My Light in the Night

Chapter 2

I stepped into the ballroom unannounced so I could get a feel for the suitors without all the formalities and fake niceties. Many of the girls wore tiaras or sashes and dresses bejeweled with emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. My dress matched my tiara well, as did most others, and shined brightly. I walked around to the back of the room and took a champagne glass of bubbly water. I could only tell it was my water and not white wine by the lighter color.

"Princess." A young man bowed before me. When he straightened up I recognized him. I’d met him in the past and his golden eyes were hard to forget.

"Prince Adam." I bowed to him. Should have been a curtsy! "It’s lovely to see you again."

"A pleasure to see you as well." He smiled brightly. "Given that you were unannounced I believe I am correct in assuming you are Princess Jerica. I must apologize my lady. I do believe my name was given to you in error."

"I'm afraid the only bit I've had in this entire ordeal is what you see before you. I was given names and faces today and that is all of it. I am sorry if there was a mistake."

"It’s nothing big really. I'm not one of your suitors though." He smiled still.

"Thank you for telling me." I took a sip of my water.

"Aren't you too young to drink, Princess?" a playful voice floated from behind me.

I turned to see a red head with a crown and headphones. He was one of the suitors I actually liked. "Prince Valor. Welcome." I bowed.

"I thought princesses curtsied." He smiled.

"Normally they do but that is so much work. Bowing is so much more fun." I smiled.

Valor laughed. "I have never met such a quick witted princess. I like it. I hope Princess Jerica is like you, miss... Sorry. I didn't get your name."

"Princess." At that moment Sebastian McLean, my personal butler, appeared at my side.

I turned to him, now used to the dark, slightly-scary, silent-moving man, with a smile. "What is it Sebastian?"

"I know you haven't had enough time to speak with everyone but there is a woman in the thrown room with a camera." He offered me his white gloved hand. "Shall we be off?"

"I will see you again soon." I set my hand on his and allowed him to escort me to the thrown room.

He escorted me to my thrown. Before he stepped to stand behind me he tucked a bit of my hair behind my ear and straightened my tiara. "Here we go." He stood slightly behind me with his hands behind his back.

A man behind a camera gave a countdown and a woman began speaking. "Hello Eshistan! I'm Jenica Jones coming to you live from the royal thrown room with questions for the princess, who has just arrived. Princess this is your first time on live TV since your 10th birthday. What has kept you away?"

"First off, I would like to thank you for coming to me rather than the rumors I've heard about me. Now your question. I have stayed away from TV since my mother died because of the school I chose to go attend. Had everyone known I was there I am sure that it would have put my classmates, and by extension my younger citizens, in harms way."

"I have some questions from our viewers." The reporter scrolled on her phone. "This is a question from Amy17. Amy asks 'What is it like to be a real princess?'"

"Well it is quite a bit harder than the movies make it look. There often isn't a charming knight on a white stead or animals to help you with your work. Being a princess is like being a working class citizen only in a dress and tiara. I start off my day by having my clothes chosen for me like a school uniform, I never get to choose my own clothes. Then its off to lessons. Etiquette, costume change, my schooling which is public, costume change, any meetings or free time, then I work with a special tutor on memorizing my family tree and those of other families. Of course I eat in between and sleep afterwards. Its a lot of following protocol and rigid scheduling."

"There you go Amy27. Our next question is from AllStarFootball34. They say, 'To the butler, what is it like to work for the princess?'"

"For me?" Sebastian looked slightly surprised.

"Apparently. Don't avoid the question." I smiled sweetly at him. "I would like to hear a review of me as well. I can't adjust anything if you don't say anything."

"Then I shall speak freely." Sebastian smiled. "I find Lady Jerica to be a wonderful boss. She's very kind and honest and she listens quite wonderfully. She can be a challenge to wake in the morning as all teenagers are. She can be a bit unruly if she wishes. She very much enjoys playing in mud which is odd but even so she has gotten me to go in mud too. She is very diplomatic and very persuasive. I believe she will make a wonderful queen."

Queen? I'm hardly ready for that! I smiled. Although his words kind of scared me with the thought of being queen, I was glad he liked me.

"That's wonderful!" The lady smiled a clearly fake smile. "Our next question has two parts. JennyWindester2 says, 'Princess Jerica is my hero. I was wondering who is the Princess's hero and what is her full title?' So Princess, who is your hero?"

"That's an easy one. My hero is Queen Emily Alexandra Jay Ryder, my mother, because she married for love rather than politics. And you asked for my full title as well, correct JennyWindester2? My full title is Lady Jerica Emily Sofia Alexandra Ryder, First Princess of Eshistan."

A clock chimed in the distance as I noticed Sebastian check his pocket watch. "I'm sorry Miss Jones. It would appear that is all the time we have for questions right now." He clicked the cover on his watch closed. "There is five minutes until we begin greeting our suitors. If you will excuse us for a moment." He took my hand and pulled me gently towards a bedroom where yet another beautiful blue dress awaited me. I examined the new dress as I waited on my chamber maid, Mary Jackson, to come and help me out of and into the dresses but she didn't come. Instead, Sebastian surprised me by beginning to unbutton my dress with his bare hands. By the time I had realized what was happening my dress was beginning to slide down my hips. I wrapped my arms around my breast and held my dress tight. I am not wearing a bra! I rounded on Sebastian. "What the hell?!"

He had the most innocent look on his face. "I'm helping you change... You can't do your own buttons."

"Could have warned me you'd be changing me! I would have made proper preparations! And why did you take off your gloves? Your hands are freezing!"

"I can't do the buttons with my gloves on." He stepped past me and lifted the other dress up over my head with a smile and his eyes closed. "Now, drop the dress, my lady."