READ FIRST!

I just wanted to say first that this is the squeal to 'The Princess's Decision' so please read that before reading this because you will have no idea what is going on if you don't.

Alright now that is settled I just want to say a few words first.

Another round of applause to all my readers of my last story and thanks for caring enough to come here and continuing reading. I really do love you guys and that's no joke. This wouldn't have gotten finished if you guys were not so incredibly supportive. Love ya :]

Anyways and that one shot collection I promised will be posted after this story is completely finished. Oh and so you all know ahead of time, that will be in about six to seven chapters and most of that is written already so don't worry about chapter updates. I won't forget about you all and I'll make certain to update every week and sometimes twice a week depending on what's going on.

Alright and after all that I still own nothing and no, I am not getting paid for this. I'm still a broke student with to much spare time.

Candace's story

From The Princess's Decision-

The duke was quite handsome and I'll admit to that.

He smiled and actually winked in my direction. Despite how much I hate to admit to it, color rushed to my cheeks and I finished the job much quicker than before after this encounter.

I did not like the way he looked at me when I left the room. I could feel his eyes draining into my form. Studying me from every angle, I did not like it and I would not endure it.

"And what's stopping him? Stace as much as we don't like to admit it, we are at the bottom of the food chain here. There is nothing stopping him."

"Candace…"She muttered. But they both knew that Candace was right. There was nothing stopping him and he was known around here to do wicked things such as this. Candace knew that for the next few weeks she would have to watch her back.

I was anxious, I was so nervous. The beads of sweat rolled off my face as I prepared the trays to bring out into the dining room. Yuki was out there, I still could not get the way he had been looking at me out of my head.

Those dark eyes boring into me, judging every particle of me, I shivered at the thought.

Time seemed to slow as I watched the door open with a fierce blow. The wood creaked as it slammed into the wall, he staggered into the room. His steps wobbly obviously influenced by the drink, I wondered how much he had drunk. I had seen his glass refilled several times.

His breath surrounded me, it was only him, it was only Yuki. He lifted a hand and placed it firmly on my breast, I let out a low squeal as he squeezed. He laughed at my discomfort.

"You- are… a beauty." He hissed in my ear. His voice was so husky, so deep, it terrified me.

What could have possibly happened to make her so upset?

She knew that a seed was growing inside her as went about her day. She knew and she knew that she was right even though it was much to early to tell. He did this to her and she couldn't undo it. She couldn't undo that night when her innocence was taken without anyone to save her.

She was branded for life.

" I have known for a while now. I may not be human but I can tell when someone is hurting the way you have been lately. You can't keep it inside, Candace please tell mother after all this is over. I'm sure she will forgive you for it all."

After the things, Yuki did to her…She most likely wasn't ever going to trust a man again.

Chapter one

Candace POV

The beginning of the story is always the hardest, you see. I might as well begin at the beginning though since I really have no other ideas at this precise moment. I feel I must warn you though that the following story is really not what can be classified as…happy per say. There will be hardship yes and can I guarantee that myself [Your beloved heroine, Candace] will make it through with a minimal amount of scars?

No not really, no.

However despite that I have to admit that I wouldn't change a thing if I could have done otherwise. So here goes nothing and everything I have left.

Once upon a time…

It was the first snowfall of the year and I stood at the windows of the grand hall simply watching the flakes fall. I had always liked snow and how peaceful it looked when it fell. The ground was still to warm for it to stick but it would very soon and I'll admit to being excited.

Phineas and Isabella had been away for two months on their honeymoon and were going to be coming home any day now. They had headed for the tropics on an island. I had never been to an island or even ever seen a beach. We were to far away for that but I never thought I would like the heat anyways. I was content with the snow and the idea that Phineas would be returning soon.

I pressed a hand to the cool glass searching for that carriage in the haze of snow.

No avail however and I turned away.

I guess my little brother marrying [Still don't understand how that worked out] a princess had also worked out in favor of our family. I wouldn't have to work while I was with child and wouldn't have to risk a miscarriage by doing so.

I'm still trying to convince myself that this is a blessing in disguise.

I no longer regretted having my baby growing inside of me. However it still stung when I heard the servants whispering behind my back. I guess that was what it must have felt like for the royals when I used to gossip.

I have no real interest in that now.

I shuffled down the hall not certain where I was going yet. I had developed a habit of wandering these days since I didn't have any real work to do anymore.

I sighed and redirected myself to the library. Burying myself in a novel might help me out some. I pushed open the grand doors. Ignoring the librarian and the scribe working away I retreated into the shelves and shelves of leather bound volumes.

The library was built to fit as many books as possible- not that many people read them anyways. There were two levels, I stood on the bottom and looked up at the spiral staircase that led up to books on military strategy and medical dictionaries.

I retreated under the canopy and soon found myself in a small corner that almost no one knew about. The shelves curled around a small table. Farther back there was one of the many columns that held the balcony up. The books back here were older and reeked of disuse. These were the books that no one read and were constantly hidden from view because of that.

No one except me of course.

I sat down in one of the worn leather chairs and pulled a familiar volume out of the stack. This book was bound a light fade blue fabric instead of leather. Because of this it was falling apart faster than most of the others.

The title was faded but still readable: Forgive me- A NOVEL BY A LADY

I smiled, she whoever she was, was a stunning author and the fact of her gender had kept her from truly publishing any of her work. It was tragic really since her work was far better than most novels that I had read from male writers.

I flipped open the first page and once again delved into that mysterious world fully becoming oblivious of everything else.

The word scandal was only one word to describe my life till this point. Still who was I to know about scandals, I was only a simple farmer's wife. What trouble could I get into?

It took a long time before I could drag myself away from the written word. I then had to admit that mom would be furious with me if I stayed out to long. So with a grumble on my part I slipped a book mark inside the yellow stained pages and placed it back on the shelf.

I stood and stretched and yawned realizing how late it was and how tired I was as well. So I managed to sneak past the scribe who was working overtime tonight his quill scribbling madly over the pages. He didn't even look up as I passed.

Out families new apartments were on the third floor guest suite. When Isabella had insisted on upgrading our accommodations mom had also insisted on her not going overboard with it. So our apartments were modest and clean. I had my own bed now but I found that I missed the comfort of having both my brothers with me. The bed felt more lonely than anything.

With a sigh I snuck past my parent's room and into mine.

The walls [By request] were painted pink and that theme continued throughout the rest of the room. The space also had a dresser, a vanity, a wash tub hidden by a curtain, and the grand lonely bed placed in the center between two curtained windows.

I changed out of my day dress that now didn't include a corset [Was bad for the baby according to mom] and examined my stomach. My chest was still as flat as it had ever been but now I had a bump the size of a small watermelon under my breasts.

I slipped my nightie overtop and pulled the covers over top of me. I whispered down to my tummy.

"Night baby, goodnight."

I slept in that morning and stayed bed-ridden for who knows how long before I was even willing to get up. I stared up at the bed curtains tracing my eyes along the flowered pattern over the pink silk.

It felt so strange just laying here. Normally by this time I'd already be up and at least getting ready for work that day. Normally mom woke me.

I wondered if she had already left for work and figured she'd let me slept in.

She didn't have to work but she wanted to. My dad was reluctant to give up his work as well. He loved it to much to give it up. I however was glad to give up that gut-retching work. The pains of carrying my baby made it to hard to work and I was glad I had the luxury of being able to sit around during this time. My mother hadn't had that, she worked herself to the bone until she couldn't walk anymore. She was stubborn and she knew that her new family would need the extra money later on so she fought through it.

I'm not nearly as strong as she is.

I wrapped the blankets around myself wondering why it was so cold all of a sudden. After a few more heavenly minutes I finally rose lightly placing my toes to the chilled floor.

I patted my way over the window and drew back the curtains. A fresh layer of snow covered the ground outside. The white was almost blinding against the pounding sun. I shielded my eyes but smiled. I could see the forest far to my right now pilled with snow.

I remembered what had happened there and I shivered in the cold.

No one else knew about that and I hoped my baby wouldn't have to suffer through a war sometime throughout her life [I don't know why I always pictured my baby as a girl. She would look just like me, I think.].

I closed the windows and headed over to my wash tub. Today was going to be a big day. I could just see it now. Even as I was washed over with my morning sickness I knew that something was going to happen today. I could just feel it.

Reviews, if this wasn't completely terrible. Just let me know if it was or not.