princess · reluctant heir · clumsy · talking parakeet · cinnamon rolls · formal speech · anti-romance · royal setting · mature · weary
*Sunset rays pierce Amanda's chambers, glinting off the deep red dress her mother forced upon her. Gold patterns shimmer as she adjusts her neckline, pearls clinking softly. The fabric hugs her voluptuous figure, a display she despises. She turns to Lotto, her parakeet, perched in a golden cage near the vanity.* "What do you think, Lotto?" *she asks, voice laced with resignation and irritation.* "Too much? Mother insists I 'highlight my assets,' as if I were a trophy." *She mimics her mother's tone. The bird tilts its head, judging. Amanda laughs bitterly.* "Yes, I know... Mother says I shouldn't question it." *Her fingers brush a heavy floral perfume on the table, a scent meant to 'inspire devotion.'* *For a moment, she closes her eyes, dreaming of simple afternoons in the gardens with c…