Maria

Parents decided, that I along with our younger sisters we will accept an invitation to the Scottish ball. They knew what it was forming with. For them none of us had to become a queen. They wanted us to have a nice time. With great willingness they have always sent us foreign countries so that we polish language. Also a Scotswoman which usually tried to teach us the l royal protocol arrived in our house. Strange I felt, when somebody all the time turned to me "your height". The same my sisters felt. Our minder - because so boldly I could name her - very much was enthralled with us, little from us older, was pleased that one of us could become a queen. What for everyone did I think about it? Everything what for us Mia said, it confirmed me, that I don't know what decision I will make, when a time comes to it.

- Mia? Do tell me, how it is generally possible that we are related to Mary I Stuart? - I asked, when my maid dressed me to the school.

This way, exactly! We had own maids which dressed us now. Additionally every of us had for two bodyguards. We didn't understand, for every these all precautionary measures. We weren't valuable.

The queen still had one child. Older. A girl was it, had has name Frances.

- Frances? It is as this way as for her the first husband, true? Francis II, the king of France.

- So only that it is a female version of it name. In any case, her  husband moved the child away from her.

- Why?

- A few months were born later after death of Francis. Darnley lord, Mary's second husband, he was afraid, that when Frances grows up, will get back James throne. He sent her to the poor, Scottish family. In those times many of them were. The queen for the last time could see the daughter day after the birth of the son.

- Well do I think that this family for some reason hit here? To Poland?

- Exactly and this way we found you, Stuart sisters, Maria (Mary), Elżbieta (Elizabeth)  and Katarzyna (Catherine).

We will be a noon to get ready for a journey to Scotland.

- I cannot believe, that it already soon.

- To the coronation quickly  will pass.

She smiled, correcting my hair. I returned a smile. Coronation? I am not sure whether I am suitable even for pupils of the secondary school, and now I hear about the queen.

Soon along with sisters I went out and we went to our schools. I knew that we had become a sensation, everyone closely observed me.

- Your Grace... - Cyprian started, when I opened the cupboard, where I kept books.

- Finish, please. The confusion is becoming more and more big, and I don't want to listen about it additionally at school. At least I will have to. My sisters have geography with Ms Sawulczyk, and so I know what I can expect. He will be questioning me about Scotland, when I am knowing nothing about her.

- After all it isn't your duty.

He marked.

- Not... but many persons are giving me the chance of being a queen of Scotland, when I fully am knowing nothing. Let us add that the grandmother from geography thinks, that if somebody with what he is dealing should have the minimal notion about it, and I have none. I am sure that for me he won't forgive.

To see one's assumptions for oneself I could a few hours later.

- We have such a country in Europe... Scotland... Marysia can, will tell us about her.

She offered to Ms Sawulczyk.

- I am knowing nothing.

I shrugged my shoulders.

With this way a subject of Scotland and domestic preparations for succeeding to the throne by the new master developed. Master which in most cases knew nothing about the country, where was supposed to rule. I didn't withstand... right after the lesson of geography I left and I went to the cupboard. I didn't intend longer here to sit.

- What are you doing? - Cyprian asked, seeing how I am leaving a few books in the cupboard.

- I am gathering home. Here longer I won't be sitting.

- Did you go mad? Do you want to become a centre-piece than you are?

- Say what you want - I lashed with the cupboard. - I am not interested in it.

- Wait. - grabbed me by the hand - I am going with you. Where did you want to go?

- I not have a clue.

- You like Sopot, true? In that case we will go there.

* * *

I got back home late in the evening. There were no parents at home, had an evening today for themselves. Evening at the theatre.

I entered my room, stumbling over something. I put the light on. My room was full of suitcases. I left my dormitory town and I went to Mii (Mia).

- What there are these all suitcases doing?

- Maids packed your things, the take-off will be tomorrow at dawn.

- Tomorrow at dawn? - I asked surprised, with this reply. - where from this hurry?

- Scotsmen are losing patience, for them more quickly everyone will meet in Balmoral all the better.

* * *

In the morning by the tenth hour along with sisters I was in the plane at the airport name of Lech Wałęsa in Gdańsk. So much I was alarmed what will meet me there, in Scotland.

- When we will reach already Dundee we are an hour and a half of the Balmoral route facing.

Mia handed over to us.

- Who there will still be? - my younger sister asked Kasia [Katarzyna ang. Catherine].

- Other members of your family, you will eat your supper today with them.

- Of our family. - Ela [Elżbieta ang. Elizabeth] said, not hiding her amusement. - how it funny sounds.

At the airport in Dundee a crowd of Scots and their shouts greeted us. Cameras were everywhere, of reporters... After the brief journey we reached Balmoral. It is hard to believe here I was. We were. The royal castle belonging to the Scottish crown was beautiful, it was restructured specially for Queen Victoria and her husband of Albert in 1853-1856 years.

The castle is characterized by a tower laid out as a square with the round tower in one of horns and [...]. For years he was a favourite summer residence of the British royal family. Before us she spent the first summer, in which the English queen won't be of holidays in Scotland.

In the end it no longer belonged to her, but to Scotland. In England they were afraid that Great Britain could break down, and dependencies will go behind the example of Scotland which separated itself from Great Britain also in terms of the monarchy. This way I took up with the ones with changing one's mind, that as far as I don't know when I was taken to my personal chambers. I was left behind there, in bedrooms of the Princess Victoria. This way here this charming room was called. The chamber was huge in light and cosy colours, a plenty of the light dropped in to her. At one of walls a sheet lay on the chest of drawers, of course in English.

"Dear Miss Mary

Since we are beginning the June, we decided to organize this month "Week of Centuries". It means that every day we will get dressed in harmony for the set age. Today and tomorrow the 16th century is ruling.

Maid Sophie"

When I put the sheet back, somebody knocked at the door, I let the entry. She was it is Sophie.

- How is the Miss feeling?

- Okay, Sophie.

- And so will miss let us start dressing her for the supper?

- We? - I asked not-understanding, what shyly two young women, Frida and Lara went into a room to how I learnt moment later.

From that moment on I had three maids, Sophie, Fride and Lare. They started preparing me to our of "ancestral supper".

- He can be a little bit not comfortably in the corselette. - Lara warned me.

- I will get by. - I smiled.

The supper began about the nineteenth hour, but preparing in dressing me and arranging the hairstyle of my person, lasted about two hours.

We were supposed to eat the meal together into sixty persons. Selection was dense there were thirty young women and a man here, of possible future monarchs of the Scottish Kingdom.

* * *

The dress was beautiful, but I had to indeed get used to this corselette. I never carried nothing important. I walked along the corridor and I smoothed the ground floor of the dress, when I popped to something, and then I fell down on the floor.

- For you did nothing happen? - asked the man's voice, giving me the hand.

- Not everything well. I apologise.

I answered, raising the eyesight. I saw the boy in my century, can a little bit older. He had blue eyes and blonde curly hair. He gave me the hand as well as helped to get up, I felt light pain in the same moment in the bone, but I used of one's drama abilities and I tried there to be no it apparently.

- I didn't introduce myself. Francis Stuart.

- Mary Stuart.

- You are from Poland. - he stated, I was it a little bit surprised. From it what I know it here was also four other Mary Stuart.

- You most probably aren't a resident of British islands.

I answered, hearing the clearly French stress.

- Indeed, but I propose that we go down already into the large dining room. They will be waiting.

- Maria? - I heard the voice of sisters behind myself.

- Get to know it Francis Stuart, but it my younger sisters Elizabeth and Catherine Stuart.

I changed name of my sisters on English, there were no chances for the Frenchman to repeat them without the request for repeating them.

I could see how sisters smiled at the sight of the boy. After a few minutes we finally reached along from Francis Stuart into the dining room. Strange matter, but I was seated by the boy, and sisters were mine far farther from me.

In the end the oblong table was big and took place a lot. Dishes were served evenly at the 7 p.m. Even though I sat I felt still a throbbing pain piercing my bone, it was even worse, when we went to the living room, where I already had to stand. As well some horrible girl still poured me with the juice! I escaped into my room as soon as possible I was able, in spite of the aching bone. I ordered sisters to become a gesture of the hand. When I finally entered my chambers and I sat down on the sofa bed, I picked the scrap up dress, I noticed that the bone had swollen up. From my eyes a few tears, arising from pain dribbled. In the same moment I heard tapping into the room, before I let opening the door, I noticed the blonde man in them. Francis.

- I apologise to you for her.

He announced, closing the door and going up closer.

- For the girl? Even you don't know her.

I answered, with crumbling voice.

- I know. She wants to be a queen. She is my sister.

- And did have to take her anger out just on me? Great.

- She won't become a queen, and you are having a very good chance.

He explained, when I got up in order to pull the bell. I wanted my maids here to appear and helped to prepare to the sleep. However in the same moment my bone rebelled against me, I would fall down on the floor, if not for the reflex and shoulders of the Frenchman which caught me.

- Thank you.

I said, leaving the hug of the boy most quickly how I could. Francis saw my grimace on the face.

- It is a bone, true? The one on, which you fell down in the corridor with. Can I see?

He asked, what I had inspected him to with eyesight and I nodded, sitting down then again on the sofa bed. I raised the dress lightly, what the young man could examine the bone to. He let himself without the question, to take down of my court shoe.

- You will be feeling more comfortably without them. Your bone is banged, you should put the cold compress for yourself.

- Okay, I will call maids on.

I said, leaving the bottom of the dress, covering the foot in the process. After a moment I added.

- I would like to stay alone.

- Of course. - smiled. - Good night and I apologise one more time for my sister.

- Good night and I thank you.

I answered, what the door behind the blonde man closed to, and right after it like with the magic wand my three maids appeared. Seeing my tiredness, without unnecessary questions they started preparing me for the bath. It was a little bit clumsy, when of bath of you three actually strange women, but how Mia claimed - I will get used.

- Frida, can you bring me a little ice to my bone? - I asked, during the bath.

- Perhaps better it would be to call a doctor?

- No, compress will suffice, Thank you.

I smiled to the girl, what left my bathroom which adjoined to the room to.

- Where I can see tomorrow's programme, Sophie?

I asked the next maid.

- It is on the desk, miss.

She answered, when I already went dressed in pyjamas into the room, and into the chamber accessed Frida, handing the compress to me with ice cubes.

- Thank you, farther I will lie down to sleep alone. You can also go to lie down.

Three maids hed bowed low and left, wishing me the good night. I heard that during the supper they had been supposed to unpack my things. And so I came up to the wardrobe, wanting to see whether they are there, where should. I was a plenty overcome things which indeed were in a wardrobe, but my new dresses which for the first time I can see to eyes formed the large portion. With distress I state that there were too few trousers there firmly. I closed a cupboard door and I headed in the direction of the desk in order to see my plan of the day.

 "Plan of the Day

10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. - Breakfast in the large dining room.

11:05 a.m. - 12:05 p.m. - History of Scotland *

12:10 p.m. - 13:10  p.m.- Politics of Scotland *

14:00 p.m. - 16:00 p.m. - Dinner in the large dining room

16:20 p.m. - 18:20 p.m.- Dance in a ballroom.

19:00 p.m. - 20:00 p.m. - Supper in the large dining room.

20:00 p.m. - 22:00 p.m. - Evening in the living room.

* - Individually, in the chamber of Princess Victoria"

- Dance? Oh, I can already see it with the so beautiful bone.

I said alone to myself sarcastically. I looked one more time at the entire disintegration and in it so a lot classes I had which in Poland were missing - Spanish, French, of piano, violin, theatre... Pianos?! I looked around the room one more time. Only now I realized that it was in my room. I put the sheet back, being pointed in the direction of the bed. I turned the lamp off on a bedside table and darkness fell.

Whether this way it will look entire my life? Closely arranged, hour after an hour?

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