The Nerd

Chapter 2

I sneaked into the hall around four o'clock in the morning, like I always do. I snuck into the office and saw the maid with my coffee all ready. One thing of cream, two things of sugar. I took a sip and began my work. "Your Highness, your crumpets are on their way up." She curtsied and left, I finished looking over the numbers as the butler came in with my sweet pastry. He bowed and shut the door quietly.

Uncle Osten came in moments later, prepared to read over his assigned readings for the day. He sighed as he plopped down with a cookie in his hand. "Why do we do our work so early?"

"More time to sleep." He rolled his eyes and went back to reading. I reached for my coffee and drank the whole thing. "Okay, I got my early morning work in, I'm going to go back to bed." I shut the door after I kissed his cheek and headed down the hall. Dad's door was open, which meant he slept in the guest room or Mom's room. Just then Mom slid out of her room.

"What the heck are you doing awake?"

"What are you doing awake?" I countered back.

"Looking for your dad. He never came to bed." She walked into all of the rooms on our floor and I heard a moan from each room, Hilja's specifically.

"Mom! Go away." Mom stepped into the room and looked around.

"Eikko?" She said sweetly.

"Hmm?"

"Come to bed?" She questioned. I heard a yes, and was happy that they were finally in good terms again. She came out first and Dad squinted in the light of the hall.

"Go to bed, Kerttu." I headed into my room and collapsed on the bed.

I woke up at seven, after I went back to bed. Grace had my outfit ready and I got ready faster than I ever have. I grabbed one of my tiaras and went down to breakfast.

"Hello, Mom." She looked up and kissed my cheek.

"You look beautiful today." I thanked her and sat down next to her. She slid me a paper with math problems on them and I started. Hilja came in shortly after and sat down next to Dad. "Oh, Lia, you look gorgeous!" She had on Mom's favorite dress and whenever she wore it Mom gushed. Dad patted her on the back and kissed her forehead.

Grandpa came in and sat across from me. "Where's Mom?" I always giggled when Mom called Grandma, 'Mom'. She swatted me and I went back to my breakfast and math problems.

"Not feeling well." He grabbed a napkin and started eating. We ate in silence until we heard the door open.

"GRANNY!" I shouted, I haven't seen her since her accident and I missed her dearly. Despite the pain she came over and embraced all of us.

"Oh, Maxon. My beautiful son-in-law." Grandpa hugged her and kissed her cheek,Grandpa was always close to Granny since his mother died in an attack over forty years ago. Ever since he's treated Granny like a mother.  "Kerttu, you look beautiful, like your grandmother." I smiled and embraced my grandmother's mother. "Lia, I see that you played for the Great Feast the other day." Lia nodded and hugged Granny's arm.

"Where's my beautiful daughter?" Granny asked. Of course she wanted to know, she loved Grandma.

"Upstairs, not feeling well, you know heart problems." Grandpa shook it off and continued eating his breakfast. I finished mine and went to the office, Mom following me. Usually Dad would come up with us, but he was in the middle of planning a visit for Uncle Ahren and Aunt Camille, along with their five children. Mom judged them constantly having that many children, but then again she judged people who only had one or none for that matter.

"So, Kerttu, you ready for your cousins to come?" I turned around when I reached the landing.

"Of course, ready for your twin to come?" She beamed at the thought of seeing her beloved twin.

"Oh yes, you guys know how much I love Ahren." She basically sighed, she hadn't seen them since their birthday. Uncle Ahren usually comes every six months or so, his birthday and his anniversary. We come for Christmas and Mom and Dad's anniversary. So it evened out, of course we called every week, Mom, every day. I got stressed out when she talked to him so much, every once and awhile I have to get up and tell her to go to bed, I mean how much do you have to talk about?

"We know, Mom." She opened the office door after rolling her eyes at Officer Underwood.

"Hold on, sweetie, start on your work." She headed out the door and I heard her yell at the poor officer. "You, sir, are too childish and weak, I don't even know why you are still here." She headed into the room with a smile on her face. "Okay, where was I?" She sat in her chair at her desk as I sat at mine. I looked around the room, when I was younger the room had a masculine touch to it, but when I started helping Mom out more I noticed it was more feminine. It had a touch of color hovering near red but noticeably pink, and a slight teal color for the flowers on the wall paper. It made it look beautiful and somewhat childlike but I loved the office more than the rest of the family did.

When it was time for lunch every family member in the palace came down. Even Sir Aspen and Miss Lucy and their son, Kendall. He was easily one of my best friends. "Kendall, always good to see you." He stood up and bowed. "Stop that!" I said with a giggle. I knew how much the Legers tried for a child when they were younger, they were almost forty when they finally succeeded and I rejoiced everyday for my best friend's presence. Lucille sat down next to me, along with Lia on the other side.

Franklin sat between Uncle Kaden and Aunt Josie. Uncle Osten and Aunt Lina, the winner of his Selection, and their daughter, Kacy, sat down towards the end of the table. Aunt Lina may have been one of the most regal ladies in the family.  She had this royal vibe about her. Dad and Mom sat next to Grandpa and Grandma. Kile and Alice had their son, Liam, sitting right in between them but their daughter, Julianna, was sitting next to Lucille. Miss Marlee and Sir Carter came and sat down on the other end of the table. While Aunt Brice sat next to Granny.

"Kerttu," I heard somebody say, I looked around the table for the source. Miss Marlee. "I heard about the Mathletes Competition, you're entering, correct?" I nodded enthusiastically. "That's wonderful." She went back to her lunch.

I finished well before everyone else and headed into the hall. I heard a voice, that I recognized but couldn't point it out. "Hope, calm down. Oh, and Steven, your tie." The voice stopped and I realized who it was. Aunt Camille! "Brentley, come over here and Clarissa, you too." The only name I didn't hear was Amberly. Which didn't surprise me, she was so elegant it was hard to believe that she ever got in trouble. Just then Uncle Ahren popped his head around the corner.

"Gertrude!" I ran to my uncle and threw my arms around him. "Beautiful, as always." I peeked around him and saw Amberly straightening her dress.

"Amberly!" I kissed her cheek and she kissed mine. "Do you have a boyfriend yet?"

"No, I am focusing on my studies, you know how it is." She looked at her dad and rolled her eyes. "Let's go see Aunt Josie, I'm dying to see her." I ran to the dining hall with my cousin in tow. Laughing the whole way.