Chapter One: "Royal Duty in Small Hands"
In a world slightly different from our own, the United States was ruled not by a president alone, but by a queen—a five-year-old girl named Charlotte. Her power was almost limitless; she could enact bills with a signature, make executive decisions faster than most adults could manage, and even delegate authority to whomever she chose. Although she wore a small crown, her duties were anything but child's play. Yet, Charlotte didn't feel weighed down by it. To her, being queen was a title she wore with casual interest, aware of her influence but far more curious about the toys in her palace and the mysteries of the grown-up world.
Charlotte's favorite person in that grown-up world, though, was her childhood friend, Jenna Ortega. Jenna, now a well-known actress, was something like a big sister to Charlotte—funny, kind, and always there to bring a little normalcy to Charlotte's life of royal decree. Jenna had recently been invited to the palace, a sprawling residence in Washington, D.C., complete with more rooms than Charlotte had ever counted.
When Jenna arrived that day, she wasn't alone. President Callahan, in a somewhat unusual role, had decided to personally guide her to the queen's quarters. For Jenna, this was both an honor and a strange sort of comedy. The President, with all his decorum and suits, looked out of place escorting an actress through halls full of guards, advisors, and portraits of dignitaries.
Finally, they reached Charlotte's main room—a sunlit space full of colorful plush animals and a throne that seemed much too grand for someone so small. The President stepped back respectfully, allowing Jenna to greet her royal friend.
"Hey, Your Majesty," Jenna teased with a grin, giving a playful curtsey.
Charlotte, unfazed by the formality, waved her little hand. "Hi, Jenna! You can call me Char," she chirped, swinging her legs over the throne's edge.
The President gave a polite nod, trying not to smile too obviously, and excused himself from the room, leaving the two alone.
Jenna sat on the floor across from Charlotte, letting her gaze wander to the assortment of toys and stacks of paper with stamped seals. "So, what's on today's royal agenda?" she asked.
"Nothing too boring," Charlotte replied, pulling a toy gavel from her collection and tapping it on the floor. "I'm thinking about, you know, expanding things a bit. Spread the government out, so I don't have to do everything."
Jenna nodded thoughtfully. "Ah, the great five-year-old decentralization plan," she chuckled. "Letting others take on the smaller stuff so you can focus on the big decisions."
"Exactly! I'll keep the Congress and the Supreme Court close. But I was thinking...maybe some governors in other places could help out, too."
After a bit more playful conversation, Jenna's phone pinged, reminding her of the digital age they lived in. Charlotte, ever observant, tilted her head in curiosity.
"Jenna, what's that?" she asked.
Jenna held up her phone, chuckling. "This is my social media. You know, where people post pictures and talk to friends."
Charlotte's eyes sparkled with interest. "I want that! Can I get one too?"
Jenna raised an eyebrow. "Well, you are the queen. I think you can probably make an account whenever you like." And with that, Jenna helped her create her first official social media page, deciding on a simple handle: @QueenChar.
In a few minutes, Charlotte's first post was live. It was a picture of her throne room, with the caption: "Hello, my loyal subjects! Here's my throne. I hope you're all having fun today! – Queen Char."
The reaction was immediate. People from all over the country responded with comments ranging from "Your Majesty!" to questions about what it was like being a five-year-old queen. Charlotte, delighted by the attention, decided that social media was "very fun" and promised Jenna she would post again soon.
They were interrupted by one of the President's aides, who cleared her throat politely. "Your Majesty, there's a document requiring your signature. It's the Transportation Reform Act, awaiting final approval."
Charlotte shrugged, clearly unbothered by the formality. She scribbled her name with a flourish, officially enacting it into law. Another day, another ruling. As soon as the aide left, Charlotte looked back at Jenna with a mischievous grin.
"See? I told you it's easy being queen."
