Meeting
Anneliese was ten years old when she met Erika for the first time.
It was during one of her mother's dress fittings. Most of Madame Carp's employees were sick with the flu, so she had to improvise. And she figured a ten-year-old kid couldn't do much damage.
Anneliese was in the room with her mother, taking etiquette lessons with her old tutor. She had already skipped the last few lessons, so her mother wanted to keep an eye on her.
It wasn't like she wasn't doing anything productive while she was skipping the classes. Honestly, the only reason why she skipped the classes was so that she could read the science textbooks in the royal library.
But her mother didn't see it like that. She only saw that Anneliese was ignoring her princess duties, which wasn't entirely true. She was doing her tasks from a different angle.
It didn't matter anyway. Now she was stuck taking her lessons in one of the larger sitting rooms, working on how to hold and drink from a teacup.
Anneliese could already feel her brain-numbing.
Madame Carp entered a couple of minutes after the lesson started, Erika trailing behind her, she was carrying all of Madame Carp's supplies. She also set up the area for Madame Carp.
Madame Carp didn't even try to help her. She was more focused on sweet-talking the Queen to even notice to the poor girl was there at all. Anneliese only learned Erika's name when Madame Carp snapped at her to go faster. She felt terrible for her, but she didn't show it. After all, she was supposed to be focusing on her lesson.
But that didn't stop her from glancing over at Erika every once in a while.
At one point, Erika caught her eye, and Anneliese's breath caught in her throat. They looked so similar. It was so strange.
Anneliese tore her gaze away, trying to focus on what her tutor was teaching her.
When she glanced back over at Erika, she was pretending to drink tea from a bowl-shaped tool. When she saw Anneliese looking, she smiled and waved. Then the tool broke, sending the contents inside, falling into her lap.
Erika's expression was priceless, and Anneliese spits the tea she was drinking out, bursting into a fit of giggles.
That brought a smile to Erika's face, which soon faded as she felt Madam Carp's glare.
The Queen gave her daughter a stern look, then turned her gaze to Erika.
"I am so sorry for her, your Majesty." Madame Carp said, sneering at Erika. "I would have brought someone more... professional. But I'm a little short-staffed."
Erika curled in on herself, looking down at her clasped hands.
"I'll make sure she never-" Before Madame Carp could finish, Anneliese stood up, cutting her off.
"Wait! No! It wasn't her fault!" She said quickly, not wanting Erika to get punished for something she did.
Erika gave her a small, grateful smile.
"I brought you here to stop you from getting distracted. This girl is distracting you." The Queen said calmly.
Anneliese scrambled for something to say. "I-I wasn't even laughing at her, though! I was laughing at a bird that flew into the wall!"
Everything was silent for a moment, then the Queen sighed. "Fine. If you say so, my dear. But if you get distracted again, I'm going to send her out."
Anneliese nodded quickly. "Yes, Mother." She sat back down and listened to her tutor.
Madame Carp still looked skeptical, but reluctantly went back to work.
The rest of the time was uneventful. Anneliese finished before Madame Carp did. But she stayed in the room even after the tutor left.
"Excuse me, Madame Carp?" Anneliese started, waiting for Madame Carp to look at her before continuing. "May I borrow Erika for the rest of the time you're here? Surely an experienced seamstress like you can handle the rest without help."
Erika was confused as to why the Princess wanted to hang out with her. But she wasn't about to object and waste an opportunity to get away from Madame Carp.
Madame Carp was at a loss for words, but luckily(or unluckily), the Queen spoke up instead.
"Are you sure that id a good idea, dear? You still have so much to do." She stated.
Anneliese shook her head. "But I don't, Mother. That was the last thing I had to do today. Please?"
The Queen sighed, shaking her head. "Alright, only if Madame Carp allows it, though."
Both Erika and Anneliese turned to see what Madame Carp would say.
Madame Carp, never one to refuse a royal, caved in with a small sigh. "Alright. Fine. However, I expect you to be back at the carriage in two hours, Erika."
Erika nodded quickly. "Yes, Madame Carp!"
Anneliese smiled and grabbed Erika's hand, gently dragging her out the door.
"Thank you for saving me back there, your highness," Erika said after they were far enough away from the adults.
"Please, Call me Anneliese. And it was no problem. It isn't your fault that your face was so funny." She laughed.
Erika rolled her eyes playfully. "It couldn't have been that funny."
"But it was!" Anneliese replied, coming to a stop outside her room. She opened the doors and walked in, waving Erika in as well.
Erika looked around the room in shock. She could fit Madame Carp's entire shop in this room and have room to spare. "Wow... Its so.." She couldn't finish her sentence.
Anneliese giggled. "Come on, don't tell me you haven't seen a bedroom before." She sat down on her bed, patting the spot next to her.
"Not one this big," Erika replied, hesitantly sitting next to Anneliese.
"I guess it is pretty big. But that means I have a lot of room to dance around if I want to!" Anneliese said, then paused for a moment. "Sorry If I'm too chatty, it's been a while since I've met someone my age."
Erika waved her off. "It's fine. I get it. I don't get to meet a lot of kids my age, either."
Anneliese had a puppy dog grin on her face. "So... Tell me about yourself..."
They spent the rest of their time talking and laughing with each other. But unfortunately, the two hours had gone by super quickly.
They walked together to the carriage.
"Where do you live? I want to be able to send you a letter." Anneliese asked as they got near the carriage.
Erika told her where she lived, then looked at Anneliese with a bright smile. "I had a lot of fun today, Princess."
"I had fun as well; I hope to see you again," Anneliese said, smiling back at her.
"I hope so too. See you!" Erika said, climbing into the carriage.
Madame Carp came stomping out a moment later, carrying all of the stuff she had Erika bring in. She loaded it up and jumped into the carriage, not even acknowledging Anneliese.
The Princess waved to the carriage as it left.
She was glad that her mother insisted on Anneliese having her lesson with her now.
She made a new friend out of it.