A Princesses Love Chapter 7 "Where do you believe your going?" Mother asks. "I'm going to the one I love so he can marry me," I tell her. "How can I trust that you will come back? I'm sending guards after you." "Mother please, just trust me!" I beg. "I can't trust you anymore." She rushes off down the hall while ordering knights to follow me. I hold Rags as I walk to the stables even he is tense with the knights behind us. "I know it's out of my place to ask madam, but why do you carry your sword with you?" A knight asks. "There are beasts in the forest and I would hate to be caught without defense," I answer. I climb onto Tempest as the guards mount their horses. I try to outrun the guards but it doesn't work out too well. We finally arrive at Cole's where I dismount and leave the guards standing outside. "Hey, I didn't expect to see you this morning!" He says surprised. "I apologize for last night," I say,"This kingdom is now in a war. If I don't get married today I will not become queen and I may not even be the princess anymore. I know you have your doubts about marriage, but Cole I love you and I always will love you. I also love my kingdom and the only way I can help it is by becoming ruler. That means I can save lives I can change everything. Please just reconsider!" I beg. "You know I love you and that you are very important to me, but I have a secret. I have a young boy." He says. "What how could you hide this from me? Where is he? Who is his mother?" I ask frantically. "When you are here he stays in the barn. He was given to me by the elves they found him as a baby by the river Yunx." "Cole, how could you keep this from me? I still love you truly, but this is a very big surprise." "Will you marry me?" He asks as I start to walk out the door. "Cole, you don't do that. You don't spring important information on someone and then ask them to marry you!" He falls down on his knees and says,"Please Acielia, will you forgive me! I know what I've done is a horrible thing, but I love you. I know you love me. Every time I look at you I see a future together I see you, Brant, and me and other children of our own. I'm not sure if I can be a good king. I know I can be a good husband. Will you please marry me?" He asks. "Yes!" I say and he lifts me into the air my head almost touching the ceiling. We kiss and then kiss again. Soon a young boy walks through the back door. Cole lowers me and I walk up to him. "Brant, I assume?" I ask. "Yes," he answers. "I'm princess Acielia."

A Princesses Love Chapter 6 "Cole, I'm sorry about all this, I truly am," I say. "It's fine your fathers men shouldn't find you here," he says trying to make me feel better. I feed rags a small piece of bread and walk outside to check on Tempest. He is stowed away in the barn with Cole's horse Bristus. I stroke Tempest' mane and feed him carrots. Soon I walk back into the cottage and dress in my sleeping gown. I sit beside Cole on his bed with Rags resting in my lap. "Cole, do you want to marry me?" I ask. "Acielia, I could never marry a princess." "That's not what I asked. Forget that I'm a princess." "Well, you see there's one thing I haven't told you about me. After I tell you it could change your thoughts about me. I love you I truly do, but I…" he is cut off by a pounding on the door. "Open your doors we must search your property!" A deep voice shouts from the other side. "One moment!" Cole yells,"Go I will give you enough time to escape on Tempest!" He whispers to me. "I love you!" I say as I give him a kiss. " I love you too!" I pick up my belt and attach my sword also while collecting my clothes and Rags. I run out the back door just as I hear Cole open the door. I rush and untie Tempest as quickly make an escape but it doesn't take long for the knights to realize I was there and that I had escaped. I hear horses thundering down the path behind me. We keep ahead of the knights for as long as we can but soon Tempest tires and fumbles over a tree root. He tries to get back up but to no avail the knights have already surrounded us I realize there's no hope in fighting for I too am fatigued. Tempest puffs a big breath of exhaustion as the guards restrain me and sit me atop one of their horses. Rags squirms out of the saddlebag and into my lap. A knight puts a rope around Tempest' neck and lead him slowly home. I'm thrown into the dungeon upon arrival. Followed by a visit from my father and mother. "Why would you do something like this!?" My father yells. "We were worried about you!" My mother screams. "Really because it doesn't seem like that mother. First if you were worried you would be clinging to me, and second is there really a need to keep me in the dungeon ?" I ask. I hear quick footsteps down the staircase and Henry runs to my cell. "Oh! I'm so glad that you are safe my darling!" He exclaims dramatically, "I don't know what I would have done if you would have been hurt." "Why are you here?" I ask. "I'm your fiancée I was worried," he replies. "Oh really then why weren't you out there looking for me? Actually why weren't you looking for me father?" I ask. "I know you don't really love me , Henry so don't pretend and I won't be marrying you I am sorry." Henry walks off and my mother after him. I stare at my father waiting for a reply. "Well, I was preoccupied with other issues we are now in a war with Marcus's kingdom. If you aren't married by tomorrow you will not become queen. I will have a guard release you just don't run off or anything. Goodnight my daughter be safe." He walks off and I sit back stunned. A guard walks me to my quarters where I sleep comfortably throughout the remainder if the night.

A Princesses Love Chapter 5 "Cole please just have dinner at the castle with us tonight!" I beg him,"I know you love me. I want to be with you forever and I can't unless we wed before the end of next week. If you not love me then why are we are together? Why do you enjoy my presence? Why do miss me when I'm gone away?" "Even if all those things are true your father would call you a disgrace for marrying a commoner such as I," he replies. "Just one night please I can tell them about you and me," I beg. He sighs in agreement. I squeal with excitement and jump up and down like a child. The tall flowers sway back in forth in the wind. Rags runs circles around us. Cole and I both smile happy to be with each other. I throw myself onto Cole knocking him onto the ground with me on top of him. We laugh as we rise to our feet. "You must wear your finest garments and biggest fur skin," I tell him. He nods in agreement. I stand on the tips of my toes and give him a peck on the cheek. He lifts me onto Tempest. Rags jumps into my saddlebag just as I take off. "Mother, I have found a man that I love. He is joining us for dinner tonight," I inform my mother. "You invited someone here without permission! Tonight king Marcus is having dinner with us and you've caused enough trouble with him already. Tonight you and your guest will not speak no matter what. Even if you are spoken to and even if you are insulted. You will eat your meal and leave," she commands. "Mother! That's so unfair. You won't even let me defend myself. You are too controlling! Don't worry about having to deal with me at dinner because I'm not coming to dinner ever again!" I answer. "What do you mean by that?" My mother asks as I rush off to my quarters. I grab a cloth bag and request that my servants leave me alone. I collect one extra dress and a handful of gold coins. I tie the bag closed. Then I put on my deep blue cloak and carefully pick up Rags. With my free hand I strap my sword to my side and run down the hall. My parents have already figured out my intentions and guards are chasing after me as I run to the stables. I climb onto Tempest as fast as I can and slip rags into the saddle bag. Tempest obviously sensing my urgency immediately starts running. The knights have already been ordered to pull up the drawbridge. The bridge is nearly halfway up when we reach it. I urge Tempest to push on and close my eyes as he jumps. I feel us hit the ground. Tempest trips and we take a hard fall. I dismount and push the horse to his feet. I feed him three carrots and we quickly forge on. Rags whimpers as we travel through the woods to Cole's.

A Princesses Love Chapter 4 "What happened?! Where were you?!" My mother asks. "Mother I am fine. I just…I uh…ran into some trouble, while on a midnight stroll," I answer. "What sort of trouble? You have a bruise on you forehead and a gash on your forearm." She says dramatically. "It's nothing the Strices can't fix." I say ignoring her concern. "Darling, I must know who did this to you. Come with me to show your father." "No, he has other things to worry about he doesn't need me wasting his time with a few bruises." "Nonsense!" Mother grabs me by the arm and leads me to fathers throne room. Father is handing out goods to the less fortunate villagers and listening to other complaints of some of his subjects. "Look at her!" Mother says loudly and demanding. She walks me closer to him so he can carefully examine me. "Leave us," he tells everyone. "What happened to you? Who did this? I must know! They will be punished for their crimes!" "Stop it! You are both overreacting. These are no serious wounds. You should have seen the other guys. Has anyone been to see you, father?" I ask trying to change the topic. "No one has requested me. Why?" He answers. "No reason. I'm going to the Strices," I say. I stroll down the hall ignoring my swore bones. The Strices are healers. The royal family has very easy access to them. The Strices are also wise and can see the future and past of a person just by touching them. Most try to avoid physical contact. My hair is tangled and messy due to my ruff night. "Acielia, how are you this morning?" A Strice asks me. "I'm good I just need a little healing last night was ruff," I reply to her. "Come stand near the window, dear." As I walk to the window I trip over a scroll and nearly fall on my face but just in time a Strice catches me. She quickly releases me and I thank her. Suddenly realizing that she now knows everything about me. "Please, tell me my future. Do I live a happy #life?" I ask curiously. "I'm sorry that's against the code." I make my way to the window and they heal me. I walk back to my room pondering about my future and why king Marcus has entered our kingdom. My servants dress me for horseback riding with my father. I listen to the tap of my boots as I walk into my fathers throne room. With the door only a few steps away I start to say,"Father are you ready for hose back rid…" my sentence falls short as I stare amazed at king Marcus standing with my father. They both stand there and drink wine from their chalices as they discuss small things. "There is the bandit I was telling you about she tried to say she was the princess and now she has sneaked into your castle to attack you!" King Marcus says loudly. "That's no bandit that is my daughter the soon to be ruler of Scrathia. I'm sorry , dear, I won't be able to go horseback riding this afternoon. Now why would he think that you are a bandit?" My father tells me. "Well you see I was on a stroll at midnight with Tempest and ran across King Marcus and some of his knights. I was asking them what they were doing in my kingdom and he accused me of being a peasant. I would not move after not being answered and being insulted so he ordered his men to attack me I had no choice but to fight back," I tell him. "She killed some of my men she is a bandit and so is that hunter who came to her rescue," king Marcus says. "Father I am going on a ride!" I say and storm out the room. "Soon my pet Rags runs energetically down the hall to greet me. I pat him on his head and he follows me to the stables. Rags is a very tame Quattail most are wild but for some reason he just isn't. His tails are the fluffiest, softest thing I have ever felt. I lift him into my saddlebag and climb onto Tempest.

A Princesses Love Chapter 3 I wake up with a throbbing pain in my head. The aroma of stew wafts through the small room I find myself in. It takes me a moment to realize that I am in Cole's bedroom. I never get tired of his simple three room cottage. I try to stand but dizziness overwhelms me. I sit back down until the room stops spinning. I get up again, only this time I do it more slowly. I walk into the area Cole uses as a kitchen and find him stirring a pot of strota one of my favorite dishes. It contains carrots, potatoes, corn, beans of all shapes and sizes, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes, squash, turnip greens, onions, chicken, turkey, beef, and konda which is the meat of the kondra bird that is only native to our planet. "What happened? How did I get here?" I ask Cole. "I saw the knights pass by and figured you might need some help. You sure are lucky to be alive if I hadn't been there that last knight would have killed you for sure," he says just before leaning in for a kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck and embrace the kiss happy to be with him. "The strota is almost finished after that you might need to ride back to the castle before someone notices your absence," Cole tells me. "All right." We sit together at his small table and eat. We make small talk. Until I say,"My mother and father are going to force me to marry a man I am not in love with, unless I can find another man I truly care for to marry me." "Your father would never permit me to marry you," he says, " I'm a mere peasant." "It doesn't matter what my parents think about you. I think you are wonderful and amazing. You can't get any better I love you the way you are I love the feeling I get when I peer into your eyes. I love the feeling I get when you hold me close and our lips meet. I love you, Cole, and that is all that matters. I must leave goodbye," I say.