Hans Richter Palace, Magdeburg, United States of Europe (May 2nd, 1636)
"I still don't like it," Princess Kristina declared, stomping her foot a little for emphasis.
"Yes," Baldur Norddahl said dryly. "We've noticed." At nine years old, Kristina possessed an intelligence that put her beyond that of many adults. Unfortunately, she also possessed the ability to throw a rather epic temper tantrum. "If it helps," he added, leveling a mild glare at the subject of Kristina's annoyance, "I'm still not entirely pleased with the arrangement myself."
The subject of said annoyance being the youngest son of King Christian of Denmark, Prince Ulrik. Kristina's betrothed and Norddahl's closest friend and confidante. He'd heard himself referred to on multiple occassions as the prince's "sidekick", an American term, a definition that certainly seemed accurate.
Only now, after months of travelling with Norddahl, Kristina, and Kristina's up-time governess/lady-in-waiting Caroline Platzer, Ulrik had decided to go- on his own- to enroll in classes in Grantville. For the summer, and possibly to finish out what the Americans called a "senior year", the final year of a high school education.
"There's a perfectly good school here in Magdeburg!" Kristina insisted.
"We've discussed this," Ulrik said patiently, setting aside the newspaper he was perusing. "There are still resources Grantville has that the rest of the USE has yet to be able to replicate. I want to learn about them, see them first-hand, rather than just hear about them. And I want you here, Baldur, because this is the center of the USE's government and I want to stay informed on what's going on."
"Of course, Prince," Norddahl said, his tone deliberately mild. "Whatever you say." Their relationship often eschewed many of the formalities that ought to have been involved given their relative social statuses, but at the end of the day, the prince was the prince, and although Norddahl would cheerfully have followed him to the depths of hell itself, if Ulrik said he had to stay behind, he'd stay behind.
"It really won't be so long, and it's not as if I can't catch the train back to visit," Ulrik gave Kristina a gentle smile. "Maybe Caroline will even be able to ride a horse properly by the time I see you next."
"Doubtful," Kristina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, all right," she said grudgingly, as if her disapproval had actually been holding him back. "But you'll write! Promise me you'll write!"
"Every week," Ulrik said, leaning over to muss the princess's hair, resulting in an indignant shriek as she ducked out of the way, temper tantrum already forgotten.
[ooc: *joins establishy post train*. NFI, NFB, all that.]
"Yes," Baldur Norddahl said dryly. "We've noticed." At nine years old, Kristina possessed an intelligence that put her beyond that of many adults. Unfortunately, she also possessed the ability to throw a rather epic temper tantrum. "If it helps," he added, leveling a mild glare at the subject of Kristina's annoyance, "I'm still not entirely pleased with the arrangement myself."
The subject of said annoyance being the youngest son of King Christian of Denmark, Prince Ulrik. Kristina's betrothed and Norddahl's closest friend and confidante. He'd heard himself referred to on multiple occassions as the prince's "sidekick", an American term, a definition that certainly seemed accurate.
Only now, after months of travelling with Norddahl, Kristina, and Kristina's up-time governess/lady-in-waiting Caroline Platzer, Ulrik had decided to go- on his own- to enroll in classes in Grantville. For the summer, and possibly to finish out what the Americans called a "senior year", the final year of a high school education.
"There's a perfectly good school here in Magdeburg!" Kristina insisted.
"We've discussed this," Ulrik said patiently, setting aside the newspaper he was perusing. "There are still resources Grantville has that the rest of the USE has yet to be able to replicate. I want to learn about them, see them first-hand, rather than just hear about them. And I want you here, Baldur, because this is the center of the USE's government and I want to stay informed on what's going on."
"Of course, Prince," Norddahl said, his tone deliberately mild. "Whatever you say." Their relationship often eschewed many of the formalities that ought to have been involved given their relative social statuses, but at the end of the day, the prince was the prince, and although Norddahl would cheerfully have followed him to the depths of hell itself, if Ulrik said he had to stay behind, he'd stay behind.
"It really won't be so long, and it's not as if I can't catch the train back to visit," Ulrik gave Kristina a gentle smile. "Maybe Caroline will even be able to ride a horse properly by the time I see you next."
"Doubtful," Kristina scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Well, all right," she said grudgingly, as if her disapproval had actually been holding him back. "But you'll write! Promise me you'll write!"
"Every week," Ulrik said, leaning over to muss the princess's hair, resulting in an indignant shriek as she ducked out of the way, temper tantrum already forgotten.
[ooc: *joins establishy post train*. NFI, NFB, all that.]