Her Royal Highness, Leonor

Inesperadamente Suya

With a swift thrust opening the door, I walked out of the car and kind of looked up as far as I could. Right before me stood the Royal Palace of Zarzuela.

The Spanish Monarchy's household.

And words have escaped my lips enough to be out of them on how I would describe it.

The waiting escort's small cough whisk me from admiring the palace, and when the usher, a small middle-aged woman in a white simple dress was coaxing me to follow her inside the palace, I moved on to follow her. I cast the guard a timid smile, as I tried to squint through the early afternoon sunlight sliding through my eyes.

From the first step in, I couldn't even imagine being here. It's as majestic as I imagined it to be, and as I dissolve inside the dainty atmosphere of the living room greets me, and thinking that the Queen and King weren't in the country at the moment somehow relieves the throbbing nervousness building in my chest. I can't imagine meeting them - not looking like this.

I adjust the simple full-sleeve collar I wear out of casualty, remembering how I used to overdress it on my first meeting with Leonor. Seeing that the palace maids were just as casual on this Wednesday, somehow puts me at ease.

The small middle-aged woman, who earlier told me her name was Giana, asked me to follow her straight upstairs, and I figured that's where the Princess is. I silently stepped through the stairs, yet my heart was throbbing once again remembering the budding crush I had in my chest for the Princess.

I flinched thinking about it.

Stop it. Not appropriate.

Giana opened up a large oak door, and as she swung it open, she curtsied to the Princess and greeted her from the inside, and when I walked further, her face lit up when she saw me. Remembering to do the curtsy, and remembering she didn't like it, I retreated to bowing instead.

Giana seemed to not mind it.

"Bienvenido a la palacio Zarzuela, Phillipa." Leonor said with a smile, the one that showed her crooked side white teeth. After saying this, she turned to her side, and only then did I realize her sister, Infanta Sofia, was in the same room. The younger Princess knowingly smiles at me, and out of not knowing whether to curtsy, I ended up bowing to her as well.

Infanta Sofia chuckles and extends her hand for a handshake. "Bueno, debes ser Phillipa, la mentora del habla de mi hermana."

I took her hand and nodded, returning her smile. "Encantada conocerte, su majestad."

From the corner of my eyes, Giana disappeared from the room with a soft close on the door.

Infanta nods knowingly, her untied auburn blonde hair almost the same color as Leonor moves around her face. "Eres la Philippa de la que Leonor no puede dejar de hablarme".

(TL: You're the Philippa which Leonor can't stop talking to me about.)

She then cast Leonor a teasing look.

My face starts feeling warm. "Perdon, your majesty?"

Leonor nudged her sister away with a laugh. "Vamos, tenemos que empezar en cualquier momento ahora, sigue adelante con tus cosas"

(TL; Come on, we need to start anytime now, you go ahead with your things.)

Infanta Sofia pursed her lips teasingly and cast me a bidding glance. "Bueno... Espero verte por ahí, Phillipa. Nice to meet you." And just before she closes the door, she halts and looks at both of us. "You two have fun."