My father's Princess

Chapter 16

I went to the stables as the note said. "Hello?" I called out in a whisper. Someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me aside. I wanted to scream but my mouth was covered. "Don't worry Annie, its me." I smacked Cooper hard on his arm. "Hey! What was that for."
"You scared me."
"Sorry I thought you'd like the mystery."
"You probably can't see because it's so dark, but I'm glaring at you. Why is it so dark anyway?"
"I don't want anyone to find us. Here follow me." He took my hand and lead me through a large crack in the back wall of Scarlet's stable. I saw a candle and a blanket with some food in the back corner of a small room. "Wow."
"Surprise."
"Cooper what is this?" Cooper sat down on the blanket and motioned for me to do the same. "I told you I'm not giving up."
"Cooper-" Before I could finish he interrupted me. "I know you said you wouldn't cheat and you need to do this for your country." Cooper let out a long sigh. "And your right. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm being selfish. It's just I can't bear this." I nodded in agreement and curled up into his arms. "Cooper there will always be a spot in my heart for you." We stayed snuggled up against each other in silence until Cooper said, "Do you like him?" I sat up straight. "What do you mean?" I asked even though I knew exactly what he meant. Could I see myself in a life with Lucas as my husband? I was just stalling to give my answer. "Do you know if Lucas is the one?" I twiddled my thumbs and stared away. "It's only been one date." I knew Cooper wouldn't be satisfied with that answer so I went on. "I know that I would do anything for Selene, and my sisters, and Charlie, and you, and even my mom. I know that I can't let half a country like Marshland die because Im in love with someone else. I know that Lucas isn't a bad guy. And I know. I know that I could imagine myself with Lucas as my husband. But I also know that when I think of my kids I want them to be like you- long dirty blonde hair, beautiful crystal eyes, a sweet personality." Cooper wrapped his arms around me and pulled me in. He kissed my face all over with affection. "Cooper, I can't do this."
"I know. I know." He turned away from me so I couldn't see his face. "Cooper?" He didn't turn to me as he spoke but I could tell he was angry and embarrassed by the way he spoke. "Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why can't the poor people get the princess. Some rich prince who doesn't even no how to fix his pretty hair always gets the princesses."
"Royal people don't always marry royal people. Take a look at Cinderella and Charming. Or Aladdin and Jasmine. Not one of them was royal before they married their true love."
"Annie, those are all stories. Just fairy tales we tell to kids to give them hope that life isn't as cruel as we hear. Do you think if Cinderella didn't have her fairy godmother she'd make it to the ball and meet her prince? Do you think if Aladdin didn't have the Genie he would ever get Jasmine and the whole town to except him for who he was? And look at you. Can you honestly tell me that being a princess is just like the storybooks?"
"Well. I mean. There's the wicked stepsisters and the terrible problems that I have to fix in order to find my true love."
"Ya. And who did you meet while you are trying to fix this problem. That's right. Prince Lucas. Face it, Annie. We never had a chance from the start." I starred across the room no longer trying to get Cooper to face me. We sat in silence for a while. "Cooper you know that what we had was real. There's no doubt in my mind that I will always remember what we had, but I have a duty. Whether I like it or not my mom married the king making me a princess, and whether I like it or not I have to take care of the people of Rondalland, including you, and if that means putting their needs before mine, then that's what I'm to do." I gave Cooper one last kiss on his cheek before I stood up. "Goodbye C.T." Then I walked back to the castle accompanied only by the light of the moon and my own thoughts.
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I cursed under my breath as I blew out the candle and folded the blanket. I should've known this couldn't last. Even in fairy tales the prince always gets the princess. You hardly ever hear of a filthy stable boy getting the fair maiden and making it last. I walked in shame back to the dorms. When I walked in Eli was fast asleep. I quietly crawled up into my bunk. I thought for hours about what I could do. I knew I couldn't give up. I also knew that it was selfish of me if I didn't. If I wrote another note to Annabelle and she came, then I knew she wanted to stay together as much as I did, but if she didn't. Well then I'd know for sure that it wasn't meant to be. I grabbed a pen a piece of paper and sat at the desk in the far corner of our room and started on the note. I sat there forever, but none of the words I wrote sounded right. Finally all my thoughts fell together into a perfect letter. I would sneak it in her coat pocket, just like I had before, the next time she came to the stables. All next day I waited, and she never came. I figured she was probably on a date with prince perfect. With all my chores done and nothing else to do, I decided to climb into the old pickup and go for a ride. When I arrived at Lydia's I didn't see her rocking in her usual spot on the porch. I assumed she must've gone in for another cup of tea or more yarn. I knocked on the door and heard a humble voice answer, "Come on in." When I opened the door and stepped in side I was almost too shocked to move. "Oh sorry. I didn't know. I'll come back later."
"No, that's ok I was just leaving," Annabelle said, though the her tone suggested anything but. She thanked Lydia for the tea and the talk and started to leave. I could see that her face was red under her eyes and her makeup was messed up. I had hoped that Lucas didn't do this to her for his sake. I reached into my pockets remembering to stop Annabelle before she left. "Wait. Annabelle." I gave her a hug, carefully slipping the note into her pocket. "I'm sorry for last night."
"Obviously not sorry enough." She said taking the letter back out of her pocket and handing it back to me. "I told you last night. I have already made my decision, and it would be much easier to carry through with it if you left me alone." I grabbed her wrist before she had time to leave. "And I told you that I'm never giving up."
"Then your not as smart as I thought. Now if you'll excuse me I have a date to get to," she said yanking her wrist out of my grasp, and escaping through the door.