The Lantern Festival (Part 8)

Finally the day of the festival has arrived, all our preparations and hard work will now be realized and materialize today. The opening starts at 8 in the morning with the Head Director making a speech on Graceland's past achievements and on where it will be headed to in the future. After the opening ceremony each student will then be tasked to head to their respective class booths to entertain the guests and try to earn some money. Our class has decided to dress up for our Letters from the Heart booth and Café, the gentlemen will be in suits like that of waiters and uniforms of postmen to deliver letters across the campus and the ladies will be dressed as maids in what seems to be the most clichéd Café get up and screams Japanese Influence on the student's part. But to give it a more Astorian spin Well, nothing wrong with that at all, Astoria did have ties with Japan especially when the two countries ventured in sharing technological advances as Japan is most noted for.

The Opening Ceremony was full of life and merriment. The students lined up in the Great Hall and listened to the speech of the Head Director who spoke about how the sports programs are all doing well in their respective competitions, some wining Regional Competitions and some qualifying for International Competitions. The Head Director also spoke of the well being of the students in general at that we are looking towards a good future like always. Something different though is that during the speech of the Head Director, I kept looking at Henry who was smiling his charming Prince of Graceland smile at the crowd. Our eyes met once and I swear he smirked at me as if saying I know you were staring at me the whole time. I cover my face as I was beginning to blush at the thought of him catching me ogling him.

"Hey Christie are you okay?" One of my classmates asked me.

"Uh, Uhm yes. . . I just feel kind of warm a little." I try to explain.

When the speech ended we all headed to our booths to discuss our schedule and the tasks we each have to carry out. Our class representative gave me a new task instead of serving and assisting those who wanted to write letters, I will be holding an hour long class on Traditional Astorian Calligraphy in one of the adjacent classrooms. The Class Representative told me that she prepared a special table that looked like the tables of royal families during the late eras and she also went ahead and had a dress tailored to my measurements that was reminiscent of what Queen Martha used to wear. First thought in my head was that, how did she know my measurements and as if reading the question in my head she quickly explained.

"I asked the drama club in charge of your costumes for the Swan Lake Performance for your measurements because I didn't want to bother you as you were busy with the preparations of your Swan Lake and took it to a tailor who specializes in period clothings."

I nodded my head both in acceptance and in astonishment as to the dedication of our class representative. I guess there is no other choice but to do as she instructs me to in return for all of her efforts.

She had the other female students dress me and style my hair to resemble Queen Martha who by the way is my great grandmother that information of course is classified to me and those who know of my real identity. They put up a photo of great grandma when she was my age by the mirror for them to copy and I must say it did not take long for them to realize my uncanny resemblance to that of my great grandma. The students who helped me get dressed can't help but take double to triple looks between the photo and me.

"Christie, you sure look a lot like Queen Martha." One of them pointed to break the silence.

I simply smiled and said my thanks. Then went to see the class representative for final checks. While I walked towards her I tried to emulate the regal poise of my great grandma and give justice to the role. Those who saw me were mesmerized and snapped photos. I did not mind since I was just copying great grandma there is no way that those who are after me will still know my real identity they would think that I am just another imposter.

"Uhm. . . Will this do Class Rep.?" I try to talk to her but she just stared at me. Until she came back to reality when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Christie! This is great. Who knew you looked like Queen Martha so much. This will be great for us. It will be like Queen Martha teaching the class herself!" The class representative blurted out of excitement.

"We can raise the fee for the hour long class with this, right rep.?" One of the student in our booth committee suggested.

"Right! We can also market as an hour with Queen Martha. It will be both a lesson in History and in Calligraphy!"

"Yeah!!"

"Uhm, Christie will that be okay with you?" The class rep. was asking for my permission since I would be used like a business tool.

"It's okay. This will be my way of thanking everyone for being such understanding classmates when I missed a lot of our booth preparations." I smiled sweetly at everyone.

"That's settled then. You will stay inside the adjacent room we rented out and you will be giving lessons on Astorian Calligraphy to prospective clients for today." The class rep finalized my work load for today.

Inside the adjacent room she was talking about was a lovely writing table which if I am not mistaken was the style during the reign of Queen Martha. I have to hand it to our class rep she put so much effort in the details. The writing table was in front of several writing desks, about 20 neatly placed in equal spaces with each other. So I guess in an hour's worth of lesson I will be teaching 20 clients while I am dressed and styled like my great grandma. I was also told that there will be two other students who will be dressed as my bodyguards or royal guards to complete the feeling of having a class with a Queen.

I wonder how people would react to this business propaganda of our class? I wonder if the people of Astoria still love us or has that love changed into hatred? Well, here goes nothing. The first batch of clients were set to come inside after 10 minutes so I gather my composure and try to recall everything I learned about Astorian Calligraphy.

One by one, the clients entered into the room and when all 20 clients were already inside the two boys standing beside the table loudly proclaimed,

"Hear ye! Hear ye! You are in the presence of the Queen! Pay homage!"

There was a collective gasp from the clients which were a collection of students from our year level and some of their friends from outside Graceland. They played along and curtseyed and I simply remember how my mom responded by ever so slightly nodding her head to them and not make a huge movement. Subtlety is always the key with royal appearances and engagements, "small sincere gestures to make the people know that they matter to you" that's what my mother used to tell me as I watched her as she carried out her royal duties.

I maintain eye contact with one of them, a girl in the middle of the crowd and I smile ever so softly like my mom and I see her genuine reaction as she blushes and I speak up.

"Good day everyone." I make my voice sound more mature to emulate Grandmama and mother a little bit more. "You may take your seats."

They picked out seats and the girl that blushed was now sitting right in front of me. I guess she was more fascinated in what was happening than I thought. I began to give them the history of how I, Queen Martha have brought this traditional way of writing to Astoria and how I decreed that all communications within the palace and of royal family members be done in this way of writing. We dabble into few strokes and some tips and techniques on how to handle the drips of the ink from spilling and how to handle if they do spill. Then we go into writing their names on the stationaries they were given after which they were given time to write whatever they liked to. Then they can mail their letters in our Café and Post Office. Basically every session within the morning was like this with the boys with me changing at least 3 times.

Lunch time came and we took at least an hour break to eat lunch together as a class. I was still in my full on costume, the others as well but we were all having fun while we were eating. Someone was telling dad jokes really bad ones at that, someone else was doing impressions of our professors which I found funny. They were also asking around for those who could sing. A little memento of our school life together just beginning.