My Royal Best Friend

The Palace

Nathalia POV

I have arrived at Solandia and as advised, someone will get me from the airport. Upon getting my suitcases, an older lady, probably on her early fifties, had approached me.

“Nurse Nathalia? I’m Mathilda from the palace. Welcome to The Royal Kingdom of Solandia. I’m the one to get you.” She smiled warmly at me.

Palace?

“Yes, I’m Nathalia. Just call me Nathalia please.” I could not help but be friendly with Mathilda. Her aura is bright and sunny. I think I would need her to keep my blues away.

“Okay then, Nathalia. A car is waiting for us outside.” She prompted me to the way out of the airport. “How was your flight? I hope you had enough rest. I already have planned our activities for today and tomorrow. But I’ll make sure you get an early rest. Your official day at work will start next week, Monday.”

“Oh, I’m good. Thank you. What activities are we doing today?”

I’m getting a little nervous. I just hope the activities are not so strenuous. I still feel sleepy.

“First thing, when we get to the palace, we will be having our early lunch. I hope you are feeling hungry. After which, you can have your rest until three. You can unpack your things or have a nap. I’ll be glad to be of help unpacking or I can have a few staff help you. By three, I will take you on a tour of the palace and meet all the staff. Dinner will be at seven in the evening. Then, you can go to bed.”

Why does she kept on saying palace? Chief said I’ll be going to a private home. And she said something about a tour around. It can’t be that tiring, right?

“As for tomorrow, a Saturday, we will be having a tour around Solandia. At the end of the day, you will meet our boss. Then you will be on your own on Sunday. You can rest or explore the palace or the city. Should you want to go out, you just have to let me know, so I could arrange a driver for you.”

“Can I drive myself around? Or are there any taxis here?”

“No. You’re a VIP here Nathalia. I don’t think you will be allowed to drive by yourself. There are taxis around the city but it will be hard to get one from our place.”

VIP? When did a nurse become a VIP?

As we went outside the airport, I saw a man in driver’s uniform standing beside a black tinted SUV. The emblem of the country is printed  

“Welcome to The Royal Kingdom of Solandia, Nurse Nathalia.” The man, who is also smiling warmly, slightly bowed down.

“Oh!” Why did he bow down?

“This is Lucas, one of the palace drivers.”

“Nice meeting you, Lucas.”

Lucas started to put my suitcases at the back of the car. I have three large ones and one big duffel bag. I brought with me a few winter clothes. I don’t know how long winter goes here. If it gets colder, then I’ll just buy a few more. I also brought with me a few supplies of my favorite snacks, just to bring something from home here. I don’t know, too, if I will be given my own uniform. It was not mentioned in the contract. But just in case, I brought a week supply of scrub suits.

During the ride to the home where I will be working, Mathilda pointed to me the landmarks. The airport is just outside of the city. We will pass by the city first before we get to my working place.

The city is not that big. As the Chief informed me, there are no modern skyscrapers, no glass buildings. However, the buildings are just majestic. The structure of the cathedral is just like what one can see in the Vatican. The post office and the museum looked like the Pantheon. There were several other buildings which houses the cinema, malls, and supermarket. At the center, there is a what Mathilda called the plaza. During Saturdays and Sundays, a lot of people from around the country bring their products there to sell.

“You should try going there sometime. It would do you good. You will meet a lot of people and the products are just amazing. I used to go there both Saturday and Sunday. Some of the sellers became my friends already. But I tend to get tired more now, unlike when I was younger. Before I could last until midnight there. Nowadays, I could only stay for two to three hours.”

“There is also entertainment. Some youngsters will bring their violin or guitar then perform in the middle of the plaza. We could drop by this Saturday when we tour the country. I will introduce you to my friends.”

“Can we tour the country in one day?”

“Yes! Solandia is just a small country. It’s just easy to picture it. The city is at the center. Just north of it is the airport. Around the airport are the mountains. South of the city is the palace, there is a small town near the palace where the family of the palace staff members reside. On the east and west of the city are bigger towns. Easy to remember, they are just called the East Town and the West Town. We have rivers and lakes here. Some would have picnics by the West Town Lake. It is beautiful there by spring time. During winter, some would go up the mountains to ski.”

After hearing the word palace again, I panicked. I did not hear everything else Mathilda said after.

“Mathilda?”

“Yes, dear?”

“You kept on saying palace.”

“Yes, look outside. We are nearly there.”

And when I looked out, my jaw dropped as I saw this huge gate and behind it is a stretch of manicured garden. I was in awe of the structure at the end. It is huge and elegant.  

“Mathilda. Am I going to work there? I thought I will be working for a private home.”

“You didn’t know? You are to work as the palace nurse. All of us were excited to have you here. We don’t get to see someone new. And I’m sure they will be happier that we will be having a stunning young nurse.” She looked thrilled at the thought.

“Well, this is the private home of the prince and the king. The king had requested for a private nurse, after a hospital doctor got here a little late. The prince had a fever one time and needed a doctor to check on him.”

“Wow.” That was all I said.

I will be working for royalty. There is so much I didn’t know.

“Don’t worry. All of us are nice, right, Lucas?” Lucas agreed at the front as he parked the car at the side of the palace.

“Don’t worry about your things. Lucas will put them inside your room. Let’s have our early lunch first.” We went to a medium-sized dining area. I can’t seem to know where to look first, because everything is grand. Even the kitchen, where I washed my hands, is so huge. I could practically put our house inside it.

“This is the staff dining area. We take shifts in eating, so that someone will always be at stand-by when the king or the prince needed a staff.”

“Oh. But do I have a reliever? What time will I have my lunch?”

“You can eat anytime, dear. Don’t worry about it.”

We ate our lunch and finished just before the next shift begins. The food was so good that I thought I’ll get fat here if I don’t watch what I’ll be eating.

“Did you enjoy your lunch?” Mathilda asked as she ushered me to my room.

“Yes. It was so delicious. I think I will get fat here.”

“That’s good. You’re too thin anyway. But you got good assets there. If you do not have a boyfriend now, I’m sure you will not leave Solandia without one.” Mathilda wiggled her eyebrows.

When I started working at the hospital, I get so stressed all the time. Instead of stress-eating, I go to the gym and work-out. I have learned boxing and some muay thai for self-defense. And I think I have blossomed late. I do not have big boobs and ass, when I was younger.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” I giggled. I said that I’ll be moving on, so why not start meeting men, right?

“Great! But take your time in getting to know men here. You’re not going anywhere soon anyway.”

We are walking along a long hallway at the palace, when I saw big portraits on the wall.

“Who are they?”

“The present and past kings of Solandia.”

At the end of the portraits, Mathilda pointed at it.

“He is the current king. King Jeremiah. But of course, that was when he was in his younger years.” She went on telling me about the other kings, but I just stared at the current king’s portrait. He looks like someone I know, but I can’t pinpoint who.

His eyes were like Jerry’s, but Jerry is more handsome.

“I’ll come by your room at three. I don’t want you getting lost here in the palace. But don’t worry, I’ll give you a map of it and of the city.”

We continued walking and at the end of the hall, Mathilda opened a door.

“Here’s your room, Nathalia.”

We went inside and I was fascinated with how elegant it is. It looks like I got a room for a princess.

“This is my room?”

“Uhm… you don’t like it? This is already the best we can offer.” She fidgeted at the doorway. “We have other bigger rooms, but personally I chose this room for you because of the view.”

“I love it, Mathilda! Are you sure I can stay here? This is like a room for a princess.” I haven’t seen the view outside, but I already love everything inside, including the furniture. Everything is made of wood. The room is very spacious, that I could invite ten of my friends here. There is a separate sitting area, then there is a love seat beside the window.  

Mathilda showed me the bathroom, which is, to my relief, already modernized. It has a shower and a bath. Beside the bathroom is a huge walk-in-closet.

I looked outside the window. Mathilda is right. I have a beautiful view of a small lake near the palace and of the small town Mathilda had mentioned earlier, where the staff’s family resides.

“You would love to watch the sunset here. Better if you do it at the top of the palace.”

I must be at the west end of the building.

I just nodded and proceeded to sit on the bed.

“Would you like help in unpacking?”

“I don’t want to intrude in you daily tasks. I’m okay for now, Mathilda. I think I’ll sleep a bit. It’s still early morning where I came from.”

“Oh, right, jet lag. I’ll give you chamomile tea tonight to help you fall asleep. I will leave you then.”

“Thank you, Mathilda.”

So far, I am glad that I know two nice people in this country. Mathilda and Lucas.

I took my phone and sent a message to my parents to let them know that I landed at Solandia safely. Good thing, they have a wi-fi here at the palace. Mathilda said that it was just recently that the king had requested for installation. I can’t imagine how my life would be without wi-fi.

I set an alarm, just in case I will not be able to wake up before three.

Lying on the soft bed, I felt my eyes closing in. The last thing I remember was Jerry’s beautiful dark brown eyes.