Julia

  After dinner, Julia followed her mother into the firep, where she wao enjoy the evening. Her mother was happy about the pany and they sat down together by the firepce. Peter had disappeared to his room and Fritz, Cleo and Lea wao py cards in the library. She didn't know where her father was. He hadn't said much at dinner.

  "Are you making goress at the academy? Have yrades improved?", the queen wao know. "Are your teachers happy with you?"

  "At least they are not dissatisfied." Except when it es to feng and sword fighting... "My grades have remaihe same so far."

  The queen nodded. "Well, your siblings all had very good grades... Maybe you just need a little more time. After all, your brothers and sisters did not learn that they would be among the greatest in our small group. This is something very special. Are you looking forward to tomorrow?"

  "Yes," Julia lied. "I was w..."

  "About what?"

  "Well... Marko and Leopold will help out at the ball, won't they?"

  "If they were assighere? I don't coordinate where our servants work. We also have staff for this. Mr. Mühe takes care of that. Why are you askihis?"

  "Well, I was w if... We are always served by a servant on stage... Could Finn take over? He 't help out in the hall, but he serve us? That should work."

  "That's a wonderful idea." Her mother smiled. "All three of your servants should be present in the gallery."

  "All three?" Julia wondered. "Not just Finn?"

  The fire in the firepce crackled fortably and her mother warmed her hands on it. "What is important for a queen?", she asked her daughter.

  "To be wise?"

  "Yes. Wisdom is good, but I want to hear something else. Power. And to show that. You are a princess and a powerful witch at that. When we present your servants, we demonstrate our power. This ball demonstrates power. Power ah. We are not weak, Julia. And everyone should see that."

  Julia had no i in demonstrating power and her mother's words worried her, but at least she could grant Finn's wish. He would see the ball.

  The quee a servant to summon Mr. Mühe to them so that they could tell him their wish. Mr. Mühe, an older, small man who had received Finn, Marko, and Leopold on Julia's birthday, promised to immediately revise the servants' w pces and hurried away busily.

  "Mom?" asked Julia, watg the fmes of the fire dao their own rhythm.

  "Yes, honey?"

  "Why did you ihe vampires? And my half-brother? Torsten?"

  "Didn't I write that to you in my letter?"

  "No. You just wrote that they were invited."

  "Oh." The queen smoothed her skirt. "I certainly had my reasons. Don't worry about the why. Tomorrow we celebrate you. Your brother Torsten wants to be part of our family and I want to make that possible for him. In my own way. Everyone in our family has a pce. You, my little one, were born freat things, but Torsten?" Her mother's eyes looked darkly into the fire. "If he wants a seat, I'll offer him one."

  "With the vampires?" A shiver ran down Julia's spine. "Is that what it's about? Isn't it dangerous there?"

  "A direct e to the vampires would be beneficial for us. Bes are very important. Always surround yourself with people wh you bes. No disadvantages."

  Marko

  Mr. Mühe looked sternly at the three. Finn was half hiding behind Marko and Leopold looked bored. "I called you to me because there are some ges to the pn regarding the ball tomorrow. inally, all three of you were scheduled i, but the princess expressed the desire to present you to the guests. So I ask you to behave well."

  Marko wao roll his eyes. Siheir arrival at the castle, on the day of the birthday party, Mr. Mühe demanded nothing more than the best behavior. Mühe. Effort. Is he called that because he has a lot of trouble in life? It must be tedious to be called effort. Mr. Mühe? you help me? No! I'm having too much trouble right now! I have to make an effort! Marko ughed softly. Immediately, the little man with the deep wrinkles gave him a venomous look. "What's so funny?"

  "Nothing", Marko said quickly. "Nothing is funny." Finn tugged nervously at his sleeve. He briefly gave him a reassuring smile.

  "Right!" Mr. Mühe squinted his eyes as he spoke. "The ball tomorrow is not funny. You will serve the royal family. You will stand behind them iands aertain them with drinks and delicacies when they call for you. In the sed part of the event, you, Marko, and Leopold will distribute sparkling wine among the guests. Finn? You will help with the dishes i, as we want to avoid acts."

  Finn nodded and tugged restlessly and full of anticipation at Marko's uniform.

  So the princess kept her promise. Finn was allowed to see the ball. Marko would have preferred to do without it at all. The night was a full moon, but instead of roaming around as a wolf, he should serve guests? Restless as he would be then?

  "Turning into a wolf is, of course, prohibited. You will speak only when you are asked. Otherwise, you are silent. You won't ugh, or do something silly, or anything else... Best manners."

  Best manners. On a full moon. That evening would be terrible.

  Finn

  He was allowed to see the ball. Finn was happy. What was it like to be there as a guest? Instead of as a servant? Wearing fancy clothes, eating expensive food, and dang all night?

  Finn was on his way to Prier because he had called for him. He was nervous, even though the prince was ner. Yet he had spent very little time with him and had never been pletely alone. Marko had suggested that he apany him, but then he had to help with the dishes i... Slightly hesitant, Finn knocked on the prince's room door aered the room.

  "You called for me?", he said shyly into the room, but he couldn't see the prinywhere. Nervously he looked around the room, on the bed of the prince y a suit, which arently honey yellow, until someone had tipped bck paint over it.

  Finally, the prince came out of his dressing room. He wore pink trousers and a white linen shirt. Or was it a blouse? He wore her shoes nor socks.

  "Ah! Finn! Perfect!" Peter gri him. "Julia told me you could help me with a little dilemma?"

  "A dilemma?"

  "My suit!" Peter poio the former honey-yellow suit. "I'm not satisfied with it yet."

  Finn looked at the bck color. "I'm afraid that 't be washed out."

  "No, no." The prince gririumphantly. "The color should remain, naturally... But... The suit is not dramatiough for me!"

  "Dramatiow Finn grinned and took a closer look at the ruined suit. "I do dramatically. I'll bring you the finished suit tomorrow afternoon? Is that okay with you?"

  "More than okay", Prier agreed. "Have fun!"

  "Then I'll take the suit with me." Finn grabbed the suit ahe prince's room. "See you tomorrow, Yhness." He already had an idea of what he wao do.

  Between the rooms of the servants was a small sewing room, in which everything was avaible, which was necessary for smaller and rger ges to garments. If a button was lost on a jacket, or something broke or should be ged... There was everything to fulfill the royal wishes and to adjust or repair the uniforms of the servants. There Finn helped himself to everything he needed for the prince's clothes. Dramatic. He definitely mahat.

  sasi