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A hush falls over the room and both my grandparents look at me as though I'm speaking an entirely foreign language. Which, of course, I know I am because we're all speaking English and not Malveauxian—another thing I'm going to need to learn—but it's like they've never heard these particular words in this particular combination before.
“Is that glazing cakes, Madeline?” Grandmama asks.
“Windows, glass doors, pool fences. That kind of thing,” I explain.
“Well, all of those things are very useful, I'm sure,” Grandpapa pronounces and Grandmama agrees with a bright smile.
“I help out at Dad’s hardware store sometimes, too,” I offer, as though sharing that little nugget of information will sway them to see just how amazing my life back in Texas is.
“Oh. Hardware is another very useful thing,” Grandpapa says.
This is not going well.
“How about you two? What do you do? You know, other than…ruling…your…Kingdom,” I ask.
What do you do other than rule your kingdom? Shoot me now.
“Well, we do find that ruling the Kingdom takes up most of our time. Doesn't it, darling,” Grandpapa says.
“It does, although we do manage to fit in watching polo matches and maybe some television from time to time, not to mention we do so love spending time with the peafowl. Peacocks are the national bird, Madeline. They feature heavily in our history and on the royal crest,” Grandmama explains.
“On that note,” Grandpapa says as he rises to his feet. “We shall leave you to settle in. My dear?” He offers his hand to his wife.
I turn to Vladimir for my cue and he gestures for me to stand.
“Thank you so much for visiting. It's great to see y’all again,” I say.
“Y’all?” Grandpapa questions.
I grin at my grandparents, King Harald and Queen Maria, glad that this first meeting has gone well enough, and actually excited for what lies ahead. “I may need to take princess lessons, but you’re definitely going to have to learn how to speak Texan.”
Chapter 7
Maddie
“Good morning, your Royal Highness,” a bright, now familiar voice says as I hear the scrape of the heavy silk curtains being pulled open from my oh so comfortable bed. And when I say comfortable, I mean insanely comfortable. The mattress is soft, yet supportive, my head sinks into the pillow at just the right height, and the comforter is just that; deeply, deeply comforting.
I always suspected that a princess would get to sleep in total luxury, and now that I am a princess, I’m glad to report I was one hundred percent right.
I pull the covers over my head and try to form words, but they come out more as a grunt. Houston is a full seven hours behind Malveaux, and I should still be floating through the land of slumber without a single thought about having to get up and face the day.
But sadly for me, it hasn’t worked out that way.
“I've brought your American pancakes and bacon for your breakfast, as you requested,” Alice says briskly.
I pull the covers from my face enough to open one eye and peer up at her. She looks like she's been up for hours. Totally put together in her black and white uniform, her blonde hair in an elegant bun. She's holding a gold tray on which sits my breakfast, waiting for me to drag myself up into a less horizontal position.
I can't complain. I've never been woken up with breakfast delivered on a gold tray by a person singularly devoted to serving me, even if my body clock is telling me it's something like midnight.
I push myself up into a sitting position and lean back against the velvet headrest as Alice places my breakfast across my lap.
“Thanks, Alice. I'll try to be more awake tomorrow when you come in. Jetlag, you know?”
“No mind, ma’am. Your days are so full. Of course you need your sleep,” she says brightly.
“Alice, we’ve been over this. Call me Maddie.”
“Maddie. Of course, ma’am.”
