Lady Lauddi Charming's Big Book of Charming Etiquette
Purpose
To enrich the lives of the commoner by giving them a Royal set of rules, regulations, policies, and etiquettes with which to run their lives. We, the Royal Charmings, have followed these protocols to run a succesful Kingdom for nearly a thousand years. We'd like all commoners to have the chance to live succesful lives. After all, without commoners there is no Kingdom and succesful commoners make for a succesful Kingdom.
Document Structure
Publication Status
Legal status
Historical Details
Public Reaction
Legacy
Landon Charming put down the book one of his exalted forebearers had written several hundred years ago. Kept crisp and clean throughout the years of perpetuity by the cult of Charming.
Gads, he hated that book. He'd been forced to memorize it before he'd been allowed to attend any function at the castle. As an adult he thoroughly understood the need for such rules and stricture while at court, but as a child, and used to a less ridgid upbringing, he'd chafed at the restraints.
Good book though. Very thorough.
"You're not reading this again," he asked his sister, "are you?"
All in one movement, Lillaguard Charming huffed a breath, rolled her eyes, and shook her head with disgust at his "obviously" purile question. "Of course I am. I need to be ready when I'm at the Royal Ball in a few weeks. Everything must go perfect. I'll be eighteen, you know, for this ball," she said with an eighteen year old's prissy smirk. Yes, he knew. She'd been talking about it since she was sixteen. In the intervening two years she'd planned and disgarded countless dresses, hairstyles, walks, laughs, quips, rejoinders, and catty put downs (she was fairly confident she'd wear a blue dress but that could have been yesterday's decision). She had attended every single Royal and non-royal Charming event available to her and had even volunteered to spend a weekend with cousin Lady Loraquette Charming in The Bogg handing out food to the homeless. Lilla had returned smelling of Bogg water and misery and confident that cousin Lady Loraquette would recommend Lilla for the Queen's Brigade. They had become quiet close confidants while mired in the Bogg, Lilla confessed. Cousin Lady Loraquette had not recommended Lilla, neither had she acknowledged Lilla when Lilla attened the Royal Heritage Garden Spectacular on the castle grounds the following weekend. What Landon didn't know, and never had, was why belonging to the Royal Charming circles was so important to her. They were bonafide Charmings, themselves. Their grandfather had been the previous King Charming. Same as cousin Lady Loraquette. Loraquette's father was simply one of several brothers older than their father and closer in line to the throne. "Lilla, you know all of this by heart." "Yes, I know, but this is the BIG event, Landon. My first ROYAL Ball as an adult! I'll be taken seriously this time, especially if my manners and ettiqute are perfect. Look," she picked up the book and flipped to specific a page. "'Do not fret, dear one'," she read, "'I too was once considered a "wallflower" and I overcame by employing the following Charming Etiquette guidelines. First and foremost--" "Stop!" he burst out and then more calmly said, "please. That book irritates me." The book snapped closed and her features pinched in to what could only be considered a "royal" look of distain. "Well, it shouldn't," she snipped. "It is going to help me find my place among our family. I'm an adult now, Landon," she reiterated. "They're going to take me seriously. Lady Lauddi wouldn't lie. She was a Royal Charming." And with that she flounced off with the book clutched tight in her arm. Now, Landen was not an expert on women or why they acted in the ways in which they did. But, he knew their Royal Charming cousin, and Lady Lori was not going to accept his sister Lillagaurd now that she was eighteen. He could almost gaurrentee Lori would strike out harder now that Lilla had reached "maturity." From his vantage point the Royal Ball had carriage-accident-waiting-to-happen all over it, especially if Lilla was taking advice from a 500 year old book. His sister needed particular help that he was incapable of giving. He did, however, know the perfect person who could help. And, fortunatley, she owed him a favor.
"Thanks to Lady Lauddi I've been able to embue my ordinary life with Charming grace and etiquette."
"The book I turn to time and time again."
