The Princess's Handbook

Rule #4: Stand Firm In Your Beliefs

Rule #4: Stand Firm In Your Beliefs

I was grounded. I was expecting it though, after that huge fight with my mother, it would be a miracle if I wasn't.

I spent my days listening to lecture after lecture from the tutors my parents hired. When I wasn't, I was either reading in the library or texting Dante. The latter was the highlight of my day.

It was nice to have some form of comforting company even if it was just through texts. We would talk about a lot of things. My boring lectures and how I tried to spice them up by pranking the tutors, his trips into town and exploring the place. It felt nice to have someone I can talk to openly. I would be pretty bored without him.

Just like every other day since I was grounded, I was texting Dante after all my lessons. Suddenly there was a knock on my door.

"Come in." I straightened up from my lying position on the bed and locked my phone's screen just in case.

The door to my room opened and in came Henry.

"Henry, what's up?"

"Good afternoon, your royal highness. Her majesty has instructed me to inform you that there will be a ball tomorrow in the palace. She expressed her wish for you to attend the event." The kind old butler said.

"So she wants me to suck up to a bunch of politician brats?"

The corner of his lips twitched but he didn't reprimand me. "Her majesty also said if you promise to be on your best behaviour, your grounding will cease the moment the ball ends."

"So she has resorted to bribing. Doesn't matter, it's an inviting bribe so I'll take it. Tell mother I'll be on my absolute best behaviour. Tomorrow night, I'll be the princess she wants me to be. Just for the night though." I said.

"Very well, Princess. I shall take my leave." Henry bowed politely before leaving me alone and closing my room door too.

I picked up my phone and read Dante's texts. He was asking if I was still there. I glanced at the screen of my phone thoughtfully before dialling his number. He picked up after two rings.

"Good afternoon, Jules." He greeted me, I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Good afternoon to you too, Dante."

"How are you doing? Any chance that you'll be ungrounded soon?"

"Actually, there is. There's a ball tomorrow night here in the palace. Mother wants me to socialise with those politicians kids and all. She said if I was on my best behaviour I'll be free the moment the ball ends. Great news right?" I smiled even though he couldn't see it.

"Awesome, so I'll get to see you again soon then, your royal highness?" He chuckled.

"If nothing goes wrong then yup. Of course I don't think I'll be able to leave the palace without a chaperone again. I'll find someone who can keep their mouth shut though." I said.

"As you wish, Jules."

A thought suddenly popped into my mind. It was a crazy idea thought.

"Hey, I suddenly have this crazy idea."

"When do you not have one?" He joked.

"Hey! Have I ever proposed any crazy ideas in the two weeks we've known each other?"

"Not yet but doesn't mean you won't. I've gotten to know you quite a bit, Jules and you are definitely not the average princess." He said. I laughed. "Do you want to hear my idea or not?"