The Plain Princess
Gossip
Hundreds of years ago, the country of Duzelle was proud and strong – vivacious in all aspects. The king and queen were proud of the society they were able to cultivate, as well as the children they raised. In one of the cities neighboring the capital, gossipers speak lovingly of the two elder children on a dusty path.
“Prince Liam is the idol of all males. Come get your hair cut here to reproduce the prince’s iconic look! Women will flaunt after you just as they do the prince!” one barber shouted as people past his storefront.
A young woman scoffed at the man’s announcement. “Please! Prince Liam has the bearings of a king. He’s handsome and athletic – as if a simple haircut can make a man comparable to him!”
“You’re right, no one is equal to his highness, but a similar look is a little step closer!” the barber replied with a toothy grin.
“He’s also confident and kind to the people of the country. If you men want to be like him, copy his noble personality,” another lady spoke up, as she led her servant into the little pack of people. With green eyes and dark red hair, she was clearly a foreigner, yet she spoke with absolute fluency.
“You’ve met the prince?” a man questioned behind her.
“But of course, a lady speaks of what she knows, not what she imagines,” the noblewoman replied with masked arrogance. “He is a wonderful man, if it weren’t for his dislike of politics, Prince Liam would be the perfect future king.”
“Why hasn’t he found a bride, yet? Isn’t he almost 26 years of age by now?” a middle-aged man questioned, glancing at his pocket watch and wondering how much time he had to chat with the other townspeople.
“Actually, he is 27. I believe he just has not found the woman of his dreams yet,” she answered with a giggle.
“Is that so? What about the princesses? Is it true what they say?” another scruffily dressed man questioned eagerly.
“Yes, it is…” the woman replied with forged sorrow. “One is as beautiful as a rose in bloom, while the other is… the complete opposite. Personality-wise, Princess Griselda is much better company. She speaks much, but can be quite abrasive. She is also very intelligent and able to answer math problems twice as fast as most people. However she was wise to give that pursuit up for the more womanly appeals of the culinary arts and embroidery. Princess Arosia is rather quiet and difficult to understand. Rarely do I see a smile grace her face.”
“What a pity… not only is Princess Arosia cursed with plainness, but also with a distant personality. It must be especially difficult for her to have an older sister as perfect as Princess Griselda,” a woman murmured thoughtfully.
“She isn’t much older; Princess Griselda is twenty, while Princess Arosia is nineteen. Both are of marriageable age…” the noble trailed off.
“And who are you to know so much about the royal family?” an elderly man asked with suspicion and frailty in his voice.
“Why, I am a lady of the court, Lady Lilianna Beaumont.”
“Prince Liam is the idol of all males. Come get your hair cut here to reproduce the prince’s iconic look! Women will flaunt after you just as they do the prince!” one barber shouted as people past his storefront.
A young woman scoffed at the man’s announcement. “Please! Prince Liam has the bearings of a king. He’s handsome and athletic – as if a simple haircut can make a man comparable to him!”
“You’re right, no one is equal to his highness, but a similar look is a little step closer!” the barber replied with a toothy grin.
“He’s also confident and kind to the people of the country. If you men want to be like him, copy his noble personality,” another lady spoke up, as she led her servant into the little pack of people. With green eyes and dark red hair, she was clearly a foreigner, yet she spoke with absolute fluency.
“You’ve met the prince?” a man questioned behind her.
“But of course, a lady speaks of what she knows, not what she imagines,” the noblewoman replied with masked arrogance. “He is a wonderful man, if it weren’t for his dislike of politics, Prince Liam would be the perfect future king.”
“Why hasn’t he found a bride, yet? Isn’t he almost 26 years of age by now?” a middle-aged man questioned, glancing at his pocket watch and wondering how much time he had to chat with the other townspeople.
“Actually, he is 27. I believe he just has not found the woman of his dreams yet,” she answered with a giggle.
“Is that so? What about the princesses? Is it true what they say?” another scruffily dressed man questioned eagerly.
“Yes, it is…” the woman replied with forged sorrow. “One is as beautiful as a rose in bloom, while the other is… the complete opposite. Personality-wise, Princess Griselda is much better company. She speaks much, but can be quite abrasive. She is also very intelligent and able to answer math problems twice as fast as most people. However she was wise to give that pursuit up for the more womanly appeals of the culinary arts and embroidery. Princess Arosia is rather quiet and difficult to understand. Rarely do I see a smile grace her face.”
“What a pity… not only is Princess Arosia cursed with plainness, but also with a distant personality. It must be especially difficult for her to have an older sister as perfect as Princess Griselda,” a woman murmured thoughtfully.
“She isn’t much older; Princess Griselda is twenty, while Princess Arosia is nineteen. Both are of marriageable age…” the noble trailed off.
“And who are you to know so much about the royal family?” an elderly man asked with suspicion and frailty in his voice.
“Why, I am a lady of the court, Lady Lilianna Beaumont.”