The guards at the gate verified your identity, and then transferred you and your belongings from your family's carriage to one allowed past the gates. They were a bit stiff, but not impolite, and you said your farewells to those that had seen you through your long journey.

The carriage ride within the palace grounds wasn't long, but you would only walk upon entry or exit if you weren't nobility of some manner. To fall to such disgrace was considered by some among the upper class to be worse than walking to the gallows.

The Palace grounds are beautiful. The style of Goa has a little more flourish than Lulusia, but your Uncle had said it was for the gems to shine, not the castle. Goa's castle might not shine, but it was well-maintained, and the landscape was pleasant. It was in better condition than the rest of the city, but that wasn't unexpected.

Palace grounds weren't just a symbol of a given kingdom, but also a last bastion should the kingdom come under attack. Maintenance was the first step to being certain everything was sturdy and that there weren't any weaknesses to be exploited.

It was, for better or worse, all you could say about it. There was something generic about it all that gnawed at the back of your mind. There was no sense of Goa's history in anything that you saw. None of the buildings, nor any of the gardens, had a sense of self to them. It was like looking at a dollhouse someone made based off what they believed a castle should look like.

Getting down from the carriage was the first sign something was amiss. Instead of being aided by the captain of the royal guard, or even the prince himself, a butler helped you alight from the carriage.

"My lady, I am Chabo, the head butler of the Prince's palace. Please allow me to escort you." He says kindly.

"Certainly," you reply as evenly as you can.

It will do no good to unleash your concerns on him, but for not a single member of the royal family to be present upon your arrival is unsettling at the least. You had provided ample notice to the castle about your progress, and had sent an additional message first thing in the morning. You hadn't even left the inn until after lunch, with the intention - the stated intention - of arriving with sufficient time before dinner to show proper courtesy.

Yet, there was no one here save the butler, a couple of unarmed knights to help with your luggage and a couple maids. It wasn't as though the entire royal family was required to greet you, but the Crown Prince should have at least been here.

"Prince Sterry sends his regrets for being unable to receive you." Chabo says as you walk. "It is unfortunate that the family is predisposed for the day. I have been instructed to show you to your room. Dinner will be brought up later this evening."

"... Very well," you reply as he leads you through Palace hallways. You are near to bursting with questions, but there was no sense in asking. Polite deflection, ignorance, true or feigned, was all you would easily get, and the butler wouldn't be worth the risk for anything more than that.

The best thing you could do was simply not cause any issues for him or the staff tasked with attending you. Impeccable behavior was going to be your only saving grace.

The butler brought you to a guest room. It was sizable, and like everything else so far it seemed to be right on the line of acceptable. Clean, and well-kept, but sparse and outdated. Not that either point bothered you personally, but among nobility such would be nothing short of an insult.

"If you need anything beyond the room, my lady, please feel free to inform one of the guards." The butler explained, holding a hand toward the door where both of the knights had positioned themselves after bringing your items into the room. "The maids will be available to assist you for whatever you need within the room."

"Thank you, Chabo." You state, turning toward him with a soft smile. "I would not want to impose upon the royal family, so I shall wait patiently until I am called upon."

You see his face crack a little, the stoic expression nearly giving way to something like surprise before he bows. "Your understanding is appreciated."

Once the butler left, the maids offered to help you get cleaned up and changed. You had bathed in the inn yesterday, but there was a big difference between that and what the maids would provide, so you accepted the offer.

The hot bath was useful in helping to keep your nerves calmed, and it was easier to get dressed with assistance than on your own. After they were done it was nearly dinner time. You were provided a warm meal and some tea, and after that you requested a book or two to read for the remainder of your evening.

You dismissed your maids, assuring them that you could get prepared for bed on your own, but you would appreciate their assistance in getting ready the next day. It wouldn't do to be summoned by the King or someone else in the family only to be struggling with your petticoats.

All you could do for now was breathe. You weren't sure what was going on, but any slight, any complaint, any negative expression from you was going to be exploited. Of that you were certain.

You hadn't needed to walk on eggshells back home, but you had ample practice in doing so. It had been a personal choice and a conscious effort on your part, which took some of the sting out of it now.

"Yer precious lil' Prince can't even-."

You sigh. Now you really wish you knew what it was that the Crown Prince couldn't do. It would be best right now to simply assume he couldn't do anything, and wait until each capacity of his was verified or denied before you said anything regarding it.

No assuming he could sire children, no assuming he could fight with a sword, or had any academic capacity. Considering it was commoners talking about it, it was probably something far more difficult to keep secret.

Chewing on the possibilities and frustrated at your capacity to logically narrow them down, you got ready for bed and did your best to rest. Being sleep-deprived could lead to irritability, and you couldn't afford to be anything but at your best tomorrow.