Chapter 1
You ever feel like you're in a book that isn’t your story. You are the secondary character who never gets dialogue. Who is only there to move the plot along to keep the main character on task. I am that background character, and this is not my story.
I watched Sarah stand in line, waiting to meet the Prince of Anglia. She grinned back at me as she moved her hair to fit perfectly in the frame for her next Instagram story. I smiled back at her and shook my head as I framed her into the camera lens. I came to Anglia as Sarah’s unofficial videographer and, as she puts it, paparazzi. She loved to use my useless hobby of photography and film. It was something that I knew would make no money for me in the future but was something I truly could not put down. I snapped a few more photos and watched the line move up slightly. I caught a glimpse of the royal family. Ragal and intimidating. The king stood to one side, smiling and waving chatting with people as they came by, the queen holding hands and cooing at babies. The Prince genuinely took the time to talk to those who came up to him and laughed at their stories. Sarah's voice brought me to the foreground.
“Hey everyone! Welcome to Autumn Fest here in Anglia. I am almost to the front of the line! I can’t wait. Don’t worry, y'all. I will have those prince pics in 4K thanks to my lovely and ever secret paparazzi! Five million likes, and I’ll show their faces.” She laughed, then saw me shooting her daggers. “I joke, I can’t share my paparazzi with y'all. Kisses!” She ended the video quickly, added text, and edited it, posting it after. I watched the notifications start to roll in as she put the phone away.
“You are too good at that to need me.” I rolled my eyes, genuinely impressed, as I flipped through the pictures. I marked the ones I would download, the rest, trash. The line moved again, and I pulled my camera up and zoomed in on the royal family. I took snapshots of them for Sarah. She would need B-roll shots for her posts.
“Never Liz, you take pictures too well,” She pulled the camera down and looked at the shot of the prince I just took. His hair rolled away from his eyes, his smile warm and welcoming. His eyes locked on the person in front of them, but they were soft and caring. The picture was the embodiment of him. “Like that, o-m-g, Liz, this is amazing!”. She gushed over it, and I looked to see a worker smiling at us. The front of the line.
“Hello, welcome. Please make sure to keep comments short,” The worker moved us to the next in line section “Your free to take photos. Just if you want to be in them as well, make sure you give the camera to me.” The worker gently put out her hand to take the camera. I held onto the camera and tried to muster the words to tell her I would not be in the photos.
“I am just here to take photos for her.” I spoke quietly. Sarah looked over with a confused look.
“You should meet them as well. It’s not every day you meet royalty.” Sarah nodded along with the worker.
“It’s fine. I am, as you say, your paparazzi.” I joked, shaking the camera. The worker shrugged, and Sarah put on her game face. I got into position, and we walked over to them.
“Hello, it’s so nice to meet you, your majesty.” Sarah was amazing. She had made sure to take a manners class before this video on her Youtube page, and it was working wonders. The king smiled and took her hand as she slightly curtsied.
“Have you come from far away?”
“Yes, America.” I snapped some photos. The lighting was perfect.
“Wow, are you staying long?”
“Yes, for the ball.” Sarah’s smile grew. I know her dreams are to go to a ball and dance like Cinderella on the ballroom floor. Or Belle, depending on her mood and which one pops up first after searching “Disney princess”.
“I heard balls I will take over,” the queen grinned, grabbing her hand. I snapped some more shots, then felt eyes on me. I looked out from behind the camera to see the king watching me. It wasn’t a menacing gaze, just almost confused. I bowed my head to him and then went back to snapping photos of the Queen and Sarah. I cut halfway into their conversation.
“I am so excited I could melt!” She laughedking threw her head back slightly. I snapped a photo and couldn’t help but grin at my gorgeous friend.
“Me too, we haven’t had a ball since well,” she paused, thinking “Bruin’s great great grandmother Queen Elaine. It was bound to be time for our next big party. And just in time for Arthur’s first meeting. A tradition passed down for millenniaking’s how all the kings have met their wives. And wives their husbands.” She added quickly. Her face contorts slightly, and I snap another photo.
“I think it is my turn now.” The prince’s voice floating in the air. Sarah turns,
"I don’t think she could smile any wider, but here we are." I chuckle and snap more photos. I keep feeling eyes on me and turn to nod at the Queen who smiles, and she moves to me. In shock, I dropped my camera to the side.
“You're just here to take pictures?” She asked kindly.
“Yes, your - um, majesty?” I stuttered over my words and grimaced at my own voice.
“Well even so, It’s good to meet you.” She put her hand out. I quickly reached out for it and shook her hand. It was smooth and small in my own. I waited till she dropped her hand before I pulled away.
“Thank you.” She motioned for me to continue. I turned back to the prince and Sarah to catch a great moment of them laughing. I peeked out of the corner of my eye at the King and Queen, who were together talking quietly. I hissed my breath, hoping I did not just get myself a one-way ticket out of this place for not talking to them first.
“Well I hope to see you their-” he paused
“Sarah.”
“Sarah.” He spoke back her name, I could have sworn she melted right into the ground.
“Sorry to cut your time, but the royal family is going to take their break.” A worker popped out of the woodworking to move us along.
“But I haven’t-” The prince's words caught in his throat as the workers ushered us out. Sarah waved to the prince who waved back at her. I pulled my lens up for one last photo of the prince. He stared dead down the barrel of my camera as I caught a clean shot of him. I pulled the camera away to see a smiling Sarah right behind me and knew that look was meant for her.
