good to let you see what we need to work on with her for dinner etiquette first.”

“Very well, Your Majesty,” she said, and I soon watched as she curtsied to both of us with a bow and walked away.

Another knock came, and Geneva walked in just after she left, “Your Majesty,” she curtsied, “Anna and Giselle are here…?”

“Very good!” she replied, “Please send them in.”

I watched as a rather plump middle-aged woman walked in. Her once brown hair was beginning to gray in spots, but nothing seemed to take away from the happy smile she wore. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” she curtsied to us. “You called for us, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, Anna, I require a couple of ladies to help Princess Alexandria as her ladies’ maids. I was hoping you could help and give Giselle some experience as well…?”

I noticed the seemingly shy girl in her twenties then. Both were dressed in blue dresses with white aprons that seemed to personify so many stereotypes I’d seen of servants in movies. It made me queasy to think of anyone waiting on me… much less doing everything for me like I feared they would. Giselle wore her black hair in a tight bun on her head. Whereas Anna was closer to six feet tall, Giselle was only just above five feet tall.

“Of course, Your Majesty!” Anna smiled, while Giselle looked nervous and uncomfortable.

“We very much appreciate your help,” Grandma said to them. “I need you to promise that if you see anything unusual with Her Highness, you won’t say anything to anyone else.”

“Of course not, Your Majesty,” Anna told her.

“No, Your Majesty, I would never dare…” Giselle told her.

“Very well then,” she told them.

“Alexandria, I need to attend to some details related to tomorrow night’s banquet. Your suitcases should be brought up shortly. Why don’t you settle in around here?” she said, pointing to the room. You’re also welcome to explore the castle grounds. Just be sure to have Anna alert the guards so they know where you are.”

“…Okay,” I said.

Grandma turned and disappeared down the hall quickly, leaving me alone with my two new… maids…?

They looked at me with interest, “Umm… You could say this is all really new to me… Just what… what do you do?” I finally settled on.

“Oh,” Anna laughed. We’re here to help you with whatever you need, Your Highness. Whether it be getting your closet organized, doing the laundry, cleaning, or things like that, we’ll also take care of drawing your bath at night.” She smirked at me. “We can even give you a scrub…?”

I blushed at that, “I can handle that…”

She smiled, “I guessed as much! I think I heard you’re fifteen?”

I nodded, “As of a bit over a week ago…” I turned from them and looked at the room. I sighed, “I’m sorry, I’m a bit overwhelmed. This week has alternated between amazing and the worst days of my life…”

Anna looked at me with concern, “Worried about your mum?”

I looked at her and nodded, “I figure I can call in a while. The time difference sucks, though.”

I was unprepared for the scowl, “Your Highness, you must watch your language!”

“Huh?” I was surprised.

She sighed, “You’re going to have to be a proper young lady now, Your Highness. Swearing is not allowed for a Princess!”

“Bu…”

“I don’t recommend you argue with her, Your Highness. Madame Martin, I do not believe Her Highness understands our positions.” Giselle advised.

I looked at the two women and tried deciphering what was happening there. “No, I apparently don’t! I’m lost, and you look like you’re about to kill me over a minor word that I don’t even consider to be a swear word! Explain this to me…” The look on Anna’s face made me think of the time I had accidentally poured paint all over the carpet in my mom’s home office, “…please?” I added plaintively.

Anna took a deep breath. “Very well, I will let this occasion pass. Your Highness, in addition to taking care of your household chores, it is also our duty to make sure that you comport yourself as a young lady of your status.”

“How…?”

“Well, in the case that you choose to swear again, I will most likely be washing out your mouth with soap and warming your bottom.”

“Warming my…? Spanking me?!?” I hissed. “I’m fifteen!!!”

“And more than petite enough for me to handle giving you the spanking you would deserve in that case.”

I fumed, “That’s not right! My own mother doesn’t even spank me!”

“Don’t give me a reason to,” Anna said gently. “All you have to do is not swear and act like a lady.”

I looked at her in disbelief right then. Here I was, thousands of miles from home, my mom was in the hospital, homeless back home… right then, it was just too much. I found myself beginning to cry – quickly running from them and to the solitude of the bedroom. I flopped onto the bed and grabbed a pillow to hug since I still didn’t have my new stuffed animals.

Royal Performer - Chapter 3

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 3: Exploring

I MUST HAVE lay there long enough to go to sleep, as the next thing I knew, I felt the bed lower next to me. A hand gently ran through my hair, “Mom…?” I said sleepily.

I heard a sigh, and the past week came back at me with full force. I started and sat upright to find Madame Lavigne looking at me. “Sorry, it’s just me,” she said in English, to my surprise.

I sighed and found myself grabbing a pillow in place of a teddy bear that had yet to make its way to my room. Looking around the room, I realized there wasn’t a clock in sight, “What time is it?”

“Just after three o’clock,” she replied.

“Am I in trouble?”

She laughed, “My dear princess, why on Earth would you be in trouble?”

“Anna…” I started.

“Anna?”

“She threatened to spank me earlier…”

“And why would she do that?”

“She thought a word I said was a bad word…”

“What word would that be?”

“I don’t want to get in trouble…” I said nervously.

“I’ll excuse it for now; I want to know what was so bad?”

“Sucks…”

“C’est nul?” She had the good graces to laugh. “I’ll speak with her… She’s not used to some of the Americanisms that will not be easily vanquished from your vocabulary!”

“I’m not in trouble?”

“Well… I would probably avoid that word around her nonetheless if you can?”

I nodded. “She threatened to spank me… My own mother doesn’t do that…”

“Well, you must remember Miss Anna comes from a different culture and time than you. I’ll have a word with her about leaving those kinds of punishments to me.”

‘She didn’t say she wouldn’t do them…’ I thought nervously.

I sighed, “Umm… Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, I must say I came to see if you, as another newcomer, might like to accompany me on a tour of this beautiful castle?”

“I saw some of it earlier…”

“But not all…?”

I giggled, “I doubt I could see all of it in a year. A place this large is bound to have all sorts of secrets.”

“I bet you’re right. Why don’t you brush your hair out, maybe switch to another dress, and we’ll be off?”

“You said it’s just after three?”

“That’s correct.”

“At five, I need to call my mom,” I told her, “To make sure she’s doing okay…”

“Of course! Bring your cell phone, and we can call right at five wherever we are?”

I smiled, “Okay.”

She stood, “I’ll wait for you in the sitting room.”

“I won’t be too long!” I reassured her.

Standing up, I walked to the enormous closet and found that much of the space was now occupied with outfits similar to those we had picked out the other day. I really just wanted a pair of shortalls or something, but even the most casual of clothes were skirts. I loved dresses, but right then, I really just wanted something comfy…

Sighing, I grabbed an aqua-colored dress that looked to be the most casual thing in the closet. It featured puffy sleeves, a smocked bodice, and a flared skirt. I wondered if it would make me look younger but decided I didn’t care. I removed my current dress from my head and replaced it with the new one. An extensive set of mirrors reflected a cute girl with an astonishing case of bedhead! I folded the other dress neatly and wondered if there was a hamper or somewhere for me to leave it in.

As I left the closet, I heard in gentle French, “I’ll take that, Your Highness.”

I squealed, not expecting someone else, and turned to see Anna. I blushed and felt more than a bit nervous. “Umm… Thank you, Miss Anna.”

“Just Anna, Your Highness.”

“Can you just call me Allie then?”

She shook her head, “Your Highness, that wouldn’t be proper.”

I sighed, “That’s going to get really old.”

She looked at me momentarily but sighed, “I do apologize for sending you over the edge earlier… I forgot myself and the fact that you’ve been through a lot these past few days.”

I looked at a face that seemed genuinely apologetic. “Thanks, I appreciate the apology… I apologize if I seemed rude running off.”

“Would you like a hand with your hair?” She asked.

I looked at her and caught a glimpse of my head in the mirror again. “As long as you can be quick?” I added, “Madame Lavigne is waiting to take a tour with me?”

“Of course, Your Highness! Have a seat at your vanity.”

I followed her directed hand and sat down. She was soon swiftly pulling a brush through my hair. Her touch was gentle, and she was quite adept with quickly styling my hair to the loose new style I had been given just a few days before.

“Does that work for you, Princess?”

I nodded, “Thank you… I appreciate it.”

I looked at the girl in the mirror and hated how sad she looked. ‘At least my hair looks okay…’

“Would you like some jewelry?” She asked me.

I shrugged, “We’re just going to see the rest of the castle grounds… Do I always have to be dressed up like I’m going to a ball?”

Looking at her, I saw a smile, “No, Your Highness, you do not always have to look like you’re going to a ball. I would recommend a necklace, at least?”

I nodded, “I guess you’re right…” I told her.

“Let’s see what’s in the cabinet?” she suggested gently.

“Cabinet?”

“I keep forgetting how new this is for you. Perhaps we should schedule a tour of your bedroom and personal spaces so you’ll feel more at home,” she half said to herself.

I stood and followed her back into the closet to an area I had somehow overlooked. The section of the closet had a series of small flat drawers with another set of cabinet doors above it. She pressed a combination into a small touch-screen display and pulled it open. I felt my breath catch as I realized it was a jewelry box filled with what I guessed were real jewels.

“How about this pendant?” She suggested, handing me what I guessed was a white-gold or silver chain necklace that held a large blue stone.

“Tanzanite?” I asked.

“Yes,” she smiled, “It should look good with that dress.”

I nodded, and she motioned for me to turn around. The chain was fastened around my neck, and I found myself looking in the mirror again. I sighed, “Thank you, Anna. Do you know where my purse and my phone went? And maybe when the rest of my stuff will be delivered?”

“You’ll have everything else put away in your chambers here when you return from dinner. We wanted to ensure your clothes were clean and pressed and everything is just right for you, Your Highness.”

I grimaced, “Thanks…”

“I’m sure Madame Lavigne is waiting?” She suggested. “Your purse is right over there,” she said, guiding me out of my room and back to the sitting room.

“Thank you,” I told her. She led me back down the hallway where Madame Lavigne waited.

I took just a second to be sure my phone had a signal and battery, and I was relieved it did!

“Ready to explore?” she asked me.

I nodded, “Sure,” I told her. “Let’s avoid getting lost…?”

She laughed at that.

I generally had a pretty good sense of direction, and the two of us found our way down the halls to leave the private residence. As we reached the door, a security guard said, “One moment, please, Your Highness. We need to get an escort for you.”

I looked at him, “Is that necessary?”

He looked nervous, “Umm…”

“Yes, it is, Your Highness; it wouldn’t be proper for you to be unescorted where you may encounter others.” Madame Lavigne told me.

I sighed and stood patiently for just a moment until two tall men in their twenties joined us. They were dressed in suits like Secret Service members, and I couldn’t help but shake my head. “May we go now?” Madame Lavigne asked.

“Yes, Ma’am. Is there someplace, in particular, you two would like to go explore?”

She looked at me, “Your Highness?”

I shrugged, “I saw the ground floor earlier… is there anything else on this level or the others I should see?” I looked at one of the men.

He looked a little taken aback at being asked the question. The man stationed in the hallway cleared his throat. “Well, this wing has the theater, bowling alley, and arcade upstairs.”

“Theater?” I asked.

“Yes, Your Highness. Just after your family moved back into the castle at the end of World War II, they added the theater and the bowling alley. Your grandfather added the arcade when your father was a boy.”

“Would you be willing to join us on this tour?” I asked the man. “May I have your name, please?”

He smiled, “I am Fernando Teresi, Your Highness. I would be happy to join you all, but please give me a moment to get someone to relieve me here.”

“Of course, Monsieur Teresi,” I said.

It was a few more minutes of awkwardly standing there before another gentleman appeared, and we were soon led down the corridor toward the main staircase. “So originally, the upstairs area of this part of the castle would have been for servants’ quarters. When they moved the King and Queen’s quarters to this part of the castle, these new leisure facilities were added. It was done secretly at the time as they didn’t want to have a lot of negative press about it.” He explained as we climbed a new staircase. Another door marked ‘no entry,’ and he led us past a few security officers standing guard.

We walked down a long hallway before turning and going through another door. My eyes widened at the sight of the enormous room before me! Three bowling lanes took up the most significant amount of space. Still, one of the walls was entirely covered with one arcade machine after another. There were even a couple of ski ball units, foosball, table hockey, and table tennis tables nearby. A full bar with multiple TV screens occupied an area nearest the door.

“This is like a personal Dave and Busters,” I couldn’t help but exclaim.

Monsieur Teresi laughed, “Yes, it is. Your father was gracious enough to allow staff members to use the space, so don’t be surprised if you come in and occasionally see some families here.”

“That makes sense; why waste all of this on a couple of people…?”

He looked at me as if he agreed. “Do you want to bowl for a bit?”

I shook my head, “No, thank you unless you want to, Madame Lavigne?”

She smiled wryly, “I’ve never been good at it, and I don’t feel like throwing my back out today!”

“Well then, would you keep leading us on?” I asked him

“Of course, Your Highness,” he said to me.

At my sigh, Madame Lavigne placed her hand on my back and squeezed gently. He led us through the rest of the ‘leisure’ area in the same wing. A large dance studio with walls of mirrors and a barre bar made it clear that some of the past inhabitants had been dancers. Acoustically, the room seemed like it might also be a good practice spot for me if I could ever get another clarinet. Further down the hall was a small theater that looked like some of the nicer dinner theater options that had opened up back home recently. A couple dozen comfortably padded recliners sat beneath a giant screen. I was informed that both film and newer digital projectors, along with a large vault of films from the thirties to the present, were available. At the mention of an archive of old film reels, Madame Lavigne seemed intrigued and was promised an introduction to the man responsible for the archives so she could visit the vault.

Eventually, he walked us through the next level, which was guest rooms, before showing us an anachronistic elevator. We went down to the ground floor on it. A briefer tour for Madame Lavigne was given there before we were led out the back to the vast gardens behind the chateau.

It was hard to believe for me that this was a scene from real life. A considerable gravity-fed fountain sprayed water right behind the castle. I was told it dated back to the late 1700s. Beyond it was a grid of walks and grassy areas. Apparently, due to my arrival, they had closed the grounds to visitors that day. Still, I was told it was usually filled with tourists and visiting locals eating picnic lunches. It was peaceful, and I soon found myself walking ahead of our security detail with Madame Lavigne next to an area with carefully pruned and shaped shrubs.

“So, we’ve seen the chateau and learned about it some… how about you tell me something about you?” She said in a calm voice.

I shrugged, “Besides the instant princess thing? Father died before I ever met him? My Mom is in the hospital after an assassination attempt? My life has suddenly gotten pretty complicated.”

I looked in my purse suddenly and saw I still had twenty minutes until I could call Mom.

“I’ll remind you,” she told me soothingly. “Yes, I mean besides those very traumatic things. If I’m going to be working with you, I want to know more about you as a person. Who are your friends back home?”

I felt a tear trying to climb from my eye, but I forced myself to not bawl like a baby for a second time that day. “My best friend is Ellie… She’s like the greatest person in the world. She has always stood by me; we’ve been BFFs since we were little. I have some other friends, but she’s really the main person I did things with. She knew the… real me… for years.” I said cryptically.

“Dating?”

I laughed, “No, more like sisters. I’m not ready to date yet,” I told her.

She raised her eyebrow at that, “I’m sure your grandmother and mom will appreciate that as long as it lasts!”

I giggled, “I’m sure they will.”

“So, what do you do for fun?”

I shrugged, “I like swimming at Ellie’s house in the summer. We usually go shopping or hang out most summer days while our parents are at work.”

“Hobbies?”

“I like playing music. I learned piano from when I was little, and a few years ago, I started on clarinet in band.”

“I’d love to hear you play sometime!”

“Me too…” I said sadly. “Unfortunately, my clarinet was burned up in the fire…”

She gave me a gentle sideways hug. Although I usually don’t get along with strangers, this amiable and motherly woman made me feel comfortable with her.

“How about you?” I asked her. “Married? Kids?”

She smiled down at me, “I was, but Winston passed away about ten years ago. I never had kids of my own though due to some problems as a teenager…”

“I’m sorry,” I told her.

She smiled, “Well, in any case, my students became my kids, so to speak. Your father was one of those I looked after and considered my own son.”

“What was he like?” I asked.

“Well… I guess he was a typical boy in a lot of ways. He loved playing football - soccer to you Americans - he studied fencing well enough he could probably have done well in the Olympics, and he was the most well-read student I ever had.”

“He sounds like someone I would have gotten along with if he liked books…”

“I’m sure you would have. It’s a shame you never met him.”

I was about to ask her another question when she said, “Why don’t we head inside and find a room where you can talk to your mother?” Looking at the time, I agreed. When I told our escort what I needed to do, our he led me back upstairs to my rooms, with Madame Lavigne promising to meet me for dinner. I sat on the couch in our shared receiving room and dialed Mom’s phone.

“Hello?” I heard Mom’s tired voice.

“Mommy?”

“Allie!” I could hear the smile in her voice. “You made it okay?”

I found myself nodding, “Uh-huh… this place is crazy though!”

“Tell me about it?”

Mom and I talked for a half hour before I could tell she was getting tired. “Mom, you sound tired…?”

“Surgery takes energy right out of you,” she told me. “And this wasn’t an everyday surgery. They told me it’ll probably be a few weeks before I begin having real energy again.”

“Well, why don’t you get some sleep then?” I suggested. “I’ll call again before bed tonight if I can. I love you, Mommy.”

“I love you too, sweetie! In case I don’t talk to you later, good night.”

I pressed the red button to end the call and felt more tears down my face. Then I realized I had an audience, my grandmother had entered the room. “Sorry, Grandma, I didn’t see you there…” I stood up and tried to hide the tears.

She magically produced a tissue as she walked over and put her arms around me. “It’s okay…” she reassured me. She just held me quietly for several minutes. Several hours later, we had dinner in her small personal dining room, joined by Madame Lavigne. Some staff served us, but we were mostly left to talk alone. Madame Lavigne and my grandmother led the conversation for most of the meal. I was too tired and depressed to really engage much. Eventually, I excused myself from the table and went to my room.

I found the maids had been at work, and my computer and iPad were waiting on the counter of my vanity. On my bed, I saw that the bear mom had given me before we left and the tiger Ellie had given me was cuddled up to my replacement doll, which I had named Jenny. I was just about to crawl into the bed to cuddle them when Anna appeared.

“Your Highness, would you like to take a bath tonight?”

I looked at the clock and realized it was nine in the evening. “Maybe tomorrow? I’ll just shower in the morning?” I suggested to her. “I’m so tired I just want to crawl into bed.”

“I can understand that completely; you must be exhausted even with your earlier nap.”

I nodded. “Where are my pajamas?”

She led me to the huge closet, which now contained all of the clothes the staff had assembled after the fire, along with more everyday essentials. A selection of nightgowns was presently hanging in one section of the closet. “Do I have any actual pajamas?”

“Begging your pardon, Your Highness, but a nightgown is normal?”

I shook my head, “I don’t mind them… but I really like real pajamas… maybe a shorts and cami set?”

“You’re going to have to do some more shopping for clothes, I’m afraid…” she told me.

I sighed, “Okay… I’ll talk with Grandma about it tomorrow, I guess.” I picked a purple nightgown randomly and quickly realized it was almost too long for me as I pulled it on. Anna seemed to be controlling a giggle as I walked out.

“I thought they had my measurements…?”

“I think they forgot to hem it…”

I sighed and moved towards the vanity, where my hairbrush was sitting. “Your Highness, may I?” she asked while motioning to the seat.

I sighed but nodded. Anna took the brush from me and began brushing out my hair before putting it into a loose sleep braid. “Face, teeth, and bed?” she suggested.

I tried not to bite her head off, “I know.”

I walked to the bathroom, where I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and used the bathroom one last time before remembering the necklace I was wearing. I carefully removed it and walked back out, intending to put it away myself. “I can take care of that,” Giselle said, suddenly appearing.

I sighed, “I can put my own things away?”

“It’s our job, Your Highness,” she said gently. I passed it over to her and saw Anna beside the turned-down bed. She moved my doll to a nearby nightstand while leaving the bear and the tiger beside my pillow.

“Come on, Your Highness, it’s definitely time for you to get some sleep. You need to take these first,” Anna said.

I sighed and walked over to where she handed me two pills. One was my allergy medicine, and the other was the blocker the doctor had prescribed. I smiled as I took them and set the glass down on the nightstand next to Jenny. I climbed onto the tall bed and allowed her to tuck me in. I thought about something I had told my mom a few days before. “My mom was acting kind of like this the other day. I’m going to tell you the same thing, if you’re going to treat me this much like a little girl, I should at least get a bedtime story…” I tried to make light of my feelings, even as I just wanted to burst into tears thinking of her still in the hospital.

Anna smiled gracefully, then said, “Well, I’ll see what we can do about that. I’ll be in to wake you up in the morning, Your Highness. Good night.”

I read 9:45 on a digital clock, rolled onto my stomach, and cuddled the tiger Ellie had given me. “Guess I should name you, huh?”

I didn’t think much of it, though, as I fell off to sleep quickly in the comfortable bed.

Royal Performer - Chapter 4

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 4: Rude Awakenings

I FELT A hand rub my shoulder, “Your Highness, it’s time to wake up,” a voice said.

“Huh…?” I said, feeling a wet patch on the pillow from drooling embarrassingly.

I turned over and saw Anna looking down at me. “Come on, Your Highness, you have a big couple of days here.”

My body just wanted to go back to sleep. “What time is it?” I sleepily asked.

“Five in the morning.”

“Five in the morning?!? Let me go back to sleep,” I said, turning back over.

She sighed, “Your Highness, you need to get out of bed. We can do this the nice way or the hard way…”

I tried rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I lay face down. Apparently, that wasn’t moving fast enough as I felt the covers pulled from on top of me, and fingers began tickling me.

“Noooo!!!” I cried out, “I’ll get up,” while suddenly needing the bathroom!

She let up, and I bolted for the bathroom to pee, nearly tripping over the too long gown along the way! I saw there was a bra and a pair of panties sitting on the counter, along with a towel hanging on a bar by the shower. After using the bathroom, I took my nightgown off and tried deciphering the foreign shower. The only controls were on a futuristic touch panel below the main shower nozzle, which displayed forty degrees. ‘That’s a cold shower…’ I thought for a second before reminding myself I was in Europe. ‘Why don’t I ever remember that conversion from Fahrenheit…?’ I griped to myself. I shrugged and pressed ‘on’ and watched water blast from a nozzle above the panel, six in front of the panel, and six from the side of the wall at the door I stood at. I jumped as my hand got wet, but relaxed when I realized the temperature was just about perfect!

I climbed into the shower and found my regular shampoo, conditioner, and a familiar-looking body wash, which I could use with a loofa that was left for me. I could have stood there for an hour or more and not cared to get out, but a persistent knocking at the door made me realize I was taking longer than my minders wanted me to.

I sighed, turned the water off, dried my body, and wrapped my hair in a towel I found beside the sink. I picked up the underwear and discovered a gaff concealed beneath the panties. I pulled it on first and then covered it with a purple pair of hipster panties that matched the bra I quickly pulled on. I brushed my teeth and then realized I didn’t have anything besides the underwear and a robe to wear right then. I pulled the robe on and discovered Anna had already made the bed and was waiting for me.

“Your Highness, we need to get you moving faster in the mornings from now on!”

“I didn’t know I had anything scheduled today?” I glared at her. “More importantly, I am not a morning person. Let me figure out what I’m wearing and then finish getting ready. I just flew on a plane here yesterday after leaving my mother in the hospital!!!”

A part of me worried the look she gave me was a sign Anna was going to show me that abusive threat she’d made to me the day before, but instead, she sighed, “I’m sorry, Your Highness; I guess no one told you, the plan for today. Please pick something to wear quickly, I’ll do your hair, and then we need to get you to breakfast with Her Majesty very quickly. You are supposed to meet for breakfast in ten minutes!”

“I’ll do my best,” I told her curtly, walking into the huge closet.

I looked around at the dresses, dresses, and more dresses. A week ago, this was a complete dream come true, but I didn’t like having zero options I had chosen! I was not happy since I never liked mornings, but dealing with Anna did not help. I’d previously heard red was a ‘power’ color and zeroed in on a section of the closet in reds. A short-sleeved dress hung there with a smocked bodice and flared-out skirt. The sleeves puffed out a bit and would end high on my arms. With a sigh, I pulled it over my head and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

It definitely wasn’t some seductive red form-fitted sheath dress. No, my youthful appearance felt like it was emphasized. My tiny bra only barely pushed out the fabric on my bust enough to make me look like a tween. I liked how the dress ended just above my knee, keeping things clearly covered below.

‘I could wait in here a bit to piss Anna off more…’ I mused but moved towards a wall of shoes and picked out a set of white strappy sandals with just a slight heel to them. I carried them to my bedroom, where Anna held a hairbrush beside my vanity.

“That looks cute on you,” she said. I could tell there was a lingering annoyance in her attitude, but I didn’t care.

“Thank you,” I told her as I swept the skirt beneath me and sat down. I contorted myself to put on the sandals as she worked on blow-drying and brushing my hair.

“If you give me more time in the future, I can make this look much nicer!” She grumbled.

“If you can give me a schedule and let me know what time you need me out of the shower, I can give you more time,” I told her.

“I am sorry, Your Highness…”

“I promise I’m not a stuck-up spoiled brat if that’s what you were expecting, but I’m also not a pushover who is going to let you keep constantly being rude to me,” I told her as I stood up and looked up into her face. “I was perfectly happy in my own world as a regular kid a week ago!”

She looked ready to yell at me again when Madame Lavigne knocked and asked, “May I enter Your Highness?”

“Yes!” I said, trying not to shout.

She looked at the two of us squared off to each other and asked, “Is there a problem?”

I stared at her, daring her to declare me the issue.

“No, Madame,” she told her instead. “Her Highness should be ready for the day.”

“Trés bien!” she said with a smile while raising an eyebrow at me.

I sighed, “Yes, let me grab my purse and phone…”

I quickly recovered my phone from where it was charging and grabbed a random purse from the closet to throw it into. “Where are we going?” I asked Madame Lavigne.

“Aren’t you going to give Miss Anna a thank you for her help?”

“Thank you, Anna…” I said with as much sincerity as I could fake. “I appreciate your help with my hair this morning.”

“It’s a start,” she sighed. “We’re meeting your Grandmother in her receiving room.”

I followed her down the hallway, through our shared space, and into the ‘small’ room that made up a dining room and lounge-type area for her. She was seated, dressed perfectly, and drinking a cup of coffee.

“I see you found our errant princess?” Grandma spoke in French.

“Yes, I did.” Madame Lavigne continued in French as well.

“I’m sorry, Grandma. No one has given me a schedule or a wake-up time.” I complained.

She raised an eyebrow, “Anna didn’t deliver that message to you?”

“No…” I told her. “It would certainly have… lowered tensions this morning if she had.”

“I will speak with her about that later.”

A part of me felt slightly guilty about dropping her in it, but I didn’t care right then. A uniformed staff member appeared right then, gathering a cart from a dumbwaiter, and served us a small buffet of breakfast meats, crepes, and fruit. I only took one crepe and a bit of fruit after deciding I would get fat if I didn’t restrain myself!

During breakfast, Grandma and Madame Lavigne made some small talk about their hobbies. Apparently, Grandma was quite the accomplished gardener, having contributed several custom rose breeds over the years on the castle grounds. I learned that she kept a greenhouse where she experimented with cross-pollinating the flowers at one of the other estates on a neighboring island.

Madame Lavigne informed us that she was more into dance and, even at her age, kept up a practice schedule and had been teaching ballet up until her retirement. Upon hearing this revelation, Grandma asked, “Will you teach Alexandria some basics while you are here?” She paused, “It would be more efficient than hiring another instructor?”

“It would be a pleasure, Your Majesty,” she said with a smile before looking at me nursing a second cup of coffee I’d managed to get from a staff member. “Well, Your Highness, are you ready to get to work today?”

I shrugged, “What are we doing today?”

“First of all, a princess never shrugs,” Grandma admonished me, “and second, you will say, ‘Oui, Madame,’ when asked such a question, not question Madame Lavigne.”

I sighed quietly, “Oui, Madame.” Mom would probably have chewed me out for that, too.

“Then let’s be off. Thank you for a superb breakfast this morning, Your Majesty,” she said to her. I noted that Grandma stood first, and I followed when Lavigne stood.

“You’re most welcome. We’ll have to do it again sometime.” Grandma turned to me. “You will do everything that she asks you to do. Today and possibly tomorrow, she needs to figure out what you know to develop a plan to prepare you. I’ll see you for supper this evening.”

With that, she turned and left the room, her assistant Geneva appearing seemingly from nowhere and chattering with her as she walked down the hallway. I felt my limited lifeline of comfort disappear before hearing a “Shall we?” beside me.

I nodded and was led down the hallway to my father’s former office and library. I saw a laptop on the desk before an oversized desk chair. Beside the desk was a smaller table that seemed a new addition. Another smaller rolling chair sat in front of it, with another laptop present. I felt a hand touch my shoulder. “Right now, if it is okay with you, I will take the bigger chair. It’s going to be a long day for both of us.”

“Umm… okay?” I told her.

She sighed, “Umm…? That will have to come out of your vocabulary, Your Highness. If you don’t know what to say, just stay silent and think it through. Never should a young woman of your stature use that word.”

I wanted to give a clever retort, but instead silently sighed within my head and said, “Oui, Madame.”

She had the grace to smile at the learned lesson. “I don’t mean to offend you, Your Highness, but American schools are not well thought of in the circles you are now a part of. We need to establish where you have your deficits and devise a plan to fix them. So, today, we’re going to be working through what knowledge you have with some typical diagnostic tests. They each have time limits, but if you complete one early, you will go straight onto the next one.”

“Pardon me, Madame?” I asked.

She nodded for me to continue.

“First, you’re going to be working with me all the time?”

“For at least the summer months.”

“Then, when we’re alone like this, would you please just call me Allie? Especially if you’re going to be teaching me…?”

She looked thoughtful, “I thought it might help you get used to the titles?”

“Believe me, I’ll never get used to that! But… I’m just a fifteen-year-old girl. Would you have used my title if I was a student at your school?”

She looked at me for a moment before shaking her head, “Not in most instances.” She stayed still for a moment before nodding, “Okay… Allie… I will call you that, but only when we are alone, and you are being taught as a student.”

“Thank you very much!” I told her emphatically and impulsively gave her a hug.

She gave me a gentle squeeze and motioned me to the chair. She leaned over and pressed a few keys on the laptop, opening a screen to some testing site. It reminded me of the state tests we were stuck taking every spring. Fortunately for me, I was weird and enjoyed those for some strange reason! I got to work on the first test, English…

Royal Performer - Chapter 5

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 5: Dinner Party

I SPENT THE morning working on the English and French tests. Our lunch was brought to my own small dining room, and we resumed with Spanish, which was short for me as I wasn’t as fluent. She moved on to an Italian test. She seemed surprised when I submitted the test ninety minutes later and hadn’t just thrown in the towel in thirty minutes like I did with Spanish.

While she was changing the test to the next one, she asked, “You speak Italian?” in Italian.

I smiled, “Yes, as fluently as I do French.”

She looked thoughtful, “Does your Grandmother know you speak Italian?”

“She never asked?”

She shook her head, “But not Spanish?”

“I never had time to really learn it. I know some just from growing up with friends who speak it, but it doesn’t click as easily as the other two for some reason.”

“Any other languages?”

“Not yet,” I told her.

“Well then, let’s hit math next…”

I groaned at that, earned a rebuke, and started working on a test that seemed to automatically adapt to my level of math knowledge. Algebra was, of course, quite simple for me. The questions moved into Geometry, which I had finished, some more advanced Algebra, and finally, what I assumed was basic Calculus, which I knew I failed miserably because the test ended after three more questions. By this time, it was late in the afternoon.

“How many more tests do I have to take?” I asked as I stretched, and she typed on her own computer.

“Biology, Chemistry, Physics, American History, World History, Art History, Philosophy, and Music Theory since I know you’re a musician.”

My jaw dropped, “Am I going to be doing this for two more days then?”

She shook her head, “Other than the World History test, these other tests are shorter. I’m sure you’ll be done tomorrow or the next day. Plus, we’ll complete two more tonight after dinner.”

I groaned, “I was hoping to be able to call my mom?”

“I’ll make sure we have time for that,” she assured me, “But unless you want to take an extra day for it, it’ll be best just to concentrate on completing these as soon as possible.”

“Sure…” I said, avoiding being sarcastic. I’d made over a dozen comments throughout the day that had gotten me sternly reprimanded by her. Things my mom wouldn’t have even thought to care about seemed to get me into enormous trouble with her. Fortunately, nothing was happening more than her giving me stern warnings, but it was annoying!

“I know it’s not fun, but we really do have to figure out where you are. So far, you’re doing better than I could have hoped.”

“Really?” I asked, slightly encouraged.

“Your language skills alone are almost on par with where I would have expected you to be in my school.”

“Almost…?”

“Allie, you went to an American public school. Their attention to anything but the absolute basics in language, literature, history, and the arts is well known throughout our far more stringent educational circles. It’s a credit to your intelligence, and I assume your mom, that you are not far behind.”

“But I’m behind…?” I asked, both offended and embarrassed.

“My job is to figure out where and catch you up; I told you that this morning. All you have to do is work hard and trust me.”

She walked over to me and gave me a sideways hug. Then, there was a knock on the study’s door.

“Come in?” I said.

Giselle walked in, “Pardon me, Your Highness, Madame,” she curtsied, “but I’m supposed to make sure Princess Alexandria is dressed and ready for dinner tonight?”

“But of course,” Madame Lavigne answered as she smiled down at me. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

I looked at where and how Giselle was standing. ‘She looks as nervous as I am…’ I thought to myself. Her uniform and apron looked as pressed and immaculate as yesterday. I could only imagine that Anna, the harsh taskmaster, would never let it be any other way.

“Your Highness?” She directed me to the door. I sighed but found myself walking down to my bedroom again, wondering what awaited me there.

I half expected an angry Anna in the room, but fortunately for my nerves, she was nowhere to be found just then. “When was the last time you shaved your armpits?” She asked me.

“Pardon…?” I was a little surprised by the intimacy of the question.

“Armpits? The gown you are wearing tonight will not work with hairy armpits?”

“Oh… I don’t really have hair there?” I told her.

“There is some shaving gel in the shower. Even if you only have peach fuzz, you need to shave them. Do your legs as well; I see a few hairs on them. You should have already been doing this several years ago, Your Highness.” She said all of that while pulling a shower cap over my hair.

I blushed, “Okay…?”

I followed her directions and shaved my legs and armpits, and then, just for good measure, my arms as well. There was very little hair on my body that wasn’t completely blonde, but it was all being carried down the drain a little while later. I got out of my second shower of the day and discovered a new pair of panties and a strapless bra waiting on the counter. I pulled the panties on and found these contained a hidden gaff within them. I readjusted everything and fought by fastening the bra for longer than anyone should!

“You okay in there, Your Highness?”

“Yes, Giselle,” I said as I finally latched the hooks. In the mirror, I could see the bra was pretty significantly padded. Still, with my non-existent bustline, it didn’t make me feel any more mature. Without any other warning, she barged in, “Good, then let’s get you dressed and ready! The Queen has some special guests coming to meet you tonight.”

I sighed, “Somehow, I think that’s going to be an every night thing now?”

Giselle had the good grace to ignore my comment and instead led me to where she had a gown hanging that she quickly pulled over my head. The shape of it was pretty simplistic, starting with a band collar and shifting down through a set of cut-in shoulders that flowed to just under my arms.

‘Thus, why she was so paranoid about armpit hair,’ I thought.

The bodice angled in the sides on either side, leading to the front and down to a sweeping floor-length skirt. The dress had a gorgeous ivory fabric, somehow decorated with metallic silver threading, making it look almost like a river of stone patterns. I ran my hands down the unique surface and decided I was happy with this one.

“Have a seat so I may do your hair, Your Highness.” She told me, pointing to the vanity.

With a sigh, I let her get to work. Her hands moved as swiftly as anyone’s I’d ever seen about my hair. Soon, my hair was made of thinner braids that held up a tall bun in which she stuck a pretty set of jeweled hairpins. Sadly, the comb Grandma had given me was in the house when it caught fire, as it would have looked good with my hair!

She made me turn this way and that a moment later as she applied my makeup, distinctly bringing out my eyes with a silver and blue set of eyeshadows that boldly popped from my face. She used a more muted red for my lips before helping me with jewelry, just as Anna appeared.

“You look beautiful, Your Highness,” she told me. “Nicely done, Giselle.”

“Thanks,” I heard myself say, slightly softer than Giselle.

“Let’s get your shoes on, Princess, and then downstairs. The guests and your Grandmother are already waiting for you.”

“I didn’t realize I was late…” I apologized.

“You’re not. Your Grandmother wanted a few minutes to speak with our guests before you arrived tonight. Now, if you don’t get these shoes on quickly, we will be late.”

I hurriedly slipped my feet into the clunky, heeled silver sandals that Giselle held for me. She attached the straps on both shoes, and I steadied myself carefully as I began following Anna from my room. She led me down the hallways to the castle proper, and soon, we were descending onto the ground floor, where I knew we must be meeting with someone special. As we came to the dining hall where I had first shared breakfast with Grandma the day before, a voice announced, “Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandria Leonidas Alessi.”

I blushed as I entered and found the room was thankfully not packed. There were still about a dozen guests present in the room. They had all risen except for Grandma, as I was announced. I gave a polite curtsy that I hoped wasn’t too bad of form and made my way to the empty chair beside Grandma.

“You look beautiful,” she told me quietly as one of the servers placed my napkin in my lap.

“Thank you, so do you,” I told her. I noted again that she wore her crown. ‘I wonder how heavy that thing is…?’ Her dress was similar in texture and color to mine but grander and clearly designed for an older woman.

Once I had sat down, she politely gathered everyone’s attention. “It is my pleasure to welcome you all this evening to dinner to meet my granddaughter. I believe in the importance of the arts in our society, and I believe we all can work to benefit each other’s endeavors.”

A chorus of raised glasses followed, and dinner began to be served. “Princess Alexandria,” Grandma said to me, “This is Maestro Bevins, the conductor of the Osané National Symphony.”

I looked respectfully at the lanky man, who was about fifty or so. He wore narrow-framed glasses and looked at me with a wide smile. “A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness,” he told me.

“You as well,” I told him with a smile. “Grandma has said some very nice things about your symphony. I look forward to seeing a concert at some point.”

“I’ll ensure you have the best box seat when you do.” He smiled.

To my right, a stockier gentleman said, “Good evening, Your Highness. I’m Gerard Dubois, the principal clarinetist for the symphony.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” I told him, getting more excited about the guests apparently being musicians. “I play clarinet too… certainly not as well as you do, I’m sure, though!”

He laughed, “You’re young yet,” he told me.

Dinner continued on as I learned the Concert Master for the orchestra, as well as a few other arts figures from the island nation, had been invited to this dinner. And, of course, the dinner itself was exquisite! The seven-course meal explored soups, fish, rabbit, pastries, and a light salad. I did my best to only enjoy a few bites from each plate, so I didn’t overfill my body. Still, when a chocolate ganache tart came out, covered in strawberries, I lost my willpower to follow that plan.

Grandma gave me a look a few minutes later, which made me worried I had broken some rule. “So chocolate, that’s your weakness?” She smiled at me.

Maestro Bevins heard her and laughed heartily, “My wife and daughters are the same!”

I blushed, “It was delicious.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” I nearly jumped out of my seat as the voice of Chef Dufort suddenly beside me.

“The meal was amazing,” I told him with a smile.

“Beautiful words to a chef from a beautiful princess,” he told me with a smile. “It was to all of your liking?” He asked the table.

Nods and groans of gluttonous consequences sounded down the table. “Very good; please let any of the staff know if you desire anything else this evening!”

He disappeared, and I noted Grandma placing her napkin on the table. “Well, I do believe it looks like everyone has finished. How about we adjourn to the Music Room?”

Royal Performer - Chapter 6

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 6: Replacement

AS SHE STOOD, so did everyone else. She held her hand out to me, and I gripped it lightly as she led the way to the room. I noted that someone had removed the barricades from the room, which no longer appeared to be a museum exhibit. An ornate table with a velvet cloth lay near the piano that hadn’t been there before. Laying on it were…

“Clarinets…?” I asked.

“You mentioned that one of the saddest things for you was losing your clarinet, so I asked some friends to help see what we could find.” She smiled at me.

I walked over to the table and noticed that the famous maker from Paris was the brand. Amazingly, there were a variety of woods, and all of them featured extra keys that I knew were only on clarinets, double the price of the one Mom had bought me.

“May I?” I asked Grandma.

She laughed and pointed at a man, “You should ask Monsieur Bois; he’s the one who brought them here for you to try.”

“May I?” I asked him.

His eyes twinkled, “I would be deeply offended if you didn’t. I’m sorry to hear of the loss of your instrument, but I hope one of these will work for you?”

“I can’t imagine them not… They’re amazing!” I said.

He presented me with a few mouthpieces, one of which was like my old mouthpiece, so I used it. Assembling the reed and the mouthpiece, I picked up the first clarinet with lighter-colored wood than I had ever seen before. “What kind of wood is this?” I asked him.

“It’s called Mopane, Your Highness. It’s an African hardwood that gives a bit more mellow sound but projects very nicely. I think you’ll probably enjoy it.”

Gerard Dubois and Maestro Bevins were both hanging nearby. I began by playing a chromatic scale and exploring the additional keys that had been added. I moved on to several etudes I’d had to play the previous year. Then, I played the solo I had done by memory for the Solo and Ensemble at State about a week before.

I did that for each one as guests except the two musicians, Monsieur Bois and Grandma, who all began making their polite exits. Sixteen clarinets became four…, and then I was down to two. I looked at Dubois, “Which one sounds better to you?”

He laughed, “They all sound fantastic, but I think that the Mopane you’re holding right now is the best for you.”

I looked at it and agreed, “This really is an amazing instrument.” I said to him.

“I hope you will enjoy it for many years to come!” He told me.

“You mean it’s mine?”

“Why ever would he have come with these instruments if we weren’t going to keep one,” Grandma smiled at me.

“Thank you!” I told her and embraced her. I shook his hand and watched as he placed my new clarinet in a case and handed it to me.

“I do believe you possess a fair amount of talent, Your Highness,” Maestro Bevins told me.

“I’m okay,” I told him, “I missed being an All-Stater last year by a chair…”

“You are from a very competitive state back where you grew up,” Dubois said. “That’s no small feat! If Her Majesty is amenable to it, would you perhaps be open to some lessons with me, and we’ll see where we can get you?”

“Really?” I asked.

“Really,” he said. “I can tell you would be an excellent student!”

“And you’re already quite accomplished,” Maestro Bevins told me. “What would you think about doing a concerto with the symphony next summer?”

My eyes widened, “me…?”

He laughed, “The audience will love seeing their Princess up there, and maybe it’ll inspire many young musicians to follow in your steps?”

I nodded, “I would love to!” I turned to Dubois, “Providing you can make sure I don’t make a fool of myself?”

“I don’t think that will be a problem,” he told me.

Everyone took their leave, and I carried my new clarinet up to my quarters and found Madame Lavigne waiting for me. I cringed when I remembered I was supposed to take more tests after dinner.

“Sorry that took so long…” I told her.

“No worries, that couldn’t be helped. It’s late - why don’t you plan on getting some sleep, and we’ll start again tomorrow? You should have some time to call your mother then, too?”

I gratefully accepted that proclamation and headed to my room to find my phone still charging on my vanity. I saw some messages from Ellie and quickly sent her: ‘I’ll chat with you after I call Mom. ‘

Finding ‘Mom’ on my favorites, I pressed her to FaceTime, hoping she would pick up. I needn’t have worried, though, because she picked up by the second ring.

“Allie?” I saw Mom, heard her voice, and tried not to start crying immediately. From what I could see, she looked a little better in color.

“Mom! Are you still doing okay?”

“Much better, sweetheart. They told me that they’re planning to move me out of the ICU tomorrow.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, “Good!”

“So, how are you doing? That dress looks beautiful! How is being a princess so far?” she rattled off, clearly as anxious to hear about me as I was about her.

I sighed again and opened my heart to her about everything that day. I told her about Anna’s threats.

“If she does anything, you let me know! I won’t have anyone hitting my baby girl!” She made a fist with her good arm and then grimaced as she must have moved wrong.

I smiled and winced at the same time.

I needed to change the subject, “I told Grandma how my clarinet was lost in the fire…”

“Oh? What did she say? I can only imagine how many things we will have to replace… Thank God most of the pictures I took of you growing up are in cloud storage!”

I grimaced at the many embarrassing baby photos that sadly weren’t eliminated in the fire!

“Well, I’m quickly figuring out she has an over-the-top response for any problem…” I told her about getting to try out all of the clarinets tonight and picking out my favorite. “It’s so pretty! And it sounds beautiful!!! I can’t imagine taking it to school, though… Definitely not outside for marching band.”

“Well… I think we both know that you coming back to your old high school probably isn’t happening now, right?”

I felt tears run down my face and nodded.

“Don’t cry, Sweetie; remember you would have been there for only three more years, right? Then you would have been going away to college.”

“I know that, Mom, but… ugh… It’s so hard to imagine not being with Ellie? I didn’t have a lot of friends, but she’s my BFF.”

“Who knows what will happen,” she told me. Right then, a nurse came in and started talking to her as Mom sat the phone down to where all I could see was blankets for a moment. “I need to go so they can start doing some sort of physical therapy. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I love you,” she told me.

“Love you too, Mommy,” I said, once again reverting to what I had called her when I was much younger.

As I pressed the red button to end our chat, I burst into sobs for several minutes.

I was just wiping my tears away and had control of myself when Ellie’s picture appeared on my phone. I smiled and swiped to answer, “Hi, Ellie,” I told her.

“Hi Allie… have you been crying?” she asked me.

I groaned but nodded, “Sorry, I was just talking to Mom.”

“Is she okay?” Ellie asked worriedly.

I nodded, “Yes, I just miss her!” I breathed, “and you… and a house that’s no longer standing…”

“I’m sorry Allie… Every time I look next door, it hurts. I miss you so much!” she told me.

“I miss you too,” I told her back.

“So… what have you been doing? How was flying in your own private jet?”

“It’s Grandma’s…”

“In other words, it’ll be yours someday!”

I shook my head, “One thing at a time…” I told her. “Today began with dealing with my ‘ladies maids,’ being a pain in the butt. Almost literally…” I found myself telling her about Anna and Madame Lavigne.

“I can’t believe you have a governess… Aren’t they like meant to be for little kids who grew up old enough not to need a nanny?”

I shrugged. “I got the impression from several people that age-wise, I probably am too old for one. She’s not the worst so far,” I told her.

“And you look young enough. I guess it could be normal…” Ellie smirked at me.

I stuck my tongue out at her, then, “I can’t help my height and the fact the boob fairy hasn’t visited yet.”

“That’s a pretty gown you’re wearing!” She told me. “Stand up and let me see it?”

I stood and held the phone out so she could see the whole dress. “It is, I wouldn’t mind changing into something comfortable, but that doesn’t really exist in my wardrobe. I have so got to go shopping for normal clothes!!!! At least some pajamas!”

She nodded, “Why’d you have to get all dressed up tonight?”

“I told Grandma about my new clarinet being in the house…”

“And that made you get dressed up?”

I laughed, “No, the people she brought for dinner did that. The conductor of the Osané National Symphony and the principal clarinetist were there. She also brought in some bigwig from the company in France that makes the clarinets I like. After dinner, she walked us all to the Music Room, and there were like twenty-plus clarinets for me to try out!!!”

“That’s awesome!” she told me. “So, did you pick one out? How much was it?”

“I picked this one,” I told her, grabbing the case, opening it up, and showing her.

“That’s pretty!!!” She told me.

“I know, right? I can’t believe it has gold for some of its key posts. I can’t wait to practice it some more. I’m going to be taking lessons with that clarinet player that was here tonight,” I told her. “Oh, and the conductor is kind of crazy; he wants me to do a concerto with the symphony next summer!”

She squealed a bit about that, too, and we kept talking for another thirty minutes when there was a knock on the door. “Umm… come in?” I said, sitting up.

Anna walked in, and I found myself grimacing at seeing her. “Pardon me, Your Highness, but you have an early morning tomorrow. I recommend you get some sleep here soon?”

“Sleep?” I heard Ellie say.

“It’s like ten over here,” I told her. I groaned, “I’ll let you go, Ellie, I don’t want to fight her on this.”

“Umm… okay,” she told me. “Talk to you again tomorrow, I hope!”

“Bye,” I told her and hung up.

“That was very reasonable of you, Your Highness,” Anna practically crowed.

I glared at her, “Why did you expect me not to be? Other than the fact I never go to bed this early in the summer at home?” I shook my head, “I don’t know what your problem is, but again, if you tell me what is coming, I’m more than happy to be ‘reasonable,’” I said. I stood up and walked to my closet. I was annoyed again that all that was available were nightgowns, but I found one that looked okay and closed the door on her as I walked into the bathroom.

Washing my face, brushing my teeth, and caring for everything took a good fifteen minutes. I spent the time hoping Anna would be gone when I returned but was sadly greeted with her face still there. “So, what time do you need me out of the shower tomorrow?” I asked her.

“We need to be at breakfast with your grandmother at seven.”

“Wake me up at five then,” I told her as I quickly finished with my phone and placed it to charge. I climbed into the comfy bed and pulled the covers over my head. She turned out the lights and left with a “Good night, Your Highness.”

‘How long do I have to put up with her…?’ I couldn’t help but wonder. ‘She’s such a witch!’

Royal Performer - Chapter 7

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 7: Deals

THE NEXT MORNING, the alarm I had sneakily set for 4:55 a.m. woke me up instead of Anna’s annoying presence. I refused to be woken up by her again!

Apparently, that was an unexpected move, as when I came out of the bathroom in my robe a while later, she looked perplexed. “Did you not sleep last night?”

I shook my head, “I did; however, I set an alarm so I wouldn’t have to be woken up by you. I told you yesterday I am not a morning person.”

She had the good grace to look slightly pensive then, “Your Highness, I’m sorry if we got off on the wrong foot…”

“I’m sorry for that too, but to be fair, you started it by threatening to hit me. By the way, I told my mom about that threat - I would stay out of her way when she comes in a few weeks.”

She looked surprised by that, “Surely she understands discipline.”

“She does, which is why she has never spanked me or hit me. We don’t live in the past anymore in our house. Now, what am I supposed to wear today?” I said, moving on.

She dropped her mouth momentarily before showing me the day’s dress. It was almost a casual blue sleeveless dress with a dot print of darker, tiny blue flowers. It came to just above my knees and was reasonably full flair at the bottom of the skirt. It seemed a bit ‘old’ to me, and one touch of the fabric proved it was also probably way too expensive. ‘I would have killed to have been dressed in this openly a week ago…’ I thought, ‘It would be nice to have some other options, though. Ellie would be laughing her head off at me…’ I didn’t feel like battling Anna’s choice that morning, so I smiled and let her get on with the rest of getting me ready.

Fortunately, the rest of the time preparing me for my day went quickly and without any incidents with Anna. My hair was at least a more casual down style for the day. I only wore a simple pendant necklace and a golden tennis bracelet with what I feared probably were real, natural diamonds. A purse that matched was thrust at me before joining Grandmother for breakfast.

Whereas she had taken her time, and it had been a pretty relaxed meal the day before, that day, she seemed in a hurry to go on about her day. She departed before I was done, and only Madame Lavigne and the staff were there to keep me company. “So, more tests today?” I asked her.

“And possibly tomorrow since you couldn’t take the others last night.”

I groaned, “How did I do on the first ones?”

“I’ll tell you when you finish all of them,” she smiled at me.

Right then, I got chilled, my arms and legs bare. “Umm…” Madame gave me a stern look. “Sorry, may I be excused to grab a sweater or something to wear over my arms? I’m going to be freezing while taking these tests today.”

“Why not put on something a bit more comfortable while you’re at it?” She suggested.

I laughed, “Because all my clothes were burned in the house fire… They gave me a pair of yoga pants to get home from the hospital, but I haven’t seen them since.”

“Why don’t I come to see what you have to work with?” She suggested.

Thinking it was embarrassing to have a teacher figure go to your room with you, I blushed but nodded. “Okay.”

She followed me back to my room, which she’d been in only briefly before. I opened the closet, and she said, “My goodness! This is quite the closet!”

“Apparently, Her Majesty’s is even bigger, she said?” I shook my head. She gently thumbed through racks as I dug through hidden drawer panels.

There were jewels galore, fine underwear, even a whole drawer of jeweled hair ties… But I’d just about given up on anything warmer when I finally found some shawls hanging beside the final drawer. “Guess this is it,” I said, finding a white one that would be okay with the blue dress.

“For now… How about we extend the tests to a third day after this morning. We’ll go play tourist and find you some casual clothes? I can understand anytime you’re going to be out and about needing to be dressed properly, but in your own chambers, you should be able to be more comfortable. Plus, your grandmother asked me to include some ballet in your training. For that, we’ll need to get you some tights and a leotard.”

I blushed and was excited about participating in a childhood dream there.

“Deal!” I said.
 

THAT MORNING, I felt like my head had been through a blender as she thrust science tests of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics at me one after another. I had some foundations for those subjects in middle school, but as a freshman, I only took biology. That meant that, within that test, I wasn’t hopeless. Still, my brain hurt when I thought of the ordering of creatures, homeostasis, Krebs cycles, cell structures, and genetics. Some of the concepts had only been given an overview in our freshmen classes because there was an AP class we were supposed to take later in the sequence.

Chemistry was mainly a dud. While I knew about the periodic table and could probably make good guesses on some limited questions, the test moved on to something called stoichiometry, which was foreign to me. Physics was the same, so the computer said I was done with those by eleven thirty. Even with the shawl I’d found, my bare arms and legs had left me shivering in the cold from not moving.

“You really are behind in those schools over there, aren’t you?” She said as I saw the physics test proclaim it was done, looking at how quickly I finished.

“Giving me my results already?”

“Not really, but I think you have to know that if the tests finish that quickly, you’re not doing well?”

I nodded, “In my course plan, I’m scheduled to take Chemistry this coming year and Physics the next.”

She shook her head, “Seems like they might address things over the long haul, but by this age, you would already have had far more in-depth studies in the schools you would attend in Europe.”

“I guess… but our schools also are meant for everyone to attend – not just the wealthy, talented, or smart kids.”

“There is truth to that, I suppose.” She said, “Well, Anna came in and said lunch would be ready when you were, so let’s go have lunch, and then we’ll go explore the town?”

“You let them know your plan, right?”

She nodded, “Giuseppe and a team will be with us.”

I sighed, “Of course he will…”

“It’ll be fun even with that!” She told me, “You’ll see!”

With that, we closed the laptop lids we had both stared at and walked to the dining room.

Two salads were presented to us, and though I grimaced a bit at that being lunch, I gobbled it up pretty quickly. I was still hungry, but speaking out about whatever dietary plan was being shoved at me wouldn’t be a good start to the afternoon. ‘I’m finally getting out of here after being in a new country and only seeing the castle so far!’

I found a purse to hold my phone and wallet back in my room. When I met Madame Lavigne in the sitting room, Giuseppe was already talking to her.

“Hi Giuseppe,” I told him.

“Good afternoon, Your Highness,” he said formally.

I sighed. The intensely focused security guard wasn’t ever informal back home, but he had at least shown some cracks! “So, are we ready?” I asked.

“Yes, but before we go, I want to make sure we talk about your safety. I don’t think we’ll see any major issues, but if people recognize you, do you want us to get you out of there?”

“Or…?”

“Or you can let them approach you for pictures or autographs if they want?”

I shook my head, “I’m not that special.”

“You’re the Princess and future Queen of Osané; you are special,” he smiled at me. “Not to mention living every little girl’s fantasy of suddenly discovering you’re a real princess!”

“It’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” I muttered.

“Your Highness, muttering is not ladylike,” Madame reminded me.

“Sorry…” I said contritely, “I’d be safe?”

“Of course.”

“Then I guess do you have pens or something?”

He smiled, “I’ll make sure someone has something. I figured we would start by walking through the main line of local shops, and if you don’t find what you want there, we’ll go to a local mall?”

I nodded, “Umm… I may need some more money depending on how pricey things are?”

Geneva chose that moment to walk through and handed me a silver-looking credit card. As she gave it to me, I was surprised it wasn’t plastic, “What is this?”

“This is a special credit card for you to use. If you’re going to go over fifty thousand Euros in a day, please clear it with us, but it will eventually let you spend more than that.”

I found myself practically hyperventilating as I stared at the card.

“I can’t spend that much money!”

She laughed, “You’ll find the right dress someday and discover that won’t go as far as you think.”

I shook my head, “I don’t think so…”

“Have fun,” she said and turned to leave.

“Shall we?” Madame asked me, seeing the stunned look had not gone away.

“I guess I don’t have to worry about spending money, so sure…”

I expected our departure to be a reverse of when we had arrived. Instead, Giuseppe led us to an elevator that went down three floors below the ground floor. “I thought it was the dungeons only down below?”

He laughed, “That’s the two levels above us, actually. This is an added service level. Forty years ago, your grandfather had a company install a tunnel underneath the castle that leads to a service entrance outside the walls. It was expensive, but it helps run the place without delivery trucks messing up the view for tourists every day.”

“That’s really smart,” I admitted.

We walked through an area clearly meant for receiving, and several people were going through deliveries. They looked at me and smiled, so I gave them a polite wave and followed Giuseppe to where the tunnel properly began. It was wide enough that you could easily drive a large semi-truck inside. Right beside the entrance, we found a couple of golf carts waiting. “Hop on, ladies,” he said, pointing to a second row of seats where Madame and I sat next to each other.

He pressed the pedal and had us quickly shoot through the tunnel. I noted it was significantly longer than I expected. “This goes all the way beyond the wall?” Madame asked him.

“And a bit further. It ends in an old warehouse in the village that was converted to receive shipments for the castle. This is how we usually leave when we don’t want all of the pomp of Her Majesty’s departure.”

I watched a concrete tunnel pass by me that reminded me of something from a picture of a missile silo or something. When we eventually reached the end, I had that thought reinforced by a massive steel door that looked like it was from Cheyenne Mountain!

“What’s with the door?” Madame Lavigne asked for me as we climbed off the cart.

“In the hysteria of the Cold War, it was decided that this network of tunnels could also serve as a bomb shelter,” Giuseppe answered.

“I always thought Osané would be a heck of a waste of a bomb,” a man, a bit older than my mom, joked next to us.

I giggled, “It would certainly not make much sense as a target?” I tried to regain my composure as I felt a withering stare from Madame.

“Exactly,” the unnamed man said. “I am Alain Richard,” he said to me. “Pardon my inappropriate humor, Your Highness.”

I smiled, “It’s a pleasure to meet you. What do you do here?”

“I’m the logistics chief for the estate. I handle all the orders, deliveries, and purchasing for the estate.”

“Thank you for your hard work; you must do a great job,” I said with a smile.

“You flatter me, but I appreciate it,” he told me. “You have the requested security detail and vehicles at the dock, Monsieur Rossini,” he told him.

“Merci beaucoup,” Giuseppe replied to him. “Come along, please, ladies,” he told us.

We were led through a busy warehouse with several forklifts operating to unload a semi-truck. Giuseppe led our way past them, and soon, we were in the open beside three SUVs. ‘Of course, we have a full escort,’ I groaned internally.

Royal Performer - Chapter 2

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 8: Family

“PLEASE BUCKLE UP,” the driver in front said even as he began driving off.

“Where are we going first?” I asked the car.

“Madame Lavigne wanted you both to get a chance to see some of the better shopping areas that tourists and visitors frequent. So, we’re heading to Rue due Chat-qui-Pêche for you two to have a walk around.”

Madame Lavigne and I both burst out laughing at the same time.

“I am translating that right, The Fishing Cat Street?” I asked incredulously in English.

Giuseppe chuckled lightly, “That would be correct, Your Highness.”

“Why on Earth…?” Madame Lavigne asked, still filled with her own giggles.

“It’s actually a very sacred street for our people, Your Highness,” The driver chimed in a serious voice.

“Oh?” I asked. “I didn’t mean offense then.”

“Well, more it’s become our mascot.”

“Will you tell me the story, please?” I asked the driver.

“Of course, but we may not finish before we arrive!”

“I can wait to get out of the car!” I told him with a smile.

“Well then… It begins long ago, sometime around sixteen-eighty-four, I believe… The village fishermen were having a harder time bringing in enough fish to feed the people on the island. I don’t know if they had overfished the waters or something else had gone on. Still, it was becoming pretty serious for many of the fishermen. One day, one of the struggling fishermen took his boat out onto the water and discovered that a stowaway cat had joined him. The cat hissed at him as he prepared bait for his nets. He just laughed it off until the cat followed the nets off the boat!”

“Oh no,” I said, even as I marveled at the view of the ancient looking rows of closely built buildings that we passed by. “Cats definitely don’t like water… can they even swim?”

“Some can… This one struggled for several minutes before the fisherman decided to be kind and jumped in after him. Once he and the cat were back on the boat, full of claw marks as the story goes, he was ready to throw the cat right back into the water! His small crew wouldn’t stop laughing at him over it. That was until he pulled in his nets and discovered an even greater haul of fish than they’d ever had, even before things had gotten hard. That day, when he pulled into the harbor with his boat full of his catch, he bragged to all of his buddies that it was his fishing cat that he had taken out with him.”

I laughed, “So there’s a street named after the cat?”

“Not just a street. The mall is called the Galerie de Chats Jouant!” He smiled back at me as he parked the SUV. “The cat’s name is said to be Gaston Leurre, and he has his own statue at the docks and an animated children’s series on TV.”

“I’ll have to check it out,” I giggled. “Thank you for telling me the story. I missed your name, though, sir?”

“Kenny Jones,” he said.

“An English name?” I asked, puzzled.

“My parents immigrated here just before I was born. They were from the US.”

“Ahh… That would explain it, Monsieur Jones.”

“Come along, Your Highness, let’s check out the shops!” Madame Lavigne said, “And thank you very much for your entertaining history lesson, Monsieur Jones!”

“My pleasure,” he said.

We followed Giuseppe and another security member down the street while two others followed behind us. Looking around, I saw a beautiful view, with the long road descending a cobblestone road leading to the bay. I guessed about a mile down. Along the side were stores, shops, and other businesses we walked by. I noted a few people across the street staring at us.

Next to them was a little girl with her mouth open who waved at me. I smiled at her and waved back as Madame Lavigne pulled me into our first store.

“Bonjour! Comment ça va?” I heard brightly from a lady near a cash register.

I answered politely, and we began looking around the store. It was a quaint clothing shop that seemed more in line with Madame Lavigne’s age than mine. I glanced through racks of tops and dresses that weren’t meant for my age or style. Madame Lavigne did find a blouse she liked. While she was trying it on, the storekeeper approached me. “My pardon, Your Highness, my store is much more for your escort’s age?”

I smiled, “No worries. She’s entitled to find things she likes on this shopping trip. You have a charming shop. I’m certain my mother would love many things in here.”

“You flatter me, Your Highness.”

“May I ask, am I that recognizable already?”

She nodded, “The local television and international news have covered you extensively since your press conference. How is your maman?”

“She is doing better,” I told her, “Thank you for asking.”

Right then, Madame Lavigne came out and went to the counter to pay. I deftly slipped my own card into the shopkeeper’s hand before she could pay.

“Your Highness, you ca…”

“Madame Lavigne, if there is one thing I will do, it is to take care of those who help me. You’ve clearly come to do so, and I do appreciate it.”

She smiled and said, “Well, thank you.”

We left that store and wandered through several more before coming to an art gallery named Galerie de Chats Heureux. “Ooh,” I said, looking at a beautiful castle painting, “let’s go inside here.”

“Sure,” Madame Lavigne replied. Giuseppe followed us inside, leaving the others to watch the door. I walked beside some fantastic photos, paintings, and sculptures before finding myself at a loss for words.

“That’s…”

“You’re her!” A voice said suddenly.

I turned to face a woman with frizzy hair and skin stained with paint. “Pardon?” I said.

“You’re the princess!” She said. “Oh my, in my gallery!” She said as she curtsied to me. “It’s an honor, Your Highness.”

I was dumbstruck at her awe. “I’m just a regular girl, madame,” I told her.

She laughed, “Not even close to the truth. Do you like it?” She asked me, pointing to the painting I had spotted.

I looked back at a large painting of myself standing before the castle, giving my speech when I arrived. This talented artist made me look much less tired, and I was amazed that this was here. “How did you…?” I asked.

She smiled, “An inspiration you were! I left as soon as I saw you and headed straight back to my studio. Didn’t sleep until early this morning for a couple of hours. Do you like it?” She asked again.

“It’s amazing,” I answered honestly. “I can’t believe anyone would paint a picture of me, let alone as quickly as you did.”

“I’m hoping it’ll bring in some tourists, and I already have some prints in the works to sell to them.”

“How much for it?” Giuseppe asked.

“Well…” she started, “I just planned to keep this one.”

“Her Majesty would love it,” he told her.

I put my hand on his arm, “I’m sure she might part with it someday, but I can understand her wanting to have the traffic through her amazing gallery. Though why they’d come to see me, I don’t understand!” I giggled nervously. “Madame, how about first refusal to purchase it when you decide to sell? My mother would love it too.”

She looked relieved right then, and I could tell she wasn’t ready to part with her new creation. “I believe I can go along with that, Your Highness.” She smiled brightly at me as she replied.

“Great! Now, how about this one of the castle…?” I asked.

Before we left the store, I had purchased a few paintings as gifts for Ellie’s family, my other grandparents, and Mom’s law firm for their kindness. As she took down the shipping information, I could tell I had made her day completely! I walked out of the store with a smile.

“Nicely handled,” Madame Lavigne told me as she walked beside me down the street.

We were in and out of shops for another hour before we finally came to one that catered to a younger clientele! It was still more upscale than a mall clothing store. Still, something different from the fashion-crazy stores that I had been surprised to find could make money in a small country like this.

‘And I didn’t need any more luxury fashion clothes!’ I had griped as I perused the stores. In several, I had purchased some skirts or tops just to seem gracious to the owners…

Seeing a store that contained leggings, yoga pants, shorts, and even jeans made my heart leap with hope! I had just finished trying on a dozen outfits I was taking to the front to purchase when I heard a girl’s voice sneer, “That’s the princess?!?”

I turned to see a tall, dark-haired girl who was probably about my age, with a girl who looked like she could be her little sister, another taller blonde girl, and a brown-haired girl with a face covered in gaudy makeup. ‘Great, more bullies…’ I groaned in my head.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“Yeah, seriously, are you that girl?” the original girl pushed.

I forced a smile, “Which girl?”

“The wannabe princess of our country?” the blonde asked.

“I don’t think I wanted any of that, to be honest,” I told her with a firm smile plastered on my face. “I was perfectly happy with my own life back home.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be fifteen?” The brown-haired girl asked. Without waiting for a response, “Anise, I don’t think she looks older than you, and you’re only eleven!”

“Anise definitely has more up top than her,” The blonde smirked at me.

I felt my color rising, and I debated replying when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

“Only because she’s not stuffing or getting enhancements like you, Lola,” the new voice said beside me.

I jumped in the air and looked in shock at a girl I had noticed working on hanging up clothes near me.

“Mélanie, we didn’t ask you for your thoughts.” The original taller girl spoke up again.

“Because you couldn’t understand them, Lola?” She paused, “Or just because now the odds of you having your own tiara are zero?”

“Just wait until I tell my…”

“What is going on here?” Giuseppe suddenly appeared. “Lady Montalvo, what an interesting coincidence to run into you here?”

“Quite,” she replied to him.

“Is there an issue here?” He asked me.

I looked at him and said, “I believe Lady Montalvo was just leaving?”

She glared at me and beckoned her little gaggle to follow her in a huff out of the store.

“Who was that?” I asked Giuseppe.

“She’s the daughter of your second cousin, Mikael Montalvo.”

“I’m related to that…?”

“Princess Alexandria…” Madame Lavigne corrected me from my side.

“…delightful set of sisters…?” I batted my eyes, and the other girl laughed.

“You’re going to be lots of fun to be around.” The girl said, “I’m Mélanie Lemieux; it’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.”

I sighed, “I wish it could have been in better circumstances. That being said, where do I check out with these?” I pointed to the items I still held.

“We’ll get you right over here,” she told me.

“Thanks for that,” I told her as she rang me up.

“My pleasure, I can’t stand Lola. Léna didn’t used to be so bad; that was the blonde girl, but she and Lilou seem to gravitate toward Lola’s constant picking on people.”

“That’s a shame, I really hate girls like that,” I told her. “And I really appreciate people like you who stand up for others.”

“Well, it wouldn’t do for the first time a Princess comes into our shop for her to get into a catfight, would it?” She smiled, and her shoulder-length brown hair shifted as she tilted her head.

“No, it wouldn’t.” We chatted briefly, and I traded contact info before walking out.

“I do believe I’m about shopped out,” Madame Lavigne said as we stepped out. Right before I agreed, I saw a shop with pajamas next door.

“One more store!!!!!” I told her and quickly ran inside.

After taking a quick look to ensure my tormentors weren’t present, I grabbed several sets of shorts, T-shirt pajamas, pant versions, and even a footed onesie on clearance. I just eyeballed the sizes and hoped they were right. I rang them up and was out the door before the clerk realized who I was.

“Now I’m good!” I told them with a smile.

“Why can’t women shop like that all the time?” Giuseppe muttered.

I really wanted to stick my tongue out at him, but knowing my luck, someone would take a picture, and I’d be on the evening news for it!

Royal Performer - Chapter 9

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 9: Fairy Tales

AS SOON AS I returned to our small group, I was led to our cars that had driven up. “A late lunch before we go back?” Lavigne suggested. She seemed to be looking more at Giuseppe than me for the question.

“That should be fine, Madame,” he told her. “I know of a good quiet cafe not far from here?”

“Sounds great,” she told him.

It wasn’t a far drive, and I didn’t imagine any place in the small city would be, but I had just enough time with my thoughts to wonder what was up with the girl who was essentially my cousin. Le Café du Chat featured a traditional outdoor café eating area and a sign featuring a cat fishing off a pier with a croissant dangling from the pole.

“That’s cute,” I said aloud as we walked up.

“My daughter has always thought so, too,” Giuseppe told me.

“Will you please join us for lunch?” I asked him.

He looked at me a little oddly before stepping over to talk to another of his security members. “I think we can make that work.”

We had ordered a light lunch and talked about everything around us in the city. “This really is a beautiful village,” Madame Lavigne said, “I remember your father telling me about it, but sadly, I never had a reason to come before.”

I smiled, “Well, I’m glad you at least got something positive out of this job.”

She looked at me momentarily, “I’m sure there will be many more positives than that. Now, tell me about that young lady who had her claws out at you in that shop.”

“I don’t know what her problem was,” I told her.

Giuseppe cleared his throat, “We should continue this conversation at home, ladies. I will mention that her father would have been the new king if your father didn’t have an heir.”

“Oh…” I found myself saying and understanding. “So, she…”

“She would have been next since she doesn’t have any brothers,” he said quietly.

“Somehow, I think it’s better for Osané that I’m here.”

He smiled at me with that, “I know it’s better. Now, tell me what it’s like being here for the first time. I always enjoy knowing what others see!”

Giuseppe and Madame Lavigne kept pulling little bits of conversation and details I’d noted since I’d been in the country. I pointed out that to was my first chance to see anything outside the castle!

“I promise we’ll make it a priority to see as much of the country as we can before the summer is over,” Madame said with a smile.

Before long, we returned to the car waiting beside the café. Just as we were about to enter, a camera flashed. Giuseppe quickly got me inside the vehicle and told the driver, “Make sure we’re not followed, please!”

Whoever the curious photographer had been, we didn’t see any signs of them behind us. We were soon inside the warehouse and ‘sneaking’ back into the castle. Giuseppe started to split off as we made our way to my quarters. “Would you please accompany me to my chambers for a moment?” I asked him.

“I really need to…”

“Please?” I asked again. “I won’t take much of your time?”

He sighed and said, “Certainly, Your Highness.”

I led him to my study and asked, “Okay, so what’s the deal with Lady Montalvo?”

“Like I said, her father would have been next in line if you weren’t here?”

“There’s more to it than that?” I pushed.

His eyes narrowed, “I can’t get into that, Your Highness,” he told me with a firm voice.

“Okay… then answer me this? Am I in danger from them?”

“Probably not,” he said.

“Probably…?” I asked nervously.

He sighed, “My job is to protect you, Your Highness. Right now, while you are in the castle, I feel like you are quite safe. I am a bit concerned that something might have happened in that store were it not for that plucky young store worker. If you really want to know more, I suggest you ask your grandmother.”

I sighed, “Okay, I’ll bug her instead and stop trying to make you break some sort of promise you must have made.”

His eyes narrowed again, “Remind me never to play poker with you, Your Highness.”

I smirked, “Somehow, I don’t think that would be considered very Princess-like anyway!”

He shook his head, “You’d be surprised, Your Highness. I really do need to get back to my office now; please excuse me.”

I watched him leave, sat down on the big chair behind the desk, and stared at the books and art my father and generations before had acquired. I was just debating about looking through the titles of the books when a knock came at the door.

“Come in?” I said.

It was Madame Lavigne. “Your grandmother said we had tonight on our own, so I thought we might finish a few tests, have a late supper, and then you can have some time to yourself.”

I smiled at the’ time for myself’ part.

The tests were definitely not the highlight! She began with a US History test I probably did okay on, but I knew I hadn’t set the world on fire. Ninety minutes later, she gave me a choice of World History or Philosophy—I chose Philosophy. Of course, just finishing freshman year in a public school, I had never once studied anything like that. It was a quick forty-minute test that I think I only did marginally well on based on common sense and guesswork!

Of course, Madame refused to tell me anything about my results!

Madame used a button on my desk then, calling for one of the maids. Giselle appeared and asked, “What would you like for dinner, Your Highness?”

I looked at her, a bit out of my element, “Is there some sort of menu?”

She laughed nervously, “I assure you, whatever you might want for dinner, our kitchen will be able to prepare?”

I shook my head at that thought and suddenly couldn’t bear anything rich. “Grilled cheese…?”

She looked at me in surprise, “Umm… I’m sure they can do that. And for you Madame Lavigne?”

“Actually, that sounds pretty good to me too; maybe some soup too, if that’s not too difficult?”

“I doubt it should be; give them about thirty minutes?” she suggested and turned to walk away.

“Umm, Giselle?” I asked, causing her to turn back, “The clothes that I bought this afternoon?”

“Washed and in your room already. Though I did have to prevent Anna from throwing out some of those casual outfits.”

My eyes opened, “Why would she do that?!?”

“Don’t worry, as a member of the younger generation, I have your back, Your Highness.”

“Thanks,” I said to her as she curtsied and turned to leave.

“Surely it’s okay for me to dress casually in my own rooms?” I asked Madame.

She shrugged, “I would certainly think so, but your grandmother may feel differently?”

“I sure hope not…”

“Well, I need to run to my room to freshen up; I’ll meet you for dinner in thirty minutes?”

I nodded, “Okay,” I said.

She left, and I found I was mostly alone now in the ‘King’s’ chambers. Sighing, I walked out the open study door and down to my bedroom. I was grateful to find my drawers filled with the comfy pajamas, leggings, and comfort clothes I had purchased. Inside the closet, my new tops hung from the closet rods. I visited the bathroom and checked my phone for messages.

Ellie must have just woken up as she texted me a few messages. Since only a few people had my number, it would only be the social media I usually talked on. I hadn’t logged into any of those accounts since I discovered I was a princess… and part of me was terrified to do so in case people put two and two together. ‘I still can’t believe no one has figured out I was born a boy already…’

It was indeed only a matter of time, unfortunately.

I had a couple of messages I traded with my new sales clerk friend then, too.

I looked briefly at a pair of jean shorts that I was tempted to change into but realized I was already almost at the half-hour mark, so I headed back to my dining room. Madame Lavigne was already sitting on one side of the table with a glass of wine. I sat across from her and almost jumped as a staff member was there with a glass of water and a covered dish that revealed a bowl of soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.

“Thank you,” I told the server.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness. Chef Dufort hopes you enjoy,” he said to me.

“Thank you, and give him my regards, please!” I said.

I looked at the sandwich and noted that plain store-bought white bread would probably not be on my diet anytime soon. The bread appeared homemade and featured a crust around the outside that was quite crunchy as I bit down. The cheese inside was some sort of cheddar, and certainly not the wrapped Kraft Cheese I had grown up with in these sandwiches. It was good, but a part of me liked the simpler version my mother would have made. I tasted the soup and was rewarded with a rich chicken and noodle soup that I had no idea how it would have been made from scratch so quickly.

Madame Lavigne seemed to enjoy her meal, and she kept a running set of questions going so that I was becoming more comfortable with her. While I would always consider her an adult, and obviously, she was in charge of me, she seemed to be more of a friendly grandmother than my own royal grandmother was!

After we had finished, I looked at the clock and saw it was just before eight in the evening. “Tomorrow, we have just a couple of tests to finish in the morning, and then you’ll have a lesson with Monsieur Dubois after lunch. When you finish that your grandmother and I will meet to discuss your lessons to prepare you moving forward.”

I felt my stomach drop slightly at that information, “Yes, Madame,” I told her. “And tonight?”

“Go do something you want to do. Please try to get to bed by eleven. We’ll have breakfast at seven together before we get started on the tests.”

I smiled slightly at that and found myself scrambling back to my bedroom. I wasted no time changing into a pair of soft, comfy pajama bottoms and a T-shirt. I placed the dress in a hamper I had yet to use and noted that the missing maids were not something I missed right then! My bed had been impeccably made again, and my bear and tiger were lying near the pillows. Over on the dresser, I saw they had found a doll stand to hold Jenny upright.

Seeing it was still only a few minutes after eight, I grabbed her and my new bear, now named Becky, and walked to the living room to curl up on the couch. A remote was situated in a cupholder, and I began exploring whatever streaming options were available. Finding Disney Plus, I pulled up the menu and started exploring princess movies but quickly dismissed them. Instead, I pulled up one of the latest animated features exclusive to the platform that had nothing to do with royalty!

I was just starting the film and wishing I had a blanket when Anna appeared. “Your Highness, I see you found one of your father’s favorite rooms here. Can I get you anything?”

“Fuzzy blanket?” I said, just wanting to curl up.

“Umm… let me see what I can find?”

I watched her leave, and she returned with a dull brown fleece blanket. I sighed but said, “Thanks! We need some other blankies…” I said the last word in English since I didn’t know the equivalent word in French.

Anna gave me an odd look, then said, “I’ll see what I can do…”

She gave me a bottle of water and then walked out. I cuddled up with my doll and teddy under a blanket and was sure she was wondering if she had a fifteen-year-old or a four-year-old charge right then!

I paused the film about midway through and called Mom. “Hi, Mom,” I told her when she answered.

“Hi, baby,” she told me. “How is it going?”

We talked for about forty minutes before she said, “The doctors need to poke me some more. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. But is there anything you need over there?”

I sighed, “Comfy blankies to cuddle up in!”

She laughed, “I assume you probably want cute ones like I found you curled up on Ellie’s couch over the years?”

I nodded, “Uh-huh!”

“I’ll see what we can do about it,” I could hear the smile on her face. We said our goodbyes, and I resumed the movie. Ellie and I were texting back and forth. Still, she had been dragged to a family dinner. She couldn’t talk before I finished the film and noticed it was close enough to eleven; I should probably go to bed to avoid Madame Lavigne’s wrath. I folded the blanket and left it on the couch before carrying Jenny and Becky back to my room. Jenny found her home back on the doll stand in a new pose while Becky was placed on the bed to wait for me to get back to sleep. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I walked out to the room and discovered Anna waiting for me by the bed, with the sheets pulled down.

She had a smile that seemed almost friendly. I walked to the bed, and after I lay down, she handed me Becky. My face turned red, but I said, “Thanks.”

“Missing home?” She asked me.

I couldn’t help but nod, “My mom especially.”

“I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot right away. You mentioned that if I was going to tuck you in, you wanted a bedtime story?”

I was a bit startled, “Umm… I… I wasn’t…” I turned redder, “I wasn’t really serious.”

“Well, I am,” she said with a friendly smile. “We have a traditional fairy tale here in Osané, I’ll read it to you tonight?”

“Sure,” I said, appreciating some level of affection.

“Once upon a time…” she began. The story told of a young boy getting lost in a fishing boat off the coast of France and his journey to an island… Unfortunately, I fell asleep before the end, but it sounded like an interesting take on the country’s founding. I would have to make sure I finished someday!

Royal Performer - Chapter 10

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 10: Party Crasher

THE NEXT MORNING went smoother than any had, and Giselle helped me pick out a comfortable knit dress that felt more casual than any I had worn. She still insisted that I wear a dress that day, even though I had more options now! The tests that morning went quickly, and I quickly showed that I knew the basics of World History. Still, if you asked me for specific oddball rulers or dates in Europe or anywhere else, I was mostly a lost cause. The United States had removed itself from British control, and there was still a fair amount of bias against Europe, especially in my home state!

I made it through lunch without any sign of my grandmother, and it felt like she considered me safely in the hands of my babysitter governess…

She probably did have a lot of other things on her plate, being the queen and all, but I felt slightly abandoned right then!

Monsieur Dubois was led up to the study in my quarters after lunch, and I was excited to have a lesson with him! He was a phenomenal player who had studied at the Paris Conservatory and Curtis in the US. I learned more in the hour with Dubois than I had in years, and he started me on a journey to learn the complete Weber Clarinet Concerto that I could play with the Osané National Symphony the following summer. He insisted that it was the piece for me to introduce myself to Osané as a serious clarinetist.

During the lesson, I couldn’t help but fall in love with my new clarinet even more, and his instruction only made my sound even better! He left after making sure that we were going to plan weekly lessons and insisting to Madame Lavigne that I find time each day to practice. She had stayed in the room through the lesson since it would be improper for me to be alone with him.

I cleaned and put away my clarinet and pushed the ornate wooden musical stand they had found somewhere to the side.

“Ready to see your grandmother?” She asked.

“I need to use the restroom first,” I told her.

A quick trip down the hall to my restroom let me brush my hair before walking with her to my grandmother’s office inside the Queen’s Quarters. Geneva was waiting outside her door, “You’re late?” she tersely told me.

“Sorry, my clarinet lesson went over time a little. We were both having too much fun, I think?”

“As a princess, you must learn to stick to your schedule,” she said.

“This was on me,” Madame Lavigne said. “I could have ended the lesson on time, but they were getting along so well; it was nice seeing Her Highness having so much fun and actually smiling. She’s had a rough go here?”

“We’ll speak more later,” she told her.

“No, you won’t,” Grandmother said from inside her office. “It’s okay, Geneva!”

Geneva sighed, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Please have a seat,” Grandma said, pointing to a part of her office that featured two love seats facing each other and a couple of armchairs on either end to make a rectangle. I moved towards one of the loveseats and was joined by Grandma, who put an arm over my shoulder and hugged me. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to see you since yesterday, Allie; it’s been a busy time here.”

I hugged her back, “It’s okay, Grandma.”

Madame Lavigne took a seat on the opposite loveseat, Geneva took a seat in one of the armchairs, and Giuseppe appeared and sat in the other. “Okay, so you’ve had a chance to evaluate where Princess Alexandria is. Let’s hear your thoughts, Madame Lavigne.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Madame said politely. “First of all, I want to make sure I say that Princess Alexandria is probably as bright or brighter than her father was. She’s also an amazingly talented clarinetist who I think will be a delight for everyone to get to know. Her Highness did well on her language exams; reading in English, French, and Italian are all at least at the level I would expect from a student in my school finishing their end-of-school exams. I believe she would be well served to begin learning German and maybe Japanese or Mandarin too.”

My eyes popped out of my head at that. ‘Two more languages?!?’ I screamed inside my head. I liked the other languages, but that was getting to be a bit much at once!

She smiled at me. “Her more severe deficits are clearly visible in history, philosophy, chemistry, physics, and upper-level mathematics. She also clearly needs deportment lessons, and I believe dance would benefit her as well.”

“That sounds like a full load,” Grandma said while giving me a protective side hug. “Anything else?”

“Yes, obviously, she needs to be educated in Osané history and traditions. She’ll need to understand court etiquette better than she does now. I believe some political science lessons are also of value.”

“How do we get all of this in?” She asked her.

“Well, first, I want to make sure I say this to you, Princess; you have a steep learning cliff to overcome here. However, if you’re willing to work, I think we can make a great deal of progress this summer. I suggest we plan on a school day worth studying every day except on Sundays for the rest of the summer. We must also determine the best plan for moving forward with her education. I don’t believe it would be in her best interests to return to her school back home.”

My face fell at that. Ellie and my friends were all back there!

Not to mention Mom!

“We’ll work that out together as a team, Your Highness,” she told me. “I promise we’ll make sure you can be happy with whatever school you attend.”

I just stayed silent then.

“So, schedule?” Geneva asked. “It’s important that Princess Alexandria is ready for the state dinner we’re hosting on July 10th. We also need her ready for a news interview next Friday and, ideally, several magazine interviews that same week.”

My eyes felt like they were about to pop out of my head, “Why?”

She looked at me and said, “Because you’re the Crown Princess, Your Highness. It is imperative we get your face out there to the people and let them get to know you.”

“I don’t even know myself yet…” I unintentionally said aloud. “Sorry,” I said as I looked up at four pairs of eyes staring at me. Madame Lavigne and Giuseppe both looked pretty sympathetic to my plight. Geneva looked taken aback, and Grandma… her look was a mix of stress and disappointment?

“We’ll get through this together,” Grandma said to me. “I know this has been a rush, but it’s important for the sake of everything that we let people get to know you before any of your past comes out.”

At that point, I felt myself start to cry silently. The conversation took off around me, and only Madame Lavigne seemed to notice the small tears I kept wiping away. They talked about me but never asked once what I wanted. The ‘grownups’ decided I would be woken up early each day, just like the past few days. I would begin with ballet lessons, followed by two hours of history. Lunch would follow, before two hours of math, an hour of German, an hour to practice, and finally two hours of deportment and etiquette lessons.

“And her evenings?” Geneva asked.

“Free for her, I hope, as much as possible?” Madame Lavigne said, “In case you haven’t noticed, she’s not getting much say in her life. Giving her some downtime, each day should be prioritized.”

“Downtime?” Geneva asked, “Since when is that a thing for royalty?”

“Since now,” Grandma said, and I realized she had finally noticed the tears as she wiped one from my face. “My granddaughter was not raised in this setting, and more importantly, she will not learn everything in a single summer. Yes, we must cram as much into her head as possible, but you must remember that she is still only fifteen, Geneva.”

I gratefully leaned into the hug she offered me. “Thanks,” I whispered to her.

Geneva looked annoyed but said, “Well then, after dinner until her bedtime, she can have time for her interests. We have some small dinners we’ll be hosting over the next month, so she must attend most if not all of them.”

I nodded, “Just don’t expect me to be perfect instantly.” I got the feeling that Geneva was having a bad day and was in the role she was in because she was a taskmaster who got things done for Grandma.

When the meeting finally wrapped up, it was close to four in the afternoon. Grandma gave me a hug. “I have a meeting with a parliament member here until dinner. But I will be at dinner tonight. We’ll eat in your dining room. Until then, enjoy a little afternoon of freedom. You won’t get much moving forward,” she told me sadly.

I hugged her and made my exit back out of her quarters. I thought about returning to my room, but that felt claustrophobic right then. Instead, I veered to the hallway leading to the upstairs access. One of the security officers saw me approaching and bowed at me. “Your Highness?”

“Umm… Good afternoon. I was just wondering if I could go to the entertainment room on the next floor?”

“That should be fine, Your Highness. I believe one of the staff members may have permission for their daughters to hang out there tonight?”

I thought for a second, “I was told that’s normal to have happen sometimes?”

“Your father always thought having that space for just him was a waste, so he encouraged staff members to take advantage of it for special events.”

“Am I intruding then?”

“Certainly not, Your Highness. To be honest, I believe it’s one of the other security officer’s daughters having her tenth birthday party. He has a daughter about your age and then another who is about six. You would probably make their nights by showing up?”

“Really?” I asked, feeling surprised by that.

“Really, do you want an escort upstairs?”

“I think I can find the way, but do you need to for security reasons?”

He laughed, “If you’re roaming around from when we open to the public at nine in the morning until about five in the afternoon, you need to have that. After hours, there’s very limited access to the building. You’re as safe here as the US President would be in the White House.”

Somehow, instead of making me feel better, he made me feel even more claustrophobic! Still, now I was curious to meet other kids. “In that case, I think I’ll just go on up. Your name?”

“Lieutenant Jacque Bois, Your Highness,” he answered.

“Thank you for your help!” I told him with a smile.

I found my way up to the room and smiled when I realized which security officer’s kids this was. “Monsieur Teresi!” I said when he noticed me.

“Your Highness,” he bowed to me. A woman who looked about his age smiled and curtsied.

“Your Highness,” she echoed.

I sighed, “I assume this is your wife?” I asked him.

“Yes, this is my wife, Amelie.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I told her.

“The honor is mine, Your Highness.”

“I hope I’m not intruding… I was given some time to myself tonight and thought I might come to play some of the games. If I’m intruding, though, I’ll be happy to leave you to it?”

“Oh no, Your Highness,” Amelie said, “Truthfully, my daughters were hoping they might meet you? It’s our daughter Louise’s tenth birthday today. I know that it would make her day even more special if she could meet you?”

Right then, I could tell that his daughters had discovered someone else was there, as they seemed to almost be trying to sneak over. I laughed, “I would be happy to meet her!”

She waved the matching set of blonde-haired girls over, “Girls, I would like you to meet our Princess.” They curtsied so much better than I could, I smiled. The younger two girls had huge smiles, while the older daughter looked a bit wary. “This is Lina, our youngest,” he said while moving to put his hand on the smallest girl’s head affectionately. She looked about five or so and was still short of four feet, and I had a bit more than a head of height on her. “This is Léa; she’s your age,” he added, putting his hand on the oldest girl’s shoulders. It seemed that she was actually an inch shorter than me. The middle daughter had to be Louise, I figured, with the tiara on her head, “And this is our special birthday girl, Louise,” he said.

“Happy Birthday!” I told the girl who was an inch shorter than her older sister. “It’s nice to meet you all. Are you having fun tonight?”

She looked a little embarrassed and was smiling at the same time. “Uh-huh, we were just about to open my presents and have cake!”

I smiled, “That’s always my favorite part of my birthday.”

“Would you like to come and have some cake with us?” the mother, Amelie, asked.

“I would love some,” I told her. “Only a small amount, though; I’m still supposed to have dinner with my grandmother in a bit.”

“Are you really the princess?” Lina asked as she suddenly latched onto my side.

I looked down at her, “That’s what they tell me, at least,” I smiled. “I didn’t even know until last week!”

“I wish I was suddenly a princess…” Louise said, “I’ve never gotten that birthday wish, though!”

“It’s probably not as great as you think,” Léa said, clearly wary.

I shrugged, “I would definitely be much happier being back home with my mom,” I agreed. “But, I’m hoping I find out there are cool things I can do. I’ve already met some really cool new people!” I said, looking at them.

“Who?” Louise asked.

“Well, there’s a certain birthday girl and her sisters that kind of count in that,” I said with a smile and a laugh. Her mom kept them from pestering me with too many questions as we walked to where a table had been set with a tablecloth.

A small cake sat on top. “We’re only doing a small cake for Louise tonight,” Léa told me quietly. Her real birthday party will be next Saturday.”

I nodded, “that’s cool that she gets that. Why didn’t you just have the party this weekend?”

“Our grandparents can’t come until Thursday, and we have school the rest of this week,” Léa said.

I said, “School…?”

She laughed, “That’s right, you’re an American… sort of?” She seemed to let her guard down a little, “You all have some long summer break, right?”

I nodded, “You don’t?”

“Not one like you all. They let us have off in July and some of August, and then we usually get another few weeks off before the new year begins.”

“This is another reason I want to stay in my high school…” I sighed.

We joined her parents at the table, where they were waiting around. I had learned ‘Happy Birthday’ in French at some point, but singing the lyrics in French instead of English a few moments later still felt bizarre. Louise blew out the candles, and we all gave her a little clap.

“You’ll get to open the rest of your presents next weekend, but we wanted you to have a few today,” her mom told her. It was a small stack with three small boxes and one larger box. Louise started with the smaller boxes and found earrings, a necklace, and a nail polish set. She smiled gratefully at her parents after each.

When Louise ripped open the wrapping on the big box, I immediately noticed a familiar red color. With the shape of it, I had a guess before she even opened it the rest of the way. She squealed and happily revealed an American Girl doll I remember seeing was their doll of the year when Mom and I were in the shop. “Thank you!!!!!”

I smiled at her happiness and then frowned when she saw me and looked sad.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I can’t believe I’m opening a doll around you… you must think I’m such a baby,” she said nervously.

I laughed, “Why would I think that? Does mine in my room make me one?”

“You have dolls still?!?”

“Not a lot, but Jenny is downstairs in my room.”

“Really?!?”

“I’d go get her, but it’s not quite worth the trip right now. Trust me, I won’t call you a baby or make fun of you for your awesome present!”

She smiled and began opening the box to pull her doll out. Her mom leaned over to me and said, “Thank you. Her friends might not have said the same thing.”

“Well, it really is true. I love Jenny,” I told her, “I’d go grab her to prove it to her, but it’s quite a hike back to my room!”

She held her and cuddled her new doll, Aurélie, for the next hour or so whenever she wasn’t alternating bowling with Léa, her dad, and me. After her parents said, “We need to go.”

I embraced all three sisters. “It was so awesome meeting you all,” I told them.

“Same,” Léa told me. “You’re not anything like I thought you would be. I’d love to hang out sometime… if they like, let you do that?”

I shrugged, “I still don’t know what I can or can’t do right now, but that would be fun!”

We exchanged numbers quickly, and then I was left alone in the ample space of games. I tried playing one of the arcade games, but things weren’t the same without someone else there. It was close to when I knew dinner would be, so I headed back down to my quarters to get ready to meet Grandma for our meal.

Royal Performer - Chapter 11

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 11: Mystery Guests

DINNER AND THE rest of my Sunday evening had passed by quickly. I’d spent an hour chatting with Mom via Facetime and was glad to see her hooked up to fewer machines, and her color seemed better. Her voice definitely sounded stronger! She said the doctors were hoping to be able to discharge her in a few more days. As soon as I hung up with her, I started chatting with Ellie for another hour. At the end, she said, “Allie, just to warn you… Emily said that a few of her friends were trying to figure out who this daughter who would be your sister is. I think people have put together your mom and you?”

“Have they figured out it’s just me yet?”

“Not yet… Maybe they won’t? But Alan sort of disappeared when you appeared. Maybe he needs cover story, like visiting relatives overseas for the summer?”

“Somehow, I don’t think I’ll be that lucky? I guess whatever happens, happens, right?”

“Wish I could be there for you if it does!” She told me sadly.

“I wish you could be here too,” I sighed. We finished the conversation not much later. After some time on my computer surfing the internet, I headed to bed.

Monday morning came far too early, and as I walked towards the bathroom, Anna came in, “Good morning, Your Highness. Madame Lavigne would like you to hold off on your shower until after your morning workout.”

“Workout?” I asked sleepily.

“She asked that you wear tights and a leotard?”

I was both excited to wear that outfit and not in favor of skipping my shower! It took some fiddling with the gaff, the tights, and the leotard, but I smiled that at least I had hidden away the horrible body feature that I hated. I brushed my teeth and used a brush to run through my hair before returning to the room. Anna waited for me there and directed me to sit at the vanity. “Madame Lavigne requested your hair be in the traditional bun,” she told me as she worked on my hair. When she was done, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and noted I looked just like a ballerina should.

“Thanks for doing my hair,” I told her. “Am I meeting her here or in the ballet studio?”

“She asked me to escort you there,” she answered. She provided me a pair of warm-up pants and a jacket to put over my outfit, and I noted it was the first time I’d been allowed to wear pants all week! She also had a water bottle I drank from as we walked upstairs.

The room we had toured before had a bar along both sides of the wall and mirrors on all sides of the wooden room except the wall beside the exterior, where about every ten feet, there was a large window that looked out into the gardens. Madame was on the ground stretching as I entered.

“Good morning. Take off those warm-ups and join me over here,” she said in a stern manner.

“Oui, Madame,” I told her.

I pulled the jacket and pants off and couldn’t help but smile at the fact I looked like an ordinary girl in the mirrors as I walked towards her. “Let’s start stretching and see how flexible you are,” she told me.

For the next thirty minutes, that was all we did! Growing up, I’d been jealous of girls doing things like the splits, so I actually practiced doing those on my own. I couldn’t get into a full front split but could do a side split down to the ground. She had me moving other muscle groups that I was pretty sure I’d never used, though! With the stretching finished, she asked, “What do you know about dance and ballet?”

I shrugged, “Not much. We used some of it in our marching show?”

She looked surprised. “I know you Americans have an obsession with all things related to football, but that’s odd to me.”

“I don’t know; for our competitions, we did more than just march; there were all sorts of poses and dance moves they had us do, too. Some were a bit difficult while carrying an instrument.”

“I’ll have to have you show me some video sometime if you have it.” She stood and asked, “Do you know first position then?”

I showed her what I understood that to be. She made subtle adjustments to my upper body and smiled, “One less thing to teach!” She proceeded to ask and then reteach each of the primary ballet positions. My hands were my biggest flaw; we didn’t focus on them since I’d held an instrument. Our band had been really successful, traveling to a national competition that past year and doing well, so apparently, we were better taught than many.

We worked out for nearly two hours when she said, “Okay, that’s a good start, Your Highness. You told me you had no experience, but you already have a better understanding than I hoped to achieve in our first week! Go shower, and we’ll have breakfast in an hour before getting started on your studies.”

I curtsied, hoping to remember all the elements from her fifteen-minute lesson immediately prior to the basic positions exercises, and said, “Oui, Madame.”

I felt more awake after the exercise, but I felt a lack of training as I headed to the shower. I stood for several minutes, letting the warm water cascade and massage my body aches, which I knew would only worsen the next day!

After breakfast, we began discussing history, “We’re going to start with the Greeks,” Madame said.

What followed was two hours of the most in-depth history teaching I had ever received! We spent the entire time talking about the Minoan and Mycenean period. She assigned me several books she wanted me to read, including Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, by the end of the week. Madame also had a textbook that she wanted me to keep up with as we worked, and it was thicker than any I could remember back home.

When I mentioned that, she noted that it would primarily be used as a college text in America. At least it was in English, as was the copy of the Iliad and the Odyssey she assigned. She seemed to think I would work on my language skills at other times. She wanted to ensure I comprehended everything.

After lunch, we spent time on math. Madame Lavigne’s efforts began with some review of the Geometry I’d learned this past year and quickly dived into advanced Algebra. Another textbook followed, and I quickly gathered that her primary teaching subject had been advanced math. She was at least a better teacher than I’d had before, so things made sense?

She gave me a short fifteen-minute break, during which I used the restroom, and then began teaching me German, a language I had never studied. I knew English was a Germanic language, but I swore it didn’t help much! I was genuinely relieved when she told me I was to spend the next hour practicing clarinet!

I decided to give the ballet studio a chance as a practice space then and fell in love with the acoustics that the wooden floor and walls of mirrors gave. I worked on the first movement of the concerto very slowly and methodically. The first page wasn’t too bad since most of it was just cues for the orchestra before I entered. It seemed like forever in the recordings, as it was nearly fifty measures into the piece! I made it pretty comfortably through a page and a half of the next part of the first movement. I even started on a couple trickier runs on the next page when Madame arrived and began ‘deportment and etiquette’ lessons.

If things had felt like I had been transported into that famous princess movie before, now was doubly so!

Madame Lavigne talked about posture throughout my lessons and nagged me if I should start to slouch. It wasn’t often, though, as my band directors had already beaten her to the punch for the past several years! She had reminded me to sit tall if I slouched even the slightest amount. Now she was focusing on things like my walk, not looking down at the ground as I did so, curtsying, and things that she insisted were drilled into her as a little girl since her parents traced their lineages from minor noble families in France that had kept up with such traditions even after the revolution ended the monarchy.

We finished the last fifteen minutes with her presenting me with a poster that displayed Osané’s noble families and royal succession. Exceptionally detailed, it listed current ages, professions, and other helpful information. I was overwhelmed, though, at the sheer size of it. Even as a small island, Osané’s royal family had fifteen separate lineages that branched off from my great-grandparents and, in the right circumstances, could rise to the throne.

I couldn’t help but feel drawn to the family line where I saw Mikael Montalvo and, below him, Elodie and Annelise, whom I had run into at the shop. I figured Lola and Anise must have been their nicknames, and I hated how close they were to the throne. ‘I must make sure they never get a chance…’ I thought jadedly.

My head felt like it would explode as Madame Lavigne said, “That’s it for today, Your Highness. Your grandmother wants to eat dinner with you in an hour; she said there may be a guest, so be sure you dress up a little.”

I sighed, “Oui, Madame, merci beaucoup.”

I returned to my room and sat on my bed, looking around the room. I would have been tempted to lie down, but Anna came in right then, “You need to get ready soon, Princess; we have guests coming to dinner.”

I sighed, “Who is it?”

“I’m sorry, I wasn’t told. I was just instructed to make sure you were dressed up for dinner tonight,” Anna told me as she walked into the closet. She came back with two dresses, “Which one?”

I looked at two dresses that would not have looked out of place at prom! Both were long and would certainly fall to my ankles, featuring large bell-shaped dresses.

“I thought this was just a simple dinner?” I asked, exhaling. I was excited to wear either dress, but also nervous about who was coming!

“Her Majesty said that you should dress formally tonight.”

I shook my head, “I don’t feel like I’ve dressed anything other than formally this past week!” She gave me a patient look but held up the dresses again.

Both floor-length dresses were a shade of blue that I knew would look good on me. One was just a lighter shade of sky blue, and the other was a shade darker. The first lighter one was something I could see wearing to a homecoming dance if it was a little shorter. It featured a crosshatched embroidery pattern that I was sure was considered smocked, with little pearls inset at the places they crossed. Additional pearls were added to create an organic design from the narrow waist up through the bodice. Short sleeves and a square neck would help disguise my lack of breast development on both dresses. This dress had a multilayer skirt with a top layer of white organza and little glittery foil pieces glued to it.

It screamed, ‘I’m a princess who likes to dress up,’ which appealed to me. Not knowing what kind of guests we were about to have made me worry, though it was too much.

The second dress was simpler. It was sleeveless, but the bodice went right up to the top of the chest. The skirt was a pretty blue silk that was unadorned, while the bodice featured some white embroidery designs of flowers and vines from the waist up. The very top above the breast area was a little more sheer, but the embroidery design continued.

It would have also worked for a simpler dress design at homecoming or prom.

I was torn, and a lifetime of feeling prevented from dressing up as a wannabe princess or even just as a girl made me want to choose the first dress. The second seemed more… mature?

I looked at her, easily holding the dresses up above the floor, given she was more than a foot taller than me. “Which one do you think is more suitable tonight?”

“You don’t have a preference?”

“Well, I love the one you’re holding in your right hand, and I do want to wear it! But I’m wondering if it’s a bit too much?”

She nodded, “It might be, but I don’t think you would go wrong with this other one.”

“I’ll wear that one then,” I said, pointing to the simpler dress.

“Let’s go ahead and get your makeup done first, Your Highness,” she told me after hanging the chosen dress on a hook on the wall and placing the other back inside the closet.

I sat down at the vanity and wondered if I would forever be letting everyone else do my makeup for me? She wiped my face completely clear first before moisturizing my face, applying a foundation, and then moving onto my eyes. Once she applied my mascara, she worked on the lids of my eyes. I sat sideways on the bench so I could catch a glimpse every now and then as she applied a mixture of green and blue that she feathered together and then added glitter to finish it. She gave me a lighter red lipstick that wasn’t too different from my natural lip color.

My curled up-do hung down from a bun, and without the dress on, I looked like I could have graduated high school if you only looked at my face and hair.

You would guess I was a preteen dressing up the second you went lower!

I laughed; I was happy to be that a week ago, so I didn’t get hit on!

Eventually, Anna helped me into the dress, which had tulle to help expand the skirt further out and give it a bell shape. It wasn’t over the top like a proper ball gown or the quinceañera dresses my friends had. Still, it was definitely not a shapeless dress, either. I knew I would have to watch the antiques as I walked around!

Giovanni surprised me by showing up and knocking on the door just after I was dressed. “Your Highness, are you ready?”

I curtsied, “I believe so,” I laughed. “I don’t know who we’re eating with?”

“Your grandmother didn’t tell you?” He asked as he led me downstairs.

“No?”

“I don’t want to step on her toes here, Your Highness…” he said.

I wondered what was up until we reached the main floor and a smaller dining room that was only the size of the house I’d grown up in. He gently said, “Be patient tonight.”

I wondered why he said that until I saw who we were dining with.

My blood ran cold, and the sneer of Lola Montalvo and her sister made any hope of a good evening vanish.

Royal Performer - Chapter 12

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 12: Nemesis

GRANDMA WAS ALREADY seated at a large round table with a center cutout for servers to serve the guests easily. “Alexandria, come and have a seat, please,” she told me. I was a little taken aback by the relative informality of this versus dinner with the other guests the other night.

To her left was an older man I was able to recognize from my earlier lesson as my second cousin, the Duke of Caserta, Mikael Montalvo. He was Lola and Anise’s father, and I’d found myself intently memorizing the details of my horrid cousins when Madame Lavigne presented me with the family tree. Beside him was a lady I knew must be his wife, Duchess Myriam Montalvo. Mikael was taller but had a very pompous and rotund figure. His hair had once been midnight black, but age had left it speckled with nearly as much white as black. His full facial beard must have been dyed darker or, for some reason, wasn’t graying as quickly.

His wife was brunette, and I remembered she was seven years younger than him. She was model thin, even after having had two kids, and her brunette hair was impeccably styled to match her classy blue suit dress and pearls that she wore. He was dressed in a formal suit and tie, with a golden watch that I was sure was a high-end piece.

An empty chair had been left next to Grandma, but to its right was Lola, and to her right was Anise. Lola looked to be dressed in an extravagant red strapless dress. The bust exposed the tops of her very developed bosom, and I could see from where I stood that a long slit in the skirt wandered practically up to her panties! No doubt it was a designer dress, but it also screamed… ‘slutty’ to me!

‘No way mom would let me wear that, even when I’m sixteen like her!’ I thought.

Her sister Anise was only eleven but was developing curves much faster than I was. She showed off those curves in a one-shoulder hot pink dress with sequined designs up and down it. A less daring slit than her sisters was present, and I couldn’t help but note their antagonistic bullying looks as I walked to my seat.

My dress was clearly more conservative and ‘less mature’ than theirs.

“Hi,” I said politely, “It’s nice to meet you, Your Grace,” I curtsied.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he said in a voice that seemed anything but sincere to me. “Elodie mentioned you had already met?”

I looked at Lola, and it took me a moment to realize her real name wasn’t Lola. “Yes, we did,” I refused to say more.

“You look nice, sweetheart,” Grandma said as I sat beside her.

“Thank you,” I told her.

I was stuck awkwardly sitting beside a girl who I already loathed. I didn’t know what else to do as she began asking questions but to try and respond politely. “So, you’re an American?”

I shrugged, “I’ve thought that my whole life, but apparently, I have citizenship here too.”

“But you probably didn’t even know Osané existed until a week ago?”

I shrugged, “Apparently, my parents wanted to preserve a normal life for me as long as they could. Being a spoiled brat wasn’t their goal for me.” I sent the small barb towards her and felt guiltily happy as her facial expression made me think it hit the mark with her.

“Well, maybe normal for an American. I can only imagine how many things you don’t know about, though?”

I shrugged, “I’m smart; I’ll learn just fine.”

Before any more sparring could occur, the first course arrived, and Grandma got my attention by placing a hand on my arm.

“Everything okay, dear?” She looked concerned, and I wondered how much she had paid attention.

“Everything is just fine; Lola was just asking me about my childhood?”

“Oh, I can definitely see the curiosity there. I’m certain Elodie’s not the only one curious about that,” their mother said. “It’s a bit of a fairytale here, right?”

I just politely nodded, “A bit more tragic than I would prefer,” I said quietly.

Grandma placed a hand on my shoulder, “I would say a lot more tragic.” She sighed, “But we’ll see things looking up in no time. Her mother is, thankfully, doing better back home. We hope she can join us here in six to eight weeks, depending on her physical therapy.”

“So, how are the renovations going on your estate on Trèfle?” Mikael changed topics somewhat awkwardly.

“Quite well, actually!” Grandma said. “I’m hopeful everything will be completed by Christmas, and we will still host our annual celebration there.”

I looked on, unknowingly, as they discussed some other estate in our holdings that sounded as impressive or more than the castle.

“So, do you miss your friends back home already?” Anisse asked over Lola.

I turned to her and was greeted with a glare from her sister and a genuine look of curiosity on the younger girl’s face. I nodded, “I do. I miss my best friend Ellie a lot. I’m hoping she can come here sometime over the summer.”

“Summer holidays in a few weeks?” She asked.

“Umm…?” I started.

“Nisse, Americans have different summers, remember?” Lola stated authoritatively.

“Oh, that’s right. So, you weren’t even in school this week, were you?”

I intentionally gave them a surprised look, even though I’d already discussed this with Léa, “Oh, you guys are still in school right now?”

“Typical American,” Lola rolled her eyes, and I felt more of a wave of anger then.

“Not exactly my fault. But I wouldn’t say I’m completely not in school right now. Madame Lavigne has been drilling me harder than any teachers at my school ever have this past week.”

“Maybe, but that means you aren’t meeting anyone here?” Lola said, her eyes gleaming and making me nervous. “You should come try our schools for a few weeks until we have our summer holiday. It would give people a chance to get to know you.”

I felt an icy grip of nerves in my stomach as Grandma said, “We’ve thought about it, but with everything Alexandria is and has been going through, we felt she needed a little bit of a break to heal.”

“It probably wouldn’t do any harm for her to go, though, would it?” Myriam, her mother said. “I mean, surely the school could keep an eye on her well-being too?”

I sat there for the next ten minutes as people talked around me and made a plan to get me to the local public Lycée, which I was shocked Lola went to. Anisse was in a lower year that was more equivalent to middle school. The Lycée du Alessi was the equivalent of combining a middle school and my high school back home. It sounded like just a few such high schools spread about the main island and a single parochial school that few attended.

Finally, toward the end of the conversation, Grandma said, “Well, we’ll consider it after a little more time. Maybe Her Highness could go for the last few weeks before the break? Definitely not this week, but we must still decide where she’ll go to school next school year.”

“Not here?” Lola asked, curious.

“We haven’t decided, but I’ve been leaning towards her attending another school that will benefit her music studies more.”

“We have music at our school?” Lola said. “I play clarinet in the orchestra with my friend Léna, and my friend Lilou is very good at violin.” She looked at me with something appraising that made me want to gulp and get away from the bully even though I couldn’t figure it out from the awkward dinner. “What do you play?”

“I also play clarinet and piano,” I told her.

“Oh, you must have been in one of those marching bands back home?” Myriam asked, clearly curious.

“Yes, ma’am, we were pretty good too,” I told her. “You don’t have those here, though, right?”

Grandma laughed, “No reason to have that without that dreadful American Football you all play over there. We have the military band for parades and special events, but nothing like yours. Mostly just orchestras here in Osané schools like in most of Europe.”

“So, what do you think?” Lola pushed.

“We’ll discuss it,” I said, trying to stay polite. My grandmother seemed utterly clueless about how I felt right then, and I grew more perturbed as the meal went on. The last thing I wanted was more time to be around the witch!

Fortunately for me, the dinner ended before I was drafted to be in a new school during my summer vacation! Just as we were saying our cordial goodbyes, Lola got me to the side to speak where no one else could hear, “I sure hope you enjoy coming to school and being the little girl who no one likes,” she smirked. “I have big plans for you on your first day! Especially with such a little girl’s dress as you wore tonight and in the store. I’m sure everyone will quickly see we should probably have you back in primary school instead.”

I was still mouthing like a fish almost as she turned and left. My face was red, and I just wanted to slap the witch!

‘I’d need a chair to stand on though to reach,’ I fumed!

“So, your cousins are nice, non?” Grandma asked me.

I looked at her, “Do you want the truth?”

She looked a little surprised, “Always!”

“Lola is a witch,” I told her.

“Well, you have to give her time, Allie. Remember that until last week, she figured she would be named the Crowned Princess this summer.”

“She would have been horrible,” I said and turned to walk upstairs.

“Alexandria!?” She called after me.

I turned, “Yes, ma’am?”

“School might actually be a good idea…?”

“Madame Lavigne has things covered quite well with that,” I told her, “Good night.”

I stewed as I found myself in my room! I looked at my reflection in the mirror and was even more angry at Lola since I thought the dress was really pretty!!!!

I took a quick picture and sent it to Ellie, “Does this dress really make me look like a little kid?”

I curled onto the bed and cuddled my bear Becky tightly, ‘I wish Mom was here!’

Facetime began ringing, and I saw Ellie’s face on the notification. I smiled slightly and accepted her video call.

“Who told you that made you look like a little kid? It’s gorgeous!” Ellie sounded like she was ready to go and beat Lola up.

“My cousin Lola!” I told her.

“She’s just jealous,” Ellie said.

“Maybe, but you should have seen this sexy dress she was wearing. She probably would have been the envy of everyone at prom?”

“Who cares?” Ellie told me.

“Umm…”

“Seriously, Allie, you’ll have to get used to girls being catty and picking on you as much as guys did. Ultimately, you have to just be yourself and be proud of yourself. There’s only one Crown Princess of Osané, and that’s you, Allie.” She smiled as I wiped a tear from my eye, “And trust me, I think they got really lucky because I’m really jealous that they got my friend over there!”

I sat there for a moment before croaking out, “Thanks, Ellie, I don’t know what to do without you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we have internet, and I’ll be over there to visit in a few weeks! Now tell me, what else is going on?” She asked.

Ellie spent the next hour listening as I told her about my day of intense schooling before dinner. After I told her about the day, she said, “I’m jealous, you know?”

“Why?”

“Have you googled Madame Lavigne?”

I shook my head at her, “No?”

“She’s like some fictional character Allie! Accomplished ballerina when she was younger, renowned teacher and headmistress later? Now the governess for a princess!”

“Really?”

“Seriously, go look her up later! You’re going to be working your butt off with her, but I have a feeling she’s going to be better than any teacher we’ve ever had!”

“I can see that part already… I just don’t know what to do after this? I’m thousands of miles from home, and it sounds like I can’t even go home now?”

“Sorry, Allie, I wish I could give you a hug right now.”

“You have no idea how much I wish I could have a lot of hugs right now,” I told her. I sighed, “So, enough about my crazy life; how’s it going back home?”

She shrugged, “Emily came over last night to go swimming.”

“She have anything to say?”

“Not really; she’s still in shock that you’re a princess now?”

“Nothing about the other part?”

“She really thinks it’s the coolest thing ever?” She told me. “How long do you think that will stay quiet though?”

“Not long,” I said sadly. “I’m actually shocked it hasn’t come out yet.”

“Are you just going to tell them the truth when it does?” Ellie asked curiously.

I shrugged, “Lies always catch up with you?”

She nodded.

Right then, I heard a knock on the door, and Anna came inside, “Your Highness, you probably should be going to bed here soon?”

I sighed, “Sorry, Ellie. It looks like I need to let you go. I’ll try to catch you tomorrow.”

“No worries, Allie. I know you’re a long way ahead of us time-wise! Talk to you later. Love ya.”

“Love you too,” I told her.

“Girlfriend?” Anna asked.

“Best friend,” I corrected her. “More like a sister.”

She seemed happier with that for some reason. “Good; I think you probably have enough problems without dating?”

I glared at her, “They would be my problems though.”

“Pardon, Your Highness, I was just thinking you have enough on your plate. I didn’t mean anything by that.”

“Apology accepted,” I told her.

“I can draw a bath for you if you would like?”

I debated telling her no, but the gigantic bathtub and a soak did sound good. “Bubbles?”

“There will be plenty of bubbles,” she assured me.

“Okay,” I told her.

I entered my bathroom a short while later. I discovered a pleasant floral scent, a bathtub filled with bubbles, and a pink tinge to the water. I closed the door behind me and pulled the beautiful dress off, carefully hanging it on a hook on the door before pulling my underwear off and submerging myself inside the tub. I nearly jumped a moment later when the door opened. Anna grabbed the dress and my discarded underwear and placed a set of my new pajamas and some underwear on the counter.

She left without a word, and I floated in the tub. It would still be a two-person bathtub with my giant father, but with my smaller body, it was practically a small pool. I found myself floating on my back as my hair loosely floated behind me. I closed my eyes momentarily, thinking about everything that had happened in less than two weeks!

I was so lost in my thoughts I missed the door opening and splashed awkwardly when Anna’s voice said, “Are you awake, Your Highness?”

I looked up at the giant, “Yes…?”

Fortunately, the bubbles still covered my body, so I wasn’t as mortified then. “Would you care for me to wash your hair?”

“Umm… this is a little embarrassing?” I told her.

She sighed, “Princess, this is a pretty normal thing? I guarantee your cousins have this same service?”

“That’s not helping?”

I saw a slight smile on her lips, “That I suppose I can understand. So…?”

I decided this was probably a case of giving in, “I guess, okay?”

“Very well, come sit on this side,” she told me, patting the wall.

Again, I was grateful for the bubbles as she pulled a sprayer from the wall and soon was washing my hair for me. I was embarrassed by how soothing the extensive washing of my hair was. She had washed and conditioned my hair before wrapping it in a towel. “Are you ready to get out?” she asked.

Seeing the bubbles and my modesty fading, I nodded, “Sure, would you please give me some privacy now, though?”

“Certainly, I’ll dry your hair in your room when you’re ready.”

A while later, I was in bed with hair she had dried with a blow dryer and braided in a loose braid. I hugged Becky, my bear, and drifted off to sleep.

Royal Performer - Chapter 13

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 13: Flameout

THE NEXT FEW days passed by in a blur for me. Morning beginning ballet, classes, more classes, a bit of time to practice clarinet, more studying, dinner with Grandma, and a little downtime in the evenings. During that time, I’d discovered we had an indoor pool and jacuzzi in one of the wings I hadn’t been shown yet. It had taken me a couple of days to swim, but I found myself finally heading downstairs with a bag holding a skirted one-piece swimsuit that had appeared at my request.

The pool room was located off one of the back parts of the castle’s ground floor, but you couldn’t reach it without a maze of staircases from the first floor. It featured a beautiful set of stained glass on one side that let light in, and the back side was a gorgeous set of clear windows created with intricate iron patterns latticed within it. You could see a private garden beyond, which I learned was one of Grandma’s places to get away from everyone.

She maintained more than forty different species of roses there, which she crossbred to create new varieties that could join the central gardens. I’d spent an hour the day before with her as she showed me how she cared for them.

I wasn’t interested in it as a hobby, but I couldn’t help but admire her passion for them!

I’d been shown a couple of bathrooms off the room I could change in. This was considered a ‘private’ part of the castle, so I had an escort to the room by a security member. Still, I was alone as the late afternoon sun showed through the windows. I changed quickly and left my clothes neatly hanging in the changing room before moving to the pool.

I was pleasantly surprised as I jumped in that the water was quite warm!

I made several laps of the pool and found myself trying to have fun while wishing I had Ellie there!

‘Nothing’s the same without her,’ I thought sadly.

After a while, I decided to move to the large jacuzzi and enjoyed the bubbles from the jets after I found the controls to turn it on. I was feeling nice and warm when one of the castle staff came over with a bottle of water.

“Thank you,” I told the woman.

“You’re welcome, Your Highness. Madame Lavigne asked that I make sure you had something to hydrate. Do you need anything else?”

“Not right now?” I replied.

“She also asked that I remind you that you’ll need to start getting ready for dinner soon?”

I sighed, “Thanks, I’ll head upstairs here in a few minutes.”

She curtsied to me and left. I took a moment to open the water bottle and drank most of it down in a few gulps.

I leaned back in the jacuzzi for just another couple of minutes before knowing I needed to get going. With a sigh, I went to the changing room, discovered they had placed some of my preferred shower gel in a shower, dried off, removed my swim cap, and then put my dress back on. I spent a couple minutes in front of a mirror with a brush to make my hair look marginally presentable before heading upstairs.

‘All I ever wanted to do was wear dresses… now it’s all I’m allowed to wear!’ I mused to myself.

The dress in question that day was simpler than most in my closet. It was just a single shade of light lavender with some fluttery sleeves. Having been wearing these expensive dresses for a while now, I could see a few little additions that made you realize it was yet another piece of designer clothing. I made it up to my room and found Anna waiting.

“Did you enjoy your swim, Your Highness?” she asked.

“It was nice… It’ll be nicer when Ellie comes to visit, and we can hang out there. It was a little lonely with just me.”

She nodded at that, “I can understand that. Did you shower downstairs?”

“Yes, ma’am,” I told her. “I wore a swim cap to keep my hair dry?”

“Thank you for that,” she told me. “Your grandmother has a few other guests coming to dinner tonight.”

“It seems like she does almost every night?” I replied.

Anna actually almost let herself smirk at that, “It does seem that way sometimes, doesn’t it?”

I was soon dressed in yet another of the prohibitively expensive gowns. This sapphire blue dress began with a sleeveless bodice, then moved to an extra full skirt that brushed the floor. Little embroidered lines of darker blue stitching made little flower and vine patterns on the bodice, with what I’d been told were Swarovski Crystals somehow embedded in places. Anna spent a fair amount of time twisting my hair back and forth tightly into an elegant updo with a significant number of jeweled hair pins added to make my hair sparkle, too.

Giselle had simultaneously been painting my nails and face to match the look. They had to help me into the short heels I was wearing since I couldn’t see my feet past the skirt, but as I stood up and caught sight of myself in the mirror, I smiled.

“You look beautiful, dear,” Grandma said, surprising us with her entrance. Giselle and Anna immediately curtsied.

“Thank you, Grandma.” I looked at her elegant, far more mature-looking dress. You do as well.”

“Thank you,” she replied in kind. “Are you ready?”

“I guess?” I replied, “Who is coming to dinner tonight?”

“About two dozen members of Parliament,” Grandma said.

I felt my face drain, “What?”

She squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, “You’ll be fine, Alexandria. We will just allow them to slowly get to know you.”

I felt my hands shake, “What will they ask me?” I asked nervously. “What do they expect of me?”

“Simple questions, nothing too intrusive, I’m sure,” she reassured me.

I nodded nervously, “Okay.”

“Ready to go face Parliament?”

“Even less so now that you said it that way?” I told her.

She smiled, placed her arms around me, and hugged me. “I’ll be right by your side, Allie.”

I smiled at her use of what I considered my real name and said, “Thanks.”

An insignificant amount of time passed as we passed down the corridors and downstairs to the formal dining room. Geneva was standing there, “Wait here for a moment, Your Highness,” she told me.

I nodded, having been through that bit of pomp a few times now. A moment later, a small ensemble of herald trumpets and a rope drummer began playing what I now knew as the official anthem of Queen Maria Eirene Margarita Andino Alessi as Her Royal Majesty was announced to enter the room. Several moments later, another fanfare played, and Geneva gave me the nod to enter: “Princess Alexandria Leonidas Alessi!”

I took some of the small steps that Madame Lavigne had been drilling me on as I walked down the rows of tables of standing adults who towered over me. I knew there were thirty-two Parliament members for Osané, with twenty-three men and nine women representatives. From what I could see, probably a good twenty-five or so members were present.

I turned, stood by the chair pulled out for me, and sat down as Grandma motioned.

I smiled at the guests as dinner was served course by course. Being an only child of a single mother, I’d become accustomed to being at dinners with Mom’s colleagues and being the only kid while growing up. This room felt similar to me because I guessed the youngest member of Parliament was in her thirties!

I had yet to learn how the seating arrangements had been made. Grandma sat to my left in the center of a long table, and to her other side sat the Prime Minister, Pierre Leclerc, who I had met back home in the US. On my right, I’d been introduced to Alina Durand, the youngest member of Parliament. She was only thirty-four, and it was quite an accomplishment for her to have been elected so young.

I was nervous but reacted to her small talk as best I could.

“So, Princess Alexandria, what do you like to do for fun? We know almost nothing about you so far?”

Her tone made me feel like I was talking to a babysitter or a teacher when I was little. It probably didn’t help that she was nearly six feet in height! I almost said, ‘Umm…’ but Madame Lavigne’s constant drilling that word out of me caused me to resist the urge. “I like hanging out with my best friend, Ellie,” I told her. “I also really enjoy playing the clarinet?”

“I used to play clarinet when I was younger too!” She said with a smile.

We spoke for a while, and looking around the room, I realized she was probably the future of Parliament, just as I was the future of the monarchy. When I asked her about herself, she said, “Well, I’m a mama to two kids,” she smiled.

“Oh? How old are they?” I asked.

“Chloe is six, and Lucas just turned four last week.”

I could see in her eyes that they were her whole world. “Is it tough being a member of Parliament and a mom?” I asked her.

She shrugged, “There are days it can be challenging, but I would not change it for the world. We’re fortunate in Osané that we have good childcare available. Lucas will be moving onto school this next year from his daycare.”

It was interesting talking to her, as I learned more about things that were way better than back home. Free childcare was available for any child under fourteen during summers and breaks. For younger children, obviously, that meant full-time care was available. The government-run daycares even catered to parents during shift hours that went into the night. Healthcare was also free, and a part of me was in disbelief at how that all seemed too good to be true based on my life back home!

Eventually, the final course, a dessert with berries unique to the island nation and some flammable liquor lit on fire above ice cream, came to the table.

“That is so cool!” I exclaimed, forgetting I should probably have been more reserved.

Right then, I reached for my dessert spoon but forgot that a glass of water was by my hand, so I spilled it over!

I reached over with my napkin to try soaking up some of it but forgot there was a flame before me. Right then, I managed to start the cloth napkin smoldering!!!

Fortunately, Alina was a quick thinking woman, and she helped me sit it down and put it out on the table.

Every eye was on me then, and I wanted the floor to swallow me up and hide me in the dungeons!

Grandma laughed at that moment, though; everyone else also started smiling.

"Your Majesty, I think you must keep more fire extinguishers around the castle with her here!” The prime minister quipped.

You could have cooked an egg on my face as the staff rapidly swapped out the table cloth and setting, even reappearing with another dessert for me. I noted it was flambeed still, but it was most definitely no longer lit when the server put it down.

I was full but enjoyed a few bites from it, even as I continued to be the target of giggles. As people began standing after my grandmother did so, I would have loved to have just disappeared to my rooms! Instead, I found myself paraded around the room, meeting the other members of Parliament. Even with my short five-minute conversations with each member, we talked until nearly midnight, when I could finally walk with Grandma upstairs.

“You made a good impression on them,” Grandma told me.

“Really?” I asked.

“Really,” she said. “You came off as well-mannered, for the most part?”

“Even with setting the table on fire?” I said, turning red.

Grandma laughed, “It’s not the first time that’s happened. Your father did it several times when he was younger, too.”

“Really?” I asked.

She nodded, “I think he was more intentional, though!”

I blushed deeper as she gave me a sideways squeeze of a hug.

“You also don’t come across as a pretentious, stuck-up prima donna, which earned you points, too.”

I nodded at that, “I hope I never do?”

“I doubt you will,” she said as we reached our shared entry room. “I hate that you never met your father, but I think growing up as a common American child was probably beneficial to your personality.”

I bristled at being considered a commoner, like my mom, whom she had refused to let my father love, but I tamped down that annoyance. “Thank you, Grandma,” I told her.

“I’ll let Madame Lavigne and your maids know to let you sleep in tomorrow. You’ve been pushing it hard since you arrived, and it won’t do to have you burn out.”

“Thank you,” I told her. “Good night,” I told her.

“Good night, Alexandria. I love you,” she told me.

I reflexively said, “Love you too,” even as it was still odd to say those words to someone who I had met only a short while ago!

I made it inside my room and was soon dressed in my pajamas but unable to sleep. I looked at my phone and pressed the button to call my mom.

“Allie?” She said.

“Hi, Mom,” I said to her. She held her phone in front of her for the video call, and I was grateful that her color still looked better!

“How was today?” She asked me.

“Don’t ask!” I said.

“Oh?” She must have been feeling better with that smirk. “What happened?”

“Knocked a glass of water over and tried to set the castle on fire?”

She laughed and winced. “Ouch…”

“Sorry,” I said. “That wasn’t even the worst part! I did it in front of the Parliament!”

She laughed some more, followed by another sudden grimace, “Don’t apologize; laughter hurts, but it’s boring here!”

“How much longer are they going to keep you?” I asked.

She smiled, “Actually, they’re supposed to release me in the next hour!”

“Really?!?” I asked excitedly.

“Really!”

“Where are you going to stay?” I asked.

“With my mom and dad for the moment. Dad was helping with getting some of the insurance claim information going. Still, it will be at least a month before they have a settlement in place,” she told me. “They’ll cover living in an apartment or temporary housing for now, but I’m going to need a hand for a few weeks anyway,” she told me.

“Sorry I’m not there…” I told her.

“It’s okay, Allie! I will be at home for a few weeks, and then I will head over to see you. Your grandmother ensured I know the castle has plenty of space!”

“That’s an understatement,” I told her. “Every day, I seem to discover a whole new wing!”

We spoke for another fifteen minutes before a doctor came in to sign release papers, and she needed to go. “I love you, Allie,” she told me.

“Love you too, Mom!”

By that point, I was exhausted, so I grabbed my bear, Becky, and curled up on the gigantic bed to get some sleep!
 

Royal Performer - Chapter 14

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 14: Morning Show

THE DAY AFTER the dinner, I was fortunate to actually sleep in for once! I managed to make it all the way to after ten in the morning before lazily stretching out in my oversized bed. After a last squeeze on Becky, I rolled out of bed and started the day. By early afternoon, Madame Lavigne had her schedule back in order, but at least I’d had a little break that day!

From there, though, the days got busy, and Geneva spent a couple of hours with me to discuss interview tips. I was scheduled to appear on the Osané news station’s version of Good Morning America that Friday morning. It was supposed to be a pretty informal show in their studio. I would then return to the castle and have an interview with Seventeen Magazine.

“So, if they ask about your mother and how she’s doing?” Geneva asked.

“Thank you for asking about her! She’s doing much better! Thankfully, she had great doctors and care, and she just went home to continue her recuperation at a safe location a couple days ago!”

“I understand she was shot because of a client?” Geneva posed.

“Due to the ongoing nature of investigations, I’ve been told not to speak about that at this time,” I answered in the preselected line for that question.

“Is it true it was because she was transgendered?”

“I really can’t speak to any of that,” I told her.

“Just like you are?”

“What?!?” I said to Geneva.

“We’ve discovered…” She started to say.

“Hold up a minute, Geneva! What are you doing?”

She gave me a disapproving glare and a sigh, “It’s going to happen someday, Your Highness. How are you going to answer the question?”

I stared at her dumbfounded for a moment. Not that I could ever forget who I was, but being isolated in the castle and only dressing as Allie – or rather Princess Alexandria, I had started to feel relatively ‘safe’ the past few days from such things.

“I don’t know?” I told her honestly.

“Well, you have two ways you can go with it,” she told me, engaging in the teaching mode she’d been in for much of our prep.

“They are?”

“One, you deny it?” She said.

I sighed and shook my head, “I doubt that denying it would work? I’m surprised it hasn’t already come out.” I bit my lip for a second, “The second option?”

“Tell the truth,” she told me.

We had spent a good hour discussing how I would tell my story, given that I didn’t think lying about things would get me anywhere. That evening, I talked to both Mom and Ellie, nearly in tears with both as I talked about the inevitable!

I had to be up at the ungodly hour of 3am on Friday morning. I was attacked by the tag team of Anna and Giselle before finding myself taking the service exit with Giuseppe, Geneva, and Madame Lavigne to a waiting security detail and SUV. Osané had one major television station, OSN, on the island. With such a small population, there wasn’t enough of a market to have more than one, with the few alternatives being several stations available from neighboring France.

Their headquarters had been moved just outside the central city, so I could finally see more of the inland countryside. The island imported most of its grains and vegetables. Still, some farmland was in use, too, and we passed a few examples before turning into a lot with a ten-story building labeled ‘OSN’ on the side. The brightly glowing lights gave a grand look to the building in the early morning twilight.

Giuseppe and Geneva had clearly made many trips to the building and confidently led me through the halls. I caught sight of myself in the mirror and noted that while I liked the blue floral-patterned dress I wore, it didn’t help me look my age. Anna and Giselle had done my makeup more subtly since the network would be reapplying makeup to be better appropriate for the studio lights and cameras. The effect seemed to bring my age back down to eleven.

“Doesn’t this dress make me look like a pre-teen?” I asked Anna.

“Her Majesty and Geneva suggested going that route to make you seem more likable,” Anna had told me.

“I look like I’m four years younger, though?”

Anna shrugged; Giselle answered, “But you look young and beautiful; I think they’re right.”

I was led into a room labeled ‘Makeup/Wardrobe’ and was greeted by a smiling woman who curtsied to me. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

“Good morning,” I said as sweetly as possible at four-thirty!

“I’m Hélène Grasso,” she told me warmly. I’ll take care of your makeup for this morning’s show.”

“Thanks,” I told her.

“Go ahead and have a seat right here,” she said, pointing to a salon-styled chair in front of a brightly lit mirror.

I had to climb up into it practically since it was taller, and I carefully did my best to do it with some semblance of dignity. “Sorry, Your Highness, we have a lot more taller guests through here.”

I blushed, “It’s fine, I’m used to it unfortunately!”

“I know you don’t have much makeup on right now, but I’m going to clean it off before I begin,” she told me when she moved before me. The chair rose into the air further, and I realized she was trying to avoid bending over to reach me.

“Go ahead and close your eyes,” she told me as she took a few makeup wipes and gently cleaned my face. “You’re so lucky to have a clear complexion like this!”

“Thanks,” I said.

“All good now,” she told me. “Might want to open those eyes back up so you don’t go back to sleep! I can’t imagine they make you wake up at this time each day?” She said as she began arranging some brushes and other tools beside her.

“Thankfully, they don’t! I don’t really get to sleep in, though, either,” I told her.

I still felt butterflies doing backflips in my stomach. Still, Hélène was a fantastic person to have to work on me before one of the most terrifying mornings I’d had so far! She kept up an easy conversation with me throughout her work before finally saying, “I think we’re good! Let me get you to the green room, where you’ll wait.”

“Thanks,” I told her.

Before I could slide out, she reached down and grabbed me under the arms like a child and sat me on the ground. “Sorry, Your Highness, I hope that wasn’t too forward of me; I just didn’t want to see you twist an ankle in those shoes hopping down.”

I blushed but said, “Thanks.”

Per her words, she walked me to a room where Giuseppe, Geneva, and I relaxed on chairs and couches spread throughout the room. A few pastries were on a countertop, but I was far too nervous about the interview to eat!

Madame Lavigne looked at me knowingly and comfortingly put her arm around my shoulder. “You’ll be great!” she reassured me.

I wasn’t called to go to the set until closer to seven, which made me wonder why I’d had to get there so early! One of their production team members came to the room and gathered us to go to the studio. It was a reasonably ample space, so there was plenty of space for my entourage to hang out on the other side of the cameras as I waited on standby on the edge of the set out of camera view.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have a special treat this morning for you! Not quite two months ago, we sadly lost Prince Alexandros. After a period of mourning, though, I think we were all ecstatic to learn that he did have an heir! Princess Alexandria has lived a story the past few weeks that could seemingly only happen in movies, and today, we are fortunate to have her join us on Good Morning Osané!”

I was nudged forward by a production assistant and did my best to smile and seem composed on my walk to a comfortable-looking chair. Madame Lavigne had spent several hours drilling me on this walk throughout the week. I hoped I had made her proud as I gracefully swept my skirt underneath me to sit down.

“Welcome, Princess Alexandria!” the woman I had been taught, Eloise Barone, told me. Her brown hair hung beautifully styled down her back, and she maintained a warm smile.

“Thank you for having me!” I told her.

“Of course!” She told me. “We’re excited to have you on! This is your first interview, correct?”

I blushed, “Yes, it is.”

“Nothing like having a first-timer on here!” Sophie Dubois, one of the other hosts, said. She, Eloise, and Jacques were the trio of hosts and were sitting on chairs around me.

“Well, let’s get to some basics; what can you tell us about yourself?” Jacques asked me.

I smiled, “I guess we’ll start with the basics then. I’m fifteen years old and have grown up in the United States. Back there, I was just an ordinary kid. I played clarinet in our band and ran track. My best friend Ellie and I like to hang out and do normal things like shopping, swimming, watching silly videos, and such.”

Sophie said, “We’ve heard you had no idea you were a princess?”

“No, no one bothered telling me that until a few weeks ago.”

“That probably came as quite a shock?” Eloise asked.

I blushed, “I most definitely had a wild day that day. When Grandma… Her Majesty told me the truth about my dad. I pretty much fainted.”

The three laughed at that.

“So, what happened then?” Jacques asked.

I did my best to keep my body posture open like Madame Lavigne, and Geneva had been pushing me to do, even though all I wanted to do was squeeze myself in a self-hug or have my teddy bear in my arms. “Grandma was starting to get things in motion to introduce me to everyone and had a stylist come to help with my wardrobe.”

“You didn’t dress like this before?” Sophie asked.

I blushed, “He, that is, my stylist, might have called the dress I was wearing that day mall tween trash or something…”

The girls laughed at that. “So, full-on makeover?” Eloise asked.

I nodded, “they were doing their best to make me look more sophisticated and my age.”

“I imagine that can be an issue for you?” Eloise said with a knowing look. She was taller than me but still shorter than Jacques and Sophie.

I nodded, “I’ve been told my father was a tall man, but I seem to have picked up my height from my mom, who is a little shorter than I am. Finding clothes that aren’t meant for a kid is not easy!”

She nodded, “It can come in handy though! Don’t totally knock it!”

I smiled, “I know!”

“So, after this makeover you had dinner with a few of the VIPs from our government?” Jacques asked.

“Yes, I met with several people who had flown over. It was a pretty crazy day! After that, we had kind of a day off before everyone figured out who my mom was and swarmed our house.”

“Disgraceful that,” Eloise said. “I’m glad you don’t have to deal with that here!”

“Me too,” I nodded.

“So that brings us to the tragedy; your mother was shot the next day while you were doing a press conference. How is she doing?”

I gave a thin smile, having practiced that in the mirrors for a long while when this question would come up. “Mom’s recovering slowly but surely! She was released from the hospital and is now staying where she can recuperate.”

“Your house also burned down that night?” Sophie asked.

I sighed, “Yes, it did. I’m so grateful for Giuseppe, our head of security, who got my grandparents and me out safely. We only lost things at least, but from what I have heard, it’ll probably take twelve months or more to deal with the insurance and rebuild.”

“We’ve been told it was arson? Any information on who caused it?” Jacques asked.

I looked at them, “I really can’t speak to that due to an ongoing investigation. Sorry.”

“Understandable,” Sophie said. “So you’re here now; what is your plan moving forward?”

I smiled, “I am here now, and as far as the plan is concerned, I know that’s still being figured out. I will really miss my old school, but I think I’ve about accepted that returning there isn’t an option.”

“So, will you go to school here?” Sophie asked.

“That’s still to be determined,” I told her.

“Any idea where you might go?”

I shook my head, “Grandma and my mom will discuss it. I’ve been told I have much to catch up on, so I’m sure they’re keeping that in mind?” I forced a smile.

“I’m sure it’s not easy to decide where, huh?” Eloise said in a friendly tone. “So, what’s been the favorite part of Osané you have seen so far?”

I thought for a second, “That’s really a tough question! Everything here is so new to me! I mean, the Chateau is, of course, beautiful – and I can’t believe I’m living there!” I thought briefly, “We took an afternoon and went to the shops on Rue due Chat-qui-Pêche last week. That was really cool! There’s an artist who has a gallery called Galerie de Chats Heureux that I visited. I was shocked when I entered and saw this beautiful painting of me! The lady who owns the gallery is amazing!”

Sophie smiled at me, “I just saw that painting this past weekend myself; it’s a very nice portrait of you!”

I blushed, “Thanks, it was just amazing she did that in like a day! I also love the whole fishing cat lore and story I’ve heard about here.”

“So, what’s the plan for the rest of your summer?” Eloise asked me.

I smiled, “Well, my mom and my best friend, Ellie, are supposed to fly out sometime in a few weeks to be here for a while. I know Grandma has mentioned a big event to formally introduce me soon, too. Mostly, I’ve been studying to catch up on subjects and knowledge I don’t have. I have a fantastic teacher helping me with that!”

“Sounds like a busy summer!” Jacques told me.

“It definitely isn’t the summer I thought I’d have a few weeks ago!” I told him.

They asked me some questions for a bit longer, and we stopped for a couple commercial breaks before the final segment.

“Well, Your Highness, it has been amazing getting to know you! Thank you for coming on our show!”

“Thank you for having me!” I replied.

After a few quick words to preview the next part of the show, I was done with my part and led back to the makeup room. Hélène was kind when she removed the makeup appropriate for television and applied a more subdued day look to my face.

“Thank you for doing my makeup,” I told her as I climbed down from her chair.

“It was a pleasure, Your Highness!” She said with a smile. “You were great on the show!”

“Thanks!” I blushed. I followed my entourage from the building to the car and settled into my seat for the drive back to the castle.

I was surprised we didn’t go inside the back way, “Why are we coming this way?” I asked.

“Your Grandma likes for the tourists to see her arrive home occasionally. Since you were just on television, it made sense,” Geneva said.

“Oh,” I said.

“You did well for a first interview,” she told me as we climbed from the limo.

“Thanks,” I told her. “Seventeen is next?”

“Yes, I think we’ll take some pictures in the music room first, then we’ll guide them to your quarters to take more photos and conduct the interview.”

“What time?” I asked.

“In a few hours? About fourteen hundred hours?”

“So, I have time for a quick nap?” I asked.

Geneva nodded, “That’s probably a good idea. I’ll ensure Anna and Giselle get you up early enough to prepare.”

“Thanks!” I said, even as I sleepily walked to my room and crashed out on my bed!

Royal Performer - Chapter 15

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 15: Magazine

SADLY, I WASN’T allowed a longer nap, so I felt groggy as I woke up and was pushed towards the shower again. After a light lunch, I was presented with what looked like a really short pale blue dress, but I discovered it was actually a romper. The top featured cap sleeves that did nothing to bring my age up to fifteen, even as my padded bra showed just the smallest amount of a chest with a loose draped fabric. A high bodice was created by two interlocking flat sections that met in the middle before flaring out into a relatively wide two-layered skirt. It looked like almost a baby-doll style dress but seemingly more sophisticated.

The shorts were there for my modesty, but the skirt barely fell below them. I thought it was a cute look as I stared into the mirror in the bathroom after pulling it on. The back zipped up like a dress and had two pieces of ribbon to tie into a bow. I was just getting ready to tie it myself when Anna entered.

“Let me get that for you, Your Highness, so we ensure it’s tied just right!”

“I hope I don’t have to go to the bathroom before we’re done,” I said.

“If you do, Giselle or I will be around to help,” she assured me.

“This makes me look like I’m younger?” I asked.

“Her Majesty picked it out with the help of that odd Tyler gentleman,” she told me.

“Why?”

“It makes you look youthful and like a princess that isn’t too stuck on herself,” I heard from Grandma, who entered just then.

I blushed as I felt Anna finish the bow and looked up at Grandma, “Sorry if it sounded like I was questioning you?”

“I understand completely, Allie. Your height and slow development are something that really can’t be helped. We might as well lean into your look here for this interview. I understand this is one of the premier teen magazines back in the States?” She asked me.

I nodded, “I know Ellie and I used to look through it.”

“Well then, while Anna helps you with your hair and makeup, I want to talk to you about school.”

I was led to the vanity where Anna began working even as Grandma found another chair somewhere and sat next to me.”

“I thought we might wait until Mom was here?” I asked, even as I felt Anna brushing through my hair.

“I’m not certain we can wait that long?” Grandma said.

“Probably not, Your Majesty,” Madame Lavigne joined in the room and conversation.

I sighed, “So where am I going?”

“I think we should take the opportunity for you to try our local Lycée du Alessi for these last three weeks.”

“Wait… What? Like next week?!?”

I felt pain as I turned to look at Grandma, even as my hair was held fast by Anna’s hands. “Your Highness, stay still, please!” she scolded me.

“Yes, next week,” Grandma said. “We’ll have you spend these three last weeks of the summer term there and see how you like it. If you find it’s a good fit, we’ll have you attend there to finish high school.”

“If not?” I asked.

“I have another school in mind that’s similar to the one I used to teach at,” Madame Lavigne told me.

“What classes would I even take?” I asked.

“We’ll register you as if you had been there the whole year as the equivalent of a freshman back in the US?” Grandma told me.

“I have to be a freshman again?” I groaned slightly. “I finished that year.”

“I understand that, Alexandria,” Grandma said. “Hopefully, that will mean you’ll be able to do the coursework already?”

I sighed, “Do you have any idea how horrible it feels when you start summer break and are now told you have to do summer school?”

Madame Lavigne laughed, “It’ll be okay, Your Highness.”

“What about like security and such?” I asked.

“We’ll have a security team on-site, but they won’t follow you around,” Grandma said.

“You’ll be as safe as at school back home?” Madame Lavigne said.

I laughed, “That doesn’t exactly make me feel better?” I paused, “What about things like PE? Do you have that in your school? How do I change for that?”

Grandma responded, “We paid for facilities to be updated several years back to have individual changing cubicles that are used by students. You’ll be able to change in private.”

“Obviously, this is already decided,” I said, pouting.

“We’ll make it up to you after the summer term ends,” Grandma said. “Just get through these last few weeks of the year there, and we’ll do a few things together before you start in the fall term wherever we place you.”

“Why the push to go here?” I asked. “Don’t I need more than that?”

Madame Lavigne handled the answer, “Politics, Your Highness. You’re already an outsider. We think if you go to school here for at least a year—or until the end of Lycée —it’ll help make people believe you want to be a part of Osané and not just be some random stranger.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t see a counterargument against that. “Okay, I’ll give it a try. Please promise me we can look elsewhere if it doesn’t work.”

“I promise,” Grandma said. “Now, I’m going to leave you to finish getting ready. Bring your clarinet down with you when you come to the music room. The magazine editors like the idea of a picture of you playing clarinet. You’ll come up here, and they’ll have the real interview.”

I nodded, “Yes, Ma’am.”

She left us alone then, even as Madame Lavigne stayed with me until Anna and Giselle pronounced me ready. I looked in the mirror at the youthful-looking outfit and admitted that this was one outfit I would have picked out before with Ellie. It was cute and girly, even if the outfit did make me look closer to nine. Giselle and Anna had kept my hair long with just a couple of small braids mixed in, and a bow was added to my head that didn’t help sell my age!

The makeup that was applied did help, though. It wasn’t too subtle, with mascara and a sparkly eye shadow bringing out my eyes. My lips were a deeper shade of red than I would usually pick. I looked cute with a short, dangly set of earrings and a simple matching necklace. The makeup probably took my age up to thirteen, at least. I understood there was no realistic way to make my shapeless body look fifteen without being in some dress that might not be appropriate for the shoot.

“Ready?” Madame Lavigne asked.

“As ready as I can be,” I told her. I stood and walked to my dresser, where the clarinet case sat. I grabbed the music I was working on with Monsieur Dubois, and we walked down the hallways to leave my private quarters. I noted that the staff was meticulously straightening everything right then. I assumed it was for the coming tour and photos.

We were about halfway down the hall when I had a question, “Do the students here have some sort of uniform?”

Madame Lavigne laughed, “Yes, they do.”

“I thought that was just a British thing?” I asked.

“Where is your grandmother from?” she reminded me. “Your grandmother pushed for changes, including uniforms, at school when your grandfather ascended to the throne. She felt the schools weren’t doing a good enough job with the country’s children. Osané probably has some of the best government-funded schools in Europe because of her insistence on improvements. The anachronistic uniforms are a bit weird to non-natives. Still, they help level the playing field if you have someone who is, say... a Princess of the country attending school with others?”

“So, in other words, it eliminates one class status symbol?” I sighed.

“To some extent,” Madame Lavigne said. “My school also had uniforms required for similar reasons. Somehow, I find there are touches like jewelry or backpacks that sometimes replace clothing as status symbols.”

“I don’t even have my backpack now…” I thought aloud.

“We’ll work on finding you school supplies,” she told me.

“Great…” I breathed out. As we entered the music room, I saw a photographer with lights and a camera ready near the antique piano.

“Hello,” a lady in her early twenties told me in English as I approached her. She was also quite petite, with blonde hair and dressed in a skirt suit. I guessed this was an outfit she picked to meet a princess in her castle, and she looked slightly uncomfortable. Like my mom and myself, I assumed she was frequently assumed to be younger than her age. She was probably only five feet tall, and her height seemed far less intimidating to me than most people I was around in Osané!

“Hi,” I replied in kind, in English, realizing how little I had spoken it in the past week. “I’m Allie,” I said to her.

I noted that Madame Lavigne shook her head but didn’t say anything. The lady seemed a little surprised, too, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I’m Kylee Howard, a reporter at Seventeen,” she told me as she curtsied.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I told her.

“This is Rachel Frank, our photographer for today.”

“Hi,” she said. She waved and attempted an awkward curtsy that made it apparent that her tomboy look was probably true to her personality. Her pixie-style cut made her look more rugged, and her muscles made her feel like she had worked out. For all of that, she looked friendly.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” I told her.

“So, we’re going to get into a bunch of questions for the proper interview, but when I spoke with your staff, they mentioned you’re an excellent clarinet player?” Kylee said to me.

“I’m pretty good for my age, I guess,” I allowed.

“Since you mentioned it in your initial press briefing, too, I thought it might be fun to have some pictures of you playing? If you don’t mind, I’ll record some video clips I might put on Insta?”

I felt a few butterflies about the video clips but said, “Sure. Where do you want me to stand?” I asked.

Rachel answered, “Right over here? That puts that beautiful grand piano and the room as a backdrop?”

I followed her motions to stand a few feet in front of the piano, not unlike how I would perform with an accompanist. A staff member I didn’t recognize moved a beautiful wooden antique music stand in front of me, and I placed the music I’d been working on the past week on the stand.

“I love your outfit,” Kylee told me as Rachel moved some lights around.

“Thanks!” I told her, “It’s cute, right?”

“Yes, it is! Any idea who designed it?” She asked me.

I blushed, “No?” I turned to Geneva, who had appeared then, “Any chance you can find out for us? I’m guessing Kylee might like that information for her article?”

“Not to mention for myself. It’s an adorable look!”

After a minute, I smiled and listened to Rachel’s directions: “Okay, I think the best way to get this look is to have you play.”

“Okay,” I replied and began playing the first movement of the Weber that I’d been practicing. It was by no means perfect yet, but the first part was coming along quite well! I heard the camera shutter and often had lights changing. In the meantime, Kylee had her phone out and recorded some clips.

I played a few other chunks before Rachel said, “Okay, now how about you sit in that chair and just hold it across your shoulder?”

We took a few staged shots like that, and I was looking forward to seeing myself with my new instrument in those pictures!

“Okay, I think we should have more than enough for that part of the article?” Rachel said.

“Great! You’re amazing, Your Highness,” Kylee told me. “I played clarinet in high school but was never that good!”

I blushed, “Thanks.”

I put my clarinet away and soon led Rachel and Kylee up to my rooms. Rachel left most of her camera equipment downstairs, bringing just a couple of cameras. Kylee brought a small messenger-style bag, and we soon crossed into the main receiving room.

“This place is amazing!” Kylee said beside me.

I smiled, “A little overwhelming! But it is beautiful.”

“So, what is this room?” She asked me.

“This is a joint receiving room for the King and Queen,” I answered. “It can be for dining or meeting with guests,” I told her. “That way is the Queen’s chambers,” I told her, pointing to the side of Grandma’s rooms.

“Those are yours?” She asked.

I shook my head, “No, my grandmother has retained those rooms. I’m in my father’s rooms.”

A staffer opened the door for me, and we were in my receiving room.

“May I take pictures here?” Rachel asked Geneva in halted French.

“Oui,” Geneva answered. “We do ask that we may review the photos as we agreed upon, but you may take photos throughout. Your Highness, perhaps give them a tour first, then you can conduct the interview in your living room?” She said in English.

“Okay,” I told them. “Well, this is a private dining area and a sitting room,” I told them. “It’s a nice place to have more informal meals,” I added. I noted that Kylee had her phone out to record right then and noticed Geneva seemed to be following closely with her own phone. “Here is what I think of as a living room back home; it has couches and a TV.”

“Looks like a cozy room?” Kylee said.

“It’s definitely comfortable,” I agreed. I led them down the hall to the office and pointed out the guest bathrooms if they needed them.

The office caused Kylee’s face to look shocked. “This is like a movie set,” she told me.

I laughed, “Tell me about it!”

“Can we get a picture of you sitting in your chair?” Rachel asked, motioning to the big chair.

“Umm… it’ll make me look pretty tiny?” I said.

“We’ll see afterward if it works?” she said.

I saw a nod from Geneva and said, “Okay.”

I sat behind the large desk and smiled at the camera. Rachel had me do a few different poses before saying they were good. “The final room is my bedroom,” I said.

“That bed looks comfortable,” Kylee said with a smile.

“It’s huge!” I told her. “But yes, quite comfy too!”

“Any chance I could get you to lay on the bed with one of your stuffies or that doll?” Rachel asked.

“Umm… I’m not trying to look like I’m five?” I said.

“Please?” Kylee asked. “One of the things I love to have in my articles is down-to-earth things about the subject?”

I blushed but said, “Okay… which do you want me to hold?”

I was soon posed lying on the bed, squeezing my doll with the other two stuffed animals beside me. It was a very candid feeling photo as someone brought a step ladder for Rachel to stand on from above. I did have to admit from my quick view of her camera that it was a cute photo.

I finished showing them the monster bathroom and closet. “This is still half-empty,” Kylee noted.

“I lost everything in the fire back home,” I told her.

“I’m sorry,” she said consolingly.

“I’m just glad my family is okay,” I told her. We circled back to the living room. Rachel took a few more photos of us sitting on opposite sides of the couch before disappearing.

“Okay, ready to start this?” Kylee asked me.

“Would it matter if I said no?” I joked.

“Nope!” She smiled. Okay, first important question: What are the names of your bear, tiger, and doll?”

I blushed, “That’s important?”

“Definitely!” She smiled.

I guessed she was trying to break the ice, but it worked. I told her about how my mom and grandparents had given me the bear and doll before I left and how my best friend Ellie had given me the tiger.

She engaged me with a mix of lighter and heavier questions over the next ninety minutes. Of course, she was curious about how I had not known I was a princess, so I told her a whitewashed version of the story that didn’t leave my grandparents looking as bad. I tried not to throw my father too under the bus either. She’d asked questions about my friends, the music I liked, and even what I found fun about being a princess.

We also discussed ‘short people problems’ that she understood regarding clothing styles. She asked how my clothes were selected to help me deal with that without looking like a little girl. “Who says I don’t still look like a kid?” I laughed at the time.

I also answered some not-so-easy questions about Mom, the fire, and how being away from her was hard.

“So, do you have a favorite thing about Osané so far?”

I sat there thinking briefly before smiling, “They have this really cool mascot cat story here. There’s a street named Rue due Chat-qui-Pêche, the ‘Fishing Cat.’ I translated for her.

“That sounds quite silly?” She said.

“I thought so, too! I don’t think I’ll tell it quite as well as one of my drivers did the other day, but I guess the story is that there was a big drop in fishing hauls coming in a long time ago. Each time they went out they weren’t bringing back as many fish, which was a problem. Apparently, a captain discovered a stowaway cat on his boat, and it was a major pain. Somehow, it ended up jumping off the boat and into the water, and feeling guilty about it, the captain tried to rescue it. He got it back into the boat but was attacked by the cat for his trouble! He was about to think about booting it off again until the nets came in with the biggest haul he’d ever had. The cat got the credit for the increase and became a local mascot.”

“That’s awesome!” She said with a smile on her face.

“Anyway, many businesses and places use the mascot now. A bakery down on that street has this cute sign of a cat holding a fishing pole and catching a croissant. It’s quite silly but charming,” I added.

“What’s been the most surprising thing about being a princess?” She asked me.

I didn’t hesitate, “You know how we grow up thinking every princess automatically gets a tiara?”

She nodded.

“I have to wait until I’m eighteen!”

“No way?”

“Some tradition that I can’t wear one until I come of age.”

“That’s kind of a rip-off,” she smiled at me.

“Right?” I laughed.

She asked a few other questions after that before our time was up. “Thank you for the interview,” Kylee told me, “I know everyone in America and worldwide is absolutely fascinated with your story!”

I blushed, “Thanks for coming all the way here to see me,” I told her as I walked her out to the main part of the castle.

“It was a pleasure! I’ll send you the completed article next week. It’ll run in this next month’s edition.”

“That fast?” I asked.

She smiled, “You’re about as current of news as we can have in a monthly publication! We’re reorganizing a few things to make it work.”

“Thanks, I guess,” I told her.

“Don’t change, Your Highness, I can tell you are a sweet young lady.”

“Thank you,” I said.
 

Royal Performer - Chapter 16

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 16: Care Package

EVENTUALLY, I WAS able to have a quiet dinner with Madame Lavigne. Then I noted the texts from a name I barely recognized.

‘Hi, it’s Léa!’ I read.

‘Hi!’ I replied back.

‘How have you been?’ she asked me.

We started trading messages for about fifteen minutes before I read, ‘So, is it true you’re coming to school here next week?’

‘How does she know that already?!?’ I wondered.

I didn’t see any reason not to confirm, ‘Yes, I’m coming for the final few weeks of your summer term.’

‘Wow, I thought Lola was just making stuff up!’ Léa replied.

‘How did she find out?!?’ I was really annoyed,

‘Lola found out and was saying something?’

‘Yeah, I think she was in the office when a meeting happened?’

‘So much for student privacy…’ I replied back.

‘How long have you known?’ she asked me.

‘This afternoon?’

‘She was saying stuff this morning…’

I sat there stewing, but I decided this would be both a Grandma and Giuseppe issue, and I would have to do something. I knew from Ellie that surviving catty girls like Lola was only possible with allies! I opened my calendar for a second and decided to try to build some!

‘Say… I’ve been pretty lonely here and have nothing scheduled for tomorrow. Would you be up for coming over for a sleepover?’

I watched dots from the messaging going on for a few moments.

‘You’re serious?’

‘I only know a few people here. Maybe I’ll invite this girl I met shopping, Mélanie Lemieux, too?’

‘Mel’s a sweetheart! She’s one of my friends!’

‘Then how about your sister Louise too?’

‘Are you sure? She’s kind of a baby still…?’

‘She seemed sweet at her party. If you come and she doesn’t, she might be jealous?’

‘Of course she’d be jealous!’She included a laughing emoji.

‘So…?’

‘Sounds like fun! You want to get permission first, and then we’ll see if we can make it?’

‘Awesome, I’ll get back to you in a bit after I have dinner with my grandmother.’

She replied with a smile emoji, and I put my phone down.

I looked less put together at that point but still admired my outfit. Truthfully, it was one I would have chosen to be Ellie’s little sister out and about, and I didn’t think anyone would have thought I was fifteen. ‘I like this look better; is there any reason I can’t lean into my appearance?’ I thought as I stared in my vanity mirror momentarily before deciding to head to find Madame Lavigne or Grandma to ask permission to have my little sleepover.

I had just entered our shared receiving room when Grandma walked in from the main castle entrance with Geneva.

“Hi, Grandma. May I talk to you?” I asked her.

“About?” She asked.

“Umm… a couple things…?” I motioned towards Geneva with my eyes.

“Geneva, would you please wait here a moment while my granddaughter and I have a quick conversation?” She asked.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Geneva responded.

Grandma opened the door to her chambers, and I followed her to her sitting room. “Yes, Allie?”

I debated where to begin. “Umm… Well, first, I believe there may be a bit of a confidentiality breach at the school,” I decided to say.

“Oh?”

“Apparently, Lola found out in the office that I’m enrolling on Monday and spread it around everywhere?”

Grandma smiled, “I guessed she would.”

“You’re not mad?” I asked.

“Allie, you need to understand few things will remain secret about you.”

I felt sick at that, “I know that… but she shouldn’t have known? Or… told anyone?”

“We’ll give her a pass this time,” Grandma said. “It probably did you a favor in that it won’t be a total surprise when you show up?”

Sighing, I said, “I guess you’re right.”

“Was there something else?”

“Yes?” I said, “There’s nothing going on tomorrow night, right?”

She pulled out her phone and looked at her calendar, “Somehow, we do seem to have a free Saturday night. That’s not something you should plan on being a normal occurrence?”

I nodded, “I get that. I was wondering if I could invite a few girls over for a sleepover?”

“A sleepover, huh?” She said, looking a little dubious. “Do you trust these girls? How do you even know them?”

“Well, Léa and Louise are the daughters of Fernando Teresi - he’s a security team member?” She nodded, “I met them when they came here for Louise’s tenth birthday party in the arcade and bowling alley?”

She nodded, “So you want to hang out with younger girls?”

“I just figured if I invited Léa, who’s my age, it would only be fair to invite Louise too?”

She sighed, “Okay, who else?”

“This girl I met shopping? She worked in one of the shops?”

Grandma had to be more convinced of her, but after a call to Giuseppe, who ran a background check, she agreed to do that, too. “You all can be in the pool, the gardens, the arcade area, or the cinema, but no fooling around in the tourist areas?”

“Can I show them the rooms if they want to see?” I asked.

“I suppose,” she told me. “Go ahead and invite them. Was this the outfit you wore for the magazine interview?”

I nodded, “It’s cute, isn’t it?”

She nodded, “It is. I’m just concerned you are back to looking like you are nine again.”

I blushed, “I don’t think that will ever be avoidable, even when I get on my medication fully?”

“We’ll see,” she said. Grandma gave me a hug, “Go invite them. I want you to have breakfast with me, and then we’ll be in the throne room for a ceremony in the morning. You’ll be done by lunch?”

“Thanks!” I told her, and I disappeared back to my chambers, telling Geneva she could go see her as I left.

I messaged Léa and confirmed I was able to have them over.

‘I think you’re going to regret inviting Louise! She’s bouncing off the walls right now!!!’

‘LOL!’ I replied.

I searched my contacts, found Mélanie’s number, and sent her a message. ‘Hi Mélanie, would you like to come to the Chateaux for a sleepover tomorrow night?’

I didn’t get an immediate response, so I chatted with Ellie briefly. She thought the romper dress looked adorable and agreed it made me look younger. When I told her about my thoughts that I should just lean into that, she didn’t have a lot of counterarguments. We’d been talking for an hour after my text when I received a reply from Mélanie.

‘Seriously?!?’

‘Serious ,’ I replied.

‘Let me see if I can switch shifts…’

‘If your manager says no, let me know!’ I smiled, thinking a call to them might be effective.

‘Give me a bit here,’ she said.

I changed into pajamas and was walking down to watch some TV when I found she’d replied, ‘I’m in! How do I get in?’

I laughed, gave her some instructions, and then sat down to cuddle Becky and watch TV when Anna entered.

“Your Highness, a package came for you today?” She held a large brown box that looked like it might have seen a lot of travel before it arrived.

“From who?” I asked.

“Your mom?”

I immediately stood up and crossed the short distance to grab the box. It was still taped shut, and I groaned as I didn’t know where to find scissors.

She smiled, “Would you like me to open it for you?”

A second later, she produced a small blade to cut the copious amounts of tape on the box. I sat it on top of the coffee table in the room and opened the box sides to reveal a pile of fabric!

Inside, I found three adorable fleece blankets! Two were Disney Princess-themed, and the third was Hello Kitty. “Yay!!!” I almost bounced up and down.

“Your Highness?” She asked.

“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted cute fuzzy blankies!” I had to say blankies in English because I still hadn’t asked about the French equivalent.

She shook her head, “What else is in there?”

I was happy to see more comfy pajamas, fuzzy socks, shorts, and a Tupperware box of cookies!”

“Your Highness, may I see the cookies?” She asked.

“Why?”

“We need to check them; the blankets and clothes are fine,” she told me.

“Check them?” I asked.

“I’m ninety-nine-point-nine percent certain this package is legitimate, but food from outside the castle will always be checked for poison.”

“…What?!?”

“Give me ten minutes; I’ll be back with them,” she assured me.

“You won’t destroy them, right?”

“No, I would never do that,” she answered solemnly. “Curl up under your new blankies, and I’ll be back shortly.”

I sighed but pulled out the biggest fuzzy pink blanket covered with Aurora, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. I used the remote to turn on the TV and curled up on one of the ends of the couch. I quickly texted Mom a quick ‘Thank you!!!’ and had just settled on re-watching Tangled for the nth time when Anna returned with the Tupperware container.

“All good,” She told me, handing it over.

“What did you do with them?” I asked.

“We have a detector that we ran over the box, and then I tasted one to be sure.”

“You tas…”

“Your Highness, food tasters have been a thing for hundreds of years. It’s an effective way to ensure there’s no doubt of poisons.”

“Can I just say that’s horrible?”

She shrugged, “If I really was worried, we’d send it to a lab for more intrusive testing first. Enjoy your movie,” she said. “By the way, your mom is an excellent cook!”

I just shook my head and squeezed Becky tighter as the movie began.

The occasional cookie was consumed as I watched the pair rush through the kingdom in a blur of hair and frying pans. The end, as Rapunzel was reintroduced to her mom and dad, always made me tear up, and that day was no exception!

I stood at the end and noted it was nearly eleven, and I was certain Anna would be nagging me to go to sleep soon. I left the cookies on the dining room table and wished there was at least a microwave or kitchenette. From everything I had seen, I wouldn’t ever be able to cook for myself in the castle - and that just felt weird!

I was half-tempted to wander down to the downstairs kitchen, but instead, I walked down the hall to my room. I had spread my new blankies around my bed, brushed my teeth, and brushed out my hair when Anna came in.

“Ready for bed?” She asked me.

I shrugged, “I guess?”

“I hear you have some guests coming over tomorrow night?”

I looked at her curiously, “Yes?”

“Not your cousins?”

I smirked, “No, Monsieur Teresi and his daughters were here for a party on one of my first days, and I met his two oldest daughters. Léa is my age, but they were here for Louise’s birthday party. I didn’t think it would be fair to not invite her. Then there’s a girl Mélanie I met shopping with Madame Lavigne, who seemed nice. She’s the same age as me, too?”

“Regular kids, then?” She asked me appraisingly.

I shrugged, “They seem like it? I’ve texted Léa and Mélanie a few times since then. It would be nice to have friends that aren’t across the ocean?”

She nodded, “That it would.” She looked at the blankets I had spread about, “Are you sure you want to have such juvenile blankets when they come?”

I laughed, “My friend Ellie has plenty of blankets like this and gets a new one every Christmas. I don’t think any girl will see it as a problem?”

“You don’t think it reinforces you being young?”

I looked at her and shrugged, “I am young - and I am short! Unless you have some instant human stretching machine I don’t know about, it will probably be that way if I stay my mom’s height?”

She nodded, “You sure don’t seem to be taking after your Papa.”

I blushed, “You knew him?”

“Since I was a young girl,” she told me. “My maman worked on staff here when I was little. I was probably nine when he was born?”

“What did she do?”

“She was his nanny, actually,” she told me.

I wrinkled my nose slightly, “That seems so weird to me.”

“And a governess isn’t?”

“It is too,” I agreed.

“So anyway, I was often around your dad until he was about three or four when they moved my mom to another position and hired a governess for him. I even changed more than a few of his diapers, too!” She smirked.

“Sadly, you knew him better than me,” I told her.

“Yes, it’s a shame…” You could see a far-off look in her eyes, which she blinked away and said, “Anyway, let’s get you in bed, Your Highness. You’re going to have quite the day tomorrow.”

I nodded off to sleep that night, wondering again why fate had conspired against me to send me thousands of miles from my mom to the homeland of a father who never deigned to meet me!

Royal Performer - Chapter 17

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 17: Court of Honor

I WAS WOKEN up and dressed in a long gown that brushed the floor, even with the three-inch heels I was teetering on. A hair accessory similar to the one I lost in the fire was affixed in a tight bun on my head. I wore a necklace and earrings set that I knew had to have been priceless antiques with what I would have assumed were fake blue sapphires, pearls, and diamonds in any other context. Here, I knew they were real and worth a fortune!

Grandma was dressed as fancy at breakfast, and I noted the crown beside her in a clear box.

“What is going on today?” I asked.

“We will be presenting three individuals with Knightly Honors,” she told me.

“That really happens?” I asked.

She smiled at me good-naturedly, “It doesn’t come with land now, but they can add Sir or Lady to their names, and each order forms a sort of fraternity with one another.”

“That’s kind of cool,” I told her. “How many orders are there?”

“Just six, less than my home country of Great Britain,” she added.

“What are they for?”

She described them as valor or bravery, acts in service of the crown, artistic honors, and scientific achievements. “We have four, and we’ll be presenting honors today,” she told me.

“Why do this in a morning ceremony?” I asked.

“This is the initial presentation; they’ll also be recognized at the ball in a few weeks.”

“The one for me?” I blushed.

“It’s an annual summer ball, but yes, your introduction to society as well,” she told me.

Right then, her maid, whom I didn’t see as much of personally, came in and asked, “Are you about finished, Your Majesty?”

“Yes, Iris, would you mind helping me put this crown on?”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” she told her.

I watched as she delicately lifted the crown onto her head and noted how low it sank. “How heavy is that?” I found myself curiously asking.

“Lighter than the duty it comes with,” she said with a smile. “Come, it’s time.”

I followed alongside her as she went down a hallway I wasn’t familiar with. Giuseppe opened a door before us that I hadn’t been through. A tight spiraling staircase descended and ascended before us. I daintily followed Grandma down the steps while holding onto a well-worn wooden handrail.

When we arrived on the ground floor, I discovered the door led to an antechamber beside the throne room. “Wait for me to enter, and then the royal herald will announce your entry,” she told me.

I heard a set of herald trumpets blare a flourish like they had the day I arrived and heard, “Her Majesty, Queen Maria Eirene Margarita Andino Alessi!”

Even down the hallway, the herald’s voice was strong. Geneva appeared then and directed me to the door, “Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandria Leonidas Alessi,” was announced with my own shorter flourish of trumpets. I found myself walking down the aisle of the throne room, which was set up with about fifty seats on either side of the aisle. I hadn’t been down to the throne room since my first day’s tour, so it was a bit of a shock to see it decorated so lavishly, and my smaller throne sitting beside Grandma’s was intimidating.

Madame Lavigne had spent hours in the past couple of weeks practicing my sitting skills, of all things! She’d also spent time teaching me the proper court etiquette for events such as this. I approached Grandma, performed a curtsy, and then sat on my throne.

It was just as uncomfortable as I feared that first day!

As I’d been endlessly drilled by my middle school band director and Madame Lavigne, I sat straight up and watched as the ceremony began. The royal herald announced the first person, Sergeant Clément Girard. A tall man with a shaved head stepped forward in a military dress uniform. He had a couple of rows of tour ribbons and two medals pinned below them.

“Sergeant Girard stood his ground in the face of heavy oncoming fire while also defending five mortally wounded soldiers beside him while on duty with NATO forces. Despite the danger to himself, he engaged an overwhelming number of enemies for three hours until help arrived. He sustained several serious wounds, but four of those men are alive today due to his actions.” The herald announced.

“Monsieur Clément, you are a soldier among soldiers, and your actions have saved the lives of your fellow men. Please kneel,” Grandma said as she stood and was presented with a sword on a pillow. I watched her pick up the sword, which seemed like a cousin to a rapier, and a short sword. “In recognition of your gallant valor and service to Osané, I dub thee Sir Clément Girard, Knight of the Order of Saint Marc. Rise, Sir Clément, and receive your insignia.”

At that, she gently set the sword on the pillow, took a sizeable golden medal on a ribbon, and draped it upon his neck. “It is with great pride and profound gratitude that I bestow upon you the Order of Saint Marc. May this honor symbolize our nation’s appreciation for your gallant valor and inspiration to all who serve.”

She stepped back, “Sir Clément, your courage will be remembered, and your name shall be inscribed in the annals of Osané’s history as a paragon of heroism and honor. I thank you on behalf of the crown and the people of Osané.”

After a rousing round of applause, he stepped back, and the next recipient stepped forward. Sébastian Dupuy, an early thirties gentleman with black hair, was also awarded the ‘Order of the Enlightened’ medal and knighted. Apparently, he had made a significant breakthrough in correcting genetic abnormalities. I later learned that it was expected he would be in contention for the Nobel Prize of Medicine in the next couple of decades once his research had more time to be built upon!

I smiled at the third recipient when I realized it was Maestro Bevins! As he would be known henceforth, Maestro Sir James Bevins was awarded the ‘Order of the Royal Palette’ for service to the arts.

The final recipient called before Grandma was a woman dressed in a blue skirt suit that I could have seen Grandma wearing to conduct regular business. It seemed like a decent analogy to what the men wore, but it felt far less formal than her and my dresses!

“Now, we continue to recognize another outstanding act of heroism.” She said.

“In addition to gallant valor in battle, we also honor those who have shown extraordinary heroism in saving the lives of others. Margaux Girard, your selfless actions following the massive accidental explosion at the Usine de Nutriments Agricoles have not only saved twenty lives but have also embodied the spirit of compassion and bravery that defines our nation.”

Grandma completed the rest of the ceremony with the sword and then the medal before she concluded, “In recognition of your heroic actions in saving twenty lives, I bestow upon you the Order of the White Cross. Lady Girard, may this honor symbolize our nation’s deep gratitude and admiration for your courage and selflessness.”

A round of applause proceeded, and then we all filed down to have a fantastic formal lunch in the large downstairs ballroom.

Grandma and I sat in the center of the head table, with the four award recipients on either side of us. I was fortunate to have Maestro Bevins next to me. “Congratulations, Sir Bevins,” I told him once we were all seated.

“Thank you very much, Your Highness,” he said with a smile.

Food was served, and in between courses, he asked me, “So, how is the new instrument?”

“It’s amazing!” I told him with a smile before I placed a new bite of food into my mouth.

“Practicing?”

I had to swallow first but answered, “Yes, every day. I’m getting the Weber Concerto that Monsieur Dubois has me working on down one page at a time.”

“Excellent!” He told me.

I’d been stuck at several of these meals since I arrived, but this one was far more interesting. I learned more about ‘Sir’ Bevins and how he had become the Maestro in Osané. Truly, his career could take him to other places and more prestigious orchestras. “What keeps you here?” I asked him.

“It’s a beautiful country, Your Highness, and I’m able to make all the music I could desire here!”

I smiled at him, “Glad to hear that.”

Occasionally, we would engage with ‘Sir’ Dupuy beside him. He was a very fit guy for being the nerd that he was. I discovered he was also a distant relative of the Montalvo side. Far enough removed to not be legitimate ‘royalty,’ but close enough to at least be able to trace the lineage from what I discovered.

Fortunately, he seemed to be a far more personable person than my cousins were!

Towards the end of the meal, I was talking with Grandma and somehow caught my hair in the tall-backed chair I sat in. ‘Ow!’ I complained, surprised I didn’t see a hair in the chair when I turned. I noted that most of the room was finishing up with lunch, and Grandma took that moment to end the meal. I followed her out the door, and after some goodbyes, I could return to my rooms.

I sighed, looking at the clock and seeing it was a little later than I had planned. My dress had grown heavy and hot as the day wore on, and I figured I’d just have enough time to shower. Before I could start to undress, Giselle entered the room. “Excited to see your friends?” She asked me.

I shrugged and started trying to pull out the ornate comb she had worked into my hair. “I don’t know them well enough to consider them friends yet, but I hope after I get to know them better, they’ll become so..”

“Here, Your Highness, sit, and I’ll get your hair for you. I think you have just enough time to hop into the shower and change into something more casual?”

“That’s what I was hoping for,” I agreed with her as I sat down.

She was swift with her hands as she pulled the ornate comb from my hair, then a myriad of other pins she’d used that morning before putting my hair in a shower cap. I pulled the necklace and earrings off, and she put them away as I found the most casual dress I could find in my closet. It was a solid color, light purple, with short sleeves, and as I held it in front of me, I was sure it would land below my fingertips. It was a simple design that I could tell would flare if I twirled. I happened to glance at the name of the dress designer and gulped. That designer’s dresses were usually around five hundred US dollars when I looked them up out of curiosity one day.

I shook my head as I scrambled to the bathroom with a fresh set of matching underwear and hopped into the shower. The water felt great, but I knew I didn’t have much time, so I washed quickly and soon pulled on my panties, bra, and, finally, the dress over my head. I had to perform gymnastics to pull the zipper up because it fit firmly around my chest. When I finally succeeded, I could see that it was slightly emphasizing the padding of my bra to form a chest that might be appropriate for a younger girl than I was.

‘Definitely smaller than Anise,’ I thought annoyed. Even a couple weeks later, I was still unnerved and more than a little intimidated by my cousins!

As time passed, I got nervous about trying to make friends with these girls. They seemed friendly enough on my first meeting with them, but was that just because I was the princess?

I returned to my bedroom, where Giselle was waiting for me. “Excited?” She asked.

“Scared?” I replied.

“I know the Teresi family; you picked a good set of girls to hang out with. I don’t know this Mélanie girl, but I suspect you’re a good judge of character?”

I shrugged, “I hope so?”

“So what are we doing with your hair? Full formal hair?” She smirked at me, and I suspected she was teasing.

“No, I don’t think that’s necessary; I did that all morning!”

She laughed, “How about I just brush it out and leave it down? You rarely seem to get out of having it in a bun or braided?”

I nodded, “That would be nice!”

I relaxed as she brushed my hair—it really was a nice feeling! When I thought she was done, I was about to move, but she said, “One second, I want to see if we have something in here…”

I sat still and had my curiosity sated when she brought a simple purple fabric-covered headband over that matched my dress nearly perfectly. She placed it in my hair, and I looked at my reflection. Right then, I looked more like my simple ‘Allie’ self.

“Here, I’m guessing you don’t want to get too carried away with makeup this afternoon. Why don’t you just put on this lip gloss?” She suggested.

I applied the simple lip gloss to my mouth and enjoyed the look and the slightly shiny red tinge on my lips. I turned around and gave Giselle a hug, saying, “Thank you; I look like myself.”

She returned the hug, “You always look like yourself, Your Highness.”

I moved a moment later and found a cute pair of butterfly earrings that I put in my ears and a small, simple-looking heart-shaped pendant with an amethyst in the middle. I noted that Giselle pressed a keypad when I finished looking inside the jewelry drawers.

“What are you doing?”

“Your Highness, as much as I know we’ve done a background check on the girls, anytime you have any guests, we will always lock these drawers,” she told me.

“Oh…” was all I could say.

I was just preparing to walk down to the Living Room to hang out when my phone rang. “Hello?” I said.

“Your Highness, your guests are here?” I heard a woman say.

“Would you please have them escorted to the royal quarters?” I said.

“Certainly,” she said and hung up.

I walked to the shared sitting room area and wondered how my first sleepover would go. I also felt horrible that it wasn’t with Ellie!

Royal Performer - Chapter 18

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage. Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

Available Now! on Amazon Kindle Store

Chapter 18: Slumber Party

AFTER WHAT FELT, both forever and only two seconds, I watched the door to our quarters open with Monsieur Teresi leading the way for his daughters and Mélanie, all of who looked to be in awe of being there. Each girl was dressed far nicer than I believed was necessary, with Léa wearing a skirt suit that seemed too large for her and Louise wearing a really nice dress. Mélanie wore a pretty floral skirt and a nice-looking blouse, and her hair was done up in a bun.

“Hi,” I said with an awkward wave.

“Hi,” they all said just as awkwardly.

“Let me know if you need anything, girls,” the father told his daughters, hugging and kissing them both.

Their blush and Louise’s whispered, “Papa!” showed that they felt they had to be cool in front of me.

When he left, they held a shoulder bag awkwardly, “Thank you for coming,” I said with a smile, “I don’t really know anyone here, and you three were nice to me when I met you!”

That made the three of them smile, “Thanks for inviting us,” Mélanie offered.

“Why don’t you put your stuff down in my quarters?” I told them. “I have no idea how a sleepover is supposed to work in a castle,” I giggled nervously.

I opened the door to my entry area and heard, “Wow!”

I turned to Léa, “More than a little over the top, huh?”

She shrugged, “I mean... This side is meant for the king, right?”

I nodded, “Grandma didn’t want to give up her closet space.” I led them down the hallway, giving them the nickel tour to my room.

My doll Jenny was standing on one of my dressers with the help of her stand, and Louise immediately noticed her. “Wow! You really do have a doll still!”

“What’s her name?” Mélanie asked me with a smile as she looked down at me. Her taller height reminded me of Ellie.

I blushed, “Her name is Jenny… I lost everything in the fire. My mom and grandparents bought her for me before I left, and I named her after my mom’s client, who was killed.” They nodded at me before I said, “Go ahead and set your bags on my bed, I guess?”

“That’s not a bed, Your Highness, that’s more like a tennis court!” Mélanie said.

I laughed, “I have no idea how they find sheets for it! And… I don’t know how to say this, but one of the things I’m looking for is to be a regular girl? Please call me Allie?” I looked at the three.

Mélanie smiled, “I can do that.”

“I’m not so sure… Papa might not be too happy,” Léa said.

“You don’t have to call me Allie in front of him?” I suggested.

She looked thoughtful and then to her sister, “Louise, remember that as a rule?”

“Sure!” She said. “I like Allie way better than saying, Your Highness.”

“I do, too!” I told her.

I showed them the closet next, and all three were in awe. “You have such beautiful clothes!” Louise said.

There was a look in her eyes that reminded me of how I looked when I borrowed Ellie’s clothes years ago. “Is there something you want to try on?” I asked with a smile.

“Really?!?” Louise asked.

“I’m not sure…” Léa said.

“I insist,” I smiled. “You too, Léa. Sorry, Mélanie, my clothes don’t come in normal sizes!”

She laughed, “I work in a clothes store - I’m more inclined not to anyway! I’ll just watch!”

An hour of trying on my dresses followed, along with many giggles. Their understanding that I was not just some spoiled royal brat broke the ice. At one point, Anna and Giselle came in and introduced themselves. I could tell Anna was annoyed by the activity, but Giselle put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head. I could just hear her whisper, “Let them have fun,” before they left.

Afterward, we were back in our original clothes, and I asked, “Is there anything you want to see here that you haven’t seen before?”

“Like?” Léa asked.

“Well, your dad works here, so you probably know as much or more than I do about this place?”

“Not really; the arcade and theater upstairs are about the only things besides the ground floor we’ve seen?”

“I’ve only ever seen the ground floor on the school tour,” Mélanie said.

I looked at the time. “We have about an hour before dinner. Why don’t we go upstairs first? Did you bring a swimsuit like I suggested? After dinner, we can go swimming,” I asked them.

Mélanie and Léa nodded, but I watched Louise’s face drop, “I forgot mine…”

I smiled, “We already know you fit into my clothes? I’ll just lend you one?”

She smiled at me, “Okay!”

Léa and Louise had, of course, been upstairs more than a few times, but Mélanie said, “I think I heard a rumor of something like this from a friend, but I had no idea this was here? Is this just for the family?” She asked me.

I shook my head, “My father and grandmother allow castle staff to bring their families here. That’s how I met Léa and Louise,” I told her.

“That’s actually kind of cool,” Mélanie said before saying, “By the way, my friends call me Lanie.”

I smiled, “Thanks.”

We walked through the theater and then backtracked to the bowling alley and bowled a few games before Madame Lavigne came to find us. “Having a good time?” She asked me.

“Oui, Madame,” I said. “Oh, this is Léa, Louise, and Mélanie.” I pointed to each as I introduced them. “This is Madame Lavigne, my governess.”

I heard a variety of pleased to meet you responses then. “Girls, why don’t you wash up, and then Chef Dufort has a special dinner for you four?”

I blushed, “I hope he didn’t go to too much trouble?”

She just smiled at me, “He said the meal will be ready in twenty minutes.”

“Are you joining us?” I asked her.

She shook her head, “No, you girls enjoy the meal without an adult hanging over your shoulder. I might check on you again before I head to bed.”

As she left, Mélanie asked, “You have an honest-to-goodness governess? Aren’t they for younger kids?”

I blushed, “Apparently, when you get surprised with being a princess and don’t grow up knowing it, there are a lot of lessons you won’t know. Plus, she’s trying to get me caught up with where they believe I should be educationally with my schooling.

“You’re behind?” Léa asked in surprise.

I shrugged, “Not by American standards?”

We walked downstairs, and between my guest bathroom and my bathroom, the four of us were soon cleaned up and sitting around my table in the dining room. As if he was waiting for that moment, an immaculately dressed Chef Dufort stepped inside, pushing a cart with silver-covered dishes.

“Bonjour!” he said to us.

“Bonjour,” the girls and I replied back.

He introduced the meal, which ended up being a six-course meal with small portions of each dish. It started with two small pieces of toast with a salmon canapé, followed by his delicious French Onion Soup that he knew I loved in a small bowl. A small portion of poached salmon with a dill sauce was then followed with another small portion of Beef Bourguignon before a cheese platter. “You deserve a Michelin Star!” I told him as he gave us a final course: two tiny but beautifully made chocolate éclairs.

“You’re too kind, Your Highness,” he told me. “Besides, I truly enjoy cooking for you!”

I smiled at him as he left us, and the girls and I managed to finish our éclairs.

“How are you not like a million kilos after meals like that?” Mélanie asked me.

“Portion sizes help… but Madame Lavigne has been having me learn ballet and other exercises each day, too.”

“So when do you get to have any fun?” Léa asked.

“Tonight?” I said sadly.

“Guess I walked into that one,” she replied.

“So, are there any good things about being a princess?” Mélanie asked.

“Sounds like I’ll never have to worry about money or a job…” I shrugged, “The job part is kind of sad, actually.”

“You won’t instantly take over from your grandmother, will you?” Léa asked.

“Of course not, she’s the queen,” Louise said.

I laughed, “Grandma plans to abdicate the crown when I graduate college, from what she’s told me. If I skip college, I could take over when I turn eighteen.”

“You don’t want that, right?” Mélanie asked.

I shook my head, “No, I really want to go to school.”

“What for?”

I shrugged, “Maybe music?”

“You like music?” Léa asked.

I nodded, “I play clarinet.”

“Are you any good?” Mélanie asked. “I play horn with the orchestra at school, and our clarinets aren’t that great.”

I smiled, “I’m pretty good?”

“Can we hear you play?” Louise asked.

“Don’t you want to go swimming?” I tried to distract her.

“Maman says we can’t swim until thirty minutes after we eat?” Louise replied.

I laughed, “So that old wives tale is here too, huh?” I shrugged, “Do you really want to hear me play?”

“Yes!” the three of them said.

I looked at the time, “Let’s go to the best room if I’m going to do this!”

I grabbed my clarinet and some music and led them down to the music room on the first floor. I found the hidden light switches to turn the lights fully on and soon made my way with my clarinet to what I had decided was ‘the spot’ one night the previous week. The spot was just away from the piano, and the acoustics from there were unbelievable! There was a liveliness to the reverb that wasn’t too echoey but was definitely not dead!

The girls stood with their jaws dropped as I played several things for about fifteen minutes.

“Am I better than your clarinets?” I asked Mélanie.

“Definitely!” she smiled. “Lola is going to hate this!”

“Wait! What?!?” I asked.

“Lola is one of the clarinets, along with her witch friend, Léna.”

“Great…” I groaned, vaguely recalling her mentioning that at dinner!

We walked upstairs to get our swimsuits when Mélanie asked, “You’re really coming to school this next week?”

I nodded, “They want me to try it out for the final few weeks?”

“Are they going to make you take the exams?” Léa asked.

“Knowing my luck? Probably,” I told her.

“What year will you be?” Mélanie asked.

“Grandma said I’ll be a Year 10? She said that’s like being a freshman back home?”

“I think that’s what an exchange student told me last year,” Mélanie told me.

“Too bad you can’t come with me!” Louise smiled, “It’d be a lot more fun!”

“Just because she can blend in with you, squirt doesn’t mean she’s in the same grade!” Mélanie laughed.

I nodded, “I’m sure it’d be much better there with you!”

Back in my closet, I found a tankini-style suit with a skirt attachment and a sewn-in gaff to wear for myself, and Louise picked out a one-piece suit with another little skirt attached.

“What’s with all of the skirts on your suits?” Louise asked.

I shrugged, “My fashion consultant guy picked all of them out?”

“Must be some other weird designer thing. The crotch is doubled up with fabric,” Louise said.

“It’s a modesty thing,” I told her honestly.

“Makes sense, you don’t want random pervs zooming in with cameras,” Mélanie said.

“Nope,” I said, even as I thought that would probably be a million-dollar shot for the tabloids.
 
 

“SO WHY ARE you so short?” I was asked a short while later as we floated in the pool by Mélanie.

I shrugged, “I’m a half-inch taller than my mom. The doctors think I might grow a bit more. We’ll see.”

“Your dad was a lot taller,” Léa said to me.

“So I’ve heard,” I responded.

“You really never met him?” Louise asked.

I shook my head, “No?”

“That’s terrible. I don’t know what I’d do without Papa!”

I nodded, “I definitely missed out. My father paid child support and sent gifts for my birthday and Christmas each year, but I never had any idea about this,” I motioned around the room.

“That’s really crazy,” Léa said. “I figured they made that part up.”

I laughed, “I don’t think anyone could have made up my last few weeks of life!”

Through the night, I learned more about the girls. Léa was a serious ballerina who hoped to study at the greatest ballet schools in France and possibly even Bolshoi when she grew up. Her sister Louise was into gymnastics more, and while she was still clearly five years younger than me, I was amazed by her maturity. She let things slip occasionally, showing she was still a child in many ways. For instance, back in my room, she insisted Jenny and her doll Aurélie had to meet!

The other two watched for a few minutes while I played with her like I had with Ellie when we were younger. Eventually, though, I said, “How about we change into our pajamas and watch a movie?”

“Where?” Léa asked.

“My living room or the theater?” I suggested.

“Theater!” I heard the girls say unanimously as I hoped I wouldn’t get chewed out for being in my pajamas out of my room! I put on a set of satin pants and a matching soft cotton pink shirt that had appeared one day and had become one of my favorites. Ellie had sent me a hoodie with Disney Princesses on it the previous week, and it was gathered before I led the girls upstairs.

The security guards were gracious enough not to look scandalized by our clothing. Jacque, the typical officer on duty for the night, just smiled and said we should have a good time. Upstairs in the theater, I discovered a call button. We soon had fresh buttered popcorn and picked out some candy from a display case before curling up together on a section of seats to watch one of the latest animated films that Léa suggested would be okay for her sister to watch.

“Thanks for being willing to watch a kid’s movie; our parents are kind of strict,” she whispered.

I giggled. “I was watching another last night. There’s nothing wrong with them,” I told her.

Over the day, I learned that Léa and Lanie had been casual friends before, but the three of us seemed to be starting to form a bit of a good trio. Louise was definitely younger than us, but she was easy to get along with. I appreciated that neither of the older girls picked arguments with her. When we finished watching the movie, I looked at Louise and giggled at the sleeping girl.

“She fell asleep,” I noted.

“She does that all the time,” Léa rolled her eyes. “Unfortunately, no daddy here to carry her.”

I laughed, but Lanie gathered and easily carried her before I could wake her up.

“How can you do that?” I asked quietly.

“You don’t think clothes come in light little packages, do you?” She laughed.

“You’re small enough she’d manage too,” Léa laughed.

I shook my head, “Not that you have any room to talk!”

She laughed, “No, we are all pretty tiny.”

Lanie somehow managed to get her all the way down to my quarters without her waking up, and we discovered someone had rolled out four sleeping bags in my Living Room.

“Seems someone is helping out with the sleepover?” Lanie asked as she gently laid the still-sleeping girl on top of one.

“Probably Giselle or Anna, my maids,” I told her.

“What’s that like?” Léa asked.