Blue Blood and Belgium Chocolate

|07| Of Parties

Dedicated to @cryingwithpotatoes for her outstanding detective work

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PRINCESS FABIANNE

Age: 25 + years old

I AM NOT waiting for a text message. I focus my eyes on the revised guest list for my 26th year old birthday party this year. Unlike Laurie, my birthdays have never been a small quiet affair. My birthday parties were often, a chance for me to connect with all the royals, foster relationships and find the ideal man to marry. 

Everything had been settled, but with Adaliz's engagement announced to us, I knew it's a matter of time till they found a man for me. My phone buzzes, and I grab it quickly to peer at the message. 

It's three in the morning, Fabianne. I do need to sleep. We'll talk tomorrow. 

I'd known the time. I was an expert on time difference since many of my friends didn't stay in Belgium. This? I squish the distaste on my tongue at the reply. I ignored the feeling to my best of my abilities. 

I went back to the revised guest list. The sun is gentle on my skin, I hoped for a good tan by the time Adaliz's fiancé came and by the time for my birthday. I disliked fake tans, the press always seems to know when you've gotten one done.

I'm deciding whether to invite Prince Philip of Greece and his wife or not since we were kind of ex's. Ex's in the sense where our parents had been discussing whether we should get married or not. In the end, without much of a formal discussion with my family, The Queen of Greece had apologised and said he found love with an Irish commoner. 

I was relieved at the news, my parents? They were furious.

I left his name on the guest list. It would be nice to meet the woman who saved me from getting married to him. 

When I glance up, I see Jasper striding across the garden in swimming shorts. Our eyes meet and he waves at me. "Do you want to join?" He calls out from where he stands. 

For a minute, I'm tempted. It's the perfect way to get a tan. Instead, I say, "Sorry Jasper, I'm drowning in work."

Jasper shouts across, "See you later then."

Minutes later, I spotted Laurie, all limbs since his growth spurt jogging past me in the gardens, also in swimming trunks. 

I try not to feel envious of them. Jasper who might not need to get married to someone he doesn't care much for and Laurie who could do anything he wanted to. He didn't need to stick around. He could work and do whatever he wanted. 

But at the same time, I wasn't keen on having another sister, I liked being the rose among the thorns. I liked the reassurance I received that I am important. I had a purpose.

I try to focus on my 26th Birthday, to be frank, the excitement of my birthday parties had long passed. I was hardly interested in them. I glanced through my invites, a royal purple and bright yellow printed on eco-friendly paper that's heavy and lush looking, to the decorations proposed by the planner to the dress I was wearing. It's a themed birthday, the theme was Goddess: The Path of Light. 

Elle couldn't get over how exciting the theme was. Laurie was annoyed the theme was Goddess and not Gods and Goddesses, he was worried he'd have to wear a dress, Elle had ruffled his hair and joked he should just wear a tiara.