I get ready for dinner, telling my personal servants to change my light-coloured dress into something more appropriate for the evening. They are silent as they take off my dress in parts and take the ribbons out of my golden locks. They do my hair in a complicated style with many braids and they put me in a gown of deep royal blue and shining gold. They slip on gold slippers, with just a slight heel, and give me sapphire earrings and a bracelet studded with matching gems. 

I am watching them in the spotless, perfectly-shining mirror the whole time. I am watching myself get prettier and prettier. Though I am already so pretty to begin with. I watch all the beautiful blue and gold shining upon me. I watch my golden hair being sculpted and perfected. I smile. 

I go down to dinner, and meet my Papa and Mama there. Papa is wearing a dark red jacket trimmed with rich fur over a blindingly white shirt. The jacket has accents of gold. And his shirt has silver buttons. My Mama is wearing a dress made of very many frills, of dark magenta and light yellow. Her bodice is bright magenta with intricate yellow patterns. And her hair is piled high over her crown. 

"Hi Mama. Hi Papa." My voice is bright and calm. 

"Hi baby," Mama coos at me. "How has your day been? I was so busy preparing for the upcoming banquet, I barely saw you." 

"Oh I had a great day, Mama. Me and Papa were playing in the garden." 

"Yes. It was really lovely playing with little Angelina. We had such a great time." 

The servants bring us our first course, roasted dove breasts in thick gravy, with crisp vegetables on the side. Papa gives me the biggest piece on the platter and I smile at him.

"What was it like preparing for the banquet?" I ask Mama, voice laden with bright curiosity. She smiles in my direction, her calm face looking like gold in the light of the many torches. 

"Oh it was very hectic. I had to give instructions to all the servants. They were unruly and did not want to follow instructions. It was such a task to get them all under control." 

"I'm sure you did an amazing job," Papa tells her, smiling. "You are the best at commanding that there ever was. The best at organizing too. I am beyond lucky to have you as my queen." 

"Oh say nothing of it." My mother blushes a little bit, her eyes sparkling as she looks over to my father. "You are such a flatterer." 

"I only tell the truth my Queen. Nobody can give orders the way that you can. No-one is as fit you rule as you." Papa's voice is warm and fond. 

"Oh stop it, you!" She swats her embroidered napkin at him playfully. I smile and look up at the painted sunset clouds stretched out across the ceiling of the large dining room. I look around at the carved scenes painted on the walls. I look at the ornate golden candlesticks spread out across the middle of the table. I look at the vases of flowers. At the embroidered tablecloth. And I look at my Mama and Papa. 

"Anyways, I'm glad I'll be able to relax and play with Angelina this evening." Mama's voice is light and airy. "You are in charge of writing the speech and getting all the invitations sent for the banquet." 

"That I am. You have the good job this evening. It's so wonderful spending time with Angelina. She's a little ray of sunshine."

"Papa!" 

"You are, sweetheart. Is a man not allowed to tell the truth? First my wife, then you. First my Queen, then my Princess. Is no-one on my side?" He feigns offence. 

"You know what I mean Papa. Don't be such a flatterer."

"I am wounded!" My father clutches his chest as if he has been struck by an arrow. 

It is then that the servants bring in the second course of the meal. A smoked fish drenched in herbal sauces and lime. One servant, a young-looking woman, lets go of her side of the platter a little too early. She catches it quickly, but some of the food falls a bit to the side. 

"Be more careful, girl!" My father roars harshly. "We don't pay you to daydream and spill everything!" His eyes are hard with disgust. 

"Sorry, your majesty." The young woman's voice is meek. "I swear I won't do it again!"

"You better not! If you know what's good for you." There is true menace laced into his biting words now. 

"Yes, your majesty." 

"Now go! Get out of my sight!" My father barks his orders, and the girl hurries away. 

My Papa is a bit harsh with the servants. I know that he is. But that's only because he needs to keep them in line. They need to be given their orders. And they need to know to obey them. 

Really it all makes sense. 

"Anyways, my dear ladies," his voice is full of warmth as he turns back to us, "what are your plans for this evening, when I will be so busy at work?" 

"I was thinking we might go through my old collection of doll clothes, and see if there are any Angelina would like for her dolls, if she wants to do that." 

"Oh yes, Mama! That will be so fun!" 

"That sure does sound very fun," Papa agrees. 

"Where are they, Mama?" 

"Oh, they're stored in a big chest in one of my storage rooms, little rose. I'll get one of the servants to bring them out for you." 

"That's perfect. I'll bring my dolls. And then we can decide which clothes are for which doll." 

"That sounds like a marvellous idea, little rose," Mama chimes. 

"What are the dresses like?" I ask her.

"Oh they're just like real life dresses for real life girls," she answers. 

"Oh how lovely!" Papa chimes in. "Then all of Angelina's little dollies can feel like they're real girls." 

"They'll be very pretty," I tell him. 

"But not as pretty as you," he quips. 

"Papa!" I exclaim, "You really have no shame!" 

"She's right, you know," Mama adds in. "You don't have the slightest bit of shame at all." 

"What use us there in having shame?" He retorts. "I'd rather just say how I am feeling. 

"Well you better be more well-behaved during the banquet," Mama presses. 

"I will be, I will be, you don't have to worry." 

"I am indeed worried, Papa. You're never well-behaved." 

"What are we going to do with him?" Mama asks me in fake exasperation. 

"We have to lock him up and put him in the dungeon," I state plainly. 

Everyone bursts into roaring laughter at this, and it lasts until the servants bring us out next course, a thick, creamy soup. It tastes warm and savoury in my mouth. I eat until I am full, but I leave enough space for desert. 

We keep talking all the way through the meal. Talking and joking and laughing about everything and about nothing. I really love my family. And I love it when we are all together, sharing in each other's company, resting in each other's mirth. It really makes me feel whole inside. And it makes me feel as if everything is right in the world. 

Actually, I don't care if everything is right in the world or not. Everything is right in my world. 

It's sweet. As sweet as the raspberry creme brûlée that is our main course of desert.