young & free

The princess had always represented what Tegan could of been. A literal walking, talking, manifestation of his guilt. Proof of how he took all the power he was born with and tossed it out the window for a frivolous life of nihilism and meaningless sex with strangers. She was everything he wasn’t. She wanted to be queen. Wanted to grow her country into the best nation it could be. But all Tegan wanted to do was waste his life away and not live with a single pressure falling onto his shoulders. It really wasn’t his fault. He only had his parents constant pressure to blame. If they just stopped for a second and treated him like a proper kid; back when he was growing up - treated him like Charlotte did - maybe he wouldn’t be so against the monarch. Wouldn’t hate everything they stood for. Really forcing him to use all his energy to destroy his chances of ever becoming king and following in his fathers footsteps.

And it really wasn’t helping that this fake alcohol the palace was serving was causing adverse symptoms. Instead of numbing all the guilt and pain he tried so hard to ignore - he was feeling them fully. His skin breaking out in goosebumps at the shear idea of having to make small talk with his ex-friend. A friend who definitely didn’t want his company. Nevertheless; he sat down anyway. Usually he’d be making quips. Probably joking about how they never hooked up back when they were close. But instead he could barely get a word out. His rare sober state forcing him into the reality he tried so hard to pretend didn’t exist. 

He didn’t even look at the arrangement of pink sweets, littered across the table. Sober or not, Tegan wasn’t much of a food person. He just preferred the taste of alcohol to sugar. Which explained his frail frame. Tegan was tall and lanky, his stature often bordering the thin line of runway model and hospital patient. He did knock back another drink, though. Playing into the definition of insanity. Continuing to drink - hoping to get another result. “My parents ??” He finally replied with a smile. “Knowing them - they probably haven’t stopped partying since I left. They couldn’t wait to kick me out and never have to think about me again. Fucking Assholes…”

“Tegan-” Charlotte paused, breathing a sigh. She liked New Zealand’s reigning monarchs. With how close they were to her own parents, they were practically family. Though, admittedly, she had no idea how’d they’d been treating Tegan as of late, so instead of standing up for them by telling him off, she bit her tongue. “I don’t think any of the current kings or queens are too happy about this whole situation,” she said diplomatically, gesturing around the room to refer to the castle as a whole. 

“I doubt they aren’t thinking of you,” she added. Both a reassurance and a reproach, though a subtle one. She didn’t look at him as she said it, though- largely because it was difficult to. He was a shadow of the person she used to know. And maybe Tegan felt the same about her- she was different now, too, after all. It had been years since they’d spoken. She cleared her throat and took a sip of orange juice, buying time to think of a change in topic. “How’s Russia treating you otherwise?” Lame. But better than talking about his parents. 

Cassandra shook her head. “I cannot blame you for being a bit…high-strung as you say.” she replied, assuming that she was using the phrase correctly as she copied it directly from the other princess. “There has been so much going on….” she trailed off, thinking quite specifically of the death of the Swedish princess that had been announced in the paper. She could not remember having even met the princess but that didn’t mean that the death didn’t hit her. How sad it was, for her to return home and pass in such a way on vacation. Her heart went out to the Swedish monarchs, especially as they had their rule taken away.

She took a deep breath before offering Charlotte a faint smile. “Well, it sounds beautiful. It must be nice that you have pieces memorized to play at will.” Cassie commented, moving closer to where the Australian princess sat at the piano. “Oh, no not really. I took piano lessons as a child but I have not played in years.” she admitted. “I do not possess that talent, sadly.” Cass added. Or any talent really. She was skilled when it came to academics but could not think of anything creative or artistic that she was good at.

“There has been,” Charlotte agreed. With the news of Birdie’s death, the mood in the palace had been grim. And though Charlotte had never known the Swedish princess, the tension was palpable, and she was feeling the effects. 

“I do wish I’d remembered to bring my sheet music, so I wouldn’t have to play the same three pieces over and over,” she said with a shrug. “But it’s easy to forget things like that when you’re packing for a longterm trip.” A trip that was, at this point, indefinite. It felt like she’d been in Russia forever, like she may never see her beloved country again. “That’s a shame. No other instruments, either?” Piano was something that had come as naturally to Charlotte as learning to walk or talk, but in theory she knew that many people just weren’t musically inclined.

                        THE MORE PEOPLE MOVED, the more the lady realized that something wasn’t quite right  –– however she couldn’t exactly voice the thoughts out loud, it would be out of place for her to do so. at least when not in the company of the croatian royals which did make her think that perhaps finding mateo would be a good idea. her future king always dd seem to have the answers for well everything, so maybe he’d be able to explain what was happening now. but as her gaze moved through the now dispersing the crowd anna realized that he like the rest of his siblings was nowhere to be found, so she frowned, reaching for one of the leftover cookies she’d been snacking on and taking  rather large bite of it. incredibly unlady like but given the state of the lot around her? it didn’t really matter, not that it would matter to her before but that was a discussion for another time. 

her attention drifting to the voice that had spoken to her. spotting the aussie princess, the brunette nod and dipped into a curtsy which probably looked ridiculous considering the cookie that was hanging from her mouth, quickly pulling it out and placing it on the nearest table she could find, along with the plate she’d been holding she nodded. “ i wouldn’t say that the word WEIRD entirely describes what’s happening. “ she finished with a roll of her shoulders. “ it’s more like disastrous… your highness. “ she added the title if only because she realized her words may have been out of place. speaking her mind was usually reserved for the princess she looked after. “ i don’t seem to re-call any event ever turning into  ––  this. “

"That's a fair assessment," Charlotte agreed, pulling a face. Never in all her years of attending royal events had anything been quite like this. She was used to strict etiquette and shallow conversation, formal outfits and precise table manners. Not... whatever was happening here. "I've never seen anything like it," she added.

"What do you figure? Being away from our parents just gave everyone carte blanche for acting out?" she wondered aloud. She almost thought that it was something other than alcohol involved, but that seemed a little far fetched.

Pim had once again been causing mischief, not that it was anything new to anyone in the castle.  She had just played a tantalising prank on the Czech royal and after spying on the result she had quickly gotten out of there.  She couldn’t 100% confirm that she hadn’t been caught and so she had run through the corridors giggling before deciding she should probably find a place to bunker down.  Turning the corner she reached for the next door, pushing it open and tumbling in.  It wasn’t until she had closed it again and turned around that she realised she was in the ballroom and there was someone sat at the piano.

“Oh, I’m sorry!” Pim apologised at the look of fright on the girl’s face.  She bit down on her lip to try and hide the giggles that were still threatening to spill out and inched closer to the piano.  “Oh no… it’s okay.  I’m not here for that, I’m just laying low for a little bit.  In fact if anyone asks I’ve been in here listening to you play for at least twenty minutes, okay?”

Charlotte was taken aback, but she started to laugh, despite herself. It was the exact sort od behaviour she usually frowned upon, but right now it was kind of a nice change of pace. The castle had been such a boring place, but from first sight of the other woman she had the sense that she was far from boring. “It’s alright!” she assured her. 

"Sounds good to me. Should I even ask what you did? Do I want to know?" she asked, genuinely curious. 'Laying low' must've meant that she'd done something she didn't want to be caught for, right?

It took a moment before the Croatian decided to address the startled woman, blue eyes venturing around the music room with nothing more than curiosity before finally turning his attention to the raven-haired princess. “I didn’t know someone was in here,” Mateo confessed, forgoing the initial apology most would start with to pardon their presence. Again, he was quick to part his gaze from the piano player as he ventured further in the room once Mateo took notice of the cello perched upon a stand in the corner, no doubt something Sarika requested or brought herself knowing the passion the Hungarian held for the instrument as he once did. Well, maybe he still did just not to the extent of putting difference aside with a former friend to play with her. “Don’t worry, you won’t have competition for the piano. Not from me anyway, but it’s a popular instrument.” Before Mato even reached the other side of the room he was making his way back to the piano nearer the door with a sudden change in the topic that left his commentary on her choice of song and skill to be nothing more than something he’d forget to bring up altogether. “You…you didn’t see anyone in here earlier, did you?” 

Charlotte couldn't quite place the man, though he did look somewhat familiar- likely a prince. Especially based on his odd demeanor. A member of staff probably would've been more polite, perhaps offered an apology rather than just an explanation. Though it wasn’t as though he’d done anything wrong just by entering the room, so she supposed it was fine. "It is quite popular. I'm lucky nobody was using it today." She hopped off the piano bench, though, feeling awkward about holding a conversation with him while behind the instrument. "Not today," she said curiously, wondering if he was looking for someone in particular. "Can I ask why?"

The heavy cello in her hands was making it very difficult for Sarika to be polite with her entrance despite her hearing that someone had already taken over the ballroom at this point. She had already dragged the instrument out of her room for a change of scenery and she wasn’t about to turn around now that she was at her destination just because someone was already occupying the place. But the girl did have the grace to look embarrassed when the door slammed behind her.

Cheeks flushing, Sarika’s wide eyes met the Australian Princess’ as she set the case down with a soft thud that seemed to echo with the silence now surrounding them after her exclamation of surprise. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, I just couldn’t catch the door with this thing in my hands. I guess I should start working out a bit more.” With the case the whole thing weighed about forty pounds so it shouldn’t have been too difficult really but the Princess had never really been one for the gym. “You’re welcome to keep playing as long as you’d like. I just didn’t feel like lugging this thing back to my room but I’ll gladly wait my turn.”

She'd recognized the other princess almost immediately- how could she not have? Everyone knew of Sarika, the princess who'd given up the title. Given up everything Charlotte had worked towards her entire life. She didn't get it. All she'd ever wanted was to be crown princess, regardless of the circumstances of her birth and her family. And Sarika had been born into it, and rejected it. It was unthinkable. 

At any rate, she wasn't going to be rude. She didn't know the girl, after all. Charlotte curiously eyed the instrument case for a second- the only thing she knew how to play was piano, so her knowledge of other instruments was limited. "Cello?" she guessed. "Or... oh, what are they called... Upright bass?" she asked, wondering what could be in the case and hoping she didn't sound like an idiot. "I'm suddenly very grateful that I only know piano, I never have to carry anything," she said with a laugh. 

People had started getting up from the table, so Charlotte felt pretty safe to do the same- but she wasn’t sure how long decorum dictated she’d have to stay in the room. At this point, she was pretty sure that none of the other royals would even notice her absence, considering how far gone they all seemed to be, but, just in case... she ought to stay a little longer. 

She was leaning against the wall, glass of water in hand, and glanced at the young woman standing next to her. A moment of quiet observation let Charlotte know that the other girl probably wasn’t drunk, or at least not as terribly as most of the others in the room- the fact that she was steady on her feet rather than swaying in place was a bit of a giveaway. And a welcome change from what she’d dealt with so far. “It’s been a weird morning, hasn’t it?” she asked, looking first to the other woman, then at the chaos that had overtaken the room. 

She knew Charlotte would never abandon her place as being queen. She didn’t know all the details of her sister’s life, but she knew she was in line for the throne, and why would anyone ever want to give that up? If Scout had ever revealed her true identity and asked the girl to run away with her, she knew Charlotte wouldn’t. Who would want to run away with Scout anyways? She was just a pawn in a lifelong game of chess set to play, until death knocked her off the board.

Scout let her eyes meet Charlotte’s again, “Yeah, my father thought it fit…Um…” Did she tell her the truth or lie? If she said the US, Charlotte might suspect something was up, since the United States was practically a wasteland, “Canada. But I was adopted.” That was all she needed to know for the time being, “Sorry, habit. And you’re welcome. Just know you have my full support.”

“You were adopted?” Charlotte repeated. “Me too!” she said, with a proud smile. She knew that, early on in her life, there had been many people who had criticized her parents’ choice to adopt her, particularly after her younger sibling was born. But she was proud of her history, proud that the royal family had chosen to take her in. 

“Canada is a beautiful country,” she added. “I haven’t been there in a while, what with...” she hesitated, trying to find the right words without outright mentioning the kidnapping and its’ aftermath. “everything that’s happened recently, but I really enjoyed my visits. What made you decide to take the job here? Or did you come here with the Canadian royal family?

There was never a reason for Cassandra to find her way to the ballroom, outside of the two grand events that the castle had held in her relatively short time in Russia. Had it nearly been seven months already? Summer had turned to autumn to winter awfully quickly. She wondered whether or not summer would see her returning to Greece or if she’d still be in Russia. Or, even still, whether it would see her in Turkey. It wasn’t a thought she enjoyed focusing on.

She really was just passing through, though the exclamation from the younger princess absolutely took her by surprise, causing her to jump back and wince just slightly. “I truly am sorry for that.” she replied, voice soft. “I did not expect there to be anyone else here when I opened the door. You can not hear the piano from outside.” she explained. Cassandra instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. “I was just passing through. It sounds lovely though.”

Oof. The other woman flinching didn’t go unnoticed, and Charlotte felt her cheeks flush with a combination of embarrassment and guilt. She liked to think that at least a solid 90 percent of the time she was poised and polite, like a royal was expected to be. Though, she didn’t have anything on the princess of Greece, who was, as far as Charlotte could tell, perfect: intelligent, beautiful, well-spoken.

“It’s alright,” Charlotte replied, shifting slightly on the piano bench. “I suppose I’ve been a little high-strung lately,” she added, by way of explanation. Charlotte probably wasn’t alone in that sentiment; it seemed like most of the royals, at one point or another, started to go a little stir-crazy here. “Thank you. I wish I could take more credit for that, it’s a piece by an American composer, and one of the few I can play from memory.” She kept meaning to go down to the music shop in town, but hadn’t gotten around to it quite yet (and of course she hadn’t thought to bring any with her from home), so she’d just been cycling through the same five or so songs she could play without needing the notes in front of her. “Do you play?” 

You would think after several months of living in the castle that he would know his way around. However, the doctor was hopeless when it came to his own sense of direction. Now give him a book that tells him where to go, and he would have the tools to get through this castle and the world with ease. Hmm, maybe he should invest in a map or perhaps an atlas.  Shaking his head, to clear the ramblings of his very cluttered mind. Ramses looked towards the royal now. 

“ My apologies your highness. I didn’t mean to startle you.” he said an apologetic smile on his face. “ I was trying to find my way to the kitchens for some beans and toast and have found myself lost in the process.” he said rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. He was going to have to find Samson and see if his friend could give him a tour of the grounds.

For the fifth time.

“ Please continue. I’ll try and find my way, again.”

“It’s alright, Doctor,” Charlotte assured him, sitting up a little straighter- determined to make a good impression even though she’d definitely just done the opposite. Though she knew of him, she thought that this might have been the first time she’d heard him speak. And at least they’d both made equally awkward impression on the other, which was a bit of a comfort to Charlotte. 

She paused. She should’ve been content for him to leave so she could continue her piano practice. And her mother might faint if she overheard her daughter offering assistance to ‘the help’- but she didn’t see the harm in helping him find his way. “Wait. I’m not technically allowed in the kitchens, since I’m not staff. But I know where they are. I could take you over there, if you’d like?” 

Scout had dropped formalities, and she hadn’t seemed to notice. At least not yet anyways. The fact that she was standing here having a conversation with her sister about something she enjoyed had meant so much more. To see her smiling and happy. Thriving and living her life. To know she was safe meant the world, “You’re welcome. I think years of doing it has paid off. You could probably sell this stuff too. I mean…if you ever wanted to.”

Scout blushed slightly at the mention of wanting Charlotte wanting to know her name, “Uh, Scout. And draw me anytime you want to.” Her smile brightened, until she remembered she was talking to a princess, “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. I-I’m sorry for being so informal earlier. It won’t happen again…And I’m sure you will make a great queen some day.” She let her eyes fall to the floor out of respect causing her heart to sink just a little knowing the two sisters lived such different lives.

"If being queen doesn't work out, maybe I will do that," Charlotte replied with a smile. As much as she enjoyed art and music, she'd never made them priorities- it seemed frivolous, when she had so many other responsibilities, or would soon- but here in Russia there wasn't much else for her to be doing.

"Scout," she repeated, testing out the name. "Interesting name, not sure I've ever heard that one before. Where are you from?" She laughed it off, shaking her head. "Well, I'm only 23, and I'm not queen quite yet, so ma'am seems a bit much," she said. "But thank you, truly. I hope I get the chance to prove you right."