Hey Kids,
Ferdinand
“Wakey, wakey, Fernancito!”
Fernán grunts tosses and turns under his 1500 thread count Egyptian cotton bed sheets and would roll his eyes if they were open. He feels Luci, his sphinx cat and best friend in the world, stretching besides him.
“Maudie, please, how many times have I asked you not to come in when I am not properly dressed? I am not a baby anymore,” he says calmly without opening his eyes or showing any intention of getting out of bed. “Besides, it’s too early and Sunday.”
“It’s eight in the morning, your highness, and you have to be at the IKPC assembly at nine thirty. You have overslept already!” Maudie squeaks at him and Fernán just grunts again in response. “I bring you your favorite apple streusel pancakes,” she says in a sing-song voice.
And at that Fernán is up sitting on the bed and smiling sweetly at her. Luci jumps on his lap.
“Okay,” he says as he pets Luci. “And please, I beg of you; don’t call me ‘your highness’. Ever. I’m Fernancito, yes?”
She rolls her eyes and smiles at him. “Yes, of course Fernancito. I’ll go get the tray.”
Maudie has been Fernán’s nursemaid since the moment he was born. She knows and pampers him like no one else in the world and he loves her the same way. Fernán has no idea what he would do without Maudie to look after him. He would probably die, wouldn’t last a week.
Fernán’s eyes shimmer when he sees Maudie approaching with his breakfast and starts munching on his pancakes as soon as the bed tray is over his lap. Luci is not happy with the food invading his cuddling space and hisses at Maudie. He has always hated Maudie. And everyone else that isn’t Fernán. He gives the cat a quick pat on the head.
Fernán then eats in silence for a while.
“What do you think I should wear?” he asks Maudie before gulping down his chocolate milk. She is busy preparing his bath.
“I, ah, well,” Maudie calls back from the bathroom where she is probably struggling to get the bath salts straight. “I guess just your court uniform will do, Fernancito.”
“Mhmm,” he retorts unsatisfied with her answer and gets up from bed taking Luci with him. “That is really boring Maudie.”
He strolls into his walk-in closet and Maudie follows.
“Can you get me my white flowered pants?”
“You know your mother made me take them away, your hi--,” she stops at Fernán’s raised eyebrows.
“Fernancito.”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Maudie, please, I will deal with my parents later. Do you have any idea how long it took Ikki to get the pattern right? I need them, Maudie.” He gives her the sad eyes and she complies.
“Fine. But you make sure your mother knows I did this under your orders and responsibility!” Maudie calls pointing at him, her other hand on her hip.
Fernán nods and smiles. “Of course, Maudie.”
He leans in to kiss Maudie’s forehead before letting Luci go, stripping down his pajamas and walking into the bathroom. He doesn’t need to look back to know that Maudie is shaking her head at him.
*
Fernán struts down to the assembly room wearing his skin-tight flowered pants and Luci walking by his side.
“Luci, I am telling you, dear old Duke Carroll was undressing me with his eyes! He wants this ass and he wants it bad. Not that I blame him or anything but he has a wife and kids. And he’s old,” he scrunches his nose.
Luci meows.
“Oh, not you too! You know I wouldn’t do that. Ew.”
The cat meows again and then takes a turn in the opposite direction leaving Fernán alone in the hallway.
Fernán frowns in his direction and calls after him, “Okay then, whatever, you couldn’t come in with me to the assembly anyways!”
“Bratty cat,” he mutters and continues the rest of the way alone.
He has no idea what else can be possibly discussed at the assembly when the Inter-Kingdom Peace Convocation has been planned for a year. Everything that had to be discussed has already been discussed, but with the Convocation happening within a week his parents and the entire committee are on edge and looking over the details over and over again. Fernán thinks it’s all very ridiculous and unnecessary. They are ready for this, there’s no way anyone can screw up.
The IKPC basically consists of the four neighboring kingdoms pillars of peace: Zhian, Gwandoya, Longstride and his own Delmar, gathering and signing a peace treaty that was last signed about one-hundred years ago. It has become necessary as consequence of increased friction between the nations for the past decade. After years of juggling with the idea, the four heads of state have agreed on the Convocation. They also thought it would be a good idea for it to last a week so everyone can get to know each other and their respective kingdoms through food, music and culture sharing, which is code for super-secret meetings between the kings.
As soon as he walks into the room all eyes are on him. Carroll’s very pointedly travelling him up and down and Fernán rolls his eyes and walks towards his parents. He kisses his mom on the cheek and pats his dad’s back before sitting down. As soon as he is seated they both turn to him and whisper at the same time. “What in the name of God are you wearing!” and “You are late!”
“What? How am I late? You said nine thirty, it’s nine thirty.” Fernán says addressing his mom.
His dad just shakes his head and rubs his brow.
“Yes! Meaning you should have been here at nine twenty-five! The latest!” answers the Queen of Delmar.
“What, is that like a new rule? No one told me about it,” Fernán says, his face expressionless.
His mother death glares him and his father sighs.
“What exactly are you wearing, Ferdinand?” he asks.
“You mean my pants? Do you like them?” Fernán smiles. “Ikki worked on the fabric for three whole months!”
The king, clueless, looks at his wife.
“Ikki, his textile manufacturer and dressmaker, you’ve met him,” she explains. “I thought I’d told Maudie to hide all your patterned pants.”
“I found them. She has no idea, please don’t tell her.”
At that moment someone clears their throat very loudly and Fernán’s parents are reminded of the assembly.
His mother stands up hurriedly and Fernán relaxes on his gigantic chair.
“Yes, very well, I apologize on behalf of my son and declare this assembly started.”
They start going on about the usual. Are the Dukes of Belinha ready to run the kingdom during the absence of the King, Queen and Prince? Yes, they have been for months now. Is the Delmarine cultural activity and peace offering ready to present to the other kingdoms? For the millionth time, yes. Is the Prince ready for his official presentation as suitor to the Princess of Longstride? Fuck.
Fernán who had been yawning and leaning down on his chair all through the assembly panics and sits up straight. Everyone is looking at him again. Fuck. How can a person forget that he’ll be asking for someone’s hand in marriage? Competing with another person for someone’s hand in marriage? A someone he barely even knows.
He clears his throat and tries to compose himself hoping that the fact that he has no idea how will he make the Princess want to marry him instead of the other guy (which is totally what he is expected to do by everyone in the room) is not showing much on his face.
“Ah, yes. Completely. I am completely ready. I have gone through the…uh, suiting ceremony presentation and um… is suiting a word? Suiting ceremony? Is that right?”
Fernán looks over and his parents are covering their faces in shame or in anger or both.
“Right, yes okay, the point is that I am ready and there is not a thing to worry about. Princess Lucasta will fall right into my arms at first glance!” Fernán squeaks overly optimistic everyone is still just staring and not saying anything so he continues.
“Uh, who wouldn’t right? I--,” At that point Fernán catches old Carroll’s desperately suggestive glance and just gives up sitting back on his chair.
His mother eyes him through her fingers and must see her son’s defeat so she stands up and dismisses everyone.
Fernán takes the first opportunity to get out of there unnoticed and leaves for his study. As soon as he closes the door behind him and sees Luci on his tower and a package delivery from Ikki on the table, he lets out a breath he didn’t even know was holding.
He walks to Luci grabs him and presses him to his chest.
“I can’t do this, Luci,” he tells him. “Any of it.”
And then as Fernán knew she would, his mother barges into the room.
“We are doomed!” she cries out. “Do you have any idea of what is at risk here? How important it is that you not screw this up and marry the Princess?”
Fernán walks to the table and fumbles with the package.
“That you, not Gwandoya, marry her?” his mother goes on.
He opens the package and grabs out a beautiful satin-like green fabric with a very pretty Victorian pattern.
“But mom, I’m confused; I thought we were signing a peace treaty. Why are fighting over a girl?”
The Queen growls out in exasperation. “She is not just a girl! Can you not act like five year old for just a little while? You can do so all you want once you’re married to Lucasta and the kingdom falls into her much more capable hands!”
His mom is screaming a lot and Luci is hissing at her like mad. Fernán does his best to not show how much her words hurt him and walks to the window and holds up the fabric to see how it looks against the light. It is gorgeous.
“Ferdinand! Are you listening to me?”
He turns around and smiles wide at her. “Yes, of course I am and mommy dearest, you are right I need to step up and I will. I promise you don’t have to worry about anything. We’ll be fine. We’ll be great.” He leans in to press a kiss on her cheek.
She looks hopeless and is about to say something but at that moment her husband walks in the room followed by Maudie.
“Father! We were just settling how everything will go just dandy! And I am very sorry about what happened at the assembly, it won’t happen again. I promise.” He smiles at them.
“Now if you all excuse me I need to go check on the phones to make sure they are all busy voting tonight, I would really hate it if things go like last year. I refuse to have Natalie Pee named as this year’s Delmarine Idol.” He smiles again doing a little reverence and turns to leave. No one says anything. “Luci, let’s go babe!”
As he is walking out the door with Luci by his side, he hears his father telling his mother that they should’ve had more children and Fernán once again pretends and tries to convince himself that it doesn’t hurt him and keeps on walking.
Fernán grunts tosses and turns under his 1500 thread count Egyptian cotton bed sheets and would roll his eyes if they were open. He feels Luci, his sphinx cat and best friend in the world, stretching besides him.
“Maudie, please, how many times have I asked you not to come in when I am not properly dressed? I am not a baby anymore,” he says calmly without opening his eyes or showing any intention of getting out of bed. “Besides, it’s too early and Sunday.”
“It’s eight in the morning, your highness, and you have to be at the IKPC assembly at nine thirty. You have overslept already!” Maudie squeaks at him and Fernán just grunts again in response. “I bring you your favorite apple streusel pancakes,” she says in a sing-song voice.
And at that Fernán is up sitting on the bed and smiling sweetly at her. Luci jumps on his lap.
“Okay,” he says as he pets Luci. “And please, I beg of you; don’t call me ‘your highness’. Ever. I’m Fernancito, yes?”
She rolls her eyes and smiles at him. “Yes, of course Fernancito. I’ll go get the tray.”
Maudie has been Fernán’s nursemaid since the moment he was born. She knows and pampers him like no one else in the world and he loves her the same way. Fernán has no idea what he would do without Maudie to look after him. He would probably die, wouldn’t last a week.
Fernán’s eyes shimmer when he sees Maudie approaching with his breakfast and starts munching on his pancakes as soon as the bed tray is over his lap. Luci is not happy with the food invading his cuddling space and hisses at Maudie. He has always hated Maudie. And everyone else that isn’t Fernán. He gives the cat a quick pat on the head.
Fernán then eats in silence for a while.
“What do you think I should wear?” he asks Maudie before gulping down his chocolate milk. She is busy preparing his bath.
“I, ah, well,” Maudie calls back from the bathroom where she is probably struggling to get the bath salts straight. “I guess just your court uniform will do, Fernancito.”
“Mhmm,” he retorts unsatisfied with her answer and gets up from bed taking Luci with him. “That is really boring Maudie.”
He strolls into his walk-in closet and Maudie follows.
“Can you get me my white flowered pants?”
“You know your mother made me take them away, your hi--,” she stops at Fernán’s raised eyebrows.
“Fernancito.”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “Maudie, please, I will deal with my parents later. Do you have any idea how long it took Ikki to get the pattern right? I need them, Maudie.” He gives her the sad eyes and she complies.
“Fine. But you make sure your mother knows I did this under your orders and responsibility!” Maudie calls pointing at him, her other hand on her hip.
Fernán nods and smiles. “Of course, Maudie.”
He leans in to kiss Maudie’s forehead before letting Luci go, stripping down his pajamas and walking into the bathroom. He doesn’t need to look back to know that Maudie is shaking her head at him.
*
Fernán struts down to the assembly room wearing his skin-tight flowered pants and Luci walking by his side.
“Luci, I am telling you, dear old Duke Carroll was undressing me with his eyes! He wants this ass and he wants it bad. Not that I blame him or anything but he has a wife and kids. And he’s old,” he scrunches his nose.
Luci meows.
“Oh, not you too! You know I wouldn’t do that. Ew.”
The cat meows again and then takes a turn in the opposite direction leaving Fernán alone in the hallway.
Fernán frowns in his direction and calls after him, “Okay then, whatever, you couldn’t come in with me to the assembly anyways!”
“Bratty cat,” he mutters and continues the rest of the way alone.
He has no idea what else can be possibly discussed at the assembly when the Inter-Kingdom Peace Convocation has been planned for a year. Everything that had to be discussed has already been discussed, but with the Convocation happening within a week his parents and the entire committee are on edge and looking over the details over and over again. Fernán thinks it’s all very ridiculous and unnecessary. They are ready for this, there’s no way anyone can screw up.
The IKPC basically consists of the four neighboring kingdoms pillars of peace: Zhian, Gwandoya, Longstride and his own Delmar, gathering and signing a peace treaty that was last signed about one-hundred years ago. It has become necessary as consequence of increased friction between the nations for the past decade. After years of juggling with the idea, the four heads of state have agreed on the Convocation. They also thought it would be a good idea for it to last a week so everyone can get to know each other and their respective kingdoms through food, music and culture sharing, which is code for super-secret meetings between the kings.
As soon as he walks into the room all eyes are on him. Carroll’s very pointedly travelling him up and down and Fernán rolls his eyes and walks towards his parents. He kisses his mom on the cheek and pats his dad’s back before sitting down. As soon as he is seated they both turn to him and whisper at the same time. “What in the name of God are you wearing!” and “You are late!”
“What? How am I late? You said nine thirty, it’s nine thirty.” Fernán says addressing his mom.
His dad just shakes his head and rubs his brow.
“Yes! Meaning you should have been here at nine twenty-five! The latest!” answers the Queen of Delmar.
“What, is that like a new rule? No one told me about it,” Fernán says, his face expressionless.
His mother death glares him and his father sighs.
“What exactly are you wearing, Ferdinand?” he asks.
“You mean my pants? Do you like them?” Fernán smiles. “Ikki worked on the fabric for three whole months!”
The king, clueless, looks at his wife.
“Ikki, his textile manufacturer and dressmaker, you’ve met him,” she explains. “I thought I’d told Maudie to hide all your patterned pants.”
“I found them. She has no idea, please don’t tell her.”
At that moment someone clears their throat very loudly and Fernán’s parents are reminded of the assembly.
His mother stands up hurriedly and Fernán relaxes on his gigantic chair.
“Yes, very well, I apologize on behalf of my son and declare this assembly started.”
They start going on about the usual. Are the Dukes of Belinha ready to run the kingdom during the absence of the King, Queen and Prince? Yes, they have been for months now. Is the Delmarine cultural activity and peace offering ready to present to the other kingdoms? For the millionth time, yes. Is the Prince ready for his official presentation as suitor to the Princess of Longstride? Fuck.
Fernán who had been yawning and leaning down on his chair all through the assembly panics and sits up straight. Everyone is looking at him again. Fuck. How can a person forget that he’ll be asking for someone’s hand in marriage? Competing with another person for someone’s hand in marriage? A someone he barely even knows.
He clears his throat and tries to compose himself hoping that the fact that he has no idea how will he make the Princess want to marry him instead of the other guy (which is totally what he is expected to do by everyone in the room) is not showing much on his face.
“Ah, yes. Completely. I am completely ready. I have gone through the…uh, suiting ceremony presentation and um… is suiting a word? Suiting ceremony? Is that right?”
Fernán looks over and his parents are covering their faces in shame or in anger or both.
“Right, yes okay, the point is that I am ready and there is not a thing to worry about. Princess Lucasta will fall right into my arms at first glance!” Fernán squeaks overly optimistic everyone is still just staring and not saying anything so he continues.
“Uh, who wouldn’t right? I--,” At that point Fernán catches old Carroll’s desperately suggestive glance and just gives up sitting back on his chair.
His mother eyes him through her fingers and must see her son’s defeat so she stands up and dismisses everyone.
Fernán takes the first opportunity to get out of there unnoticed and leaves for his study. As soon as he closes the door behind him and sees Luci on his tower and a package delivery from Ikki on the table, he lets out a breath he didn’t even know was holding.
He walks to Luci grabs him and presses him to his chest.
“I can’t do this, Luci,” he tells him. “Any of it.”
And then as Fernán knew she would, his mother barges into the room.
“We are doomed!” she cries out. “Do you have any idea of what is at risk here? How important it is that you not screw this up and marry the Princess?”
Fernán walks to the table and fumbles with the package.
“That you, not Gwandoya, marry her?” his mother goes on.
He opens the package and grabs out a beautiful satin-like green fabric with a very pretty Victorian pattern.
“But mom, I’m confused; I thought we were signing a peace treaty. Why are fighting over a girl?”
The Queen growls out in exasperation. “She is not just a girl! Can you not act like five year old for just a little while? You can do so all you want once you’re married to Lucasta and the kingdom falls into her much more capable hands!”
His mom is screaming a lot and Luci is hissing at her like mad. Fernán does his best to not show how much her words hurt him and walks to the window and holds up the fabric to see how it looks against the light. It is gorgeous.
“Ferdinand! Are you listening to me?”
He turns around and smiles wide at her. “Yes, of course I am and mommy dearest, you are right I need to step up and I will. I promise you don’t have to worry about anything. We’ll be fine. We’ll be great.” He leans in to press a kiss on her cheek.
She looks hopeless and is about to say something but at that moment her husband walks in the room followed by Maudie.
“Father! We were just settling how everything will go just dandy! And I am very sorry about what happened at the assembly, it won’t happen again. I promise.” He smiles at them.
“Now if you all excuse me I need to go check on the phones to make sure they are all busy voting tonight, I would really hate it if things go like last year. I refuse to have Natalie Pee named as this year’s Delmarine Idol.” He smiles again doing a little reverence and turns to leave. No one says anything. “Luci, let’s go babe!”
As he is walking out the door with Luci by his side, he hears his father telling his mother that they should’ve had more children and Fernán once again pretends and tries to convince himself that it doesn’t hurt him and keeps on walking.