The Tearmoon Princess in the Kingdom of Remno (with some illustrations)

Chapter 3 "A Promise to Anne"

      "Anne, while Abel is helping load the carriage, let's go by my office and then Ludwig's. I have a few things that I want to drop off with him."
      Anne just silently nodded, which was a little strange, since Anne wasn't the silently nodding type. The silence continued as the pair walked the halls of Whitemoon Palace. Mia tried to engage in a conversation, but Anne would have no part of it, mostly nodding, or giving the most minimal of responses. Finally, Mia took three quick steps, turned around, and looked straight at Anne's face.  Anne was always pretty easy to read, and in Anne's eyes, Mia saw a look of extreme concern, or maybe even disappointment!
      "Anne, are you upset? What's wrong? Did I do something?"
      "It's just that you could have been a little nicer to His Majesty."
      Mia turned and laughed, "Oh, I thought it was something serious."
      "I am being serious! He's your father, and..."
      "I just spent three whole weeks with him. I think that's plenty nice."
      "Yes, you were with him, but you spent the whole time acting like you wanted to be somewhere else. Mia, your father loves you so much, but I've seen you make more of an effort with suspected Chaos Serpents!"
      "Well, that's work! My father, he's a sweet man—but sometimes he's just too much. Well, not really sometimes, pretty much all of the time..."
      "Just try a little harder. Please!"
      "Okay, I will —when we get back."
      "Promise!"
      "I promise!", and then Mia let out an exasperated sigh of her own—which she immediately felt guilty about. She knew that Anne was a better person than she was. Anne loved her unconditionally through two lifetimes—she had seen all of Mia's ugliness, and yet was still there to comfort and hold her during her darkest days. So how could she just dismiss Anne's concerns? Am I really being unkind to my own father? Why is it so hard to be nice to him? As Mia was contemplating filial piety, the pair arrived at Mia's office.