Princess In Training (Book 1)

Chapter 28

My eyelids flutter open as I hear people rushing all around outside my suite. I rub my eyes and look at the calendar sitting on my night stand. It is my royal declaration day; it is my last day to have any form of a normal life. I climb out of bed and head right into my shower. I clean myself up before putting on my undergarments and a robe and heading down the stairs in my suite towards my parlor. Once in my parlor I see a tray and a note.

Good morning princess,

Here is your breakfast, once you are done eating you are to head to your hair and makeup room Lou and Caroline will meet you there.

Your Ladies Maid,

Tara

I lift the lid off the tray to see a glass of apple juice, and a chocolate chip muffin. I quickly eat my breakfast and then grab a pair of slippers and head down the hall of my wing into my hair and makeup room. I open the door and not even a second later I am pulled into a chair. "Good morning princess, we don't have a lot of time to get you ready." Lou says as she begins blow drying my hair and brushing it. She pulls my hair back from my face into a huge bun on the top of my head. She secures the bun and then begins on my makeup. She spends about five minutes applying different powders and liquids onto my skin to give me a flawless natural look. "Alright, go get your dress on! We don't have much time left!" Lou says and pushes me over to Caroline. Caroline throws a pair of shoes at me and tells me to change my shoes and then get on the platform so she can help me with my dress. I change into the nude wedge heels and climb onto the platform. She comes rushing over to me with my first and maybe only dress of the day in her arms.

"Alright, hold your arms straight up, this is a corset back so get ready to hold your breath." Caroline tells me just as she drops the dress over my head. The dress fits me like a glove and somehow Caroline flies through tying up the back of the dress. Once the dress is tied Caroline and Lou are pushing me out of the room. As soon I am out of the room I see my dad standing just down the hallway from me, dressed just as every prince in every Disney movie is dressed during the wedding ceremonies.

"Well you look nice." I say as I walk down the hall to meet him.

"As do you." He says grabbing my hands. "Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Dad asks me.

"This is what I feel a need and a want to do." I tell him. He pulls me into a hug.

"I am so proud of you." He says "For choosing what is right for you." He says stepping back. "Now are you ready for this?" He asks.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I say with a smile on my face. We walk alongside one another till we get to the throne room. We walk around till we get to where the royal stair case is.

"Now, there is a door right down this hall and around the corner. I want you to go there and stay there, someone will signal you when to walk in." He tells me just as the main doors open and he walks straight towards the podium on the edge of the balcony. I run to the door I was told about so I can hear the speech.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have called you all here today for an important announcement. I have gotten to the point in my life where this information needs to be shared not only with the government here in Genovia but with the people too." My dad starts by saying. "When I was younger, in a time before I had met my lovely queen, I had a daughter with another woman. Recently I have found my daughter, she was living in America with her mother and agreed to come and visit me. With her 18th birthday rapidly approaching my daughter has agreed to announce whether or not she will make her claim at the throne. So I now introduce to you all, my first born child, Samantha Deveroux." My dad says and at that moment I feel a push on my back as I take my first step and turn around to see Liz behind me smiling at me. I walk calmly over to the microphone, and take a deep breath before beginning to speak.

"Hello everyone. I came here with every intention of just meeting my father, of getting to know the man who is my real father. Then I started to meet my family, and meet the people of Genovia and I wondered how I'd feel after abdicating my role as Princess of Genovia. Would I feel relieved? Or would I feel sad? Then I took a moment and stopped to realize how many times a day I selfishly use the word "I". I realized if I spent the time and energy that I used thinking about myself I could really make a difference in the lives of the people who need it. So this morning when I woke up I was Samantha Williams, but, now, I choose to be forevermore, Samantha Mignonette Williams Deveroux: Princess of Genovia." I say and everyone in the throne room applauds. I feel a tap on my shoulder and I see Eleanor standing there smiling at me.

"Are you ready to wear your first tiara?" She asks.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I say and bend my knees a little bit. Eleanor grabs the tiara off the pillow next to her and she places it on my head.

"I now present to you Samantha Mignonette Williams Deveroux, Princess of Genovia." Someone behind me says and Eleanor grabs my hand and pulls me toward the balcony. I wave at everyone for a minute before being lead to the stairs. I take a deep breath before remembering what El taught me and gently gliding down the stairs and meeting my siblings at the bottom.

"As the current first in line for the crown of Genovia I pass this Baton on to you as you are now the oldest and eligible for the crown." Alex says after I get off the stairs.

"As the oldest sibling now, I grateful accept this baton." I say as Alex passes me the baton. We stand there for a few more moments as pictures are taken and then we are lead out of the room.

"That almost went the opposite way of my expectations. I thought you were going to give up the crown." Dad says.
"In my mind, giving up the crown means giving up this family. This is the only real family I have ever had so I could never give you guys up." I say hugging my dad and Eleanor and the kids pile on top of us.
"Princess, we need to get you into your dress for dinner." Caroline says with a smile on her face.

"Go, we will be right here when you come back." El says.

"Wait, can I come with you?" Clary asks.

"Of course." I say as Clary runs over to me she grabs my hand and we slowly move to my large dressing room. Caroline and Lou help me into my new dress and congratulate me. Clary and I stroll back to our family and everyone but my dad is facing me. I look at Eleanor to see tears in her eyes. I see the amazed looks on everyone's faces as my dad slowly turns to look at me. Clary's hand slips out of mine and she runs over to El as dad walk over to me.

"If I am this much of a mess seeing you today, I canonly imagine how hard I will cry at your wedding." He says pulling me in for ahug. Today has been the best day of my life.