Playing Princess

Playing Princess 1.6

The giant iron gating was the first thing I saw the moment we entered a vast area of land and forestry. The second thing I noticed was the thick stone walls around three times my height trailing along the front of the manor. The pure grassy green fields which extended beyond the back of the large manor made my eyes bulge while I stared out the tinted windows.

“Is it what you imagined, Princess?” Andrew teased as the limo cruised towards the gates which opened slowly after several moments, granting private entry to the vehicle.

“Dude, this as big as Buckingham Palace!” I exclaimed and pressed my forehead against the window in shock. The limo smoothly glided around a beautifully carved white stone fountain where the statue of a woman spouted water from her twisted white horn while she blew into it. “This is incredible!”

“Well I’m glad you like the place,” he mused.

“I can’t believe you guys have been living in luxury for twelve years!” I said disbelievingly and shook my head as the gravel crunched softly beneath the car. “What I’d give to have this life.”

“Well now you do,” he pointed out quietly as the car came to a slow stop at the foot of the pale stone steps leading up to a tall pair of sleek wooden doors engraved with intricate patterns along its edges. “Izzy told me she dreamed of being a princess as a kid and even acted like one once we moved here.”

“Ironic that she already is one,” I pointed out dryly. Sunlight poured in the car when the door opened for me the moment it stopped within range of the front entrance. I was slightly taken aback by the politeness then reminded myself that I was no longer supposed to act like the average, guitar-playing, mouthy Astrid despite every fibre of my being acting against such a thought.

I was now polite Princess Isabella. I mustered up the little knowledge I had of royalty from watching movies and smiled at the chauffeur. “Thank you.”

I heard my brother snort from inside the car as he slipped out after me. Ignoring him, I turned to fetch the duffel when the chauffeur took it out and handed it to a man who looked strangely like a butler due to the black and white uniform he wore. The man took my duffel, bowed to me – or Andrew – respectfully then scurried back into the manor.

“What was that about?” I whispered in horror as the man had run off with my only belongings I had managed to bring to the foreign country of Aldern.

“He’s the butler. His name is Kenan,” Andrew whispered back and gestured for me to enter through the doors. “Stand tall, walk straight and no informal language, Astrid.”

“That’s pretty much the opposite of my life,” I told him with a grimace and turned to him questioningly. When he returned to the limo, I became alarmed. “Where are you going?”

“To find her,” he replied simply. “Look for Allegra. She’ll help you out – she knows about this as well.” Without another word, he slipped into the limo while I watched it drive away and out of sight.

“Oh great,” I muttered and turned to the doors, eyeing them wearily.

Slowly, I slipped between the open gap and closed it behind me. When I turned around, it took all I had not to yell out in surprise as about ten women, young and middle-aged all dipped into a curtsey simultaneously. It freaked me out even more when they greeted me with a chorus of “Welcome home, Princess.”

I placed a hand over my racing heart and suppressed the noisy sound of my hitching breath while they continued to stand there, facing me with their heads ducked.

“Uhh good to see you all,” I said uncertainly, trying to act a little more formal and proper. “Thank you for the lovely welcome.” I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the word ‘lovely’. “Would – would any of you mind showing me where I can find Allegra? I’m still in a bit of a daze.” I repeated the words in my head and nodded curtly to myself. That sounded like an okay excuse, I thought approvingly.