A Princess' Choice

CHAPTER ONE

Eighteen was a crucial age for a royalty. Being eighteen meant a massive pile of responsibilities were put over your shoulder along with the occasional juggling of your personal life and royal duties. But when you're a royalty, your duties and responsibilities could easily become your life in general because that was just how it was. Personal life was for the free and outgoing normal person, it didn't really mean so much when you'd been practically caged and looked after since the beginning of your life.

If there was someone who was excited about my coming of age more than me, it was my mother. On my eighteenth birthday, she told me she'd been looking forward to that day ever since she knew she was gonna give birth to a baby girl. She let me wear her very first tiara, which was a family heirloom that belonged to my great great grandmother, who was the first female descendant in our country, and had been passed on to generations since then. When I wore it at my party, I could tell my cousin, Fenech wasn't happy about it.

But more importantly, before the fancy party and beautiful gifts, my mother came to talk to me first thing in the morning. She went on and on about how happy she was about my party and how beautiful I looked and she closed with telling me to embrace whatever changes might come in my life now that I was eighteen. It was not exactly clear to me what she meant by that. But if I were to guess, it was probably something more than just helping her plan out a banquet and studying foreign languages. After all, sooner or later, I was bound to make decisions that didn't only benefit me, but also my subjects at large. It's what I've been trained to do since practically the day I could talk. And I didn't have a choice. I never really had a choice all my life. It's like my future is all laid out in front of me and I don't get to have a say in it. But then again, I couldn't complain because my parents surely didn't have much of a choice, themselves, and I knew if they did have one, they wouldn't force me into things I didn't want.

Our whole lives we were taught to think collectively. That whatever decisions we made, we had to always consider the needs of millions.

On a regular sunny afternoon in Pieth, I could usually be found in my study reading books. Today, I had been assigned to read about the history of our neighbor countries. My father said it's imperative that we knew about their roots as it would help us connect easily and build alliances.

After a while of engrossing myself with a hoard of books, I decided I was done for the day. I stood to collect them and put them back on my shelf.

My room was spacious, to say the least. The walls crept up thrice my height up. Tinges of powder blue contrasted the cream-colored walls. I had a queen-sized bed with powder blue sheets and my tufted headboard was accented with a gold frame.

Behind my bed was my bathroom and a few feet away from my bed behind my cabriole sofa was the door to my study.

Now, my study was a cozy place. It was basically a library containing all the important books I needed to read and books that I loved. I had preferred the shelves be built on walls to ensure there was an ample space for me to walk around. My desk stood in the middle of the room facing the giant window.

As I was setting the last book, there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" I called, loud enough for the person to hear me from here.

I heard the door creaked open and shut close. "Your highness?" a female voice, which I assumed belonged to one of the palace maids, uttered.

"Over here!" I shouted, leading her to my study.

A few seconds later, a maid appeared at my library door. She curtsied and I smiled. "Your Highness, The King and Queen request your presence at the queen gazebo," she said meekly. I could tell she's new in the premises.

"Tell them I'll be right down... " I hold the last word questioningly trying to figure out her name.

"Oh, uhm, Martha, Your highness," she replied and curtsied again.

"Martha," I said and nodded. "You don't have to curtsy all the time," I told her and gave her a sweet smile. She returned the smile shyly.

I started walking out of my library and into my room, with Martha tailing closely.

"Do you want me to escort you, your highness?" she asked politely.

"Oh, that won't be a need, thank you," I retorted.

She then curtsied again and turned to head out. Once the door was shut, I looked myself in the mirror trying to fix anything in my face and dress that needed fixing. My mother wouldn't like it if I went out to see people and not looking my best. I decided to wear a headband and just leave my hair down. My dress looked fine so there was no need to change. After making a few touch-ups, I marched out of my room and down to the garden.

My mother and father were sitting in the gazebo overlooking the woods just below the hill. They had a teapot on the table and some papers. My mother's maids were standing just a few inches behind them and two guards were positioned on two corners. It's almost funny seeing my parents like this, for the reason that my father didn't really like being outside. He was only ever out when ceremonies had to be held on the palace grounds. He would often say he'd rather stay in his office working. It looked like he needed to talk with my mother about something and she happened to be out here, so I could now see why he's forced to stay.

When I arrived, the guards and maids bowed and curtsied, and I smiled at them. I'd been living this life for eighteen years now but I still couldn't get myself used to all the curtsying and bowing.

"I was told you called for me?" I appeared behind them and they both turned to see me.

"Darling, hello to you, too," my mother greeted, sarcasm painted all over her words.

I giggled and leaned to give them both kisses on the cheeks. "Hello mother, hello father." I sat between them and poured tea in my teacup.

"Your mother and I have something to talk with you about," my father addressed and shifted his gaze between me and my mother.

I took a sip of tea and said, "Sure, what is it?" I placed my cup down and shifted to a comfortable sitting position.

"This is very important, Cal, I hope you take this seriously," my mother said.

I nodded and leaned back. I didn't really get why she telling me to be serious because I'd been nothing but serious when it came to my duties and assignments. I wanted to point that out but decided that it'd not be worth arguing over.

"Well I'm assuming you remember what I had told you on your birthday, and well, this has something to do with that."

"About me taking things seriously? Mother, I am serious!" I couldn't help but put it out there just so she knew. "I have read about a hundred books in total in all my life and I'd helped you plan out things when you needed my input, I don't even complain a lot...well, just a little, but still..."

"I know dear, I can see that. But there are more complicated things...which your father wants to discuss with you." She glared at my father who now looked tense.

"But why me?" he countered.

"Why not you? Come on Ed, you can do this." She patted my father's hand and gave him a sympathetic look which she clearly did not mean at all. My father sighed in defeat and turned to me, fiddling with the papers on the table.

"Does this have something to do with those papers? What are those anyway? Some adoption papers and you're finally gonna tell me I'm not your real daughter and that I can go back to my real parents and get away with whatever the hell is going on?"

"No," my father replied, forehead creased. "They're not adoption papers and you're certainly not - where the hell did you get that from?" I shrugged and my mother rolled her eyes as if to tell my father to get to the point.

"You know that you were expected to rule someday, right?" he began.

I knew where this conversation was going. And, for the first time, I get what my mother was trying to tell me on my birthday and a few seconds ago. They wanted me to take things on a serious level. Queen stuff and all that. I must admit I certainly did not see this coming. My shoulders stiffened and I suddenly felt nervousness taking over. I was not ready for this conversation. But I put on a façade as to not let them think I was intimidated by the subject.

"Of course, father. I know that," I replied ever so confidently.

"Good. Because your mother and I thought it's time to open you up to a new chapter." He took my hand and held it.

"Well, what do I have to do?" I asked still keeping my nerves out of the surface.

"We're thinking it's time you find a partner, dear," my mother joined in.

Even when I wished it's not about marriage, I already knew there's a very slim chance of it not being brought up. I knew I was supposed to anticipate this talk with my parents but this was way too soon and we agreed I get to say when I was ready.

"I see. I understand mother," I said, now fiddling with my bracelet. I tried to be calm as possible as to not start an argument. "But why so sudden? I had just turned eighteen."

"We just think you're very much prepared to take this new responsibility," she replied.

"But, mother I thought I get to say when I am ready. And eighteen is too young to get married."

"Callista, I know we talked about it before. But you are a lady now, and in our time, eighteen was just the right age to get married," she explained. "I was engaged to your father when I was seventeen!"

"That's right," was all what my father could say. He was fully aware that he's not very good at persuading me, because he knew I always got my way with him. Whereas, obviously, my mother knew just the right things to say to bait me.

I wasn't going to let my mother sway me but right now I could feel my walls slowly breaking down.

"I thought you said my marriage is all up to me? And besides, I don't even know anyone!" I snapped. I tried to conceal the tantrum that was building up inside of me.

"We know that, sweetie. It's just - it's all about duties. You know how slim the chances are of you getting to have choices when you're born in this family." She was right. She always was, and I hated that she used that card to manipulate me. She was succeeding, though.

I sighed in defeat and threw my hands in the air. "So who am I - you know...marrying?" I said, rolling my eyes at the last word.

My father shifted and cleared his throat and my mother emitted a victorious aura which she tried to hide behind a calm demeanor. But little did she know, I could see right through her.

"Don't you worry dear, in 2 days we will be having a banquet to welcome the Royal Family of Eisenberg, and it is when you will be meeting Prince Lyonel, King Hiron's second son."

Prince Lyonel. I'd heard of the name before, but I didn't really know much about this boy. And I guess we'd have the rest of our lives for that.