“How are you settling in?” Princess Katherine asked.
“I was surprised to have been brought to the palace so soon,” Macee replied.
“Normally, the crown princess has years to prepare but unfortunately you do not have that luxury. So everything for you will be accelerated to fit the little time we have.”
Well that was not her fault was it? Why did she have to suffer for it?
“I understand,” Macee said as she nodded.
The princess started talking about life in the palace, as she described what it was like to be a princess. Everything sounded ridiculous to Macee. How could one live that way? Every day she was to wake up early and start her princess lessons. She was not keen on the idea of working with Charles, as he was constantly correcting her and Macee found it irritating.
“How do you feel about marrying my brother?”
Did she really want the answer to that? Macee asked herself. “I don’t even know him. Everyone is telling me how I should act and feel, but no one seems to care what I think. Prince or not, the idea of marrying a man I barely know scares me,” Macee stated, as she looked miserably at Katherine.
Katherine couldn’t help but feel sorry for Macee. It was clear that she didn’t want this and she couldn’t understand her brother’s insistence at going through with the wedding. She knew that her brother saw something in her that everyone else seemed to miss and she hoped he was right. Squeezing her hand, “It is understandable. That was another reason for you moving into the palace early. It gives the two of you a chance to get to know each other.”
“The prince is a busy man, there probably won't be enough time before the wedding,” Macee said miserably. She’d never even kissed a boy before and suddenly she was getting married. This was all too much.
“Well, I can vouch for him. He can be pretentious and conceited at times, but he has a good heart.”
Macee agreed with the fact that he seemed conceited. She may have had one conversation with him but he was not slow to reveal it. “I hope so,” she said.
As Katherine rose, she looked down at Macee. “He’ll be back later this week and you will have some time together. In the meantime, the seamstress will come by later to take your measurements for your clothes.”
Macee had a horrible feeling that the clothes were mostly going to be dresses and skirts. Those were the very types of clothes she avoided like the plague. She sighed deeply. This was going to be her life from now on.
“I shall call on you soon,” Princess Katherine told her as she left.
“I’d appreciate it,” Macee said. The princess smiled before she left. She stayed on the balcony with her hands on her hips. She did not know whether to be pleased with the fact that Prince Louis was out of town. On the other hand, she was not keen on speaking with him or spending time alone with him getting to know each other. Having him out of town delayed the reality. They did not have to act like a couple. However, Macee needed to get to know the man she was to marry and hopefully convince him not to marry her.
Chapter 7
It was a hard week for Macee. She had thought that Charles was difficult but he was nothing compared to Bridgette who had taken it upon herself to help the new crown princess. Macee could feel Bridgette’s dislike for her. Macee had not taken a liking to Bridgette either. She was too short-tempered and unfriendly. You would think that she was the queen by the way she acted.
Every single day, Macee woke early. Immediately following breakfast, she was to report to Bridgette and Charles for princess training. Learning the so-called graceful walk was not easy for Macee and Bridgette had quickly grown frustrated with her. When she spoke to the queen, she suggested finding a more suitable candidate who already had the basic training, but the queen refused. The preparations for the wedding celebration had already begun; there was no turning back now.
Macee couldn’t understand the point of many of the lessons, which she felt were useless. She was a science major; she couldn’t care less about history or geography. She didn’t see the point of memorising all those points on maps or historical dates, that’s what the internet was for. The seamstress had provided her with the beginning of her new wardrobe and she couldn’t stand it. Gone were her comfortable leggings and t-shirts. Instead, she was expected to wear calf-length pencil skirts with funny looking blouses or calf-length dresses. At the very least, the skirts forced her to slow down when she walked, but they were so uncomfortable.
She was relieved when the weekend finally came as she was allowed to sleep in and did not have to attend any lessons. Macee was grateful because her body and mind needed the rest. She tried to call Francesca, but was quickly rebuffed when her sister told her that she was too busy to talk. Macee called Liane immediately after.