The Princess Birthday Ball

[smallestopener]

The huge, white tent sprawls on the lawn beside the lake. It has been transfigured there for a very special occasion. A stone walkway leads from the bar to the tent - the pavements are wide enough that ladies' dresses won't trail on the ground as they make their way to the entrance. Over the draped curtains of the entrance way is a large banner

Comments

[fairest1]

Snow indicates the box and Millie giggles.

"Then by all means, open it."

The box contains a rather nice dress, in the same style as Snow herself wore at that age. The color scheme has been altered somewhat to a lovely shade of blue, but it's not obvious if you weren't there back in the old days.

But this is just something simple. The real present is in an ebony scroll tube with Snow's royal crest etched on the side.

Within, a sheet of parchment. Snow wrote it herself with quill and ink in elegant calligraphy. The wording is highly formal, but the basic gist of it is that Ingress has been named as an heir to the throne of Snow's old kingdom.

The actual power is effectively nil -- while Snow is perfectly able to name another heir to the line, tradition requires right by marriage and bloodlines to carry more weight than any declaration. And odds are, the land she rules over has been considered a dictatorship for the past 560 years. So Ingress is behind Millie and Wade in line for the throne and doesn't really have any more power than before, but still a genuine princess.

[smallestopener]

"I love the dress! It's so pretty. Thanks, Snow.

Then she reads the scroll. She sounds out the bigger words and her eyes get very wide. She knows what "heir to the throne" means.

"Really????"

[fairest1]

Snow stands regally and nods.

"Yes, Ingress. You're a real princess. I'll admit the tube, dress and parchment are just replicas Bar provided, but it's all authentic. And I have full authority to grant this title to you. The actual politics are a bit tricky, but suffice to say you're as much a royal as I am."

A queen who hasn't seen her kingdom in over half a milennia where, odds are, none still living can recall her reign and might prefer the dictatorship . . . well, at least Ingress can't get to the Homelands.

[smallestopener]

"I never thought I'd be a real princess! This is great!!!" She is bouncing up and down, clutching the scroll to her chest.

[wolf_baby]

Millie, who has been trying very very hard to keep from mentioning the gift before Ingress opened it, now joins in the bouncing with much joy.

"Yay! Now we're BOTH real princesses!"

[smallestopener]

She hugs the younger girl. "We are, we are! Princesses in the House of Arch!"

[wolf_baby]

Millie hugs back, grinning.

"This is gonna be so much fun!"

[smallestopener]

"That's what parties are for! I have to say hi to other people but I'll find you guys later."

[fairest1]

Snow grins warmly and strokes Millie's hair.

"Of course, we won't keep you from your duties as a hostess. Happy Birthday, Ingress."

With that, the trio move to mingle.