The Princess Bride

Chapter 2

The following morning was disorienting. I'd had the occasional night away from my bed at home, but waking in the castle was just odd. Waking with so many other people in the room was even more strange.

Servants as well as my mother had woken me many times before, but no one had ever stayed in my room with me all night, nor had they begun the day's activities in it before I even opened my eyes.

On my first morning in the castle, I woke to a flurry of activity as the servants rushed from one of my maids to the other, preparing them for the day. For a few moments, I simply lay there, despising their existence and longing for the time when their presence would no longer be necessary.

To ensure that my chastity was protected, I would rarely be without at least one babysitter until the wedding. Apparently at night, there was more of a concern, so Jacqueline, Amelia, and Nicole had been assigned as my maids. The excuse was that they were intended to keep me company, but honestly, it's not as if I'd have much free time anyway. Roberta would see to that.

They were pleasant enough, and the rooms were spacious, but even so, their presence was irritating. I was not a person who enjoyed mornings, and judging by the light outside, it was still very early.

Even though I knew I'd never manage to sleep with all the commotion, I was about to close my eyes anyway, but one of the servants spotted me before I could feign sleep.

"Good morning, Miss," the girl curtsied. "I was afraid I was going to have to wake you. We're nearly behind schedule."

Behind schedule? Already? Was it even seven in the morning yet?

Two more servants joined the first, and they all waited expectantly to begin their preparations. With a groan, I threw my legs over the side of the bed and yawned.

So much for getting any rest in this place.

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It rapidly became clear what the girl meant when she said we were behind schedule. I'd assumed that my morning routine wouldn't change very much from the way it had been at home, but now that I was living in the castle and it was known that I would be marrying Alex, I would have to look the part of the immaculately groomed princess at all times. It seemed completely ridiculous considering that I wouldn't be making any sort of public appearance today, but as usual, I didn't have a choice. It seemed that on a daily basis, I would be ready to attend a ball at a moment's notice.

I'd always detested these sorts of preparations, and not for the first time, I wondered just how many awful things I'd agreed to by accepting Alex.

But at least I got Alex in the bargain, I reminded myself. He was worth all of it.

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Long before I made this commitment, I'd been aware that my days would be busy. The castle was a hectic place, and everyone in it was typically very busy. But I thought I'd get at least a little time with Alex in between all the meetings and obligations. Apparently, that had been naive.

After my extensive morning preparations, I was directed to the dining room for breakfast. The only ones present besides the servants, were the royal family, but it felt very formal.

Everyone was welcoming enough. Alex and his father stood politely when I entered the room, and the women all wished me a good morning, but I still felt out of place. I'd known these people most of my life and never had trouble interacting with them at any of the many functions over the years, but Alex was the only one I had a real connection with. His parents were kind and even personable, but they were the king and queen and had always felt somewhat above everyone else. Isabelle and Juliette were sweet, but they were so much younger than either Alex or myself, that I hadn't spent much time getting to know them.