The King's Advisor

[SandraDeelightful]

The flat heeled shoes Evangeline was wearing clicked against the marble floor of the marble flooring of the palace. The small train of her pale lavender dress was flowing behind her. It wasn't a fancy as the dresses most nobles and royals wear, but it wasn't something that a farmer or a peasant would wear. It was something that a wife or daughter of a lawyer or a banker would wear. She had always preferred simpler dresses as opposed to fancier ones. They were just more comfortable to her, even though her mother would prefer that her daughter wear fancier ones.


Princess Evangeline had just finished breakfast with her parents. To the public, they were known as King Frederick and Queen Adelaide, but Evangeline simply called them ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa.’ They were starting to bring up the fact that she was of marriageable age and it would be best for her to find a husband soon. Well, it was mostly Queen Adelaide who wanted her to begin meeting men. King Frederick wanted to keep his little girl for a while longer. Evangeline didn’t blame them. It would certainly help people believe that she was more capable of handling a nation if there was a man by her side.


Now, Evangeline was roaming the palace halls, working her way to the library. She would only pick out a book before going to read it in the palace garden, her favorite place to read, and spend most of her time. Queen Adelaide told Evangeline when she was little if she read often, she might be able to make people see that she was educated and give her the credit that she deserved. Of course, that made Evangeline love reading and now, she would read anything she could get her hands on.


She had excelled at her studies when she was in the classroom. Though, as she got older, she had to spend less time there as she had to learn more about being a ruler, but also skills that any proper lady would need to know, such as dancing as playing instruments. While Queen Adelaide knew that she would need to be educated in courses that would help her lead, but she would also have her daughter be educated in courses that proper ladies would take. She would spend a good deal of her afternoons with her father, though mornings were to herself.


As Evangeline reached the library and picked out a book. Upon reaching the door to exit the library, Evangeline heard a roar of thunder. She looked out the windows of the library to see a clouded sky and rain beginning to fall. A rare frown graced Evangeline's face. She clearly wouldn't be able to go to the gardens and read now. With a sigh, she exited the library and went to her room. While the library offered a quiet, calm place to read, Evangeline preferred her room to it. The gardens were her first home, her room was her second.

 

[Edric Yuma]

George sat in his study, groaning as loudly as he could so that his tutor could hear. "I'm SO not getting this. PLEASE let me take a quick break." His tutor, Mr. Anderson, who had been reading a book as George was working closed it with a sigh. He frowned at George. "With that attitude, young man, you will never be able to reach the status your father has through hard work and dedication." George sighed. No matter how hard he tried to convey to both his parents and tutor that he wanted nothing to do with being an advisor (except maybe being with his friend Evangeline,) they seemed to push him as hard as they could, not caring about his own feelings.


Mr. Anderson continued, "I can always tell your father that you aren-" "NO thanks!" George turned back to his work, sighing again in defeat. Mr. Anderson, satisfied with his actions, turned his attention back to his own book.


Mr. Anderson always played the "Father" trump card, and it annoyed George to no end. Of course, his father actually finding out that he was slacking was even worse, but even so he hated the way Mr. Anderson took advantage of it.


After finishing his morning studies, George decided to go outside during his break period, planning on visiting Evangeline, a couple of minutes away on horseback. Since his father was the king's advisor, they had to live close to the palace. It was the few places George enjoyed going, since he could chat and hang out with his best friend Evangeline, who happened to be a great listener and good at offering advice.


Right as George had finished saddling his horse, however, the sky darkened, and it started pouring. "Oh, what the heck." George groaned under his breath, listening to the rain clatter along the sides of the stable. He stared at his horse, whose name was Ally. "I already have you saddled, what should I do now? Wait out the rain?" The horse whinnied in response, shaking her tail as if to say Get this junk off my back! "Nah, that would take too long, my break would be up. Guess I'll just have to brave the rain." He mounted Ally, who seemed to stare at him with an annoyed look.


It wasn't the first time he had run through the rain, as he loved horseback riding. His horse Ally was quite the sassy one, but even so she was a great horse, and the two often spent time together alone in the forests, riding to their heart's content. Of course, he would always get in trouble when he got home for coming back late, but it was worth it every time. As George left the stables by the palace to go visit Evangeline, he gave an apple to Ally, smiling in thanks.


Walking up to the palace, George knocked on the palace door three times in rapid succession, followed by three more rapid knocks. It was a signal that George had developed to show that it was him, and not an invading army. A man poked his head out, nodded, then left, presumably to go contact the princess of his arrival. George sat there, soaking wet but pleased that he had been able to visit the princess.

 

[SandraDeelightful]

Evangeline reached her room. Evangeline's room was mostly gold, white, and pale blue. It always seemed to have some sort of light in it, even on dark days like today. While it was a bit grand for Evangeline's taste, she still loved it. She sat on the pale blue chaise with gold threading, pulling a cozy blanket over her, and kicking her heels up. It was quite comfortable and Evangeline's favorite place to read in her room. She opened up her book and began reading. She was so lost in the book, the man who had come to tell her that George was here had to knock for a good minute before Evangeline snapped out of her book and looked up.


"Come in!" Evangeline called out and the man entered. He informed her that George was here. Evangeline beamed and set her book down on the white table beside the chaise. "Send him up, please."


The man bowed and left. Evangeline rushed to her white vanity and fixed her hair. She didn't know why she was self-conscious around George, she just was, despite that she had known him since they were children.


She had noticed that she was becoming more and more self-conscious around him as each day went by. She had always put a decent amount of effort into her appearance, as it was a requirement for being a princess, but she had always made sure she looked presentable, but not making a special effort. But around George, she always seemed to.


One of her maids, Elinor, had noticed and often joked about it. It would often bring a blush to Evangeline's cheeks. Normally, servants would not joke about such things, but Evangeline often made it known that she saw her servants more as friends, and she often made them felt like such, so much so that her servant seemed to believe and often forgot that they were in the company of the princess. Evangeline was pleased that she was able to have such a relationship with her servants.


Upon realizing she had a few minutes as it took about seven to get from the entrance to the palace to her room, Evangeline picked her book back up and sat back down on her chaise. She did not lean on it this time, nor did she kick her feet up or put her blanket over her. She simply sat with her back against the back of the chaise.


Evangeline, for once, found she could not keep her focus on her book, but rather, her eyes kept darting up to look at the door. She tried to not look like she was expecting him, but she ended up doing so. She was not a master of subtlety, but, she was usually rather obvious. Not just when expecting George, but with most things. She waited for the man to get George.