Alan and his best friend Ellie are enjoying being able to hang out on their summer break. Ellie has known about Alan's desire to be Allie for several years, and they plan one of their many shopping trips to the mall while their parents are at work. Little does Allie know that her simple day of secretly being out with her best friend would suddenly spiral into a whole new life!

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The Legal Stuff: Suddenly Royal © 2020 By Tiffany Shar
 
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2020 By Tiffany Shar. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.
 
 
Preface

I saw the announcement for Erin's Reluctant Princess Contest and immediately had an idea, but with everything going on in the world couldn't get much energy to write it. Since my last book that I posted on here it's been a really busy time in my life, but I really wanted to get a chance to put this story out there! Since I've procrastinated beginning to post there will be some days I'll throw another chapter up in order to make the deadline there. I have eleven chapters written and plan on two to three more for this part of the tale. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6:

I WAS IN shock over how different I looked. My brown hair was hanging loose, but with the curl at the bottom, and layers added, it looked a lot fuller than it ever had. It framed my face and I could see the sparkle of the two small diamond looking earrings in my ears. My face looked like a seventeen-year old’s should! As you made your way down my body there was only the hint of a chest with the padding from the bra that took my age down to maybe thirteen. Adding in my height I figured twelve would probably be someone’s average guess, but that was up from the nine or ten from earlier!

“I…” I said, “Wow…”

“Wow indeed,” Tyler said. “And this is just the start my dear, come we must try on about fifty other outfits!”

“Mom can you take a picture for me first with my phone?” I asked.

She smiled, “Sure!”

I posed a couple of ways like Ellie and I did with selfies when we hung out together before being shoved to change into another outfit. Over the next two hours I changed clothes more times than I knew was possible! About twenty casual dresses were put into a ‘save pile.’ A dozen skirts, two dozen tops, some slacks, and a couple of pantsuits were all put into that same pile. Every outfit was marked for alterations and a now larger team of four seamstresses were at work on adjusting them.

I was growing concerned there was nothing that could be considered casual for just hanging out with my friends. Before I could even ask about that, I was being dressed so quickly then in gowns appropriate for prom or a wedding. When I had tried on the final dress, Tyler said, “That’s the one for tonight…” he said to me as he handed it over. “The bra you’re wearing has removable straps, we need to take them off so it won’t be seen.”

“She could just go without the bra altogether,” Demi said standing nearby. “That dress is designed that way.”

He looked scandalized and grabbed it back from me, “You’re right… But I want her to have the padding in there, otherwise she’ll look more like the eight-year-old again.”

“You said I looked like I was ten earlier,” I told him. I had been stuck with him for hours now and feeling a bit more up to banter.

“I was being nice…”

“First time for everything?” I suggested.

“I like her,” Demi said.

“Everyone’s a critic of greatness!” He complained. “Go ahead and remove the straps. Mama can help actually so you don’t have to take it off?”

Mom nodded and walked back behind the screen with me for the hundredth time. I was kind of disappointed the dress I was wearing wasn’t the one for dinner. It was a beautiful green with Swarovski crystals sewn onto the bodice and the bottom of the skirt. I liked the way it brought out the green in my hazel eyes. The skirt went down to my ankles and I thought maybe it would be a good prom dress if I was still around for that… ‘Of course, that involves boys…’ I thought darkly. ‘They have cooties!’ I reminded myself.

Mom helped me carefully remove that dress. I stood still while she pulled at the hooks on the bra to release the shoulder straps. The bra might have been designed to be worn without them, but the tops of the cups pushed out a bit from my skin. I shrugged though and pulled on the latest dress. It was a light lavender color, and one of the most simplistic I had tried on. As I pulled it on, I realized it had the thinner neck collar piece similar to my dress from the day before, leaving my arms and shoulders completely bare, and the front sides came gracefully up to that neck. My chest was completely covered by the front of the bodice, while my back to just over my elbows was only covered by two straps that began at the sides and converged at the collar of the back that clasped shut. It left the middle of my back bare, along with my armpits and sides.

“Here, let me zip you up,” Mom said, pulling up on the low zipper that didn’t go far onto my back.

I turned around, “How’s it look?” I asked.

“Beautiful, like everything else,” Mom told me with a smile.

I was given a low set of heeled sandals to go with the dress and Tyler proceeded to have the seamstresses quickly mark it. “Make adjustments quickly while we get her hair put up,” he told her.

“My hair? I thought we already did it?” I told him.

He smiled, “My dear we did it for your normal everyday look! Tonight, your grandmother wants to show off her heir, the Crown Princess. It’s definitely no time for an everyday look!”

I blushed then, “I’m not special…”

He laughed, “And that’s why you may in fact be special.” He made a motion, “Mama, help her get that off, put on the robe you had on earlier, and let’s get back to work.”

I was soon sitting there as my hair was tugged, sprayed, poked, and burned. It was very tightly held up top in a bun of some sort as they started on my makeup. I had to stay absolutely still as these little small hairs of fake eyelashes were applied. Ellie had helped me put on a set of the cheap ones one time, but these were far more involved in applying. When Demi was done, she worked on eyeshadow and lined my eyes. I could tell that I was not going to recognize myself again!

Blocking my view of the mirror Tyler had me pull on the altered dress, put the shoes on, and right then Grandma arrived in an elegant dress. Atop her head was a real crown that I knew had to be worth a fortune. It was made of silver and looked to be covered in large diamonds and sapphires.

She smiled as she approached me with a wooden box. “Alexandria I am astonished at the transformation! Vous êtes très belle!” she slipped back into French for a moment.

“Merci, beaucoup grand-mère,” I replied back in French.

She continued in French to explain the box she held as she opened it, “This comb and necklace set have been in our family for seven generations.”

Inside the box was a beautiful hair comb set in what looked like silver, with pearls and… diamonds? “Is this real?” I asked nervously as I picked it up.

She laughed, “Yes, this is not a piece of cheap costume jewelry. The pearls and diamonds are both real.”

I felt Mom looking at it over my shoulder as well, it was stunning! A long chain necklace with a central area contained a similar design of pearls and diamonds in the middle of it.

“Grandma this must be worth a fortune… I can’t wear this…?” I said nervously.

She laughed, “Of course you can – and you must, I insist! It’s considered improper for a girl your age to wear a royal tiara since you’re not married yet. When you’re eighteen, and come of age, I plan on presenting you with one that you pick from the royal collection. Until then I think it’s fitting though that you wear these.”

I looked into the face of this stranger who was suddenly a family member and said, “Thank you so much,” and hugged her.

“My pleasure dear. I’ve missed out on all of your special days myself! Tonight, we will have some important guests for dinner. Sadly, we haven’t had time to teach you all of the etiquette that you should observe for this meal. Do your best to behave the best you are able. Small bites of food, never talk with your mouth full, and sit-up at the table.”

‘She so didn’t help my nerves!!!!’ I thought to myself.

“I’ll do my best,” I responded.

“Very well, I’ll leave you in Tyler and his staff’s hands to finish getting you ready with your last touches. Karen, you should get dressed too my dear.”

“Oh well…”

“You must be there tonight…” she insisted.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Mom said, deciding not to argue.

“Come Ms. Nelson,” Tyler told her, “We have a gown for you over here and we’ll have Demi work on your hair as soon as she finishes up on your daughter.”

I sat down and Demi placed the comb into my hair and helped me put the necklace on. Only then was I finally allowed to see myself in the dress with my hair and makeup. I looked like a princess… I was still short, and definitely flat in the chest, but the dress hid that pretty well. The makeup made me look like I could be an eighteen or nineteen-year-old senior. Just a really short one!

Mom had some tears in her eyes when she saw me, but Tyler said, “No crying! No ruining makeup!”

Mom smiled, “I’ll cry later then.”

While Demi quickly did something with her hair to accent the beautiful dress green mom wore, I stared at myself some more and couldn’t help but take a selfie. I sent it to Ellie and put my phone back away in my purse.

Mom was another fifteen minutes at the not-so-tender mercies of Demi before Giuseppe appeared. “It’s time for you to be introduced,” he told me. “Ms. Nelson if you would please go with Geneva, she’ll get you seated next to where Alexandria will be.”

“I’m not going with her?” I asked Giuseppe.

“No, Your Highness, tonight you’re being introduced to some important people. Your grandmother wants to do this properly.”

“Properly?”

He smiled.

“Look… There’s probably some rule against it, but I really am just a regular girl… Do you have to call me Your Highness?”

He smiled, “Yes, Your Highness I do.”

“I can’t even order you to call me Allie?”

He laughed, “When you become queen someday, I suppose you may try.”

‘Queen someday…’ I suddenly felt sick. ‘I’ve never even spent a day of my life in some foreign country that I’m expected to rule?’

Fortunately walking soon distracted me from vomiting!

We came to the opening of a very nicely appointed ballroom. I could see fifty or so people sitting about a large ‘U’ shaped table arrangement. A man was standing beside the door, but I wasn’t paying any attention until he made me nearly wet myself. “Presenting Her Royal Highness, Alexandria Leonora Alessi, Princess of Osané!”

All of the guests except Grandma stood then… embarrassingly even my own mother stood! Everyone gave me a bow as I approached. I blushed bright red, ‘What am I supposed to do…?’ I worried. I was guided to the empty seat next to my mom and my grandmother. A server pulled out the chair for me, and pushed it in when I was seated. I was careful to smooth the dress and sat as calmly as I could. I stared about the table and saw a lot of dressed up individuals who all looked very wealthy. Straight across from me I saw a man dressed in a military uniform with a salad of medals across his chest.

He gave me a nod of his head as everyone else took their seats. Over the next few minutes Grandma introduced me to a slew of names of the people present. I had a good memory, but I was hopeless with that many new faces and names all at once! Apparently, the Prime Minister and the top general of their small military force had flown in to meet me. A mixture of minor nobles that I was somehow distantly related to, along with some apparently important local business people were present.

Fortunately for me with Grandma next to me I was able to mimic her actions as she placed her napkin on her lap and dinner began. The Prime Minister was an older gentleman about the same age as Grandma was. He occasionally tried to make conversation with me around Grandma. It made for some awkward moments and I wasn’t sure of the etiquette involved. I tried to mimic her movements though and hoped I didn’t seem like a complete slob by the time we reached the final course of a special dessert that was apparently a chocolate soufflé of some sort. Osané produced a special type of berry that was included as a topping. Sort of like a raspberry to me, but a little bit more tart in taste.

As I pushed away the plate I looked at Grandma and said, “That was amazing…”

She smiled, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“Today has been an amazing day altogether, thank you for that,” I told her.

“You’re most welcome,” she told me as all of the sudden the staff serving the meal brought out flutes of champagne.

Mom looked at mine skeptically, but before she could say something a woman leaned over and told us both, “hers is just sparkling water.”

“Thank you,” Mom told her.

I wanted to stick my tongue out at her, but somehow figured that would get me into trouble here. Grandma got everyone’s attention, “Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to propose a toast to my granddaughter, Princess Alexandria! May she be a worthy princess and future queen!”

I blushed as everyone said some combination of the same phrase and toasted the glass of the person next to them. I mimicked Grandma and took a sip of my sparkling water and looked on with jealousy at the champagne. A few more toasts were offered and I wondered if I should have responded as well.

Thinking I was better off being silent I just waited patiently until the Grandma stood and said, “We’re going to retreat to another room now. If you wish to briefly meet the princess then, you may. We do have to get her on towards home within the hour!”

Everyone stood as she did. I was unsure of what else to do so I followed their lead and was grateful she grabbed me by the elbow and led me to a large sitting room to greet people as they left. The man dressed in the military uniform was one of the first, he greeted my grandmother and me with a kiss of our hands. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” he said, making me blush. “I am General Renaldo; I am in command of our nation's military.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” I told him while thinking, ‘It’s just an island, they have a military?’

“The pleasure is mine, Your Highness. When you come to Osané I’ll have to introduce you to my daughter, I have a feeling you would become friends quickly.” He looked back at Grandma, “Your Majesty I will see you when you return. I’m going to fly out with the Minister tonight.”

“Thank you for coming with him,” she told him. “We appreciate your service to Osané.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

The next person in the receiving line was the Prime Minister. “A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness,” he told me. “I believe our country will be in great hands someday.”

I blushed, “Umm… thank you sir.”

Fortunately, none of the conversations were involved any more than those as people filed out. Soon my mom and I stood there with just a few remaining guests. “Allie,” Mom said, “we need to get home. It is waaay past time for us to do so.”

I looked on the wall at an expensive looking grandfather clock and realized it was nearly eleven. “I probably should say goodnight to Grandma?”

She nodded and we walked over to her. Grandma took note of us and asked, “Are you two heading home?”

“Yes Grandma,” I said to her. I looked a bit awkward and said, “Thank you for today, it was a great day.”

“Of course, Alexandria,” she told me with a smile. “Tomorrow morning they’ll bring by your new outfits. I have some state business to take care of, but on Sunday I would like for you to come for tea and we’ll talk about the future?”

I looked at Mom who nodded, “That will work Your Majesty,” Mom said to her. “Come on Princess, time for you to get home!”

We stopped by the room where we had changed to grab our purses. It was only then that I realized that I hadn’t looked at my phone in hours. I’d missed a bunch of texts from Ellie that I began responding to as we drove home.

I saw that she had responded to the picture I had sent earlier, Oh My God!!! The one you sent earlier made you look like you were older and in MS. You look like you’re older than me!

LOL, I replied then.

Almost immediately she replied to m. What are you doing tomorrow?

Waiting for them to bring me all of my new wardrobe before having the rest of the day off I think… Grandma is doing something else.

I watched the dots of her typing for a moment and saw, You should come over and come swim in the morning.

You don’t want to see the bajillion outfits I got today?

I watched the dots of her typing reappear, Right, fashion show at Allie’s house first, THEN swimming!

We got home after midnight and walked into the house. Mom gave me a hug and asked, “Do you know how to take your makeup off?”

I nodded, “I don’t have any remover though?”

“Take your dress and hang it up, then come to my room,” she told me.

I worked at the back clasp that held the thin band at the neck loose before contorting my body to bring down the back zip from the lower back where it was really hard to reach. I got it just before deciding I would need to give up, and then carefully hung the dress on a hanger in my closet. I smiled as I hung it and pulled off the bra that made me look like I had a small chest. My pajamas from last night went back on and I walked to Mom’s room.

She made sure I had all of the makeup off, but my lashes still looked long with the fake lashes still attached. “Do these come off?” I asked her as I pointed to them.

I watched in the mirror as she shook her head, “Not those, they’re a really expensive set. Demi said they should stay on your eyes for six to eight weeks before they fall out on their own.”

Between the lashes and the plucked eyebrows my face still looked different than the one I looked at in the morning. It almost looked like a high school face… then you looked at my pajamas and my flat chest and returned my age back to elementary school.

Mom must have sensed my confused thoughts because she wrapped me in a tight hug, “I love you Allie.”