Chapter 1

"Your highness, I am sorry to disturb you but your mother would like to see you in the library," a voice said close to her ear.

"Urgh," Claire groaned, rolling onto her back, "What time is it Alice?"

A tall, lanky girl stood by the side of Claire's bed looking down with an amused expression on her face, stifling a grin starting to spread from ear to ear, "It is half past ten your highness," she said as she walked over to a large cupboard on the other side of the room and opened the door.

"What! Well that's a new record," the princess said getting up out of bed and stretching the sleep out of her muscles, reaching past Alice into the cupboard she grabbed a pair of breeches and a loose shirt. "Thank you Alice I think I can cope from here today," As Alice picked up a brush and looked at Claire expectantly.

"Your mother insisted you wear a dress today, she said it was a very important occasion" Alice replied quietly.

"Well breakfast is an important occasion to her so I doubt it is truly important," Claire said a small smile on her face, "Besides she will punish me not you." Claire quickly pulled the shirt over her head and did up the brown breeches as she reached for the brush. Quickly brushing her hair she left it down, pulled on her worn boots and stepped lightly out of the room.

Walking towards the staircase she tried to make no noise by stepping lightly and lithely and almost managed reaching the staircase when she heard the faintest creak, "Shoot, better think about that path again." As a child her favourite game had been to sneak out of her room without being caught, unfortunately with all of the creaking floorboards she still had not managed it. She had almost devised a path, she was sure of it but how to get past those last few floorboards? Slipping onto to the banister she slid down the slick mahogany to the bottom of the stairs.

The large window was open, letting in golden sunlight and the faintest breeze, "Oh how I wish I could be outside," she sighed. After last night, she knew she couldn't risk going out at dusk for a few nights. She was almost caught by a guard as she dropped from her window into the gardens below.

Taking a deep breath she walked sedately into the library and breathed in the smell of wood, of paper upon paper packed into one room. She loved that smell it reminded her of stories forgotten only to be suddenly remembered and mysteries. Of characters who she could relate to and who she disliked. Of-

"Claire, there you are! You must get up sooner; you are a princess, a role model, the future of our country! Anyway, why aren't you wearing a dress! You are a young lady, why do you insist on walking around in breeches like a common boy?" Queen Lilia sounded fretful and turned her worried green eyes to look out of the window, "Oh dear, they are here!"

"Who's here?" Claire asked questioningly, she had missed the majority of her mother's rant choosing instead to look at the rows of books covering the walls. She had read many books, but there were thousands covering the walls in this room. She knew she would never be able to read all of the books in her lifetime, but so far that hadn't stopped her trying.

"The royal family of Araldom! They are visiting today, do you remember the last time they visited. You were six years old, you and Prince James were such good friends," she said sighing lost in memories of past years. "It's a pity they were not able to visit sooner," she concluded.

"Yes, I remember him," she said a grimace appearing on her face. Last time they had met he threw teacakes at her and she retaliated with plates of raspberry jam. All she remembered of him was their constant bickering and fighting.

"Maria! Maria! Quickly girl, they're nearly here! Take Princess Claire up to her room and change her into a dress, anything please! Just quickly! Oh, I must tell Edward!" she said as she dashed out of the room.

Suddenly Claire was being ushered up the stairs and into her room. She was immediately surrounded by four maids who pulled at her shirt and breeches as she pulled them off and replaced them with a tight fitting corset causing her breaths to shorten as she struggled to open her lungs widely. "I can't breathe," she whispered as they strained to tighten the strings even further.

"Oh, sorry your highness. We won't tighten it anymore." She was told as she felt the pulling stop and the corset opened slightly.

"That's better, thank you" she said, it was muffled slightly as a dress was pulled over her head and tightened until it fit her body like a glove. A hand lifted one of her feet and pulled off the boot replacing it with a delicate slipper, whilst a brush was taken to her hair and she felt it being pulled and styled into a bun.

A sudden knock at the door stopped the primping and pulling, the maids turned as one and a hand reached out to open the closed door. Alice stepped into the room, "They're here, quick your highness you need to be down in the throne room immediately, you better come down the servants' way, there's a shortcut!"

"Yes, thank you Alice. I know where it is," a slip of the tongue had all of the maids turning to look at me incredulously, Claire floundered, "Well you can't expect me not to explore my home, can you?"

Alice came to the rescue, "Never mind that now, let's just get going!" she said as she grabbed her hand and started running down the hall. Claire let go and pulled up her skirt silently cursing the people who decided what the latest fashion was and the fact that she had to wear it.

Suddenly she ran into the throne room from behind the throne and saw her parents and brother standing up ahead of her. Running to her mother's side she smoothed down her dress and, taking a deep breath, straightened her back.

"Good morning darling, you look as beautiful as always, did you sleep well?" her father King Edward asked slightly sarcastically.

"Very well, thank you father," she replied, "but-"

"Presenting the royal family of Araldom!" was called as four people in expensive clothing walked towards them.