Be My Princess

Even after the meal was served, Kat could still not get herself to eat. At that very moment, she was feeling as if she were dreaming more than actually living the scene displayed before her eyes. She, Kat Sama, was indeed seated at the same table as the royal family of Ruund.

She looked around the table. King Angel II was sitting at the presiding chair, Queen Sophie at his right and Queen Mother Isabella at his left. Angel was seated next to his mother and Lady Josephine next to Angel while Kat was seated next to Isabella and Prince Francis at Kat's left.

"Is something wrong, Changadim Kat?" Queen Sophie asked, noticing that the young was not eating. "Don't you like the food?"

At the mention of her name, Kat snapped out of her daze and looked at the queen. "Oh no! It's nothing like that…" Kat quickly answered. "It is just hitting me now that I am living and sharing meals with the royal family of Ruund. People that, so far, I've only seen on TV and read about in books or magazines. It's at the same time hard to believe and a great honour…"

Isabella smiled with endearment as Kat finally started to eat.

"So Kat, you've had your first dates with my ijuku[1]." She started. "What is your first impression of them?"

All eyes locked on Kat.

Kat looked at everyone, one after the other, before answering: "Well, I rather not dwell on first impressions."

"That bad, huh?" Isabella replied.

"No, that's not what I meant…"

"Don't feel afraid to speak out the truth, Changadim Kat." Lady Josephine intervened. "We all know what you meant." She added, pointing at her left with her eyes.

His head still buried in his plate, Angel feigned to ignore the attention that was now set on him and calmly continued to eat. Kat looked at the man sitting across the table from her and smiled at the royal consort's allusion.

"I really didn't mean it that way, Lady Josephine." She insisted. "I just think that people's idea that first impressions are always right might be wrong."

"Really?" Isabella asked, her curiosity picked. "What makes you think that way?"

"In my opinion, we should first consider the circumstances surrounding that first encounter. If I can take example on my first encounter with Crown Prince Angel, I would tell you, from my first impression of him, that he is an arrogant man with ice running through his veins instead of blood."

Francis let out a 'pff' sound and Angel raised his head to look at Kat. Unshaken, she sustained his intense gaze with a defying smile.

"But later on, when I got to see him interact with Prince Francis, I realised that I had been quick to judge him. So I can ask myself the following: 'Could it be that, on our first encounter, he might have had a bad day?'

And the same goes for my first encounter with Prince Francis. My first impression will tell me that he is a charming and gallant man. But if I am to look at the circumstances around that encounter, I find that our grandfathers' oath, the Courtship Program, and the fact that the members of the royal family always take their duties very much at heart are strong drives to get him to act that way towards me.

So I can also ask myself the following: 'Is he naturally this charming and gallant? Or is he being like this on purpose because the fulfilment of the late king's oath is at stake?'

Hence, in either cases, I think that only further interactions with them will help me find answers to those questions."

When she was done exposing her theory, Kat looked around the table. Appreciative gazes were cast on her from everywhere. Even Angel seemed genuinely impressed by her reasoning.

"Wow! Who would think so much wisdom could come from such a young woman?!" Isabella exclaimed in admiration.

"It would really be a loss to the Throne if we couldn't win you to our family." Sophie added.

The king simply smiled appreciatively, and Kat timidly smiled back at him. She never really knew how to respond to compliments as they always made her feel awkward.

After lunch, everyone moved to the private living room where Sophie insisted that Angel entertained the family with his piano skills.

Kat was rather sceptical at the idea that a cold man like Angel was able to play of an instrument as beautiful as the piano; but when Angel's fingers started to press on the piano keys, it was as if an invisible hand had pressed a 'switch' button in his personality.

The very moment musical notes started to fill the room, Kat found herself in the presence of a relaxed and passionate Angel she had never met before. The passion he had for music could be perceived in his expression, and was amazingly conveyed in the different melodies he was playing.

By the time Angel was done with his repertoire, Kat was on her feet, clapping her hands in admiration.

"That was wonderful! Which composer is that?" She exclaimed in amazement.

"These are all Angel's compositions." Queen Sophie answered with pride.

Kat's jaw dropped. "Whoa! Then I'm all the more convinced that my first impression of you was wrong. A cold person cannot create such beautiful and warm compositions. You really moved me!"

Angel's heart skipped a beat at Kat's compliment. The woman's different expressions of admiration really had unpredictable effects on him; sometimes making his heart race, and some other time making him want to hold her tight in his embrace and…

But he could not let anyone see through him; so he simply smiled and slightly bowed his head before quickly regaining his stoic expression.

From where she was sitting, Josephine balled her hand into a fist. Queen Sophie was surely not relenting in her endeavours to push the maiden into the arms her son.

Once they had returned to the East Wing after dinner, Josephine immediately questioned her son.

"How did your first date with the girl go?"

"Very well, Maaku. And with Angel's attitude, it's as if he is offering the girl to me on a silver platter." Francis answered with assurance.

"Don't get stuck on what Angel is not doing and concentrate on what you're doing instead! This girl is not the naive type, so make sure not to let her see through your game."

"Don't worry so much about this, Maaku; I got it all under control. This girl is just a bigger challenge compared to the girls I've seduced before; that's it. I think we should be concentrating on getting my crown back instead."

"You let me worry about this, my prince. I will get you the crown. You just concentrate on getting the girl."

"Why are you insisting so much on this, Maaku? I didn't think fulfilling grandfather's promise would be even important to you?"

"Oh, I could care less about that oath. But I care a lot about beating Queen Sophie…" Josephine answered in an ominous tone. "You heard the queen's comment at lunch. She wants the maiden for her son; even the king is being slowly won over by that girl's nature. Maaku and Sophie will surely try their best to win that girl to Angel: and I don't want to see that happen!"

"With Angel's character, I don't think they'll be able to achieve that."

"Don't be so naive, Mwan-ikung. Why do think the queen insisted that her son entertained us at the piano this afternoon? And why do you think the maiden was installed in the crown prince's apartment while putting her in the South Wing would have made more sense?"

Francis' eyes lit up. "They want to make her to see all the good sides of Angel."

"I know it's all the queen's doing; that's why I want you to get that girl by all means. Sophie has been looking down on me for as long as I can remember, but this has to come to an end now. After I get you the crown, I don't want her to even have the consolation of having that maiden as daughter-in-law. So, the only reason why you can't have this girl should be because she has chosen to go back home instead. You hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Ma'am!" Francis let out before he hugged his mother. "Worry no longer about this, Maaku. You get me the crown… I'll get you the girl!"

After that weekend, Kat was up for her first weekly program. In accordance to the schedule the royal secretary had given her, on Mondays, Kat would have to learn everything about royal etiquette; everything from social manners – like how to address people according to their rank – to table manners. But for her first Monday, Kat was given the opportunity of a tour of the Royal Estate; and what had impressed her the most was the elaborated mix of styles in the choice of furniture and decoration.

The wooden carving on the painting and picture frames, the dining and coffee tables, the bathroom and kitchen cabinets, the canopy beds and coiffeuses, the bookcases; the modern sofas in the offices, chesterfield sofas in the sitting rooms and cabriole sofas, tub chairs or chaises in the studies; the crystal chandeliers, crystal flower vases and various trinkets made of copper, porcelain, malachite or gold that decorated the different rooms; the wicker furniture on verandas… Everything was giving the palace a contemporary look while still keeping a distinctive level of aristocratic appearance.

On Tuesdays, a special tutor was set to supervise her study of Ruund history, culture and traditions. And on Wednesdays, the queen was the one to teach her about all the duties and functions befalling a crown princess and a queen. Thursdays were Kat's favourite days because, aside from chanting and dance lessons she was given the opportunity to choose a musical instrument she could learn to play. And that opportunity was coming as a way for her to finally master the musical instrument she had always loved to play: violin.

Back in Congo, a retired violinist had moved in the house next to theirs when she was nine years old. From the first time she had heard him played of his instrument, Kat had instantaneously fallen in love with it, and had incessantly badgered her elderly neighbour until he had conceded to take her as his pupil. But Kat had only been able to have a two-hour lesson per day once a week over a period of four years before her teacher had succumbed to a heart attack. And though her lessons had borne much good fruit, Kat still felt that there was room improvement.

Hence, having always been thirsty for knowledge, Kat took on her learning program with a level of diligence that finished to win over Isabella and Sophie by the time they reached the middle of the first week.

"The more I get to know her, the more I think she would be perfect as a queen." Sophie confided to her mother-in-law as they both assisted to the violin lesson on that Thursday in the library.

"Do you only see her as good to be queen?" Isabella asked.

"Actually, I am just trying not to be too biased, Maaku. I really think she would be perfect for our crown prince. If only Angel could see what we see in her…"

"Have some faith in your son, dear Sophie. Angel might have a stubborn nature, but he is not blind. He will eventually come to see the value of this young maiden."

Sophie wanted to share the queen mother's belief; but her husband's revelation about Angel's relationship in London was still striking doubt in her mind. If his heart was already blinded by another woman, how would he be able to see Kat…?

⁂

For their second date, Francis had chosen to take Kat to Aquatic World. The uRuund great scale aquarium where most of the famous aquatic creatures found in the world could be admired.

To upgrade the place to an international level, there was even a pool area for trained dolphins, seals and sea lions to entertain the visitors. And with advanced technologies in its facilities allowing for recreated environments such as those needed by penguins, Aquatic World had risen to become the number one family weekend leisure choice in Musumb.

"Why is the place so empty?" Kat asked soon after they had started their visit.

"I've booked the whole place for the day, so that we wouldn't have to worry about attracting people's attention." Francis explained.

"For the whole day?" Kat asked in amazement.

Francis smiled. "Week days are not much crowded since we're not in holiday period. And I've paid in match to their highest daily income during non-holyday periods."

"You know, I don't mind coming here incognito…" Kat started, finding it quite exaggerated that the prince had to spend so much for such a little inconvenience.

Kat nodded. "But what about the staff? Won't they leak the information to the press?"

"The royal family has already agreed with managers of places like this one to only keep trustworthy employees when we visit. They know very well that leaking the information, or pictures, will cost them their jobs."

With no further argument, Kat capitulated and followed Francis along the multiple corridors walled with gigantic aquariums. Overwhelmed with the splendour of aquatic life reproduced indoors for human's leisure, Kat admired the different animals with the sparkling wonderment of a toddler discovering new things.

When Francis looked at her marvelled expression one more time, as she was stretching out her hand to touch a dolphin's head, he felt an inexplicable urge to hold her tight in his embrace. They had just finished watching the different shows at the pool, and Kat had asked the instructors if they could approach the animals. Being able to touch animals she had only seen on TV so far was an opportunity she could not let pass.

Francis had seen the same expression when Kat had been given the opportunity to feed fish to the penguins, and kept wondering why his heart was behaving so strangely every time he saw that sparkle in her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me so intensely?"

Francis interrupted his train of thoughts and noticed that Kat was done petting the animals and was now looking at him with a puzzled expression. Embarrassed to have been caught staring, the prince diverted the subject by placing an interrogation of his own. "Why do you doubt my intentions?"

"I'm sorry?" Kat asked, not understanding.

"I keep thinking about what you said at lunch on Sunday; and I can't help but wonder whether I have done something to make you think that I am not being sincere with you." Francis explained.

"I think you have misunderstood me, Prince Francis…" Kat started.

"Please, just call me Francis." The prince intervened, displaying his most charming smile.

Kat smiled back. "Okay; Francis. The point of my argument was just to show that first impression can be deceiving. When I first met Prince Angel, he did not leave a good impression on me. But later one, I was proven to be wrong about him.

On the other hand, when I first met you, you left a very good impression on me. But the thing is: I can't rely 100% on that impression because I don't know you yet; and I've come to understand that duty fulfilment is a pretty strong drive for the royal family."

"I understand…"

"But you don't seem very much convinced." Kat remarked.

"You are very perceptive. I still wonder if there is something I did that might have made you doubt my motives." Francis insisted.

"Prince… I mean Francis; I can assure you that you have done nothing to make me feel that way…"

"But…" Francis continued, sensing the hesitation in her pause.

"It was just a feeling on my part. I can't explain it; but I just felt as if you have an internal fence raised in order to stop me from seeing through you. But that can be understood on a first date. No one would be totally open to a person they've just met."

Though he managed to hide it perfectly, Francis was taken aback by Kat's level of discernment. He now understood why his mother had insisted that he be careful not to be found out by the young woman again that morning. Kat was really not like any of the girls he had seduced before.

"Oh I see!" He said with feigned relief. "And just so you can rest assured, I am not as much driven by duty as the rest of my family. It might be because I've spent most of my life in America, living like a normal boy."

"That's a relief. But I believe that, even if you had stayed crown prince and grown up in the palace, you'd still be livelier than Prince Angel." Kat joked.

Francis laughed heartily then presented his arm gentlemanly. "Let's go eat. I have a reservation in a very nice restaurant."

Kat placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "Let me guess; you reserved the entire restaurant." She said jokingly.

"You know it!" Francis replied in the same tone.

[1] Grandchildren