The Princess turned away from the ornate gown on the bed. It was all going to be so terrible. One little slip, one misstep and all her subjects would notice. She was just sure of it.

Here she was, the youngest queen in the history of her land,and there was no way it could go right. She went to the chamber's window and leaned out on the ledge so she could see the carraiges pulling up to the chapel below. Ladies, and Lords being helped down to the ground so they could be early enough to get good seating. All her maids told her this was what to expect. She knew from experience what it was to be on display.

But she also knew what they whispered behind her back. What the workers said when things went wrong, what the kitchen staff said when a dish didn't turn out as expected.

If only it was like the "golden age". That was during the 'old kingdom' before anything bad had happened to her country. To hear them tell it, the crops were always excellent, the taxes easier to pay, and the royalty always led lives up to the expectations of their subjects.

That was what Regina was led to believe anyhow.

So, how could she lead her land, and live up to the legends of the Golden age? Even her dress would have been better before the fall of the old kingdom. It was hard enough to do the right things without history looking down on you all the time.

Just as she wiped tears from her eyes, there was a knocking at the door. That was curious, the gaurds kept everyone but her body servants from this floor. Even the Prime Minster waited while she prepared and was ready to accept him officially.

She went to the door, and was reaching for the latch when it started opening without her help.

There was only one person that could open her door from the outside, where you couldn't see the latch, let alone touch it.

Merlin, her old and dearest friend, also the court advisor she listened to the most. What brought him here on a day as busy as this? There was less than an hour before they would be here to escort her to the cathdral below.

She hugged him and smiled, but he seemed to be in a hurry this day. Waiving his wand, her comfortable slippers appeared on her feet.

Tucking her arm on his, he led her away from her chambers.

"Before your coronation, there is something you need to see." Then he led her down passages she didn't even remember in her wanderings. Down steps, around corners and down more steps. The air grew cooler as they worked their way into the bowels of the castle. Even the stonework began to change as they went into the older, lesser used portions of the Keep.

Soon they were below the present city in the orignal part of the structure, the stones being larger and fitted together without even the help of mortar as it was above. The corridors were silent save for their feet, the dust on the ground showed how long it had been since anyone else travelled these hallways. Torches lit as they approached, keeping the darkness at bay, but only barely.

Soon, Merlin began searching one of the walls, his wand held high providing the light he needed to find what he was looking for. With a short incantation, the wall opened up. Exposing a royal dining chamber of sorts.

Regina had seen paintings of similar rooms. The dias was raised for the royal table, just as it was above in her dining area as well. But this room hadn't been used for the long ages since the fall of the old kingdom. Spiderwebs hung thickly in the room, dust choking the air. Empty plates still sat on the tables in places with bones still where they were dropped on the floor.

Merlin held her close and whispered in her ear,

"Watch and tell me what you see..."

With a wave of his wand, and some well chosen words the room burst to life. Sconces were lit and burning, the air filled with the smells of food. People moving about as you would expect them too in such a meal. And a grand meal it was. Rich foods and large portions.

The clothes were in fitting with not just the old kingdom, but the golden age. The hair styles, the sheen to the clothes, even the elaborate footwear spoke to the era she was watching. It was all so elegant, it was no wonder everyone still spoke of it.

But Merlin watching her face would have none of it. He snapped his fingers, freezing the action around them.

"You're not seeing what I want to show you, watch closer, really watch the people Regina..." Then he snapped his fingers again, bringing them to life.

So, what did he want her to notice? She stepped closer to the table and becan to study the scene before her. Then the Lady leaned back to wipe a spill off her gown. So, they spilled things in the golden age? Then she looked down and saw the hose didn't quite match either. Whoever this lady was, she came to the royal dinner not even dressed propperly.

Turning to the royal dias she swerved to miss a serving lad. But he tripped anyhow, spilling his food. Hungry hounds bounded over from under the table and began fighting over the unexpected bounty. So, they didn't have an answer to feeding hungry animals in the golden age either...

But moving again towards the dias she saw the man next to the King reach for another dish and knock over his wine. The rich dark liquid was ignored and began to soak into the linen tablecloth. The material would be ruined by the end of the meal, but if anyone noticed, they did nothing.

And the smells, they didn't speak of a refined, cultured gathering. The Queen wore too much fragrance, but the King simply stank.

Regina thought they had indoor plumbing during this time period, so why hadn't he bathed?

She wandered about for almost an hour before Merlin, fatigue on his face motioned her to the door once again. With a wave of his wand the magic stopped, and the dusty darkness returned.

"What did you see in there Princess?" He watched her face as she thought.

She remembered the bad manners, the big bites and the Lords and Ladies that chewed with their mouths open before spilling food and belching loudly.

"I saw they were just people. Not more refined than the ones I eat with, even just this morning. Even in the Golden age, they had flaws just as we do!"

Merlin nodded sagely. "Yes, nothing was perfect, not in the old kingdom, and not even in the golden age." With that they started back up the corridor. Her hand still holding his arm as he led her from the depths.

He looked down at her smiling,

"Now, I think you're ready for your coronation!"