Chapter 13.5: Cecilia.
Kein's POV
"Please lead us to her highness, Lady Cecilia." (Lord Vincent) asked a butler who bows and leads us in the hallways.
It was hard not to stare around the palace. There were a LOT of things that I know I can never ever have. These vases would be worth thousands of Gold and if I break anything valuable, I'll be Haruhi from Ouran High school club but sadly there's no Host Club on this one.
Man, I need another season of that anime. I miss it.
I'll most likely get executed in my time here if I'm not careful.
Okay Kein, don't break anything.
While walking around appraising the fancy looking furniture, relics, and designs. I noticed the other maids, staffs that were roaming around the hallway were glancing around me. They looked away once they met my gaze and acted like nothing happened. "Huh..."
Well... I did hear from Lord Vincent that my attire was not proper, I went with my work clothes, my shoes are not appropriate, and is my hair messy?
Honestly I just came here to paint and didn't think I would need to wear something... uh formal. I'm not one to wear a dress and heels. Heels hurt… with their pointy bottoms it will be hard to balance oneself.
"Kein, let me ask again. What do you call the first princess?" (Vincent) asked as he walked beside me.
"Um, call her your highness?"
Vincent nods, "Remember not to say anything rude, not to do something improper, don't burp, don't have such bad posture, don't have a loud voice, don't ever ask something personal, and don't-" (Vincent)
"Let me guess. Don't breathe next?"
I gave him a deadpan face as he sighed, "Take this seriously, Kein. Getting you a visit to the royal palace wasn't easy. Thankfully, her highness. Princess Cecilia agreed for you to paint her in a portrait." (Lord Vincent)
"Isn't that generous of her?" I told Lord Vincent, remembering the breathtaking dance again, my hands itching to paint once more. "She must be an amazing person who works hard huh."
He stops for a moment before he turns to me face serious, "That may be true but her personality is a bit... strict." (Lord Vincent)
"Ah. I see."
I scratched my head now unsure if I made the right choice.
'Kein is it worth painting a princess who you very much know can get you executed in a matter of seconds? Just because you burped?' I thought to myself thinking the worst of the first princess.
I mean is it too early to tell? Ugh now my hands are even nervous to paint a totally mysterious person. I need to meet her quickly.
"Are we there yet?"
"No." (Lord Vincent)
"Are we there yet?"
"...No." (Lord Vincent)
"I mean... Are we there yet?"
"For the last time no." (Lord Vincent)
"Are you sure?"
"If you don't stop talking we're turning back, Kein." (Lord Vincent) was serious this time so I gave up asking.
"Apologies- I'll stop now." I obediently just followed them now without asking any questions.
The butler in front of us looked constipated and nervous when he heard us talking with one another. Hey buddy mind you own ears, don't eavesdrop. I groaned inside as the walk felt like forever and my heart kept pounding on the excitement of wanting to paint a for sure masterpiece.
I hear Lord Vincent sigh as he turns to me, the butler stopping in a white door, "We are here my lord."
"Thank you. I can take over from here now." (Lord Vincent) excused the butler and he went on his way to probably continue his work and report back to the maids for gossip. He's going to be ambushed somewhere, I guarantee that.
He looked at me, eyes piercing my existence. "Do. Not. Say. Something. Improper."
Well, after all what he did today. I guess he helped me, the least I could do is comply. "Promise I won't say anything weird. I just need to paint here then I'll be out like in a flash."
Lord Vincent's body relaxes and his eyes are filled with worry. "I trust you. In any case I have to go and erm... talk to the other royal family so will you be alright being alone with the first princess?"
Well if you mean behavior wise yes. "Yep I will. Now I don't want to occupy your time. You should get going then, Lord Vincent."
"Alright. See you before sundown." (Lord Vincent)
He smiles and waves as he leaves, his figure disappearing into the hallways.
I was now left alone, I slapped my cheek softly to prepare myself to meet the first princess. "Ow... right I forgot Madelyn gave me a burn in my right hand..."
She might have actually broken my wrist too I just didn't notice... but I know it'll heal soon enough. "What horrible luck I have."
.-.-.-.-.-.
I knocked on the door with my left hand. I should reserve my right hand for painting only for now... I waited but there was a few seconds of silence before I decided to call out to the door.
"May I come in umm...your highness?"
"Yes, please come in."
I opened the door a little slow because I wasn't used to my left hand doing the things I normally deal with but I can manage.
I went inside and closed the door behind me. I saw a girl wearing a shawl that covered half of her face but not her gray eyes. Those eyes... are somehow similar to Rose now that I look at it...
"The light greets your presence, traveling artist." (Princess Cecilia) curtsied as her hands folded together.
"Ah yes um..." I awkwardly bowed not knowing what to do. "I am glad the light greets me, your highness."
Her eyes widened and the tone of her voice in question, "Are you unfamiliar with the greeting of the light?" (Princess Cecilia)
My face became red with embarrassment as I nod awkwardly. "I apologize if I did something wrong. I am not really well educated in such criteria."
Is it bad that I'm really worried that I'll go to jail if I make one wrong move? Me? Who has a clear jail record back on earth! Surprisingly. I have a good reason for being afraid of jails though but maybe that's another story for another time.
"To greet another person, to a shrine maiden. You kneel to them." (Princess Cecilia) explained and I followed.
I kneeled in a comfortable position and was mindful of my right hand making sure it's out of the way for now. "What's next, your highness?" I ask.
"Then you say, greetings to her highness. If it's to me or any of the royal family if you ever come across them." (Princess Cecilia)
I sighed in relief finally knowing what to do, "Greetings to her highness."
"You may rise."
I rose from my knees, and introduced myself, "My name is Kein Rosenguard, your highness. Thank you for accepting my request to be my muse for the day."
"The pleasure is all mine, I have heard from Lord Vincent that you won the Lumineria Festival painting ceremony. My father agreed out of curiosity. Of course, there are guards at every station that will guard your every move in case you do something out of line." (Princess Cecilia) smiled as she motioned into the room.
Yikes, now that I look around she was right. There was about ten guards but honestly they're expecting some sort of assassination from a kid? That's messed up, but I honestly can't blame them.
"I um... I get the message thankfully I'm not here to hurt anyone."
"As it is a sin to hurt others. The light will give such divine punishment to those who commends others' pain and suffering." (Princess Cecilia)
She's such a passionate church character. She smiles at me before offering a seat, "Please sit down as the maids prepare us some brewed tea." (Princess Cecilia)
I nod awkwardly as I sit down on the comfortable, soft, fluffy couch- oh my I need one of these! But I know these are expensive. Damn royals with their loaded money. I crossed my arms for a moment as the thoughts ran through my mind.
"May you fill me in with how you will paint me? It is my first time getting a portrait. I must make sure it is perfect." (Princess Cecilia) says as she looks at me expectantly.
"You just need to be yourself, your highness."
"Being myself is simply not enough. Do you not have any advice in order for me to act properly as you paint me?" (Princess Cecilia)
A perfectionist.
The maid perfectly comes in holding a tray of tea, she settles the tray into a table with biscuits in tow as the maid hands me my tea.
"Um thank you." I tell the maid as I take a sip. I look at the princess trying to find the right answers or else I might get in trouble for even offending a royal, "For your question there your highness, many artists paint differently. I use people's emotions in my work, meaning I need to see the real you to make the perfect portrait of yourself."
And I know that's going to be a hard mission to crack.
"The real me..." (Princess Cecilia) takes her time on the thought.
"Yes, the real you." I take a sip of my tea again, finishing it as I set it down the table. "I want to see and feel the real you."
Princess Cecilia eyed me weirdly before smiling, "That's quite a bold statement."
"I have my moments." I placed a hand on my mouth for a moment not knowing where the hell did that confidence came from?
Weird, I no longer feel nervous... The only side effect is I feel like telling everything that's on my mind.
Don't tell me...
I looked towards the tea that I drank before.
"That tea isn't just any normal tea isn't it?" I told her, feeling stupid that I fell for such an easy trick. Ugh, did I get drugged by some sort of honesty potion or something?
The princess smiled even wider as she asked her next question, "Are really on here to paint me and nothing else? You don't have a knife anywhere with you?" (Princess Cecilia)
I grit my teeth. My mouth moved on its own as I answered, "I have no knife, I am not here not to hurt anyone but to satisfy my spark of inspiration the moment I saw you, your highness."
My eyes met her shocked gaze. She smiled as she turned to everyone else in the room, "May everyone get out and leave me alone with her?"
The guards looked at each other startled at the order, "Y-Your highness... if we leave you alone with her-"
"We made her drink an honesty potion so please, I believe she's a harmless person only here to truly paint me. I need some privacy with that." (Princess Cecilia)'s voice was sweet as the other guards couldn't refuse her, the maids left as well.
Not long enough we were alone. "Wow. Color me impressed by how you handled that, your highness." I chuckled, feeling like not giving a care in my words now after drinking that tea.
Remind me not to drink or eat anything else the next time someone offers something to me.
"Man do you guys even have an antidote or something. Sooner or later I'm afraid I'll be a cussing machine." I told the princess and she nodded.
"Forgive me, I almost forgot. The biscuits were the antidote, please take one." (Princess Cecilia) points at the biscuits. I shrugged and ate one.
"Guess taking off the effect might take a while." I sighed, well at least it wasn't poison but I was still pissed off by the fact I was tricked in the end and I can't stop telling the truth.
Princess Cecilia smiles at my direction, honestly does she not ever smile? "Why did you decide to choose me to paint then? You can continue from your spark of inspiration. I want to know the reason why."
The potion's effect not leaving my mouth moved, "The way you danced back at the festival just got me captivated, my hands kept thinking of your figure and how I was itching to paint you, your highness."
"Oh?" (Princess Cecilia) laughs. "I just think by getting to paint someone from the royal family will make you overly popular, and would take advantage of it. Am I right?" she gave me a smug look as if completely figuring out the whole reason I was here.
Hahhh what a stubborn person. Is she that suspicious of me?
Sure I might like the thought of money but for survival and nothing else. "Your highness, even if you weren't part of the Royal family. I would still ask you to be my muse for my work even if just this once."
I stood up from my seat, I took out my canvas stand carefully and placed it somewhere near us. I took out my brushes, paint, and my left over gray coating. "A commoner, noble, or Royal. I would find a way to ask you to be my model. You were beautiful performing the Mistral dance, I couldn't take my eyes off the performance. The song that accompanied you even got stuck in my mind."
I gave her a reassuring smile. "You remind me of someone." I told her as I grabbed a hold of my brush carefully trying to mind my burn on my right hand.
Princess Cecilia watches me curiously as I dip my brush into water and then to my gray coating before covering the entire canvas with it. "It was someone who didn't trust anyone because everyone expected her to be perfect. She even hated me and thought I was trying to take advantage of her when I couldn't ignore her in pain."
The princess crosses her arms adorably, seemingly offended, "What makes you think this person and I are the same?" (Princess Cecilia)
"For me I think it was because you both danced. She was in a well off family, she was the eldest child, and she was going to inherit a lot of things. She was a little older but... you two were definitely similar." I chuckle, remembering my student before my time on earth. A perfectionist and saw adults as people that would take advantage of her just because of her status.
Her gray eyes looked into my blue eyes, "Her feet were always swollen, and she worked hard for the sake of impressing everyone. She danced all day and night. I would see a door open to a room late at night as I saw her dancing her routine."
I could see her grit her teeth as she looked away a little impatient, "May you get to the point already, traveling artist? You're going in a jumble."
"Actually I forgot what I was talking about then, oopsie." I told her as I continued on sketching her with a light pencil. "Ah, is it alright if you take off your shawl, your highness?"
She takes her shawl off slowly, revealing long white silver hair that shone with the light. I was distracted by how beautiful she was and how much of a pure maiden she must be but not while she's mad though, "There I removed my shawl, but what do you mean forgot? You can't possibly forget it right away-" (Princess Cecilia)
"Getting curious, your highness?"
"I mean- I actually do not wish to know. How long will this take?" (Princess Cecilia) huffed at her crossed arms.
"A few hours so please keep that posing position." I told her pointing at the way she crossed her arms, I smiled. "It's very you, your highness. You don't need to hide your true self to me. I think I understand what you're going through."
She scoffs at her polite demeanor completely disappearing, she was finally showing her true colors. "A mere commoner understanding the pains of a princess? Preposterous." (Princess Cecilia)
"Yes, yes... this commoner doesn't get it, just don't move too much."
She did the opposite of what I told and made a bunch of different poses to annoy me. I sighed as it was hard telling her what to do but in the end she settled down, the first princess. In other's eyes people might think of her as responsible, well mannered, and just a sweet little angel on the outside but I know.
There's a little kid trapped deep inside her. An adventurous one at that.
What I was to continue before, my former student and the first princess were both forced to grow up fast with the eyes of others watching her every move. "You're actually a fun person inside, your highness."
"Y-You... It seems the potion has still not taken effect. You're still saying nonsense." (Princess Cecilia)
"Since when the truth became nonsense?" I told her and she kept changing her position making it hard to paint her, "Hey stop moving. Do you hate it that much when others compliment you?" I scolded the princess and got away with it.
I'm the luckiest person ever. I did promise Lord Vincent no cussing, so no cussing.
"Mother and Father told me to become a role model for both of my sisters. Rosarie and Catherine. If I don't act properly, they'll both turn rogue." (Princess Cecilia) frowns.
It's the first time she has frowned over the time I was here. Usually she can keep up a nice smiling façade someone like her has their own limits.
I tried chuckling, lightening up the mood, "I'm guessing your parents compare you a lot to your other sisters huh. You are a good role model and the others have to follow you, be good and all that."
The princess nods, "Was it that obvious?"
"Well, if you didn't tell me about it. I wouldn't have known. Don't worry I'm not really one to spill anything especially if it's royal family related." I told her as I was almost finishing up on the last touches of the sketch.
"I've seen a lot of situations like yours, the parents compare their misfit kids to the best kid and usually the kids definitely rebel or hide a lot more secrets no one knows."
"So meaning my sisters are doing something horrible behind my back? Well you're not wrong." (Princess Cecilia)
"Don't worry, your highness. I'm pretty sure nothing like that, but surely something like having no guards when you go out, playing with other children, and many more innocent things I tell you. Something like to experience what it's like to have fun." I told her and she relaxed but her frown was still there.
"In this castle, I'm aware we are not like any other children. We are the light princesses. It is our duty to marry someone out of higher power, provide an heir, and I... would be first in line to the throne." (Princess Cecilia) gazed at me with a wistful look in my eyes.
I stopped painting, placing my brush at the canvas stand as I kneeled in front of her.
"It's okay to be upset about it, you know. Do you want to be Queen someday?" I ask her and her eyes lit up with the mention of it.
"With everything, I would do everything to be Queen and help our people but... the thought of marrying someone to make sure of my succession- it scares me. I'm tired of it." (Princess Cecilia)'s hand shivered as she thought about the image of it.
"Why are you scared, your highness?"
"You wouldn't understand, traveling artist. I am unsure of my feelings so perhaps it's not worth hearing." (Princess Cecilia)
pαпdα Йᴏνê1,сòМ I took her hand in mine slowly, it was covered in paint, even my right hand that was bandaged. I was unsure at first but I know she might need more than words right now.
The princess hesitates at first but she lets me hold them, "Your highness, even if you're not sure or not. Your feelings matter and it would really feel good to let all of it out instead of bottling them up inside."
The princess rests her hand on mine, "If you're not ready then perhaps next time. Just know you're not alone. I'm sure your family and friends will be there for you." I told her.
"I don't have any friends." (Princess Cecilia) muttered the tone of her voice was sad.
Ughhhh I am weak to things like that don't make me do it-
"I erm, can be your friend if you'd have me. Your highness." Welp there we go I said it. Agh, really Kein? You simpleton who can't even ignore a lady's cry or a sad smile.
The princess chuckled as she stood more straight, "Please, call me Princess Cecilia then."
"Already on a first name basis huh on the first day? Princess Cecilia, you call me whatever you'd like then." I told her without thinking. "Ah sorry, the potion has not worn off yet."
"I-Is it alright if I call you by your first name?" (Princess Cecilia) asked softly that I almost couldn't hear it.
Man here I thought she was going to be a bitch but color me surprised. She's pretty decent!
"Yes, Princess Cecilia you can." I told her as her eyes fluttered for a moment trying to talk.
"K-Kein..." (Princess Cecilia)
"Yes. Princess Cecilia?" I ask her.
"A-Are you done painting?" (Princess Cecilia)
Ah right. I forgot about that. I scratched the back of my head and chuckled nervously, "I forgot let's continue then, Princess Cecilia."
I stood up and let go of her hand as I went back to my canvas finding out the paint is half dry already. I continued to work and put on some effects on the side, one that would compliment her highness as she sat regally in that fancy couch of hers.
Our gaze met as she gave me a genuine smile, not unlike those fake ones she gave me before I could feel the emotion of her happiness, "HOLD THAT POSE!" I yelled and quickly began fastening my strokes, some of the paint going to my clothes.
"And it's done."
After five hours of hard work. With no lunch other than the leftover antidote biscuits, I was finally done and hungry. "So what do you think?"
I showed her the canvas, turning it around to her direction, she took a closer look at it, her hand almost touching the surface before she retracted it back realizing the paint was still not dry. "It's... I can't believe it. It's me... Do I really look like that?"
I nod, "To me you are, your highness."
Princess Cecilia smiles at me warmly again, okay I might never tire of that cute smile if it's genuine. "I think I have a payment I know is more worth than money. Give me your hand."
I shook my head declining awkwardly, "I don't need any sort of payment of any kind. I'm just thankful enough you accepted to be my muse and stop the itchy feeling of wanting to paint you almost all the time. Besides, if you hold my hand I'll spread the paint."
Princess Cecilia didn't accept no for an answer and held both of my hands forcefully but gently, "Such a rare talent, making art for people to be happy. The light goddess has truly blessed you with such hands. A shame for these to be covered in such bandages. What happened?" (Princess Cecilia)
"I got into an accident that's all..."
The princess smiles as she folds my hand together in a sandwich as a magic light appears below it. "May light goddess continue to heal and prosper the sick. Hear my prayer to have the power to heal this ones' pain. [Light Magic: Heal]."
A bright white magic circle glowed some more as slowly my wrist felt better and the burn mark on my hands- "Take a look."
I looked at my messy bandaged hand, there were no longer the burn marks from before and it seemed to have... well no shit she healed me? "You didn't have to do that, your highness. It would've healed on its own."
Princess Cecilia shakes her head, "As the light says, we must help others. But..."
She looks sadly at my hand. "It is quite embarrassing to have only noticed now after you've been painting me for a while. If only I had noticed sooner then I would have healed your hand earlier... and perhaps would not have to feel pain while making such a wonderful piece of art." (Princess Cecilia)
"It's really okay a small accident is all but when the paint will dry this is all yours."
I glance back at the painting that I've just made, "I did have a title in mind and it's called [The two-faced princess]."
"Traveling artist, name it like that and I'm afraid we're going to have some problems." (Princess Cecilia)
I laughed, regretting to assume that she would've been a horrible person even if she danced so radiantly back in that church. Well, on the side note Princess Cecilia made me drink some sort of honesty potion so that was rude.
In any case I asked where the bathroom was and got lost.
I went home after an eventful day.
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