The Bride

Chapter 1

     I braided and re-braided my hair absent-mindedly. Today was the day! More specifically, it was my day. My time to shine! I was strolling down the dirt roads of our small village. Houses lined either side of the road, all the same dull-gray colour. I couldn't wait to get out of this place. Sure, the smell of freshly baked bread that lingered in the air downtown was something I'd miss, as well as the multiple varities of flowers that lined the village. But really, who would miss silly things like that when you're living in a palace?
    
     "Arielle! Arielle, where have you gone to, silly girl?"

     I was brought out of my daydream by my Nana calling my name. "Coming, Nana!" I yelled back as I ran over to see what she wanted. She was always asking me to stay put, but honestly, that's harder to do than a backflip... by which I mean that it can be done, it's just very difficult.

     "Arielle, darling girl, it's about time I found you! Where have you been?" I opened my mouth to reply, but found that it was no use. "Ah, never mind that," Nana stated. "We need to get you ready!" I can't believe I almost forgot that I still had plenty of things to do before I got to see the Prince! The Prince had just turned eighteen, the rightful age of marriage in our village. He was searching for a wife to help him rule the kingdom, so he wouldn't have to rule alone.

     You see, when the prince was young, about ten or eleven, his parents had set sail across the sea to do some trade on the other side of the country. They never made it though, as they where lost at sea. Small search teams had found their ship at the bottom of the sea- as well as their bodies. The bodies where swollen from the water, the Queen's ribcage exposed. The King's face had been brutally torn off, some bits of skin still left on the bone. Both where pretty worse for wear. The Prince was left to grow up on his own, and one day find a girl to marry, who would be the next Queen.

     And I was going to be his bride.

     Well, techinically, I wasn't really his bride just yet. The Prince had picked ten girls from our village who he thought would make a good queen. The kingdom always picked it's new queen from the girls of the village, never one of roayalty. It was thought that this was how the kingdom kept touch with the peasants of our village. It kept people from rioting out in the streets. So, that means it was me and nine other girls who would be lined up before the Prince, as he made his decision for the next queen of Alanderia.

     And I still needed to get ready!