I made my way through the lovely streets of Zaubersburg. I soon found the home of Lord White where his daughter, Lumi, waited for me. Lumi had escaped the notice of the court until she had become the close “confidant” to Princess Fancis Hart. I sat across from her in their immaculate sitting room, tea steaming on the table, as I started our interview.

MF: Thank you for seeing me, Miss White.

LW: Oh, you’re welcome. Um, please call me Lumi.

MF: Lumi. So the court is abuzz about your relationship with Princess Francis.

LW: “Relationship”? I’m her tutor, and, um, friend.

MF: Now, Lumi, no need to be modest, everyone knows.

LW: E-everyone?

MF: It’s the most talked about secret amongst the nobility and peasantry alike.

LW: (Lumi’s face grew quite red) Oh-oh my…

MF: Don’t worry. Let them gossip. I want to get to know you, to tell your story.

LW: Me? Why me? I’m not special.

MF: But you are. You won Francis’ heart, saved her from the boar, you are special.

LW: …

MF: So what did you think when the princess asked you to dance?

LW: (Lumi smiled) I was surprised, and…embarrassed. A little scared. I could feel the queen staring at us. If I knew…

MF: Knew what?

LW: If we hadn’t danced that day, that my father wouldn’t have lost favor with the queen. Francis…Francis wouldn’t have left. Maybe, I don’t know.

MF: Would you change the past if you could?

LW: …

LW: No. No, I wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

MF: With Francis away at war, how do you cope?

LW: I have my…friends. They keep me company.

MF: I understand that when she returns there will be wedding bells in your future.

LW: Oh, uh, maybe…my father wants me to marry Sir Rolf…

MF: I meant with you and Francis.

LW: I can’t, no matter how much I want to.

MF: We’ll see. We’ll see. Tell me, Lumi, what do you like to do?

LW: I like baking, and needlework.

MF: Are you any good?

LW: (Lumi shrugged.)

MF: That’s not what I hear. Francis certainly loved your handkerchief. She carries it with her now, doesn’t she?

LW: How did y-?

MF: It’s not important. How does it feel to soon be royalty?

LW: Royalty? No, I… I don’t know. (Lumi shook her head.) I won’t be…Rolf is just a knight.

MF: Rolf. Right.

LW: I have to for my family. For my father.

MF: Tell me about the animals.

LW: The animals?

MF: People talk. It’s the second most talked about secret in the kingdom.

LW: I guess I just always felt…close. It was easy to talk to them.

MF: So you actually talk to them? Like Doctor Dolittle?

LW: Doc-?

MF: Never mind. You talk to them?

LW: Not really, more like, um, knowing each other? It’s hard to explain.

MF: They must help with Francis being away. In danger.

LW: I think about her every moment. Without my friends… (Lumi shook her head.)

MF: Do you have a favorite?

LW: No, they’re all wonderful. Although there was one time with the boar…no, I can’t tell that, Francis would be so embarrassed.

MF: Well, we wouldn’t want to embarrass the princess.

LW: Thank you.

MF: No, no, thank you, Lumi.

I ended our interview and made my way back to our time. Experience Lumi’s story at Lumi White. Only on the Stela app.