Royals and Rebels 1: The Queen of Coleum

One The first thing I noticed about my dorm is that there are guards standing outside my door. Guards, with ear pieces, and suits that make them look like extras off of a James Bond film. I put down my suitcase, just for a minute. “Oh god,” I groaned, “this is it, isn’t it? I’ve been here for less than a minute, and I’m going to be arrested on foreign soil.” The guards both chuckles. “Don’t be so dramatic, Miss James,” the taller of the two, with salt and pepper hair, says, “We’re not here to arrest you. We’re here to introduce you, to make the transition smooth. And, actually, we’re really here for your roommate more so than you.” “My roommate?” I said. “What, is my roommate Malia Obama or something?” Pepper, as I’ve decided to call him, grins. “Something like that. They’re waiting for you inside.” “Er, okay…” reluctantly, I opened the door. Inside, there’s a bubbly, blond girl, with an austere, severe looking woman who reminds me a little of Professor McGonagall. All pointed, with grey hair, and intimidating. “Hullo!” the girl chirps in her posh accent. It is upper class dialect. The Isle of Coelum is a small, Principality not far off of the coast of the United Kingdom. Similar to Scotland, or Ireland, the country was made up of those who had escaped both countries during times of conflict to create their own home. They also had their own royal family, who apparently were part of the study abroad welcoming committee. “Hi.” I waved awkwardly. The girl stepped forward. She was leggy, wearing a posh skirt suit combo that made her look like an updated Princess Di. “You must be Rose!” she said. “I’m Everly----” “Bababa!” The severe looking woman stops her, raising a hand. Everly glowers at her. “Is that really necessary?” The older woman nods. Everly sighs. “I’m Princess Everly, Her Royal Highness of The Isle of Coelum, Duchess of West Coelum, and daughter to King Rupert and Queen Lucy of Coelum. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance.” The girl then curtsied. I stared at her. “Sorry…I mean…. I know Coelum has a royal family, but are you like the welcoming committee or something? Is this a joke?” Everly shook her head. “No, not at all! You…. you are Rose James, the recipient of The Royal Coelum Scholarship, aren’t you?” I nodded. “Yeah. Somehow managed to convince a University in the middle of nowhere to give me a full ride. Not bad.” She grinned. “Well, I’m the reason for that scholarship. We started the program to find me a suitable roommate, you know, weed out the unsuitables, and well you’re it! Part of the scholarship requirements is to be my roommate for four years.” I blinked. “You…. you’ve got to be joking.” “You’re in Coelum,” the austere looking woman said, “we don’t joke.” “Look, I’ll understand if you don’t want to but…. but could you please just give it one semester, at least? If you absolutely want to kill me after one semester, I will free you from my presence but…. you’re an art major, and I feel as though we’ve got so much in common.” I looked from her, back to the guards that were waiting outside. “So, the jackbooted storm troopers are part of the package?” “They protect me, and you by extent. But think of how much less pepper spray you’ll have to buy!” “What exactly does this deal entail?” “Just a non-disclosure agreement that you won’t share any of my secrets with the press, er…and a little note from my mother. I tried to stop her from putting it in, but she seemed to think it was necessary. Miss Wardell, the contract, please?” The grey-haired woman, or Miss Wardell, pulled the contract from a black, leather file holder she carried with her. “If you sign this contract Miss James, you will be under the protection of The Royal house of Coelum. If you choose to reject it, you will forfeit the scholarship but of course, we will help you find suitable payment options elsewhere should you still wish to attend The Royal College of Coelum University. I took a breath, grabbed the contract, and read over it. A coat of arms that depicted two crows on either side of a crown was at the head, very official, very intimidating. Dear Miss Rose James, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to The Royal College of Coelum University. As a recipient of The Royal Scholarship, you will be paired as the permanent roommate of Her Royal Highness Princess Everly of The Isle of Coelum. Henceforth, these rules must be obeyed. 1. Nothing must interfere with the Princesses’ schedule. Since you share a major, art, your classes will be together. 2. Any indecent behavior such as public intoxication, lewd acts, or etc. will result in termination immediately. 3. A GPA of at least a 3.0 must be kept each semester. 4. There are to be no romantic liaisons between you and members of the immediate Royal family of The Isle of Coelum. Any such dalliances will result in immediate termination. 5. Finally, any leaked royal secrets to the press will result in immediate termination and removal from the country. Should you choose to agree to the above, you will receive a stipend each semester to help keep up with the Royal lifestyle. Your educational expenses will be completely take care of for the next four years, as well as your living expenses. Please sign on the dotted line should you choose to accept. And of course, Miss Wardell had a heavy, Mont bloc pen ready for me to sign with. I looked from the Princess, back to the contract. Somehow, I felt as if I were signing my entire life away. And yet…. Everly looked so bright, so happy. How could I possibly say no? I signed. Everly let out a deafening squeal once the ink was on the paper, and Miss Wardell placed it back in her leather file. “Alright, your majesty,” she said with a smile, “you are officially a college student. You have my number, should you need anything.” “Of course, Miss Wardell.” “Good luck, my dear.” The woman gave her a caring pat on her shoulder but gave me a suspicious look as she walked away, closing the door of the dorm behind her. I stared at Everly. “She doesn’t like me, does she?” “She doesn’t like anyone,” Everly told me with a giggle, “anyway, I’m glad you signed Rose. Your application really stood out to me. I loved your art! Mother was even talking about hosting a show for you at some point.” I blushed. “Thank you, but I’m not really that great. Besides, I’m an art history major, not an artist.” “Still,” she said, “if you were interested, the offers there. Oh, and I am sorry about the last bit.” “What is that about anyway?” I asked. “The bit about relationships?” She waved it off. “It’s not really for you. It’s to deter my brother.” “Your brother?” She nodded. “Prince Apollo. He’s first in line to the throne, but he doesn’t take it very seriously. He’s a bit o a womanizer too. The Queen’s worried he’ll do something stupid to ruin this for you or me.” I laughed. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’m just here to study.” “Actually, I think you’d be fabulous for Apollo. He spent some time in New York last year---where you are from actually----and he came back really somber about something. No idea what happened though.” “What was he in New York for?” “Well, after our father was diagnosed with cancer last year, Apollo wanted some time to himself. He knew that he was going to have to take the throne soon, so he went to New York for a bit. I guess there was a girl, and drama ensued.” I winced. “Doesn’t sound like fun.” “Definitely not,” said Everly, “he still looks pained, whenever someone mentions it.” I tried, hard, not to think of my own heart break last year. The same, exact reason that I had gone a million miles away to get away from everything. The Royal University at Coelum had an amazing art program, and it seemed like a fairytale. The perfect place to get lost. When they had offered me the full ride scholarship, there was little to keep me at home so I ended up going. I had to leave, get out, and start over again. Which was why a year studying abroad seemed the ideal situation particularly when the entire thing was paid for. If the princess wanted to pretend to be normal, who was I to stop her? Especially when it seemed that I would only benefit from it. “Now,” she said, “did they tell you about The Welcoming Ball?” “The Welcoming What?” I stared at her in complete shock. “The Welcoming Ball,” she answered, “it’s something the school hosts at the beginning of every year. American’s have their keggers, but we’re a bit classier, and because my brother and I are here this year they’re hosting it in our honor. They’ve done it for Griffin twice and this year I’ll be the guest of honor. With you by my side of course. I’ve already got the perfect date lined up for you. Both a boy and a girl. I wasn’t entirely sure which you preferred, because we couldn’t find anything out about your dating history.” I laughed. “I prefer boys, but there’s no dating history to find because there hasn’t been any.” “Not a one?” said Everly, looking puzzled. “I know why I’ve been limited, because I’m sheltered but what about you? You’re a pretty girl, Rose. Surely there’s got to be someone whose heart broken over you.” I shrugged. “I’m a bit of a loaner. I keep to myself. If you know my backstory, which I assume you do because otherwise I wouldn’t be here, you know the whole sob story of my life.” “About your parents?” she whispered. “Yes,” I said, “about them.” “But that doesn’t mean that you’ve got to avoid love,” she reminded me. “No, it doesn’t. But it does mean I don’t have a lot of room for distractions in my life. My parents died when I was sixteen, which means for three years of my life I was bounced around with different relatives. I had to keep myself focused on school and getting to college, so I could survive, and make the best future I possibly could for myself.” “Well, you’re in college now,” Everly told me, “you’ve got time to just be a girl. Why not do that with a royal ball?” I laughed. “You sound absolutely insane.” She grinned. “Sometimes, a little insanity is what we need. So, why don’t we go and get you a dress?” “Are you serious?” “Absolutely,” she said, grabbing my hand, “after all, it is tonight, and I figured that you wouldn’t have one. Shopping is the best way to bond, I always find.” “Wait----you’re picking up the tab, right?” I said. “Because if I’m buying, I’ll be basically shopping in JCPenney’s formal wear section. Which, somehow, I don’t think is appropriate for this kind of thing.” She smiled. “Actually, you’ve got your own expense account as part of the scholarship fund. The Queen thought it best, so that you could keep up with me, and not feel like an outsider. We’ll charge it the same way I always do, to the palace.” “Right,” I said, “well, if you insist.” “I absolutely do,” she said, then, she called out, “Tommy! Grant! Bring the car around for us, please. We’re going shopping.” “Yes, your highness,” two stern, robotic sounding voices said. I could only marvel. My roommate was a Princess, and we had bodyguards to drive us around. This was my college life. Completely, totally, insane.