Chapter 27: The First Lesson
The next morning arrived far too quickly for Mia.
She sat at the dining table staring blankly at her cereal bowl.
Her hair was messier than usual, and her eyes looked half asleep.
Across the table, her mother watched her carefully.
"You didn't sleep well," Helen said.
"That's because yesterday I found out I'm apparently the princess of a country," Mia replied.
Helen smiled sympathetically.
"I know this is a lot to process."
Mia groaned.
"A lot? Mom, a queen showed up in a limousine and told me I might have to rule a country!"
Before Helen could reply, a car horn sounded outside.
Mia froze.
"Oh no."
Helen glanced toward the window.
"They're here."
Mia slowly turned her head toward the door like someone about to face execution.
"This is really happening…"
A few minutes later, Mia reluctantly walked outside.
The same elegant limousine from the night before waited near the gate.
Standing beside it was Queen Clarisse Renaldi.
She looked perfectly composed, wearing an elegant cream-colored dress and matching gloves.
Next to her stood Joseph, the royal bodyguard.
"Good morning, Amelia," Clarisse said politely.
Mia forced a small smile.
"Morning."
Clarisse studied her appearance.
The oversized sweater.
The messy hair.
The nervous posture.
For a moment, the queen said nothing.
Then she simply nodded.
"We will begin with basic etiquette."
Mia sighed quietly.
"Of course we will."
Meanwhile, across the street, someone watched the scene with mild amusement.
Anshul leaned casually against a streetlamp.
He had returned early that morning to see how the first day of Mia's royal training would begin.
As expected, Clarisse had arrived precisely on schedule.
Anshul smiled slightly.
Everything was following the movie timeline perfectly.
But just as Mia was about to get into the limousine, she suddenly noticed him.
"You!" she said.
Clarisse turned her head.
Mia pointed across the street.
"That's the traveler I told you about."
Anshul blinked.
"Oh."
Clarisse raised an eyebrow.
"Traveler?"
Mia waved him over.
"Come here!"
Anshul hesitated for a moment before walking across the street.
Joseph immediately stepped forward slightly, watching him carefully.
Clarisse examined him with calm curiosity.
"You must be the young man Mia mentioned."
Anshul nodded politely.
"My name is Anshul."
Clarisse extended her hand gracefully.
"Clarisse Renaldi."
He shook her hand.
"A pleasure."
Mia crossed her arms.
"He's the one who helped me yesterday."
Clarisse glanced at her granddaughter.
"Helped?"
"He stopped everyone from laughing after my debate disaster."
Clarisse's expression softened slightly.
"That was kind of you."
Anshul shrugged.
"It didn't seem fair."
Mia suddenly had an idea.
"Can he come with us?"
Both Clarisse and Joseph looked surprised.
"Absolutely not," Joseph said immediately.
Mia groaned.
"Why not?"
Clarisse considered the situation carefully.
Then she looked at Anshul.
"You are a traveler, correct?"
"Yes."
"And you have no particular plans this morning?"
"Not really."
Clarisse smiled slightly.
"Very well."
Joseph blinked.
"Your Majesty?"
"It would not hurt to have a guest observe the lesson."
Mia grinned.
"Yes!"
Joseph sighed but stepped aside.
"Please behave appropriately," he muttered.
A few minutes later, the limousine drove through the streets of San Francisco.
Inside the car, Mia sat nervously while Clarisse prepared a small notebook.
"We will begin with posture," the queen said.
"Princesses must sit with elegance."
Mia immediately tried to sit up straight.
Anshul watched quietly from the opposite seat.
Mia noticed him looking and immediately felt embarrassed.
"Don't stare!"
"I'm not."
"You are!"
Anshul chuckled softly.
Clarisse raised an eyebrow.
"Young man, are you laughing at royal training?"
"No, Your Majesty."
"Good."
Mia groaned again.
"This is going to be a long day."
And for the first time since discovering her royal identity—
Mia Thermopolis had an audience watching her learn how to become a princess.