Royal Blue - How to Laugh It had been a somber time for the royal family. The death of former colonel William Anderson had, at least temporarily, put a damper on the joy that normally radiated from the palace and the princess. It was seven mooncycles after her father's send-off before the princess even smiled again, and that only on the occasion of the birth of her second child, Prince Tremaine. And, as goes the princess, so goes the palace. Yet, it was now thirty mooncycles later and his royal highness, Prince Terrius, was worried about his wife. True, the birth of their second son did get the princess to smile again. And, also true, the presence of her mother did lighten everyone's spirits, as Lady Kyanna could be an unstoppable force at times, but the fact that he hadn't heard his wife's laughter in so long concerned Terrius greatly. As he sat in the sitting room just off of the throne room there was a knock at the door. "Enter." As the door opened, a slightly out of breath Lady Kyanna almost marched into the room. "Good sunrise, Terrius. You requested my presence?" "Yes, I did. Please have a seat Lady Ky-" the prince paused as the older noblewoman raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me, Mom, please have a seat." The military wife smiled as she sat down. "Someday soon, we'll have you calling me 'Mom' without any prompts." Taking a deep breath, Kyanna continued, "So what exactly is this about?" Looking at his mother by marriage in concern, the prince deviated from his agenda to ask, "Are you well, Mom? You seem to be slightly out of breath." A peal of laughter came from the other occupant in the room. "You can blame your sons for that. I spent the sunrise wearing them out so that their nannies and tutors could handle them. They have so much energy! I think my daughter has her hands full with them. I had wondered why the Creator had blessed her with so much stamina. Now I know." "If they were too much for you-" Kyanna snorted. "Oh please. They are fine. They are good little boys after all, but boys all the same. Besides, they keep me young." "Good," Terrius smiled briefly. His smile slipped as he came to the subject that was bothering him, "Actually, I asked to see you because I am worried about Adaunde. Ever since...ever since we lost her father, she seems so sad-" The older woman smiled sadly at her son by marriage, "And you want to see her happy again, like she used to be?" "Well, yes," the royal agreed. "My son, death of a parent is a hard thing to live with. I hope, Creator willing, it isn't something you have to live with for many mooncycles yet. Having a loved one return to the Creator does change one for life." "Oh." "Wait. That does not mean that my daughter will never laugh again. She has already made amazing strides rather quickly because of little Tremmy. She didn't cry for days like I did upon the loss of my father. Tremmy and Endy and you have been able to make her smile and to make her face the world around her. Give her a little more time to laugh." Terrius nodded as Kyanna rose. As he got to his feet as well, his mother by marriage turned to him and said, "It also might help if you invited some of her friends over to see her. The few times that she was really sad as a child, Maya always seemed to be able to bring her out of it." The young man smiled. "Thank you, Mom." "You're welcome. Besides," Kyanna said as she reached for the door, "I would like to hear my daughter laugh again as well." **** In the sitting room off of her own quarters, Princess Adaunde allowed herself to sigh. Seven and thirty mooncycles after her father's death and she still missed him greatly. She was passed denying that her father was gone. She was no longer angry that her father had return to the Creator before she herself was ready for him to go. She even was able to dredge up memories of him that made her smile. But she still seemed to be unable to be herself. She knew her behavior was concerning her family. She saw the troubled looks that her husband often leveled on her when he thought she was unaware. She noticed that her mother always made sure to have the sun-height repast with her daughter. Her oldest son had tried to become a laugh provider, working so hard to make her smile and alleviate his new found nervousness. The only one not actively worried about her was her own silver lining, Tremaine. But that was only because the poor boy had never actually heard his mother laugh. Adaunde felt guilty about all of this, she really did. She worried that he was hurting Terrius in the way she feared she would before she married him. The most annoying thing was she didn't seem to be able to help it. So, when her husband asked her to go on a walk with Lady Bella, she agreed. She had to do something, after all. The knock on the door caused the princess to jump slightly, but after a slight pause, she said, "Come in," The door opened and a familiar person walked into the room. Her light blue hair was pulled back from her face and up from her neck. Her eyes sparkled and she wore a pink bouvardia twined around her wrist. Yet, in all the familiarity, there were difference. The young woman, although she currently looked concerned, practically glowed. On top of which, she was slightly heavier than the last time Adaunde had seen her. "Bella. Thank you for coming." The lady and royal advisor smiled. "Do not dare to thank me. I wanted to be able to see you, to talk. I know it has been difficult since Lord Anderson...well..." "Yes, Bella, it has been difficult since my father has left us. But I am beginning to believe that he would not want me...stuck as I am," the princess admitted as she stood. "So, let us take that walk that Terrius insisted that we have." The noblewoman nodded and the two set off for one of the many palace gardens. As they neared the side door that led to the orchid gardens, the princess began to reflect on the differences in her friend. She had not seen much of Lady Bella in the past thirty mooncycles, as her personal grief had lessened her interest in planetary matters. Yet, it was clear that something about her friend had changed.... "How have you been, Bella? I feel very remiss in not...interacting much with you as of late," the princess began. "It is fine, your royal highness. I understood. The death of a parent is not an easy thing," the noblewoman smiled sympathetically. "No," the princess agreed. As they approached the golden orchid groves, the princess turned to ask why Bella had chosen that particular courtyard, when she heard familiar laughter, "What - ?" the princess began to ask as she rounded the corner to suddenly stop in surprise as she saw what was in the clearing. On one of the benches near the area fountain, sat two women. One of the women was laughing, her red hair bobbing up and down with her mirth. The other woman smiled, but most of her attention was focused on her lap, on which stood a smaller person. The two women did turn toward the sound of the princess' voice as she entered the courtyard. "Surprise," Lady Bella said quietly behind her. And, while the princess did not respond to her statement, the noblewomen knew her royal friend thanked her. "Maya," the princess said very quietly. The red-head smiled. "Hello, Dawn," she greeted her oldest friend as she rose from her bench to walk over to the princess. She wrapped her friend in a big hug. "It's good to see that you are out." "You are here," the princess breathed. "You are here this time," the princess repeated, referring to the one time she needed her friend and she had not been there. "Yes, I'm here this time." Maya said as she held her friend and closed her eyes. Although Adaunde did refer to it from time to time, she had never asked Maya why she had disappeared for two and ten mooncycles when Adaunde was only five mooncycles with Endymion, not returning until after his birth. Maya had likewise never told her, mainly because the reason hurt so much. "It is good to see you, Maya. I am sorry that I have not talked much to you since the send off of my father-" "No, it's okay. I understood," the merchant's daughter said as she let go of her friend. "And, as I expect to be a basket case when I have to send off my father to the Creator, I expect the same kind of support and understanding from you," Maya ended with a smile. "Of course," Adaunde replied. After smiling at her oldest friend, Adaunde walked to the bench and sat down next to her other visitor. "Lady Ashante. Welcome back to the palace." "Your royal highness," the woman smiled as she nodded toward the princess. "And who do you have with you?" the princess said as she smiled at the child who had now turned her brown eyes in the direction of the princess. "This is my daughter, Lady Maxine Zaire," the countess of Afrique said with pride as she smiled at the girl she held in her arms. "Your daughter?! Oh, Lady Ashante, I had no idea! I-" the princess began, horrified over having missed such an important moment in her friend's life. "Do not worry, your royal highness. It is fine. Between the loss of your father and the birth of your second son, you were busy. I understood," the countess smiled, "I did want you to have a chance to meet my little girl, however, so she accompanied us to the capital city this trip." "Thank you," the princess smiled. Once again turning her attention to the little girl on her friend's lap, Adaunde smiled. "It is very nice to meet you, Lady Maxine." The little girl smiled shyly in return. "Hello," she said quietly. "She is precious," the princess declared to her mother. Noting the pink curl nestled in one of the puffs on the young girl's head, Adaunde commented, "Truly a daughter of the ruling house of Afrique." "Yes," Ashante smiled as she gently pulled on the pink curl. "And it looks much better on her than her father." The princess would have made another comment if the air hadn't suddenly been filled with yelling. "What in terra firma-?" Maya asked as she looked around, trying to find the source of the noise. "Those would be my boys. They are probably trying to run from their minders...either because they have done something or they are about to do something," the princess sighed as she rose. "Their minders?" Ashante asked, confused. "My sons are like me in that they do not like the idea of protection. They even seem to have adverse reactions to words like 'security' and 'protectors', so we have taken to referring to those watching over them as minders," the princess shrugged. "It is just easier that way." Just as the princess neared the edge of the clearing, two shapes rush around the corner and ran into her. Stumbling slightly, but not falling, the princess regained her balance and then looked down at what had hit her. "Good sunrise, Endymion and Tremaine. Pray tell, whom are you evading, hm?" Two guilty faces looked up at their mother. "Good sunrise, mummy," Endymion replied quietly. "Endy made me do it," Tremaine replied, pointing to his older brother while pouting. "I did not," the older boy objected. The princess smiled. Squatting down, she drew both of them into a hug, "My dangerous duo. Whatever shall I do with you?" she asked. Pulling back to look at them, "I know. I shall introduce you." Ignoring the puzzled looks on their faces, Princess Adaunde let them go and stood up. Taking both of their hands, she led the two first to one-half of the royal advising team. "You both remember Lady Bella?" "Good sunrise, Auntie Bella," the boys chorused. The blue-haired noble smiled. "Good sunrise to the both of you. I do hope you are being kind to your minders," she added as an afterthought. "Good ones are hard to find." The guilty looks reappeared on the boys' faces, causing the noble woman to laugh. Before the boys could think of a way to explain whatever they had done, their mother led them on. Walking next to her best friend, she said, "This Mistress Tiffany- Cartier. You remember your Auntie Maya, do you not?" Eight year old Endymion nodded, "Good sunrise, Auntie Maya." "Good sunrise, your royal highness. You are growing up to be more of a heart stealer everyday," the merchant's daughter added. At the older boy's blush, Maya turned her attention to the other prince, "And good sunrise to you, Prince Tremaine." The younger boy peaked out at her from behind his mother, "Hello." Maya smiled as she looked up at her friend. "He's cute," she said, trying to cover up her sadness that he did not seem to be very comfortable with her. "That is because he is on his best behavior at the moment. A few mooncycles in your presence, and you might change your mind," Adaunde said, smiling to reassure her friend that her youngest would soon call her "Auntie Maya" as well. Finally, the princess dragged her boys to the last two people in the courtyard. "And this is the countess of Afrique and her daughter, Maxine." "Good sunrise, Lady Zaire, Lady Maxine," Endymion said with a little bow. "Good sunrise, your royal highness," Ashante replied and her daughter smiled at Endymion. At little Maxine's smile, Tremaine moved from behind his mother. "Hello," the three year old boy said as he looked at the little girl. "Hello," she echoed as she waved at the boy. "Do you want to play?" Tremaine asked. Maxine blinked and then turned to her mother, almost as if to ask for permission. "Of course, if it is alright with her highness," Ashante smiled. "Oh, absolutely!" Adaunde agreed. "She would be a wonderful influence on them." With all the permission needed, and with Endymion's promise that they would be good and mind their minders while Maxine was with them, Maxine was placed on the ground. She reached out for Tremaine's hand; Endymion took her other hand. As the princes' minder finally caught up with them, the three children quietly left. Bella shook her head as the three children left. "That is the quietest I have ever seen their royal highnesses! Unless they were in a lot of trouble," the royal advisor qualified. "They are a handful, your royal highness." "Hoping that your own will not be as labor intensive?" the princess asked slyly. Lady Bella Morte-Vida gasped. "How did you know?" "That you were with child? I guessed, based on your glow and other changes." The princess paused, "Bella, I shall try to be more supportive now than I have been in the past when my friends have had children." "Oh, Adaunde. We all understand. Really, we do," Lady Bella replied. It appeared that Adaunde was about to object, when she paused, blinked a few times and then crumpled. "Your royal highness!!" three voices shouted as the two noblewomen and a merchant's daughter rushed to the side of the fallen princess. Moments later, the princess opened her eyes to see her concerned friends. "What happened?" "You slipped again, your royal highness," Bella said as she looked at the princess in concern. "But I am fine," the princess replied. "I am sorry to worry you so, Bella," the princess added. "I seem to slip around you often, but I do not normally do so." "Adaunde, I have only known you to slip only twice before!" the noblewoman tried to reassure the princess. "Once, at your anniversary ball, when you were with Endymion, and then, during the service for your father, when you were..." "...with Tremmy," the princess finished quietly. "Do you think that I -" "Might be with child again?" Ashante finished the question. "It would make sense." The princess blinked. "I am with child again? It is...a bit of a surprise." "It doesn't seem fair, however," Maya said. "What do you mean? Why does it not seem fair?" the princess asked, puzzled. "Well, Dawn, it just seems that the only symptom you have of being with child is slipping," Maya began. "You have no nausea, no cramping, no mood swings. It just doesn't seem fair." "She does have a point, Adaunde. My husband complained about how I could vacillate between tears and laughing for no reason when I was with Maxine." Ashante said. "And how are you blessed with no sunrise illness? I had sunrise illness for the last three mooncycles! And sometimes sunwane illness as well" Bella exclaimed. "It's probably a good thing," Maya said. "Imagine if our princess had lost her meals instead of slipping." "Goodness! That would not have gone over well at the ball! It would have clashed with her gown," Bella replied. "It would not have been appropriate at the service for Lord Anderson, either," Ashante pointed out. "Yes," the princess said with a strange look on her face. "Creationist ministers are taught to try to commune at peace with terra firma, but I do not think they would be pleased about what that would do to their cathedral." "And here," Maya pointed out, "it would probably blend with the grass!" Adaunde looked down at the ground and began to make a strange sound. As her friends looked on with concern, her shoulders began to shake. The three women looked at each other, horrified. "Dawn," Maya began her apology, "we didn't mean anything-" but she stopped when her friend looked up. The princess' eyes were smiling and there were no sign of tears at all. "Bl-blend in with the grass," the princess choked out around her laughter. "And clash with my dress? Poor Honoria would have been beside herself." The other women looked at each other for a second. Then Bella started to snicker. "No, just picture it!" she insisted. After a few moments, Maya and Ashante looked at each other and started laughing. Soon all four of them were laughing as they sat on the ground in the middle of the clearing. They laughed until they cried, not noticing that they had drawn a crowd, which included the two young princes of the planet and Lady Maxine. "We do not have to tell Terry about this little slipping incident, do we?" Adaunde managed to ask around her laughter. "Only if you promise to get out more than Lady Talia did after she had her daughter," Ashante insisted. "I promise," Adaunde smiled. And, as they promised, Prince Terrius was not told that this wife had slipped from the world that sunrise. He was told that his wife was with child. He was also told that she was laughing again. The news made him smile. - to be continued -