7Okay everyone, I hope this story lives up to all of your expectations. I forgot to mention in the last AN that this is my original work. All the characters and most of the plot are my own. Enjoy my story.
Chapter One
17 years ago
"ARgh!" screamed the queen, "Will this pain ever stop."
"The baby is almost here, your Majesty," said the midwife.
An hour later the King and Queen of Rogue had a baby girl. The new Princess was wiped down and given to the Royal Physician. After proclaiming that the Princess was healthy, she was handed over to her weary parents. The queen gazed down lovingly at her daughter, who was cuddled against her breast.
"What will you name her, Majesty?" asked a maid.
The queen looked up at her husband. They both had been discussing names since she found out about her pregnancy. "Lily Anna, we'll name her Lilly Anna," whispered the Queen.
"That's perfect darling, just perfect," replied the King.
Present Day
"Lily Anna," hissed Molly, her maid and friend, "Lily, please come out! You are going to be late for your dance practice. You know that you have to do it, so you might as well get it over with."
Lily Anna sighed. 'Why do I have to take dance lessons just to impress someone? The Prince should be more impressed by my knowledge of his country!' thought the unhappy Princess. Lily Anna stepped out from behind the curtain she was hiding in.
"There you are! Finally, you know your mother would have my hide if you were late again. Why do you insist on getting me in trouble?" said an irritated Molly.
"Come on Molly, you know I would have gotten you out of trouble." Lily started to walk out of the library when Molly grabbed her hand.
"Yes I know. Here let me fix your hair. You know that hiding in curtains messes it up, and look here," Molly said, holding a dust bunny between her fingers, "bits of dust like this are all over you! What am I going to do with you?" she laughed.
The Princess grew slumped her shoulders and leaned against the library door, her eyes downcast. "You know it doesn't matter how I look, people are still going to call me ugly," whispered Lily Anna.
Molly sighed. She and Lily have had this conversation ever since they were little. "Lil' you ARE beautiful! Why don't you believe me when I tell you that?"
"Because, I know it's not true. Courtiers tell me I'm beautiful all the time and I can see the lie in their eyes," uttered a dejected Lily.
Flashback 10 years ago. Lily is 7.
Lily sat in her gilded throne next to her parents and five year old sister, while they waited for the visiting dignitary to be announced. After a few moments, the door man knocked his cane on the tiled floor to get the court's attention. "Announcing the Ambassador of Gina, Duke William Hartford," declared the door man.
After being announced, a man in his late thirties entered the room and made his way to the dais. The Duke bowed to the King and Queen and nodded toward the two Princesses. When his eyes fell on Lily Anna she could see him twitch for a moment, but the emotion passed so quickly that Lily Anna wasn't sure she even saw it.
"Your Majesties, I would like to thank you for welcoming me into your kingdom. I am honored to be your guest." Upon saying this Duke William Hartford bowed once more to the King.
"Gina men are always welcome in my Kingdom. We are honored to have you stay with us. I hope your visit is long and pleasant."
With that the Duke bowed again and backed away from the dais. Lily Anna watched him as he walked to the edge of the crowd towards his other country men. As she watched they began to talk in a little group, casting suspicious glances every now and then towards her.
After the formalities of the announcement were over, Lily Anna was free to leave the dais and mingle in the crowd. Once spotting the Duke, she decided to go over toward him. As she neared him and his compatriots, she was able to hear what they were saying.
"…..I know. I did not think that she would look so revolting!" whispered the Duke.
"They told us she was ugly, but I never believed them. I mean how could a Princess be ugly, is there not a law about that." said a Gina man.
"Well we will just have to…."
The Duke stopped mid sentence when he spotted Lily Anna a few feet away.
"Why, hello, Princess, I did not see you there. You should really make your presences known so that you do not scare people. My goodness, what a beautiful girl you are. Why don't you go run along with your nurse? I am sure she is looking frantically for you." The Duke put on a fake smile and patted Lily Anna's brown head. She could do nothing but stare at his face. His eyes became hard and he started to steer her though the crowd towards a servant.
"You there. Take the Princess to her nurse. I believe she may be looking for the little dear." He shoved the Princess into the servant and stalked back to the other Gina men.
Lily Anna could do nothing but follow the servant as she was escorted to her apartments. Once she was deposited there, Lily Anna ran to her nurse and started to sob. The nurse shushed her and asked what the matter was.
"Why am I now beautiful? What is wrong with me?" wailed the little Princess. The nurse had nothing to say to this so she just rocked Lily Anna until she calmed a little. After a while the Princess asked, "Nurse, am I beautiful?"
The nurse looked at the little Princess and said that she was the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom. Lily Anna was not fooled. She could see the lie in the nurse's face. That night Lily Anna learned what no book could teach her. She learned how to detect a lie.
End Flashback
Molly looked at the Princess and smiled. She put a finger under Lily's chin and lifted her head giving Lily Anna no choice but to look at her maid and friend.
"Princess, would I lie to you? You are the most beautiful girl I know. I admit, you were not born with beauty. You had to earn it, and you know what," At this Molly smiled and cupped her hands around the Princess's face, "That is the best kind of beauty, the kind that is earned." Molly dropped her hands and held the door open for the Princess.
"Now, we are going to be late for your lesson. Oh and by the way, your sister is going to be there, so be nice."
"Marie is going to be there? Why?" Marie was the Lily Anna's younger sister and she was a very beautiful girl.
"Your mother felt you would learn better with her there, and she figured why not kill two birds with one stone. You need to learn the steps and she will need to learn eventually, so why not now?" Molly shurged her shoulder and started to walk down the hall.
Lily groaned. She hated having lessons with her sister. Every tutor and instructor always found something to praise about her. It infuriated Lily Anna. 'Why can't I be more like her,' she thought.
Groaning once more, Lily Anna started to walk towards Molly's retreating figure.
"On to the lesson," sighed Lily Anna.