Little Red Corvette: A My Sweet Prince fanfic

Ch.2: A Butler's Expectations

This is mostly an Ivan chapter, enjoy!

Just a note: As you probably already noticed, the characters will speak Arabic from time to time. I feel like it's not enough to warrant footnotes, and the meaning is almost always easy to infer if the MC doesn't straight up explain it.

After a short amount of time, we reach a room. It looks like this is the hall of bedrooms, but I have no idea. I really could use a palace tour, maybe I can convince Ivan to give me one later on.

"Welcome to your room Miss." With that, he opens the door. I haven't even walked in yet, but I'm already in utter awe.

This room is absolutely huge. Ten college students could live easily in this room and have no problem with space. The walls are a pristine white, and the carpet is a deep red to match the rest of the red in the palace. A double king canopy bed in an intricate iron cast frame stands up against the wall to the right, with gold colored nightstands on either side of it by the head. A fainting couch to match the carpet is a few feet in front of the bed. By the door is a vintage, golden vanity with a matching padded chair. There are doors on either side of the bed just beyond the nightstands, which I can only assume are the closet and bathroom. Directly across from where Ivan and I are standing are large, window paned double doors that lead to a balcony (I thought we were on a ground floor, but the steps in front of the palace must have been higher up than I thought). Two giant windows are to the right of the double doors, and the natural sunlight in this room during the day must be beautiful. I walk to the middle of the room and twirl around. Wow, this almost makes all the bad things I've felt the past few hours dissolve completely.

Ivan clears his throat. I look over, a giddy smile on my face as I resist the urge to twirl again. A softness washes over Ivan for a moment, then he gets serious again.

"Your studies will begin tomorrow, for now just relax and get acquainted."

Studies? "Studies?"

"Yes. If you're going to be living with us and picking the future king, you need to learn about our country and our customs, not to mention palace etiquette."

Etiquette? But I thought I was doing such a good job being polite, what am I missing?

"I'll give you some points for dinner tonight, but it won't be enough to have you fully refined in time."

Refined?

"Now then, for starters, you'll have to wear something more conservative than what you have on right now. Is that how you dress in America?"

I look down at my outfit. I actually thought I was pretty covered up. Normally, I enjoy wearing low cut tops and short skirts (not necessarily together), but given that I'm in the Middle East, it only seemed appropriate not to wear such items out. I'm wearing a pair of blue jeans, white Converse sneakers, and a pink baby doll t-shirt. How is this not conservative?

I contemplate saying this is normal for me, but why start this journey with lies? The truth already saved me once; I need to stick with it. "Actually no, in America I normally wear less."

To my surprise, Ivan appears to be blushing. "Well, your outfit still is not appropriate dinner attire. I assume you've worn dresses in the past?"

Oh I see, the issue isn't what's covered, it's that I'm wearing jeans? "Oh yes sir, I love dresses!"

"There is no need to call me 'sir', Ivan will do just fine." He gives me another stern glance. "It should also be noted that you never address the King as 'sir' either. Always address him as 'Your Majesty' or 'Your Highness' or "Your Excellency" when first greeting him, and then use 'sire' the remainder of the time you are in his presence. Under different circumstances, he would have pointed this out himself, but he's often easily distracted by a pretty face, not to mention you're picking who inherits the throne."