Chapter 24: Favorite Cousin (III).

Chapter 24: Favorite Cousin (III).

Elizabeth's POV

I led my cousin into my room, she was thrilled to see the huge fort pillow I had prepared for her. White pillows that towered, the maids brought some snacks placing it on a table near and warm tea.

"Wow!" (Melrose) lets out, walking slowly to the fort but she stops looking over to me with hesitation in her eyes. "Is this alright for you to do? But I thought we weren't allowed to do unladylike things- Does this count?" She asked me such a question.

I shrug, taking off my shoes and getting inside the fort pillow excitedly. Melrose takes a peek inside as I pop out my head with a smile.

"Well us girls can have some fun too." I tell her and she follows me inside the fort. It was small, for so little entertainment that we had inside.

"So this is what it looks like being inside a fort of pillows." (Melrose) tells me to poking one of the soft pillows and I chuckle.

"The most exciting part of these is when you build them together with a friend but- my maid and I built it for you to make you feel welcome in my room." I tell her and she slowly lays down into the soft sheets.

"I don't know what to do at this kind of invitation- normally I've been into tea parties, formal balls- get together with the other noble ladies to just talk out in the open. What does one do in a pillow fort event?" (Melrose) asks me and I lay down with her.

"I... never thought that far ahead. I suppose you fight each other with the pillows that you built with the fort playfully hitting them." I answered remembering all the stories I would usually hear in the classroom when the girls had their own personal get together.

Painting their own nails, gossip, and even talking about their love lives to one another.

I would be very back minding my own business, I... sometimes felt envious of why I couldn't have something like that and having no one to invite to my house due to my parents.

The girl looks at one of the stray pillows inside dragging it by the hand and stares at me.

"Like this?" She hit me slightly with the pillow she was holding and panicked.

"D-Did I do it wrong?" Melrose's voice stuttered, looking afraid. I took a look at her pillow and I nod agreeing with her.

"Yes, you did it wrong." I took the pillow away from her and slammed it down on her face. She gave me a shocked face after and I sat upright quickly giving her a playful smile on my face, "You have to hit me a bit harder, that's what you did wrong."

"O-Oh! I see!" She told me finally understanding what she did wrong, grabbed another pillow from the side and we started having fun hitting each other laughing. "Hahaha! Take this!"

"No, you take that!" I gave her another slam and had a bit of fun hitting her with the soft pillow.

I managed to get away from her when we were panting out of breath and tired- but the fight went on. "En guard!"

"You shall not receive such mercy from the future queen, this pillow that I'm holding will be one of your greatest downfalls!" I thrust the pillow in her chest, she proceeds to try and horribly act like she's just been stabbed by a knife.

We laughed together, and maybe opened up a bit more to one another.

Victoria came into the room seeing us having fun slamming each other with some pillows. It looked like she felt bad stopping the fun to tell us that dinner was ready.

"Please your highness and milady, I'm here to tell you that dinner is served. There are also a few guests that the council is expecting but that won't be a problem." (Victoria) walks over to me instructing on what to do, looking over to me with her usual motherly eyes. "And remember to wash your hands and brush your teeth right after a meal."

"Okay, Victoria. I'll wash my hands and brush my teeth after eating."

I nod giving her a smile and Melrose follows, we crawl out of the pillow fort and she asks me looking confused and perplexed at what she saw.

"Is it normal for a servant to order the princess around? I thought it was the opposite, isn't that right?" (Melrose) leans over whispering to me looking surprised and amazed at the scene, Victoria ordering me around was certainly a sight for a noble lady being born in a world that servants are just people around that you can order.

"That maid... is more than just a servant to me." I explained, seeing Victoria as more than a simple title of a maid. I've come to see her as my new mother figure, my caretaker, and a friend. "Surely you might have a few that you have seen more than just a servant, you want to treat them more and just- act normal with them."

I tell her and she blinks looking anxious but still she got what I was trying to convey.

"I also have... one. I really like her... everyone would tell me I am similar to my nana- my um... personal maid instead of mommy- the Duchess. I think I like her more than um... mommy." she tells me holding her frilly dresses, her eyes giving me a look that she was afraid and unsure if it was alright for her to reveal such a thing.

With just that one simple story, I have managed to gain such important information that's worth investigating more about. She's a child born from commoner's blood, yet she stands as the sole heir and daughter of their noble house.

I couldn't help but think... if I can use this information to my advantage one day. However, as much as possible I wouldn't want to go to this last resort.

"Your maid... the way you talk about her you seem close." I muttered, in hopes that would act as a certain bait for her to open up to any information that might contain anything important that could be of use.

"The others at the mansion also tell me the same thing, if her highness would like, maybe one day I can introduce her to you. She is very kind, considerate and always gives me treats when I want!" Her eyes shined even brighter each fact she shared more about her personal maid that got me thinking.

I guess looking at the memory of Victoria she's always been alone- just being with me 24/7 of the day and isn't she getting tired of seeing my face? She needs other friends, and I'm not going to be a toddler all the time when I grow up she clearly needs new friends.

"Hmm... I suppose Victoria needs other friends other than me. I want our maids to get along with one another. Why not?" I tell her shrugging while going into the bathroom sink, washing my hands and Melrose copies whatever I do.

She eyes me the whole time we walked together into the dinning room looking nervous. A servant pulls her chair, then pushes it after she sits back down. She sat there quietly while she continued to observe me.

Victoria does the same thing for me pulling my chair to help me sit down, and I thank her properly.

"Thank you."

"You're very much welcome." She tells me and other servants follow suit doing their work inside the dining room, but once they were done preparing things for the both of us they all lined up behind me and waited for us to start eating.

"Thank you to all who prepared a wonderful meal." I tell them casually picking up a knife and form, cutting into the steak, releasing a few of its juice on the plate and then looking at my cousin who seemed to have a lot in mind.

...

"You... are allowed to thank the servants?" (Melrose) asks me looking dumbfounded on my actions, is simply thanking a servant a rare act in her household?

"You don't? It's a simple reminder of how grateful I am for their service, without them the whole castle would be in horrible shape. They've all been doing a good job and I will always be thankful for that." I take the white long napkin, putting it over my hips.

I can't exactly say I wasn't expecting this from Melrose, her mind was completely overtaken by horrible manners from her side of the family.

"A bit different from how we do things at my estate... your highness... Why do we need to say our thanks to our servants? Isn't it their job to do their work? They're getting paid to do it. I don't understand why we need to say those two words?" (Melrose)

"I treat people how I want them to treat me back. I give them my respect and manners. I expect them to do the same. Not because I'm the future queen but it's because I'm a person worth respecting." I continued to eat, eating the half finished food on my plate while my cousin tried to process all of the things I've said in her head.

It can't be as hard as math, respecting people and treating them fair is... never mind it would be hard for most people.

"Oh... I see..."

...

Melrose mutters, continuing to eat and soon we were done with our meal. I stood up from my chair, as the servants cleaned the table.

"Come Melrose, let's go find an activity we can do together." I tell her but she hasn't taken off from her seat. "Melrose?" I called out her name once more, thinking she might have not heard me call her name.

But apparently, she awaits for a servant to come close, pulling at the end of their sleeves.

"T-Thank you, for... cleaning my plate." (Melrose) tells the servant before quickly running to my side hiding behind my back.

She couldn't look at any servant along the way and she asked me while holding my hand, "Did... I do okay?" (Melrose)

I was now comfortable with letting her hold my hand after seeing her way of adapting to my rules and showing manners. I smiled, patting her head a little before deciding, she's most likely my favorite cousin I have.

"Good job."

"Yay."