Meeting with a Familiar

I hummed and hummed. Ever since I woke up, I was jittery with happiness and excitement.

"You seem quite happy today, Lady Elle," my nanny observed.

I giggled a bit. "That I indeed am, Miss Hestia!"

She smiled at me sweetly, turning as joyful as I was. "May I ask why, Lady Elle?"

I grinned at my nanny.

Now, why was I so happy? The answer was simple.

Miss Quisling was finally arriving to teach me formal writing. She was a difficult tutor to have. In my past life, I only came to have her as my teacher when I was about 12 years old. After all, she only ever accepted teaching jobs from the best students of the Kingdom. Although I was a princess, I still had to wait for a long time before I had finally reached the qualifications.

And now, at five years old, due to my hard work, I finally get to have her as my teacher!

But, why was I so excited to have a simple teacher? Well, that's because Miss Quisling was my only ally in my past life. She was the only kind teacher that I had. She never hit me unless I did something incredibly wrong. She was always gentle and cared for my well-being. She's much like Miss Hestia is to me right now...

Miss Quisling was also the tutor who had helped me procure the necessary documents for my failed escape. However, if indeed I had gone through with it, I really would have achieved freedom all because of this tutor...

Now, I'll see her again in this second life!

I couldn't even contain my excitement as I bounced around my seat. My nanny could only sigh and gently chide me as she tried to tame my hair. "You must really like this new teacher for you to be so energetic. I hardly ever see you acting like your age."

I laughed as I hummed a happy tune. Then, I saw my nanny pouting from behind me on the mirror.

"Aw! Are you jealous, Miss Hestia?" I asked her teasingly, smiling in an annoying way.

Miss Hestia played along with me, and repeatedly stomped her foot. "Huh! I. Am. Not!"

We laughed for a while together when I realized something was different about my nanny. "Miss Hestia, why are you wearing gloves today?"

She seemed to have tried wearing gloves the first few days of her work as a nanny, but it grew sporadically spaced apart up until she didn't even bother wearing them anymore. No one was brave enough to call her out, anyway, and I, her liege, was tolerant about it. So, it came as a great shock for me to see her wearing gloves and even the proper clothes.

"You're even covering all of your arms and legs..." I muttered.

My nanny looked normal enough when she laughed my words off. "Oh! I just heard your long-awaited tutor was coming today, so I had to look the part!"

I grinned at that and continued to tease her all morning. When my history lesson was over, I had a hasty lunch and I quite crudely ran down the palace stairs to wait for the incoming tutor. I arrived by the palace entrance and stood guard, much like the palace workers would do once the King would arrive.

I bounced around in excitement and Miss Hestia finally arrived down the stairs, complaining about my speed and hastiness. But, I didn't even feel tired after running around. It might have been just my health, but I had a suspicion that it was because of the meditating practices I have been doing whenever I had to rest.

No one had really taught me about this, but I always felt comfort whenever I was enveloped by notes. It seemed like I grew stronger when I was filled with their warmth, much like the time when the dancing balls of light had embraced me in my dream. Now, I always find myself gathering whatever amounts of notes I could from the surroundings and into my body. It was sort of my secret magical practice now.

I found myself being lost in my thoughts when the palace door's guard announced in a high, loud voice, "The Saule Kingdom's renowned teacher, Miss Quisling of House Tallus!"

I forced myself not to squeal in joy. However, I could not prevent the wide smile that lit up on my face as I finally saw the figure of my beloved teacher. She looked almost shocked as she saw my amiable expression, then she turned gentle and smiled back at me.

She curtsied with a grace that I had repeatedly tried to replicate in my past life. "This humble teacher greets the great princess of the Kingdom of Saule. This one hopes I can impart on the princess as much knowledge as I can."

I curtsied back at her, keeping my smile polite and not too wide. "This princess is called Eleftheria of Saule. I welcome you into the palace. Please do kindly take care of me."

Miss Quisling seemed impressed by my curtsy and my greeting, and we hit it off from there. Like most of my lessons, we held them inside my study and we slowly "got to know more" of each other. Truthfully, though, it was Miss Quisling who did the asking and me the answering. After all, why would I ask her the questions with answers I have already long known?

She was more of a mother to me in my past life than anyone else. I know of all the essentials: her parentage, her house, her birthday, and all her likes and dislikes. So, for now, I answered all of her questions energetically.

In no time, I hoped we would grow as close to each other as we once was.

I stared at my tutor as she wrote some things on a piece of parchment. She was younger than the image in my mind. But, of course, she would. I only ever met her seven years from now. I believe she should still be around 22 right now. I stared at her chubby cheeks, green eyes, and her neat, raven-black hair done in a half bun and the rest let down. So young to be such a renowned teacher...

But, that's my tutor all right!

I smiled at her, to which she smiled back at. "You seem to be a particularly joyful child, Princess Eleftheria."

"Please, call me Lady Elle," I countered. "And I only ever smile at those I am fond of."

"Oh!" she replied with a shocked expression. "Then am I wrong in thinking you have grown fond of me, Prin- Lady Elle?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "I suppose it is what adults say as 'Love at first sight'!"

She laughed at that, which I knew she would, and I continued, "You do seem more like a mother than a tutor to me, Miss Quisling."

I expected her to gently chide me, as she had done whenever I told her those lines, but she only looked surprised.

Ah... I may have come off too strong. I only told her about my rough relationship with the Queen later on in life. I was about to come up with an excuse when she reached across the table to hold my hands tightly with her own. "I am incredibly honored to even be compared to the Queen!"

I laughed halfheartedly, knowing that she had misunderstood.

I sighed inwardly. It'll probably take a longer time for us to have the same relationship as we once had...

~~

"You look suddenly so dejected, Lady Elle," Miss Hestia observed as I trudged along the palace corridors, ready to dismiss the day.

I only grunted at her in reply.

"For such a happy child in the morning to suddenly turn so gloomy in the evening..." my nanny muttered. "You must have been disappointed!"

I sighed. "Yes, my ever so sharp nanny. I am quite disappointed."

"Well," she said with a thoughtful pose. "Miss Quisling does seem kind enough, but she might not have appealed much to your refined taste."

"Oh, no!" I hastily told my nanny. "I'm not disappointed in her, Miss Hestia. It's just that..."

I couldn't really find the words to describe my feelings. After all, I did worry if hastening my meeting with Miss Quisling would have somehow altered her feelings towards me. That would be unfortunate, indeed...

"It's just all so complicated, Miss Hestia!" I wailed in defeat. "You see... I have been dreaming of having... somewhat like a mother figure..."

She knelt down on the corridor to observe me closely. "And you thought Miss Quisling would be like that for you?"

I reddened in embarrassment, but nodded irregardless.

Then, I was surprised when she suddenly looked so serious as she held my shoulders. "Elle, you don't have to go looking for a mother. Someone will come to love you as you are. You don't have to assign such roles to people around you. It may even be rude if you do it to a teacher. A teacher's sole purpose is to impart knowledge, and if you have greater expectations on a simple teacher, then..."

She looked at me with a complicated expression, probably worried that I might dislike her for her words. I calmed down immediately after seeing the care in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Miss Hestia. That did come out wrong. I'm not seeking out for a mother in strangers and in teachers. That would indeed be rude."

She sighed in relief and stood back up. She held my hands as we continued walking. I saw her with pink cheeks as she mumbled, "Anyway... you have me. You don't have to look around..."

I found myself smiling yet again throughout the whole night.