Royal Soulmates

1: Get Hitched or Lose the Throne

 "Anne, dear time to get up, your father would like to speak with you as soon as you’re decent," chimed the maid, one of the many always bustling around the palace. 

I mumbled that I did not want to get up and turned over away from the blinding light from the opening curtains. I knew what little talk he wanted to have with me was about.

Right now, I did not want to discuss that with him or anyone else for that matter. The very conversations about this particular topic plaque my every waking moments. Slowly, I rose from my 1000 thread count sheet that is what royalty buys you, 1000 thread count sheets, and a life of misery.

I saw a dog, a beautiful King Charles spaniel, Lilith, across the room. She was still dozing in her pink dog bed. Ringing the bedside table bell, another maid, whose name slipped my mind amen and took Lilith for her morning walk and breakfast. I really should make the servants wear nametags. I never know who is who.

I went straight to my closet to pick out my outfit for the day. Something casual for homeschooling until later when I will be hanging out with Sarah, my best friend. After choosing the outfit, I went into my bathroom for a quick shower.

An hour later, freshly showered and dressed in a pair of black sweats, a grey t-shirt, and my skater shoes. I pulled my wet hair into a ponytail and began my long walk to the kitchen. It was nearing nine o’clock, which meant that my parents ate already, which I preferred to eat separately from them. This way I could eat in the kitchen, rather than the huge, lonely dining room with just them or even by myself. 

The cook, Bethany, walking into the kitchen, greeted me. She had made me my favorite breakfast item, blueberry muffins. Not having much of an appetite, I nibbled away at my muffin, knowing what awaited me in my father's office. 

I took my time walking down the hallway to my father's scary office doors. I was going to knock when I heard my mother's voice, so I just barged in. 

"Well, hello Anne, thank you for finally joining us," my father, the King of England, said. 

"Sorry father, I, uh, got up late," I replied.

"What did I tell you about using the word, uh? Do you want to stay in school for another month or what?" My mother, the Queen, said, finally looking in my direction.

"Oh my, what are you wearing Anne?"

"Clothes, mother," I sassed my mother.

"Don't use that tone with your mother Anne," my father disciplined me.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Anne, how do you plan to find a suitable husband, when you go around dressed like that?" my mother voiced without hiding her disgust.

"I am not even leaving the house mother."

"Still, word could get out and no one could want to marry you."

"Good," I mumbled lowly.

"What was that young lady?" my father questioned.

"Nothing father," I replied like a good little angel. 

What am I five, hell no, I am not some little angelic goody two shoes daughter.

"If your mother and you are done bickering, then I would like to get down to business, Anne, you have wasted enough of my time already."

"Yes sir," I said saluting my father. I think he pretended not to notice, but my mother frowned disapprovingly.

She is always like that, she wants a perfect girly-girl daughter, and she knows she will never get that. Why can't she just accept me and move on with her life?

"Anne, I know your very aware why your here, your twenty-first birthday is approaching rapidly, it is exactly two months away from today. You have been pushed to get married by the whole country and well parliament has set the date. You have to be married before or on your twenty-first birthday or the throne will go to the next male in line for it."

My mouth was open in shock for what seemed like a century but in reality were just a few minutes.

I did not want to get married and I certainly did not want to have to share the throne. Well, actually I did not care much about sharing the throne just the fact that I would have to get married, and I definitely did not want to get married.

 I got up and stomped around, and then picking up a throw pillow, I ripped it open and feathers went everywhere. My mother started screaming about me being an immature brat and that I had wrecked her favorite throw pillow. Puh-lease, she has twenty other pillows just like it.

At that moment, I was tuning them out and focusing on the fact that I have to marry a man that I will only know for a maximum two months. Whether the man is my choice or my parents, I would marry. I know they would arrange a marriage if I did not pick by the end of the ball.

That is when the reason behind the ball and my presentation at the ball dawned on me, more like hit me on the head. 

This was not fair, I cannot do it. I am not good at making decisions; I literally hate making decisions or commitments. I just cannot do those two things. In addition, when I get scared, I run. This is exactly what I did then. I ran...

I ran out the front doors and security followed me. I ran until I could not breathe then I continued running to my only secret hideaway. Through my mother's many perfect gardens all the way to almost back of the property.

I slipped between two shrubs and walked to my favorite bench because my pond. It was my hidden getaway. Before long, I could hear my guards nearing my location.

 I did not want them to find my secluded, secretive spot then it would no longer be a secretive. On my walk back to the palace, which is not and never will be my home, it is excessively big. I got the usual talk when I got back, that I cannot run off without my guards because it is so dangerous. 

Isn't security paid big bucks to keep "bad" people out of castle grounds? Guess not. My best friend was waiting in my extravagant room when I got back. 

"Oh my gosh, Sarah have you heard?" I practically shouted when I got back.

"Yeah, you have to get married in two months time, to some guy you will barely know, it that is, because that was all over the papers," Sarah said and got up to hug me.

"What am I going to do, how will I choose you know I hate making decisions especially ones that I have to live with for life."

"The easy way to make a decision concerning men is to choose the hottest looking one," Sarah said.

I just rolled my eyes at that suggestion. "Be serious, Sarah," I said.

"That was a serious answer, look you just go to your tutor for your final day of school ever, do not worry, I will figure something out," Sarah said assuring.

I left to go downstairs to meet my tutor in her office.

I had finals kind of like college finals accept, different because I passed either way.

 Who would fail the king's daughter, no one? Finally, finals done, no more school forever for me and it would be great because it is summer and all.

Well as great a summer as it could be, you know with a wedding and all coming. A knock at my bedroom door, and I never would have guessed who it would turn out to be.