video;

[juniberries]

[Allura's sitting on the floor in her room against her bed, and the space mice, visibly sitting on top of the bed, are playing with her hair. the smallest one is giving her a very nice looking side plait, almost resembling a french braid, while the other three are just--

bunching her hair up into little poofs.]

The longer I work at a place which caters to Earthling children, the more I realize they have different expectations of princesses than what is the actual reality of such a role.

[she's frowning, looking a bit annoyed because it's obvious that she's just not enjoying this assigned job. sure she likes doing hair, makeup, and dressing people up in cute sparkly outfits, but sometimes enough is enough.]

I am thinking of leaving and finding a job which does not belittle me [so says the girl who is currently getting her hair done up by mice but. whatever.] but I have to ask-- why do they insist I should find myself a "prince"? And why are they constantly asking me about my age on top of that?

Do either of those things truly matter?

Comments

video

[h2no]

Short answer: no. Long answer: fuck no.

[he shrugs.]

It's a stupid human thing where people think the age of a lady matters and she only has a certain amount of time to find a prince or princess because that would make her happy. It's a big buncha bullshit, to be honest. Just noogie the kids or call 'em dummies or somethin'.

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[juniberries]

The children seem concerned whether it would be appropriate for me to date one imPort over another depending on how old I am. They seem to have an arsenal of--

Relationship advice.

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[hunksmash]

The prince thing's just how stories go.

I dunno' what the age thing's about. They're kids, right? Maybe they just think you're super old.

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[juniberries]

Why would they think I'm old?

[HUNK EXCUSE YOU.]

I'm around the same age as you!

[audio]

[dr_eldarov]

My youngest son was quite fascinated by fairy tales, so I may be of some insight. Western European fairy tales often emphasize the romantic lives of royalty, as well as portraying them as mostly teenagers or vague in age but young. So the children are... misinformed, but likely well-intentioned.

[audio]

[juniberries]

Well, I've been trying to tell them about the realities of being a princess where I'm from but apparently I cannot talk about war or the decimation of planets and what I must do to stop it.

[voice]

[hellrisen02]

Iunno. Princesses I've met seemed to be perfectly adept with juggling the realities of the job with [There is a sound suspiciously like a grown-ass man trying not to crack up, here] ...finding their prince.

[If by finding, you mean stalking.]

[voice]

[juniberries]

[hoo boy she can tell and she sounds Unamused.]

Well I'm not searching.

video;

[agenda]

[ margaery offers a light laugh, amused but unmocking. allura's topic is a terribly familiar experience for her.]

I've found people often have certain expectations of royalty. [ she tilts her head, pointed. ] For every song of wise queens, there are hundreds more of princesses in towers. [ a bright smile. ] And that's why we simply must stick together.

[ us royal gals, she means. ]

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[juniberries]

[oh!! a fellow princess! she's assuming, at least, from what this stranger is saying.

her expression goes from strained to genuine, because her life is just so boy heavy it's so nice to speak to a fellow girl. plus she likes what this woman has to say already.]

I'm quite familiar with the actual expectations of royalty, especially in times of war and strife, but I cannot say I'm fond of what Earthling expectations of princesses are.

But I agree, I think we should stick together. Especially here, where-- some people on this network even seem to have a problem with princesses. For...whatever reason.

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[soldierman]

It shouldn't matter. But if they're children, they're not likely to know what royals actually do.

[ He seems a little distracted as he speaks, however, and it's pretty obvious that he's looking more at Allura's hair than Allura herself. ]

--sorry, are those mice?

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[juniberries]

[she's probably used to that question by now so, without missing a beat:]

Yes, they are my friends.

[video]

[carbonfrozen]

[Hey, look, it's Han, and he's all better now! See, he's even driving, though at the moment he's parked his shitty cab somewhere in Heropa.]

Dunno. Only princess I know's not the type to look for a prince. [Which is good, because Han's in love with her.] And as far as I know nothing's in the job description about princes or ages. [Seeing as Leia's been a part of the Rebellion since she was a kid, or at least that's what Han knows.]

[video]

[juniberries]

You're looking better. Or did you sneak past your friend?

[because hey you seem like the type.

but she shrugs.]

All the children seem far more interested in trying to see who I'm interested in, as opposed to learning about diplomacy and tactics. Age is apparently important because they've been trying to suggest well-known imPorts for me to...consider.

[dirtyredneck]

Might be the mice doin' your hair that's makin' 'em wanna push that.

[He's not sure if he thinks that's cool or weird. Somewhere in the middle maybe?]

[juniberries]

...what about the mice? They do not come to work with me.

At least, they are not supposed to.

video;

[inmemoriae]

I believe the questions relating to a prince have to deal with their own tales. The princess finds a prince, marries him, and lives...how did they put it? [She pauses for a moment to pick up a book of fairytales, flipping through it for a specific page.]

--Ah yes, "happily ever after".

...As for the age, I am not sure. Some tales to highlight the princess being a young woman and many children have an odd perception of age. Perhaps they are trying to understand what a "young woman" is by asking your age?

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[juniberries]

"Happily ever after..."

[she frowns a bit.]

That's a bit simplified. Even the stories I heard and read as a child were not so simple in their ending.

And as far as I can tell, Alteans do not age in the same manner as humans.

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[baetiful]

All they know of princesses and royalty is what they've heard in their own fantastical stories. And children can be even more stubborn when you try to tell them the truth of things. Though I do hope some of the girls have been receptive to learning that princesses can be just as strong and capable as princes.

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[juniberries]

Some of the girls have certainly been receptive, but my fellow "princesses" at the boutique tell me it is inappropriate to discuss overthrowing evil Emperors with them.

I guess it clashes with the sparkles and fake eyelashes.

[ret2go]

Just be thankful they're not treating you like the last place with a princess I went.

I can do without the skimpy golden bikini, thank you very much.

[juniberries]

...dare I ask what that was about?

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[honorobble]

[Let Robb explain...he's got this.]

Well, isn't it so that princess should be wed to someone eventually? Even though I think it does not have to be a prince. I have heard of princesses marrying a highborn lord as well.

[And well...]

No man wishes to wed an old princess, my lady.

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[juniberries]

[...........she's just.]

And who's to say a princess would want to wed in the first place!

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[andtherevolution]

[Oh, wow, it's a real, actual princess. Utena stares into the camera for a moment before she straightens up and actually answers her question]

Well, age doesn't matter, no, but... well, the kids are probably just going on what they've heard about in stories. In story books and fairy tales, there's always a princess in trouble, and she always gets rescued by a dashing prince. I guess they're just hoping to see a real life fairy tale happen.

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[juniberries]

Well surely there are many more stories about princesses than just those? Not to say I haven't found myself in trouble in the past but--

We are not always in need of rescue. Or dashing princes.

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[darted]

[ Mai is sprawled out on the couch, bored and distant. ]

That's a good question. I don't see why princesses need princes. [ She pauses. ] All princes do is drag you down. [ She's just a little salty over a current prince right now; don't mind her. ]