A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Forty-Six

"Miss?" Marinette opened my curtains the morning of our charity tea and stood at the end of my bed, waiting for me to respond. "Miss, we really must be getting you ready."

I flipped over and groaned into my pillow. "Do I have to?"

"Yes, Genevieve," Marinette giggled. "And I've managed to have your shoes cleaned so they're back in the closet. Don't worry, no one noticed but me."

"Thank you, Marinette." I watched her walk over to the closet to select my day dress. I was happy to let them choose and not have to make decisions for myself at this point.

"And thank you for that, too," I said when I saw the dress she picked. "But I'm still not going to forgive you for waking me up."

"Oh, Genevieve, it is seven in the morning. It's basically sleeping in around here. And Janet is coming by to discuss some details with you and Clarence, remember?"

I did remember, which is exactly why it was vital I get up too early and style myself perfectly. What have I gotten myself into?

"Yes, I'm coming." I groaned again and rolled out of bed.

I was a little more awake after my shower, but still groggy while I ate my breakfast and Marinette styled my hair.

We hadn't even touched my make up and my hair was only half done when a frantic knock at the door startled us both.

"Ow!" I shouted when Marinette poked a pin straight down into my head.

"I'm sorry." She winced. "Should I get that or--?"

"Yes, get it." I waved her away, rubbing my head with the other hand. "But if it's Clarence, tell him he'll have to wait."

"Can't have him seeing you like this, can we?" She winked and left the room, coming back a moment later with a bouncy Janet.

"How are you all so awake this early in the morning?" I groaned.

"We're working?" She answered me. "A concept you should be familiar with. Anyway, why I'm here so early is because I came to tell you that the contract you redrew and Abigail threw back in your face? Well the king saw it and said he had half a mind to fire Abigail for the crap she threw at him when she had this and--"

"Wait, did he fire Abigail?" I don't know if I feel hopeful or guilty. Both?

"No, no. It's not that. It's just that Abigail tried to say you didn't ever show it to her but then Clarence--" she took a deep breath before continuing. "Clarence happened to be in the room and attested personally that you gave it to her and she now has to apologize to you or lose her job."

"Oh, I'm sure she's very excited about that." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, she isn't." Janet shook her head. "Your life is probably going to be Hell. But it's all good because he's moving you out of public relations full time into royal duties for the rest of the summer because Clarence--" she looked around to make sure no one else was there. "Clarence says he needs you with him and won't have you dividing your time anymore."

"Can you believe it?" Marinette danced giddily beside me.

"No?" I answered, hoping it was the right one.

"Oh, can't you see?" Marinette slid a pin into my hair while she talked. "He's going to ask you--"

"That is quite enough, Marinette," Janet snapped before Marinette could finish her thought. "I know for a fact that is not in the cards at the moment."

That's a relief. But what does Janet mean? Just that we aren't going there or that Clarence views this arrangement the same way it was when we started it? Does she know something I don't? My head was swirling, unable to make sense of how I felt, but acutely aware that the reason for it was about to show up for a meeting.

"Can we make sure I'm ready for this meeting, please?" I asked Janet and Marinette, hoping to draw their attention back to the task at hand. "We have a whole tea to pull off this afternoon with virtually no support as the queen and king will not be there and Princess Madeline has been barred from attending.

"We've practiced this a hundred times," Janet reminded me. "You know what to do. Clarence knows what to do. You can do this."

"Right." I nodded, trying to convince myself I believed it. After several more pins were poked into my hair, I asked, "When is Semret arriving?"

"She will arrive with Clarence at eight," Janet shouted from the sitting room, where she was arranging the items for our meeting. "Where do you want me to put your computer?"

"Just on the table is fine," I shouted back. "I'll pick it up later and put it where I need it."

"So," Marinette said when she finished my hair. "What do you think?"

I turned my face to the mirror for the first time since Marinette had stopped to let Janet in. My hair was truly beautiful. She had twisted a collection of my culs to to create a large twist and used it as a headband to keep the rest of my hair off my face. She had styled a little bit on the sides, but the rest of it was all natural me -- primped and full of product to make it look extra sleek, but still super curly me.

"I absolutely love it, Marinette." I admired myself in the mirror from all angles. "Where did you learn to do this?"

"I've been practicing," she said simply, shuffling from foot to foot as though embarrassed to tell me more.

"Well, thank you." I smiled. "It's perfect."

"I figured on your big scary outing, it would probably be nice to feel like you. And I couldn't convince them to let you wear flats or wedges, so this was the best I could do."

I laughed. "You didn't try that, did you?"

"No." Marinette scrunched up her nose and shook her head. "I would never."

We laughed together over the absurdity of breaking the dress code in this place until Janet came back in to remind me of my meeting. "We're starting in two minutes or as soon as Clarence gets here," she said. "Oh, you look nice."

"Thanks, Janet," I laughed. "I'm coming."

I thanked Marinette and made my way to the sitting room to await Clarence and Semret.

I wasn't waiting long when there was a tap at the door. "Come in," I said to the guards in the hall. Let's get this day started. Sink or swim, I'm going to throw everything I have at it.