The Bride

Chapter 2

     I stood checking, and re-checking myself in the mirror in my small room. I was suppose I was pretty, but I was no model. Five-foot-ten, long, wavy, strawberry-blonde hair that reached to my waist (hence the name, Arielle), razor blue eyes, and I had not a blemish on my smooth-as-china face. Oh, and let's not forget my figure. My breasts where very large. They where so big, it was embarrassing at times. I was also some-what skinny, although my belly did protrude just a tad. Hopefully, the Prince wouldn't notice.
   
     What I had chosen to wear to the palace was a simple, yet beautiful dress. It was one of those little black dresses. It reached down to about my knee-caps, and it had spaghetti straps. My breasts where practically spilling out of it. The Prince had sent out a list of what we should wear, and a dress like this was at the very top. I was proud to have found the dress, it had proven difficult. It had occurred to me as strange that he would arrange a dress code, especially with very... mature dresses listed on it. But I shrugged that thought away. He was the Prince after all. Who was I to argue?

      I had also decided to wear my mother's locket that she had given me before she passed. It was a simple, silver necklace, the locket itself being heart shaped. Inside was a picture of my mother. My father had left me at a young age, and my mother never really talked about him. All I knew was that he only cared about sex, and he got the hell out of this village once he heard my mother was pregnant with me. I always had a strong hate towards him, and I don't really care for finding him, unless is was to rip his beating heart out of his chest with my bare hands... I closed my eyes and sighed. I tend to get a bit violent when I think about him.

     "Arielle! The carriage to take you to the palace is here! Hurry it up, dearest!"

     "Coming, Nana!" I took one last look at myself in the mirror, and quickly made my way to the front door. Nana was there waiting for me at the door, with tears in her eyes.

     "I'm gonna miss you, dear. Whatever will I do here with you gone?" Nana sighed. I gave her a hug.

     "Honestly Nana, he probably won't even choose me to be Queen," I said, thinking rationally for once. I mean, really, why would he want someone like me when he could have a blonde-hair blue eyed chick? I was being silly getting my hopes up, even just a little bit. "Besides, if he does choose me to be queen," I say, to reassure Nana. "You will be my... royal advisor". That's a thing right?

     "Excuse me miss, we really have to be on our way," the coachmen calls over to me. "The Prince really doesn't care for waiting..." he trails off as a look of horror flahses across his face. The look of horror is hastily replaced by a lopsided smile. The smile doesn't look too genuine though... oh well, you heard the guy. The Prince is waiting! I climb excitedly into the carriage.

     "Bye, Nana! I'll miss you!"

     "I'll miss you too, dearest!"

     The carriage drove away, my Nana waving to me all the while.

°°°

     My eyes opened suddenly as the carriage came to an abrupt stop. Had I fallen asleep? I look out the small carriage windows. What I saw took my breath away. There was the castle, standing about 189 feet tall. It has many towers, with graceful spires that touch the  sky. It actually looked a lot like the castle in the fairy tale my mom would read to me before she died. Was the story called... Cinderlla? I couldn't member. Or quite frankly care at that particular moment. I was about to meet the Prince!

     "We're here, m'lady, " the curtious coachman informs me. "Thank you," I reply. I was so excited, I could burst. The coachman helps me out of the carriage, and I just stood there for a momebt, taking in the lovely view. Suddenly, a handmaid in a red dress with a cute little apron descends the castle steps, coming to greet me.

     "Miss," she bows. "It is a blessing to us that you have come all this way. The Prince will be happy to make your aquaintence. My name is Arabella, and I will be your personal handmaiden for the remander of the day," she gives me a weak smile. Arabella was short at four-foot-eleven, her wavy chestnut hair tied into a tight bun. Her deep, brown eyes looked tired, though I thought I saw a glimmer in them when she first saw me. She looked a bit haunted, and I got a bit worried for the first time since I arrived. I shrugged it off though. Even though Arabella looked haunted, she also looked very pretty. There was nothing for me to worry about here, except making sure the Prince was pleased with me.

     "Let me show you to the room you'll be freshening up in. You'll need to look your best for the... Prince" Arabella says as she bows again. Something here is... off. But I choose to focus on the more important task at hand. "Thank you," I say to Arabella as she leads me to the room.