**"The Royal Masquerade"**

Part 5

The next morning, Max woke up with an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He had agreed to spend a week pretending to be Princess Elena, a thought that felt increasingly ridiculous as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling. His parents had already left for work, but not before his mom gave him a hug so tight he could hardly breathe, thanking him over and over for "saving the family." That only added to the pressure.

As he dragged himself out of bed, Max heard a knock on the door. He glanced out the window and, sure enough, the sleek black car from yesterday was parked in front of his house again. Lady Margaret and Sir Charles had promised to pick him up today to start his "training." The word alone made Max cringe.

"Training to be a princess," he muttered to himself as he opened the door. "What have I gotten myself into?"

On the other side of the door stood Sir Charles, looking as sharp and formal as ever, and next to him was a new face—a woman dressed in a crisp uniform who looked like she took her job way too seriously. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her expression was one of mild disapproval, like she already knew Max was going to mess up.

"Good morning, Max," Sir Charles said with a smile that barely reached his eyes. "Are you ready for your first day of training?"

Max scratched his head, still half-asleep. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."

The woman next to Sir Charles stepped forward. "My name is Miss Ethel, and I will be your etiquette trainer. I hope you understand the gravity of the role you've accepted." Her voice was so prim and proper that Max had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, I got that part," Max said, trying to sound less nervous than he was. "I'll do my best, I guess."

Miss Ethel's lips pressed into a thin line. "Your best will have to be exceptional. Princess Elena is one of the most admired figures in the country, and we cannot afford any slip-ups. You will need to walk like her, talk like her, and behave like her at all times. Understood?"

Max nodded quickly, feeling like a kid who had just been scolded by his teacher. "Yeah, okay, I understand."

"Good. Let's not waste any more time. We'll begin the basics at the palace." Sir Charles motioned toward the car. "Shall we?"

Max stepped into the back seat of the luxurious car, sinking into the plush leather, trying not to feel completely out of place. The ride was smooth, but his mind was anything but calm. As they approached the palace, the sheer size and grandeur of it made his stomach flip. This was real. This was actually happening.

The car came to a stop, and before Max could even take a deep breath, Miss Ethel was already out, opening his door.

"Follow me," she said, not even waiting for him to reply.

Max stumbled out of the car and hurried after her as they walked through the palace gates. Everywhere he looked, there were people in uniforms, elegant decor, and an atmosphere of quiet, controlled chaos. Max suddenly felt like an ant in a world built for giants.

"Welcome to the palace," Miss Ethel said, her tone flat as she led him down an ornate hallway. "You'll start with posture and poise. If you're to be mistaken for Princess Elena, you cannot slouch or shuffle. Head up, shoulders back, and for heaven's sake, walk with some grace."

Max snorted before he could stop himself. "Grace? Me? Have you seen me walk? I trip over my own feet half the time."

Miss Ethel shot him a look that could freeze water. "That will not do, young man."

Max quickly straightened up, trying his best not to embarrass himself before they even started. They entered a large room with tall mirrors lining the walls. In the center was a table filled with various items—gloves, a tiara, a delicate gown that looked like it cost more than his entire house, and, of course, a pair of heels that looked like medieval torture devices.

"Now, let's begin," Miss Ethel said, picking up the heels and handing them to Max. "You'll need to master walking in these. The princess is always seen in heels, and so must you."

Max stared at the shoes in horror. "You want me to walk in these? They look like they're designed to kill people."

Miss Ethel didn't even blink. "They are designed to elevate stature, elongate the leg, and create elegance in movement. Now, put them on."

With a sigh, Max slipped his feet into the heels, wobbling the second he stood up. "How do girls even wear these things? This is insane."

"Carefully," Miss Ethel replied, deadpan. "Now, walk."

Max took a tentative step, then another, before his ankle gave way and he stumbled, catching himself on a nearby chair. "Okay, this is not happening. I'm gonna break my neck."

Miss Ethel raised an eyebrow. "We'll see about that. Try again."

For the next thirty minutes, Max stumbled, wobbled, and tripped his way across the room, all while Miss Ethel barked corrections at him.

"Head up! Shoulders back! One foot in front of the other!"

By the end of it, Max was drenched in sweat and could barely stand straight. "I can't do this," he groaned. "I'll never be able to walk like her."

Miss Ethel didn't seem fazed. "Nonsense. With time and practice, you'll walk as elegantly as the princess herself."

"Yeah, right. More like 'fall elegantly,'" Max muttered under his breath.

Just then, the door to the room opened, and in walked Princess Elena herself. Max had seen her in pictures and on TV, but seeing her in person was a whole other experience. She was taller than he expected, her hair perfectly styled, and she moved with the kind of grace that Max couldn't even dream of.

"Oh, you must be Max!" she said with a bright smile, her voice light and friendly. "I've heard so much about you."

Max awkwardly shifted in the heels, feeling even more out of place now that the real princess was standing in front of him. "Uh, yeah, that's me," he mumbled, trying not to look like a complete idiot.

Princess Elena giggled. "Don't worry, I was terrible at heels when I first started too. You'll get the hang of it."

Max blinked, surprised by her down-to-earth attitude. "Really? I figured you were born knowing how to walk in these things."

Elena laughed. "Oh no, I've had my fair share of falls. Once, I tripped down a flight of stairs at a gala. My heels got caught on the carpet, and down I went! Very un-princess-like."

Max couldn't help but chuckle. "At least I'm not the only one."

Miss Ethel cleared her throat. "Yes, well, we still have much to cover today. Princess Elena, if you'll excuse us, we must continue with Max's training."

Elena gave Max a sympathetic smile. "Good luck! And remember, it's okay to laugh at yourself sometimes. Being a princess is serious, but it doesn't mean you can't have fun."

Max watched as Elena left the room, feeling a little better about the whole situation. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. At least the princess wasn't some uptight snob.

"Now," Miss Ethel said, snapping him back to reality, "let's move on to your speech lessons. You'll need to learn how to speak like the princess, with poise and dignity."

Max groaned inwardly. "Great. More things to fail at."

Miss Ethel gave him a stern look. "Failure is not an option. Now, repeat after me: 'One must always behave with grace and decorum.'"

Max sighed. "One must always behave with grace and decorum."

"Again, but this time, less like a moody teenager."

Max rolled his eyes but repeated the line, trying to sound more formal. "One must always behave with grace and decorum."

Miss Ethel nodded approvingly. "Better. But you'll need a lot of practice. Now, let's move on to curtsying."

Max groaned. This was going to be a long week.

As the training continued, Max found himself stumbling over his words, tripping over his heels, and generally feeling like a complete disaster. But as the day wore on, he couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. He was a teenage boy being trained to walk, talk, and act like a princess. If his friends could see him now, they'd never let him live it down.

But maybe, just maybe, he could pull this off.