Chapter 1
Ellen
“Ellen, would you please join us downstairs. We have a visitor.” I groaned upon hearing those words, knowing in advance who my visitor was. Prince Nicholas. Deep brown eyes, dark brown curls, a true gentleman, kind and sincere. Basically perfection in the form of a man. So how could I grumble? He happened to be everything I was trying to get away from. Tradition, status, what was expected. And, on top of this, my heart didn’t skip a beat when I saw him. I didn’t feel shivers up and down my spine. He just didn’t do that for me. So while he was a huge catch, he wasn’t right for me. Unfortunately, Queen Jessica Marie, my mother, decided that it was about time for me to become more serious about finding a husband. And she thought that Nicholas was my perfect match (or at least that his title and father were). And everyone knows that the queen gets her way.
A knock sounded, awakening me from my daydream. “Come in.” The door opened, revealing my lady in waiting, Priscilla. “Princess Ellen, your mother sent me up here to check on you,” she said with a hint of fear in her voice, notably due to the mention of the queen. “She said to make sure that you looked presentable for Prince Nicholas, as well.” I let a small laugh escape from my lips at these words. “Presentable? Ha! I could care less what Prince Nicholas thinks of me!” But, realizing that my mother would punish Priscilla for my actions, I added, “Well, I suppose a tad bit of makeup could do me good. Could you help me get ready, Priscilla?” She nodded and rushed to my side. I sat at the vanity and looked in the mirror as she flitted about fixing me up. My hair was a mass of chestnut brown waves that would have always been disheveled had I not been a princess. Priscilla managed to tame my hair by twisting it up simply yet elegantly. Next, she moved onto my face, adding just a touch of shimmer to my hazel eyes that were framed by naturally long eyelashes. Other than a bit of blush, Priscilla left my face blank. Most people told me that I was a natural beauty, something that I usually saw as somewhat of a curse as it drew even more unwanted attention.
As soon as she had added the finishing touches, Priscilla said, “Very beautiful, miss.” While Priscilla often got the brunt of my frustration and anger just from being around me so frequently, I really did appreciate her kindness and everything that she did for me. “Thank you, Priscilla,” I said as I flashed a warm smile.
I knew that my mother was growing more and more impatient by the minute, so I took one last deep breath and left the comfort of my room. As I descended the staircase in the gown my mother had requested, burgundy with gold accents, she gushed, “Ah…there she is!” Ever the gentleman, Nicholas rose and met me at the bottom of the stairs. “Princess Ellen,” he murmured as he bent down and kissed my hand. I curtsied in return, mumbling, “Prince Nicholas,” under my breath.
Before I had a chance to even sit down, the queen butted in. “Ellen, don’t you think that a walk in the garden would just be lovely? It is such a beautiful day outside.” It was hardly a suggestion, more of a command. “Certainly, mother,” I responded in a sarcastic tone, one that I used all the time but no one seemed to catch on to. “Prince Nicholas?” He nodded his head in agreement, although his polite nature made it seem like he actually believed it to be a grand idea. We made our way out the French doors of the sitting room, into the lush and colorful garden.
Prince Nicholas had been making appearances for about two weeks. I liked him as a person. How could you not? But the sheer idea of my mother forcing this relationship upon me led to me treating him in a way that he did not deserve. And while I acted so terribly, Prince Nicholas still kept up his personable nature. “So, Princess Ellen, how have you been since we last met?”
I sighed, wanting to tell the truth. But I stuck with the cover I’d always used, saying, “Things have been lovely as ever, Prince Nicholas.” As we walked down the cobblestone path, our conversation consisted of informal chitchat and much silence. After about a half hour had passed, we made our way back inside. We sat down for dinner with my mother, accompanied by my sisters Erin and Buddie Ann. To my relief, my sisters fawned over Prince Nicholas like always, leaving little of the conversation to me. After an excruciating hour, Prince Nicholas said his goodbyes, kissing me once more on the hand.
As soon as the door closed, I bounded up the stairs to the sanctuary of my room, ignoring the calls of my mother. Yet another day in “fairy tale” hell.
