Amore

Chapter 20

            “What is it, dear boy?” the king asked eagerly.

            “It's very simple really. You see, Cassandra is the princess,” Robbie stated. A silence took over the room as we all stared at him. He cleared his throat, “Um, well, I just thought you would like to know.”

            “How exactly do you know it's her?” the queen asked.

            “Look at her! Study her! She fits the description exactly! It's fate really that Andrew's her true love. Remember the curse?”

            “Yes, we know it!” the queen said. “The princess will be beautiful, kind, smart. Her life will go horrible until true love's first kiss, and then life will be great.”

            “A good synopsis,” Robbie observed. “It fits perfectly with Cassandra! Can't you see it?”

            “She does look like Marie, darling,” the king said.

            “Yes, I can see it,” the queen said, studying me. “Come here, child.”

            I got up nervously and went over to her. She stood up, taking my chin and studying my face.

            “Why don't we send her to Belaria?” the king asked. “They can make sure.”

            “I'll take her!” Robbie offered.

            The queen glanced at him, then started pacing. After a minute, she sighed. “Fine, but no word of this is to be breathed to anyone else! Especially Andrew!”

            We watched her pivot and exit very dramatically. When we could no longer hear her footsteps the king came over to me. “I really do hope you're the princess. It would make life so much easier.”

            “I hope so too,” I said. The king also left, leaving Robbie and I alone. We both looked at each other and gulped. “When shall we leave?”

            “How long will it take you to pack?” he asked.

            “Got it. I'll be down in ten minutes,” I said, rushing off to my room.

∞ ∞ ∞

            Robbie and I were in the royal carriage, already half-way there. I was in a plain, riding dress that I had found in the closet. All of my stuff was in my chest, in the back of the carriage. I kept nervously glancing out the window and compulsively smoothing my dress. Robbie tried to lighten the mood, but it was weighing down heavily on us.

            “Do you think they'll like me?” I asked for about the tenth time.

            “They'll love you,” Robbie's same answer came again.

            “What if they don't? What if they think I'm too course? Or skinny?” I asked, freaking out.

            “They're not going to think that,” Robbie sighed.

            “How can you be sure?”

            “Because  nobody thinks that about you,” he said. “Well, besides George, Bill, Mark, and the queen.”

            I nodded, still nervous. When we finally arrived, I was in hysterics. I clutched Robbie's arm, gouging my nails into his flesh. He didn't complain though. A man came out to meet us, already notified of our coming. He led us into two different rooms so we could “prepare to meet the royal couple.”