Taken

Chapter One

----CHAPTER ONE----

A bird chirped, as Princess Ireland, sat at her vanity table, at about 7:30 in the morning. A beautiful sun rise was playing out, just outside her balcony. She brushed her straight, blonde hair carefully, very careful, so she didn't get any spilt ends, as a princess needs to set a perfect example. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, standing there was her mother, the queen. Ireland had her mother's blonde hair, and personality, and dimples, but that was it. She did not look like her father either. No one in her family knew where Ireland got her beautiful blue eyes from. Ireland smiled, and straightened up. "Hello Mother" Even though Ireland tried to sound mature with her mother she didn't need that. With her family, she could truly be herself. Her mother smiled at her. Queen Isabella was wearing a gorgeous, dark green coloured gown. As she walked across Ireland's huge bedroom, her heels clicked against the floor. Isabella stood above her daughter, and put both of her hands on her shoulders.

"Look at you" She said. "You're all grown up...my little girl...turning sixteen tonight..." Queen Isabella sniffled. Ireland smiled at her mother. "I'll always be your little girl, mama" She said. Her mother smiled, and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Go take a bath before your ball. I'll bring you up some breakfast, then your father and I have a surprise for you." Isabella told her. Ireland tilted her head to the side, with a confused look on her face. The Queen laughed, and patted her cheek affectionately. "You did that all the time as a child..." She then trailed off, and a look of realization dawned on her face.

Overall, she looked quite upset. "Mama? Are you ok?" Ireland asked, standing up. "Hmm, what?" She asked distracted. "Oh, yes sweetie, I'm doing just fine" She gave her daughter a hug, and when they pulled apart, Ireland noticed a sad smile was on her mother's face. "Everything's going to be okay" The queen whispered, reassuringly, but it sounded like she was reassuring herself. However, before Ireland got to ask her, the Queen turned on her heel, and walked away. Ireland frowned, but shook it off, and continued to brush her hair.

--*--

Wearing a eggplant coloured gown, Ireland walked through the castle, as she walked past her father's study, a memory came upon her.

It was a cold winter night, and there was an ice-storm outside. Wind rattled the windows, and the snow, and the ice fell to the ground. The fire roared in King Alexander's study. Suddenly there was knock on the door. Alexander, took off his reading glasses, and put down the document he was working on. "Come in" He said. A eight-year-old girl came in. She was wearing pajamas, and cuddling a teddy bear. The King smiled. "Hi sweetie" Ireland hid her face, behind the teddy bear and walkedtowards her father. "I'm scared" She told him. He simply smiled, and pulled her into his lap. "Don't worry" He replied. "I'll always be here to protect you"

Ireland smiled to herself, and walked past the study. Fingering the diamond necklace, that rested on her neck (it was what her grandmother left for her before she died) and entered the kitchen. Ireland noticed when she walked in that her mother had poured something into one of the cups of tea she was preparing. Ireland frowned. She remembered the bottle from many times during her childhood.

"Mother?" She asked. The Queen quickly spun around. "Why are you putting medicine in my tea?" Ireland pointed to the cups, behind Isabella's back. Her mother turned her head a bit to look at the cups, and then looked back at her daughter. "I'm sure you're nervous about the ball tonight" The Queen said smoothly. She held up a tiny, ruby red bottle. "This is just in case" Isabella then picked up the tea cup and handed it to her daughter. "Drink, dear" She said, before exiting the room. Ireland stared quizzically at the back of her mother's head, then shook her head. She brought the teacup toher lips, and drank.

--*--

As day turned to night, Princess Ireland stood in her bedroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. It took sixteen years of training for this day. Tonight, everyone would see how mature she'd gotten. They would take her seriously, and then when the time comes...They would be glad to have her as their Queen. She was the heir of the throne after all. If she messed this up, the kingdom would no longer have royal blood to it. Just a royal name. She took another breath and puther tiara in place.