Royally Flushed

The curtains were pulled around my bed, the sun shining through the window only enough to show shadows of my furniture and people if they were to enter my room. I sighed hoping I wouldn’t have to get out of bed this early today, but knowing I would have to get up anyway. Work was to be done, work always had to be done.

Not the normal work though. I’m not getting up to go work at a little café or restaurant. No, I had to help run a country. Not something you were expecting, huh? I was Princess Melissa. Some people believe being a princess is a dream come true. You get to go to the best parties, wear the most beautiful outfits, meet powerful people, marry one of those powerful people when you were ready, and live happily ever after. Well, it’s not a fairytale like people expect.

As a little girl, being a princess was the best thing ever, for all little girls it is. Soon though, those little girls grow out of the dream and find out life isn’t a fairytale. The reality for me was that I found that out but I found out in a sense that I would have to learn to run a country standing behind my parents, the King and Queen. The parties become “social appearances” , the dress fitting become boring, the people become fake, and the tabloid stories go haywire. Therefore, being a princess isn’t what everyone expects it to be making me no Cinderella or Snow White or whatever Disney Princess little girls grow up idolizing. What I wanted more than anything was to be a normal nineteen year old girl, but that was highly unlikely to happen.

I sighed as I heard the door open and the clacking of heels against the hardwood floor. I saw a figure outside the curtain and prayed it wouldn’t open. Slowly the freshly manicured hands reached around the thin fabric and pulled it back revealing my mother in a baby pink dress and blazer with matching heels and a bright smile on her made up face.

“Good morning, Melissa! You must be getting out of bed. Appearances are to be made, papers to be signed, and parties to plan!” She said in the happiest morning tone imaginable. I honestly didn’t know how she did it.

“Oh, mother, when isn’t there appearances to be made, papers to sign, and parties to plan? Can’t I have a day off please? I think I need it,” I pleaded with her, but of course to no avail.

“How will it look if your sister, Emma, is there and you aren’t?” She said to which I rolled my eyes. “Now, come on, get out of bed and get ready.” With that she left and I once again closed the curtain to my bed only to have them ripped open again by someone new.

“Good morning, Margret,” I welcomed. Margret was my maid and she helped me in the morning get ready. Not that I needed it but it was helpful to have that extra set of hands to help me out of bed.

“Good morning, Melissa,” She beamed. “How are you doing this lovely morning?” She was the kindest worker here, I got along with her since the moment I met her when I was five.

“I’m doing okay,” I sighed. “Not looking forward to the long work day ahead. When will I ever have time off?”

“When your son or daughter are taking the throne and you are just in the background,” She smiled handing me a glass of water and my vitamin. “You know, I love that sky blue dress on you, why don’t you wear that?”

“Okay, Margret,” I smiled at her, climbing out of bed and walking over to my wardrobe. I loved that dress as well. It was the most beautiful sky blue, stopped right above my knee, showed a bit of skin in the back but came right below neck in the front, and had short sleeves. I pulled it on as Margret zipped the back then I slipped on the matching heels.

“Your mother, father, and sister are in the dining room waiting for you to have breakfast,” Margret said, standing by the door waiting for me. I nodded, standing up and following her out. We walked down the long hallways and long flights of stairs before ending up in the family dining room where my father was reading the paper and my mother and sister were having a conversation.

“Good Morning,” I smiled sitting down and pouring myself some coffee, I knew I would need it.

“Good Morning, Melissa,” My father said, finally putting down his paper as the servers came in and set our breakfast in front of us.

“Lissa, want to hang out today?” My little sister Emma asked. I was about to make a response when my mom cut me off.

“Oh, Emma, you know your sister can’t hang out, she has work to do and besides you have to come along too.” My mother smiled at me. I rolled my eyes at her answer. I barely ever got to hang out with Emma anymore. Even if I didn’t have any work to do, I wouldn’t be able to hang out with her, because that was the only time I could really hang out with Hannah, my best friend.

We ate in silence as always. Only making a comment for someone to pass the bread or butter then returning to eating. After breakfast we had to leave right away and get to work, as always. Charles, our driver, opened the door to the car and we all climbed in. Because I was the heir to the throne, I had to sign papers along with my parents and help them with laws. This was also considered an appearance so of course I had to go and which is why Emma had to as well. After signing multiple papers, enough to make my hand cramp up, we had to go to our party planner. Yes, our royal party planner. It was September meaning we had to start planning the Christmas ball.

“So, are we still doing the guest list in October and sending invitations out in November?” Maryann, the party planner, asked. My parents nodded. “Okay, and where will the party be held this year?”

“Well, we were thinking of splitting it between the main ballroom and the back of the palace,” My mother answered. “That way it will fit many guests.”

Maryann nodded and continued asking questions. I just sat there most of the time, trying to act like I wasn’t bored. It went on for another hour or two, questions were asked and answered, while Emma and I just sat there like moral support.

After we were done we headed back to the palace and I went straight to my room as I always did, and got myself a bath ready. I poured a bit of bubbled bath in and went back into my bedroom to fetch my towel and noticed a new message on my phone. Having a cellphone was a privilege and the only privacy I actually got outside of my room. I noticed it was from Hannah and quickly opened it.

“There’s a concert I know you want to go to. We’re sneaking out tonight, be ready at 9.” It read. I smiled and quickly texted her back and closed my phone. This was a regular thing, I would always sneak out, usually around 9 as that was the time most of the guards left and my parents were asleep.

After placing my phone back on my night stand I went back into the bathroom to relax. After a long day of work this was a pleasure. Now I only had a few more hours until I was out of here and actually able to have some fun.