I Am Your Queen✔

Chapter 5

Tea Time

Alicia groaned as she tried her hardest to finish her fifth pancake. The delicacy was drenched in syrup, made from the finest maple trees in the Enchanted Forest. But after her third pancake, she couldn't eat anymore but she refused to stop. It was just that good.

"Stop before you get sick, Alicia," Regina scolded the young girl. Ali finally put down her fork and groaned as she patted her belly.

"I regret nothing," she mumbled and opened one eye as she heard the chef's walking in again. The cooks had various plates of desserts, such as fresh fruits, crackers and jam, creampuffs, and taffy bits. Alicia's mouth watered when she set her eyes on the creampuffs. She reached for one but as she did, Regina smacked her hand away.

Alicia squeaked.

"No more food for you."

"Regina..." The young girl whined.

"No, you'll get a belly ache if you eat anymore. Behave. You are not to get sick at this ceremony," Regina said and Alicia grumbled in her chair. She obeyed, not wanting to upset her friend. She straightened her back.

"May I be excused then?" Ali asked Regina nodded.

"But wait, I need you to do something!" Snow stopped her before she could leave. Alicia groaned internally and scolded herself for not leaving quicker.

"I need someone to help me greet the guests today," Snow continued and Alicia gave a pained smile. But nonetheless, she nodded.

"I'll gladly help," she said and Snow looked happy.

"Wonderful, the guests will be here at noon so please be ready, dear," she said and the princess nodded. She then left the dining hall, heading upstairs to see if she could manage to sneak in another thirty minutes of sleep. But when she walked in two of her maids were already there, looking for a special dress for her to greet the guests in.

"Ready to change, my lady?" One of them asked. Alicia sighed as she stared at the dress.

"I supposed so, Nurse," she replied and Ali lifted her arms above her head, waiting to be changed.

She began to realize just how often she needed to change.

~

"Have you noticed we always have to change for everything?" Alicia asked as she and Snow stood at the entrance of the castle. The first carriage was just arriving.

"No. Why do you ask?" Snow questioned and Alicia shrugged.

"I've changed like a billion times since I arrived," she muttered and Snow chuckled.

"You'll get used to it eventually."

The entire morning and early afternoon, Alicia had met more people than she cared to admit. Her mind was in a daze after the second hour of standing around and greeting random people who she would probably never see again.

She met Aurora, her husband Philip, and their little baby. Alicia always felt weird being around babies. She was never really exposed to them and she feared them because they were so fragile and she was so powerful. She felt like she was going to break the baby.

"She's beautiful, Aurora."

"Yes, she is, isn't she?"

Alicia watched as Snow and Aurora gushed over the drooling baby. Ali scrunched her nose. She wouldn't get near it.

"Princess Alicia, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." Ali turned towards the voices.

"Duke, Duchess, welcome to the Royal Castle," Alicia said with her princess smile, a smile that was clearly fake to anyone who knew what her true smile looked like.