Just in case you all are wondering how you pronounce Ranaya it's Ra-neigh-ya.

Review review! I'm reposting the prologue because I added how Ranaya looks.

Chapter 1:

As soon as Ranaya went into the hall where the Throne Room was located and could already tell her father and Karik were talking about her.

"Just what I expected. Well I'm going to tell them just what they didn't expect!" Ranaya put on a smug look as she opened the heavy wooden doors, going in.

Darius and Karik looked up at the same time like they were surprised to see her.

"Back so soon?" Darius inquired as Ranaya walked up to them.

Ranaya shrugged as she stared at Karik a moment. Uh she just could not stand him. Even the way he looked bothered her.

"Father, I need to speak to you," she said slowly. Only looking at him and not Karik.

"If you must please go ahead," Darius said, sounding extremely rude to his daughter.

"Alone," Ranaya hissed, "Not in front of him," she insisted hastily, giving a glare to King Karik.

He gave her a grin.

Darius cleared his throat, "Excuse me," he took Ranaya's arm and they went out into the hall.

"Now what is it you wanted to speak to me of?" Darius looked a little impatient on his part.

"I am not marrying that—that bigoted King of Zachavi!" Ranaya couldn't hardly get the words out she was so furious with him. She had to fight the urge to end the sentence by stomping her foot like a child. She was dead set against marrying anyone who was prejudice or tortured and murdered for the fun of it.

"You are and you will," Darius demanded, crossing his arms. Darius was a stern, demanding Father but he always good and fair to Ranaya and did what he thought was best for her or thought was good for her.

This definitely isn't good and fair to me! Ranaya thought as she glared at her cocky and stubborn father.

"No I am not! Why don't I get a choice in the matter. He's going to be my husband after all! I don't want to marry a King of people who I despise the most!" Ranaya vented. She always had a short temper that exploded very quickly if she didn't like something.

"Yes you are. I'm only doing what's best for you and that is to marry that King. It's best for all of us. It will give us better peace between Zachavi and Lakishea," Darius sounded hurt that his daughter was so exasperated with him.

"I'm a Peace Treaty? You're going to just trade me off just so there will be peace between our two countries? Don't you even care about me and my happiness?" Ranaya choked on tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
"Ranaya, sometimes being a royal means you have to sacrifice happiness for what's good for your Kingdom. Thing's don't always go our way and we have to face that. I'm sorry but that is what is happening to you," Darius tried to reason with her, trying to be successful, "Besides, that's how I met your Mother. We had an arranged marriage also," he added, giving Ranaya a pleading look.

Ranaya had had enough of sorrow for the day and was about to dash away when Darius pulled her back, "Don't go yet. Listen to me."

"Maybe I don't want to be a royal. I sometimes wish I was never born," Ranaya sulked. That wasn't no way to be and it didn't change the fact that she was on earth and she was a princess and not a normal peasant girl.

Darius raised his hand as if to slap her in his anger but then lowered it and sighed, "Wishing that you weren't born isn't going to change who you are and your destiny. Face the fact that you are going to marry Karik and stop feeling sorry for yourself," he said in a warning tone.

Wait until Dari here's of this! Ranaya thought furiously. Dari was her older brother who was out surveying the Country the past months. His real name was Darius Yarkish the II.

"Can I go now?" Ranaya whispered, feeling shocked that he had almost hit her. She wanted to go back to the stables and hide in one of the stalls and have a good cry, Stalls were one of the best places to hide at that.

"Go on. I think we've both said enough," Darius waved her hand, looking disgusted and she couldn't help but feel like one of the subjects instead of the daughter of the King.

Ranaya didn't race away like usual. She decided to walk slowly back to the stable. Trudging slowly she was hoping no one would want to talk to her.

She had her face hidden in her cloak as she went into the stable doors. No one was in sight as she headed for the end stall.

She opened the stall door and was greeted by a black mare that seemed to be excited to see her. The horses always seemed to be drawn to her.

"Hello, Ebony," she wiped her eyes as she sat down in the hay beside the horse.

She let herself have a good cry, knowing no one was going to find her or so she thought.

About the time she had finished crying someone walked in.

Thinking it was Harry she said," Harry! You know I don't like being disturbed when I-," she broke off in surprise as she realized it wasn't Harry but the new stable-hand. She arose from the hay quickly.

"Your Highness!" Lando exclaimed, "I didn't know, I'm sorry. Really," he bowed, trying to be respectful. He had a pitchfork in his hand that he had to juggle to keep from dropping.

"Ranaya," she corrected, "No I should be the one that is sorry. You didn't know I was in here," she laughed at his frozen expression.

"Ranaya," he smiled, getting over his shock, "I was just going to muck out the stall," he looked embarrassed now.

"Here," she took the pitchfork from his hand, "Since I'm already in here. Let me," she said too much of his astonishment, "Just get me the muck cart."

Lando's mouth actually dropped open in surprise," I—I'm not supposed to let you do that. I'll get fired or executed for letting the Princess do manual labor fit for sla-," Ranaya silenced him by putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Lando, everyone knows that I like to work in the stables. You shall not get fired or executed," Ranaya gave him a smile to assure.

Lando sighed then went to get the muck cart.

She kind of liked the lad. Maybe they would see each other more; she thought she started mucking as soon as he brought the cart.

"If you would like, you could go ahead and groom Ebony," Ranaya suggested Lando as he stood there looking like he didn't know what to do. That stall must have been his last.

He didn't waste any time getting to it. As soon as she mentioned it he dashed off.

Ranaya had to fight an urge to laugh at his quick action. She almost forgot her talk with Darius and thoughts of marrying Karik.

Maybe she and Lando could be friends.