Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 4: 𝓕𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓸'𝓼 𝓢𝓹𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓑𝓪𝓵𝓵

December 4, 1962

The plane leveled off as I stared out the window. I was marveled at the sights of Madrid, the capital of The Spanish Kingdom. My mother and father were invited to a grand ball in Madrid and had requested that I be in attendance. I of course accepted, despite our explosive falling out. I had never been to such a formal ball outside of New York. I was jumpy and excited. It was to celebrate King Francisco Franco's 70th birthday. We in the Imperial court just called him Franco. He took power after the Spanish War of Succession, which was fought from 1941 to 1946. Franco's faction won the war, and he was crowned king in 1946. He is a far more nationalistic king, so I am interested if he has any... advice for me. America can be very nationalistic given the right incentive. I could see the Spanish palace from the airstrip. A stewardess appeared from the cockpit of the plane.

"Your highnesses, the aircraft is landing in Madrid, you will be escorted off the plane in about ten minutes," A stewardess said.

I nodded along with my parents. We had barely talked in months. But I had a God-given right to be angry! They wanted to marry me off to my nephew! The Price Dynasty is split into two lineages, the first one descended from John Charles II, my line, and the other from Princess Mary, which became obsessed in the 1840s with keeping the bloodline pure and is heavily incestual. Not to mention that I'm twelve! I'd partly understand why they'd want me wed if I was twenty or something. But twelve? It's absurd!

"Your highnesses, your escorts have arrived," The stewardess said.

My parents stood up and walked past me. I followed them out and the bright sun of Spain enveloped me. The airstrip we landed on was privately owned by Franco, so there was no paparazzi or people in general waiting for us. The people there were Spanish Guards, they would take us separately to get prepared for the ball. One younger guard rushed over to me and I noticed how much better our guards were. He was sloppily groomed, his uniform disheveled and he didn't both to hide the Spanish rifle slung over his shoulder. At least our guards could conceal their firearms and maintain a strict, terrifying persona.

"Your highness, my name is Alejandro, I will be your personal bodyguard throughout your stay in España," He explained in very broken English.

"Thank you, so where must we go first, Alejandro?"

"We will take you to the finest boutique Madrid offers to get you outfitted for the King's Ball,"

I nodded and he led me to a waiting car with Spanish imperial colors flying from it. Alejandro opened the door and I slid into the back seat. I briefly glanced at my parents who were following a similar protocol. My mother didn't even make eye contact with me. I shook my head as the door shut, between my mother and I.

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30 minutes later

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Alejandro escorted me into a grand boutique in Madrid.

"This establishment has some of the finest dresses in all of Spain, princess, I can promise you will be pleased with our selection,"

"I will hold you to that, I've heard Spain has the rarest and highest quality of textiles, so I expect high quality apparel," I replied.

Alejandro nodded and opened the door to a room where a young woman, maybe in her twenties along with two women in their thirties waited idly.

"Princess may I introduce you to Perder Pérez, Senora Rodriguez and Senora Martinez," Alejandro stated, introducing us.

They curtsied, but I noticed Pérez did it a bit awkwardly.