A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Nineteen

I had been to several dinners in my life that I considered fancy and formal. After sitting down at that table, I could definitively say I had outrageously overestimated them all.

King Richard spoke while the staff removed the first course and replaced it with the second. I hadn't finished my small whatever it was, but apparently, that didn't matter. When the king was done, so were we. "So, Genevieve, tell me about your parents."

Five people sitting at a table for twenty or more meant that we were sitting quite far away from each other. I practically had to shout to address him. "Yes, Your Majesty. My father's family was from Côte d'Ivoire, but he grew up in France. He met my mom when he went to school in Canada."

He asked me some questions about their schooling, which I answered to the best of my knowledge. I also skirted around the issue of their divorce, not wanting to get into that with him.

"Well, I hope to meet them one day." King Richard put another fork full of food into his mouth and ate it before changing the subject. "And I hear you are going back to school in the fall."

I finished chewing before I was able to respond. "Yes, Sir, I am planning to attend Law school next year. I was accepted a few weeks ago."

"That's lovely," Queen Adele broke in and smiled at me across the table. "Law is such a wonderfully complex subject. I'm sure you won't be bored."

I was about to answer her when King Richard cut in, "And do you find your accommodations satisfactory?"

One of the servers put the second course down in front of me, and I knew I would have to eat quickly if I wanted to eat at all, so I answered as succinctly as I could. "Yes, they are more than suitable. Thank you."

I could have sworn I heard Clarence chuckle under his breath, but when I glanced over, his face was stoic as always, so I couldn't be sure.

I picked up the same fork Queen Adele was using and began to eat. I wanted to ask Clarence's sister about herself, but I couldn't remember her name. I was wracking my brain for how to address her without making a fool out of myself while I chewed my second bite. Before I had an answer to the question, they were sweeping away the second course, too. I guess the king isn't a fan of fish.

We breezed through what seemed like a hundred courses. With each one, I felt sure we had to be finished eating, because I was so full I didn't know how I'd eat anything else.

The princess was looking at her mother as one of the courses was switched out for yet another. When Queen Adele nodded, the princess turned to me. "Genevieve, I was wondering if you would accompany me this evening to look at a selection of the crown jewels." She smiled sweetly across the table at me and politely awaited my response.

This doesn't sound like something you just say no to. "Yes," I answered, returning her smile. "I'd love to."

"Oh, good." She smiled back at me and then to her mother. "I've always wanted a sister!"

If I'd been eating, I would have surely choked. I tried my best to keep my eyes from popping out of my head and answered her. "I have two. It's not all it's cracked up to be."

She laughed as the dessert was finally put in front of us. Please let dessert be the last course I silently wished, picking up the spoon to eat the mousse.

While King Richard ate, I tried to sneak bites into my mouth only as often as necessary. The mousse was light and delicious, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat any more food. This dress was far too tight to let me consume any real amount of food, even if I wanted to.

Finally, King Richard finished his meal and stood up from his chair. The attendants from earlier in the evening had returned to pull out his chair, and then the rest of ours in turn. A fact I only realized when I felt the chair slide backwards from underneath me. I stumbled slightly as I attempted to stand up.

"You okay?" Clarence mouthed to me. Definitely his new catch phrase.

"Yeah," I mouthed back and smiled, before turning my head to face the princess who was smirking from across the table.

When King Richard started to move, Clarence stepped towards me and looped my arm through his again as we had done before. "Just follow my lead," he reminded me under his breath.

It's not like I have another choice.

We processed out of the grand room, and this time I had the chance to really see the sparkling crystal of the chandeliers and the ornate golden frames that surrounded vast murals all around the walls.

Once we had all stepped through the ornate doors, the two men dressed in palace uniforms stepped forward to close the doors. We all stood in the hallway until the doors closed with a slight thud.

I was still gripping Clarence's arm, not wanting to say anything in case it wasn't proper.

"Goodnight, Mother." He bowed to her, and I curtseyed. "Father." We repeated the action, and then he turned us towards his sister. "Madeline, I will bring Genevieve to meet you in the main hall, if that is acceptable."

She curtseyed to us. "I will be ready momentarily." Then she ran off without another word, and we followed her at a much slower pace. I was just glad to be escorted because I worried about even finding my own room in this maze.

"That was something else," I spoke over the noise my shoes were making as we walked up the stairs towards the second floor. "I don't think I've ever been to a dinner that intense before."

"You dine with royalty often, then?" He laughed and shook his head. "Or you just thought it wasn't going to be quite that formal?"

I shrugged. "I guess I just thought I knew what formal was, but I'm realizing I was very wrong."

He helped me up the last step and looped my arm back through his as we walked towards my room.

"You did fine," he said as we approached my door. "You blend in beautifully. My father's going to love that."

I could have sworn I saw him roll his eyes, but he was crafty about these things. Or it's just your imagination.

"Thanks." I stood in front of my door, unsure of what to do next.

He reached around me and knocked. "I'll wait here while you change."

"Change into what?"

That time he definitely rolled his eyes. "I'm sure your ladies will be able to figure it out."