I arrive at my study and see everyone I called there already. Inside are Jenna, Nanny, Sir Osa, and even Ash. These people are my most trusted aides and the ones closest to me in this world. I know none of them are truly my people, but with the years I spent with them, I am certain that none of them will spill the tea.
"You're here," I say to Ash as I sit in my chair and he just gives me a nod.
I look at Jenna and give her a meaningful look. She fishes out a talisman from her pockets and sticks it to the door after locking it from the inside. After everything has been set up, I give her a signal and she immediately starts the meeting.
She clears her throat before speaking, but nervousness causes her to stammer. "I'm sorry, My Lady, I-I can't… I'm… nervous. Sorry."
"It's okay, Jenna. I'll take it from here," I say with a reassuring smile. I look at everyone. And with a grin, I declare: "We will start a business."
With a shocked expression on his face, Ash pushes his body away from the bookshelf he's leaning in. Nanny's face contorts, and she wrinkles her uniform as she clutches it firmly in her hands. Sir Osa has a shocked expression on his face as well. They are all shocked, confused, and amused all at the same time.
"You heard it right. I'm going to create a business and I know —" I raise my hand up to stop them from talking and continue, "I know. That royals venturing into business is no so royal. I know I shouldn't, yada yada. Whatever, blah blah. And that's why you're here. I can't be the owner, so you'll be the owner. All of you."
"Astahi! Saridayang, what is running through your mind?" Nanny shouts at me. "I forbid you from speaking of this again. A royal venturing in business? Such a crazy idea!"
"I don't understand. You can simply ask the King for anything and he will oblige. You don't have to go the extra mile and work for your own money," Ash expresses his objection as well.
"Come on, it's just my whims. I'm bored of playing with paper money." I don't plan on telling them my real plans. For now. "I'll be the real owner, but since I'm a royal, I'll be needing a proxy. I have someone in mind, but I don't know yet if I can use that person."
Ash sighs and bites his lower lip as he mulls over what I've said. "So you want someone you can use but who doesn't have a lot of presence. Someone you can monitor and can report to you freely; someone you can approach without being suspected. Someone who can go in and out of the Royal City without being questioned. Am I correct?"
"Yes," I nod at him.
"None of us meet the requirements; it would be suspicious if none of us were seen by your side."
"Uh-huh."
Ash doesn't press the issue after sensing that I still don't want to reveal the identity of the person in my mind. "What business are you thinking of?"
"Danamuda!" Sir Osa, who has been quietly observing everything the entire time, exclaims.
"I am asking, but I never said that I would agree. There's no harm in listening to the Princess. She might be into something," Ash says without looking at the bearded man.
"I plan to sell beauty products."
"What kind?"
I shrug. I actually still don't know what kind. I want to make everything, but I know that's not how business goes. I need to start from one and go from there. The question is, which one? I stare at the quill in front of me and reach out to play with the feather when I realize the video camera isn't rolling.
"Where's the cam— I mean, vidok?"
Jenna gasps and leaps to her feet. "I apologize. I forgot to take the vidok out." She opens my table's drawer and places a magic ball and a fist-sized crystal on the desk.
The first one does nothing. It's just a sphere that emits light in the same way that a regular light bulb does, but it can change colors. The video camera, or vidok in this world, is a transparent, hollowed crystal in the shape of a diamond. The magic ball turns on when I place my hand on it. When I place the crystal on my palm, it floats up into the air, briefly lights up, and begins to rotate clockwise, signaling that it is now recording.
"Ika-anim, Sapar, 568. First meeting. Agenda: assigning attendees' role in the group and venturing into the beauty line. Attendees: Princess Iris Lazuli, Prince Twelve Ashburnham Fergus, Fida de Digno, Jenna de Namayana, and Captain Osa Malarika. End. Let's now proceed," I start again from the beginning.
"From now on, Jenna, you will be the chronicler. It is your responsibility to keep track of the minutes of each of our meetings."
"Hadidid, Saridayang," she responds formally with determination and I shake my head.
"No need for formalities; I only know the basics, anyway. Sir Osa, I want you to strengthen the security in the residence. Assign trustworthy knights to guard outside the study. Ash, you will be my brain. Nanny, I want you to help them as much as you can, but please don't overwork yourself. All of you."
I get a couple of dis and yeses from them and move on to the next item on my agenda.
Thanks to YouTube, I know some homemade skincare recipes that have been proven and tested to be effective by experts. First, oatmeal facial scrub for exfoliation. Second, coconut oil moisturizer. Third, face mask and lip mask. And last, lip balm.
"Jenna, take notes. We only need oatmeal for the facial scrubs. Avocado, lemon, and another batch of honey are needed for the face masks. Organic cane sugar and filtered honey for lip masks. Beeswax, extra virgin coconut oil, and shea butter for lip balms. The moisturizer, I'm not sure. All I remember is its coconut based."
"You cannot run a business unless you know how your products are made, Iris," Ash tells me.
I didn't pay him any mind as I tried to recall what I had seen on those vlogs.
"AH! I remember. Coconut oil, oatmeal, and water. We also need water for facial scrub. And containers for everything."
I can get the ingredients, but I'm not sure how to put them together because I've never attempted to make something that doesn't exist yet. Why don't you ask Sassa for help, My Lady?" Jenna asks. "You have probably seen her in the kitchens; she's a dedicated and hardworking individual. She's also a loyal friend who knows how to keep a secret. I can personally vouch for her.
Sassa is one of the cooks who is now assigned to me whenever I go inside the kitchens. She's a bubbly child who is grateful to me because her entire family was cured of chickenpox thanks to my chamomile tea.
"She is a Peculiar who can accurately measure our raw materials just by looking at them. She has a lot of kitchen experience as well. She'll be a valuable asset to you, My Lady."
I ponder on it before agreeing. Nanny joins in and tells me that she will assist Sassa. I smile at her, happy that she's already on board with my plan.
"Captain Osa—"
"Will do nothing," Ash interrupts me and takes over the meeting. "Captain Osa will not act. He will not tighten the residence's security or place guards on the door to this room. If he does these things, people will begin to suspect something, and your plans will be jeopardized. For him to be of real assistance, he needs to do nothing but keep doing his job as it is to keep others from sensing that something is going on here."
I look at him with a frown and a questioning look.
"He's saying Captain Osa needs to stay put," Jenna explains to me in simpler words seeing my expression.
"Dude, you could've told me that in simpler words. I don't care about your pishposh grammar and wikidiwakidu words," I say, and Ash rolls his eyes at me, muttering that the words he used aren't complicated.
"I agree with Danamuda. This place is already heavily guarded; one wrong move and all eyes will be drawn to Namayana Palace," Captain Osa further says.
"And, if there are any more meetings, I recommend holding them in the playroom. You've never been here before, and your sudden visits will raise suspicion. After all, a young princess is supposed to be out and about, not cooped up in her study. It won't raise suspicion if the three of us hang out with you in your playroom because we are already your playmates. In Captain Osa's case, he only needs to go once in a while. When I see him in the training grounds, I'll tell him everything we talked about in the meeting."
Ash approaches my desk and leans his buttocks against it, facing everyone. "We are playing with fire here. A royal entering the business world is frowned upon, and Iris' future may be jeopardized as a result. Everyone is here because Iris has faith in you. Show her that you're worth her trust."
They all give a nod.
"I don't think I need to remind everyone that whatever we talk about here isn't allowed to be talked about outside, right?"