Substitute (2)

The canteen had been full of servants when she had rushed in. Peony had sat herself down on an empty bench alone. Despite more servants arriving after her, nobody wanted to sit on the bench with her, choosing to eat their oatmeal standing.

Peony quaffed down her oatmeal in record-breaking time before she rushed out of the servant's building, crossing the beautiful and lively garden to attend to her duties again.

The sun shone brightly, no clouds in the sky, and the apple trees blossomed, filling the air with their sweet scent and petals.

Peony even saw some pale pink peonies tucked under the shadow of a lavish oak tree.

She wondered where Mio had been sent; she worried for the quiet boy. Even she could see the deep hatred for royals in his eyes, not that she blamed him.

On her way to Vivianne's room, she narrowly dodged the head maid rolling out some sweets to the private section of the garden.

It was there that the princesses were supposed to hold their weekly get-together. The Princesses never actually attended these things, so for them to suddenly decide actually to have the get-together was worrying.

Maybe it's just to talk about the upcoming wedding of Princess Iris? Peony reasoned, swallowing down the recurring thought that it had something to do with them.

...

When Peony opened the bedroom, she was shocked to see the royal Physician and Juno hoovering over Princess Vivianne's frame. They were speaking quietly in a hushed manner.

"Peony, Princess Vivianne had a fever." Juno explained. The Physician nodded and gave her a list of ingredients. Peony wondered how he had figured that out, but upon closer inspection, Vivianne's flaming red cheeks were a dead giveaway.

The old Physician looked scary but didn't look at her with distaste. Instead, he had instructed her to send the recipe to the kitchen, pushing his heavy glasses up his crooked nose.

Peony nodded, gazing down at the bed-bound Princess. They had done right in letting her rest, it seemed. Vivianne whimpered into her pillow, and Peony felt a stab of sympathy in her heart; she looked younger than her age.

Peony got to work immediately. The assistant, Agnes, was kind enough to help her change the covers without jostling the Princess too much. Doctor Rune and Juno had left, leaving only the two girls in the room.

Peony looked at the raven-haired girl curiously; she had freckles and bright green eyes, her face a serious scowl. But, in the end, Peony kept silent and focused on the task at hand.

...

"So? How did it go?" Peony whispered to Juno when he limped in again.

Did he get into a fight? Peony wondered; his new outfit was crumpled. She didn't comment on his state, sensing his bad mood. Truthfully, her patience was running low as well. The soup was taking forever.

"I have to find Mio; he is supposed to fill in for Vivianne while she's sick," Juno grumbled.

Peony worried her lip with a deep frown, wondering how someone who wasn't experienced could handle a royal's tasks.

"What about the Princess's meet-up? Is he supposed to join the princesses?" Peony asked. He nodded in response and dragged a tired hand through his face.

Juno suddenly rose and left without saying anything. Peony looked at his retreating frame in confusion. She decided to organise the Princess's elaborate dresses and underskirts to kill time.

She recalled Lady Serena's talk about the newest fashion; to her surprise, none of Vivianne's garnets was in season. Quickly, Peony wrote a letter asking for a booking with the family's seamstress for some fittings. She hoped they could visit the store instead of dragging the many garnets up the hill. That way, they could have a look at a more extensive collection.

If Peony would be the princess lady-in-waiting, she couldn't let Vivianne roam around in unfashionable clothing. She noticed that Vivianne owed dark dresses with minimum lace, completely the opposite of what Lady Serena was gushing over.

...

The royal chancery was the administrative office of the royal court responsible for handling various bureaucratic functions, such as record-keeping, document management, and the drafting of official correspondence. The room was large and spacious, with tall ceilings and ornate decorations.

Peony was amazed at the establishment; the workers wore stunning, tailored suits.

The room was well-lit by large windows with elaborate stained-glass designs, which let in the warm glow of sunlight during the day. The floors were made of polished marble, and a thick rug with intricate patterns covered the centre of the room. The air was often thick with the scent of ink and wax from the many candles that burned throughout the day and night.

The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with thick volumes and scrolls. A large, polished wooden desk dominated the centre of the room, with stacks of parchment and inkwells neatly arranged on its surface. Several wooden chairs are scattered around the room, with one or two positioned in front of the desk for visitors.

Peony waited in line for her turn, hoping her letter wasn't regarded as disrespectful or out-of-place.

"Hello, lady" A young man greeted her with a warm smile; she smiled back and bowed. "What can I help you with?"

"Yes, I'd like to send this letter to the royal seamstress, please." She handed over the letter she had sealed with Vivianne's rose stamp. The young man gracefully accepted the letter and stored it away for pick up.

"The royal mailmen will send the letter in an instance; however, the seamstress might take a while to respond." He informed her, writing down the estimated time to receive a response.

"It's okay; Princess Vivianne's secretary will deliver it to the princess when it arrives," Peony reassured before waving the worker goodbye and heading out into the beautiful garden again.

On her walk back, she attempted to greet a few maids with a smile, but she was ignored. Slightly discouraged, she returned to Vivianne's bedroom, carrying a bucket with cold water and a soft towel.

...

While Peony had been gone, Vivianne's fever seemed to have worsened. Quickly, she soaked the towel in cold water and put it on her forehead. Peony removed the heavy duvet from the shivering body and switched it to a thinner one.

As she was fussing over the Princess, Mio and Juno had snuck in and taken a paper from Vivianne's table, quietly tip-toeing out again.

"What are they up to?" She wondered, patting the Princess's forehead in deep thought.