Julia

  Two new letters arrived on Monday. Peter had written to her, just like her mother. The Queen enced Julia to e to the ball and would send her a carriage to get to the ball on Wednesday evening. She was looking forward to seeing her daughter. Peter had ed a pretty neck a handkerchief a it to her. A shimmering gss butterfly on a fine . Julia smiled. The neckce was beautiful.

  Her school day had been uacur. In feng lessons, she had been particurly clumsy, in magic she had almost fallen asleep... Philip had actually fallen asleep and Helga had turned out to be an ambitious nerd. Marie had overslept and arrived too te for the first lesson and a few boys had pyed a tri their history teacher...

  Julia was tired.

  On Sunday night she pyed cards with Marko and Leopold and drank hot chocote. Leopold in particur had been a tough oppo and had won every game.

  Julia yawned and took a sip of coffee that Sophie had made her. The old dy cooked stew while singing an old children's song. Finn sat opposite Julia and embroidered one of her jackets. A simple floral pattern. Sophie had bought the yarn for it iy.

  Julia needed a new dress for her brother's e ball. She had not yet decided whether she wao look for o the shops of the city or whether she wao have a tailor e here. She did not have much time...

  Leopold came into the kit with a feather duster. "Our hallway is officially dusted off," he announced pyfully solemnly. "Praise me!"

  Julia ughed. "Our hero!"

  "Oh you glorious queror of dust!" said Sophie just as solemnly. "Now please quer the dangerous window dirt to let them shine!"

  Leopold bowed. "Of course, Your Majesty the Cook! The dirt will learn to fear me!"

  "Your Majesty the Cook? That's what I want to be called from now on." Sophie smoothed her apron. "Do I look royal?"

  "Always. You're just missing the ." Julia got a spoon and tried the stew. "It's missing some salt."

  Sophie looked at her with amusement. "Do you want to take over the cooking?"

  "I'd love to, but I 't cook. I would probably burn the soup... And I should start with my homework... And I need a dress."

  "Do you want to go to the city?" Leopold sat on the chair Julia had sat on and watched Finn embroider instead of ing the windows.

  Finn seemed a little restless. "Do we have to e with you?" he asked.

  Julia didn’t even think about that possibility and she did not want that. "I don't think so. Sophie? you have a tailor e here with a sele of dresses?" Maybe that's better... It saves time. We always get a lot of homework...

  "I wao go back to the city anyway, so, yes. I'm ht after lunch."

  Finn looked at the kit door as if he were looking for something. "When is Marko ing back? Shouldn't he have been there long ago?"

  Marko helped out in the undry rooms, as a lot of undries had been handed in. Sophie had sent him ht after breakfast. "I don't know, but ut away some stew for him if he's not back for lunch."

  "I'll start with my homework." Julia left the kit ao her room. She was supposed to write a short essay about what she wao achieve with her talent and which path she wao take professionally for her magic lesson. Some of her cssmates had been happy about this homework. Especially Helga, who had annouo write a particurly inspiring essay... Whatever that should look like.

  There was no suitable profession for seers and Julia did not know yet what she wao do ter. So she wrote about her role as a princess. About the fact that it was her job to represent the try and take responsibility. And she wrote that she did not know yet in what form she wao pursue her responsibilities. She did not write about her past dream of leaving everything behind.

  What did she want?

  Did she want to go into politics? Did she want to have an influence? Maybe she could do something about the binding spells? Would her mother allow that? Could she stand up against her mom? Would she succeed? Probably not. The queen was adamant about her views and ws. So what could Julia do?

  Nothing.

  There was nothing she could do.

  But she did not write all this in her essay.

  Agathe

  Peter had refused to show her the e ring for Babette. The queen feared he hadn't bought one, but the guards firmed to her that Peter had entered a jewelry shop and had also bought a ring at a small stall.

  "The ring is a surprise for Babette, I will reveal it at the ball. As a surprise for everyone," Peter had talked himself out of it.

  Agathe sat at her desk and read her daughter's letter again. She had read it again and again. Julia wrote that she had settled in well at the academy. She also wrote that she wao e to the e ball. But she also asked if Babette was really the right choice for Peter. Agathe sighed. Couldn't her two you realize how well Babette fit into their family? How good would she be for Peter?

  Agathe was a little sad that Julia had only writtehis oer. She wrote a lot more to Peter. But she would see her daughter again in a few days.

  She missed her.

  She missed all her children who no longer lived ihe castle. But her three eldest lived their own lives, supported her mother and queen, and came by regurly. They pyed an important role on their mother's chessboard and ran the health care system and the military. Agathe was very satisfied. She had also hoped for support from Paul and Ingried. In expanding her family ties with other noble houses and supp her mother politically... But that never happened. Paul had been stubborn and Ingried had lost her fiand let Paul vince her to leave the behind.

  Agathe was not sad about it. No. She was angry. She wouldn't let Peter turn against her either. An arranged marriage would do him good. It was for his best. And it was the best for the family. She had given him a choice, unlike Paul, but Peter had proved incapable of making a good decision. So she had decided for him.

  Babette would be a wonderful daughter-in-w. Even if Peter and Julia didn't see it yet.

  Agathe put Julia's letter in a drawer.

  Work was waiting for her.

  Julia

  The day, a seamstress who Sophie had ordered came by. It was an elderly dy with frizzy gray hair. The seamstress showed Julia a beautiful sele of ball gowns. Each was a work of art and but the clothes were kept retively simple at the same time.

  Julia's especially liked a yellow dress with sewn-on white flowers. She liked it very mud it matched the color of her butterfly neckce.

  She tried it on and looked at her refle in the mirror. The dress fit and luckily nothing had to be ged.

  "There is also a matg hair band." The seamstress held up an equally bright yellow ribbon. "Do you want to try on the dress?"

  "Not necessary." Julia shook her head. "I like this dress. I don't o try on another one."

  There was a knock at the door. When Julia ope, Leopold's eyes widened. "You look beautiful," it slipped out of him. His cheeks became as red as a tomato. "Oh. Five me. The cobbler is here, which Sophie has also ordered too. Should I send him in, or should he wait a moment? Have you found a dress yet?"

  "Thank you. Please send him in."

  A little ter, Julia chose white, simple shoes to match the dress. Sophie arrahe payment and Julia put the dress and shoes aside for the ball.

  There was a knock at the door to her hallway. Julia heard Marko hurry down the hallway to receive the unannounced visitor.

  "Is the princess here?" That was Helga's voice. "I would like to speak to her."

  "Of course. I tell Her Highness." But Marko didn't have to tell her. Julia came out of her room and greeted her cssmate.

  "Hello, Helga. What brings you here?"

  "We'd better talk about this in private. It's not for the ears of servants." Helga looked at Marko who had already disappeared into the boys' room. Julia still saw him roll his eyes.

  "Of course. Let's sit down in the living room... Although... I think Sophie is sitting there knitting and I don't want to send her out. Let's go to my room."

  "Gdly." Helga followed Julia into her room, which was fortuidy. Julia teo leave clothes on the floor and she hadn't expected a visitor. But Sophie had ed up her clothes in the m.

  "What is it about?" Julia sat down on her bed.

  "My mother wrote me that there will be a ball held at the castle soon. For your brother's e? My parents got an invitation" Helga sat down on Julia's desk chair. "Philip doesn't io go because we are writing a test on Monday and his grades seem not to be too good. He prefers to learn... So we 't take a carriage together... Yoing to the ball, aren't you?"

  "Yes." Julia smiled. She kly what the question was about. "My mother sends me a carriage. Wednesday evening. If you want, you ride with me. However, you would have to take time off from csses on Thursday and Friday."

  "You're not going on Thursday afternoon? But we write a test in magic."

  "I'm allowed to write the test on Monday."

  "Oh... I try to get time off... But I'm not reted to your brother... I have no reason to be absent for so long and the teachers are strict when it es to attendance. I guess I'll have to drive alone on Thursday. What a pity. It would have been ve."

  "Don't your parents send you a carriage?"

  "They were hoping I could ride with Philip, but he won’t go to the ball. I will find a carriage that takes me to the castle. Still, thank you very much."

  Leopold

  He couldn’t get the image of the princess wearing that dress out of his head. She had beeiful.

  She had a guest now. Should he listen at the door? What were they talking about? Did they talk about servants? Leopold had heard the guest's remark about servants. ‘Not intended for the ears of servants’... What did she mean by that? Was it just a private versation?

  Marko was lying in his bed and reading a book from the bookshelf now. An encyclopedia about the possibilities of maniputing magic. The visitor seemed to be of little io him. Leopold, oher hand, was curious. And if something was discussed about servants, he preferred to be prepared... But the walls were thin... The girls might hear him.

  Finn sat on the windowsill and mehe princess's vest as a seam was torn. She must have gotten stuck with it somewhere. He didn't seem ied in the visit either.

  The princess looked so beautiful.

  Leopold sighed and pressed his pillow over his face. Fet her. You're just an object to her, no matter how nice she seems to be. Fet it. You are a servant and you have a task.

  "Why are you sighing?" asked Marko. "Did something happen?"

  "No... Yes... Oh... Fet it." Leopold heard her guest leave the hallway.

  "So bad? Tell me about it." Marko was very friendly, but since Leopold had seen him in wolf form, he seemed scary to him. He had beehan normal wolves and had much sharper teeth in his very rge mouth. Leopold would have liked to do without this sight.

  "I just saw the princess in her ball gown. She looked beautiful," he finally admitted.

  "She's very pretty," Finn agreed quietly. "And very nice."

  "And the princess," Marko added. "A bad choice for a servant. Pretty hopeless. But she IS pretty. So our elf likes the princess." Marko grinned. "How cute."

  "I'm not cute, Marko." Leopold got up from his bed and put on a jacket. "I go for a walk. I o clear my head."

  But Julia stood in the hallway and smiled at him. She, too, utting on a jacket. She was wearing a simple, light blue dress now. "You are about to go outside too?" she asked.

  "Yes..." Or better not?

  "Do you mind if we go together? I could do with some pany."

  You have friends, ask them... Say no, Leopold. "Yes. Why not. I would be happy to apany you." Idiot! What are you doing?

  "I appreciate that."

  Together they made their way to the gardens of the Academy.

  "Are you looking forward to the ball?" he asked the princess. The air smelled of autumn, but they heard birds singing as if it were spring.

  "Not really."

  "Why not?"

  "My brother is supposed to marry someone he doesn't love. So the e ball will not be a particurly enjoyable event. At least not for Peter. And not for me."

  "Isn't he allowed to choose himself?"

  "No, apparently not. Mom wants to marry him off quickly. Peter is mortal, so she puts him under pressure. His life is shorter than ours. It was the same with my brother Paul. He has left and now lives far away. I haven't seen him for a long time. He's a baker now."

  "Do you miss him?"

  "Yes." Julia picked an almost faded flower from one of the bushes. "But Paul is fourteen years older than me. We were never particurly close. Just like with Ingried. She is een years older than me. She lives here in the capital. I will visit her soon. I have already written to her. I'm still waiting for an answer."

  "Is the Queen also putting you under pressure?" Leopold was fasated. As a child, he had always thought the royal family had no worries. He had imagihem as terrible tyrants who had everything they wanted and did what they wanted. But what Julia told him sounded much more normal.

  "Yes, but different. Mom couldn't wait for my magic to show. She was always vihat I would be a witch... I never wao be one. And I didn't want to e here. But here I am and she expects good grades from me, but so far my grades are rather mediocre. She doesn't know anything about it yet."

  Julia tripped over a stone lying on the sidewalk. She had overlooked it. Leopold caught her. The petite girl felt fragile and soft. Fet it, Leopold.

  "Thank you very much." She blushed. She looked eveier with her face all red.

  "No problem." He helped her ba her feet. "Did you hurt yourself?"

  "No, it's all good. Maybe we should go back."

  "Yes. Maybe."

  Marko

  "Do you want to py cards?" he asked Finn, who was now knitting. Apparently, it was supposed to be a sweater. Finn had received the wool from Sophie, who owned a whole wool mountain of it.

  "I don't really like pying cards." Finn grimaced. "But I could show you how to knit."

  "Me and knitting?" Marko looked at him incredulously. "That doesn't suit me at all."

  "Are you sure?" Finn ughed. "If you try, you might be surprised."

  "I'm more of a sporty type. Not that we have the opportunity to do so here."

  "But you would have the opportunity to learn to knit." Finn stuck his to at him. "A scarf for the winter, perhaps?"

  "Somehow I feel like you'd like to teach me how to knit."

  "The feeling is right. I would love to teach you how to knit. Unless you're afraid of wool?" Finn threw a bright green ball of wool at him. Laughing, Marko threw it back.

  "I have nothier to do and I'm bored." Marko sat down at Finn's feet. "So, Mr. Teacher? How do you knit?"