Forbidden

Chapter 1 part 2

To give anybody the history of my full 18 years would be the biggest bore of anyone's life. So to keep people interested in what I have to tell them, though they listen mainly by fear of what power I hold, I reveal the simple details.

My family, have had many rulers of England, some good and some dreadfully awful. My father, King Percy 1st, I believe, has been the best King since the early periods of our days. 1885 was the year I was born, on the 7th day of the 7th month. Two years ahead of me, my brother, Nicholas was born. He is the heir to the crown of England.

Now, 18 years after my birth, my darling parents, Percy and Isabella are still in good health and still proceed with the kingdoms issues though my mother has no compassion for any of the ordinary men in the Kingdom. She, however only really worries about the next big event she must organise for the lords and ladies of the court. My brother Nicholas, has been married now for 3 months to a young lady called Annalisa Brèton, (Her father is the Prime Minister of France).

They have been away on their honeymoon, travelling round all of Europe and the British Empire. They arrive back tonight, hence my mother and the upcoming ball. Nicholas has had a fairytale life, being the Crown Prince and being lucky enough to meet in his eyes the most beautiful woman one summer in France. He spent almost all his time with her from the moment they met, building the honest deeply loving relationship they have now. Their engagement came to no surprise to the family, and their wedding was soon after planned and seen through. It pleased me so much to see true love found by my brother, and to watch every day the happiness he held in his eyes.

Then there was one, me, Alexandra Ann Sophia Claire, Princess of England. I have just finished my schooling, a school which was attended by almost all my cousins of my age, as well as most of the aristocrats' children. Apparently, my mother's job is to now try and find me the perfect husband, even though it has never been requested by me and I'm still very young and have no interest in men. Most of the Princes around Europe are either too young, too old or already married, so I believe she plans to search within our own court, or so I've heard. For now, I'm stuck with all these mystery gentlemen my mother puts me with, most I've never met in my life. I must admit though, some of the gentlemen are very nice, but I find that I get along better with the men I find for myself.

The one dream I have is travelling to a place where I am not considered the 'Princess of England' but as a normal young lady without the responsibilities that constantly seem to burden my life. I am lucky though that I am not faced with the full power over my country, which I happily see to Nicholas. But what I do aside from my brother, stirs a lot of attention because my people especially important men sometimes see it as stepping out of my place which then lead to accusations that my own father cannot control me. You see when I was young, my father thoroughly educated me on my country and the issues we help solve. One of those issues was the treatment and conditions the working man lives with. So growing up I helped try and make a difference in this area resulting in some very angry business owners. Also to add to that I help all the poor and try my hardest to persuade our government to spend time and money on my people that have no money and no protection from the harsh side of London that the society I live in never get to see. Unfortunately I have not been that deep into London either, my father forbids it. He once told me a horrible story about how he was nearly attacked trying to help people in the working area of London when he was a new King and so he protects me, his best anyway, from the harsh world the some of our people life in. However there is another side to my life and that is the fame. Because I am the only Princess, I became the people's Princess which I felt privilege to be called, for I felt I tried to help as many people as possible. Though I soon discovered that that wasn't the only reason I was called that. My country has become so involved in my life they have started to criticize almost all of my decisions, judge all my new relationships I form and watch every move I make. So I've had to become careful. Careful of what I say, what I do, and how I act. I represent the innocent image of the royal family, someone who can do no wrong, but when I am wrong I hear about it all through the papers and sometimes from the people themselves. This side of my life makes me feel like I'm in a clear box with the whole world watching me and this is why I feel so trapped in my life of being a Princess of which people dream so terribly to be. I am grateful though to my father who continuously reminds me of the duty I have to the people less fortunate than I am and that I must protect and provide for them for no one else will. This is what motivates me to be thankful for the privilege god has bestowed on me, and to continue the work my father and I have started.