"Hey, Maddie! Madeline! Hey!" Alissa kept shouting, shaking her friend from her slumber. Madeline frowned, mumbling something and turning around. But Alissa continued to shout: "Wake up! It's your first day working at the castle! You have to get ready!"
Hearing these accented words, Madeline sat up in her bed as if someone poured a bucket of ice-cold water on her. Her eyes were wide, her hair messy, and her breathing rigid.
"What is the time?" Madeline asked and Alissa raised an alarm clock at her.
"It's 7:05. You have to be at the castle in less than 30 minutes!" Alissa said and from there on out, chaos broke down in Madeline's room.
Both girls were running around. Madeline washed her face and brushed her teeth fast, putting on her clothes next. Alissa helped her tighten the bun and make sure that Madeline had everything needed before she left the house. Their chaos was interrupted by knocking on the front door. Alissa went to open it and saw an older man, dressed in an elegant uniform.
"Good morning, miss, I'm Stephan, the royal coachman. Is Miss Madeline Simmons ready?" the man asked and Alissa glanced over his shoulder. Seeing the elegant black carriage, she smiled back at the man, excusing herself.
The blonde woman ran back to Madeline's room, "The royal carriage is here!" Alissa shouted, startling her friend who just finished packing her bag, "They sent a coachman to get you."
Madeline could breathe easily again. She was scared that she'd have to run to the castle and, given the distance, she'd need more than 30 minutes to get there. Luckily, the carriage will get her to the castle in less than 10.
Alissa smiled and came into the room, hugging her friend tightly and wishing her good luck on her first day at the new job of being a royal tutor.
It was September 1st and Madeline never felt more ready than now.
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Madeline's breath was taken away yet again as the carriage entered the castle's premises, passing by the precisely managed gardens, with flowerbeds still in bloom. The greenery surrounding the castle, as well as the blue sky in the back, made the white castle stand out and capture the eye of the viewer. She admired the scenery in the same awe as on the day she arrived for the interview.
The carriage stopped in front of the castle's large entrance stairway and, to Madeline's surprise, royal advisor William Adler opened the carriage door, offering his gloved hand out to her.
"Good morning, Miss Simmons," the old man said, his raspy voice tickling her ears as he guided her out of the carriage.
"Good morning, Sir Adler," Madeline replied, slightly bowing and raising her skirt to the older man.
The old advisor instructed her to follow him inside as the young male servant helped to carry Madeline's books, walking behind the two. Madeline pushed the glasses up her nose, looking around as they walked down the long hallway.
Paintings of the royal family members, past and present, were hung on the burgundy walls, the golden frame accenting each painting. She kept her gaze for a second longer on the painting of a young prince, his fluffy and luscious blond hair matching the color of the dog's fur he posed beside. The cuteness of the painting brought a smile to Madeline's face but she pulled her gaze to look forward again, walking behind the advisor until he stopped at the furthest door at the end of the hallway.
"This is the prince and princess's study room, much smaller than the one you were interviewed in," Advisor Adler commented, grabbing the doorknob. Madeline nodded and he opened the door, revealing to her a well-lit room.
Natural sunlight came perfectly from the tall windows, shining on two polished desks and walls covered with tall bookshelves. In front of the desks was a smaller pedestal where a rectangular blackboard and a smaller desk were. Stepping inside the room, a rich smell of books hit Madeline's nose and she felt some energy and pride filling her chest.
"This is your new workplace," the old advisor said, gesturing toward the desk and tall blackboard. "As you know, the class begins at 8 o'clock, and the royal twins will arrive here after their breakfast. In the meantime, you are free to sit and go over today's lectures. A box of chalk and a sponge are in the drawer of your desk."
"Thank you, Sir Adler," Madeline bowed to him again, lifting her skirt.
The advisor nodded and exited the room with the servant who just placed the books on Madeline's new desk.
She was left alone, taking another deep breath to immerse herself in the feeling - she had finally become an official teacher, something she had always dreamed of. Madeline smiled to herself and stepped on the pedestal, going to the board as her heels clicked behind her against the wood. She trailed her fingers across the blackboard, smiling at the traces of chalk on it. Then she approached the desk and caressed the polished oak. Pulling the small chair tucked into the desk, Madeline sat and looked at the two desks in front of her. Her class was small but she still felt contentment by being in this position.
Taking advisor Adler's advice, Madeline opened a mathematics book, going over the material she'd need to explain to two 10-year-olds who would arrive at the study in less than twenty minutes.
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The door of the smaller study room opened and Madeline abruptly stood up from her chair, bowing at the four royal family members.
"Good morning, Your Majesties. Good morning, Your Highnesses," she greeted them, straightening when the footsteps silenced.
Her heart started thumping nervously upon seeing the family, her small smile matching the one that the blonde queen carried.
"Good morning, Miss Simmons," the king greeted her and Madeline bowed slightly again.
"Maddie!!" two children shouted, running up to her and hugging her around the waist. They were much shorter than what she'd imagined, their heads reaching her stomach.
Madeline was taken aback by their greeting, looking up at the parents who only chuckled at their children's easygoing behavior.
"Did you bring us the legends book?" Princess Hannah looked up at Madeline first, her brother following.
"Umm..." Madeline started, looking up at the parents again. But everyone awaited her answer so she looked down at the princess again, "Uh, I'm sorry, Your Highness but... A friend who has the book is currently ill so I couldn't attain it on time for today. I am very sorry..."
Hannah's smile instantly dropped and she let go of Madeline, stepping away from her next. Without another word, the young twins sat at their desks, and the whole atmosphere in the room turned tense and cold. The big clock in the foyer echoed, the bell ringing eight times, signaling to everyone that it was 8 o'clock in the morning.
"Well, then..." the king cleared his throat and Madeline looked back at him, seemingly pushing her shoulders further back, "It is 8 o'clock, meaning that it is time for the class to begin," he glanced at his children but then back at Madeline, "Miss Simons, I am expecting a report after your classes."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Madeline bowed, lifting her skirt a bit.
The king nodded and looked back at the twins, "You children, behave. I don't want another teacher complaining about you."
"Yes, father!" the twins chimed at the same time, big smiles on their faces.
The royal parents nodded once again and exited the room and, as soon as the door closed and a few moments passed, the children returned to glare at Madeline. The young woman gulped, clutching her hands together.
"Well..." she began but Hannah scoffed, leaning her elbow on the desk.
"You know... we actually don't need you," Prince Lucas said, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.
"Yeah, we went through this material during the weekend so..." Princess Hannah rolled her eyes but then scoffed again and looked at her brother, "How long do you think this one will last?"
Prince Lucas paused, giving the question some thought but then laughed, "She's younger than that old hag meaning she won't end up in a hospital so..." he paused again, shrugging.
The twins broke down into laughter.
"What...?" Madeline mumbled, her brows furrowing.
"Oh, do you wanna hear the story!?" Hannah raised her voice, laughing still. "The previous teacher was so stressed out that she had a heart attack. Poor thing couldn't handle a joke."
They laughed more and Madeline tensed - these children were more viscous than what Alissa described them as.
"So, if we try a bit harder this time, she will be out of here in two weeks," Lucas talked to his sister and they laughed again.
"Hahaha, you're too generous," Hannah shook her head, "I give her a week!"
They laughed more and Madeline couldn't compose herself to start the lecture.
"Umm... we should start..." she tried speaking but the childrens' laugh was louder than her voice.
"Hey, Maddie!" Hannah spoke up first, wiping the laughing tears from her eyes, "Dance for us!"
"Yeah, barefoot!" Lucas joined in.
"But, I don't think... We should start with--"
"Come on!" Hannah slammed her palm on the desk, cutting Madeline's words, "You should get your blood streaming through your body. Now, dance!"
The children laughed and clapped, already amused at the way they teased the young teacher. Madeline took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment to calm her nervousness and rushing thoughts. And she concluded - if they see that she's frightened, that will amuse them more and they'll tease her more. So she had to do the opposite - stand strong and proud and not let their teasing affect her.
Madeline opened her eyes and pushed a small smile. She came to the capital to do what she studied for - to teach young children - and it just so happened that the ones she would tutor were the royal siblings. And she will definitely teach them a lesson.
"Alright," Madeline spoke, tilting her chin up a bit.
The children stopped laughing, their eyes focused on the woman in front of them who was taking off her shiny new shoes. She put them by her desk and stood in front of the twins barefoot, her feet starting to get cold against the wooden podium.
"Do you have any music that I should dance to?" Madeline's smile stilled.
The siblings scoffed, sharing a look.
"Nope. But you can sing something," Lucas shrugged.
"I do have to apologize, Your Highness, as I don't have a melodic singing voice," Madeline bowed a bit, "Instead, I'll hum one of my favorite hometown songs."
Madeline stepped to the center of the wooden podium and spread her arms slightly, getting her feet in position. She let out another short sigh and started humming one of Brethorn Lake's most famous songs. She twirled around, dancing to the waltz and getting lost in the song. Some childhood memories came to her mind and she smiled, keeping her eyes closed while dancing to the melody. But her imagination was cut short due to loud children laughing noise, followed by hand clapping. Madeline stopped and looked at the twins laughing.
"She actually did it!" Princess Hannah laughed.
"Yeah!" the prince agreed, "Though, I must admit that her dance was impressive."
"Hah, it was lame," the princess retorted and looked back at Madeline, "Now, you'll stay barefoot like that," she wickedly smiled, "When mom and dad see you not wearing your shoes, they'll kick you out of here immediately!"
The children laughed some more, loving the cruel idea.
Madeline had to stay composed. She has dealt with mischievous children before and these twins were no different. The only difference was that they were of royal blood and had their titles. But they were still children.
The tutor smiled and pushed her shoulders back, correcting her posture, "Would you really like that to happen, Your Highness?" she asked when the laughter subsided.
The royal twins looked at her, stopping their laughter completely. Their confused gazes made Madeline know that she was on the right track.
"You see..." Madeline began, walking back to the teacher's desk.
She swiped her pointer finger across it and then looked at it as if she was inspecting to see if there was any dust on it. She intentionally paused, to make the situation more suspenseful. Madeline looked back at the children, amused at their pale faces.
"If I get 'kicked out' of here," she finger-quoted the words, "Your Highnesses will never get a chance of hearing any original story from 'The Legends of Brethron Lake' book," she paused again, seeing how their eyes slowly grew wide, "Since it is banned and my friend possesses a copy, I am your only chance in attaining it."
Madeline finished, slightly tilting her chin up to watch their small faces getting paler. But, after a moment, Princess Hannah scoffed, crossing her arms.
"I don't care. Daddy will get it for us! We don't need you!" she huffed, puffing her cheeks like a toddler.
Madeline let out a quiet chuckle, "That is one of the solutions, yes," she nodded and the princess looked back at the teacher, "That is if you want to cause an uproar of gossip and rumors about the royal family getting their hands on something illegal," Madeline knowingly twisted her lips and shrugged her shoulders, "Who knows what will the people say...?"
"It's a freaking book!" Princess Hannah slammed her hands on her desk, abruptly standing up from her chair.
Her brother flinched on her outburst but Madeline wasn't phased in the slightest. Her cold-blooded demeanor was working.
"Yes, but the fact that it's illegal to possess it stays," Madeline replied.
"Then how does your friend have it?" the princess asked, crossing her arms again.
"She does have it, but she doesn't use it," Madeline replied but then paused before continuing, "Or she's using it secretly. No one in Brethorn Lake mentioned the book in years."
"Then I will have her arrested for keeping an illegal item," the princess shot back, tilting her chin up proudly while still wearing a frown on her face.
"Then the book will get confiscated, possibly burnt, and you still won't be able to attain it," Madeline held her posture, her voice even despite the smile on her face, "You will never see it."
The tutor held herself proud, waiting for a reply from the princess but when nothing came, she smiled and stepped closer to her shoes waiting by the desk, "Can I put my shoes back on, Your Highness?"
Hannah still pouted, angrily glaring at the tutor but her brother spoke instead, "Come on, Hannah, I really want that book."
"Fine," Hannah rolled her eyes, "Put the shoes back on."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Madeline bowed and slipped the leather shoes back on her feet. "Now, let's begin with our first lesson of the day," she added, coming closer to the blackboard and picking up a piece of chalk.
The twins opened their notebooks and Madeline smiled. She nodded as they held their pencils ready, proud of her little victory.
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Madeline just finished writing down the final result, solving the mathematic equation. She talked through the process yet was still stunned that the program she was teaching was at a higher level, yet it was what the royal twins had to learn... and they were just 10 years old.
"And that concludes this problem," Madeline smiled, turning to her pupils, "Do you have any questions?"
She paused yet none of the two asked a thing. Prince Lucas shook his head, smiling brightly. On the contrary, Princess Hannah still sulked, scribbling in her notebook and twisting her lips.
"My princess," Madeline spoke up and Hannah reluctantly raised her head, "Are you alright? Do you want me to--"
"I'm fine," she answered, interrupting Madeline's question.
Madeline nodded, still feeling the ill and uncomfortable tension radiating from the princess. The teacher stepped to her desk, picked up the book, and got ready to give the siblings a math problem to do on their own but, just as she opened her mouth, a knock on the door was heard and in the next moment, a butler, followed by the king, entered the room.
"It is time for your snack, Your Highnesses," the butler announced, placing small plates on each of the sibling's desks and the maid came in, carrying ceramic cups and a pot. The calming fragrance of lavender spread through the room.
"For you, Miss Simmons," the butler served her a small plate with cookies and the maid brought her a cup of tea as well.
"Thank you," Madeline smiled at the servants and they soon exited the room.
Then the king stepped forward and Madeline nodded with a light bow.
"How are things going on your first day, Miss Simmons?" he asked, wearing a proud smile that matched his medal-covered chest.
Madeline bowed deeper this time, "Everything is going well, Your Majesty," then she looked at the children, noticing how Lucas enjoyed his snack while Hannah didn't even touch the cookies or tea, "The prince and the princess are very diligent students. They are solving the math problems that normally 15-year-olds study with such ease, it's incredible," she praised them and noticed that Lucas's smile grew, his cheeks filled with cookies rising.
"Father, you hired the best teacher in the world!" Lucas spoke up after swallowing his bite, "Maddie is amazing!" he giggled and Madeline bowed in gratitude.
"That is good to hear," the king smiled but then looked at Hannah, "Although, the look on your sister's face begs to differ," he paused, stepping to Hannah's desk, "Are you alright, honey?" he asked so sweetly yet the princess didn't even spare her father a glance.
"Yeah, I'm fine..." she mumbled.
"Uh, if I may," Madeline interrupted and the king turned to her, "Princess Hannah is still sad that I didn't bring the book I promised but..." she paused when Hannah's frowning face met her smiling one, "I promise I'll get it as soon as my friend gets well."
On that the princess just rolled her eyes and put the small cookie in her mouth, looking anywhere else but at Madeline.
"Alright then, I'll leave you to your snack," the king spoke but looked at Madeline again, "Miss Simmons, when you're done with today's lecture, please come by my office to report," he reminded her.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Madeline answered and bowed deeply, keeping her stance until the king exited the room.
Madeline then turned and sat at her desk, pulling the cup and a small plate closer to her. She took a first sip of the tea, enjoying the calmness it gave her.
"Bet you don't want to get the book on purpose," Hannah spoke up suddenly. She mumbled her sentence but the quietness of the room let Madeline hear it very clearly.
"That was never my intention, Your Highness," Madeline spoke, lowering the cup back onto its tiny plate, "My friend is sick with the flu and I just couldn't trouble her to send me the book when she's bedridden."
"Whatever," Hannah rolled her eyes again and ate another cookie. She looked up at Madeline and snorted, "You didn't wear that green sweater I liked," she smirked and Madeline looked at her again, "You look ugly in these colors."
Hannah let out a short evil chuckle and Madeline looked down at her clothes, very much enjoying the neutral colors she picked for today's class. She looked back at the young princess who now happily ate the cookies. Her mood changed now that she threw another insult at the teacher.
But Madeline already got the gist of the princess's behavior and kept her smile steady. She let out a small chuckle and sipped on her tea before speaking.
"Excuse me, Your Highness, but I thought it would be rude to appear in front of you wearing the clothes you previously saw me in," Madeline said and Hannah stopped laughing, her frown appearing on her face again, "And when matching colors, one must follow the rule to combine maximum three colors so my brown skirt goes well with my beige sweater and natural white blouse," she continued, "And while you say that I look ugly, I think that I am dressed appropriately for this occasion. Also, I think that what matters the most is how comfortable the person feels in their clothes and I feel great, which brings me to my next opinion that if the person feels comfortable in what they're wearing, other people's opinion on their clothes should affect them."
Hannah frowned bigger, "Are you insulting me?"
"Well, you did it first," Lucas joined in, shrugging his shoulder while munching on the cupcake.
"Shut up, Lucas!" Hannah raged at her brother but then glared back at Madeline, "You look like an old lady in those clothes!"
Madeline continued smiling, knowing that her calm nature annoyed the princess, "I am only 22 and that is pretty young. How I appear to others is, again, not of my concern."
By now, Hannah was fuming. But she took a moment and calmed herself, her mischievous smirk returning.
"Hah, I bet you wanted this job so that you can come here and seduce Chris," Hannah scoffed once more, changing the topic and taking the last cookie from her plate and eating it, "Or at least try to," she laughed, "But you'll fail, just like any boring-looking woman that throws herself at him."
Madeline let the girl laugh, drinking her tea and watching the princess enjoy her teasing. The teacher thought about it and sighed.
"Let me remind you, Your Highness, that the capital isn't my birthplace," Madeline started and Hannah calmed down to frown at the young woman again, "I heard about the castle looking for a new tutor as the news spread throughout the kingdom yet a friend was the one who persuaded me to come to the capital and apply for the job," she paused to breathe, "At the time, I didn't know who I'll tutor as I never once saw the royal family, living in the small town my whole life. I only saw you for the first time once you entered the study where the interview was being held."
Hannah shrugged, "Well, now that you saw him, I bet that you fell for Chris," she scoffed, "just like any other girl who gets her eyes on him..." the princess finished, rolling her eyes again.
Yet Madeline didn't want to let the princess speak of her like that, "While I acknowledge that Prince Christopher is handsome, I came to the capital for one purpose only... and that is to become a tutor, something I always wanted to do. Not to mention that it would be highly rude, disrespectful, and unprofessional on my side to spend my time ogling at the prince when I should use that time to work as, like I said, teaching is the job I always wanted to do."
Dead silence arose. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife.
Prince Lucas stopped chewing on the chocolate cupcake to follow the "show", Princess Hannah glared, and Madeline just smiled, sipping her tea. When her empty ceramic cup met the tiny plate, Lucas burst into a fit of laughter.
"That was awesome!" he shouted and Madeline looked at him stunned, surprised by the sudden shout. The prince stepped out of his desk, took the second treat, and walked up to Madeline, "I like you, have a cupcake," he said, placing the small pastry on Madeline's desk.
"Ah, thank you very much, Your Highness, but the cookies were sufficient enough," she tried but Lucas didn't let her refuse his offering.
"No no, please eat it," he pushed the cupcake on the plate persistently, "No one has ever had guts to stand up against Hannah. They would always run away crying, too hurt from our teasing but you, Maddie, you're a strong one," he winked and Madeline chuckled.
"Thank you, Your Highness," she took the offered cupcake and placed it on the empty plate where the cookies she ate once were.
"Please call me Lucas. We're friends now," he proudly nodded but Madeline shook her head lightly.
"With all due respect, I am here as your tutor and you are of royal status. It would be rude--"
"Fine," Lucas shrugged and returned to his seat, "But we'll be friends over time, I know it. Hannah too."
"No way in hell!" the princess shouted, pulling up her books, "What's the next subject? Hurry up and teach! I don't have a whole day!"
Madeline smiled and nodded, standing up from her chair and erasing the writings on the blackboard.
"If you are ready, we will begin our biology class and the theme of today's class is - amphibians."
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Madeline closed the door after her as she just finished reporting to the king about what she thought to the children, and how her first day with them went. She, of course, didn't mention the bickering and teasing she received from the princess, wanting nothing more than to keep the image of them, but mainly about herself, clean.
The young teacher kept her smile steady as she walked down the hallway but just as she figured that she was on the safe distance away from the king's office, her smile dropped and she let out a heavy sigh. She closed her eyes to breathe as she walked down the empty hallway, gripping the strap of her leather bag. She sighed yet again and opened her eyes, only for her face to come clashing straight into someone's chest.
"Ah, I am so sorry," Madeline stepped back, covering her painful nose and bowing deeply.
"You really should watch where you're going, Miss Tutor."
The male voice was husky and deep, recognizable. Madeline slowly straightened up, lowering her hand away from her face. Looking up from the black leather boots in which the gray trousers were tucked, her eyes traveled up across his chest where the shiny medals hung, glistering in the weak candlelight. Straightening up completely, Madeline's hazel eyes stopped on his serious face, his brows slightly furrowing under his blond fringe.
"I am, again, very sorry about that, Your Highness," she bowed again.
He scoffed and she looked back into his piercing sharp eyes, "How did the first day go? Did those rascals give you a hard time?"
Madeline smiled, relaxing her shoulders just a bit after hearing his voice now having a warmer tone.
"No, they were good. Both the young prince and the princess are very intelligent individuals, solving problems and learning with ease. It makes my job easy and enjoyable too," she repeated the words she previously told the king, keeping her gaze and smile steady.
But Prince Christopher scoffed, not believing her one bit, "You're a strong one, I see..." he repeated the words of his younger brother, "Or you're just a masochist who wants to torture herself by getting teased every day. Which one is it?"
He laughed and it was the first time Madeline had heard Prince Christopher laugh. At the masquerade, he smiled at her sweetly but this laugh had some evil tone in it.
"I beg your pardon," Madeline stepped back, no longer smiling but frowning at the eldest prince. He stopped laughing too, waiting for her reply with a cheeky smirk on his face, "I am no masochist nor am I that strong - I am a mere human. However," she paused and stepped closer to him again, tilting her chin up and gazing right into his eyes, "I have learned to withstand any and all provocation, be it from children or adults. All my life I have been looked down upon because I had no parents but I have grown out of it. I am proud of who I've become," the adrenaline coursed through her veins and she wasn't backing down from this, "I said I wasn't strong, I might break, but I'll do it privately so that no one can see it - that's how it has always been."
The prince's eyes darkened, the spark from the candlelight making his gaze dangerous, "So, you're wearing a mask, not showing your real self?"
"Not entirely, Your Highness," Madeline replied, tilting her head slightly to the side, "I might have my downs but I will always pick myself up after my breakdown and present the world with the best version of me. That is gaining strength back. But we all hide our flaws, right? Me. You. Everyone has a dark side they don't want to show the world... a mask if you will."
And the silence arose for the first time between them. Madeline didn't let her gaze waver. She held herself proud and strong in front of the eldest prince. Their eye contact was solid. The prince didn't expect a woman like Madeline, a tutor of his siblings who just got a job and was raised in an orphanage, to speak up to him. That's why his eyes narrowed at her - he admired her strength... he was amused by her.
"Very true, Miss Simmons," Christopher spoke up again, stepping back first but keeping his smirk on, "Now I agree with my father that you are the perfect person for this job. And I wish you good luck..." he paused, placing a hand over his chest and bowing his head slightly, "... and good night," he added, his voice going an octave lower.
Madeline gulped, feeling the adrenaline rush slowly calming down, feeling her hands and legs starting to tremble. She bowed deeper to the prince.
"Good night, Your Highness," she said and Christopher stepped to the side, allowing Madeline to walk past him and toward the exit of the castle.
He watched after her, his smirk getting wider. Christopher pulled himself out of his thoughts and continued to his father's office, ready to report on his duty but also hear a bit more about the new tutor. He suddenly looked forward to seeing her again tomorrow.
Madeline piqued his interest and Christopher wondered what her "dark side" looked like.
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Madeline stormed inside the house, slamming the entrance door with her back. She panted heavily as if she was running. But her heavy breath was all the result of the washed-away adrenaline and her thoughts swarming around her mind. She reviewed everything that happened that day and now regretted acting all high and mighty in front of the eldest prince.
Blonde Alissa came running out of the kitchen, "What? Maddie!? What happened?! Are you okay? Did you get chased by dogs?!" she stepped to her friend, visibly worried.
Madeline shook her head, "No... I..."
"Come on inside," Alissa grabbed Madeline by the shoulders, walking the girl to the kitchen, "Good gracious, you're shaking... What happened?!"
It took Madeline time to calm down and tell her best friend what a turbulent day she had, mostly focusing her story on her clash with Prince Christopher whom she didn't know found her boldness impressive. To Madeline, what she did was disrespectful and she was afraid that she would lose a job she so much wanted, after only one day spent at the castle.
She didn't even get the chance to read the lake's stories to the twins, the stories she spent most of the last night working on, writing down everything she could remember from her childhood. And she thought she would never get a chance to read the book to them...
Miss Madeline Simmons thought wrong on this matter...
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To be continued...
A/N: Aaahhhh a long chapter! I know! I'm sorry!!
But... ugh! Your Highness...
P.S. For legal purposes, don't take Hannah and Lucas's behavior seriously - I am not implying that they act this way irl, they are merely the characters of this story, k?
The castle's inspiration:
Hluboká Castle, Czech Republic
(Not implying that the story is set in Czech Republic, the kingdom is made up)