Massive Movie Mash-up

1. A Royal Affair

Technology. Destruction. Family. Rosemary Ellesmere would summarize her life with those three words: technology, destruction and family. A dismal description for the life of a 22-year-old princess, isn't it? Well, she doesn't know how else to put it. At this moment, you may think that the privileged life of a royal couldn't be so disastrous that she would describe it as “technology, destruction and family”. You just wait and see!

Rosemary Ellesmere is the Princess of Andros-9, the fifth planet in the solar system of Antanarivo. She is the oldest daughter of the King and Queen of Andros-9 and has three younger siblings: two brothers and a sister. Her oldest brother is Nicolas; he is 20 years old. Then there is her sister Victoria, who is 19. Last but not least, her youngest brother Thomas. He is only 16.

As mentioned, family is a key word to describe Rosemary. Her family is what is most important to her. If anything happened to her siblings, she would rampage for days. So, it mustn't come as a shock to you that they are very close. Very close.

With their parents often on humanitarian missions, Rosemary vowed to protect and take care of her siblings. Therefore she insists that they stay at the Grand Palace in Pontiasin, the capital of Andros-9, while their parents are away. They don't object, although Thomas feels that he doesn't need his older sister to baby-sit him. When he told her once, Rosemary pinched his cheeks and talked to him as if he were a baby.

“Aaw, who is a good baby brother? Yes, yes, you are!” she said in a high pitch.

“Oh Rose, stop that! I am 16 now, not 6,” Thomas complained.

“Then stop being so silly, Tommy boo,” she lifted her voice at his baby name.

“Who is pinching me like Nana did?” he retorted.

Thomas and Rosemary's grandmother, Queen Delphine, used to pinch all her grandchildren's cheeks, even on official occasions when the whole planet was watching. It had never bothered Rosemary, but Thomas had always made a face as if he had eaten sour grapes. After Queen Delphine died about two years ago, Rosemary would mimic the gesture whenever Thomas was grumpy.

“Tommy, is it really that hard for you to act as if you are still my baby brother? I know you are getting older, but I will always see you as the boy who acted like a sourpuss when Nana pinched his cheeks.”

“Could you blame me? After she pinched me, it looked like I was wearing rouge. And you don't need to worry; I will always be your youngest brother. I just don't want you to treat me as a child anymore. It is bad enough that Mom does.”

“Fine, Tommy boo, I won't treat you as a child, but I do want you at the Palace when Mom and Dad are away.”

“Sure. And please stop calling me Tommy boo,” he pleaded before hugging his sister.

From that day, Rosemary had never called him Tommy boo again, but she did keep pinching his cheeks. Thomas' face was too funny for her to give it up. And Thomas would complain, but she wouldn't care. He would always stay her baby brother and she would always pinch his cheeks.

Today, her siblings are joining her at the Palace in Pontiasin once again since their parents are on the far side of Andros-9. So, while the King and Queen visit a native tribe, Princess Rosemary Ellesmere will have a garden party. Many high-placed politicians and their families are to attend, as are Rosemary's siblings.

Standing on the patio in a short, blue dress and black vest, Rosemary overlooks the preparations in the palace gardens. Her dark clothes create a lovely contrast between her and the patio's white tiles. Behind her, a maroon moonstone archway resembles a gaping mouth about to swallow her. The archway's moonstone was carved from Andros-9's main moon, Andros-9-red. (The scientists who discovered the solar system of Antanarivo thought of very original names.)