Franka
"You don't want to be king?" Surprised, Franka stirred in the cup of tea that Heinrich had handed her. "But aren't your parents already preparing you for this possibility?"
"Yes, but I don't feel up to this position. If my parents inherit the throne, it will probably be my turn. I'd rather see you on the throne. Therefore, I hope that our grandparents will choose you. And that your father will take the throne before that. Because even if they first appoint my father and appoint you as his successor, I'm afraid my parents wouldn't respect that decision. They want to inherit the throne, my father would be a good king, and then I should take over. That is his most ardent wish. But not mine."
"Your father should respect your wishes. But... Do you think I would be a good queen?" Franka smiled flattered. "What about Coletta? Kevina?"
Heinrich puffed amusedly. "Coletta? Coletta is a nice girl, but she wouldn't be up to the task either. I can't imagine her as a queen. And Kevina? Telman? That would be a terrible decision that hopefully our grandparents won't make. Telman is insane and Kevina is too selfish to put the welfare of the people above hers. You’re the best choice. There's just one small problem."
"And which one?" Curious, Franka moved closer to him. Although there had generally been little distance between the two on the small sofa.
"Which one? You’re really asking that?" Heinrich smiled. His cheeks turned reddish. "I like you. I don't just want to dance with you at this one ball. I want to dance with you at every ball!"
"You do? Hmm... I'd like that." Franka sighed. This was something she hadn't expected. But it was true. She liked Heinrich. Very much so. He was attentive and accommodating. She didn't know if it would become more than just friendship, but the right affection was already there. "And if I were to become queen..."
"Well, if you gave me all your dances, it would mean that I would be king next to you." Heinrich winked at her.
"Oh!" She leaned against the sofa, shaken. "Are you asking for my hand in marriage?"
"No." Heinrich shook his head. "Not yet. But it's a possibility, isn't it? We are related only on paper. We could get married. And I'd love to spend my life with you, Franka. But it's still too early to make such decisions."
Franka nodded. It was far too early for such decisions. "Didn't we want to bet on the weather?"
Heinrich laughed. "I bet it’s snowing tomorrow!"
"It's late summer!"
"Then I owe you another dance!" Heinrich winked at her.
The two did not notice that someone was listening at the door.
Coletta
The carriage, which had brought another guest to the queen, was waiting in the courtyard. Coletta hurried down the steps of the stairs and held out a few gold coins to the coachwoman. Coletta was carrying a small purse with her. Money, she had received from her stepfather. He believed that a young lady should always have her own money at hand. Even if everything was paid for her, and even if there was rarely an opportunity for a young princess to spend her own money.
"Please drive me to the capital. It's not far to get there", she told the lady, wiping a tear from her face.
The coachwoman just nodded and accepted the money. "Then get in, please, Your Highness", she murmured, counting the money with greedy eyes. Coletta climbed into the carriage and drew the curtains. She didn't want to be watched crying. When the carriage started rolling and she heard the horses neighing, she sobbed exhaustedly.
Why?
Franka had never liked Heinrich. They had both decided not to like him. Never. And Coletta had done her best to keep up that appearance as soon as Franka was around. The truth was that Coletta had been in love with the prince since childhood. For ten years she had tried to get him to notice her. Two years ago, she had even started flirting. But apart from polite words, she got nothing.
Prince Heinrich had never asked her for a dance. A few nice words, a friendly greeting, nothing more. Well, as a teenager he had only talked to her and Franka when he had to. But a lot had happened since then. And Coletta liked the result all the more. Only Heinrich didn't want her.
He wanted Franka.
"Where would you like to be taken, Your Highness?", the lady called to her from the carriage.
"To a pub!", Coletta replied, wiping the tears from her face again.
"A pub? I don't know if this is the right place for a young princess!", the coachwoman objected. "Are you sure? What if something happens to you?"
"It's just the right place!", Coletta replied. "Nothing will happen to me." That night, she would forget who she was. She would pretend to be a rich lady, which was true, and have fun!
And she did. Coletta danced with several gentlemen, young men, and also a few old ones. She drank expensive wine and spent a round. She danced to the point of ecstasy and enjoyed the attention she got. She danced and flirted until sunrise. And she loved it!
This was the new Coletta.
