Chapter 2: Afternoon of April 17th, 356 (Alice)
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"Nat, why do I have to dress up today? I hate these stuffy clothes."

"Because today you will be meeting your fiance. You need to look your best."

A six year old Alice cutely tilted her head at her maid.

"What's a fiance?"

"The person who you will marry when you're grown up."

"But how do we know who I'll marry when I grow up if I'm not grown up yet? Do we have magic that can see the future?"

Natalie blinked as she struggled to come up with an answer to that one. Questions from small children were often a bit... blunt. On top of which, being a commoner herself, her own situation would be very different from that of Alice. She certainly had no-one telling her who she must marry when she was only six. She was in fact looking forward to drinks with William the gardener in the evening. Her hope that today would finally be the day he took the hint was faint at best, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying.

"Because the person you will marry is decided ahead of time by your parents. Now that they've decided on someone, you need to introduce yourself."

Alice considered this. If that was where husbands came from, then she couldn't really object. It did raise some more questions though.

"But what if I don't like him?"

Natalie paused again. Another question that could be stated in a few words, but needed an essay to answer or no answer at all. Natalie chickened out and went for the second option.

"I'm sure the two of you will get on fine. Your parents know you well, after all. They wouldn't pick someone who was not a good match."

"But I hardly ever see my parents. I do see you all the time though, so I think you know me far better than my parents do. I think you should be the one to pick my husband."

Natalie didn't even try with that one, surrendering before Alice had even finished her sentence.

"Come on, you're all ready now. Lets get you downstairs."

Alice pouted, but plodded out in front of Natalie regardless. Her parents, Denis and Lucy Sandoval stood in front of the grand staircase, her older brother Charles to their right. Alice was glad to see that he was equally dressed up. Suffering should be shared! She stepped carefully down the staircase, and took up her position to the left of her parents. Her etiquette teacher had drilled in to her the correct position and posture for receiving guests, but had never adequately explained why. What difference did it make where she stood? But it didn't do any harm, unlike these stupid clothes that made it so hard to walk, so she was happy to oblige.

The grand staircase was positioned directly opposite the front door, a luxurious red carpet the width of the staircase running the intervening length. The house staff were lined up on either side of the carpet, all impeccably dressed in their respective uniforms. Alice did not have to wait long before a pair of butlers pulled open the double doors in perfect synchronisation, and a third announced clearly.

"Her Majesty, Queen Isabelle Slandhaile. His Royal Highness, Prince Raymond Slandhaile"

A lady entered wearing a dress so wide that Alice was glad they'd opened both doors. She wouldn't have fit through just one! She suddenly felt a little better about her own marginally less impractical clothing. She was followed closely by a small boy of about the same age as Alice. Behind them were several large knights in shiny armour, swords sheathed in their belts. Alice assumed they were there to try and roll the lady back upright in case she fell over. And apparently this was the queen, one of the most important people of the country! Alice glanced at Natalie in her highly practical uniform, who had taken up position alongside the carpet. She considered that all of the house staff were commoners. Taking in her own clothes, and what she'd seen other nobles of various ranks wearing, and now the queen in front of her, realization dawned. It was so obvious! The stupidity of clothing was directly proportional to social rank! Alice was glad she wasn't a princess or, heaven forbid, the queen. She wouldn't know how to cope.

Alice carefully trod the tightrope of etiquette, getting her greetings spot on, and keeping her movements graceful and controlled. She felt quite proud at not making a single mistake. Something to brag about at her next lesson. The group moved to a reception room, where servants served refreshments, and her parents started discussing things with the queen, too quietly for her to hear. Alice inspected the small child, Prince Raymond. Presumably this was to be her fiance? It can't be any of the knights, right? That wouldn't make any sense. But if she married a prince, wouldn't she become a princess? And a minute ago she had been praising the fact that she wasn't one! Was this the thing that Nat called karma? At this point, Queen Isabelle looked towards Alice, obviously finished with whatever discussion the grown ups were having.

"So it is decided then. We will have Alice betrothed to Raymond, and will announce Raymond as the crown prince. I'm sure Alice will make a suitable queen."

Alice blinked. 'What?'

Raymond looked incredulous.

"Why do I have to marry someone like her? I don't like her one bit!"

Alice blinked again. 'Don't like me? But we've never met before.'

Lucy looked down at him, wearing her silly talking-to-a-child smile that Alice disliked. At least it was directed at someone else this time.

"Don't be like that. I'm sure if you two go and play together for a bit, you'll get along just fine."

She motioned to a butler, but before he had even taken a step, Raymond doubled down.

"No. She's ugly and I hate her!"

He yelled out as he ran out of the room. One of the knights followed him. Alice just stood there stupefied. 'That thing is supposed to be my husband? And I have to be queen? I have to deal with that stupid boy, and even stupider clothes?' She wanted to tell her father that he'd definitely picked wrong, and should try again, but saying that while the queen was here would be a great etiquette faux pas. So she kept her mouth shut and put on her listening-to-adults smile that she hoped didn't look as fake as her mothers, while her parents and the queen discussed teas and flowers and next years harvest festival. None of them mentioned the prince's outburst even once.

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