Glass Slippers [1st Draft]

13. A Princely Persuasion

Chapter Thirteen:

A Princely Persuasion

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Prince Frederick jolted in his seat, doing his best to stay awake.

His father, the King, his father's chancellor, and Frederick were holding another meeting on the topic of the four balls that would be starting the next day. His mother, Queen Marianne, was elsewhere, overseeing the preparations for the ballroom, ensuring that everything was perfect, while his little sister, Adelaide, was probably following along behind their mother.

Trying to tune back into the conversation that he had been steadily not focusing on, Frederick adjusted his posture and tried in vain to listen to the chancellor's droning voice with his full attention.

"... Of course, the prince will have to be introduced at the beginning of the night." This made Frederick snap to attention.

"What do you mean, introduced at the beginning of the night?" The chancellor blinked owlishly as if he was surprised that anyone had been awake to even ask a question.

"Your Highness, these sorts of functions cannot be dealt with behind the mask of anonymity. Your father will be introducing you at the beginning of the night so as to avoid confusion." Frederick shook his head, frowning.

"The whole purpose of this endeavor is for him to find a woman who is fit to be a queen," Frederick's father said, placing his teacup into its saucer with a clatter. "A queen should be poised, honorable, and above all, know that her place is to be a companion to you, not an equal. Additionally, if every woman in the room knew Frederick's face it would make for a fine test from which to weed out the unlikelies. We can't have you marrying any scullery maids dressed up as if they are ladies. An introduction would make it easier on everyone."

"Father, while I understand where you are coming from, would it not also be beneficial to have me be just an anonymous face? This way none of the ladies would know to be dishonest about their station in the first place," Frederick said, choosing not to voice the rest of his disagreement to his father's words.

"Your majesty, I agree of course, but hasn't this gone on long enough?" The chancellor asked, his wrinkled hands fluttering around his papers before he turned towards Frederick and his father. "Prince Frederick is to be King one day, he can't rule from the shadows."

"I am not King yet," Frederick said, giving the chancellor a pointed look. "And I won't be for at least another five years."

"Of course, your majesty, but, you have been back from your studies in Marenta for almost a year now. It made sense for you to be anonymous as a young child who needed to be anonymous for his safety, but you have returned and tomorrow is to be your twenty-third birthday."

Frederick tried not to raise an eyebrow at his parents' chancellor. Clearly, the chancellor hadn't been privy to the real reason behind his "anonymity". Frederick was the second son, not the first.

His elder brother by four years, Alexander, had run away in the middle of the night when Frederick was twelve. Their parents had never found Alexander, and having lost their eldest son, they kept a tight hold on Frederick.

However, news of the crown prince's disappearance never reached the general public. For all they knew, Crown Prince Alexander Rupert Antonius had perished from a hard day of training, leaving Frederick to be the next in line. In reality, if Frederick was to guess, he was probably off somewhere exploring the world while Frederick was subjected to the careful planning and grooming that Alexander had never been subject to.