Chapter 31 -Hannah
(SAGE P.O.V)
It's been three days since father's former headmaid Hannah arrived at the villa. I've been secretly hiding inside of Peyton's room everytime she goes to practice with the Synovial's knightage. When I saw how mother was avoiding Hannah everytime she saw her, I should've known something about her wasn't right. That woman is insane, she's been waking Rosie and I up at 5:30am for the last two days.
She smacks the table with a ruler everytime Rosie and I sat down wrong. When our posture isn't right, she smacks the ruler against her hand. When we don't pick up the fork or spoon right, she smacks our hand. She's even worst when it comes to drinking tea.
I finally figured out why my father asked us if we could handle it. She pops up out of nowhere and tries to reprimand Rosie and I, everytime we do something that isn't noble-like. I had to stop Rosie multiple times from wanting to kill Hannah in her sleep, and Rosie had to talk me out of wanting to give her an upset stomach. Actually, I wondered if she ever sleeps, I tried to sneak snacks out of the kitchen and she was standing behind me.
Our father isn't helping at all, he just laughs and says,"You chose to go to the party."
I turned around when I heard a noise coming from outside the window. I walked over and saw Mother climbing up the side of the villa, where Peyton's room was. I opened the window and looked down at her.
"Mom, what are you doing, and why is Peyton behind you?"I asked, in confusion.
"Hannah", mother said.
"We can't come through the front door", Peyton said, climbing behind my mother.
"And why is that?, I asked.
"Because she's trying to make us take etiquette lessons", mother said.
"I thought that was the whole point of her coming here." I said, they continued to climb up the tree next to the window.
"Then why are you hiding in my room?", Peyton asked.
"Because that woman is insane", I said.
"Exactly!", they both yelled at the same time.
They climbed into the room, as I backed up to give them space.
"Where's your sister?", my mother asked.
"Hannah caught her, she's making her walk in a straight line with books on top of her head.", I said.
Mother pretended to shiver.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and Peyton went to answer it. Hannah was standing outside the door.
"I know Princess Sage is here", she said. Mother and Peyton immediately sold me out.
"Come now Princess", she said and turned around and started walking.
I looked at mother and Peyton and they averted their eyes.
I sighed.
I followed behind her, and we went into a room that looked like a small little studio. I saw that Nashi and Sylvester were inside the room and Rosie was stretched out on the floor panting.
"We're going to be dancing the waltz," Hannah said.
Nashi walked up to me and grabbed my hand. Then I saw Sylvester helping Rosie off the floor.
I was wishing Yeshiva was here fuming, but he went to train with grandfather and father in a sparring match.
"Now on the count of three", Hannah said.
We got into our dancing positions, while Hannah had begun counting.
"1,2 , 1,2", she said, as we started to dance.
"Princess Sage fix your posture", she said, smacking that damn ruler.
"Relax and take it easy", Nashi said.
I listened to what he said and relaxed my body.
"Good, now follow my lead", he said, as he spun me around.
After dancing for a whole hour, I was exhausted. Rosie and I laid stretched out on the floor. While Nashi and Sylvester looked like they didn't even break a sweat.
"There's no way why aren't you two tired?", Rosie asked.
"We're used to this", Sylvester said.
We heard the timer go off, and Hannah had that damn ruler again.
"Now gentlemen, your work here is done until tomorrow.", she said.
Nashi and Sylvester left the room, and Rosie and I were afraid for our lives.
"Now Princess Sage", she started to say, I looked and saw her holding a pile of books.
"It's your turn to walk Princess Sage:, " she said.
I sighed and got up off the floor.
(ROSEMARY P.O.V)
I sat on the floor and couldn't help myself, the books kept falling off of Sage's head, I would start laughing. Hannah kept glaring at me everytime I did.
"Princess Rosemary you seem to be a little idle, Come now let's work on your table manners while Princess Sage does her walking.
"Ms.Hannah can I ask you something", I said.
"Yes you can, dear", she replied.
"Why are you helping us, my father was exiled so why?:, I asked, curiously.
"I watched your father grow up since he was a baby. I watched how hard his life was, Queen Lily treated him horrible because she wanted her son Prince Marshall to be the next King. Her and Queen Malaysia consistently got into arguments. By your father being the oldest son, he automatically was going to be the Crown Prince. When he was exiled, I was devastated, many maids and knights, even officials left the palace and kingdom because they didn't agree with how your father was treated. ", she explained and looked down at me.
She bent her body down and placed her hand on my head.
"I'm helping you two because I want Prince Moises to be proven innocent, the throne needs to change. This kingdom is failing because Prince Marshall is a horrible person just like his father. I want you and Princess Sage to succeed and help your father.", she said.
I nodded my head, "Tes ma'am", I said, and was determined to pass these lessons.
"Good", she said and smacked the ruler against her hand.
I never thought I'd be so terrified of a ruler.
After getting off the floor. I went over to where Sage was, and started walking next to her.
"Good, now straighten your back Princess Rosemary", she said.
(SAGE P.O.V)
After Rosie and I were lying half dead on the floor. Father came walking into the room with grandfather following behind. He went up to Hannah and kissed her cheek.
"How's the results so far?", he asked, while looking down at us.
"Besides the fact that these two hide really well from me, I can tell they get it from Lady Natalie.", she said.
Father and grandfather started laughing, causing father to wipe the tear from his eyes.
"Other than that, they are doing very well, but I need someone to be their history teacher in case one of the nobles comes up to talk to them.", she said.
"I'll be their history teacher", father said, "Let's just focus on the etiquette lesson. I'm worried these two will end up punching someone and get themselves arrested.", father stated.
I got up off the floor and reached my hand down and helped Rosie off the floor.
"Now, Princesses we have one more hour for the lesson, we will focus on table manners now.", she said.
We walked over to the little table that was in the room.
"Prince Moises, can you get a maid to bring some tea please.", Hanna said.
Father walked to the door to call one of the maids, and came back to the table where we were.
"Now, while we wait for tea, we're going to practice conversations.", Hannah said.
"What do you mean?", I asked.
"You're going to sit and talk to Rosemary like a noble, and Rosemary is going to throw insults at you.", father said.
Hannah walked closer to the table.
"You will learn how to take insults without punching someone. You have to politely insult them back.", Hannah said, "We will switch and you throw the insults to Princess Rosemary", she explained.
"Now Sage, imagine Rosemary as someone you hate, but you were invited to her tea party., and she tries to insult you in front of guests", Father said.
"Can you give us an example?", I asked , while imaging Rosie was that woman from a few days ago
"Certainly", Hannah said, "I'll sit in front of you while Princess Rosemary stands up and watches. Then she will do it next.", she stated.
Hannah sat down across from me, she sat down so proper I wouldn't have thought she was a maid.
"Just because she's a maid, doesn't mean she didn't come from a noble household", Father said, it was like he was reading my mind.
We heard the door open and the maid walked in with a tray with a teapot and tea cups. She sat the tray down and placed the tea cups in front of us. She bowed and walked out of the room. Father and grandfather continued to watch us.
"Now let's begin, I'm going to act like I'm inviting you to a tea party. Since you are of low status I will insult you in front of guests," she said, pointing towards father , grandfather and Rosie.
I nodded my head.
"Now, pick up your tea cup, and take a sip, then placed it back on the table", she said.
I picked my tea cup like she taught us, and took a sip and placed it back down.
Hannah did the same, and placed her tea cup down and placed her tea cup down and I started to speak.
"Thank you for inviting me to such a lovely tea party.", I said, in my most polite tone.
Hannah looked up at me and started smirking, "For someone of your social class, you're actually very articulate and rather pleasant to talk to.", she said.
I heard Rosie chuckling then clear throat after I looked at her.
I smiled towards Hannah picking up my tea cup, "You speak of social classes, but you lack manners.", I said and sipped my tea.
I learned Rosie whispered, I heard father and grandfather laughing.
"You did good", Father said, "I think your mother is the perfect teacher for this.
Father left the room, and a few minutes later Mother and Peyton walked in.
"What's going on?", my mother asked.
"Hannah is teaching Sage and Rosie how to take insults from a noble woman and how to insult them back without hitting them.", grandfather said.
Mother walked closer to the table and gestured for Peyton to come closer.
"Let Peyton and I do this together.", she said.
Hannah bowed her head and we both got up from the table. Mother and Peyton sat down and immediately started to insult each other.
Mother picked up her teacup and Peyton did the same. They both placed it down at the same time.
"Your dress is adorable! Did you make it yourself?" Mother said.
Peyton pretended to flinch, she sipped her tea again and placed it by down.
"I'm impressed, such lowborn people like you can afford a dress so pricy.", Peyton said.
Mother smirked.
You're making this tea party far more . . . entertaining than I thought it would be.", mother replied.
Peyton smirked as well and gestured for her cup to get more tea. Hannah bowed and refilled her tea cup.
"I know this gathering must be terribly boring to people like you, but you can leave early, if you want. Nobody will mind, truly. Take some snacks home with you, she replied back.
We watched them go back and forth for a whole thirty minutes. Mother turned her head towards Rosie and I.
"If the person is someone you don't like, don't forget to throw the tea on them", mother said.
"Natalie", father called out to her.
Mother averted her eyes, "Fine, don't throw the tea.", she said.
Father walked up to Rosie and I and leaned over to kiss us each on the forehead.
"I'm worried your mother is going to get you two arrested.", he said and sighed.
We heard the timer go off and Hanna ended the lesson for today. Rosie and I left the room to go take showers. I noticed Nashi was standing in the hall talking to someone. He turned and noticed us and gestured for us to come where he was standing. We saw Sylvester and Yeshiva glaring at each other and it seemed like Nashi was trying to calm them down.
"What's going on?", Rosie asked as Yeshiva walked over to her.
"Yeshiva is trying to come to the event, but we will have to disguise him as one of our guards.", he said.
"So why are they arguing then?", I asked.
Nashi looked at Rosie, and I instantly understood. I loved seeing Yeshiva jealous.
"I heard we'll be dancing all day tomorrow for our lesson.", I said while looking at Rosie and Sylvester.
Suddenly , We heard a commotion coming from downstairs. We all headed towards the stairs, we saw Duke Vernon holding his head and a couple of butlers standing around them.
Nashi and Sylvester hurried down the stairs and we followed behind.
"Father, what's going on?, Nashi asked.
Duke Vernon looked really worried about something. I heard footsteps behind us and turned around, I saw father and grandfather coming down the stairs. Duke Vernon bowed his head to father.
"Prince Moises, we have a problem.", he said.
Father and grandfather looked concerned.
"What's the problem?", father asked.
Duke Vernon looked at our father, "I just received word that Prince Marshall is coming here", he said.
"What?!", everyone shouted at the same time, except for Duke Vernon.
"I don't know why he's coming but it said that he will be arriving tomorrow afternoon", Duke Vernon stated.
I looked at my father.
And the facial expression on my father's face made me extremely worried.