100 Dates Princess

The Church Incident

In the back of the limo the three girls fussed over me, titillating with my hair and makeup, giggling and laughing, pointing out handsome men that lined the crowded streets on the way to the church and desperately trying to pull me out of my melancholy state.

For my part I tried to smile and join in but my mind was elsewhere, confused and in turmoil, did the prince really love me, did I love him, could we be together, did I want to be together, could I leave my parents.

I just couldn't shut my mind down as it drifted to each thought and played out all the possible senarios if that were to happen, not having Alex next to me didn't help, I mean the girls were my friends and all that, but Alex had this special knack of making me forget and to laugh and enjoy the moment.

A pull on my arm make me return to the present as the girls turned from gushing man hunting girls to my ladies in waiting, one last spruce of my hair and I was as ready as I would ever be.

The door was opened by a man in a top hat and tails and he held out his hand so I could steady myself and remain dignified as I clambered out the back seat.

The girls stayed in the car and would enter the rear of the church where they would sit at the back, just in case an emergency arose, like I smudged my make up.

The crowd were waving and clapping, but not with much enthusiasm, I thought this was probably because, the group of people making their way up the carpet now, including me were not as important as the royals themselves.

As I strolled up the carpet in the manner the girls had taught me, I heard a little girls distressed voice, above the noise of the crowd.

"But mummy, I can't see, I so wanted to see the prince and princess, then I heard the sobs of that little girl and the memories of my childhood and wanting to see the Queen flooded back, that made something inside me snap.

To hell with this, the Queen hates me anyway, so I have nothing to lose.

And with that I veered over to a guard blocking the gap between the barriers.

"Excuse me" I said folding my arms over my chest.

The guard gave me a surprised look, sized me up and decided that I might be a hormonal desperate woman, so he stepped aside and I plunged into the crowd, who luckily for me were as shocked as the guard and parted like the red sea to let me through.

I followed the sounds of a crying child and as an elderly couple parted there she was, her young mother crouched down hugging a crying little girl who was decked out in a pale pink princesses outfit complete with a tiara.

As the mother turned towards me, her pity for the girl changed to one of shock as she saw me standing there, the girls head swivelled and looked up at me and with a trembling bottom lip said.

"Are you really a princess?"

Crouching down in front of the girl, I couldn't help but smile.

"No, but I can show you one" and I scooped her up in my arms as she instinctively hugged me round my neck, beckoning with my head for her mother to follow I made my way back to the red carpet and as before the crowd parted to let us through this time their faces were smiling, rather than having a look of shock.

The guard moved to the side and we slipped through onto the carpet, lowering the girl to the floor and holding her hand, I looked up to see the royal party stopped and trying to see what all the fuss was about.

Taking a deep breath and gripping the little girls hand a little tighter, I made a beeline towards Alex and Arabella, as we got closer I leaned down and whispered in the girls ear.

"Do you know how to curtsey?" To which she giggled and nodded with enthusiasm.

"Good, get ready then, oh and by the way I don't know your name"

"Gwen" she practically yelled while skipping up and down.

"Gwen Gorbitz and you are Princess Charity" she giggled.

That stopped me in my tracks which was just as well as we had reached Alex and Arabella.

As the pair of us curtsey and I whispered your highnesses, I then whispered to Gwen out the corner of my mouth.

"I'm not a princess"

And as we stood up to a pair of smiling faces, Alex extended his hand to the girl.

"My you are a very beautiful princess, I must say and you must be princess..."

"Gwen" she shouted hopping from one foot to another, then as if she remembered where she was she stopped and held her head down with a guilty look in her eyes.

"Sorry sir" she whispered.

Just then princess Arabella grabbed the little girl and lifted her up into her arms.

"Oh Princess Gwen you are adorable" this immediately made her smile again.

"Come" continued Arabella "As a princess then you must accompany, Princess Charity to the church that is my royal command"

placing Gwen back on the carpet she looked up at me and in a confused voice stated.

"But you said you weren't a princess"

And before I could conjuror up a suitable reply.

Alex spoke up.

"Oh but she soon will be, she will soon be my princess"

And he declared this staring into my eyes daring me to argue the fact.

"Oh goody I like her and she will be a beautiful princess"
Gwen screeched jumping up and down clapping her hands and I bowed my head down and smiled at her as she clasped my hand and called her mum to join us, her mum quickly curtsied to the royals and rushed over to me, tears glistening in her eyes.

Grabbing my free hand in both of hers.

"Thank you, thank you your highness, you don't know how much this means to her" she gushed brushing away a tear or two.

All I could do was smile, for lots of reasons, I knew exactly what it meant to Gwen, having had the heartache myself, plus I wasn't going to correct her about my non royal status and Alex's declaration had me tied in knots internally.

And when we continued to walk hand in hand towards the church the King and Queen came over and introduced themselves to the family, making Gwen gush even more and for a brief moment I saw the Queen's ice facade slip and a genuine warmth show through, perhaps there was hope for her yet.

With a final wave the royals entered the church and a slightly more enthusiastic crowd cheered and waved.

But that soon changed when Gwen and I turned and waved prior to entering the church the place erupted, the noise level sky rocketed and you couldn't hear yourself think, to say I was stunned was an understatement, I was in shock, luckily for me a grinning Gwen tugged my hand and pulled me towards the church doors, bringing my attention back to her and with the crowd still cheering and waving we entered the church.