Marigold's Eclipse: The Magic of Marigold

The Lowest Nations

(Marigold)

I entered it to see all the princesses, except for Maggielyn, doing some activity. Princess Alia was playing her violin and wearing a flowing blue day dress. She did this as Princess Kayla painted a portrait of her. Kayla, unlike the rest of her sisters, wasn't wearing a dress. She was wearing paint-stained cream pants and an equally stained white shirt. Princesses Sofia and Serena were playing chess as Celeste attempted to comb her doll's hair. Princess Maggielyn, however, sat on her bed watching all her sisters while still wearing her dress from the decree.

"You don't plan on learning about your kingdom in that, do you?" I said, sitting next to her. Maggielyn looked at me and then back down at her dress.

"If not this, then what am I to wear?" Maggielyn had only ever been outside the palace as a member of the royal family. She's only ever had to look her best when she went out. She did not know what a casual outing even meant.

"Your riding clothes are fine," I assured her. "I promise you it'll be a lot more comfortable."

Maggielyn smiled and went to change as I watched the younger princesses.

"I know you're all having fun, but I expect all of you to study for today's maths test," I called out to them over the noise. Alia stopped playing and glared at me.

"Why should we?!" she replied, raising her voice. "We're princesses. We don't need mathematics. At least I don't!"

"And why is that?" I asked while smiling politely. I knew how to deal with Alia's outbursts, and even though I wanted to, shouting at her would not help.

"I'm talented and beautiful," she stated with her head held high. "I will, at best, marry a duke; at worst, I'll marry a knight. Either way, my only job will be entertaining and looking perfect."

"Is that what you think?" I replied.

"Yes," Alia answered, "and for my less attractive siblings, like Sofia and Serena, they will probably need mathematics. They will no doubt become tutors or teachers themselves."

"I see." I nodded my head, thoughtfully tapping my chin. "You don't believe that marrying a duke or a knight requires brains?"

"Of course not," she answered.

"Well, marrying a duke would make you a duchess," I stated, still feigning to be lost in thought.

"Obviously," Alia said, rolling her eyes.

"And as a duchess, you believe you will have no tasks?" I once again said, tapping my chin.

"Yes!" Alia shouted, exasperated by my questions.

"Then I'm sorry, my dear Princess Alia," I responded calmly, no longer pretending to think, "but you don't know a single thing that comes with the title of duchess."

Sofia and Serena snickered at their sister's confused face.

"Please enlighten our far more attractive sister," Sofia mocked.

"Yes, please let our much more beautiful sister know how wrong she is," Serena laughed along with her sister.

"As a duchess, you will be in charge of proofreading and editing your husband's papers he will introduce to the king," I informed Alia. "You will also be in charge of keeping your husband's staff in check, which means at least being good at addition. You will also be sent with your husband to other kingdoms for treaties to be signed."

"And who do you think will write the treaty?" Sofia asked with mock sweetness in her voice.

"You," Serena pointed to Alia. Alia widened her eyes in anger.