Of Winter Meetings I

Two weeks passed. The silent lull of falling flakes from the skies became Harris' comfort as she spent hours in a room with Madame Wolbrook's agonizing lectures. Her gloved hand shook, each little finger pressed on a key.

She was tasked to play a tune. A hard one at that, and Harris couldn't mostly keep up. Every few seconds did she press a wrong key. The nerve-wracking anxiety and piercing gaze that bore holes through her head were also no help to her gruelling situation.

Madame Wolbrook pursed her dark red colored lips as she tapped her stick on the piano three times. It was a motion meant to increase the pace of her pianoforte.

"Madame, pardon me, b-but I couldn't possibly—"

"If Cassia was able to do the pace as I pleased when she was your age, then I see no reason fit for you to halt. Do continue playing, princess." The old lady's eyes turned into slits. Her voice sharp like knives and high with demand.

Harris didn't really have the voice to counter back and argue. Instead, she did as the lady had told. Her tiny fingers ached. Sweat now cascading down her forehead despite the cool winter.

As every single second passed and so did multiple notes, the young princess began chasing air. And her lungs burned breathless alongside the breakneck tune from the piano.

It continued on for a good sum of fifteen minutes before the session was interrupted with the ginormous doors opening with a booming slam. Followed by heels clicking as the figure of Bonnie Lovehood. She was in haste and it defined her facial expression.

"Pardon me from my sudden intrusion, Madame Wolbrook, but the princess needed to prepare for His Royal Highness' guests."

Bonnie to save the day! Harris mentally cheered. To her utmost delight, she hurriedly stood up from her chair and without second thoughts, did she went to her personal maidservant with a triumphant grin marvelling her visage.

She had ceased ever curtsying or bowing in respect to her pianoforte mentor a week. It happened after Cyrus scolded her after caught her in act. He, undeniably much to Harris' protest that fell into deaf ears, began to drag her in the library while pulling a dozen of books that told the etiquettes a royal should follow.

It was tormenting at some point. And as a result, Harris abided by her cousin and ceased with all those curtsies that the mentor didn't even deserve in the very first. Madame Wolbrook was made even more furious, however, and she showed no mercy after noticing how those curtsies and bows were ceased.

"How are you princess? I haven't seen you much, as such please do pardon me for my lack of presence most days." Bonnie softly mumbled as her hand caressed the princess's soft wavy white tresses.

As a response, Harris grinned at her warmly with a shake of her head, she told her, "It's alright. Ah- I understood that you were busier the past few weeks for today's preparation."

"Your speech have been improving well, princess. Though, I quite missed the way you talk in third person." The maidservant ushered the young girl out the doors. Albeit, Bonnie did stopped and turned to face the teacher with a nasty glare that said 'I'm aware of how foul you are to Harris'.'

"Have the Xereisees arrived yet? A luncheon wouldn't be a luncheon if they were to miss lunch, right?" Harris intelligently questioned as she treaded past Bonnie towards her room. She was, to be honest, quite excited to meet her uncle's royal guests, though at the same time— she was quite anxious to meet them too.

This would be marked the very first royal event that she'd be able to participate. The last few ones that partook across the continent were only attended by her esteemed uncle, his wife, and the twins. She was mostly left out due to how young she was back then.

"I'm afraid they haven't, princess. The royal guards have yet to spot their carriage." Said the maid. The servant then ushered Harris inside her bedroom chambers, wherein two more servants greeted her with the kindest of smiles.

"Good morning, princess." They curtsied in unison.

"Good morning as well!" Harris chirped.

The maidservants, including Bonnie, cooed at their adorable little princess. Harris was, in no doubt, really adorable. With those puffy chubby rosy cheeks, those big doe silver jeweled pools, those thick lashes. Ah! Harris Cleo Van Sappherine was and forever would be their little cherub.

"You're so adorable, princess! I could squish those cheeks all day!" Hanna exclaimed, sparkles adorning her chocolate optics as she enthusiastically grabbed the princess's chubby cheeks with both her hands.

The others went to circle her too. Squealing as they fawned over the youngest Sappherine royal. It wasn't long however, for Bonnie coughed with a twitching brow. "Ladies, we should prepare the princess. His Royal Highness's guests may arrive soon."

"Oh, right," Polly murmured in realization. "As Miss Bonnie had recently stated. We should really get our work done."

The rest nodded in agreement.

. . .

"Tada!"

Strolling past white curtains, Bonnie proudly presented the youngest princess. Harris stood with a miniscule grin as her silver optics found itself gazing at a nearby mirror. The princess wondered at the sight before her, scrutiny evident in her eyes.

The maidservants had dressed her in marigold colors. A huge contrast to her usual pastel palette. "Harri— err," Harris mentally pinched herself for that mistake. "This is quite a. . .change."

"Indeed it is, princess!" Polly exclaimed with a joyful grin. The maidservant's hands were busy and eyes focused on straightening and puffing the base of the princess's dress. "Bonnie came with a suggestion to let you try a whole different palette. Though, I must say princess that marigold befits you truly."

"Isn't it too. . .bold and obnoxious?" Harris hesitatingly questioned. It was no secret that the princess grew wearing pastel hues. Her maidservants and everyone in the palace particularly knew of this.

The change was interesting, to say the least. Albeit, Princess Harris couldn't help but be squeamish.

"Not at all princess," Bonnie shook her head. "As Polly recently told. Marigold befits you well." She gave the princess a loving and assuring embrace.

It calmed all doubting thoughts that raged within Harris' mind. She breathed out a firm sigh— if Bonnie and the others shared the same positive sentiment, then it should be enough confirmation to soothe her.

The young princess gave the mirror yet another glance. As her reflection stared back at her, she noticed how her attire was missing something, more specifically her hair. Harris was about to part her lips and question the missing piece, albeit three consecutive knocks had disrupted her.

Polly rushed for the doors to open it wide, and there she was greeted by a formally dressed Princess Cassia Van Sappherine. The eldest Sappherine child gave the maidservant a small calculated yet pleasant smile.

"Princess Cassia! It is our utmost pleasure to be graced by your very presence. Please do come in," The maidservant guided her in after a curtsy. Closing the doors, Polly remained silent, choosing to watch the scene unfold itself.

"Greetings princess." Bonnie alongside Hanna curtsied too. Harris on the other hand hadn't saw a reason to do so. Cassia specifically told Harris not to curtsy at her as they were cousins and both princesses even if her position was higher that her cousin.

"A pleasant day to you, Cassia. However, may I ask what brings you here in my chambers?" Harris questioned sheepishly. She was conscious the moment she saw the crowned princess walk past those doors.

Cassia's servants dressed her in a radiant azure palette. Harris truthfully thought that her cousin was gorgeous in that color. It complimented those sapphire-blue jeweled optics of hers that glimmered underneath the light.

The crowned princess was so radiant and beautiful— Harris began to fiddle with her fingers. An arising bubble of insecurity now clouding her mind.

"Marigold looks so perfect on you, Harris." Cassia admiringly remarked. Pure honesty laced each word that came from her pink painted lips. "It was a very splendid decision to have you wear something new. The color brings out your eyes, Harris. I'm confident that you'll be today's gem."

Harris freaked out at her cousin's words. There'd be no impossible way would she dare or try to outshine Cassia. She was but a mere member of the royal family, someone of very little regard unlike the crowned princess.

It was customary for the heirs and heiresses to be in the spotlight every single occasion. It'd be deemed disrespectful of her if she ever did unintentionally took over the attention.

"C-Cassia, Harrie. . . Harrie would never ever try to take away the spotlight from you!" Harris was so freaked out that she hadn't noticed how she spoke once again in second person. Cassia gave a simple statement yet she had reached quite overly from what she'd expected.

"Harrie. . . Everyone deemed it very inappropriate for someone to be the gem than the heirs and heiresses. It is vitally written in every possible book regarding the do's and don'ts a royal, a noble, or a commoner should follow." The youngest added.

"It isn't and you wouldn't, Harris." Cassia pursed her lips, albeit it was quickly replaced with a small curvature of a smile. "All those books were made eons ago, and all of them I deem simply nonsensical. There's a reason why I don't read those rules as I prefer to bend them than follow."

"If I say you shall shine the brightest this luncheon then it'd be rightfully so. You deserve it Harris as you are the most fairest of all." Cassia added. She took a step close, her hands reaching to clutch Harris' small ones.

As she brought their entwined hands on her chest to pull Harris in a loving warm embrace, she whispered something that would make any single person lurch and tear their ears to shreds.

"Besides, I plan to not take the crown nor throne. This I ask you to keep as a secret between us two."