Blue Blood and Belgium Chocolate

|02| The Rose

PRINCESS FABIANNE

The third in line

I SEE ADALIZ sitting down alone on my way to the ladies room to meet Isabelle Louviton, my best friend and the current Prime Ministers Daughter, and Maise Knovette, our cousin. It's not a shocking sigh to see anyone alone but since Daegon has been around, Adaliz and Daegon have been inseparable. 

Adaliz and I don't frequently talk. It's ironic since the three of us, him, Daegon and I were being trained to rule. Adaliz and Daegon, Belgium. Me? Whoever wished my hand in marriage with the most secure monarchy. 

Still, I knew we didn't speak frequently enough for me to approach him. But the sight of him sitting there, not like lounging or waiting, but as though deep in thought was worrying. Adaliz had a habit of overthinking which was why Daegan was always there to help him stop worrying. Adaliz would think four times before he would keep his spoon down. He worried over everything and when Daegan was gone, Adaliz was not the same. He started fretting and following our father everywhere much to his annoyance.

I should talk to him, I think. Maybe he just needed to be heard. I hesitate. I'm standing near Adaliz but not near enough to approach him. Should I ask? He's sitting down with his head in his hands, on one of the many lounge area's in the Palace.

I bite my tongue, perhaps it's better to not. If he cared, he could always ask me. With that note in mind, I continue my brisk walk. 

The ladies room is one of the many rooms near the entrance of the palace. It's where our guests come and wait while a page or a call is made to whoever is meant to address them. The ladies room, which was reserved for only me is filled with beautiful couches, a television set and a lot of books for my guests to entertain themselves with. 

I don't wait for the guard to announce my entrance, I'm not at an Adaliz level of proper when it came to my friends. Elle was sitting strewn on the sofa, her cute white skirt dangerously high. Maise was more proper, she is sitting down, wearing jean shorts and a blue blouse that complimented her curvy figure. She puts the magazine down when I enter, "Your highness," She says giving a light curtsy. 

"There's no one here Maise," Elle remarks turning the telly off. "Fabianne, I'm so ready for go-carts, it's been so boring at home."

"Still, it's rude not to," Maise argues at Elle. 

"Well, what does Fabianne think?" Elle retorts.

Both their gazes go to me. I smile generously, "It's a good habit to have in case I was accompanied but it's not necessary when I'm alone."

Elle beams because she's right. Maise smiles too because I wasn't putting her down but praising her for doing it. I think mother would be proud. 

"We're wasting light," I tell them, truth was the minute the sun got a little too sunny for Elle, we'd have to stop and I'd like to have gotten a few circles around the go-carts before that happened. "Let's go."

Maise stands up and returns the magazine. Elle adjusts her skirt and hops towards me. "I've been looking forward to today for so long." Elle, is one of my favourite friends. She's so carefree it almost makes me feel normal.

Maise joins us and follows me as I led the way out to the palace gardens. The palace gardens are large, larger than the castle. The summer breeze reassuringly warm as we moved towards the go-kart area. My mother loved to take a walk around during summer and fall. I take a route I know she won't just to avoid her and avoid questions on what us girls were doing.