Christmas Day, Luxembourg Palace, France, 1971

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14-year-old Princess Noel of Marseilles counted the snowflakes dropping one by one onto the shining crystallized window. She never seemed to miss one, counting every single ice flake floating and falling onto the window.

She often did tasks like this to pass time. Counting trees, counting people, counting shoes, counting anything really. It was useless but it made her forget time itself. And time ... was the one thing she wish she didn't have sometimes. She wished time would cut itself in half and somehow get her out of this prison of a palace.

As she was barely allowed out of the hellhole, only for school and whatnot. So every Christmas holiday felt rather less than a vacation.

The young Princess was wearing a green fluffy gown that covered her ankles (and weighed about a thousand pounds), along with a dash of red lipstick along her plum-colored lips. She had even managed to put her black locks into a low nice bun all on her own. Noel insisted that none of the palace maids help her get ready for the annual Christmas photograph.

Noel had always hated family photos. It reminded her of how fake her family was, of how fake their bright smiles on the camera were just an act. How each of them weren't truly happy with one another. How none of them actually wanted to be together for the holidays after all.

No matter how much money they had, and how many diamonds had in their tiaras ... it was all just a show. Of course, Noel was eternally grateful for all the opportunities she was blessed with as a royal. But even with the charity galas and the donations the royal family gave, Noel still felt like it wasn't enough. That donating money wasn't enough doings for the world.

Because the Princess of Marseilles wasn't just a princess ... She was an actress.

All of the French royals were fakers. From King Louis XIV, to Princess Noel herself.

Her mother and father thought of Noel as their "gloomy child". But she wasn't depressed or sad... she was just shy. There was a thousand things she wanted to say to her family and the world.. but she didn't have the courage to say it. Her hands would shake and her mouth would tremble even attempting to ask one of the maids for something.

Blocking out all the chaos inside Luxembourg Palace. The French Royal Family were trying to take a family Christmas photograph, and everyone was trying to fix little things last minute. But a rather organized Noel had been ready for the past hour.

No one ever knew how bright Noel really was. It was for two reasons. One, because Noel never really spoke out much due to her high anxiety levels. Two, because her mother made sure Noel would always stay average, nothing more nothing less.

Noel then snickered as her 20 year old cousin, Jeań, continually made funny faces at the large expensive camera.

Jeań and Noel's mothers were sisters. The boy was a few years older than Noel and always made her life a bit more ... happier.

Next to Jeań stood Paris's mother, Princess Catherine. The most wonderful person in Noel's life.

Catherine was Noel's mother's, the Queen, little sister. Catherine's her piercing blue eyes (the exact same as Noel's), her simple golden locks, her perfectly perfect red lips ... she was known for her French beauty and kindness.

The Princess of Toulouse was a soft beautiful kind woman who was adored by everyone around the globe frankly (except the Queen). Her husband had died a few years back, so the princess and her son lived in the palace with Noel's family ever since.

Though Noel was a pretty girl and was loved dearly by Aunt Catherine, no one in France seemed to be fascinated for the quiet, bookish princess.

Their attention was laid on Princess Celine, Noel's eldest sister and the future Queen of France. As well as Princess Manon, Noel's older sister and 2nd in line to the throne.

Princess Celine, a stunning girl of 18 years old, was adored by the world like Catherine. She was kind, outgoing, and charming. Princess Manon, a year younger than Celine, was also a happy pretty girl whom the public loved to see as well.

Since Noel's mother and father never really gave the attention her genius mind deserved, Aunt Catherine always loved Noel like her own. The woman truly believed Noel had the real qualities of a Queen, intelligent, sharp, and if given the confidence .. an amazing leader.

"Jeań is such an fool," Noel said, rolling her eyes to Aunt Catherine in her French soft accent.

Aunt Catherine giggled. "I know, he got it from his father I hope."

Next to Aunt Catherine stood Noel's mother, Queen Marie of France. Marie was a strict, bossy, and stuck up woman who gossiped about everyone who she found intimidating. The Queen had always favored her two elder daughters over her youngest Noel, finding her eldest daughters more charming and enjoyable to be around.

Though the Queen wasn't the nicest, she surely was the perfect fit to be the French queen. Marie was simply the most organized person Noel had ever known. With her tall thin woman with dead black straight locks always hidden in a tight bun, the Queen always made sure everything was perfect.

Of course, Celine and Manon were both a more beautiful copy of the King, with their blonde hair and chocolate eyes. While Noel had inherited her mother's hair's dark fluffy hair and blue eyes.

Marie had been the crown ruler to the French monarchy since she was exactly twenty one years old. And one day when Celine was 21, she would be the queen of her people as well. Devoting her life to the people of France.

Noel knew Celine would make the perfect queen. And Manon would make the perfect assistant princess to Celine. While Noel would be in the background, as the spare.

Then standing next to Marie was Noel's father, King Louis of France. He was a good quiet, calm man. He and Noel were more alike, he wasn't as harsh on Noel for that reason,

"se presser! We must take the photograph now before the beautiful princesses get aggravated, Your Majesty." The photographer said kindly to Queen Marie.

Queen Marie scoffed. "My Celine and Manon are far too classy to get aggravated. After all, they are my daughters!"

Noel sighed, her mother didn't even bother to mention her.

Everyone then sat down on the bench as the photographer was getting the camera set up.

As Noel posed fakely for the photograph, she overheard Aunt Catherine and Queen Marie's conversation.

"Your skirt," Marie snapped at her little sister quietly, "it's far too short! What are you trying to prove? You're still young or some sort? You are teaching Noel such nonsense! You know that quiet mouth of her's is so very gullible."

Aunt Catherine then noticed Noel was listening, and winked to her.

"Actually, Marie, you wore this on your nineteenth birthday." Catherine said, trying not to smile.

Marie scoffed, looking away. "Well no wonder I gave it to you! I think it looked better on me anyway!"

"You actually gave this to me saying it didn't fit you after you married Louis." Catherine simply stated.

Marie turned red as a rose blush while the photographer fixed everyone's positions.

Catherine whispered to Noel. "My dearest Noel, you are so gifted and so special to my heart. You do not need to care if your mother thinks you are good for the Crown or for her. And I truly mean it."

Noel's heart fluttered. She nodded and turned to smile for the camera.

Only Aunt Catherine made her feel special in such a way it was unexplainable.