Ch. 7 Politics (Anjanique)

Edmund walked me to my rooms while constantly talking. "You two weren't on a walk were you?" He asked as we approached my door. I bit my lip. "Because that limp is not a 'tripped over a rock' limp. That's a 'I fell doing something stupid that I shouldn't have been doing ' limp."

My eyes shifted around. "No we weren't on a walk. He took me out to the sparing field, and I lost my footing."

"Oh my idiot brother of mine." He said as he opened the door to my room for me.

"It wasn't all his fault. I'm the one who consented to do it." I bit my lip again. "Edmund? Can I ask you something?"

"Let me guess. You want to know if I know anything about what they're talking about down in the great hall. Probably about that I decided to join the church. I'll leave for seminary after the ball. Am I right?" I nodded. "I thought so. Well goodnight Anjanique."

I went into my room and sat down on my bed. "So Edmund's joining the church, not a fairy. Boy, was I wrong." I rolled onto my bed and grabbed the book Utopia, I had swiped it from the library that morning, and started reading it. Simeon thought that it was a little bit thick for a "peasant girl," but he forgets that I am not who I appear to be. Eventually I changed into my night gown and went to sleep.


The next morning I jumped out of bed and landed on my feet. My ankle didn't hurt at all, and it was Wednesday! I hurried to my closet and pulled out leggings and a tunic. Wednesday's meant I could dress like I was used to and Dad came for falconry lessons. I dressed and brushed my hair; quickly braiding it into falconer's braids and then lacing it with leather thongs.

As I started putting my shoes on Greg knocked on the door. "Just a second!" I shouted and hurriedly tied my shoes. I opened the door and walked out. "Morning."

He smiled at me; his little just turned up at the corners smile and took my arm, now that he could because I left my crutches in my room. "You look a lot happier this morning. Did you sleep better last night?" I nodded. I didn't say anything and there was and awkward silence. "Anne, I…"

"Greg, um…" We both started talking at the same time. "You go first."

"No, Ladies first. Always."

"Oh never mind it was nothing."

"Anjanique, you know I know you better than that. What were you going to say?"

I bit my lip. "Really Gregory, I wasn't going to say anything. What were you going to say?"

"Um… nothing. Just trying to break the silence." He laughed. He knew I was lying, and I knew he was lying, but neither of us tried to do anything. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

Once breakfast was over we walked off to class in the library. Talking, laughing and cracking jokes the whole way. We both hated it when we would have to go in because it meant having to be quiet until lunch.

Today was a history and government day. Great politics. Gregory understood them, but I didn't. He had it easy. He grew up with it and me, well I don't know anything.

Simeon started me out with a small book of basic ruling laws and why decrees from the king worked and that kind of thing. I always thought it was just because the king was the king that he could make decrees and laws, but actually there was this big long reason why he could. Something about 'for the good of the people' and yada yada yada. Most of it still didn't make sense, but some of it did.

As I was flipping through this book and reading it I came across something about the rights of inheritance. I read this passage through several times before it made complete sense.

In the case of the throne, if the oldest son denounces his right it passes to the next son. If that son denounces then it is passed again and so on and so forth. If an immediate heir is not established then the throne is passed to the next family in line.
Reasons a son may denounce throne
Joining the clergy
Marrying a princess that is in line for own throne
Incompetent
Choice of not marrying

After reading this, I realized something. Gregory, was next in line for the throne. That's what Edmund had been trying to tell me last night. How could I have been so stupid? Edmund was joining the church and last I knew Louis was going to be moving to Cretha after he married Princess Lena who was in line for her throne. That left Gregory; and if I know his parents then they gave him the "you'll do it for the good of our people whether you like it or not talk." His father, the king, was completely against the idea of turning his kingdom that had been in his family for four hundred years to the Duke of Laysonville's family, which was the next family in line and they had tried to take control several times.

I shook my head and tried to push this thought out of my head. Gregory couldn't take the throne, but I know he would because he knew it was for the best. I knew he didn't want it, he had talked to me about that. He hated the idea of being of being king. He had even told me once that he didn't like being a prince. That it just wasn't his thing. Being told what to do, and when to do it. He liked the idea of living in the village in just a little house with his parents like I did. And that was even how he explained it. I shook my head again and closed the book with a thump.

Gregory leaned over to me and whispered, "Anne, you alright?" I nodded.
He smiled and turned back to his own assignment, and I pushed the book away from me. I grabbed another on and started flipping through it until lunch.

We walked down to lunch together, talking and laughing. We had a simple lunch and when the etiquette teachers tried to come and pull me away, my father walked in. I smiled and ran to him; very unlady like.

"Come Anjanique, its time for you lady lessons." One of the teachers said.

"Actually ma'am I do believe that on Wednesdays my daughter belongs to me and is my apprentice for Gregory's falconry lessons." My father said to the teachers and they backed off and left. I grinned at Dad and hugged him tightly. "Missed you sweet girl. Are you two ready?" He asked as I let him go and stood next to him.

"I have to run up to my room to grab my glove, and then I'll meet you in the garden." Gregory said and then went off to his room.

As he left he sent me one of his secret little smiles, that I knew meant he did it on purpose so I could see my dad for a little bit.

Dad wrapped his arm around my shoulder and we started walking to the gardens. "Let's go get the birds kiddo." We walked out to the bird box and I pulled on my glove and then went in and got Shadow my Merlin falcon. He hopped right onto my fist and let me hook the jess to his feet.

"So are you having fun staying her Anjanique?" Dad asked me as he pulled Mika from the box.

"Um… sure Dad." I was putting the bells on Shadow. "Its great I guess. Simeon doesn't think I'm up to my 'level.' He doesn't realize how much I really can read and understand, even if I don't show it. He's a nincompoop."

"Anjanique, you know that's not what I meant. What about Gregory?"

"Nothing has changed. Can we not talk about this Dad?" I love my dad and can tell him just about anything, and he knows about Gregory and everything but sometimes he tries to hard.

"Of course, Anjanique. Here he comes." He said hitting me lightly in the shoulder.

"Oh shush it Dad."

Gregory came into the clearing and walked into the hawk box without saying anything. I wondered what was going through his head as he pulled out his red-tailed hawk, Meckshaw.

He came out with Meckshaw and started hooking bells and jesses onto him. "So what are we going to do today, James?" He asked my father.

"Well I thought we would just take them out on a mini hunt. Not a full one. Just a couple of hours out in the thicket just outside of the castle walls; what do you two think about that? I think the birds would like it."

I turned to look at Gregory, and he had the same look on his face that I was sure was on mine. Dad didn't know about the ankle sprain, and I wasn't going to tell him. Sure, I had been walking all around the palace this morning but that was just short bursts. I didn't honestly know if I was ready to go out on a hunt, but I was going to have to.

Gregory apparently had been thinking the same thing and had analyzed the look on my face, because he said "That sounds great."

"Let's get going then." Dad said as he started walking off out of the bird arena where we normally held our lessons.

I hung back with Gregory for a minute. "Are you going to be okay with walking that much? The physician said…"

I cut him off my placing my hand on his chest. "I'll be fine. I don't care what the physician said. I'll be fine and Dad isn't going to know about the silly sprain. Right?"

He had a shocked look on his face. He knew I told Dad everything. "Right. Let's catch up with him."


A few hours later, after a late dinner I was sitting in my room, and pulled off my boot. My foot and ankle was bruised purple. I had successfully gone on that spur of the moment hunt and survived without Dad knowing about the sprain.

There was a knock at the door and after I acknowledged it Colleen came in. She handed me a bag of ice. I hadn't even seen her all day. "Prince Gregory said you might need that, and asked me to bring it to you since it's not appropriate for him to come into your room after eight." That would explain why she would know that my ankle was purple, after not even seeing me today.

I put the bag on my ankle and jumped. It was cold, but of course it was cold. It was ice. When she asked if there was anything she could do for me I shook my head and bit my thumbnail. I really didn't like this whole being waited on thing.

I fell back on my bed and then there was a tapping at my window. As if someone was throwing pebbles at it…Wait a second. I jumped up and walked to my balcony window. Someone was throwing pebbles. I opened the glass door and walked out on the balcony and got pelted with a pebble in the forehead. "Hey! That one hit me!"

He dropped the rest of the pebbles he had been holding. "How's your foot? You were limping a little on the way back."

"It's very purple." His face screwed up like he was blaming himself. "Don't you even dare go blaming yourself for it. I'm the one who spared with you and then went out on the hunt. It's my fault."

"But Anne…" He stopped when I gave him a look that obviously said 'cut it out.'

"Don't 'but Anne' me. If you are I'm going back in my room and going to bed. I'm probably going to do that anyway." He looked at me and smiled that turned up at the corners smiles and said "Good Night Anjanique. Sleep well." He then turned away from my balcony and walked away.

Ch. 6 I'm Never Going to Get This Right

After classes on Tuesday, I went to Anjanique's room to try and find her. I wanted to take her on a walk with me. A real walk this time not saying it was a walk and it was really something else. When I got to her room her maid, Colleen, said that she had left about half an hour ago and had gone to the courtyard.

I tried my hardest not to run as fast as I could out to the courtyard to find her. I had to keep my cool; I really didn't need to totally blow me secret yet. It wasn't so much that I wanted to go for a walk with her as that I wanted to make sure she was okay. During our lessons this morning she had been really quiet, even to the library. She honestly didn't look like she had slept the night before.

When I finally found her she was in a secluded part of the courtyard with a peregrine falcon on her fist. She was sitting cross legged on a bench gently stroking the bird. I came up behind her and gently placed my hand on her shoulder to let her know I was there and so she didn't spook the bird. "Is that Kenai?" I asked her right before I sat next to her.

"Yeah. Dad let him out of quarantine a couple of days ago and I thought he might like to get out of the box." She smiled lightly and continued to stroke the small bird. Anjanique always seemed really at ease with herself and the world when she was with a bird. "Did you want something?" She asked me as she kept stroking Kenai.

"Um… yeah. You were really quiet this morning. Are you alright? Was your ankle bothering you or something?"

She rolled her eyes at me and I knew she really didn't want to talk about it, but I knew she would. That's one thing about sort of growing up with her. I could speak her body language. "I was a little tired this morning. My ankle bugged me a bit last night while I was trying to sleep, but it's nothing I couldn't handle."

I touched her shoulder, and looked at her. "Why didn't you say something to someone? They would have fetched the physician for you. There's no doubt that he could have given you something to help you sleep." She pulled away from me, and then shifted Kenai to her shoulder.

"Because, I didn't want it, Greg! There's no point in it." She grabbed her crutches from the side of her and stood. "I have to take Kenai back. See you later." She stood up and then hobbled off.

As she hobbled off towards the falcon yard, I smacked myself in the face. I did it again. I'm such an idiot. I stood up and walked back to the castle, but I didn't go to my room. I went to Louis's.

I'm going to regret this, I thought as I knocked on his door.

"What do you want little brother?" Louis asked, through a just barely open door.

"Louis, I've got to talk to you. It's about Anjanique." He rolled his eyes and opened the door the rest of the way.

"So what's the problem baby brother?"

"I keep screwing things up with her. She's barely even talking to me anymore. I try to do something nice for her and it all just blows up in my face. How did you manage with Lena? I mean you're about to propose right?"

"I didn't try to make it happen, Gregory. It just did. That and Lena's royal it was a little easier to make it work. Anjanique's different. You might have to wait for her to do something. I can't really help you this time. Sorry, little brother."

I sighed and walked back to the door. "Thanks anyway Louis."

"Just a second little brother." I knew I was going to regret this.

"Yeah, Louis?"

"Do you care if I propose to Lena at your birthday ball?"

I rolled my eyes internally. "No. Go ahead."

"Thanks, Gregory." I nodded and left the room. Oh great. Never going to live this down.

I walked backed back to my rooms and fell onto my bed. This is so not fair. It always seemed like she was storming off on me, not like there was much I could do about it. She was a girl and I was a guy, and well we don't get each other.

I laid there contemplating things until it was time to go get Anjanique for supper. I rolled off of my bed and changed clothes. I never did understand why I had to change before we ate. It was a waste of time.

I walked to her room and knocked on the door. She came out of her room and didn't say anything, but her eyes were slightly puffy and it looked like she had been crying. She started hobbling to the Great Hall. "Anne, are…" I started to say, but she cut me off.

"I don't want to talk about it, so don't try." She gave me that look that made me know she was serious, and I kept my mouth shut, and followed her to the Great Hall.

Supper was uneventful. Anjanique ignored me. Mother asked what was wrong. Anjanique said 'nothing.' My brothers messed with me and left Anjanique alone.

When we got up to leave Mother stopped us. "Edmund, will you take Anjanique back to her rooms? Your father and I need to talk to Gregory." He nodded and helped her out of the Hall.

I bit my lip, and looked at my parents. "Gregory, sit down please. This is important." Father said gesturing to a seat close to them. I sat down and looked at them.

"Gregory, this is about the kingdom." Father said this with a serious look on his face. "Your brother Edmund informed us today that he plans to join the clergy, and that's why he hasn't courted anyone. And I'm sure you know of Louis's plans to propose to Princess Lena. I'm also sure that you know she is in line for her own kingdom's throne and that Louis has denounced his right to the throne after Edmund…"

I interrupted Father. "Wait! Are you saying that the kingdom is mine?!"

"Yes, that's what I was about to say. Now in order…"

"I don't want it! I wasn't planning on this, I don't want the throne!"

"Gregory, be reasonable." Mother started talking now. "Your brothers have made their choices. We would much rather keep the throne in the family and not turn it over to a family that the people don't know or trust. This is really for the people. They all love you."

"But Mother!" I was practically whining now-which I never do-and was standing up.

"Gregory! Listen!" Father was pulling his kingness on me now so I kept my mouth shut. "This is for the good of the kingdom. And you are best option. You are the one I trust with the kingdom. Now you will have to find a wife. Do you understand?"

I nodded, but said nothing. "You may go now." Father said.

As I started walking away, Mother started talking again. "Gregory," I paused. "Remember, it is still your choice. Make the one for you." I nodded and left the Hall.

What the hell am I going to do?

Ch. 5 Day One

I dressed into the clothes that Alexandra had left in the closet in my room. I did it mechanically not really thinking about what it was because all the outfits where already put together and I didn't really have to think about it. I was really thinking about what Gregory had done last night. He kissed me. That just didn't seem like him to me. Sure I'll admit I have feelings for him in a way, but I never thought that he had any what so ever for me.

I grabbed the brush off the bed side table and started brushing my hair and then braiding it in a falconers braid. Right before I was done there was a knock on my door. My head snapped towards it, and I heard someone talking. "Anjanique, are you almost ready for class? We have to be there soon."

I tied off my braid. "Yeah, just a second." I shouted back and then found my shoes. I slipped them on and opened the door.

"Wow, I've never known you to take that long to get ready." I glared at him. "Okay never mind I didn't say that." He stuck he arm out for me and I only took it because I knew I had to. After a moment of quiet as we walked to the library Gregory started talking almost babbling. "Did you sleep alright? It's kind of a jump from apprentice bed to a bed like ours and I know…."

He just kept babbling and babbling. I placed my hand over his mouth to make him be quiet. "I slept fine. No big deal."

I moved my hand when I was done. "Um… we should probably hurry. Simeon isn't to fond of people being late." After that the walk was quiet, and rushed.

We walked into the library and he pulled out my chair for me and I sat down. After that we studied in silence for the hours of the morning with only Simeon intervening every once and a while. It was slightly awkward for him to be standing over my shoulder and looking at everything I did. Out of nervous habit I swung my legs and rolled my feet around in my shoes. "I'm surprised you've picked so much of this up so quickly Anjanique. I would have thought you would have been a bit more behind than that."

I turned in my seat and just smiled at him. I was naturally smart. Or at least that was what my father said. I turned back to my work and kept working on it.

Once it was time for lunch Gregory walked with me to the Great Hall where we were served lunch and then I went to etiquette classes. Right before he left me to go back to the library he held on to my shoulders and said, "Just do what they say and it won't last long. I know three hours seems like a lot but just do what they say and it will be over." I nodded and then he left, hurrying back to his classes with Simeon.

The next few hours were pure torture. They started with the basics. Which fork was for what; how to sit at the table; this is this that is that. Did these etiquette teachers not realize that I was sixteen and had been eating at the palace since I was twelve? I mean honestly. This stuff really wasn't that hard. And that was all we did. Dinner etiquette, but Gregory was right. It did eventually end. It took forever but it did.

When I was finally let loose I practically ran to my room. Once I was in my room I fell flat onto my bed. Sweet peace. When I rolled over I found a note on my pillow. I picked it and it read:
Anjanique-

When you get done meet me in the courtyard. Don't wear the skirt.

Gregory.

I smiled and rolled off the bed and went to my closet and changed into my normal clothes. I hurried out of my room and down into the courtyard to meet Gregory.

When he saw me he smiled. "Well that looks a little bit more like you." I rolled my eyes. "Here catch." He tossed me a wooden sparing sword.

"Now that's more like something I want to do."

"But, not here. Follow me." I smiled again and followed Gregory to a sparing field that was very secluded.

"Why, so far off the beaten trail?"

"Probably better if nobody finds out your sword fighting."

"Point taken."

"Ready?" He said turning to me and holding up the sword.

I smiled and nodded. Holding up my own sword.

"Okay then." He said and then went after me. Every time he tried to hit me, I blocked him, and it went the same way. Him blocking me. It was actually rather entertaining. After a while we did start getting hits off of each other. Gregory swung his sword and it hit mine and it flew out of my hand.

Unfortunately, I lost my balance and fell backwards on my butt. I squealed when fell and felt my ankle snap. Gregory dropped his sword and ran over to me. "Oh my gosh, Anjanique! Are you okay?"

By this point I had already taken inventory, and I knew nothing was broken. At least I hoped it wasn't. "Yeah, I'm okay. Help me up please?" I said reaching my hand out. He carefully grabbed my hand and pulled me up. I stood on my feet and winced a little.

"Are you sure you're okay, Anjanique?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I promise." I said as I shifted my weight to my other foot, so I wasn't standing on the sore one.

He looked at me with squinty eyed look, and then picked me up. "I don't believe you." He started walking back towards the castle.

"Ahh, come on Greg, put me down." I whined as he kept walking.

"No, this is my fault. I brought you out here, and so it's my fault you got hurt."

"Gregory, that's not fair on yourself."

He looked down at me. "Do I have to pull the 'I'm the prince' card on you?" I glared at him and kept my mouth shut. He smiled and laughed. "Now, that's better. So what's the story we are going to feed everyone?"

"I tripped in the courtyard. Good enough?"

He laughed again and opened the door to my room and set me down on the bed. "Yeah, good enough. I'm going to go get the physician. Don't move and don't argue." I rolled my eyes as he left.


The physician said that it was just a minor sprain, and that I should just stay off of it for a day or two. That meant the evil crutch. I had used them before and I hated it. Usually if I got hurt I just stuck it out and walked it off, but little mister Prince Gregory wouldn't have it. I honestly didn't see why he felt so guilty for me getting hurt. We had spared thousands of times, and I had tripped almost every time. It really didn't make sense to me.

I fell asleep at the end of day one, utterly confused and not really sure of what I wanted, or what thought or felt.

Ch. 4 Eavesdropping

How could I be so stupid? Of course she would think that I was a part of Mother's plan. This so totally sucks. She's living here for two weeks how am I ever going to live through this?

There was a knock at my door and I stopped pacing.

"Yes?" I said through the door.

"Gregory, you're Highness, your mother, Her Royal Majesty, would like to speak to you in the courtyard," said some random servant.

"Thank you," I said and then turned to my mirror. I smoothed my hair out and straightened my tunic and walked out of my room.


As I walked into the inner courtyard, I saw Mother sitting on a bench by the duck pond. I walked over to her saying, "You wanted to see me, Mother?"

"Yes I did. Sit here by me my Son." She said softly, patting the seat next to her.

I sat waiting for her to speak.

"Anjanique said you two got in a fight on the way over. Is this true Gregory?"

"Yes Mother. It was over something silly."

"She seemed quite upset about it. Would you mind at least trying to talk to her? I don't want this experience to be awful for either of you."

I sat there quietly for a minute. "Yes Mother. I'll talk to her." Apologize I guess, if that's what it takes. I thought to myself.

"Good. If you have made up before supper don't forget to escort her down."

"Yes, Mother." I said standing up. "May I go?" She nodded.

As I started walking back to the castle, I passed right under Anjanique's balcony, where she was standing and talking to one of her ladies' maids, Colleen.

"Honestly, how could her do this? He knows how I feel about this kind of stuff. He's known me since we were twelve!"

"Maybe he didn't have anything to do with it like he said."

"That couldn't even be possible. Why would he have given me a silver bracelet if he didn't know anything about it?"

"Maybe he was just trying to be nice, or he was going to invite you to come."

"But I don't go to those kinds of things and he knows it!" Anjanique then turned back to the room I was guessing that someone had come into her room. She nodded and sighed leaning over her balcony. I took a wild guess that Colleen had left to go help in the kitchen. I carefully stepped out from under the balcony so she could see me.

She glared at me. "How long have you been standing there?"

I bit my lip and then said, "A while."

Her glare got even harder after I said that. "You jerk!" She shouted at me and then turned her back to me.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Anjanique, please listen to me." When she didn't say anything I just kept talking. "Anjanique, I'm sorry you've had a bad birthday, but I really didn't have anything to do with this. I cross my heart and hope to fall in a pile of cow dung that I didn't have anything to do with this."

She turned around to look at me, really look not glare. "Face first in cow dung and the maggots that are living in it?"

I looked up at her. "Yes! I swear! Cow dung and maggots."

"Okay. I forgive you. Just never pull anything like that on me. Ever."

"Oh so help me I promise." I smiled at her and she smiled softly back at me.
"Supper is at six. I'll be by your room to escort you at 5:30. Alright?" She nodded. "Till then." I said and then bowed to her. She giggled, and walked off her balcony into her room. That was so cute. Why can't I just tell her?



As I started walking back to my room Louis came up to me. "I saw you standing under her balcony Prince Charming. Did you tell her yet?"

"Shove off Louis. She could care less that I have any feelings for her at all."

"Then what were you two talking about?"

"I swore by the cow dung and maggots that I had nothing to do with her birthday gift from Mother."

"Cow dung and maggots?" My older brother Louis had never been the sharpest arrow in the quiver. He was genuinely confused by cow dung and maggots.

By now we where standing outside of my rooms. I turned to look at him. "Yes. Cow dung and maggots." I opened my bedroom door and got away from my brother. "Ahh! He's so dumb!" I shouted to the emptiness of my room and then fell flat on my face onto my bed.

After a few minutes of just laying there I rolled over and saw the obnoxious stack of books and homework that Simeon had left me. I hate you. I thought to myself as I pulled it off my night stand and started working on it for my lessons tomorrow.

I worked on the stupid homework until five-fifteen. I rolled my eyes and got off my bed. I pulled clean dinner appropriate clothes out of my closet and put them on. I looked in the mirror and went to go get Anjanique.

I knocked on her door and waited for her to come out. She opened the door and walked out. She was beautiful. I had never seen her dressed like this. It was different from what she normally dressed but at the same time it wasn't what every other girl in court wore. Just below the knee skirt with leggings on underneath it and a blouse that wasn't a tunic and little satin flats, instead of boots.

"Wow Anjanique, you look....um different. Where did the skirt come from?"
I asked stick my arm out for her to take.

She took my arm and we started walking to the Great Hall. "Your Mom left them in the closet, with what goes with what." She laughed a little as we started walking down the stairs. "She knows that I can't match anything together. Ever." She laughed again and I joined her.

"She does the same to me." She started laughing harder and covered her mouth with her free hand.

"Really? I mean me not knowing how to match is one thing, but you? You've grown up with this stuff and you still can't match your own clothes?" She was trying to calm herself down, but she was still laughing.

I playfully hit her with my free hand. "No I can't match. Neither can Louis, only Edmund can, I'm not so sure about him."

She was biting her lips, trying not to laugh. "Well Louis is just flat out dumb and I'm pretty sure Edmund is a fairy."

"You're just mean." I told her but she knew I was kidding.

She laughed again. "Yeah I know." I turned to me and smiled a cheesy grin. It was only just then that she realized that we had been standing just outside the Great Hall doors for the last five minutes. She bit her lip again and said, "Um...maybe we should go in." I nodded and lead her in.

As we walked in Mother turned saw us and said, "Well I see you to made up. That's wonderful."

"Yes Mother, we did. Like I said it was a silly misunderstanding." I pulled out Anjanique's chair for her, and then pushed it back in after she sat.

"Yes Alexandra it was a silly misunderstanding." Anjanique confirmed what I had said which I knew would make Mother believe me.

"Well that's just excellent! Now we can have a pleasant supper." Shortly after Mother said that servers started bringing supper to us.


Supper was mostly uneventful. Nothing to freak neither Anjanique nor me out. Mother told Anjanique what her days would look like while she was staying here. Classes with Simeon and me in the mornings after breakfast until lunch at one, and then etiquette classes until four. After those classes she could generally do what she wanted, within range, until supper. Those rules applied everyday but Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays. Saturdays where free days and Sundays where for church. Wednesdays where mostly the same except for that she had to help her father in the courtyard with my falconry lessons.

After supper I escorted her back to her room, and we talked and laughed the whole way there. When we got to her room she stood in front of her door facing me. I looked in her eyes and almost lost myself, but quickly snapped out of it. I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. I then gently leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly. "Good night Anjanique." Her face turned bright red and she bit her lip. She opened the door behind her and went inside her room, shutting the door quietly.

Ch. 3 Silent Complaints

The rest of the day past in a huge daze, and Gregory, well let’s just say he totally and completely ignored me. From what he said at the table, I think that he didn’t like this idea just as much as I didn’t. The Queen continued to babble all through breakfast about plans for the ball and everything else.

Eventually it was time for me and father to go; I was happy when that time came. “I’ll bring Anjanique back for her stay tomorrow morning, Your Majesty.” Daddy said as we started to walk to the main hall.

“Oh that won’t be necessary. We’ll send Gregory over later to escort her back. We know you’re busy.” The Queen said and my eyes got wide and I was shocked that she would do that.

“Oh why thank you, Your Majesty.” Dad said bowing and then we left.

We walked home in silence. I was not happy that Daddy had agreed to do some of the things that the Queen had suggested that we do in preparation for this ball. Like me staying at the palace for two weeks for example. She said it would be necessary for teaching me proper etiquette.

When we walked into our house I walked straight to my room and practically slammed my door which I never did. I started to dig around in my room looking for my knapsack. Where was that stupid thing? As I continued to look I heard a knock on my door. “Anjanique, can I come in please?” I heard Daddy ask.

“If you must.” Was my answer as I kept looking for the bag.

Daddy came in and watched me as I looked around for my bag. “Anjanique please don’t be upset with me. I think it will be good for you.”

I turned around to look at him. “But Daddy! Cotillions are for girls who have court families! I don’t think I quite fall into that category! That and they’re for introducing girls to suitors, and to say its okay for you to ask for my daughter’s hand! I thought we agreed that I could choose who I wanted to marry if and when I wanted to!” I was frustrated with this I wanted to be me, not some fancy super dressed up debutant!

“I know we agreed on that, and that agreement is still in place. But honestly Anjanique, how many boys besides the Princes do you know? How many people from town do you get along with? Maybe if they see you in a gown and acting like a girl they will learn to like you a little bit more, maybe even be friendly.” Daddy said this as if he was ashamed and disliked the fact that I chose to wear leggings and not a skirt or dress.

“Daddy what are you saying? Are you trying to say that you don’t like that I wear leggings and like working with the birds? Are you saying that you would rather me be normal? I thought you liked me the way I am.”

“That’s not what I’m saying Anjanique. All’s I’m saying is that you should give this a try. Just try to like it and please be cooperative with the Queen. She thinks of you as the daughter she never had. She really does.”

I was silent and went back to looking for my bag. Daddy sighed and left, right as I found my bag. I placed my nicest tunics, leggings and bracers into it as well as my new glove and the blanket Mum had given me for my birthday before she died. I closed the string on the bag and went up stairs to the front room and looked at Daddy and smiled weakly. I bit my lip and the dropped my bag on the floor and ran to Daddy and hugged him around the neck and started crying. God; I could be such a girl sometimes.

Daddy hugged me around the waist and whispered in my ear, “Anjanique is going to be fine sweetheart. Nothing’s going to go bad everything is going to be fine, and you’re going to have fun with this. You’ll like living in the palace. Trust me you will.” Daddy moved my arms from around his neck and held my face in his hands. “Now dry away those tears before Gregory gets here. I know you wouldn’t want him to see you like this.”

There was a knock on the door and we both turned towards it. I ran my fingers over my face taking the tears off of it. Daddy laughed lightly and wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked me to the door, where he opened it and we where not surprised to see Gregory. Daddy handed me my bag, kissed my forehead and pushed me out the door whispering quietly, “Have fun.”

I looked back at him right as the door closed with a pleading look. I rolled my eyes and swung my bag over my shoulder as the two of us started walking back towards the palace.

After a few minutes of sour silence, Gregory spoke. “Anjanique I just want to say I had nothing to do with this. I didn’t know Mother was planning that. Okay well sure I knew about the ball but I didn’t know anything about the cotillion part. I didn’t suggest it, or know anything about it.” As he finished he touched my arm.

I was shocked that he touched me in a non-jesting way and I pulled away from him. I didn’t say anything to him how ever. I guess that bothered him that I didn’t say anything because he asked “Anjanique is something wrong?”

I guess then I lost it to tell the honest truth, because I started yelling at him. “Oh like I can believe that! If you didn’t know anything about it then why would you have given me this?” I held my wrist out to him where his silver bracelet sat. Luckily we had made it out of the town by now and we where standing in the outer court yard of the palace.

His eyebrows pulled together into a single line. “I gave that to you because I… Oh never mind.” He looked to the ground and then looked back up and at that moment Simeon his tutor and his mother came walking up to us.

“Oh Anjanique! I’m so glad you are joining us! Its going to be so exciting!” The look on the Queen’s face was I knew true joy and excitement; I couldn’t help but smile at that point even though that just minutes before I had been yelling at Gregory.

“Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesty.”

“Oh Anjanique! Call me Alexandra!” The Queen or well Alexandra said as she placed her arms around my shoulders and started leading me from the court yard.

“Um. Okay, Alexandra.” As we left the courtyard I looked back over my shoulder and glared at Gregory, and her looked back at me with pleading eyes.

As we enter the halls of the palace, and where totally out of ear shot of Gregory and Simeon, Alexandra looked at me and asked, “Anjanique, I saw you glaring at Gregory. Is there something going on between you two?”

“Um it’s nothing. We where just arguing on the way over here.”

“Oh.” She stopped in front of a large set of double oak doors. “Well these will be your quarters while you’re here.” She said and then pushed the doors opened.
As the door opened my jaw dropped and my bag fell to the floor.

“Do you like it?” Alexandra said as she ushered me into the room. I hardly noticed that a girl that couldn’t be any older than me had picked up my bag and carried it into the room and placed it on to the bed.

“Oh yes your Maj…Alexandra.” I said as I wandered to the oak four posted bed and gently touched the carvings of falcons on the posts and foot board.

Alexandra clapped her hands together. “Oh good! I hopped you would! This is Colleen; she will be your room maid and such during your stay. I’ll leave you to get settled.” She then walked out of the room and Colleen curtsied to her as she left.

I turned to Colleen and smiled lightly and then went back to wandering around the room. It was so beautiful! Everything had been hand carved with falcons and hawks and it was all the dark wood I loved! The bed spread was silk and down filled, I was so use to the rough wool blankets of my home and these where so eloquent!

As I continued my wandering Colleen spoke up and said “Ma’am?” I turned to her slightly confused and she continued. “I’ve put your clothes into the wardrobe along with the dresses and skirts the Queen left for you. I hope you don’t mind.”

I shook my head and said “Oh no of course not. You’re just doing you job. Colleen can I ask a favor of you?”

“Of course ma’am.”

“Please don’t call me that. Call me Anjanique, and no curtsying. I can’t be any older than you.”

“Actually Anjanique you are. I’m only fourteen.”

“Really and you work her in the palace?” I was amazed that someone younger than me was working here.

“Yes. My parents are also servants. I grew up in this life and I don’t mind it.”

I shook my head and sat down on the bed and crossed my legs under me.

Colleen started walking towards the door. “If that’s all, I leave and come back to help you get ready for supper in a few hours.” She rested her hand on the door knob.

I nodded and Colleen left. I sighed and fell back onto the bed. This was going to be two really long weeks.

Ch. 2 We're doing what?!

“Lord Gregory you must get up.” I could hear my tutor Simeon saying as he tried to wake me. I rolled over away from him and groaned. I knew he knew I was awake when he said “Don’t make me roll you out your Highness.”


“Fine I’m getting up.” I said as I finally pulled my self out of bed. “Why are you getting me up so early on a Sunday? We don’t have lessons this morning”


“Did you forget Anjanique’s birthday party again?”


“Oh. Yeah. Right.” I stood up out of my bed and went to my wardrobe and pulled out the first hanger my hands touched. Oh great. The red one. I thought to myself as what I pulled out was my red clothes that I most definitely hated. It was a bit frilly for a boy almost better suited for a girl who wore leggings instead of a skirt; Like Anjanique. Then again she was the only girl in the village who wore leggings, and she wouldn’t like this either.


Just as I was going to put it back and grab one of the blue or purple hangers, Simeon said “Your mother would like you to wear the red one.”


I looked over at Simeon and shot him a quick glare. That was defiantly not funny. I threw the hanger on my bed and then grabbed a small box wrapped in silver paper off of the top shelf of my wardrobe. I walked over to my nightstand and carefully placed the box down on it, and then started getting dressed.


“So you didn’t forget Anjanique’s birthday did you?” Simeon said as he watched what I was doing.


I pulled my head out of my shirt and said, “No, I didn’t.” Although I’m usually fairly loud and obnoxious, when it came to things about her I could get defensive and quiet. And it was only around Simeon that it happened. Just because he knew.


“Plan on announcing your love to the world today?” Simeon joking with me and he laughed as he watched me blush. Another thing I only did around him. I didn’t even do that around Anjanique.


“No.” The word came out of my mouth harsher than I had intended. “I’m just trying to be nice.” I whispered as I stepped into my pants and tightened them and then slipping my boots on. I grabbed the box again and went to the door. “Are you coming?” I asked as I opened the door.


“Yes your Highness.” He said, while he walked to the door and I rolled my eyes.


I few minutes later in the dinning hall mother and father where already there along with Anjanique’s father, James, and my brothers. He must have got done late with Louis. I thought as I saw James and placed my small silver box next to the two larger gold wrapped ones. I took my place at the table next to Louis and by another empty seat, where I knew Anjanique would sit.


Only a moment later Anjanique was escorted into the dinning hall and she took her place next to me. “Happy Birthday Anjanique!” Mother said from across the table.


“Thank you your Majesty.” She said politely as she looked at my Mother and Father. She looked so pretty even though she was wearing leggings and a tunic instead of a dress or skirt.



“So let us open those gifts before the servers start bringing food to the table.” Mother started saying and the continued “And don’t start arguing with me young lady. Why don’t you open that little silver one first? That’s from Gregory.”


Anjanique looked over at me with a confused face. She was so cute when she was confused. I smiled lightly at her and then she turned back to the head of the table. “Yes ma’am.” She said and then Edmund slid the little box down the table. She carefully removed the paper off of the box and then folded it carefully. Why oh why did she have to be a perfectionist? My heart was pounding as I waited for her to open the box. When she finally opened the box her forehead wrinkled.


“Well Anjanique, what has my youngest son given you?” Father asked as she stared at the box. She carefully held the box up and everyone saw the simple little silver bracelet.


Father laughed when he realized that I didn’t give her something last minute. “Well my son it seems that you’ve grown up a bit in the last year.”


She turned back to me, still slightly confused. “Thank you Gregory. But where will I ever wear it?” She asked while she looked directly at me with those piercing green eyes.


“Oh I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Now Edmund why don’t you pass down yours and Louis’s gift?” Mother said and then Edmund pushed the smaller of the boxes down to Anjanique. She opened the box and pulled out a new falconry glove and bells.

“I made the glove and Louis made the bells.” Edmund said with great pride.

Anjanique handed the bells and glove to her father who started looking at the workmanship on the items. “Thank you Edmund. Thank you Louis. They’re lovely.”

“Sure thing squirt.” Louis said laughing.

Mother was practically bouncing out of her seat. What could be possibly be in that box? Edmund pushed it down and she opened and pulled out almost a whole bolt of blue fabric. Anjanique turned to Mother and said “Your majesty, I’m slightly confused. What is it for?”

“That’s the best part Anjanique. Its for a ball gown.” Mother said and then noticed that Anjanique was still confused. “Let me explain. We’re having a ball for Gregory’s sixteenth birthday next week. And we’ve decided that we are going to not only have it be a celebration for his birthday but a cotillion for you as well. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Anjanique’s eye got wide for she knew exactly what that meant. I looked at my mother and said “We’re doing what?”

Ch. 1 Sixteen

Dad came in that morning and started to shake me to get out of bed. I normally got up on my own, but as far as I knew we didn’t have anything planed for that day and I really didn’t feel like getting up. “Anjanique, get up at least long enough for me to talk to you.” Dad said when he knew that I was trying to pretend to be asleep.

I rolled over, and sat up at looked at Dad. “What Dad?” I said as I rubbed my eyes.

“I thought we weren’t doing anything this morning.”

“We’re not, but I am. I have to take Prince Louis out on that hunt with Kemichi, remember? I told you last night that you didn’t have to come.” Dad was already dressed to go. How long had I slept in?

“Then why did you wake me up?” I grumbled. I had never been much of a happy camper in the morning, especially when I had just been told that I didn’t have to get up in the first place.

“I’ll be home late. In case I don’t make it home tonight, you’re having breakfast with the Royal family in the morning. They specifically asked that you be there. If I don’t come home, I’ll be staying at the palace, so don’t get worried. And while I’m gone today will you please feed the birds and clean up the leaves in the yard?” Dad knew that I would do what ever he asked me. That was part of being his daughter and an apprentice. I had to do whatever he asked.

I looked at him with half lidded eyes and nodded. I wanted to go back to sleep right that second but I was pretty sure that I wouldn’t be able to fall back asleep and if I did, it wouldn’t be for more than an hour. “Wait I’m having breakfast with the Royal family on my birthday? I thought…” I stopped mid sentence. I knew that Dad would stop me anyways.

“Yes. From what I understand, the King has some big surprise for you. Don’t ask me. I don’t know what it is.” Dad started walking towards my door. “Goodbye love.” He said as he walked out the door. The second the door shut I was horizontal in my bed again.


I was right. Within an hour, I was awake again. I hated it when that kind of thing happened to me. All I had wanted to do that morning was sleep in, and it so didn’t get to happen. It wasn’t fair.

I slowly forced myself to get out of bed. Not fair. I thought again. I found some old ratty clothes. Hell, I wasn’t going into town today; I didn’t have to worry about whether or not my leggings had holes in them. I got dressed and hurried outside to feed the falcons and hawks. Dad had always taught me that the birds came first; it didn’t matter how hungry I was, the birds got fed first.

After I fed the birds I started on my other normal everyday chores. Feed the horses, muck stales, and water the stupid plants. Okay I guess the plants weren’t all that stupid; I mean the where the ones Mother had planted before she died. Why where they still alive again? After I was done with those chores I finally got to eat. Hooray!!

“Fruit and yogurt; Wow that was filling.” I said out loud to the empty house. Sometimes I was really glad that I wasn’t just Dad’s apprentice. Had I been I would have been forced to go with him this morning, there would have been no way that an apprentice would have gotten left at their master’s house. Not a chance.

I decided that if I was eating with the Royal family in the morning I should probably make sure that my ‘nice’ clothes where clean. My ‘nice’ clothes consisted of a pair of leggings that weren’t ripped nor stained and had a little tiny bit of gold trim around the edges and tunic that was almost identical the leggings. The king and queen had given them to me for my birthday last year.

Thinking about where I had gotten my nice clothes made me start to think about what they could possibly be surprising me with this year. I couldn’t remember how many times I had told them that it wasn’t necessary for them to give me anything on my birthday or Christmas but still they did. You couldn’t say “no” to the king and queen, you just couldn’t. I continued to come up with ridicules ideas for what they could possibly be doing, as I looked for my clothes; I found them buried under a whole bunch of other stuff in my room.

As I picked them up off my floor I smacked my forehead and groaned. I thought my dress clothes weren’t torn, but the clothes staring you back in the face was hard to argue. I couldn’t remember the last time I had worn them, and when I had it sure looked like I had just torn them on the floor. Not only where they ripped every where, but they where filthy. How many times had Dad told me to hang them up, and then I never had? Well maybe Dad had a point some of the time.

I knew I had to do something about the clothes. If I showed up at the palace for anything other than the falconry lessons I helped my father teach in my plain brown heavy rugged clothes, Father would shoot me. That wouldn’t be good. The only thing I could do would be to fix the holes and hope that nobody noticed. And then most importantly, make sure I actually hung them up after this. That was defiantly a plan for me.

I carried my clothes over to the chair in the living room which was by my sewing basket. Here we go. I got lucky, and almost all of the holes where in the seams. So it looked like the tailor had heard that the clothes where for me and took short cuts on them. Because most of the rips where in the seams, fixing both the tunic and leggings only took me an hour.

By now it was almost noon and almost warm enough to do laundry. I carried the newly fixed clothes outside, and because I was just going to wash them, I threw them on the floor while I went to get the wash basin out of the shed. I sat down with my wash basin full of water and soap, and my wash board. The second I stuck the clothes into the water a set of hands covered my eye.

I screamed. I normally wasn’t all that jumpy, but when someone snuck up on me like that, I usually screamed and jumped. I twisted around and the hands came off of my eyes. I jumped up when I saw who it was. “You’re Highness…”

“Gregory! How many times do I have to tell you?” The prince who was standing behind me said.

“Fine then. Gregory. Don’t scare me like that!” I said very loudly. Although Gregory had his cloak hood pulled up over his head, I still knew it was him. He was really the only one who snuck up on me like that was him. I turned away from Gregory and sat back down.

Gregory pushed his hood off of his face and sat down next to me. I pushed my hand back into the water and started scrubbing the clothes again. “Your doing wash again?” He asked me as I plunged my hands in again. “You’re always doing laundry.”

“No I’m only ever doing laundry when you show up at my house.” I said as I looked at him over my shoulder. “I figured if I was eating breakfast with your family in the morning, I should make sure that the clothes your parents gave me for my birthday last year where clean.”

Gregory looked at me slightly confused. “Wait, you’re eating with us in the morning?” He still seemed fairly confused. That was just like him never paying attention when his parents told him something.

“Yeah. What didn’t they tell you that?” I said as I pulled the clothes out of the basin and started to check for marks and stains.

“No they probably did, I just didn’t remember.”

Gah! This boy was such a nitwit!! I don’t really understand how he handles being a prince. How can you possibly be a prince when you never paid any attention to anything? That and I knew for a fact that he knew nothing about politics. I knew more than he did. What’s wrong with that picture?

“Do you ever remember anything?” I asked him as pulled my clothes out of the water and went to go hang them up.

“Not most of the time.” That was exactly the answer I was expecting. There was no doubt that he hadn’t caught on to why I was eating with them. Four years of practically being his best friend and he still didn’t remember that every year on my birthday, a week and a half before his, I ate breakfast with his family. It was like that every year. And sure enough he never remembered until the morning of when my father and I showed up and there was one present on the dining hall table. Only one, but that was more than enough. I could never successfully convince them not to give me anything.

Gregory looked at me with this look that instantly told me that he was thinking really hard about something. “Wait just a moment.” He said as he held his hand up to me. “Isn’t your birthday tomorrow?” I guess I must have had the biggest look of shock on my face because he said, “Oh wow. I remembered that. That’s a surprise.”

“Yeah you remembered. Big deal.” I said kind of harshly. I guess I had just gotten used to him not remembering and I liked that fact; it made my birthday not feel like such a big deal. Frankly I didn’t really care about my birthday. The only one I had ever really cared about was my eighth when dad let me help take care and fly the birds.

I looked over at Gregory when he started to stand up. “See you the morning Anjanique.” He said as he pulled his hood over his head and left my yard.

I fell back onto the ground when he was out of sight. “Thank goodness he’s gone.” Gregory could get on my nerves so easily.

Prologue

“Dad, are you sure they won’t be mad?’ Anjanique asked, as she carried her father’s falconer’s basket.

“That you’re accompanying me? No Anjanique. The King and Queen are very tolerant.”

“No Daddy. That I’m wearing leggings not a skirt.”

“Oh that. Well I don’t think they will be.”

Anjanique and her father James, the falconer, walked the rest of the way to the palace in silence. As they passed shops and other people in the village, some waved others glared. Many people in this village did not like the way that James had brought Anjanique up. A girl wearing leggings was just not acceptable.

When they reached the palace James and his daughter where greeted appropriately and where escorted to the royal gardens. Waiting in the garden where the King and his three sons; Edmund, Louis, and Gregory.

The King turned to see them standing there. “James. I see you have misplaced your apprentice again.”

“Sadly you’re Majesty. I brought my daughter along to assist me.” James said as he bowed to the King.

“It’s good to see you again Anjanique. It’s been, what, two years since I saw you last?” The King said motioning to Anjanique.

Anjanique set her large basket down and bowed to the King saying, “Yes, Sir.” Anjanique then took a step back so she was behind her father.

“I see we have Gregory here today. Has the young prince turned twelve?” James said nodding to the prince.

“Yes Sir; Just the other day. Father said I could start learn falconry like my brothers now.” Gregory said very politely.

“Well then, Anjanique bring the young prince one of your gloves.”

“Yes Father.” Anjanique said as she dug around in her basket for one of her gloves. When she found it, she took it to the prince. “Here you are, you’re Highness.” She said as she handed him the glove.
“
It’s Gregory.” He said as he took the glove.

This was the first of many encounters of the Prince Gregory and the falconer’s daughter Anjanique.

This blog is for a book

This blog is specifically dedicated for me to post the chapters of a book I am writing. I have some friends who wanted to read it but putting it on deviantart.com or Fanfiction.net wasn't working for me or them, so that's where we get this blog. Just for the story of Gregory and Anjanique.

Anyways I will start posting the chapters when I get a chance, but right this second I need sleep.

I would prefer no super negative feed back.