Special thanks goes out to my good friend Debby, whom has kept my mind very busy so i wouldn't go insane to terribly much :P

Chapter 1

It was a beautiful spring day. A gentle wind was blowing from the north, the smell of magnolias and other flowers in bloom were carried across the air.

Prince Juan De Leon was out on his balcony taking in the entire spring splendor, his long raven black hair was pulled back in a pony tail while the wind gently tugged at the pieces that fell just over his sparkling blue eyes.

Juan looked out over his soon to be kingdom and smiled to himself at what the night held for him.

So caught up in his thoughts he had not realized that his mother had come up beside him. A small gasp escaped his lips as she placed her hand upon his, bringing him back to the present.

"Forgive me my son, I did not mean to startle you so." The queen looked out over the beautiful country then focused her attention back to her son. "I have merely come to let you know that the time is growing late, and we must finish our preparations for this evening, it isn't every day that one has an array of women to choose from for his bride."

Juan took his mothers hand in his and raised it up to his lips and gently placed a kiss upon it.

"I know mother, but one must stop to appreciate the little things in life, that is what makes life so special. and as for looking upon many women to choose a bride…. Well there is only one that I have my heart

and mind on, and until she is mine all of this" Juan spreads his hands across the country side, "won't mean a thing to me."

Juan's mother smiled and caressed her son's hand, "well just make sure you don't loose track of time, the hour is near at hand and you must prepare yourself."

With that said she took her leave taking just a moment to glance back at her son and shake her head.

Juan took in a deep breath of air and took one more look at all the beauty that nature had bestowed upon the plains then made his way inside to prepare for the ball.

Just as he had finished dressing a knock came to his bed chamber door. It wasn't just a courtesy knock but one of mischief, one that only he and one other knew.

"Enter of your own accord Lord Byron"

Juan's voice carried across the large room and from the other side of the door a sound of a small snort.

"What ever happened to the password Juan?" Byron entered the prince's bed chamber and sulked as he slid into the sitting chair just beyond the door.

Juan chuckled to himself as he finished getting ready for the party.

Lord Byron had grown up very close with the prince. the two were almost inseparable, even when they were very young Juan's parents would tease that they would have to fetch the surgeon to split them up.

"Tonight is not the night for childish games Byron. Tonight I have to make myself presentable for the ladies. After all I will have to choose one tonight."

Byron scoffed, "That is true, after all you are a man now, and such an old tart at that!"

Juan threw a bed pillow at Byron which in return got thrown back at him.

"I'm only 21 years old and that is not old by far! Besides, you are 20 so what does that say about you?"

By this time Byron had grabbed hold of a towel that was on the dressing table and was twisting it up like a whip, slowly making his way toward Juan with a sadistic grin upon his face.

Juan's eyes grew wide"You would not dare!"

Byron lunged toward Juan and popped the towel on his leg. "Seems I would and have done so!"

Juan let loose a string of profanities and rubbed his leg where the towel had hit him.

"And to answer your question of earlier, well it makes me younger than you my dear friend!"

Regiene was sitting under her favorite willow tree, her nose stuck in one of her favorite novels. A small fleece blanket wrapped around her shoulders as the cool spring breeze played in the branches of the giant tree.

Sarah was calling after her mistress from the veranda and while she knew that she had to help her mistress get ready for the ball she worried how she was going to tear her away from her book. Sarah knew how Regiene hated to be interrupted while she was taking her quiet time, Sarah sighed as she made her way over to the place that her mistress prized most of all the places of the grand palace.

"If she keeps this up, she will never get married. What man out there would want a self sufficient woman? And one that is hard to control?"

Sarah muttered this under her breath as she finally made it to the willow tree.

"Mistress, did you not hear me calling after you? Are you that enthralled in your novel?" a slight tone of annoyance was in her voice, but she knew that away from the other servants she could speak freely. Mainly because Regiene did not think of her as her servant, but as a true friend. One that did not do things for her because it was demanded, but because Regiene and Sarah were almost like sisters, and if she could have her way then it would be so.

Regiene could tell Sarah anything that troubled her mind and didn't have to worry about what consequence it held.

Regiene slowly looked up from her book, blinking her eyes so that all the words that were on the page would clear from her mind.

"I'm sorry Sarah, I was just so caught up in the book, and you know how I get when I read."

Sarah rolled her eyes "aye, I know. And I also know that you're going to make your whole family late for the gala!"

It was Regiene who rolled her eyes and sighed this time. "Why must I go to the gala? Will there not be enough women there for whom the prince could choose?"

Regiene hesitantly got up from her cozy spot and stretched. Her dark auburn hair was loosely piled upon her head that when she stretched, the wind took hold of it and the long waves fell to the ground. It almost looked as if the red carpet had been rolled out for a gala event.

The two women made their way to the castle and Sarah looked upon her mistress and prayed that one day she would get out of her stubborn independent ways.

The sun had reflected in Regiene's eyes, making them look like dark green emeralds, Sarah just shook her head and said a silent prayer that tonight would go well.

Regiene protested the whole time she was getting dressed, "I'm only 18 Sarah, life has not even begun for me yet, and here I am, being forced to gussy up in a costume and parade myself in front of a man that I hardly know! How is this fair? What have I done to deserve this?"

Sarah shook her head, "Mistress, you were born into privilege and with that comes certain obligations, and this just happens to be one of them. Besides I have heard from the many gossips from the other servants that this Juan fellow is a very good looking man."

This peaked Regiene's interest just a bit, Sarah took quick note and didn't hesitate to further the flame just a bit.

"I'm told he is a very tall and muscular man, deep blue eyes and a smile that would melt the coldest heart, and arms that are strong enough to carry the worries of his responsibilities and yet gentle enough for a loving embrace."

Regiene blushed a bit then started giggling in a nervous manner.

"And what if he doesn't notice me? I mean I'm only one of a hundred, even a thousand that will be there tonight."

Sarah's grin went from ear to ear then.

"Well that is where I step in. I will make sure you get noticed, whether you want it or not!"

The two women began to laugh, and as they carried on Regiene's mother came into the room to check on the progress.

"It is so nice to hear laughter; one never gets tired of hearing it. And what a fitting occasion it is!"

Regiene's mother stood by the door entrance, rubbing her very swollen tummy. Sarah quickly helped the queen settle into a chair, as she helped her sit the child inside kicked hard.

Sarah gasped "Oh! What an active little one this will be."

The queen nodded. "By far this one is the most active, it must surly be a boy. None of my other children ever carried on so!"

Regiene knelt by her mother and placed her hand upon her stomach to feel the movement. "That is because we were all girls; we knew how to be delicate even in the womb."

All the women laughed at that.

"Your father would be too pleased if it was a boy, but I know he would love this one just as he loves each and everyone of you. Besides, after having five girls already, this had better be a boy."

again they all laughed, this time Regiene's father was standing at the door.

"Aye, I have a good feeling about this one. Very strong he is, just like his old man!"

Regiene's mother chuckled, "That is what you said when I was carrying Regiene, and it turned out that she was a girl."

Regiene's father stopped for a moment tilted his head as a smile crossed his face.

" This is true, but she is head strong and strong willed, in this she takes after her father and I couldn't be happier."

"Nice save husband. Now we must all set aside this talk and finish getting ready for the night's activities."

On the carriage ride over to the ball Regiene's parents instructed the princess on the proper way to carry herself, with whom to talk with and for how long each conversation should last so that she could work

the entire room.

Regiene would nod now and then, pretending to take in all of what her parents had told her, but her mind was far away thinking of other things that she could be doing and trying to get hitched was not one of them.