𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 - Book 1

~Chapter 1~

                                                                                         Leonor

     "Get up," my mother shook my shoulder gently, stirring me from my deep slumber. I rolled over in bed, covering my eyes and shielding myself from the bright sunlight flooding through my window. When I groaned to myself, my mother shook my shoulder again and I reluctantly sat up in bed.

     Rubbing the sleep out of my tired eyes, I yawned and stretched, flexing my arm muscles as I did so. Waking up is the best part of my morning. I feel refreshed and clean and ready for whatever the day throws at me.

     Except today, I wasn't sure if I was fully awake. My mother was perched on the edge of my bed, her fingers crossed in her lap daintily. Her eyes scanned my face, and she reached over to move a messy lock of hair out of my eyes.

     "You're late, Leonor. You were supposed to be ready nearly half an hour ago. Your father and sister are waiting downstairs. Be quick," my mother snapped, standing to her feet and hustling out of my bedroom, closing the door behind her.

     Shit. The banquet. I had totally forgotten about it. It was the annual banquet that the King of Spain and his royal family attended. Many famous people from throughout the country would be there, and it was a very formal event. Here I was, sitting in my pajamas with messy hair and tired eyes. I'm the future princess of Spain, I need to toughen up for real.

     I stood to my feet and somberly picked my way across the room to the open window. Flashes of light glistened on my windowpanes in the early morning light. Madrid was a beautiful city, a beautiful place to live. From my very own bedroom, I could survey most of the city and people watch if I felt up to it.

     Getting ready made me feel even more tired. I had picked out a black suit with black matching heels, and they were resting on my desk at the end of the bed. Picking them up in my arms, I trudged to the bathroom to change.

     I started by running a brush through my think hair, combing it out of my eyes. I stripped out of my pajamas and pulled on my sleek black suit. I strapped the heels on, adjusting my toes comfortably inside of the shoes. I applied a thin layer of modest makeup, some blush, mascara and highlighter to make me look somewhat presentable. I pulled my hair into a tight ponytail and slicked it back professionally.

     Looking over myself in the mirror, I was pleased. For once, I finally looked like a proper adult. I was to be the future queen of Spain, I needed to look presentable.

     "Leonor! You're late!" My mother called from downstairs. I could hear the irritation in her voice.

     Grabbing my watch and small white clutch purse, I drew the curtains in my room and hurried down the stairs. My heel got caught on the edge of the carpet, and I nearly tripped, but I caught myself before I tumbled headfirst down the stairs in front of my family.

     They were all waiting at the bottom of the staircase, watching me expectantly. My father was in a well pressed navy blue suit, adorning a red tie. My mother was wearing a full length navy blue dress that complimented my father perfectly. My younger sister, Sofia, was standing beside my mother. She was a beautiful girl, with her long straight hair and full lips. I was jealous of her, if I was being fully honest. She was beautiful; she looked quite like our mother.

     "I'm so sorry, I was extremely tired," I muttered to my father, who smiled at me warmly and took my hand, leading our family out to the limo.

     The bustling Madrid streets immediately woke me up. People yelling, cars honking, bikes chiming their bells, and music drifting down the alleyways. It was the usual hustle and bustle of the busy city. I was used to it by now.