Love & Duty

Chapter 2

Early morning, a knock sounded in Sophia's room the next day. One of the Princess's aides, Valerie, was tasked to wake her up and prepare her for the day. It was a struggle... Sophia wasn't a morning person, so Valerie had her work cut out. She even started thinking of coming earlier, so they would still be on time even if Sophia gave her trouble!

"Princess Sophia, it's time to wake up. The King has requested your presence." as Valerie entered her room, she was surprised to find the Princess missing from her bed. "Princess?" she called out to her again.

"In here, Valerie! And I've told you a thousand times not to call me Princess. Sophia is fine, and I'll even accept Soph if you prefer." Sophia's voice can be heard coming from her walk-in closet.

The Princess of Whitestone believed that everyone should be equal. Even if their ranks are different! 'The Ranks would not exist without each other,' she keeps saying. Tyler directly took her up on that offer and stopped treating her like a princess. Instead, he treated her as an equal... or lower when he annoyed her. He made the Princess almost wish she had never told him to erase the ranks between them. Valerie, on the other hand, values the ranks. She has the utmost respect for the Royal Family she serves and her country. Sophia has managed, after years, to get Valerie to loosen up a bit. Valerie calls her by her name alone in private and important moments.

"I could never call you that on a daily basis, Princess, and you know it. The important thing is, how are you awake so early?" Valerie walks into the closet, only to be baffled again. "Are you... polishing your boots?" Sophia looks up at her and gives her a happy, excited grin. 

Valerie can't remember the last time Sophia did something like this. She would always say things like, 'why clean it when it would get dirty again?' Thankfully, she didn't feel like that about her clothes. 

"You said Dad has requested to see me, right? Well, I have to look my best in the presence of our King!" replied the Princess, standing up all ready. 

Okay. Valerie has officially started to worry.

"Are you alright, Princess? Do you feel ill?" even though Valerie was honestly worried, Sophia wasn't all that happy about her attitude. 

"I'm fine, Valerie! Come on! Let's go see what the King needs." she skipped outside her room, making her way to the Throne Room. 

Valerie found all this weird because Sophia never cared about what she wore. Now, she has her best-looking blouse, with brand new, unworn pants, and she polished her boots! The most she would do to her shoes was wipe them... And she was skipping towards the Throne room? Excited to see her dad? Valerie knew something was up; that girl was up to something!

As the three of them entered the Throne Room-- Tyler was waiting for them there-- they saw the King, the Queen, and Prince Eric waiting. Eric and Sophia shared a knowing smile as they walked in, stopping just before them. 

"Good morning Soph! How are you today?" both parents greeted. Sophia knew what this meeting was about and knew what to do. She can't show that she knows! Act naturally, she thought to herself.

"Good morning, Mother! Father! I am feeling great. Thank you for asking. How are you?" she suddenly spoke politely and with a slight accent? Everyone in the room was taken aback by her response, especially since she slightly bowed. Tyler was trying very hard not to burst out laughing! 

"We're... good. Everything okay?" King Winston asked his daughter.

"All is great! I have received word that you have requested to see me, Father. Whatever could I do for you?" she bowed and spoke again in that weird way.