A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Marinette had carefully undone the zipper on my gown and helped me slide a shorter, looser dress over my head.

I took a deep breath once the zipper was done up, pleasantly surprised that I could actually breathe in it.

"It's a casual dress, Miss," Marinette was looking at my reflection in the mirror. "I can change you into something more formal if you'd like."

I smiled at her sincerity and shook my head. "No, Marinette. This is perfect."

I took off my jewelry and set it down on the table in front of me while Marinette disappeared into a room off to the side. She came back carrying a pair of dark blue flats with a diamond embellishment on the toe.

"Do I own anything without diamonds?" I sighed when I saw them.

"I'm sorry, Miss." She curtseyed. "I'm sure I can find something."

I groaned. "No, I'm sorry, Marinette. I'm just nervous."

A small smile flitted across her face and was gone in an instant. "I'm sorry you're nervous, Miss. But you look lovely."

Everyone looks lovely with a team around to dress them, I thought bitterly. "Thank you. And please call me Genevieve. At least when no one else is around." I spun my head around the room. "Hey, where is Olivia?"

"It's her night off, Miss." Marinette caught herself. "I mean, Genevieve."

I smiled. It was nice to have a small piece of my life seem normal.

"Are you ready, Mi- Genevieve?" She handed me a delicate necklace with a small pendant to complete my outfit.

Sliding my feet into the flats, which felt surprisingly comfortable, I stood up and nodded. "Let's go."

Marinette slipped ahead of me and opened the door to the hall just as I emerged from the bedroom. Clarence turned, probably hearing the door open, and his eyes darted to mine. I couldn't help myself, allowing a smile to spread across my face as I fiddled with my necklace.

His face broke into a similar smile as he stepped past Marinette and into the sitting room, his steps carrying him straight towards me. Is he going to hug me or something? I could feel my heart speeding up in my chest with each step he took, and when Marinette closed the door to the hallway I could have passed out from nerves.

Two steps away from reaching me, Clarence abruptly stopped in his tracks and a pained expression crossed his face briefly before he regained his composure. I counted my breaths, willing my hands not to fiddle with anything while I waited.

"May I?" Clarence gestured to the table.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "Yes, of course."

He walked around the table and pulled out my chair for me, pressing it gently into the back of my knees so I could sit. So not what I was hoping for.

His hands lingered on the top of the chair and I refused to breathe as one of his fingers brushed against my bare shoulder. When he finally stepped away and sat in his own chair, Marinette was still hanging back by the door, failing to hide her giddy smile from us.

"Marinette, if you would join us," I offered, "I know it's been a long night for everyone."

Without a second thought, she rushed across the room and sat down in the chair on the other side of me. "Thank you, Miss Genevieve."

I turned to smile at her and then reached out to eat some of the delicious food sitting on the table.

* * *

Clarence let me finish eating before dragging me off to Janet's room for our after party adventures. I think I was expecting a typical after party one might have after a club or large event, but what I walked into was more of a slumber party without pyjamas.

"Genevieve, you finally made it!" Janet crossed her room and pulled me into a big hug. "Madeline arrived ages ago and I thought you two might have decided to skip it or something." She wiggled her eyebrows at me and then winked.

I fiddled with the clasp on my necklace. "No, I just needed to stop for food."

"Do you ever eat at dinner?" Janet asked me, pulling my hand to get me to dance to whatever electronic crap she was playing. "I mean you had this huge fancy ball tonight and you're still hungry?" She waved me off like I was being outrageous.

"The portions are so small and the king eats really fast!" I defended myself. "I tried to eat, but it takes me six times longer in those formal settings."

"Don't worry, Genevieve," Princess Madeline piped up from her spot on the floor. "You get better at it with time."

"Is that true?" I turned around to face Clarence, who was still dressed in his formal suit. He looked comically out of place with Janet and Madeline in their yoga outfits and me in my casual dress.

"Yes, you get used to it." He took his jacket off and laid it on a nearby chair. Stepping around his sister, he found a spot on the couch and sat down. "But it's also a palace." He shrugged. "So who cares if you want to eat six times a day?"

Madeline giggled. "You make her sound like that's all she does."

"Oh, no. I didn't mean..." Clarence babbled a bit, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "I just mean it's fine if you need snacks. Our father does eat very quickly."

Janet must have sensed how awkward we both were, because her eyes darted between us, brows pulling together with each passing second.

"So," I said, desperate to change the subject. "What do we usually do at these shindigs?"

Princess Madeline didn't waste a moment, springing up off the floor in one fluid motion. "We sing Karaoke! And you-" she turned to point at her brother- "are not getting out of it this time so don't even pretend you lost your voice."

He raised his hands in defeat. "Fine, I'll sing. But only after everyone else goes."

Madeline looked at me, calculating. "She seems trustworthy, I'll allow it." She ran over to me and grabbed my hand, steering me towards the couch. I stumbled after her, and when she finally let go, my stumbling continued until I finally landed straight in Clarence's lap.

"Good." She pointed at us. "Now let me get everything set up for singing."