New Rhythm to Life

Gerti now spent her mornings being paraded around on Horatio's arm in front of diplomats. This helped them know that this alliance that would be formed by their marriage was secure. While Gerti knew Horatio's name, she didn't really get to know him at all. She just thought of him as her betrothed. She put on a fained smile to keep up the show, as her mom had taugt her, in court it is all a show.

Then she would train for two hours with Wan. She felt she was becoming quite adept at the art of self-defense, but in reality, it would be years before she was skilled. However, the confidence that she had grown at Wan's gentle teaching where he gave her wins here and there if she did a technique right, helped her grow her skills. As she got to know Wan, she found that he was kind and funny. He wasn't like anyone she had ever met. He believed that you were born again after you died. Gerti was curious about that, but knew as a princess she would not be allowed to consider such more than treating it like a novelty. She didn't want to treat Wan's religion as a novelty, so instead she just decided not to look further into it.

After she was done practicing with Wan, she would go to her mom. Queen Eleanor always had a new lesson set up about both how to be a good Queen, but also how to be a good and strong person. Often Gerti found herself going out to spend time with her people. Sometimes, her mother would have her do work that they do, planting gardens and fields, carry waterfrom the well. She told Gerti that to serve her people she needed to understand them. Understand what it meant to be tired, hungry. So that you felt sympathy for their struggles, and knew what to prioritize. She also said that to help your people helped you build strong allies. While you could never trust most people, always watch your back. You still want people to stand by your side when you face life's battles. For Court was more a battlefield than anything else.

When Gert was done with all her lessons for the day, she would find time to spend time with Snow White, the young girl was her escape back into childhood. She was allowed to play when she was with the child. It wasn't just for the escape she did this though, she grew to love Snow White deeply. She was like the little sister she never had. After she spent time with Snow White it would be time for dinner with her parents and betrothed, Snow White later joined these when she was 3 years old, but for now she ate in the nursery. While she used to love dinner with her parents. Now they seemed like a big void sucking everything into it's silence and small talk. This became Gerti's Rhythm for the next 6 years.