The Princess That Wished To Be Loved

Chapter One

In a distant land, there was a princess named Annabelle and she was to be the future queen of the kingdom of Casentino. In the kingdom of , was on an island that is located in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. It was a small, beautiful island and kingdom, but it was famous for its beaches and beautiful gardens, and wildlife that inhabited the island. Princess Annabelle had just turned twenty-five, and her parents, King Jason, and Queen Dahlia, wanted to step down as active members of the royal family and retire and let their daughter begin her reign as queen of their kingdom, but there was a problem with her becoming a queen. Princess Annabelle knows that she is more than ready to take her place on the throne.

However the problem was about three hundred years ago, her father's ancestors and their advisors had made a law according to which, for the next heir to have claim to the throne. They must be married before the age of thirty. Reluctantly, Princess Annabelle was not yet married, and she just turned the age of twenty-five this past summer. Annabelle had plenty of suitors after her hand in the marriage, but none of them piqued her interest. She simply did not want to have an arranged marriage like her ancestor's before her, but to marry out of love. On the eve of her twenty-first birthday, she had made an agreement with her parents and their faithful counselors, that on eve of her thirtieth birthday, if she did not marry by finding a suitor for herself. They will announce her arranged marriage to Prince Darien. Princess Annabelle still has four years to find her own husband, before having to marry Prince Darien, although she does not love him, but cherishes him as a close personal friend; that she has known since childhood.

However, the king and queen does not know yet, but the princess already had someone in mind to marry, but he does not see her as a woman only as a princess, or so she thinks. This mysterious man, she has in mind to becoming her husband, and the next king of Casentino, is in fact her personal guard Lieutenant Colby Castillon. Lieutenant Castillon was in charge of the royal army of Casentino, and was appointed by her parents and their advisors to watch over and protect the new queen of their kingdom. Lieutenant Castillon was thirty years old, a very dashing person in the kingdom had some combat scars to show how much he would put his own life on the line, for the sake of his kingdom.

One late afternoon, the princess was walking outside of the palace, toward her own personal gardens to get some fresh air. As she walks along the pathway to her favorite spot inside of the gardens. As she was walking along the path, she looks behind her to see if she was begin followed by her maids and personal bodyguard. As she begins to reach her destination to her favorite bench in the middle of the gardens. She began sit down on the bench, and she turns her head up towards sky and took in the sun and the fresh air. She spoke out loud, "You know Lt. Colby, you can come out in the shadows that you are lurking in; it's just the two of us out here, come join me." Out of the shadows, Lt. Colby stepped out and walked towards her, responding back, "I was not lurking in the shadows my lady; I was doing my duty watching over you and protecting you from potential harm."

Annabelle giggles then sighs, "Sure, Lt. Colby. You can call it your duty all you want to, but I call it lurking and stalking." He sighed and shook his head, "My Lady, I took an oath before you, the king, and the queen that I will always be by your side to protect you from any potential danger that may come to harm you." She turned her head towards him with a smile on her lips, and patted the spot next to her on the bench. "Please, sit next to me for a little while, then you can go back to your so called 'duties' as you call them, but just for one moment just be here with me." He smiled, and walked over towards her on the bench and sat down. It was a beautiful autumn day outside; no clouds in the skies leaves beginning to turn in the trees. Then suddenly a light breeze came through the gardens where they sat in silence, secretly enjoying each other company.

As the day grew longer, day began to turn to dusk; somewhere in thegardens, Lt. Colby began hearing faint calls for the princess from her lady-inwaiting, Sara. "My lady! My lady! Where are you? Your parents are requestingfor your presences in the throne room, My lady!" Lt. Colby stood up quickly,and looked towards Annabelle, "Duty calls, My lady." Annabelle stood up fromthe bench, walked towards where Sara was calling out for her. As they walked insilence, Sara ran up to her mistress, "My lady! There you are I have beenlooking for you everywhere! I should have guessed to check in your garden foryou." She giggles, and she turns towards the man next to her lady, "Oh,Lieutenant Castillon your presences are also begin summed as to my lady, by hisMajesty in the throne room. Hurry! We must not waste any more time, his Majestyis waiting for our arrival, from what I can gather from it looks like it couldsomething urgent My Lady."