Intro...

The wine colored curtains fluttered as a breeze made it's way past the wooden shutters, and small streaks of light shown through every crack, tracing their way across the room. It was a small room as far as castle rooms go. It was a small caste as far as castles go, but that's all one can afford when one has a small kingdom...as far as kingdoms go. Yet, a kingdom it was, and in this room the suns rays had found their way to the face of the Kings daughter. She was asleep and unaware that the morning had found its way in. Outside her window it was lush and green, as befit a very rainy climate. Indeed, it had rained the night before, and the fresh smell waifed its way into the room, riding on the breeze, perhaps following the direction of the sun beams. The smells of morning floated under the girls nose. It twitched. Her brown eyes fluttered, and her arms reached toward the low beamed ceilings as she stretched, feeling the tingle from her fingers to her toes. All of the bedrooms in the castle had low ceilings in comparison to the grand cathedral ceilings of the main rooms. It was cold more oft then warm, due to the proximity of the ocean, and so better to keep the heat down where the people lived and breathed then to waste it on the spiders in their hiding places in the nooks and crannies above.

The princess let out a long drawn out, very unladylike yawn. And why not, this was perhaps her last day to do so...at least outside the confines of her own room. She slowly pulled back the wool covers, and sat up, hanging her feet over the side of the bed. She sat there for at least five minutes staring blankly at the wall, willing her body to move. She rubbed her face with her hands and then slowly laid back against the wall. “Venessa, for goodness sake, get up!” She said to herself. She slid off of the bed as though losing all muscle control, arms again reaching for the ceiling, and then landing unceremoniously to the floor. Her backside hit the ground with a small thud, just as her door opened. Sarah entered the room. Venessa stared up at her from the ground, her dark hair lay wild and tangled about her shoulders, most of it still trailing behind her on the bed where she now leaned. “Did you fall out of bed, Your Highness? Are you all right?,” she said, hands on hips, looking confused, and yet unsurprised. “Yes and yes...sort of. I mean...I'm alright...I'm just sleepy.” “You should be up by now. It's a beautiful morning.” The curtains were pulled back and the shutters thrown open. All the small rays of light joined with their comrades as the fullness of morning illuminated the room. The princess moaned, “I hate mornings...mostly because it means I have to get up. Why must you torture me with throwing back the shutters, it's not exactly warm in here,” Venessa mumbled, as she picked herself up off of the ground and made her way across the cold wooden floor boards. “I need more throw rugs in here.” She tip toed her way to her vanity seat and quickly tucked her legs up under her chin as she sat down, “burrrr.” “Would you like me to get you some more rugs,” Sarah said as she covered Venessa's shoulders with a shawl and then began to brush out her hair. “No, ...I'm just complaining. As soon as I'm up and dressed, I'll like mornings again. I'll remember my complaints and then apologize...but can I wait until then to do it?” she said with another yawn. Sarah laughed, “I suppose.” The princess lifted her head off of her knees and looked up at her reflexion. She looked past herself to her cousin, Sarah. She had curly blond hair that she always wore the same way, and she dawned a purple dress because it was her favorite color. She always wore purple, if she could at all help it.

“Thank you for doing my hair this morning. It's difficult for me to do myself, and I wanted it to look especially nice today,” the princess said, enjoying the feeling of the brush strokes through her long wavy hair. Sarah smirked, “You're welcome, but don't expect this kind of treatment everyone morning, once I move in.” “Move in!” Venessa said with a start. “You're moving in the castle. Is everything alright?” “Once you're engaged, I mean...I'll be staying with you once you're engaged. You know, to vouch for your state of purity, and what not.” “Oh, I forgot about that,” the princess said thoughtfully as she rested her head back on her knees.

Today was going to change everything. Today she was starting classes, as were her many other cousins and members of court her own age. She had left elementary teaching behind the year before last for a summer of balls and banquets. Young girls were expected to attend these lavish functions, to mix and mingle, and to flit about like social butterflies, under the watchful eye of their parents who were not there to watch out for their daughters but to watch out for potential husbands. To encourage the right ones and to discourage the wrong ones. Every summer, the young folk spent every waking moment thinking about who they were to marry, then fall came and they attended classes learning how to be appropriate ladies and gentlemen of royal society. They learned Latin and Greek, etiquette, and homemaking. Then every spring engagements would be announced, and there would be a season of weddings that would take place neath the dog wood trees, which would show their delight by releasing their tiny pink flowers to rain down on them in show and approval of the special occasion. Things were different for Venessa, though. She had her summer of balls and banquets like the other girls, and truth be told, she was one of the most social of butterflies, but she was not under her father's watchful eye. It did not matter who she may or may not like. There was no one watching out for her special someone, for she was the daughter of the King. King Richard was the ruler of the kingdom and was often busy, well, ruling. Her mother was oft occupied with the people themselves...those they ruled over, or watched out for, she would say. Venessa was not the only princess in the kingdom, but she was the next in line for the throne, and that made her the subject of an arranged marriage. Her wedding would have more to do with politics then it would with love. Aware of her precarious situation she chose to guard her heart, but was determined to enjoy her summer of festivities just the same. She was in the company of many young men, most of whose company she enjoyed immensely, though none she had the liberty of concerning herself with marrying. She smiled to herself as she thought back to Ryan, who was one of her dearest friends she had come away with this summer. For a while she had to remind herself to breath at the sight of him, but the more time they spent together the more time, itself, took care of their hearts. She found in him a brother and a confidant. There were, of course, others who captured her attention and who did not so easily transition to friendship, but with the reality of her situation looming over her, she would force herself to discontinue their company for safer company, such as Ryan's. “Why let your thoughts dwell where they can not stay,” was something he told her once. “I will look after your flighty heart...I am the safest person I know,” he had said with a smile.

Now her summer was over and she would attend classes with her friends, with the exception of homemaking. Instead, Venessa would be going out amongst the people, learning their needs and how to best serve them. This, her father had said, would make her worthy of leading the people.

“What are you thinking?” Sarah's words burst through her silent revelry. “Oh, uh...lots of things. I wish Ryan were in my Greek class. It won't be any fun without him around.” “He is one of the funniest people I know,” Sarah said with a laugh. “He definitely thinks so,” Venessa said with a chuckle of her own. “That looks beautiful Sarah,” the princess said, admiring her dark locks pulled up and braided into place. “I had better hurry up and get dressed if I'm to make it on time. Is the princess allowed to be late?,” she said casting off her shawl and shivering her way to the large wardrobe. “I don't think so,” Sarah said, taking her leave. “I'll wait for you in the breakfast hall. Cook is making crapes.” “Okay, I'll be there in a minute.” Venessa picked out a modest red dress, which sounded like an oxymoron to her. How could red be anything but sassy, she thought to herself with a smile...and then with a frown she looked in the mirror and thought, “...and how could my chest be anything but modest. “I was not built for immodesty,” she sighed allowed as she cast her nightgown into the corner. She stepped into the red dress, fasten it up with practiced effort, and once again looked herself over in the mirror. She had a slender frame and an olive complexion, a beauty to most, despite her own obvious distaste for certain lacking attributes. In the end, she had to admit that the dress complimented her well and decided to be satisfied with that.

She left the mirror to stand at the window, “I wonder what my husband will think of me,” she said allowed, as she breathed in the rain. It had started to drizzle. I suppose I should first wonder who he is that will do the wondering...and am I really ready for all of this? Just then her stomach growled and she remembered crapes and being late. She pulled herself from the window and shuffled her way to the door, stopping by the bed to slip on her shoes. Venessa took one last look at her room, as if to say goodbye to child-hood and a summer of non-responsibility. “Spring is not so far away...,” she whispered as she turned and quietly shut the door behind her.