Chapter Ten

Art had been Anastasia's first love.
As a child, she asked for her first set of paints. Prince Renauld obliged. Queen Catarina took them from her, fearing they'd get all over the furniture.
Then she asked for a sketchbook. Prince Renauld bought that, too. And again, Queen Catarina took it from her, this time saying she wouldn't talk to anyone, instead preferring to draw all the time.
Alexandra sneaked into Queen Catarina's study and stole the art pad away, giving the prized possession back to her sister.
Queen Catarina found out, and subsequently took Alexandra's football.
Anastasia returned the favor by stealing back the football.
And indeed, Anastasia drew all the time, and drew everything -- faces, bodies, and as a teen, clothes and houses. She spent more time drawing than doing anything else.
At Smuggsworth, she was known as 'the girl with the art pad.'
Nowadays, some of Anastasia's sketches were on a laptop computer, protected with a passcode only Alexandra knew.
They'd done their darndest to keep the computer away from their mother.

But the bulk of Anastasia's drawings were done the old fashioned way -- with pencil and paper. Indeed, she seemed to be happiest only when she was in her element -- in front of her art table, with pencil and paper in her hand.
This latest table had been a gift from Prince Sebastian, who in spite of his mother was doing whatever he could to keep his sisters happy. Indeed, at times the Prince wondered if he had done enough.

Anastasia watched suspiciously as Queen Catarina walked by, hoping she wouldn't find she'd gotten yet another art table and another sketchbook.

Another day.

In contrast to Alexandra's first day on the job, which included basic training exercises such as running in place, pushups, and situps, Anastasia's required a budget.

A budget? What was that? Especially since, as a princess, she grew up with access to a bottomless pit of simoleans.

But her new clients had a strict budget, three thousand simoleans. And they wanted a whole teen suite done. New bed, new dresser, new computer, new TV, and two living chairs.

How could she make a teen suite on three thousand simoleans? Her bed at home must have cost at least that. If not more. What was she going to do?

Anastasia scratched her head. "Hmm, I'd have to search the catalog," she said. "I hope I can come up with something."

When Anastasia was finished, she presented her work to her client.

"I'm finished," Anastasia announced, "what do you think?"
"It needs a whole lot of improvement!" the client yelled. "Please do better!"

Anastasia took a deep breath. She was near tears and clearly frustrated. But she gave the room another shot. Three thousand simoleans? She could barely buy a decent bed with that, let alone the accoutrements.

After work she attended a Simfest where she was the biggest celebrity in attendance, and the paparazzo were more interested in her than the performers.
And she spent most of her time on the telephone with suppliers for her client. "I'm on a tight budget and this client needs a teen suite, do you have any suggestions?"