The Royal Deal

Chapter 1

Movies made everything seems so easy, you could practically do it at home exactly the same way they did it.

Or well at least that's what they made it seem like. And I know for a fact that it's not true.

My twisted ankle, the few bruises and angry parents were proof of the trick I was trying to recreate: sliding down the rail on your stomach and then landing with a backflip. I failed miserably, as you could tell. It was going so great, I thought I could actually do this one and go unnoticed.

But noooo.

My bad karma decided to play just at the moment my body went flying through the air those four seconds and I landed wrong on my feet, knocking me down on my face and taking my breath away.

I heard curses from all the corners of the room and then heavy stomping approached me while someone said, "Mockingbird down at door. Find Joy. I repeat find Joy."

"I'm ok guys," I gasped once I had my breath. Several hands reached out to push me back to the floor but I just pushed them away and instead just grabbed one to help me get up.

Everyone took a two step jump from me -as if I had some kind of disease- to give me some room and I smiled. I dusted off the invisible dust from my clothes and said, "See nothing..... Fuuuuuck." I went tumbling down as my ankle gave out on me but luckily I had five pair of hands to catch me before I actually reached the floor. "Ok. Maybe that one actually did something. My ankle is hurting like a mother-"

"Please tell me you didn't do one of your stunts again Blu," my mothers voice echoed down the hallway as she approached us. All hands released me, catching me off guard and I stumbled to the right as I flailed my arms to get some balance. Everyone reacted again and I knew I couldn't lie to my mother now.

"It's nothing mom. Probably a sprained ankle or something. I just landed wrong, I promise."

"Yeah. That's what you said with the other stunt. Now look at you! You can't go outside with a sprained ankle! And look at those bruises! They are going to think we torture you here!"

"You kind of do," I mumbled, earning me a glare from her. I smiled and winked, earning me another glare. She turned to the closest guard beside her and turned her glare to him, only not so threatening.

"Get her to Joy and try to see if she can walk in that ankle. Report back to me as soon as you know to see if I have to cancel meetings."

Cancel meetings? My heart practically jumped for joy at those words.

"Yes my Queen," he said and bowed. He practically forced my arm around his shoulder as I watched my mothers thin figure walk away.

Many people said I was the exact replica of her, but I never saw it. She was the perfect size 2 as I trailed behind on a 4 and her flawless, brown hair hung just above her waist -if she let it down. She always wore it up to accommodate her jewels and to "emphasize her face" as she said one day. Her clear green eyes were under the most perfect eyebrows I had ever seen and of course her posture was... Well let's just say I looked like a gorilla whenever I walked with her. I on the other hand had a tangle of wild black curls that made it impossible for me to style it anyway except down or in a messy bun. Very messy bun. My eyes were the only thing I saw that I got from her but besides that, I mostly saw my father in me.

"This way princess," he murmured to me but he was already dragging me towards the clinic. I wobbled with him and as soon as we were out of hearing range, he whispered, "You never heard this from me but I always wanted to try that. You just need to perfect the landing."

My laughter didn't end until we reached the door and I was practically crying because I couldn't breathe and because my ankle was killing me.

So after a few scoldings and a few "promises" later, my mother got the verdict: no. I needed to stay off the ankle if I wanted to walk alone for my birthday next week.

My 18 birthday, the biggest celebration we would have since my birth.

So I did my best for the rest of the week to stay off my ankle. Of course all the conferences I had to attend with my parents in the house I plastered on a fake smile and managed the pain I placed on my foot to walk on the heels my designer demanded from me. As soon as we sat down though, I never stood back up and if there was a sheet long enough on the table I would sneak a little break from the heel.

"I'm never going to recover if you keep on placing me on these heels Arlene! I need something low and comfortable for at least tomorrow because I know for sure I won't be healed by my birthday," I repeated to her for the millionth time since I first met her. I added my birthday as an excuse to see if it would actually help for her to change her mind. She knew I hated wearing the fancy dresses, but she liked to torture me and see me wobble around in the heels that I was barely getting use to.

I slumped down, not really caring about my posture or any princess etiquette for that moment, and winced as my ankle throbbed at the same beat as my heart. She dropped a cold pack besides me and then quickly walked to my walk-in closet to pick out my next outfit.

"Well it's not my fault you injured yourself on one of your stunts. My job is to make you look fabulous and gorgeous, pain included honey. But I'll see what I can do. I already have your outfits for tomorrow picked out," she said in the few moments she was in there. By the time she was done talking, she was already walking out with my favorite ripped jeans and a light lavender blouse with matching ballerina flats-bless her.

"Oh if I could stand I would so kiss you!" I squealed in delight and she gave me her evil smile. I practically froze in fear as she chuckled and dusted off the invisible dust she saw in her perfect outfit.

"Oh I'm just being nice. I thought you would like a break and be yourself for once since you will be mine for the rest of the week. Starting tomorrow, of course, will be the hardest day of them all since your parents are inviting half the country over."

Oh yeah. That stupid royal meeting we are hosting which was practically a rehearsal for my birthday. So I literally had to walk around in heels all day long- fml.

I groaned out loud at the thought and actual pain my feet would be going through tomorrow. She just laughed some more and kissed my forehead as I pressed the cold pack to my ankle. "You're just trying to kill me so you can get the throne in your hands."

"You know it," she chuckled with a wink and walked out, leaving me with my painful cries. I wasn't even five minutes into icing my ankle when a soft knock echoed in my room. I groaned and straightened up out of my crouch, throwing the pack on the nearby table. If it was my mother and she saw me sitting like that, she would have a heart attack and throw a fit at the same time. Not something I wanted to go through again at that moment.

"Come in."

My mother poked her head and I immediately straightened even more as she walked in. My father trailed behind and I immediately stood up, my eyes widening at both of their presences in my room at the same time. Something was going on and I knew it had something to do with me by the way my mother was smiling and my father was slightly frowning. Only my mother smiled when things went her way and her way was not always the best way.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

"Sit down honey. The news that I'm about to tell you will probably shock you," my mother sighed happily and I narrowed my eyes.

"Probably?" I asked my father and he sighed.

"Will. Please just sit and we will explain. Just.... Hear us out, alright?" He murmured and I nodded, mostly because I couldn't stand on my ankle since it was numb. My mother might be the biggest pain in my butt, but when it came to my father, let's just say I did whatever the King said.

Once I sat down, my mother didn't even wait for me to get comfortable. She just let the bomb drop and I basically bounced back up to my feet.

"You're getting married!" She practically screamed with delight as my father flinched.

"What?" I shrieked. "What do you mean I'm getting married!?!"