Royalty this Century

Chapter III

Vachel Wolfgang Amadeus Canmore was the younger twin brother of Viktor Wolfgang Amadeus Canmore IV. Like his nephew, Julien Amadeus Canmore, Vachel lived the way he wanted to and didn't bother with royal rules because they were dated and confining for the twenty-first century. Ainsley was more like her father; a zealot. Viktor IV and Vachel did not get along for their differing opinions. Their parents, Viktor III and Margret, also didn't have an appetite for their younger son's supposedly frivolous behaviour and lifestyle. Julien, because he was 'radicalised' by Vachel, also had a frivolous nature. Hence the eyeliner.

Ainsley cleared her throat, still watching her brother bury himself in their uncle's arms. "This is a surprise," she stated faintly sour. "It's good to see you, uncle."

Vachel combed stray strands of Ainsley's dark brown hair behind her ears. His hands gently gathered her in a hug that was displeasing to anyone who saw it or experienced it. "Please stop. You two look ridiculous," Julien commented. Ainey removed herself immediately. "We thought you lived in Denmark."

"Oh, I do," the adult prince clarified. "I just wanted to surprise my brother for our birthday. And I think it's high time our family settled some grievances."

"Hey, where's...?" Adrien came screaming into the hall and hid behind Ainsley, begging her for protection "... Michel," Julien finished beaming excitedly.

Their cousin came charging in and froze abruptly at the sight of Ainsley's stiffly raised eyebrow. Michel - who perhaps was just as bad as Julien and Vachel - had shoulder length brown that was tied back. He had caterpillar eyebrows and a chiselled jawline that made girls - both in Denmark and in Monteiro - swoon over him.

The natural son of Prince Vachel was just older than Ainsley; he was nineteen. Michel's mother, Embla, was a tour guide at the Grandiose Chateau. The Grandiose Chateau is Monteiro's official seat of the Monteirian government and also house the offices of the Prime Minister of the kingdom. The imposing buildings are located in Corde - the capital city, just outside Margeaux - atop the Grandiose Hill at the northern end of Corde, close to historic Church Square.

Vachel and Embla met there when Ainsley made her debut appearance at Grandiose Chateau, at the tender age of nine months. Embla was giving a tour when parliament concluded its meeting. Vachel, already seasoned with his 'radical' ideas of living like the commonfolk, casually joined the tour. He asked Embla to join him for a drink not long thereafter and the rest is history.

The couple moved to Embla's home city - Copenhagen, Denmark - when the news of her scandalous out-of-wedlock pregnancy was leaked to the media. The leaked news wasn't the worse of the story; the queen of that time, Margaret, leaked the story to teach her son a lesson of discretion.

To this day, Embla and Vachel are not married because Embla is married to another. They co-parent but Vachel has custody of Michel. Michel is the scum of the royal half of his family however, his male cousins see him no different than one of their own. Ainsley? Not so much.

Julien fist pumped his older cousin then gathered him in his arms. "Bonjour, Julien," Michel greeted warmly. "Cousine," he directed nervously to Ainsley, who folded her arms. "How have you all been?"

"Better now that you're here," Julien replied.

"I have homework and six practicals to work on so please excuse me," Ainsley replied sourly then stormed out of the hall.

"Sourpuss," Julien commented.

"You have piano lessons," she yelled.

"She hates me," Michel stated when Ainsley left. "She still hates me."

"Slay doesn't hate anyone," Julien clarified. "Too many people expect too much from her and she doesn't like to disappoint them. Mother and father among them. She will be the head of the family when Lionel becomes the king so to please our parents, she inherits their opinions."