I don't own Twilight or the Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. I pains me so much to say so. *sniffle*

This chapter has the big surprise, so get ready!

Hope you like it!


BPOV

Two weeks after the ball, I was getting ready to go to the beach with my friends. Alice was with me, waiting until I was done so we could go together.

"Hey Bella..?" Alice asked cautiously.

"Yeah, Alice" I replied, slightly afraid of her wariness.

"You know how your coronation is in six weeks?"

I snorted. Of course I knew. It wasn't likely that I would forget it for one second. That was the day I would become queen.

"Of course, Alice. How could I forget?"

"Wellllll, I was wondering…"

"Yes?" I urged, feeling curious and suspicious.

"Can I design you crown? Please, please, PLEASE?!"

I was totally surprised for a second. Design my crown. Where the hell did that come from? It was kind of out of the blue. And why would she want to design it?

"My crown?" I asked, in case I was going insane, and hadn't heard her right.

"Yes! Please?"

"Umm, why do want to design my crown?" I was still I little shocked at her random suggestion.

"Because, Bella, the coronation will be one of the most important moments of your life. I want it to mean something. You can look at the crown in ten years and remember that day." I was mildly surprised at her reason. For once, it was bigger than just trying to force me into something more extravagant than I really wanted. I know, kind of weird to hear a princess say that, huh?

However, I felt the need to remind her of something. "But, Alice, the entire coronation has been planned since the day I was born. Everything from my crown to the flowers their going to decorate the throne room with." That was true actually.

Every detail was gone over before I could even talk. I remember, a couple of years ago, my father had told me that when I was only a week old a fight had broken out about what flowers were going to be draped around the chairs. Apparently one had wanted tulips, while the other wanted orange blossoms. Neither had won in the end. It actually ended up being freesias and blue roses (AN: Yes, they do exist. They're really pretty.).

"Can you please make one exception? Please?" she pleaded, pouting with the most heartbreaking look on her face, like she burst into tears if I said no.

I thought about it for a little. I thought it might really be a good idea. I wanted my coronation to be a day I would remember. "Okay." I said, shrugging.

I covered my ears, knowing a squeal was about to burst out of Alice. Even with my fingers jammed in my ears, I still heard her squeal so high, that she was close to being heard only by bats.

"Thank you!" she yelled, throwing her arms tightly around me. I could barely breathe. I would never understand how someone so small could be so strong.

"You're going to love it. Well, I haven't come up with a design, but I know you'll love whatever I come up with."

"Sure, Alice," I said to placate her.

"Are you done yet?" she asked, referring to getting ready for the beach.

"Yeah" I answered, picking up my purse. I was wearing a pair of white pants down to my knees with a red cami and flip-flops. I wasn't I huge fan of wearing really short shorts. It made me feel self- conscious.

"Let's go, then" chirped Alice, dancing gracefully to the door.

We went in her bright yellow Porshe. She rolled the windows down and started blasting her radio. She screamed along to the songs unashamedly, despite attracting curious looks as we drove passed.

We got to the beach just as 'Down' by Jay Sean ended.

She parked and we got out of the car. I loved coming to the beach. The aqua water and white sands were always peaceful, since I had a part all to myself and those I invited. Ah, the perks of being princess. Anyway, the quiet setting was always a good place to think. It was relaxing with only the sounds of the endlessly crashing waves and the seagulls crying ahead disturbed the still air.

"Jasper!" shrieked Alice, running into her boyfriends arms.

Correction, the sea and seagulls and Alice were the only ones to disturb the silence. I smiled regardless as I watched her grip Japer tightly, her feet a good foot and a half in the air.

I walked to pile of rocks and took my usual spot, sitting in a small intention. I watched the sea, relaxing into the warm sand and rocks. Rose and Emmett were in the water. I held back a laugh looking at Emmett. He played like a child, splashing at everyone. Suddenly he ducked under and disappeared. Rose was looking at Alice, waving in greeting.

All of a sudden, she was pulled under. I was worried for a second, until I saw Emmett rising from the water, laughing manically. Rose surfaced, looking furious. She started yelling at Emmett. I could hear her rant.

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT, YOU IDIOT? YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME. I THOUGHT A FUCKING SHARK HAD MY LEG AND IT WAS YOU BEING THE BRAINLESS MORON THAT YOU ARE! YOU GAVE ME A FUCKING HEART ATTACK!" she continued to rant, but Emmett kept laughing.

"Come on, Rose, you know that was epic. It was hilarious" laughed Emmett. Rosalie glared at him, but then her face softened, and she started smiling before joining in his laughter.

Alice and Jasper were under an umbrella, cuddled sweetly together. I smiled at their cuteness.

I looked back at the ocean. For some reason I had a feeling that something big was going to happen today. I didn't know what, but I couldn't shake the feeling off.

I decided to ignore it and return to resting for a while more until I decided to join Em and Rose in the blue water.

*********

I got back to the palace around five in the afternoon. I went to my room and changed into my comfortable black sweats and a white T-shirt. I went to my extensive book collection and scanned the rows of books I had piled over the years, trying to decide what to read.

I decided on The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks (AN: Very good book. I would recommend it to anyone). I loved all the books by Nicholas Sparks, but this one was my favorite.

I left my room and walked as quietly as I could down the halls. I reached a portrait of four monks, and pushed it in lightly, then slid it out of the way. Cool, huh? Palace with secret passageways. I had lived here for a while, obviously, so I had time to explore. This was actually one of the only two. The other one led to outside of the palace, to the gardens, but this one led to a small room.

I went into the dark hole gaping behind the painting, sliding it back into place behind me. I felt around the floor for the flashlight I kept at the entrance. The hallway to the room was really dark, and I didn't want to trip because I couldn't see.

I found the light, and flipped it on. The beam of light illuminated the hall, and I started forward. The hallway led to a spiral stone staircase. I skipped up the steps. I got to the top, which was a small room, bare except for a head statue and a large portrait. I pushed the head of the statue back, which released the catch on the portrait. I pulled it out of the way, swinging it shut behind me, and went down a short hallway with a door at the end. I opened the door and stepped into my private getaway.

The room was small, with just one armchair in the corner. A vent was on the wall, which was opened to the meeting room for the council. If they were in session while I was here, I could listen in on everything they said, and they would never know. Good thing, too, because they were so stubborn about keeping me out of the council meetings until I was queen.

I settled in the armchair, and opened The Last Song, reading the first lines.

Staring out the bedroom window, Ronnie wondered whether Pastor Harris was already at the church. (I feel obligated to say that this was a direct quote from the Last Song by Nicholas Sparks on page 1. I don't want to get into trouble because of copyright or anything.)

I lost myself in the story as it unfolded, transported to another world entirely. I was at the part when Ronnie saw the turtle nest when I heard noises through the vent. I looked at my watch and saw that I had been here for an hour. It was six-thirty in the evening.

Voices started flowing from the opening, and I assumed council was in session. I closed my book, carefully marking my page with a bookmark, and set it on the arm of my chair. I listened closely.

"You swore that Isabella would be married by now!" shouted an angry male voice. Wait, what? What about me getting married.

"I know," said a second voice. It was my father. "But I don't want to force her to get married. She wants to marry by love, not through an arranged marriage."

"The law clearly states that a woman must be married to take the throne!" The previous man said in the same angry tone. Since when was that a law? I had never heard of it.

"Don't make her do this. It's not fair to her! Would you want your daughter to be forced to marry?" yelled my dad, defending me.

The man ignored the last question. "It doesn't matter whether she wants to do it or not. It's the law. Either she gets married or she gives up the throne. And the coronation is only in six weeks. I think this is the point where she has been considered to have given up the throne." I suddenly recognized the voice. It was James Shar. He has never liked me for some reason. Did he really dislike me so much that he didn't want me to be queen?

"But whose next in line?" asked one of the old council members.

"Lord Edward Cullen," answered another.

"No!" my dad panicked. So did I. I had been waiting to be queen since I was old enough to realize all that came with it, not just dresses and balls.

"Just give her a bit more time, please," my dad begged on my behalf.

"No! She can't have more time, she is only just over a month away from the coronation, and she isn't married!" protested James.

"Wait!" said the head council member. "We will give her more time." Charlie's face lit of with relief. James' was furious.

"Thirty days," said the head of the council. "Thirty days or she gives up the throne to Lord Edward Cullen."

Oh, no. I said weakly in my head. My father's relief was wiped off his face and James suddenly looked victorious. He obviously thought I could never marry in a month. I honestly agreed with him completely. I could never do that, unless it was an arranged marriage-

That was it. I had to get an arranged marriage. There was no way I was going to fall in love in a month. No! I had always told myself that would never happen. I always said that I would never get an arranged marriage.

But the council had me trapped. It was either this or I would never be queen.

I wanted to be queen. I wanted it so bad. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to be marked down in history as one of the best queens in Meile's history.

"Fine," I vaguely heard my father say in resignation. "I'll make sure she gets married if she can agree to have an arranged marriage. If she doesn't want to, I'll give the throne to Lord Cullen."

I didn't fully comprehend this. I felt numb, like I just had a great shock, which I had. My mind didn't want to fully except it.

I heard the council leaving. Suddenly, I felt anger and despair rush through me. I realized what this really meant. I was completely backed against a wall because some old fools didn't want to leave their rules.

I left my book and the flashlight, running blindly through the door, down the hall, threw open the portrait, sprinted down the stairs, and pushed the second opening to the palace hall open, slamming it shut behind me.

I ran out of the palace, and passed the gates, ignoring the shouts calling my name. I ran into the forest surrounding the castle, and down a path I had followed many times. I pushed through the trees until I got to my destination.

My meadow. No one else knew about it. I had gotten lost in the forest once, and ended up here. I had found my way back out eventually, but had returned to find the meadow again later. It had taken a while, but I found it again and ever since it was my last escape, when I just wanted to be away from everything and anything. To be in the simplicity of nature.

It was beautiful, but right now, I couldn't notice that. I ran to the middle, threw myself down, and curled up on the forest floor with my head on my knees.

I started sobbing. I couldn't believe that I had to do this. I never wanted to, and know I was up against a wall with only two choices. I knew I would be picking the right one in deciding to still become queen. I knew that was what I had always wanted, but not like this. It had all happened so fast. It felt like someone had hit fast forward. Everything was a blur.

Just a few hours earlier, I had been discussing the crown for my coronation, and now the only way to still get that was to do something I didn't want to do.

I wept bitterly, hating all of the council for forcing me into this. Why did they have to do this to me?

I thought of my grandma as I let loose all my tears. She had died a few years ago, but before then, she had been queen of Meile. She was undoubtedly one of the best queens Meile ever had.

No, strike that. She had been the best queen ever.

The way she had made our country a better place for all had always inspired me. She had commanded with kindness and fairness. She had been the best ruler ever.

She was the reason I wanted to be queen. I wanted to be like her. I wanted to be that leader that made the world a better place.

I was determined to do it.

I wiped away the last of my tears, staring at the blue sky. A few fluffy cotton ball clouds floated, making the sky a beautiful pure white and soft blue.

I was going to do this. I had to. Even if it meant doing what I said I would never do.

I stood up, wiping off the forest debris from my bottom. I took a deep breath, drawing in the unwavering determination.

Then I walked out of the meadow and back down the path. I returned to the palace.

I went to my dad's room and knocked.

He opened the door and looked at me with surprise and sadness.

"Hey, Bells. Listen, I have something to tell you-"

I cut him off. "I already know, dad."

"You do?" he said incredulously.

I just nodded, and then said determinedly, "There's no time to waste. We are going to find me a husband before the month is over. I will get my chance to change the world." As I said this misery swept through me, but I pushed it away. I had already made my decision.

Charlie looked at me with sympathy, and nodded.

Now it was time to pick out my husband.

For some reason, when I thought those words, a face came to mind.

A face with bronze hair and green eyes; one that I hadn't seen since the birthday ball.

I remembered those green eyes, those deep, intense green eyes.

Longing filled my heart.


There are a lot more surprises coming up.

First, you have to remember the crown. It's important to the story later on.

Second, yes, the meadow mentioned will become the meadow in Twilight, but i'm not saying anymore than that. You'll have to find out how it happens by reading on.

Third, Edward will reappear soon. Probably in the next chapter at the end, but don't worry. We'll be getting some Edward soon. I know, i can't wait either ;)

Fourth, just because she feels longing, doesn't mean she's already in love with Edward. She feels the longing, but doesn't understand it yet. She will eventually.

I think everyone reading this should read the Last Song by Nicholas Sparks, the book i mentioned in this chapter. It's really good. Here's the summery:

Seventeen-year-old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life is turned upside down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, particularly her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she and her younger brother spent the summer with him in North Carolina.

Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will be the centerpiece of a local church. Resentful and rebellious, Ronnie rejects all of his attempts to reach out to her and threatens to return to New York before the summer's end. But soon Ronnie meets Will, the town's local heartthrob, and the last person she thought she's ever be attracted to. As Ronnie slowly lets her guard down, she finds herself falling deeply in love, opening herself to the greatest happiness-and pain-that she has ever known.

By the way, they're making it a movie. It's coming out on April 2. Just watch the trailer and you'll see how good the story is.

I'm going to try to update frequently, but i have exams in 2 weeks, which makes it harder to find time. Don't worry, though, i will anyway. ;)

PLEASE REVIEW!! If i get reviews i might give a peek into one of the bigger surprises. Believe me, it's a good one.