DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters from Barbie in the Princess and the Pauper. I'm not making money from this story.

It was a crisp spring morning when Julian opened his eyes. The sun was already peeking out above the mountains. He immediately stretched his arms and turned to his wife, who was still asleep. He smiled at her peaceful countenance. If anyone would have told him that he would marry the princess, he would have laughed in their face. Nevertheless, today was an important milestone for the couple: their one year anniversary. Needless to say, Julian had special plans for Anneliese on this perfect day because she deserved it.

The past year was difficult for everyone in the castle. The events prior to the double wedding still fresh in everyone's mind, and even though she would never admit it or let it show, Anneliese was scarred by her kidnapping. Because of this, Queen Genevieve had taken over many of her responsibilities until she was ready. She has decided it is time for Anneliese to resume her royal duties as princess of the kingdom, and it has taken a toll on the princess.

'She deserves perfection today,' Julian thought. After one last glance at her golden locks on the pillows and sound of her even breathing, he slowly and silently got out of bed and began his anniversary surprise.

When Anneliese woke up, the other side of the bed was cold. She froze. 'Where is he? Could he have been abducted?', she thought in a panic. Julian always waited for her to wake up before leaving. Her head was still spinning when she spotted something on his pillow. It was an envelope with Julian's meticulous handwriting on it. Relieved, she opened the envelope to reveal a letter that read:

"My dear Anneliese,

Rosa centafolias are pink,

My love is true,

There is a surprise in the garden

waiting for you.

Yours,

Julian"

Blushing at his romantic attempt to write poetry, she quickly summoned her maids to bring her breakfast and help her prepare for her garden surprise.

The food came first. It was her favorite: French toast and syrup! The maid left after asking if there was anything else. After she left, Anneliese practically inhaled her breakfast in a very unprincesslike manner. She could almost hear her mother reprimanding her table manners. But no one was here, so no one was there to judge her. She could hardly contain her elation.

When Anneliese's lady's maid entered the room, she was still smiling, caught in a daydream.

The maid cleared her throat. "Good morning, Your Highness," she said.

"Good morning, Charlotte," replied Anneliese.

"What are the plans for this special day?" Charlotte asked.

"Apparently, a garden surprise. I need to get ready quickly. I do not want to keep him, or myself, waiting. I love it when he is romantic."

"Which dress are you thinking?"

"Hmmmm... How about the pink one with the rose pattern that Erika sent in last week? Do you think that is fitting for this occasion?" She asked and then did an impression of her mother. "Because mother always says that a princess must always be appropriately dressed." The two girls laughed. Charlotte was the closest friend she had in the castle besides Julian.

"I believe that His Highness would love to see you in anything, even in rags. He absolutely adores you. It is so cute!" she squealed.

"I'm just thankful that he is trying to be romantic. I love that man, but he is definitely not one for romance. Can you draw the bath, please?"

"Yes, milady. Which bath oils would you like?" she asked as she began the bath water.

"Surprise me," Anneliese replied.

Within an hour, the princess was bathed, dressed, and ready to meet Julian in the garden. She was so excited, a smile plastered on her face. Even Charlotte could see Anneliese's pre-date jitters.

"Anything else, Your Highness?" asked Charlotte.

"I don't think so. Just very anxious about this surprise," the princess responded.

"Well, have fun. You look amazing as always!" Charlotte said.

"I will, thank you. And don't worry, Charlotte, I will tell you all the details later," the princess responded with a wink. With that, the two girls exited the room. Right before turning down the hall, Anneliese looked back and Charlotte flashed a big smile and two thumbs up. Anneliese returned the gesture then continued walking to the garden.

Anneliese walked through the halls, practically glowing with joy. She felt as giddy as a love struck girl with her crush when she reached her surprise at the garden. Walking through the hedges and flowers, Anneliese realized how perfect this day was. The sky was a bright blue, not a cloud in sight. She could hear the birds singing a beautiful melody. The aroma of the flowers was rejuvenating after such a harsh winter. The most gorgeous thing of all was the colors of spring: the green grass, the pink roses, the violet tulips, the yellow daisies. They all worked in perfect harmony to create an inviting scene.

Julian was standing in the gazebo with a bouquet of pink rosa centifolias, no doubt freshly picked from the courtyard. The table under the gazebo was set for two. It was absolutely romantic.

She was grinning from ear to ear as she swiftly closed the gap between them.

"Why thank you, kind sir," she greeted him.

"Happy anniversary, my love," Julian responded as he gave her the flowers and kissed her on the cheek.

"Would you like some brunch? I figured it was too late for breakfast. Somebody had to sleep in," he spoke with amusement.

"It has been a busy week around here. A girl's got to get her beauty rest some how," she refuted.

"Well, now is your time to relax."

"I love you, Julian."

"I love you, too, Anneliese."

The chefs brought out the food. It was tomato soup with steamed vegetables on the side.

"Wow, it smells delicious!" Anneliese exclaimed.

"And what would you like to drink, Your Highnesses?" the chef asked.

"A bottle of champagne, please," Julian answered.

"Actually, I would like some tea," Anneliese responded hastily.

"A bottle of Champagne and cup of tea, on the way," the chef said and then bowed. On his way to the kitchen, he winked at her. Her mind went racing. 'Did he know? How could he know? Charlotte! Charlotte told him. I guess the maids do know everything...'

They enjoyed the decadent meal together, discussing various topics. Topics ranging from the beautiful view to Erika and Dominic.

"What do you think they are doing today?" Anneliese asked. It had been awhile since they had talked.

"I don't know. Probably on a little date and getting ready for the ball tomorrow night," Julian replied. He, too, wanted to keep in touch with their friends.

"I'm so glad they are staying with us for the next two weeks. There is so much to catch up on. I still think it is quite ironic how we all met," she said with a smile. "Erika fell in love with the man I was betrothed, who I didn't even meet until my mother's wedding day!"

"Life certainly has a sense of humor. I'm just glad we were able to make it out of that mine alive. I thought I was going to lose you in there," Julian said, his face completely serious. "Why don't we go for a walk?"

Anneliese nodded and took her husband's hand. She grabbed the flowers off the table, so that the maids would not pick them up.

After walking around and admiring nature's beauty, Anneliese thought the time was right.

"Um, Julian?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Where did you get these flowers? They are so fresh."

"I actually cut them from this garden. I know they are you favorite," he said with a wink. It was no secret that Anneliese loved rosa centifolia. After Julian began teaching her about plants, those were the only ones she ever wanted to learn about.

"They are gorgeous, but have I ever told you why I love these so much?" He had always wondered about the origins of her rosa centifolia infatuation but never asked.

"No, I'm afraid you never told me."

She took a deep breath and looked off into the clouds beginning to form. 'Uh oh,' Julian thought. 'This can't be a happy story.'

"Well, when I was young, I told my parents that the castle was too boring. The palace was barren, and I believed landscaping was the answer. So Papa decided to bring me into the village to look at flowers. I was instantly attracted to these vibrant, pink flowers and fell in love with their color. Papa thought it would be a good idea to plant them together and start a garden. The roses I picked out would be the centerpiece. Workers planted the ones around the castle, except for these in the garden. We planted them together. Being here and around rosa centifolias, I feel closer to him. I miss him so much." She began to tear up. She scolded herself, 'Good job, Anneliese. You managed to turn a romantic gesture into a sob story.'

Julian didn't know what to say. "You two were really close, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah we were," she smiled. "He was always looking out for me. One of the best things he did was hiring you. I was the loneliest eight-year-old, until you came along."

Julian shook his head. "It was a shame how he died so young. I wish I had gotten to know him better before he passed."

Anneliese just looked at the floor. "It is a shame. I think he would have enjoyed the fact that we are married now. And I just... I just wish he could meet his first grandchild," she said as she watched Julian expectantly.

Stunned and puzzled, he asked, "Wait, you're... you're pregnant?" His face lit up at his revelation.

At this point, she was beaming. "Yes," she answered.

He immediately picked her up and spun her around. "This is amazing, Anneliese! We're gonna be parents!" he exclaimed.

"Shhhhh! Not too loud! I haven't told anyone except Charlotte. No telling how many servants she told, but I want it to be a surprise. I was thinking we could announce it at the ball tomorrow night," she hushed him. However, her smile was screaming with excitement.

"Well, they won't hear this," Julian said as he pulled her into a passionate kiss.

A/N: Hello, this is my first real Barbie fanfic story, so any feedback in the reviews would be very helpful. I hope you enjoyed!