A/N: Outfit is in the external link!
"What's this?" I eyed the object Giles had handed me upon opening my door.
"A fan, obviously. I recommend you use it during the salon today, seeing as it is a testimony to your status." He stood by as I examined it. It was a delicate looking thing, topped with white lace, and beautiful flower designs set against the light pink silk. At the bottom hung a tassel of fine string, the magenta color following the pink scheme.
"I trust you remember the instruction over this?" I nodded, closing it and setting it on my desk.
After breakfast, the maids had whisked me upstairs and had immediately begun helping me into my dress. It wasn't overly complicated, but I was glad to have them tie the sash for me. The silver flats were definitely a better shoe decision, and the rose earrings from Alyn were deemed acceptable by them, unlike my locket. When I'd held it up, asking if they thought it would be all right to wear it, they'd pursed their lips and shaken their heads. Apparently, it was too crude looking and would not compliment the teal dress, something that the silver flower necklace they'd pointed at, did. Oh well, the salon ladies probably wouldn't understand my locket either.
"Very well. You are expected in the salon in a few minutes," he said, glancing at his pocket watch. He left, leaving me to examine my reflection once more. I'd been getting more sleep, having finished the cramming portion of my studies, so I didn't look as worn down. That day off had really helped too. I actually looked alive for once.
Seconds after I entered the salon, the main doors opened and a line of women and silk rustled in. I could feel their appraising eyes taking in my demure posture as I stood at the front of the room, my head high. Calmly greeting them, I braced myself for the next two hours and smiled at them.
I was thankful the table of pastries distracted even the most aristocratic of women. While they delicately stuffed their pale faces, I was sipping away at my tea, perched on my chair with my legs crossed. Between the greetings and the direction to "help themselves", there had been no challenges to my lessons, but the day was young. The princess of Lindera, who had apparently made the lengthy trip specially to meet me, had been glancing over at me with a strange look, so that wasn't too promising. Something about her gave off a cold feeling, as if she was only here to observe me and wasn't really looking to forge relations. Maybe it was her sharp nose, or the way her appearance was so carefully crafted to produce an image of refinement even though she was clearly half the age of most of the room. But I definitely beat her for the title of Youngest Present.
After allowing enough time for everyone to drink and eat, I casually suggested we tour the gardens and get a breath of air. They politely agreed, their parasols clasped in their gloved hands, and I led the way to the courtyard. Feeling the scattered sunshine after spending the morning inside, along with the satisfaction that I didn't have to wear heels, brought a smile to my face. Though I technically was now responsible for initiating inclusive conversation, I knew literary salons were generally a bit lax in the rules and more of a "go with the flow" thing. So I didn't mind when they found companions to talk to and grouped off, since that left me with less opportunities to publicly embarrass myself.
"The roses are quite lovely," said a nearby voice, and I turned to it. The Duchess of Dianthus's warm smile radiated enough amity that I immediately returned it
"Yes, they're so beautiful," I agreed. "I can't wait to see it in the spring when everything is in bloom." She stepped over to my side and studied the arbor with focused blue eyes. She was a slender, pretty thing, standing about my height with black hair as shiny as a raven's wing. I could see a small trail of freckles stretching across her cheeks and her nose, and maybe it was her obvious youth, but there was a feeling that she was more of a free personality than the women in attendance. At the very least, I knew if anything resembling an honest opinion was said, it was most likely to have come from her.
"You're lucky you get to see this every day," she said, straightening and looking at me. Her hair fell a little past her shoulders, and she swiped it up in one hand, fanning herself.
"When I can get away long enough, I am." Our laughter attracted the attention of another woman who looked slightly older than us, and once she walked over, I saw she was twice as professional. Her gloves were still white after the tea and biscuits, and she gave no impression that she was withering in her ankle-length dress and wide-brimmed hat under the summer heat.
"Good morning Your Highness, Duchess Lizette." She nodded at each of us and we bobbed back a small curtsy and greeting. I could vaguely recall Giles' list of guests, but I was positive that she was Madame Latoure, known for her manners and love of social gatherings.
"Pardon the intrusion, but were you talking about the flowers? Or is it a secret?" I chuckled, but I didn't understand her conspiratorial smile. Lizette must have been as puzzled as me because the woman paused, realizing this. "You are under the roses, literally," she said, glancing up at the arbor. "Taken figuratively, it says that the conversations are to be held secret by all involved. It's an old saying, of course, but a tradition I've loved."
"Well, we were just admiring the roses, nothing secret," I said. She nodded, her eyes twinkling.
"Are you two ladies enjoying the salon?" Out of instinct I paused before I answered—Louis had warned me of questions that seemed innocuous enough but were crafted as a landmine, an opportunity for me to fall into a trap. And I was smart enough to realize how many people desperately wanted to see me fall.
"Quite, and you?"
"Very. I love meeting up with everyone. Of course, some are too busy with their families now to spend a day out with us." She stopped as if remembering that we were younger and therefore couldn't relate, and she gave another broad but polite smile.
"Speaking of, you two ladies aren't currently courting any of the fine gentlemen here, are you?" I felt myself relaxing a bit with her easy banter. Lizette was already shaking her head before she'd finished the question.
"No, I'm been very busy traveling." Madame Latoure raised her eyebrows at that, as if surprised that a duchess actually left her estate. "Various charity work, surveying institutions, that sort. Of course it's delightful to see the different locations in the kingdom, as well as the occasional trip out of the country, but it's nice to be back here, especially in time for the salon."
It was subtle, but she had evaded any mention of romance and steered the conversation back to the salon. And now Madame was focused on me, just great. "That sounds wonderful, Your Grace. I hadn't seen you in many gatherings lately." She turned to me. "If I may ask, Your Highness, what about you?"
How could I even answer that? Why did it seem as if everyone in the whole country was obsessed with my love life? First Giles, then the bureaucrats, and now other women. It was starting to get ridiculous.
"No, not yet, at least." I tried to laugh lightly. "Things are still settling down so I haven't really been able to focus much on something like that. I've been working on official business."
"Ah." She looked almost disappointed, as if in the three or more weeks I'd been in the palace, an entire drama had been unfolding. After chatting a while with us, she eventually floated away to tend to her other social duties. Lizette, however, stayed.
"What do you think of what she said earlier? About the roses?" She asked, her blue eyes flitting back up to the arbor. I shrugged, sliding my hair off my shoulders.
"I think it was interesting. It sounds like a code name." She nodded, looking a bit distracted, or perhaps tired. I was feeling drained myself, after being outside under the sun for so long.
The salon ended about an hour later, and it definitely delivered on its unspoken promise of a catch-up on gossip and the latest fashions. The guests were pleased as they left, one by one, in a stream of gilded carriages, and I knew there would be no angry reports to the dukes and barons of Wysteria. As soon as the grand entrance doors closed, I was fully prepared to sleep until dinner, but then Giles appeared out of basically nowhere. A teasing grin on his features, he asked if I was ready for the rest of my schedule.
"What?" He didn't seem to care that I'd just spent my morning and afternoon entertaining half the nobility of the country, not to mention the Princess of Lindera, and I hadn't even gotten to taste all of the pastries.
"Sir Alyn has said that you are not to deviate from your equestrian schedule. You are due for another lesson in a few minutes." Giles was smart enough to leave right after reporting that news; otherwise, I would have spouted some words at him that most definitely were not appropriate for a princess.
I stormed into the stables, changed out of the nice clothes and into an irritable attitude. He was already there, grooming Cavalier.
"I don't know why you insist on doing this to me," I said. He calmly turned around with a no-nonsense look, putting down the brush.
"You still need to learn other skills, even though you had other commitments earlier today." He said flatly gathering the harness in his hands. "You're going to have to learn how to do things when you don't have the energy for them. A princess will have a hectic schedule nearly every day, and you're going to have to learn how to manage it."
"Fine." I walked over to the mare I'd been riding, her gear already on, and unhooked the stall door. "I'll show you I can do it, just you watch."
To my surprise, he gave a hint of a playful grin. "Bring it on, Addie." Then he was already walking away, leading his stallion, leaving me to follow and unable to keep up my anger.
A/N: Yikes guys I'm really sorry I haven't been on here in a while, but my laptop had a ton of issues that basically left me laptop-less for five months, so I couldn't access my document for the story, even though I'd had the majority of this chapter written before then. I apologize for the huge break :(