The Royal Treatment

-The Royal Treatment-
by Waterway the Wordsmith

[(M/F)4A][Relaxing][Weekend at the Palace][Prince/Princess Speaker]

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You do your best to stand up straight and make yourself presentable as the doors to the palace open, the guards admitting you inside after the herald confirmed your identity to them. The ride to the palace alone was more luxury than you'd ever experienced, with feather pillows, silk curtains, and snacks for the short trip. To think, you're actually going to be LIVING in a palace, even for just a weekend... it's enough to make a simple peasant like yourself faint.
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(PRINCE/PRINCESS): (Clears Throat)

I welcome you, dear citizen, to the royal palace. I am the first prince/princess of the realm, and it will be my duty to guide and serve you for the duration of your stay.

You have been selected by lottery to stay in the royal palace over the weekend, where you will experience the luxury normally restricted to royalty. I will act as your servant, attending to every reasonable request you have while you're here. Please don't hesitate to request anything you desire.

Do you have any questions?

Oh, of course. My parents started this program as a way to show the people that the royal family truly cares for them. Too often, rulers treat their subjects as tools to create wealth. We want our subjects to understand that, while we do live in luxury, we take it as just compensation for putting genuine effort and care into providing for our citizens. We are, in a very real sense, servants of the people. We are not “too good” to personally wait on a peasant, nor do we think commoners are undeserving of royal treatment.

And so, each month we randomly select three citizens to come to the palace and be pampered for a few days. My siblings are attending to the others as we speak.

Oh, that's an excellent question. When my parents were first considering this program, they did think of potentially offering it as a reward for people who have done great deeds. But they decided against it for two reasons. First, because they want to express that EVERYONE deserves equal treatment, not just the ones who specifically please us. People who do “great deeds” are often people of wealth or influence who have been given the means to perform those deeds, anyway.

And second… well, for security reasons. If there's a clear pathway to being allowed to enter the palace and spend days around royalty, then anyone who wished to do harm to us would do everything they could to win the privilege. By making it random, and by of course requiring that only people without a history of violence may be selected, we protect ourselves from ne'er-do-wells. We have done our best to try and win the love of the kingdom's citizens, but there will always be people who hate those in power.

Now, shall we begin the tour?

Right now, we're in the great hall. It's mostly just an entryway to the rest of the palace, but we do keep many works of art in here. Paintings, statues, tapestries, and even the occasional performer. You are, of course, free to peruse them if you like.

It’s also excellent for people watching. It’s the main thoroughfare through which servants, diplomats, and soldiers traverse the palace, so you’ll see all sorts of interesting people. I’ve sat myself on one of the benches before and watched for hours, just seeing what kinds of people pass by. Although… I probably should have been doing more productive things.

Through this door is the throne room. You'll be living like royalty, but you won't need to take up our duties. Still, if you're curious to see the royal court in action, you're free to take a seat and observe. We do ask that you not interrupt, though.

We also ask that you keep an open mind if you watch the proceedings. Politics can seem strange to those not familiar with it. On the surface, it often appears to be mostly idle chatter and empty words, and has led some observers to think that we don’t do much. But there are layers to these conversations that are difficult to pick up on without practice. I’ve watched what seemed like a perfectly pleasant conversation suddenly devolve into shouting as someone was enraged by some subtext I never caught.

Over this way we have the royal library - we’ve done our best to educate all our citizens, but if you can’t read then I’m happy to read any books you like aloud to you. There are some fascinating tales here - though it could also be a good opportunity to learn something that you otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to, if you’d like. We have treatises and encyclopedias on almost every conceivable subject

There are quite a few books in other languages, as well. If you’re curious about those, I’m fluent in a few, and I know where to find servants who can speak most of the others. It’s one of the few ways that a person who can’t travel regularly can get an authentic glimpse into another culture.

Further down the hall are the royal baths. This is one thing I won’t be assisting you with, but I’ll happily instruct you on how to use it. Servants keep a tank of water hot, so you don’t need to wait for it to be warmed up.

My favorite part about the baths are all the exotic soaps and scents. Some of them are just heavenly, although there are a few that are… acquired tastes. If you find one you like, I’m sure we can send you home with some as a parting gift.

There’s a lounge over this way with a few simple games for amusement. I’d love to play against you, or you could challenge other people in the palace if they have time. Many members of the court love the chance to play against new people.

It also has a balcony that overlooks the training yards. We’ve discontinued combat training as a perk of this program due to… incidents, but you’re free to watch, and if you wanted to get a closer look at the weapons and armor I’m certain they’d oblige.

And down this corridor are the guest suites, where you’ll be staying.

Ah, not that-

(Clears Throat)

That is MY room. Yours is at the end of the hall.

Yes, I… It’s a strange collection, I’ll confess. I’ve never met anyone else that collects mushrooms. Or that pickles them and stores them in jars. I… I’m not sure what drew me to them in the first place, if I’m being honest with you. You can forget you saw that.

Anyway! Your room - or should I say, rooms - have a large, luxurious bed, fresh fruit and bread swapped out regularly, room to entertain guests, and a smaller, more private bath. There’s a balcony with a lovely view of the city over the wall, as well.

There’s one more room I should show you on our tour. There’s plenty more to the palace, but you can explore it on your own time. Just be sure to bring me along so I can point out any areas you aren’t allowed in.

This is the feast hall. Our guests tend to spend more time here than in any other room, in my experience. It’s a gathering place for everyone who stays in the palace, and we often hold events here. There will be a few scheduled during your stay that you are free to attend. We’ve also prepared a welcome feast for you. Feel free to dig in.

(Chuckle) Oh, I imagine there’s a lot here that you don’t recognize. Well, let’s see… There's baked pheasant, roasted boar, fresh salads, roasted vegetables, and freshly baked bread. Ah, and even some exotic fruits, today. They must just barely be in season, how lucky!

Make sure to save some room for dessert, as well. We’ll have a selection of cakes and puddings. I indulge in those perhaps a bit more than I should, but you don’t need to hold yourself back. This is probably the only time you’ll be able to enjoy a feast like this.

Please enjoy, and afterwards you’re free to do as you please. Just keep in mind that I’ll be accompanying you everywhere except your chambers. I’m happy to help you in any way.

I… hm?

(Chuckle)

No, I'm not being punished. My siblings and I have always been the ones who attended to the winners. It's just part of the program.

If I were to be candid, though… I did used to detest this duty. Royalty of other kingdoms often mock the practice, and I felt humiliated. It took me a while to understand my parents’ vision. Now, I appreciate that this forges a strong connection between us and our subjects. Other royals are, unfortunately, too arrogant to understand.

I've had the opportunity to meet many different people this way. Blacksmiths, merchants, farmers, fishermen… They all live such different lives. I've benefitted from this program by being able to learn the minds of the people I will one day rule over. We've even learned things about the trades of the commoners that have allowed us to spend more efficiently, actually growing the royal treasury, though of course that isn't the goal.

The most memorable person I met, though, was a thief. That was the one that changed my mind about the program. I was so suspicious of him. It was shocking to me that they'd let a criminal, even one without a record of violence, roam the palace. I kept such a close eye on him, expecting him to pilfer our things.

But he never pocketed even a single coin. He told me that, having grown up on the streets, it was the first time he'd ever felt truly safe and comfortable. It actually changed his outlook on things, because he realized that thieving would forever leave him running, never able to settle down and feel secure. I'd never considered that some people didn't realize it was possible to feel safe in their own home.

I check in on him every so often. It was difficult, but he changed his fate. He works for a merchant's guild now, spotting unfair dealings.

Oh! I beg your pardon, I've begun to ramble. Please, eat.

I hope you enjoy your time here in the palace. I’m eager to help you make the most of your time here in our home.