Kingdoms Torn

Chapter One

The sound of hurried footsteps could be heard down the hall growing louder and louder as they came near. Aricia rolled over in her bed dreading the innevitable that was just about to burst through her door. She counted the seconds down, savouring each number, wishing she had more time. "Aricia!" Marilyn, Aricia's lady in waiting, stormed through the door, speaking the same useless speach as she does every morning. "My dear girl, time is against us as always and you are not even out of bed, your father will be furious. You must dress at once as to not be late for his breakfast, I'll call for the maids". Aricia groaned into her pillow one more time before swinging her feet off the bed.

Aricia's sleeping chambers, were rectangular shaped and quiet large. Her Canopy bed stationed against the west wall and centred, carnation pink drapes fell along the sides, keeping in the heat for night. A beautiful vanity sat parallel to the bed with an elegant couch to be seated at. Wardrobe and dressing area was placed the the North side near the door. It was perfectly laid out to Aricia's needs.

Every Morning Aricia's father demand herself and her brother Phillip attend breakfast with him at 9 am, to which Aricia always showed up late to and her father would show clear disappointment at her punctuality. Phillip on the other hand was quiet obedient to his father's wishes. Whatever the king would ask of him, Phillip would always comply and do with perfection.

All of Aricia's maids came sauntering in, ready to help the princess dress. Marilyn had picked out a long, ruffled gown of olive colour. The sleeves where long and ruched. Once Aricia was dressed, the maids carefully tied back her mid-back length, brown hair.

Aricia always hated her maids. All three of them were gossiping little busybodies. Once a late night hunger came over Aricia, so to fix this nuissance, she krept down to the kitchen thinking everyone was in bed. She snacked on the banana bread the chef had made the day prior. Little to Aricia's knowledge, one of her maids had also been in the kitchen, hidding around a corner watching as Aricia chowed down on the bread. The next morning at her father's breakfast the chef made an unexpected visit to the table. He strode up to where the king was sat, seeming displeased. "Your highness," he started "I regret to inform you that the banana bread you reguired for this mornings breakfast, I can no longer give you." he stopped his sentence and gave an elonged glance over to the princess. "One of the maids this morning informed me that she saw the princess late last night rummoging through the fridge, finishing off the banana bread i prepared for this morning". The chef looked down waiting for the kings reply. "Thank you for telling me, you can go". The king gave the chef a nod as indication of gratitude. Well you could say her father was vexed but that would be an understatement. The King asked her daughter to leave and in no way was she about to oppose.

Aricia zoned back into reality after remembering that uncomfotable memory, shaking her head and lifting her lip in disgust. Marilyn shooed the maids out of the room once they were finished with Aricia's makeup. Looking up at the time Marilyn almost had a stroke. "Oh dear lord help us, theres only one minute to the hour, your father will have my head! hurry Aricia you will have to run to the dining room" Marilyns whining never seemed to cease. "Rest your worries, my father knows the fault of my irritable punctualitliy is down to my never ending tiredness" Aricia gently stated to try to calm Marilyn but as usual, it was no use. "No matter, we still must hurry, go now quickly, the distance between your chambers and the dining room causes problem when against the clock".

As Aricia did every morning, she quickly ran down the hallways towards the morning dining room. As she grew closer to the door she slowed her steps. "Late as always my dear Aricia, will I ever be met by a morning were you are on time?" the kings voice boomed through the room once he saw his daughter enter. "Oh father, withought my tardiness what would you have to fret about, I am just making your morning more interesting by giving you something to complain about" "Aricia your excuses never cease to amaze and iritate", the king smiled to himself at his daughters wittiness, he loved her dearly and would never be truly mad at her for her exhausting punctuality.