Chapter Seventeen

The palace put out a press release announcing the birth of Princess Eleanor Francisca Vanderburg, daughter of Crown Prince Sebastian and Crown Princess Ella. Prince Sebastian had insisted on the middle name, to honor his sister. 



With the twins getting all the publicity, it was easy to forget Crown Princess Ella was the future queen. But future queen she was, and she was happy to cede the limelight -- and the tabloid ink -- to her sisters-in-law. She and her husband, Crown Prince Sebastian, were, after all, raising two very young children now.
Her preparations to take the throne included courses in Vanderburg family history, diplomacy, and government; learning the Vanderburg anthem and pledge; and daily meetings with the Queen's personal stylist, Arianna.
Every now and again, though, Crown Prince Sebastian and the woman he'd chosen to rule at his side would have the stage to themselves. He'd tell her what was going on, and she'd have her opinions about the situation.
"So -- what do you think?" he asked her the next morning over waffles.
"About what?"
"About all this -- you know -- the TV show -- and all this."
Ella shrugged. "It is what it is. The girls are having fun with it, I say let them. I know their mother is upset with it though."
Prince Sebastian changed the subject. "My mother has issued them an ultimatum. They are to marry within 2 sim weeks or forfeit their inheritances."
"Hmm," noted Ella. "I have my doubts they'd comply. After all, they don't seem at all interested in marriage. Not that it's a bad thing, of course. They're young girls yet. They haven't even found themselves."
"Well," noted Prince Sebastian, "apparently Alexandra has, she's enlisted in the military. My mother is none too pleased about that."
"The military? Really? Interesting."
"Anastasia is the one who told me. I promised her I'd support her any way I could."



Anastasia was proud of herself. On a breezy Hidden Springs day, one that betrayed the coming winter chill, she had broken ground on her personal pet project, something that meant more to her than anything she'd ever done. Something large, grandiose, and lasting. Something she knew would make her father proud of her.
Anastasia had begun construction on the family crypt.
Talks about this project had started just before Prince Renauld's funeral, but Anastasia was only now able to secure funding for it, and thus able to begin the project.
Anastasia had had a tougher time dealing with Prince Renauld's death than her sister. She had put on a brave face for the public but in private she was crumbling, drowning in a mess of insecurities, martinis, and self-doubt. So, beginning construction on the crypt was cathartic for her. It provided a measure of closure.



The crypt was her baby, her idea, her grand tribute to her father and all the other Vanderburgs that had come before her. She was a proud princess, proud of the centuries of noble lineage on both sides of her family, and as the last of this current generation of Vanderburgs, had appointed herself as the keeper of the flame.
She didn't care if her mother was upset with her for doing it. And she knew she would be. But, she didn't care anymore.
She was quite familiar with the story of her namesake, the Russian princess who had been killed along with her family in the Bolshevik Revolution. However, a romantic story had emerged that she had survived and was living in France, which was the basis for several movie plots.
As far as this Anastasia went, the modeling contract that she had been offered remained at her desk. She could wait. This was far more important. 


The spot of ground she had chosen was beginning to look a lot like a construction site.
It was right across from the royal palace, giving the family easy access to everything. 




The blueprint Anastasia had drawn up was, indeed, grand. It was to have a fountain in the middle, with the main crypt building surrounding it, complete with a historical museum. How she was going to enact her plans, however, was going to be a mystery, with Queen Catarina freezing access to her personal funds.