[ Chapter Nine ]
[ Movie 1 - The Princess Diaries ]
I WAS ON TOP OF THE BLEACHERS, leaning against the railing as I eyed the sullen figure that was my cousin. Out on the courtyard was my father playing basketball by himself, even as he held an umbrella on one hand. I wrapped my coat tighter as the cold air hit my face, and I scoffed to myself for not bringing a coat with a hoodie.
"Will the Feng Shui Club please stop rearranging the tables on the lawn?" A woman over the intercom asked the members after the bell rang
"Hello? Princesses?" I heard the familiar voice of Lilly question making me whip my face to see the girl run carefully over the puddles to reach the bottom of the bleachers
"You're the most popular girl in school. Everybody wants to take your picture. Everybody wants to be your best friend. And, everybody wants to be your cousin." Lilly gossiped as Mia started to make her way over to her
"Hi, Lilly." I greeted the girl calmly, catching her attention and she glanced up at me, giving me a slight smile
"Hi. Ok, so you know what, Mia? I made a list of all the reasons for you not to be a princess, no offense Gwyn. Number one-no privacy. Number two-you always have to look just right." Lilly started to list off as both Mia and her started to pace up and down the bleachers
"Ha ha ha!" Mia exclaimed in laughter with a squeal once she accidentally fell when she spun around to fast
"Mia, are you ok?" I asked her with concern and even my Dad stopped playing, eyeing Mia from the distance
"Ha ha! Number 3. What was number 3?" Mia asked with laughter in her voice as she wobbly stood up
"Ok. Number 3-You can't go nutso. You can't be all like "blahh" during the day." Lilly finished and I carefully gripped the railing to go down the steps
"Lilly, Lilly, um... I really don't want to talk about it this moment. Ok?" Mia made it sound like a question, but both Lilly and I knew it was more like a demand
"Ok. Ok. Well, just one last question. Now that you're "out," would you come on my cable show on Saturday night?" Lilly asked her with a hopeful smile, adjusting her shoulder bag
"Yeah, sure." Mia agreed half-heartedly as I now started to make my towards her, walking carefully in order to not fall
"I love you! Ok, I'm gonna buy you another charm for your charm bracelet. Ok? Ok. Ooh! See you Saturday night! Oh, before I forget, do you want to join us, Gwyn?" Lilly asked, shooting me the same smile she gave Mia earlier
"Um, maybe, give me the details for it and I'll see." I compromised with her and she sighed but nodded her head eagerly before running across the courtyard
"Joe!" Mia called out for my Dad while now taking a hold of my wrist, dragging me back up to the bleachers
"Yes, Miss Mia?" My Dad asked her after he rushed up to her, ditching the basketball in the process
"I don't want to run my own country. I just wanna pass 10th grade. So can't I just tell everyone that I simply quit?" Mia asked quietly but with a hopeful glance at the both of us, and I sighed, leaning against her
"Mia, no one can quit being who they really are, not even a princess. Now, as we discussed earlier, you can refuse the job but you are a princess by birth." I reminded my cousin softly and she took a deep breath
"How can I tell if I can even do the job?" Mia asked us with a scoff, knocking her knuckles against the railing
"By simply, simply trying. Like the fancy dinner coming up. She thinks you're ready." My Dad informed her after he closed his umbrella and tightened it
"Really?" Mia asked us with a slight hopeful tone and I nodded my head in confirmation making her smile
"Shall we practice entering like a princess?" My Dad asked her and Mia considered it for a minute before standing up
"Ok. Entering." Mia announced as she walked up to the top of the bleachers and turned around to face us and the imaginary crowd
"At the grand ball, you enter with the Dowager Princess and me. But at the state dinner, you enter unaccompanied. Shoulders back. Smile. They're all happy to see you." I told her and she nodded her head, doing as she was told
**Genovia's Royalty**
"Ah, there she is." I could hear Baron Siegfried von Troken comment to his wife quietly and I scoffed under my breath, still not believing that they had shown up
"How is she?" Baroness Joy von Troken ask him with her back turned to us and I shook my head at their actions
"You are so much prettier." Baron Siegfried complimented his wife but we could all hear him but we said nothing in response
I cleared my throat, catching their attention before they could say anything else. I lifted the bottom of my dress with one hand, the other hand gripping the railing as I walked down the stairs. My hair was pinned back, though in curls with my newly acquainted bangs covering my forehead.
I wore an off-white dress that had a small turtleneck that was see through until the upper area of my chest. The waist was laced but covered in small jewels in certain areas of it while the skirt had laced floral designs on the bottom. In order to a look slightly professional, Sebastiano had a brown floor length thin coat that contrasted the dress and it didn't have buttons.
I gave the von Troken's a tense smile which they returned back, neither of us speaking a word to one another. I silently made to the other side of my father, and looped my arm around his and Mia did the same on the other arm. I smiled at the small family that he was guiding us toward, recognizing them instantly.
"Well done. The worst is over." My father quietly informed Mia before he cleared his throat, catching the family's attention
"Our diligent Prime Minister, Sebastian Motaz..." My Dad started to introduce Mia to Sebastian who took the offered hand Mia gave him, and planted a neat kiss on it
"Hello." Mia greeted him quietly while I smiled Sheila in amusement of Mia's nervousness and I cleared my throat
"And his lovely wife, Sheila...and their charming daughter, Marissa." I introduced the Mia to the ladies in front of us causing the youngest one to blush
I greeted Sebastian with a smile and he nodded his head, accepting the hand I was offering him. He planted a neat kiss on it before letting go off my hand, going back to stare at his wife. I heard a small rukus behind me causing me to see Lord Fricker hit the wall.
"Oh! Lord Fricker, let me take your brandy glass. You won't need it in there...and easy on the schnapps." I could hear Charlotte say to him before she whispered something to him that made him nod his head in agreement
"I'm not allowed to go to the party." Marissa pointed out causing my attention to focus back on the family in front of me and we couldn't help but chuckle
"Dinner is served." A waiter called out, interrupting our chuckles and we nodded our heads at his words
**Genovia's Royalty**
"Her majesty, Princess Clarisse and Princess Gwyneth." Sebastian introduced us to everyone in the room as Aunt Clarisse and I walked through the doors
"Someday we will own Genovia again and you will be Queen. And your face will be on a postage stamp." Baron von Troken quietly told his wife but we all heard him but said nothing in response
Aunt Clarisse walked all the way to the head of the table, before ushering the rest of the guests to sit down on their seats. Usually I would have sat near her but because of Mia, I sat right across from my cousin to give her help in case she needed it. The waiters behind us all took the small top plate off the pile as I placed a napkin over my dress in case I had an incident.
"How are the children Robby?" Aunt Clarisse asked Robby who was sitting on her left and he immediately stood up from his seat
"Would you like to see them, ma'am?" Robby asked her while opening his bag to take out a couple of photographs
"There's Ryan and there's Bridget." Robby told her as he flipped the photographs once he sat down, showing them to Aunt Clarisse
"Oh, they're beautiful." I heard Aunt Clarisse compliment the scottish man about his two children and he smiled back proudly at her
"Would you like to see?" Aunt Clarisse asked Emperor Sakamoto and he shook his head causing her to frown lightly
"Mr.Prime Minister, how would you say the pear market is doing in Genovia?" Princess Palisades asked Sebastian, now catching my attention and I was curious as well, since I hadn't been home in a while
"The Genovian Pear is blossoming, if you pardon the pun." Sebastian informed her with a chuckle and she laughed in response
"I hear they are serving filet on a bone." I managed to hear Lord Fricker say to Lady Evergreen who was on his right
I leaned against my chair, slightly turning my shoulder so it could face the man (Siegfried von Troken) beside me. My eyes widened at the sight of my cousin, she had held her small name paper card and held it near the candle, allowing it to catch on fire. Her eyes widened before she quickly placed it down, the flames gathering a bit but still remaining small.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Baron von Troken shaking his head at her actions. I started to cough, earning some attention from the people around me. I coughed louder, catching Mia's attention and I took a large gulp of water, hoping she understood the message I was sending her.
Unfortunately my plan was useless because Lord Fricker had noticed the flames on his arm. Mia quickly tucked his arm into the ice bucket, and the flames were extinguished but a small flame still remained so Mia doused his arm in water. A waiter quickly appeared with a yellow towel in their hand, patting Lord Fricker's arm to dry it up.
"And that's their princess, huh." Baron von Troken scoffed and I quickly coughed once more, digging my heel into his shoe making him wince in pain
**Genovia's Royalty**
"Thank you." I thanked the waiter who brought out the desert, the famous Genovian pear ice cream
I leaned on my chair forward, and lifted my dress a bit in order to gain access to gently nudge Mia with my heel. Luckily, she felt it and I could see the confusion in her eyes and I gave her a look. I lifted the spoon and gently gathered a small piece of ice cream on it before savoring the flavor in my mouth.
I watched in disbelief as my cousin did the complete opposite and scooped a large amount of ice cream on her spoon. All I could was watch as she froze, her eyes watering a bit and I could hear the small whimpers escaping through her lips. I hoped that nobody noticed but I guess I was late on my prayer since Sebastian and Sheila had noticed.
"I'm sorry. It's a little cold." Mia informed them with her mouth filled and she covered it with her hand as she spoke
I couldn't hear what the married couple were saying to one another but I did see that they nodded their head together in unison. They quickly dug their spoon into their ice cream, gathering a large amount before shoving it in their mouth. I widened my eyes at their response that they copied Mia so she wouldn't be embarrassed by herself.
"No! No! It's cold!" Mia tried to stop them but she whimpered once more, cutting herself off and doing her best to air dry her lips which Sebastian and Sheila tried to do as well
"They are acting like monkeys." Baron von Troken commented to his wife in disgust and he didn't even bother to hide it
We all stared at the three of them as they gasped, waving their hands in front of their mouth. It wasn't long before Mia slammed her hands on either side of her plate and the married couple did the same, but softer. I blinked repeatedly before I caught the eye of my Aunt Clarisse who had witnessed the whole exchange with everybody else.
"Have you ever experienced that instant headache when you eat too fast?" Aunt Clarisse asked Emperor Sakamoto who shook his head in denial with a firm 'No' escaping his lips
"Wash your hands" Lord Fricker's wife commented as she stared at Mia with disdain and he nodded his head, getting up from his seat
Sebastian stood up and cleared his throat, trying to catch everyone's attention. I straightened up in my seat, and looked forward, waiting for the chatter to die out. I widened my eyes slightly when I saw Mia glance up at the man next to her before she lifted her knife to gently her glass repeatedly, causing it to shatter.
"Excuse me." The waiter behind her whispered, walking forward to take away the pieces of glass from the table before anyone could get injured
"I'm really sorry." Mia apologized quietly to the waiter who was gathering the shattered pieces inside the glass
"Don't worry. It happens all the time." The waiter waved it off, and she nodded her head before lifting her head to give me a sad smile
"I would like to propose a toast to the Baroness and Baron von Troken. May you always be baron." Sebastian said, lifting his glass high and the couple in name, looked at him flatly without an ounce of emotion on their face
**Genovia's Royalty**
"Ahh, the famous Genovian pear and cheese dessert." Robby commented as we all received the new dessert onto our plates
"What else?" I heard Aunt Clarisse rhetorically ask him and I cleared my throat, showing Mia the utensils to eat the dessert with when I spotted her eating it with her hands
"Ooh." I heard Mia say quietly causing me to glance up at her I placed the fork with the grape on the edge inside my mouth
"You are nothing but an overdressed, drunken-" I could hear Lady Evergreen say to Lord Fricker but my attention was on Mia who had ducked down
"I'm outta here!" Lord Fricker exclaimed to her, standing up from his seat and he threw the napkin onto the table
"Oof! Aah!" Lord Fricker shouted as he stumbled when he turned to walk away, nearly falling on a waiter who leaned backwards but accidentally caused Sebastian to hit his face with his dessert
Unfortunately another waiter was near and holding a water jug which spilled over onto the man next to Sheila before he crumbled down onto the floor. Another waiter started to walk forward with plates filled with dessert in his hands but he tripped over the fallen waiter, and the food went flying, hitting some paintings. I glanced at my plate and raised an eyebrow when I noticed that some grapes had managed to land on my plate.
"Was that my fault?" I could hear Mia ask somebody but I couldn't see who because she was still on the floor, and in response, two waiters nodded their head in confirmation
"Ha ha ha ha!" Emperor Sakamoto started to chuckle and I quickly glanced over to see Aunt Clarisse with a hand over her eyes
In response to his laughter, Robby and his wife started to laugh as well causing Aunt Clarisse to glance at them. Aunt Clarisse started to laugh lightly as well, her tense posture slowly relaxing and mostly everyone in the table started to laugh as well. From my spot, I lifted the table cloth and spied Mia looking around her surroundings from where she sat.
"Shall we adjourn to the grand hall for coffee?" Aunt Clarisse asked everyone, interrupting their laughter
Since I was still holding onto the table cloth, I saw Mia crawl underneath the table. I sighed softly, and grabbed a few grapes before lowering myself onto the floor. I smiled at Mia, offering her some grapes which she took sullenly.
[A/N: The dress and hairstyle are on my page. I wasn't able to upload them online here.]