The Princess Choice

Chapter 5

For weeks now, Richard had watched her struggle as the little prince continued to bring the same girl to all the parties. He wanted to do something to help her... anything to make her happy. He knew he would give his life to make her happy because she truly was one of the best people that he had ever met.

"Your father would be ecstatic if we married, and we can be friends..." Richard looked at Annalise's eyes as they had slowly begun to clear up.

"Richard..."

"Look, Annalise, I know how you feel about him, but look at him, princess... without reason and without you having the blame, he comes with another girl, and then you had a fight, and he is out partying and sleeping with any girl who approaches him since then, and that is not fair or respectful to you. He should be in here begging for your forgiveness and instead he is out there with a girl on his lap loving the attention. Annalise you are worth more than that... your kingdom and your family deserve more respect than that." Richard held her close as they danced hoping she could see reason. 

"I am such a fool, Richard... how could I let myself believe his love and intentions were honorable and true." She felt so frustrated, and a part of her knew that she could trust and rely on Richard to always be there for her.

"Because you have a pure heart a heart so pure and kind that you believe the best of everyone." Richard tried to smile sadly at her holding her cheek. "and there are people out there who want to take advantage of you."

"A fool you must mean..." Annalise shook her head.

"Annalise consider me... we could marry and protect each other and do good for our kingdoms." He placed his hand on his cheek.

"Richard..."

"Just consider this... we marry, my family, your family would be so happy, our kingdoms would be as happy as possible and protected..."

"And us Richard..." she looked at him waiting for an answer that would convince her because she wanted to hear something that would convince her.

"We could be happy with time; we can find love." He smiled at her.

"Should we not marry already in love..." she looked at him confused, knowing that her heart belonged to her people and not her.

"Our parents found love in their marriages once they were married and experienced all the things they had to experience. Think about this I know in that way you may not love me, but do you love me? Can you imagine your life without me? I know I can't imagine mine without you and not just because I love you but because you are my best friend and you have been my world for so long."

"That is true..." she looked at Richard feeling butterflies that she made herself believe were just nerves getting to her.

"Think about it for now..." he spun her into a circle as they continued to dance for her dad's birthday party. He told her jokes to make sure her mind would leave the conversation, and she could relax and enjoy herself because above him, his feelings were hers, and he knew she was struggling with her feelings lately especially considering how Francis had played with her heart.

...

"Love." King Edward walked up with a huge smile on his face.

"Hi, daddy...." Annalise stopped mid-circle laughing with Richard, who had not only managed to help her calm down but had actually helped her have a good time. He held her steady as she felt the dizziness leave her because they had been joking around, spinning to see who had to stop first, and she was having a fit of giggles as Richard softly laughed next to her, looking at her with love in his eyes, the same love her father had always looked at her mother with.

"You two look incredibly happy it makes me so glad." He smiled, looking from Richard to his daughter. This is what he wanted for his daughter a real man who loved his daughter above everyone else and Richard was that for his little girl. He knew about the Philips boy and was worried because if the boy was like his father, he would destroy his daughter and not even blink that family cared more about their feelings and what they wanted above anyone else.

"Majesty... she is an amazing person who makes me incredibly happy." Richard smiled hugging Annalise while holding her hand in his to keep her steady.

"Good, and you, my princess?" King Edward smiled, looking at his daughter, waiting for his daughter's answer with eyes filled with so much hope.

Annalise looked towards the dance area and saw Francis spinning the same girl he had been bringing to all the balls they had recently been to, and she watched that huge smile on his face. "Yes, father, he does make me happy. Not just happy, but he is my best friend, and I cannot imagine life without him." She knew how she said it and how her father would take it, but she realized that she did it on purpose; she had to find a way to move on, and if Richard was willing to help her and be her safe haven, then why not take it and try and be happy just as happy as Francis seemed to be, she smiled blinking away the unshed tears.

"Well then, maybe one day we can consider a wedding for my princess and a treaty for our kingdoms..." he smiled at them, kissing his daughter on the cheek and patting the king's back, hoping with all this his little girl would find love in this man that truly loved his child.

....

Annalise took a deep breath as she ducked under the branches and walked slowly into the clearing of their tree house "You should not be here...." Francis looked up from the ground.

"Neither should you... and yet here you are..." Annalise looked down at him as he sat on the ground. She sat on the tree branch that had been purposefully turned into a bench.

"Your boyfriend will mind..." he said with hatred in his voice and pain in his eyes.

"Won't your fiancé Francis..." she felt annoyed and hurt she shook her head. "Look, Francis, I did not come here to fight with you, but I did come here hoping to see you to say goodbye... Richard is proposing, and I will say yes because it is good for my kingdom and my family."

"In all that, I never once heard nothing of love...or it being good for you..." he mocked her, the pain coursing thru him becoming too much, causing him to want to scream out in pain, but the pride got in the way and only made him want to hurt her as he hurt.

"A princess does not have the pleasure of marrying for love, but she can find love in her marriage if she so wishes. All of our parents found it before us, and we can find it as well. I truly believe that." She said, her eyes hard and head held high.

"You used to walk with your heart first..." he looked at her, and she saw the hurt seeping thru his eyes.

"Long ago, Frankie... long ago... but it led me into heartbreak and pain I wish never to endure again." She cleared her throat.

He stood and slowly walked to her. "Your heart used to belong to me..."

"I would say the same, but your fiancé might get mad, and we would not want that." She mocked back at him.

"She is nothing... she is not worth the ground you walk on, my queen." He took her hand in his, and she pulled it out of his grip. "Not even a little...and you know she is not my fiancé; she is just some girl I mess around with because you wanted nothing with me."

"I am no longer your queen, and I am not someone you will play with... Frankie. Not anymore sorry for everything..."

"Annalise... I love you."

Annalise stood at the door looking in and smiled sadly, taking a look around and memorizing every detail of their little room; this would be the last time she would ever allow herself to walk into this room. "I truly hope you are happy, or at least you find your happiness." She took a deep breath "that is all I could ever want for you. After everything we went thru, I could want nothing else than your eternal happiness with whoever truly makes you smile, the one you wake up and dream about when you go to sleep. Goodbye, Frankie." She smiled sadly at him as she slowly took her step out of the trees and left, knowing in her heart she could never return no matter what her future held because that secret place they had shared for so long was filled with so much pain now.