Chapter 22: Chapter 21

Julia

 

Two new letters arrived on Monday. Peter had written to her, just like her mother. The Queen encouraged Julia to come to the ball and would send her a carriage to get to the ball on Wednesday evening. She was looking forward to seeing her daughter. Peter had wrapped a pretty necklace in a handkerchief and sent it to her. A shimmering glass butterfly on a fine chain. Julia smiled. The necklace was beautiful.

Her school day had been unspectacular. In fencing lessons, she had been particularly clumsy, in magic she had almost fallen asleep... Philip had actually fallen asleep and Helga had turned out to be an ambitious nerd. Marie had overslept and arrived too late for the first lesson and a few boys had played a trick on their history teacher...

Julia was tired.

On Sunday night she played cards with Marko and Leopold and drank hot chocolate. Leopold in particular had been a tough opponent and had won every game.

Julia yawned and took a sip of coffee that Sophie had made her. The old lady cooked stew while singing an old children's song. Finn sat opposite Julia and embroidered one of her jackets. A simple floral pattern. Sophie had bought the yarn for it in the city.

Julia needed a new dress for her brother's engagement ball. She had not yet decided whether she wanted to look for one at the shops of the city or whether she wanted to have a tailor come here. She did not have much time...

Leopold came into the kitchen with a feather duster. "Our hallway is officially dusted off," he announced playfully solemnly. "Praise me!"

Julia laughed. "Our hero!"

"Oh you glorious conqueror of dust!" said Sophie just as solemnly. "Now please conquer the dangerous window dirt to let them shine!"

Leopold bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty the Cook! The dirt will learn to fear me!"

"Your Majesty the Cook? That's what I want to be called from now on." Sophie smoothed her apron. "Do I look royal?"

"Always. You're just missing the crown." Julia got a spoon and tried the stew. "It's missing some salt."

Sophie looked at her with amusement. "Do you want to take over the cooking?"

"I'd love to, but I can't cook. I would probably burn the soup... And I should start with my homework... And I need a dress."

"Do you want to go to the city?" Leopold sat on the chair Julia had sat on and watched Finn embroider instead of cleaning the windows.

Finn seemed a little restless. "Do we have to come with you?" he asked.

Julia didn’t even think about that possibility and she did not want that. "I don't think so. Sophie? Can you have a tailor come here with a selection of dresses?" Maybe that's better... It saves time. We always get a lot of homework...

"I wanted to go back to the city anyway, so, yes. I'm off right after lunch."

Finn looked at the kitchen door as if he were looking for something. "When is Marko coming back? Shouldn't he have been there long ago?"

Marko helped out in the laundry rooms, as a lot of laundries had been handed in. Sophie had sent him off right after breakfast. "I don't know, but we can put away some stew for him if he's not back for lunch."

"I'll start with my homework." Julia left the kitchen and went to her room. She was supposed to write a short essay about what she wanted to achieve with her talent and which path she wanted to take professionally for her magic lesson. Some of her classmates had been happy about this homework. Especially Helga, who had announced to write a particularly inspiring essay... Whatever that should look like.

There was no suitable profession for seers and Julia did not know yet what she wanted to do later. So she wrote about her role as a princess. About the fact that it was her job to represent the country and take responsibility. And she wrote that she did not know yet in what form she wanted to pursue her responsibilities. She did not write about her past dream of leaving everything behind.

What did she want?

Did she want to go into politics? Did she want to have an influence? Maybe she could do something about the binding spells? Would her mother allow that? Could she stand up against her mom? Would she succeed? Probably not. The queen was adamant about her views and laws. So what could Julia do?

Nothing.

There was nothing she could do.

But she did not write all this in her essay.

 

Agathe

 

Peter had refused to show her the engagement ring for Babette. The queen feared he hadn't bought one, but the guards confirmed to her that Peter had entered a jewelry shop and had also bought a ring at a small stall.

"The ring is a surprise for Babette, I will reveal it at the ball. As a surprise for everyone," Peter had talked himself out of it.

Agathe sat at her desk and read her daughter's letter again. She had read it again and again. Julia wrote that she had settled in well at the academy. She also wrote that she wanted to come to the engagement ball. But she also asked if Babette was really the right choice for Peter. Agathe sighed. Couldn't her two youngest realize how well Babette fit into their family? How good would she be for Peter?

Agathe was a little sad that Julia had only written her this one letter. She wrote a lot more to Peter. But she would see her daughter again in a few days.

She missed her.

She missed all her children who no longer lived inside the castle. But her three eldest lived their own lives, supported her mother and queen, and came by regularly. They played an important role on their mother's chessboard and ran the health care system and the military. Agathe was very satisfied. She had also hoped for support from Paul and Ingried. In expanding her family ties with other noble houses and supporting her mother politically... But that never happened. Paul had been stubborn and Ingried had lost her fiancé and let Paul convince her to leave the crown behind.

Agathe was not sad about it. No. She was angry. She wouldn't let Peter turn against her either. An arranged marriage would do him good. It was for his best. And it was the best for the family. She had given him a choice, unlike Paul, but Peter had proved incapable of making a good decision. So she had decided for him.

Babette would be a wonderful daughter-in-law. Even if Peter and Julia didn't see it yet.

Agathe put Julia's letter in a drawer.

Work was waiting for her.

Julia

 

The next day, a seamstress who Sophie had ordered came by. It was an elderly lady with frizzy gray hair. The seamstress showed Julia a beautiful selection of ball gowns. Each was a work of art and but the clothes were kept relatively simple at the same time.

Julia's especially liked a yellow dress with sewn-on white flowers. She liked it very much and it matched the color of her butterfly necklace.

She tried it on and looked at her reflection in the mirror. The dress fit and luckily nothing had to be changed.

"There is also a matching hair band." The seamstress held up an equally bright yellow ribbon. "Do you want to try on the next dress?"

"Not necessary." Julia shook her head. "I like this dress. I don't need to try on another one."

There was a knock at the door. When Julia opened it, Leopold's eyes widened. "You look beautiful," it slipped out of him. His cheeks became as red as a tomato. "Oh. Forgive me. The cobbler is here, which Sophie has also ordered too. Should I send him in, or should he wait a moment? Have you found a dress yet?"

"Thank you. Please send him in."

A little later, Julia chose white, simple shoes to match the dress. Sophie arranged the payment and Julia put the dress and shoes aside for the ball.

There was a knock at the door to her hallway. Julia heard Marko hurry down the hallway to receive the unannounced visitor.

"Is the princess here?" That was Helga's voice. "I would like to speak to her."

"Of course. I tell Her Highness." But Marko didn't have to tell her. Julia came out of her room and greeted her classmate.

"Hello, Helga. What brings you here?"

"We'd better talk about this in private. It's not for the ears of servants." Helga looked at Marko who had already disappeared into the boys' room. Julia still saw him roll his eyes.

"Of course. Let's sit down in the living room... Although... I think Sophie is sitting there knitting and I don't want to send her out. Let's go to my room."

"Gladly." Helga followed Julia into her room, which was fortunately tidy. Julia tended to leave clothes on the floor and she hadn't expected a visitor. But Sophie had cleaned up her clothes in the morning.

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"What is it about?" Julia sat down on her bed.

"My mother wrote me that there will be a ball held at the castle soon. For your brother's engagement? My parents got an invitation" Helga sat down on Julia's desk chair. "Philip doesn't intend to go because we are writing a test on Monday and his grades seem not to be too good. He prefers to learn... So we can't take a carriage together... You're going to the ball, aren't you?"

"Yes." Julia smiled. She knew exactly what the question was about. "My mother sends me a carriage. Wednesday evening. If you want, you can ride with me. However, you would have to take time off from classes on Thursday and Friday."

"You're not going on Thursday afternoon? But we write a test in magic."

"I'm allowed to write the test on Monday."

"Oh... I can try to get time off... But I'm not related to your brother... I have no reason to be absent for so long and the teachers are strict when it comes to attendance. I guess I'll have to drive alone on Thursday. What a pity. It would have been convenient."

"Don't your parents send you a carriage?"

"They were hoping I could ride with Philip, but he won’t go to the ball. I will find a carriage that takes me to the castle. Still, thank you very much."

 

Leopold

 

He couldn’t get the image of the princess wearing that dress out of his head. She had been beautiful.

 She had a guest now. Should he listen at the door? What were they talking about? Did they talk about servants? Leopold had heard the guest's remark about servants. ‘Not intended for the ears of servants’... What did she mean by that? Was it just a private conversation?

Marko was lying in his bed and reading a book from the bookshelf now. An encyclopedia about the possibilities of manipulating magic. The visitor seemed to be of little interest to him. Leopold, on the other hand, was curious. And if something was discussed about servants, he preferred to be prepared... But the walls were thin... The girls might hear him.

Finn sat on the windowsill and mended the princess's vest as a seam was torn. She must have gotten stuck with it somewhere. He didn't seem interested in the visit either.

The princess looked so beautiful.

Leopold sighed and pressed his pillow over his face. Forget her. You're just an object to her, no matter how nice she seems to be. Forget it. You are a servant and you have a task.

"Why are you sighing?" asked Marko. "Did something happen?"

"No... Yes... Oh... Forget it." Leopold heard her guest leave the hallway.

"So bad? Tell me about it." Marko was very friendly, but since Leopold had seen him in wolf form, he seemed scary to him. He had been larger than normal wolves and had much sharper teeth in his very large mouth. Leopold would have liked to do without this sight.

"I just saw the princess in her ball gown. She looked beautiful," he finally admitted.

"She's very pretty," Finn agreed quietly. "And very nice."

"And the princess," Marko added. "A bad choice for a servant. Pretty hopeless. But she IS pretty. So our elf likes the princess." Marko grinned. "How cute."

"I'm not cute, Marko." Leopold got up from his bed and put on a jacket. "I go for a walk. I need to clear my head."

But Julia stood in the hallway and smiled at him. She, too, was putting on a jacket. She was wearing a simple, light blue dress now. "You are about to go outside too?" she asked.

"Yes..." Or better not?

"Do you mind if we go together? I could do with some company."

You have friends, ask them... Say no, Leopold.  "Yes. Why not. I would be happy to accompany you."  Idiot! What are you doing?

"I appreciate that."

Together they made their way to the gardens of the Academy.

"Are you looking forward to the ball?" he asked the princess. The air smelled of autumn, but they heard birds singing as if it were spring.

"Not really."

"Why not?"

"My brother is supposed to marry someone he doesn't love. So the engagement ball will not be a particularly enjoyable event. At least not for Peter. And not for me."

"Isn't he allowed to choose himself?"

"No, apparently not. Mom wants to marry him off quickly. Peter is mortal, so she puts him under pressure. His life is shorter than ours. It was the same with my brother Paul. He has left and now lives far away. I haven't seen him for a long time. He's a baker now."

"Do you miss him?"

"Yes." Julia picked an almost faded flower from one of the bushes. "But Paul is fourteen years older than me. We were never particularly close. Just like with Ingried. She is nineteen years older than me. She lives here in the capital. I will visit her soon. I have already written to her. I'm still waiting for an answer."

"Is the Queen also putting you under pressure?" Leopold was fascinated. As a child, he had always thought the royal family had no worries. He had imagined them as terrible tyrants who had everything they wanted and did what they wanted. But what Julia told him sounded much more normal.

"Yes, but different. Mom couldn't wait for my magic to show. She was always convinced that I would be a witch... I never wanted to be one. And I didn't want to come here. But here I am and she expects good grades from me, but so far my grades are rather mediocre. She doesn't know anything about it yet."

Julia tripped over a stone lying on the sidewalk. She had overlooked it. Leopold caught her. The petite girl felt fragile and soft. Forget it, Leopold.

"Thank you very much." She blushed. She looked even prettier with her face all red.

"No problem." He helped her back on her feet. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No, it's all good. Maybe we should go back."

"Yes. Maybe."

 

 

Marko

 

"Do you want to play cards?" he asked Finn, who was now knitting. Apparently, it was supposed to be a sweater. Finn had received the wool from Sophie, who owned a whole wool mountain of it.

"I don't really like playing cards." Finn grimaced. "But I could show you how to knit."

"Me and knitting?" Marko looked at him incredulously. "That doesn't suit me at all."

"Are you sure?" Finn laughed. "If you try, you might be surprised."

"I'm more of a sporty type. Not that we have the opportunity to do so here."

"But you would have the opportunity to learn to knit." Finn stuck his tongue out at him. "A scarf for the winter, perhaps?"

"Somehow I feel like you'd like to teach me how to knit."

"The feeling is right. I would love to teach you how to knit. Unless you're afraid of wool?" Finn threw a bright green ball of wool at him. Laughing, Marko threw it back.

"I have nothing better to do and I'm bored." Marko sat down at Finn's feet. "So, Mr. Teacher? How do you knit?"

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