Tears froze on Annabelle's face as she crawled through the forest trees. She picked up the sharpest rock she could find. Perhaps so no one would recognize her, or perhaps just to show her father that he didn't own her anymore, she began sawing at her hair with the rock until it was all on the ground. She now had a very poor quality bob. Grasping grass between her fingers, Annabelle climbed to the top of the highest hill in the kingdom. The castle's beautiful lights shone all through the valley, reflecting off of the freshly fallen snow, making them almost as bright as the stars up above. If Annabelle weren't so distressed, she would have appreciated the gorgeous view a little bit more. As she looked beyond the forest and to the city, she could not help but think, "It's like nothing even happened. They didn't even notice I was gone." Of course, this wasn't true, as Princess Annabelle was the center of attention in the whole kingdom. Even so, she was heartbroken.
As Annabelle made her way past farmlands, castles, and forests, she finally found a mansion that was distant enough from anyone else that her name would not be known. Her now shoeless feet were covered in ice, snow, and dirt. Her face was red from the wind and her fingers were practically numb. Still, she smoothed out her now short red hair with her fingers, put a smile on her face, and tried the hardest that she could to make herself presentable before she rang the doorbell. After a few short minutes, a tall, handsome young man opened the door.
"Hello," she curtsied, nodding her head as any princess would have. After a few hesitant seconds, the young man reluctantly took Annabelle's dirty, freezing hand and kissed it gently, nodding curtly. "I am Anna... Anna. I am Anna. May I ask to whom I am speaking?"
"Of course, of course. I am Charles Whittington the 3rd. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Anna." Giving a small bow, he chuckled. "But you can call me Charlie. This is my mother's house. Do come in, it's awfully cold out there."
YOU ARE READING
Without a Crown
Aktuelle LiteraturIn this novel, Princess Annabelle of Aslaria runs away from home after a fight with her father. She becomes a servant at one of her subject's home, only to find out that she was becoming much more of a servant than she could have ever imagined!
