Princess Alice is realizing who she wants to become. After her castle is attacked by the neighboring evil kingdom, she decides she wants to become a knight, but the King Queen won't allow it. Princess Alice decides to train in secret with the Royal...
"How was training?" Alice asked after returning from her lessons for the day.
"It was fun! Thomas let me spar with one of his friends!" Lydia exclaimed. The Princess's eyes got big as she took her earrings off, placing them in her jewelry drawer in her closet.
"Were you any good at it?" she asked curiously.
"Thomas says I still have much work to do, but that I am improving," Lydia beamed. Alice smiled.
"Could you possibly join me for dinner tonight or are you going to run off again with a knight in shining in armor?" the Princess joked. Maid Lydia laughed.
"I will join you, I promise," Lydia said, "But will it be weird if I wear that dress you let me have?"
"Not at all and if my mother says anything about it, you let me do the talking."
"Princess Alice! So glad you could join us for dinner," Prince Rorick said attempting to sound cheery. Alice looked down as she rolled her eyes to spare herself from the Queen's lecture.
"Likewise," Alice forced out.
"Who might this be?" the Prince asked.
"Maid Lydia your highness," she introduced herself with a deep curtsy, "I am Princess Alice's hand maiden." Prince Rorick stared at her in shock. "I have heard much about you," Lydia added hoping he would lighten his mood.
"I am sure you have," he said unsurely.
"It is swell to have another friendly face at our table!" King Bard started, "Let us be seated for supper!" Lydia sat herself next to the Princess as Prince Rorick pulled Alice's chair out for her.
"Thank you," Alice said out of habit. Prince Rorick took his seat next to the Queen and so the meal began.
"Prince Rorick, what do you think of our kingdom in the short time you have been here?" King Bard asked, starting the conversation.
"I do like it, but I cannot say I love it," he said honestly.
"Well, what is not to like dear? We have a stone castle, fine farms, fair taxes, a beautiful mountain side included in our lands, and a quaint little seaside port, not to mention Alice of course," the Queen winked at her daughter.
"Mother!" the Princess gasped embarrassed. Lydia quietly laughed to herself as she ate her meal in silence. Maid Lydia knew not to speak out of turn, it was part of the protocol that came with her job. As a Maid for the Royals, she was not to speak unless directly spoken to, as was the custom in every kingdom.
Prince Rorick and everyone else chuckled, finding the Queens' remark comical.
"Would you rather me tell him of your flaws?" Queen Rosalind said with a snippy tone. The table's quiet laughter subsided and all eyes turned to the princess. After a long, dark pause, Alice replied vehemently,
"No mother, I would rather you not and instead brag about our luxurious kingdom like you do to every other Prince you've insisted I try to marry." Queen Rosalind fake gasped.
"I have done no such thing!" she lied.
"Yes you have!" the princess accused.
"There is no need to get worked up over such a thing," Kind Bard said calmly.
"I am not worked up! I am only defending myself since no one is going to do it for me," Alice said confidently. As if he knew what the princess was talking about, Captain Riley snuck through the door to stand his guard in the shadows.
"Do you not have guards to protect you?" Prince Rorick reasoned.
"Sure, so they can be killed by your men?" Alice argued. Maid Lydia and the Royal family shared the same look of horrid surprise at the princess's words. Prince Rorick swallowed as he looked down.
"I am different know Princess Alice; I do not raid neighboring kingdoms for their wealth anymore," the Prince answered wisely.
"No," Alice continued, steadily keeping her eyes on him, "Instead you rob the smallest kingdoms, conquering them one by one to build up your grandfather's empire."
"So you did pay attention in your history lessons," Queen Rosalind spoke.
"I don't need your praise at the moment mother," Alice spat.
"That is not the only thing my grandfather stole from those kingdoms," Prince Rorick smiled sickly. Maid Lydia gulped and stared hardly at her food. Alice balled her fist in her lap, remembering those lessons all to well.
"I remember," she said sternly, sending a warning glance to Captain Riley, who already had a hand on his sword.
"We would not want you to share the same fate of those fair maidens now would we?" he sneered, looking Alice up and down. It took every muscle in Alice to not lunge at him and she was holding back an angry, sad tear. In the blink of an eye, Captain Riley came up from behind the Prince to capture him in a choke hold.
"Is that a threat to the Princess?" Captain Riley asked authoritatively with anger in his voice. Prince Rorick fumbled in his seat trying to break free of his hold. "ANSWER THE QUESTION YOU FOREIGNER!" the Captain bellowed.
"N-No," the Prince squeaked.
"Do know that I will not be so kind next time," Captain Riley angrily whispered to the Prince. The Captain looked up at Alice who gave a slight nod and he slowly released his hold on the Prince. Prince Rorick instantly rubbed his neck and breathed heavily to get the air back into his lungs. Captain Riley returned to his post, keeping a hand on his sword hilt just in case.
"Sorry for that interruption; shall we continue our meal?" the Prince asked casually as if nothing had happened.
"Yes, I think that would be best," King Bard agreed. Alice shared a pointed look with Lydia and quietly resumed their meal. Not a word was said until dessert was served. Chocolate cake and strawberries, the Queen's favorite. Prince Rorick kept glancing at Lydia, making her squirm uncomfortably in her seat. She gently kicked Alice as she took another bite of her food. The princess looked at her confused until her Maid pointed her fork at the Prince when he wasn't looking. Alice soon picked up on the behavior, still confused. The Prince soon realized they had figured it out.
"May I say a few words?" he asked.
"No one is stopping you," Princess Alice answered harshly.
"Who allowed this peasant to dine with us? Does she not know that is beneath everyone here in this room? Even that moody Captain back there?" he asked, nodding his head to the door. The Queen sighed aggravatedly and threw her napkin down, Maid Lydia stopped to stare at him in horror, Alice clenched her jaw before she said she would regret, Captain Riley was ready to lunge at him, but kept his stature, and King Bard stood at the head of the table.
"THAT is enough Prince Rorick of the Alda Kingdom! You are to leave immediately! Captain, please see him out," King Bard took charge.
"Yes your majesty," Captain Riley obeyed. By that point, Maid Lydia was crying into the princess's shoulder as the Captain led him out of the door. Alice watched them go and Captain Riley looked back apologetically as he pushed the Prince out.
"Why is he even here mother?" Princess Alice asked once the men were gone.
"You will find out soon enough."
"You keep saying that, but I don't know or understand why. Please just tell me mother," Alice begged.
"Like I said, you will find out," the Queen answered bitterly.
(Below is Queen Rosalind's evening gown)
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