It was a sunny morning in the royal palace. The princess has a lot in her schedule for the day, but she began the day as usual - not as a proper princess, instead she starts her day with light and plain clothes. They don't compromise her modesty, yet still allow her to move freely. Simple by any standard, compared to what she wears during the day.
As she was heading to the training grounds, her loyal servant and knight following behind, she inquired about her day. "Zhuzhu, tell me, what are the plans for the day?"
"Well my lady, after sparring with the royal princes as scheduled, we head for the small hall, where the King, you and the youngest youngest prince have breakfast together." She flipped a page of the scroll she carried.
"When you are done, you can expect your advisor to be waiting for you in the usual place. He told me it was about the ways of trade in the past and present, I think."
The princess scoffed, "He thinks I don't know that? Oh well, who knows I might learn the way of business today. I heard it keeps changing." Without looking back, she held her head high and continued walking.
Zhuzhu's tone shifted to a more formal tone. "At eleven, you are expected to receive the representative of the southern duke. The south requests your personal judgement, since you have shown how good of a mediator you can be, when you were studying in multiple noble houses in the south." This made the princess sigh. "Lately it feels like many noble houses I visited want me to fix their problems. What else?"
"Ah, yes," she got a little distracted by the princess' annoyance, "following that, there is correspondence to review and some documents to sign, minor trade requests, really." A fake cough from the princess. "They really are just a few this time, believe me, my Lady."
"You said the same two days ago."
"I mean it this time."
"During that time, we will prepare your favourite light meal, a steamed potato and some savoury snacks. And when you are done you can go to the royal library to read for an hour or so."
A Pause.
At half past three, you're scheduled to visit the herb gardens. The head herbalist said that the late Queen's favourite flowers are in full bloom."
Zhuzhu looked up to see if she was still listening.
"All right. The red ones right? You know I am bad at flower names." A giggle from the servant
"Yes my lady, the red ones." She looked at her scroll again. "Today's court assembly is on the late side, at five. You are expected to quietly observe and not to speak, unless His majesty invites you. At the end of the day you have your usual tea time with the royal sisters-in-law. Your favourite."
A smile appeared on the princess' face. "We have arrived at the royal training grounds." Zhuzhu went to fetch the princess' essentials for after her training and her knight went to train on his own with other knights of the royal army.
As she entered her usual area where the royal princes usually train with each other. The 11th prince Zephyrin, 12th prince Fenghao, 13th prince Haoran, Mireille's twin brother, 14th prince Yunhao and 15th prince Leonce. Who also gathered are the first sons of first prince Shenrui and second prince Caelan, Danjun and Kaijin.
The other guards greeted the princess formally, while she lifted her left hand and continued to walk to her family. "Greetings elder brothers, younger brothers and nephews." Prince Zephyrin approached her and rubbed her hair. "Brother Zephyrin what are you-" He laughed, "Stop being too formal when it is just us, no need to put up an example for the younger ones. The youngest is Kaijin, and to be fair our brother Leonce is pretty much a similar age."
"Brother Zephyrin, I can't help that I am the same age as Kaijun and younger than Danjun, stop bringing that up all the time." Prince Leonce said in a tired tone, which made his brother, prince Yunhao, lgive a mocking laugh, since that prince is only one year older than Danjun. He laughed with his arms crossed like a middle aged man, "Little sister, you and Haoran are only 21 but you already act like you are elders in the family." The twins pouted and sighed at the remark. "Says the man who is only 3 years older than them and unmarried." This remark that the 12th prince Fenghao said, made him flinch. "Woah he froze just like that." Danjun said. "Don't rub the fact that you got married last winter in my face all the time, Fenghao. I am ready to take you on right now, come on." The most elder prince amongst them unsheathed his blade. "Oh, I am not afraid of you Brother, I thought we had to wait all day to start our training. The 12th prince immediately took his stance to start their sparring match.
The princess chuckled, "Let us start as well, shall we. I think today our match-up should be Leonce and Kaijin, brother Haoran and Yunhao and Danjun and I." When all the younger ones replied in an understanding manner, Haoran just looked upon her. Princess, you just want to spar with Danjun, don't you?"
"Fighting all of you doesn't feel like a challenge, Danjun is stronger than all of you, I just wanted to spar with him today. And other than that, you're right." She gave a light jab with her elbow."
"Today I will win all the time against you!" declares Leonce. "Love to see you try!"
"Danjun, I will first warm up and come to you after that."
~~~~
"My Lady, we need to clean up before you have an audience with The King." Standing before her nephew with her sword, she wipes some sweat with the back of her hand. "Yes you're right, Zhuzhu. Make sure Kaelen is available after I am done cleaning up." The personal guard of the princess, Kaelen is already next to Zhuzhu, with a slight bow. "My Lady, I am available for your service." That made her look up. She put her left hand up. "Wow Royal Aunt, your knight is so cool."
"I know, but Danjun, you can easily reach his level soon as well, so you are cool too. Let's get going. I will leave, Brothers to continue my day, so don't overdo it." And she left the young men in her family.
"Did the two of you have breakfast already?" The princess asked her close servants, where the woman walked closely behind her and the man walked a little more behind. "Yes." they replied in unison. "My lady, the servants in the mansion already picked a dress for you so the only thing that is left is cleaning you up and doing your hair."
"Better to not keep them waiting then."
~~~~
The princess wore a silk gown in a soft toned yellow, A simple dress, but the dress whispered elegance with its layered fabric that followed behind. The hem sleeves contain embroidery of pale flowers. A dress what is supposed to give a casual look. But the way the Princess carries herself makes everyone aware of the presence of the Royal Princess. With her hair loosely gathered with the silver pin with short and thin laces on the end, the one she always wears. The Princess who is walking with a fan in her hand and carrying herself straight. She, with 10 servants in light pink shade court dresses following behind her, excluding Zhuzhu and Kaelen.
Her Royal Highness, Princess Mireille has arrived to meet with The King and 17th prince, Shengli.
"Greetings Father. Greetings Shengli."
"There is my lovely daughter, come take a seat my beautiful princess." She did as told. She sat as closely to The King as possible. Across her youngest brother. "Greetings eldest Sister." Her gaze softened at her 13 year old brother. "You're growing really well, no need to be shy, it looks like we have similar heights now." He smiled. "Yes Sister. I started my sword training this week, so I might come and train with you and our Brothers any day now." The King grinned, "Your 16th Brother doesn't even train with them yet, but who knows maybe you will soon."
"Does Ruilin still bully you, Shengli?" The princess asks in concern. "No Sister, he hasn't been doing that for years, he has grown up too, I think. He finally understands that it isn't my fault the late Queen passed." The mood got all down, the King spoke up. "If anything, if anyone hates you for it they should hate me even more. In the end it is me who made her bear 18 children. So if someone says that, tell them to hate me first and watch them shut up." The young Royals chuckled and the mood got lively again, and continued their meal.
~~~
"Greetings Princess, please take a seat, I will teach you about how trade has evolved until today."
As she sat down by the desk, she showed a smile. "Please enlighten me today."
~~~
"Just a rehearsal for me, my advisor is a smart man, but so boring at times." Mireille complained to her servant, while putting her closed fan at her head. "Please remind me again what was next, Zhuzhu."
"The matter of the southern Duke."
"Right." A long sigh followed.
"I agree, My Lady."
"As long as the Duke didn't send another marriage proposal for me to marry his son."
"I agree with that even more.
~~~
At her desk she saw her hill of documents. "Zhuzhu, what is this?"
"Correspondence and some documents, My lady."
"Why are there so many letters in here?"
"It's enough until your next engagement, and way less than last time." Zhuzhu putting up her smile for the Princess.
"Tell me it's almost the end of the day already."
"No My Lady, it's just past noon." Still grinning.
The princess lays her head on the table. "Leave."
"Yes, my Lady."
After looking at the letters she received, Mireille could conclude one thing and clicked her tongue. "These are either marriage proposals from wealthy families or tea parties that have that same goal in mind." She threw those to the side and started to work on the documents to oversee minor trade requests within the royal palace.
In absence of a Queen or other consort in court, the job of overseeing minor palace affairs has fallen onto the princess. Some of the eldest princes share this burden, but they handle in different subjects than her. Usually it's the head lady of a wealthy household's job to look into correspondence of their unmarried daughter. The Princess is currently pretty capable to do this herself.
"Greetings Your Royal Highness, we have prepared you a light snack for this afternoon." Maids came in her study, dressed in white, likely the neutral maids, who aren't assigned under any of the royal's mansions. These are usually kitchen staff, nurses, detectives or cleaners. "Thank you, you are dismissed." And so they left. "Oh wait headmaid." The one who did the announcement and looked a lot older than the young maids, who wore an embroidered belt, turned and slightly bowed. "See Zhuzhu and tell her I won't go to the library today."
"Yes, Your Highness."
~~~
The princess takes a stroll around in the herb garden, with her many servants behind her, admiring the scenery. As she walks, she meets two familiar faces, who are walking side to side. "Greetings brother Shuyin, Brother Zeyu. The princess greets the 4th and 9th prince with her head still held high. "I see you're taking a stroll today as well, dear sister of ours." Says the younger prince. "And looking elegant and flashy with your servants following you around." Says the fourth prince. "I guess you're right, how have you been brother Shuyin? I see your wife more than I see you." A smile appeared on the siblings faces. "Well I've been working hard to establish a good position for myself in court, so I have been accompanying our eldest brother Shenrui as of late. Today I was chatting with Zeyu about what it takes to be a good scholar. He just trains or reads books all day too, so he also needs this change of pace with the flowers our late mother adored." The princess giggles slightly. "Brother Shuyin, I do more than just that." He crosses his arms. "If you did, you might've already been married, just like Fenghao. Zeyu, you're five years his senior, aren't you a little ashamed of yourself?" The older prince shakes his head. "Like even the good for nothing of a man like Jinhai got married."
"But brother Rohan isn't married." Prince Zeyu tried to protest.
"That is a man who wants to be with any woman he sees. He has no dignity, don't compare your good natured self with a man who cannot keep it in his pants." Prince Shuyin doesn't want to go astray from this topic.
"Little princess, if you know a suitable woman for your brother, please let me know. Actually, many brothers, like Zephyrin, Haoran and Yunhao are also of age, find someone for them as well if you have time." Prince Shuyin looked with a stern look at his sister. "I'll try." She humbly said as she tried to suppress her laughter at this exchange. "Right, you're also meeting Seraphina in the evening right? Be good to her, she is still recovering from our baby, but she was super excited in the morning, because of your gathering." In concern of his wife he walked closer to his sister just to say that. "Of course, all of us are excited to have sister Seraphina with us today."
"Dear sister, we shouldn't hold you back from your stroll any further so we will go now. See you around." The 9th prince waved to Mireille as he slightly pushed his older brother to walk away. And the princess waved excitedly back.
"It's always lively with my brothers." Mireille chuckled while hiding her face.