Chapter Text
“Let’s go child!” Beatrice shouted as Athena was petting the horses attached to the carriage.
“Coming mommy!” Athena smiled at the horse and walked towards her mother.
“Aht Aht! Athena we talked about this.” She pointed a finger at her.
“Right. Sorry Mother.”
“Good. You are ten years old now, ‘Mommy’ is not an acceptable name anymore.”
“Yes ma’am.” She said before stepping into the carriage. She waited patiently for her little sister, Henrietta to come out.
Soon after, the little six year old was being helped into the carriage.
“What took you so long Hen? Mother is already mad we even have to go into town.”
”I had to find bunny…” She showed Athena the stuffed bunny she never left anywhere without.
Athena rolled her eyes and picked up a book that was on the side of her. “Here, I brought you a book so you wouldn’t be bored on the way there. It’ll take a while.”
Hen took the book and gasped. “My favorite! The clown book.” She giggled.
“Yep, the one you’ve read a million times.”
“You read that book all the time.” She pointed to the book in Athena’s lap.
“Because it's a good book.” She smiled before opening the book on the page she left off at.
Beatrice came up to their carriage. “Ok girls, i’m riding with your father this time, don’t be too much trouble alone, and Athena, watch your sister closely.” She demanded.
“Yes ma’am.”
“Henrietta, listen to your sister and for God’s sake, stay still this time.”
She listened carefully. “Okay mommy.”
“Good. See you girls soon, we’re right in front of you.” She said before heading over to the other carriage.
“Why are we going into town?” Hen asked.
“We have to. All of the kingdom has to see that mother and father care about them. So we will go into town, talk to people, ask them what they need, and try to provide.”
“When you are Queen, will you do the same thing?”
“I am hopeful that I will.” She smiled. “I would do so much more than mother does.” She said, which made Hen laugh.
“What doesn’t mommy do?”
“Between me and you, mother doesn’t like going into town. She looks down on the people lower than us. Which is really bad because the people would do anything for their Queen.”
Hen nodded, understanding. “So who will you Marry?”
Athena looked up from her book. “How should I know? I still have eleven more years silly.” She smiled.
“Well, who do you want to marry?” She looked excited for this answer.
She rolled her eyes. “Read your book, and stay quiet.” Athena put her attention back to her book.
“Mom can I go out and play?” Bobby walked up to his mother.
“Go ahead, keep your clothes clean, the King and Queen are coming into town, you need to show an example.” Alice said.
“Okay, I will.” Bobby grabbed his kick ball and went outside where his friends, Chimney and Eddie were waiting. “Okay guys, my mom said I could play.”
“Did you hear the King and Queen are coming into town?” Chim said, kicking his kick ball as they walked.
“Yeah, my mom just told me. She said I couldn’t get my clothes dirty, so we can’t play too hard today.”
“That’s fine, my mom said the same thing.” Eddie said, walking in the middle. “Do you think the princess is coming this time?” He grinned at Bobby.
“Princess Athena? Maybe, why?” He looked at Eddie and Chim who were both grinning at him. “Why are you looking like that?”
“Because. We both know how much you like her. Maybe when she’s twenty one, she’ll marry you.”
”But in order for that to happen, you’d have to talk to her.” Chim added.
“Okay guys. First of all, I don’t like her like that. Second of all, we’re ten, why are you talking about marriage. And we have talked.”
“Yeah once, but that doesn’t count because you asked her how many rooms are in the castle.”
”It was a valid question! Fifty Two bedrooms are a lot for a four person family.” They finally got to the open park they play at.
“Well yeah but just like any of us, they have maids and servants and cooks and… all of that and probably more.”
“Nope. She told me those rooms for guests and her family. She actually has 118 staff rooms.”
”Really?” Eddie exclaimed. “That’s actually a lot, the castle doesn’t even look like it could fit that many rooms.”
“Okay, enough talk about that, let’s play!” Bobby kicked his ball towards Chim.
They played for a while before sitting down under a tree to cool off. Eddie turned his head when he heard horses neighing. “Guys look! It’s three carriages! Which means the princess is here!”
Chim and Bobby turned their heads as well. Seeing all three carriages.
”Let’s go, come on!” Chim stood up and he and Eddie started walking that way. Chim stopped and turned around. “Bobby you coming?”
“No, go ahead.” He said and watched Chimney run after Eddie, catching up to him.
They were in the crowd of people waiting for the family to get out of their carriages.
“Wheres Bobby?” Eddie asked.
“He’s still at the tree, he didn’t want to come.”
”Oh, he’s missing out. Look theres the Princess! Oh and the other Princess. They both came!” Eddie pointed.
Athena and Hen carefully got out of their carriage, Athena held her sister’s hand. They both walked up to their parents.
The trumpets started playing and a man announced their arrival.
“May I Present to you! The Royal Family, King and Queen Carter, accompanied by Both Princesses.”
Not too long after that announcement, Beatrice and Samuel had wandered off together. Athena and Hen walked around, their maids not too far behind the both of them.
“Where are we going?” Hen looked up at Athena, holding her bunny tight in her arm.
“To that tree, do you see that gentlemen?”
“Yeah. What about him.”
“Well, that is Bobby. I promised him the next time I came, to find him at that exact tree. It is where I first met him.”
“Why do I have to come? I want to go see the animal race!”
“And we will, we’ll be here for a while, I promise to take you to the animal race.”
“But I want to see the pigs race!”
“Henrietta please! Mother said to listen to me right?”
Hen nodded. “Yeah…”
“So listen when I tell you, I will take you to the animal race later.”
“Okay…” She sighed.
They both walked up to the tree to see Bobby with his head in his knees. “Bobby?” Athena said.
Bobby picked his head up, looking at her. When he realized who exactly ‘her’ was, he quickly stood up. “Princess Athena.” He looked at Hen. “And Princess Henrietta.”
Hen smiled and waved. “I told you not to call me Princess.” Athena said.
“Right. It just seems rude.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think you would actually come, or even remember.”
“Remember what? You? Or my promise?”
“Athena never breaks promises!” Hen cut in.
Bobby chuckled. “Well yeah, I thought you’d forget me, or something like that.”
“We’re friends now. I would never forget you, nor would I forget a promise I made.”
“Friends? But your a pr-”
”Don’t say Princess!” She cut him off. “Just because I have a title attached to my name, doesn’t mean I can’t have friends. I mean, you have a title attached to yours why is it any different for me?”
“Uhm.” He definitely was not expecting that response. “Well I didn’t think you’d want to be friends with someone who isn’t a prince.”
“Why does it matter? It wouldn’t be any different if you didn’t have a title to your name. We’d still be friends.” She smiled.
“Really?”
“Really.”
Just then, Chimney and Eddie came running.
“Princess!” Eddie shouted.
“Yes?”
“Hi, you’re actually here, talking to Bobby. Wow.”
“Are you two friends of Bobby?” She asked.
“Yeah, we’re all best friends.” Chim said.
“Then we shall be friends as well. You should call me Athena, not princess, or princess Athena.”
“Friends? Like, real friends?”
“Yes of course. What other kind of friends.” She giggled.
Bobby smiled when she giggled. “Well, Athena, do you have it?” Bobby asked.
“Of course I have it.”
“Have what?” Eddie asked.
“A book. I promised Bobby i’d let him read it if I found it, and I did. But please be careful, it’s my father’s.” She handed him the book that was in her hand.
Bobby smiled. “Thank you! I’ve wanted to read this forever.”
“You’re welcome. Anything for friends.” She smiled.
Hen pulled on Athena’s hand. “Can we go to the race now?”
“Wait, the animal race? We were gonna go. Do you two want to sit with us?” Bobby asked.
“Sure! Is that okay with you Hen?”
“Yeah! Friends to sit with! Let’s go now! Come on come on!”
“Okay okay, let’s go.” She chuckled. All five of the kids walked to the stands near the race, they sat front row.