As Royal Duty Demands

[not_a_prize]

I have to go...

[Peola sounded... depressed to say the least.]

Some of the things my father said. They stuck in my head, I've been having trouble sleeping because of it.

I sent him a message that I'd agree to the wedding...

[There was an immense grimace on her face at the thought.]

Turns out those nobles didn't recognize my 'non-existent' choice... I don't know if its because they don't care about Earth, that she wasn't around or because Kliiment talked them into not caring...

But... I guess that's what I get for running away from my problems and punching them in the face isn't it?

... They're holding the wedding on Earth... my father's invited you all... figured since we all fought together you guys should be there.

I guess that's it... thank you... all of you for being good to me.

[Peola lowers her head in a modest bow.]

[For those of you who wish to speak to her before she has to leave she's at the hangar. A small troupe of Royal Porters were quickly shimmying off with her belongings to a rather ornate looking shuttle outside, its entrance flanked by a pair of mecha. Regalis Filia itself was carefully being moved into the shuttle by another pair of them. The Princess is tremendously listless about the whole matter and is spending the whole time fidgeting. Notably rather than her usual security uniform or just some simple clothing she's clad in a flowing gown that seemed to have an almost ocean like sheen to it, looking tremendously formal and out of place.]

Comments

[not_a_prize]

Believe me... I know exactly how stupid this is. Its why I ran in the first place...

But I'm out of options and if I try anything now it might cause problems for everyone.

[booty_chaser]

I mean besides that. I talked a bit about this with Model A, and, well, on top of this being really sexist and stupid and demeaning as heck and your dad being an old-fashioned butt, we're pretty sure it's not even going to work... how did you call it, Model A?

It's kinda a terrible precedent. I mean, Peola's supposed to be an absolute monarch. The best would have been if she married because she decided to...
Kinda a problem option right now.
...but if she goes around caving like this on something that she's so visibly and vocally against, that sorta makes her very obviously a weak queen that can be easily forced into anything if you just twist the arm hard enough. Instead of reasserting her authority, it's going to make it really hard for her to get any respect from anyone and everyone's going to be trying to see how much they can pull. Probably going to require, like, public executions of uppity nobles or something by the end. Which from what we've seen of them would probably be kind of a favor to Magnolys...
Model A!

[Sometimes Model A's careless speaking tends to remind people that childish coward that he is, he was created from Master Albert's brain patterns. Including something of an insight into people's dealings with power and a not-entirely-developed sense of mercy]

Okay, now repeat that slower so I can repeat it for Peola. [They do so. Though the part about the favor to Magnolys is left out. When Ashe finishes repeating, she looks at Peola, seriously.]

And I don't know about any of that, but I don't think anyone could respect the guy they're loading you with. That guy's a clown. I'd make a better king than he does!

[not_a_prize]

There's a whole list of people who probably would... believe me...

But I haven't exactly gotten anyone's respect by running all the way over here to get away from my problems.

[Peola grimaces and looks away in irritation.]

Either way its going to be problems everywhere...

[booty_chaser]

Then if there's going to be problems and disasters either way, shouldn't you take the option that makes you happy and try to deal with the disasters as they come?

[not_a_prize]

Except if I take the one that makes me happy what happens to my home?

I like it here on Earth and its really given me a chance to be who I want to be... but if I just choose to stay I can't deal with problems happening on another planet all the way over here.

[She throws her hands to the air in frustration.]

And if I do that and my father has to step down, then what happens? He keeps saying just how bad my brother's condition is and the stress could kill him... and don't even get me started on Ourania... my little sister might have to go through the same thing I did and have a whole bunch of idiots chase after her if she has to be the next in line!

And after Phannuhel...

[Yeah no, she doesn't want to risk someone else taking advantage of her sister. She sighs and facepalms.]

... Its just so much easier when I could just punch my problems until they stopped being problems!

[booty_chaser]

Then go back, but don't marry! If you're going to have to face problems anyway, and you are, you should do it with your head high, not after kneeling down before these buttfaces!