The Nerd

Chapter 1

I pulled my violin out and pulled the bow, one note at a time I put together my first ever song. "That was gorgeous, Kerttu." Grandma was listening to me play and I smiled. "Play another one," She begged.

I started the next song and hit a sour note two measures in. "I suck." I put my instrument back in it's case and cried.

"Not everything you do has to be perfect." Grandma rubbed my back for a minute until she broke the silence. "Are you doing the competition coming up?"

"As always." I went to sit next to her at the table in my room. "Anyway, how's Granny?" Granny Singer was getting older and recently she took a little stumble.

"Same old. Let's go to Grandpa's room, and do your piano lesson there." I helped her up and noticed the scar by where her heart is. I knew she had a heart attack but I couldn't help but wonder when she had the heart attack.

Grandpa was in his room helping Mom with the math, I loved to do the math, but sometimes she would ask him to help. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Grandpa." I kissed Grandpa's cheek and then I settled in next to Mom.

"You look lovely today, Kerttu." I looked at my newest dress, it took me hours to design and Mom hours to help sew. "You want to help, I suppose?"

"Not yet, Grandma wants me to perform a couple of pieces for you guys." Mom beamed and Grandpa watched as I perfectly began playing. Halfway through the song I heard a knock on the door.

"Hold on, dearie." I got up to see who the visitor was. "Oh, Eikko!" At that I put the lid back onto the keys carefully and ran to my father.

"Dad!" He let out a gasp as I collapsed in his arms. I didn't look much like Mom except for our personality, but I had Dad's eyes and Grandma's hair. I was like her twin. There were dozens of pictures of Grandma hanging in Grandpa's room so if I wanted to compare myself to her this was the place to be.

"Okay, I'm sorry to intrude but I need Kerttu and Eady. Sorry, Your Majesties." I giggled at Dad's formality. They weren't technically king and queen anymore but they deserved their title still.

We headed out of the room and went into the office. Mom sat in her chair and Dad sat to her right. I grabbed my chair and sat across the table. "Gertrude," Mom began. "Are you ready to become queen?" What a dumb question. Of course I was.

"Yes, Mother." She playfully rolled her eyes at me and looked at Dad.

Dad looked at me and reached across the table. "In order to, you need to get married." At that I slammed my hand on the table.

"Why?" I stared at them, they looked like they wanted to speak up but I did. "So the people can look at us instead of the Parliament? Because, yes we are the Koskinens and we need all the attention in the world." I stared at their faces, taking in their expressions. "Not everything needs to be about us, Mom." I didn't regret the words one bit.

I was just about to leave until Mom grabbed my arm. "Sweetie, we've done all we can during our time as rulers. We want you to become queen but you need to get married, this is stressful."

"I will but I have a competition coming up, I need to study. Okay?" I pleaded with my eyes.

"Okay." She gave me a soft smile. "I love you, Kerttu."

"I love you, too, Mom." She kissed my head and finally let me leave.

That night I strolled into dinner a little later. I took my place next to my little sister. Usually Dad would be here, sitting next to Mom but he wasn't here. "Hilja, do you know where Dad is?" She finished her bite and looked at me.

"All I know is that Dad is mad at Mom. If you haven't noticed Kile isn't here either." Hmm, she was right, Aunt Josie's brother wasn't here. Then again, why would Dad be mad at Mom? They loved each other so much, it was hard to imagine them at odds with each other.

"Mom, what happened?" She simply shook her head at me and went back to picking at her food. I did the same until Mom got up and Dad came in. "Daddy?"

"I'll tell you later, sweetheart." He ate his food quickly and soon it was just the Woodworks and our grandparents.

"I'm going to go." I smoothed out my dress and went around the table to kiss everyone's cheek. When I got to Grandpa he kissed my cheek back.

I made my way through the third floor and saw something I never thought I'd see. Dad and Mom fighting. I stood behind a wall. "I don't know why I did, Eikko. I just remember that during the Selection that Kile made me relieved when he kissed me so I kissed him, relieving my stress."

"Eadlyn, he's married. You're married." Mom stormed off, clearly unable to deal with her husband. "I just don't understand." Dad whispered. He was trembling. "I love her, I love her so much but her temper." He laughed. "She doesn't control it well." He put his head in his hand and slapped a wall with the other. "Ow!" I walked over to my dad.

"Daddy, let's get you to the hospital wing." He nodded and offered his arm to me.

"Kerttu, if you see your mother before you go to bed tell her I love her, I can't rest without her knowing that." He went into the wing without me and I headed up the stairs. Franklin stopping me on the way up.

"Woah, buddy!" He looked up and collapsed on the floor laughing. Franklin was Aunt Josie's and Uncle Kaden's son, he was a red head, just like me but his twin, Lucille, was a mini Miss Marlee. They were just about to turn ten and I already adored their personalities. "Isn't it a little late?"

"Mommy gave me thirty minutes extra before my bedtime!" He kept running and I giggled as my cousin ran around the halls. I reached the third floor and saw Mom heading to the office.

"Mom?" She turned. "Dad sends his love." She nodded and turned back to the office. Lucille came around the corner, a book in her hand. "Finish a book?"

"Indeed, do you want to read it?" I shook my head. I already read all the young adult books and children's books in the palace. "Well, I'm returning it back to the shelf, see you later!" She skipped down the steps. Already in her pajamas. Her pajamas were basically an outfit. Black leggings and a giant sweatshirt. She was so tall, already almost five feet, thin as can be but she was darling. Hilja and I braid her long hair all the time.

I headed to my room and my maid was sweeping the floor. "Your Highness." She curtsied and set the broom aside. Grace was my second maid, after my old maid became too old to do the job. Grace was easily my favorite. She had my bath water prepped, knowing I would want one immediately and my floatable desk with papers in the tub.

"You're too good to me." She grabbed a pen as I got undressed and handed it to me immediately. "Oh, my purple pen! You know me so well!" I hopped in and started on my work as she rinsed my hair. I got more work done in the bathtub then people who did work during the day, I finished the two budget reports and read two articles Mom assigned me and went over all of Mom's math, making sure it was right.

"Okay, I'm done." I hopped out of the bath and put on my nightgown. I put the work on my cart, where all my finished work went and hopped into the bed. Quite literally. "Goodnight, Grace."

"Goodnight, Your Highness."