We were pulled around the room by a constant stream of people who all seemed to want their moment with the prince and his new almost-princess. I was used to talking to people and didn't mind a good party, but even I was exhausted by the time we finally reached the refreshments.

I bet everyone else was tired of me, too, because all I could talk about was the weather and myself. I'd have to get Janet to give me some facts or current events about Montalivet at some point, so I could be more entertaining at parties. I couldn't even answer what my favourite part of the country was!

As we extracted ourselves from the last group of guests, I was finally standing face-to-face with the food. The man doling out the miniscule sandwiches wore a very fancy uniform and picked everything up with an extremely small set of gold tongs, so I didn't have much hope of actually getting anything real to eat.

I leaned close to Clarence and whispered so no one could hear me. "Is there a way to get any actual food out of this guy or do I have to eat square inches all evening?"

He shook his head and smiled. Turning to the waiter, he pointed at the sandwiches. "We'd like four please."

The waiter bowed his head. "Of course, Your Highness."

"So the secret is to ask them, then?"

"Yes, it's a very difficult royal custom to master, I know."

Look at him making jokes.

I laughed more loudly than I intended, and felt the eyes of the room turn towards me. Something about being watched all the time made a party a lot less fun.

The waiter handed the sandwiches directly to me and I thanked him, carefully taking small bites in case a camera caught me.

When someone came up and tapped my shoulder, my muscles tensed and I tried to keep a neutral expression as I turned around. I was tremendously relieved to see Princess Madeline standing there. At least that means one less conversation about the weather or the palace.

I finished chewing as I curtseyed. "Hello, Princess Madeline. What brings you here?"

"I'm here for Mummy," she answered to me, but turned her face to Clarence. "We are all requested in the drawing room for the official royal portrait."

I looked at Clarence, who seemed apprehensive.

"Oh, don't worry about me." I smiled. "Now that I know the secret to getting food here, I'll be just fine on my own."

"That's not--" he sighed. "Madeline, please let mother know I will be there momentarily. I must speak to Genevieve first."

Her eyes darted between the two of us, but she curtseyed and left.

A young boy and his father approached us before Clarence had the chance to explain, so I didn't ask, instead choosing to focus on the young boy.

"How is your evening?" I asked him, crouching down so I could look him in the eyes. "Are you having fun?"

The smile already plastered on his face grew even larger and his eyes twinkled in the light of the room. "Oh yes, Ma'am. I've never been any place so fancy in my whole life!"

I chuckled a little. All four years of it?

"You know, I don't think I've been anywhere this fancy in my whole life, either." I smiled at him.

His eyes grew wider. "Really?"

I nodded. "Really."

"Ma'am your dress is beautiful," he sighed, stepping towards me as his father held him back by the shoulder.

"Thank you," I said to the boy, standing to give him a better view of the shiny gold material and swishing it around a little bit with my arms. Once he looked sufficiently impressed I crouched back down and asked, "And what's your name?"

I looked at Clarence, who didn't seem to object to my engaging with the boy.

"I'm Emil." he wiggled under his father's hand and I realized he was trying to hug me.

"It's all right," I said to his father.

"It's nice to meet you, Emil." I smiled at him while his father looked at Clarence. When Clarence nodded, the man let go of his son who bounded towards me and wrapped his tiny arms around my neck.

"I'm so excited to meet a real life princess!" he sang, his little hips shaking in a dance as he backed away from our hug. I knew I should correct him, but crushing a little boy's joy wasn't on my to-do list, so I let it rest, hoping no one would write about it in the papers.

He stopped dancing and stepped back beside his father, bowing towards Clarence.

"It is truly an honour, Your Highness," the father spoke first to Clarence and then to me, "Ma'am."

With another quick bow, the pair disappeared into the crowd, the little boy's blond hair bouncing through the people as they walked away.

"If the only subjects I ever had to meet were children--" I looked up at Clarence-- "I think I'd be much better at this job."

"You are good with them. I won't argue with you there." He laughed and then ate the last bite of his sandwich, setting the plate down on a nearby table. Does that mean he thinks I'm bad at this job?

When he returned to me with his hand extended, I couldn't spend any more time dwelling. I could feel the keen eyes of everyone in the room watching me to see what I would do with Clarence's offer. And I was smart enough to know that even a perceived slight would be noticed, so I wasted no time placing my hand in his.

We had taken no more than three steps when I remembered where he was going. "Wait, aren't you going to your portrait? I could just stay here and eat something while you're gone, remember?"

"Yes. We are going for our portrait," he corrected me. "And it's far less busy there anyway so you'll like it."

He had to drag me for a few steps until my feet caught up with his request.

"I'm not in the family and I certainly shouldn't be in the portrait!" I whispered sharply. "If you remember, I'm not really going to become the princess. You want this moment officially memorialized forever?"

He pointed to a photographer in the corner. "It's already memorialized forever."

He had a point there. What am I doing?

He waved to a young boy nearby and then leaned in to whisper in my ear, "And I do want it officially memorialized forever."

How could I argue with that? I picked up my dress with my free hand and walked beside him through the doors and into the hallway.

"Thank goodness!" Princess Madeline stood up from a stool when she saw us coming. "I did not want to go back there without you," she said, pointing to the doors across the hall. "But I also didn't want to go back in there to find you." She pointed at the ballroom we had just left.

I smiled at her frazzled face. "Used to having to chase after your brother?" I teased.

"You have no idea," she answered. "If this royalty thing ever falls through, I'm putting babysitting experience on my resume."

I tried not to laugh, but a giggle escaped my lips anyways.

"Are you finished?" Clarence interrupted us, his eyes firm. "We have a portrait to sit for."

I sobered up immediately. He's right. I'm here to work.

"Yes." Princess Madeline rolled her eyes. "We are ready, your Royal Highness." She dragged the title out to mock him, but if he was annoyed, his face did not betray him.

Clarence nodded at the men standing by the doors. "Then let's go in, shall we?"

I took his arm and followed him into the room where the king sat, red faced, on a large throne in the middle of the room.

"About time you got here," his deep voice echoed throughout the room.