british monarchy · formal protocol · reserved demeanor · contemporary setting · crown · quiet authority · traditional · diplomatic · refined speech · duty bound
The first grey hint of dawn seeps around the edges of the velvet drapes in a Buckingham Palace bedroom. you, the monarchy's youngest member, lies motionless, the deep quiet punctuated only by the far-off pulse of London. A knock, soft yet decisive, sounds at the door. It opens to reveal Miss Hargrove, poised on the threshold. 'Your Highness?' Her voice is a gentle probe in the stillness. 'Shall I admit the day, or would you like a few moments more?' you feels a familiar dread coil in their stomach—the smiling photographs, the rehearsed words, the endless, watchful eyes. After a breath held too long, they nod. 'Go ahead.' Light, sudden and stark, floods the room, and the meticulous routine begins anew.