Chapter 1
You should be grateful for what you have, for you never know what you have until you lose it. For me, I learned this lesson late in life. I didn't know my world would come crashing down that day.
"Oww!" I screamed in my royal fitting room. "That's too tight." My handmaid was tightening my green dress, that I personally thought was too tight. 616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWc9SQxzGnC
"I am sorry, your majesty." mumbled the old woman. I looked back at her when she said this and let out a sigh. Then looked at my reflection in the mirror. I wonder who my terrible parents are going to try to set me up with now.
For the past two years, my parents have been trying to find me a worthy suitor. You might be wondering why has it been so long. Well, because I turned down them or forced them to leave. One prince was so annoying that I made sure that thieves stole from his carriage when he departed. Now that I am sixteen, my parents think that it is crucial for me to get married. "Laura, at least try your best." I remember my mother telling me over the breakfast table.
"I am trying." I said. "It's just that none of the men you pick are good enough for me."
"Princes and kings aren't good enough for you?" asked my mother outraged. I nodded. No prince or king ever showed me that they were worthy of my hand in marriage. They came into my court and thought that they would get the most beautiful girl in the world for free. "Honey dear, tell your daughter that she is being outrageous."
My father, who was enjoying his scrambled eggs at the moment, looked up in surprise. "What, hon?" asked my father. He never got into our fights willingly. My mother was the only person that cared so much about my future. She says that all of Galdonia cares about the future queen, aka me. 616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmL0KsZZ4lA
"Tell Laura to find a husband." said my mother. I wasn't so bitter towards my father as I was to my mother, for he understood me. He didn't care who I married, only that I was happy. On the other hand, my mother cared about every little thing. If I don't do everything she wants, I am in trouble.
My father gave me his serious look and pushed his scrambled eggs away from him. "Look Laura, it is important to your mother and your kingdom that you get married. If you marry the wrong guy, he will harm your kingdom. You can't just think for yourself, you have to think about your kingdom too."
Now, I am in my fitting room putting on a dress for the ball that is to night. My mother has invited everyone from the 7 kingdoms in hopes of me finding a mate. She says this is my last year to find someone until I become queen. If I don't find someone to marry, I won't become queen. That isn't an option because I am their only child.
"You are ready your highness." said my handmaid in a whisper after placing my crown on my head. I departed from the room and stood at the top of the steps leading to the ballroom. Everyone looked at me astounded. I knew that every girl that saw me wanted to be me. I had the perfect gold locks put into a tight bun with two strands of hair laying idly beside each side of my face. I had perfect rosy cheeks, ocean blue eyes, and a lovely green dress to complete the perfection. I smiled and walked gracefully down the steps. It was kind of hard with my heavy crown on, but I managed. When I was down the steps, my mother took my hand. 616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNPg6WHtDcH
"I need you to find your husband to night." she whispered in my ear.
"Why tonight?" I asked bewildered. I was going to become queen at the end of the year.
"Because, if you don't the court has agreed that your cousin will become the queen. If this happens, you have knocked our family out of the royal bloodline." whispered my mother as we walked.
"Introducing the royal family of the Kingdom of Earth!" announced the herald. My mother let go of my hand and watched as the king came into the ballroom.
"Introducing the royal family of the Kingdom of Wind!" the herald announced.
"Introducing the royal family of Kingdom Air!" the herald announced. 616Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlL9QMf2Rlz
"Introducing the royal family of Kingdom Fire!" the herald announced.
"Introducing the royal family of Kingdom Water!" the herald announced.
The royal families of the lands came in after their kingdoms were announced. I knew that one of the kingdoms were missing, but I couldn't think of the name. I abandoned the thought as I greeted the families. When I was done greeting them and making them feel welcome, I had a strange feeling about kingdom of Water.
The king and queen were nice and chatty and their son was a gentleman and nice, however when I looked into their eyes I could feel a chill go through me. Something wasn't right about them. I walked to my mother's throne and talked to her about it. "Don't the royal family of the Kingdom of Water, seem a little weird." I asked my mother out of earshot. She shook her head as she watched the dancers dance.
"They seem like pleasant people, dear. Stop being paranoid." she said in a jolly tone.
"I am not kidding." I said angry a bit. "They are very weird. Tell me when you look into their eyes you don't feel a chill."
"Go have fun. You probably are just worried about what the court has announced." she said. She wasn't going to listen to me no matter what I did, so I left her alone. After about an hour, something happened. All of the torches blew out and the guest looked around in shock.
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