The following day;
Maculata gathered all the Suitors in her office, they were all tense in the presence of the Queen.
"Shadow"
"My Queen?"
"Join them"
"Pardon...?"
"You will become my suitor as well"
Shadow stared at the Queen, warmth was spreading on his face.
"Don't you want to become my Suitor as well?"
Shadow became nervous, not because of the Queen, but it is because of her request, courting never crossed his mind before.
"Shadow your answer?"
"I...yes, I will do as you say, My Queen"
"Hohohoho! It looks like Shadow is a shy person!"
Penzilvana watches things unfold while she comfortably sits on the Queens' shoulders.
"I've chosen you to become my suitor for the others to see that I am fairly harmless"
"Fairly, huh?" Penzilvana side comments
"Please introduce yourselves to me, starting with Shadow, your name and occupation if you would"
"I am, Shadow the royal ninja of the Queen"
"Um...I am Zero a slave"
"The Crowned Prince of the Rasea Kingdom, Calcifer"
"My name is Ouran, I live inside the Abandoned Tower"
Everyone looked at the white haired man, he smiles at all of them.
"You live inside the Abandoned Tower?"
"Yes"
"How is it possible to live there when there is NO, known entrance and exit at that Tower?"
"That is a secret"
"This one is a little insane, but hey, variety right?"
"My name is Nicholas, but you can just call me Nick, your majesty, I am a waiter at the Amaryllis Park"
"Wait! Peachy and I saw that man last time when she were doing her rounds putting up the flyers and poster! He was the one that served us at the tea shop!"
"Alright, all of you are here to court me, I have agreed on this because Duke Ivan explained the benefits of being courted by you, the one written on the flyer will be slightly altered, since there are five of you"
"Now that's interesting"
Penzilvana crosses her arms and sways her legs back and forth.
"Everyday you will all try to impress and court me, but it will be alternate suitor everyday, this courting thing will last until next month, on the Hydrangea Festival, the merit will be the same for all of you, living here, three meals a day, clothes and compensation"
Maculata taps her painted fingers on her desk, she was thoughtful.
"This will only be for show to the nobles, so that they would stop the consistent nagging for me to marry, do not get your hopes up and think that I will marry you and you will be Crowned King, don't be too ahead of yourself"
She looks at the Crowned Prince, he looks away avoiding her eyes.
"It is my decision whether you will be one or you will go on your way, I can also drag you out of the Palace if the result of this courting, is a failure, or you fail to meet my expectations as a suitor"
"We understand"
"In addition to this, you CANNOT, touch me in any sort of form, unless I gave my approval of consent, I will not tolerate anyone blatantly touching me, that also includes you, Shadow"
"I understand, My Queen"
"If anyone touches me, you will meet Shadows blade, that will be the end result"
"That's harsh"
"The same thing applies to you, I cannot touch you blatantly, but if the situation does ask for it, you may do so"
"So they can't touch you, but it's the same with you, that you can't touch them but if the situation calls for contact then they can?"
"Tomorrow, Shadow will be the first one to court me, the second day it will be Prince Calcifer, then Ouran, the next is Nick the last one is Zero"
"I see..."
"That will be the arrangements of the courting, I also need to mention that you may sleep with me when night falls"
"WHOA, WHOA! MACULATA!"
penzilvana blushed at what she suddenly said, the others also blushes at what she mentioned.
You can see Shadows ears become red, Maculata furrowed her brows with their reactions.
"Sleep, to rest"
She added, Penzilvana laughed, the four men can't see her, the people that could are the royals, Reymond and Shadow.
She in-abled Reymond to see her, Shadow is gifted with a sixth sense, that is why he can see her, Maculata and Peachy on the other hand automatically can, since, Maculata saved her she lets whoever Maculata's family member see her.
But Maculatas' Family is only Peachy none other.
"You all have dirty minds..."
Every one of the men now blush in embarrassment.
"Your courting will last for a full day, even if I cancel today's courting, that doesn't mean you do not court me, you will be by my side following me around or helping me, that is what you need to do if it is 'cancelled' you need to understand that"
"Yes, your majesty"
"There will not be any favouritism here, you are all in equal footing, so do not think that one or the other has an advantage of courting me"
"Nice touch"
"At the end of the week, if one of you is a cut above the others, you can spend time with me for two days in the weekend"
"A bonus, huh?"
"That is all, good luck tomorrow, you may all go now"
"Thank you, your majesty"
The Suitors leave the Queens' Office, Shadow returns to lurking once again, Maculata calls out to Penzilvana.
"Why are you still here, Penzilvana? You have a punishment to attend to if I am not mistaken"
"I want to watch what happens to you and the Suitors"
"Do you want another punishment?"
"Okay, Okay, I'm going already"
Penzilvana disappears light fairy dust were left on the Queens' shoulders, while Maculata continues to work.
While Penzilvana is out, watching two maidens with their flower shop.
Peachy was at the noble tea party, she was dressed in a formal gown, with high heals and her hair was in an updo crown.
'The heels is killing me...'
It hasn't started yet, so she lingers around the garden, the nobles has yet to arrive.
"Who will be the ones who are attending?"
She asked one of the maids she is assigned to, the maids mentioned the names.
"Huh...she isn't attending?"
There is one noble that Peachy is a little afraid of, it is the newest member of the Council of Amaryllis, she is also Maculata's childhood friend.
"Everyone is changing huh..."
She remembered that both her and Maculata are as close as they are, but things changed when she needed to adhere to her duties...
She was picked to become the next head of their household.
Both her and Maculata had heavy duties to fulfil, they became like this because of duties.
"I wonder...will I also change one day?"
She continues walking until she was at the KOI pond, the fishes went towards where she is greeting her.
She touches the fish in which they welcomed, she smiles at the fish that swam near her so that they could be petted.
While she stares at the pond, she remembers the time when the Queen and her always plays near the KOI pond.
She even swam with the fishes so that they won't be lonely.
"I wish I could go back in time..."
She mutters to herself, She enjoys the company of the fish before she stands up once again.
"The nobles should be arriving by now"
"Yes, your highness"
Peachy went to the centre of the garden the three maids following her.
The noble ladies were shocked to see the Princess be here instead of the Queen.
"I bid you a pleasant morning, noble ladies"
"Greetings to her highness Princess Peachy"
Peachy leads them to the Garden, she told all of them to sit down.
'I don't want to be here'
"It has been a long time since we have seen each other, Princess"
"It has"
"The Queen has abruptly cancelled the noble tea party, yesterday, did something happen?"
"Her majesty felt a bit unwell, that is why she has cancelled it, I do apologise in her behalf"
Princess Peachy lied, she may be naive, but she isn't completely ignorant, she was taught that being in the social circles, you must be decisive of your words and actions, these meetings is like playing chest.
You need to think what you need to say in order not to tarnish the Royal Families name.
Peachy also needs to be attentive of what the nobles are all saying.
Because this place is the one that always spread gossip and false news to other nobles.
Not everyone here is an ally, half of the nobles here are enemies, that always seeks to destroy the royal family.
To destroy her sisters' reputation.
Maculata isn't letting Peachy attend these meetings since she is not accustomed to peoples lies.
Penzilvana always tricks her because she is gullible but because of Penzilvana as well, she became less gullible.
Aside from that she has always been training, only training for this. Just in case that Maculata does really fall sick, and she needs to fill on Maculata's seat in the social circles.
Of course only this, the Duke of Bijoux will be the one to fill in for Maculata in Parliament, she knows she is useless there, and the nobles there is as much more cunning than the noble ladies, in the social circle.
"Princess Peachy, if I may ask, is her majesty still ill?"
"No, she has a lot to do, she decided that I could be her representative while she is still busy, she is not ill any more, she just had a slight headache yesterday"
"Then we are honoured to have you with us today"
"I am delighted to be here"
'I hope this would end soon...'