The castle was a massive structure, with gigantic stone walls to protect the riches

inside. Grass always seemed greener as you neared the building, the doors rose up above

you like cold protectors. Apon entering you were met with dark anceint colors ofs maroon

or red, blue or gold, and large portrats of the royal family of the Galions. The royal Galion

family was in turmoil. The heir to the thrown, Prince Leo, had not yet found a women for

his transition to king of Wales. His mother, the Queen, would not let him rule until he had a

wife for him to rule with. The king had died many years ago in a tragic accident which

involved a horse and a contraption called the saw. Everyone was a bit touchy on the

subject since then.

The Queen had started holding these events where they would bring a princess

from other lands to be made future wives but so far, she hadn't been acceptable to any

woman who had come to the castle. She would ask questions to no end with no exact

answer that anyone might know as it was never common knowledge. She would torture

these women who would come infront of her court of maids, and brave and noble Knights

who would all stand and watch as the Queen brought all her knowledge into braking a

princess whom she deemed unfit to marry her pure son; which it was to everyone

knowlege every woman to pass the halls.

Now the Queen sat in the large golden chair looking into the eyes of her next victom;

Princess Ann, of a nearby kingdom not well known to them. She was of exceptional beauty,

not a rose in a dirt pile of course but she was alright. Her brown hair had been braided

back around her head, and the green dress she wore only showed her weak and gently

nature; a perfect mother so it was said. The Queen smirked when princess Ann sneaked a

look at Prince Leo, who had already given up the cause long ago when the Queen had

rejected a girl whom he really loved to this day. Anns shoulders fell, and Leo sighed, she

would never pass he thought. He was quite handsome otherwise, his blond hair fell in light

strands into his blue-green eyes. He sat back in his chair in the most comfortable of

positions, he was serious around his mother and now was no different. His eyes narrowed

occasionally at Ann, which started her heart in a frenzy. The Queen coughed slightly, so as

to get Anns attention in the rudest of ways. The Queen had long red hair that fell around

her aging shoulders, her eyes were green and she sat poised. Her face showed aging but if

you were to look at her in a whole she was beautiful, though cold in her actions, it was

nothing that wasn't nessesary. Tilting her head back now, signalling that Ann had already

would have to pack home she asked, "Who, my dear, was it that was known to be the 'Best

Knight'?"

Ann fidgeted, the best knight of where? But before she could ask, the Queen sighed

in a way that spoke clearly enough that this was over. "I am truely sorry princess Ann but,

you are just not the woman for Leo. Dismissed."

Ann let out a deep breath the knights approched her. The kindest two of them all,

Sir Rillion and Sir Charelston, snuck her a small encouraging smile. James was a jewel she

thought. He was tall and handsome, with dark brown hair that seemed to shine golden in

the light, and deep brown eyes that seemed to sparkle. His childhood friend whom he had

been through tough Knight's training with, Isaac Charelston, was even yet more handsome.

Isaacs light brown hair blew even when there wasn't any wind for it to blow with and his

green eyes just made any woman swoon, except for perhaps Marliet who was James's love.

"It's alright," Sir Rillion, or otherwise known as James, assured her. " You will find

another man to marry. Prince Leo might never find a woman though with a mother like

that." He joked making Ann smile softly, though he didn't mind the Queen, she was not

among the worst he had seen.

"I'm aware of that but I am sorry that no one can marry here ither."

It was true. The Queen, in her frustration in finding a wife for her dear son had

banned any marriges until the royal family had found a Queen, meaning James could not

marry Marliet.

Marliet was in the Queens court of maids. She was at ripe age of 18, James being 23

making them the perfect husband and wife as far as age differences went. Marliet had long

brown hair that looked as soft as her skin. Her eyes, a deep shade of brown, seemed to look

at him in the most gentlest of ways, as if she was afraid looking at him would send him

away. Now as she stood in with the other maids waiting to be dismissed she caught his

eyes from across the room. James stood where he was with the other knights, for they also

had to wait to be dismissed.

Finally after whispering a few words to her son the Queen looked to the maids and

knights in the room and waved them off. James walked ahead of the other knights in order

to meet Marliet and once out of the Queens view he held her hand and led her down the

hall, to exactly where she was expecting. They had found a little hidden room long ago

when they were young and growing up in the castle for the positions they were at now. The

tiny room was where they discussed many things; a month before it was banned they

talked about marrige, a week before it happened they told each other about the childern

they wanted, and a day before Ann they talked about marrige again. Marliet slipped into

the squeeze that was the entry way of the room before James and once inside she fumbled

around before finding a candle and lighting it. She set the light down onto the desk before

feeling James breath on her.

"James what are we going to do? We may never get married." Marliet whispered

quickly, they couldn't stay here for much longer than ten minutes. They were wanted

outside.

"Shh, the Queen isn't going to want to keep her son single forever. He'll get married

soon, trust me."

"James what if he doesn't? Its beginning to look as if they'll never marry even if they

do find the perfect girl." Marliet huffed, she was not in a great additude toward the Queen since she had banned any marriges until the dear Prince found a wife.

James sighed out of exhastion. He had been riding since early that morning in

preparation for a huge competition coming up against one of the greatest known knights

from England, Sir Lanceton. James pulled her nearer to him and held her for a moment.

Marliet breathed out in a way that gave out all hope and wrapped her arms around him. He

pulled away and kissed her ever so breifly before slipping out of the room.

"James," Marliet whispered for him to return, and he did, poking his head back

inside.

"What is it?" He asked in a serious tone of voice but she just head his face with both

her hands and kissed him back before pulling away from him and letting him return to his

duties.