"Queen Ji Eun hereby requests an audience with Kim Seren, daughter of Kim Hyunsik and Yoo Yoonrim on May 1st, 3:00 PM for a cup of tea... I cannot believe it! Kim Seren, is this a prank?  Are your brothers in on this? Let me guess, Minhyuk? Sungjae? Or maybe Peniel, he's pretty obnoxious." The guard eyed me suspiciously, looking me up and down. "Believe me, Quentin, I'm just as surprised as you are." I internally laughed. It must've irked Quentin to have me stand before him and not be able to try and arrest me, be it for sneaking through the palace yard, dropping the 'f-bomb' before 10 am, or eating a mango after sunset (are the last two even against the law?). Well the guy hated my guts. He will find whatever I do, and try to make it into a crime. Though I'm pretty notorious for being a troublemaker, half the things I do aren't even illegal. 

He reluctantly let (pushed) me through the gates and I smirked at him. "See ya later, Quentin! Maybe we can eat mangoes together after you get off work."

"Dear Lord, Seren, stop giving Quentin such a hard time! He's a good guy, despite his hatred for all things fun," A familiar voice spoke behind me and I whipped around to face him. "Sungjae oppa!"

"That's Sir Sungjae oppa to you, Miss Seren. And I think you should start calling Quentin by his title as well, he might find something illegal in not doing so."

My brothers work in the castle. All six of them. I'm the youngest, the only girl in the family. All lined up, you wouldn't be able to tell we were family because we look so different; the only ones who look similar at first look are me and Sungjae, which is probably because we're twins. He walked me to the Queen's Quarters and wished me luck.

I knocked on the door a couple times, then the Queen called out to come in, so I did. Her room was grand, probably bigger than my whole house combined. I wouldn't expect any less from the queen, and anymore she could probably fit all the people who worked for her in here at once.

"Grand room, is it not? Have a seat, dear. Here, have some tea. It's Lady Grey. Changsub told me you fancied Lady Grey." The queen led me to a very vintage chair with a floral rose pattern. The tea set was so small, the china so thin I was scared to pick it up. Next to the tea was a plate of bite-sized donut holes and butter cookies. I took a bite and looked around the room, still taking in all the beauty that adorned it.

"I see you like the room, Seren."

"Huh? Oh, yes, I do very much, my Queen. It is a very lovely room."

"Good, as I have made sure your room is just as nice as mine.. though I am told by your brothers you prefer nothing of the grandeur."

"Wh-Wh-What? My room?" I sputtered. She stared back at me calmly. "Yes, your room. I have called you here today to give a a job offer, one that surely you cannot resist."

I ate another donut hole, this time realizing that Changsub was the one who made it. It had a hint of a tea flavor, and Changsub would always stick tea leaves into a baked good because it 'enhanced the flavor'. He probably got that from  our mom but I hadn't seen her in years, and we left the village to live with my aunt 12 years ago, and I hadn't seen her since. "What is the offer?"

"For you to occupy my sons, and be their 'friend'. They have always had each other but I believe that the castle life is very unfulfilling. They need some female excitement in their lives," the queen sighed, and I shifted in my chair uncomfortably. It wasn't like I hated the princes (who hates princes?) but the last encounter I had with one of them didn't end particularity well; I never planned on seeing him again.

"Queen Ji Eun, no offense, but I am not interested in your sons like that, you can just get one of their fangirls off the street and they'd be happy to take the job."

She looked at me with a shocked look on her face and gasped, "Those girls!? I cannot have those crazy women near my sons, that's why you're perfect! They will open up to you because not only do you have a kind and pretty face, but you don't scream and act crazy near them." She looked at me expectantly and I let my shoulders sag. Tomorrow was my 18th birthday, and after that I would need to move in with my brothers and find a job or go back to my mom and dad and work on the farm. But now there was a third option, one that would give me freedom, a roof over my head, and much needed money. 

"I'll take the job."

The small smile on her face widened and she jumped up to take my hand. "Great! You will move in tomorrow morning, please have all your stuff ready by then!" I nodded, a little afraid of the job ahead. Little did I know, this would change my life forever.

Hi guuyyyss!! How was the first chapter? I feel like it was a little short and boring, but I guess that's how most 1st chapters go (according to my English teacher) Comment/Subscribe? All kind of feedback is appreciated!