The adventures of Princess Annie

Chapter 6

Author's Note: I hope you like it =) Let me know what you think about the new characters introduced in this chapter.

The adventures of Princess Annie - Chapter 6

The two months before the grand ball were very busy. While the Queen was supervising the details of Annie's dress and her own, as well as the overall decorations of the ballroom, Annie herself was busy with something else. 

She had been marveled by the design of her dress for the grand ball, but then an idea came to her. She couldn't invite all her friends from the orphanage, but she could give them a piece of what a ball is about. 

She ran immediately to her room and gathered all her most beautiful dresses. She remembered with photographic memory each orphan, so she assigned one dress to each. Some were smaller, so she asked to see her older dresses and chose from them. Some were taller, older, so she asked her mother to donate a couple for the older girls. Then she did the same thing looking through the Prince's wardrobe for elegant clothes for the boys. She picked each of them with great care, remembering their favorite colors, their personalities. She also put extras just in case there were new orphans she didn't know about, which wasn't likely since she corresponded often with them. Still, "better be prudent" she thought. She packed everything and sent it along with some food, books and a letter explaining everything. The package was big, though she tried not to make it look too interesting. She wanted to avoid any problems with the bandits, so she covered everything with old sheets. Anyway, it was unlikely that a package sent to the orphanage would be considered by the thiefs while so many gifts for the Princess were already arriving. 

The preparations had been hard work, but she was happy because she knew the children would be delighted. Specially the girls who always complimented her looks and dresses. 

...

She then went to the forest and explained to the animals what would happen. "There are going to be more people", she said, "be careful". Though the animals didn't talk to her, they understood her words and she felt it. She spent time with them, playing with the rabbits and being cuddled by some bears. She looked like a child, running around and laughing. When she had ran around enough, she sat down and did her meditation exercises. 

...

Turning sixteen was a big deal in society, but to Nature it was just another year. She looked at the moon and at the stars and asked for forgiveness. So much money was going to spent in a party, instead of sending it to those who needed it the most, and the worst part was that it would be a party in her honor. 

Her father had explained the importance of such parties in politics, her mother told her than having fun and socializing with old and new friends was important. She understood all that, and she would attend it and probably even enjoy it, but was it right? She felt guilty about it, but for her parents' sake, she hid it well. They wanted her to be happy, so she would.

...

The day of the grand ball finally arrived. All the guest were in the ballroom waiting for her grand entrance. Annie knew she would be judged and everybody would be questioning if she was a good princess or not. She would be judge on her looks, her elegance, her dance skills, her voice, her words. She knew all that, but somehow, she didn't care. If she was going to be at this party, she would enjoy it.

She put on the dress with some help from her maids. She waited for her hair to be properly arranged. She used very little make-up. Then, she put on her shoes and walked out of her room. She didn't know this, but her maids and all the servants that saw her walking, were having trouble recognizing her. She looked so grown up and her beauty irradiated from her with power.