Princess Ella Katriana Banton, betrothed to Prince Manelin Alain Agustin LLLCXXXVIII, hair to the throne the kingdom of greater Royuamay, son of Prince Manelin Alain Agustin LLLCXXXVII, formerly known as Cinderella, glanced up from her examination of her new quarters with a sigh. Not that there was anything wrong with her new quarters. Quite the contrary. In fact, they were beyond her wildest dreams. Her new suit of rooms were simple by palace standards, an elegant bedroom with a receiving chamber, a sitting room and a powder room, but Katriana was not used to palace standards. The modest luxury of her canopy satin bed made Kat giddy with excitement. It wasn't a dream. She was here, in the castle, for good.
Then why didn't she feel overjoyed with new possibilities? Could it be the new corset that seemed to be squeezing the very life out of her? The fact that she had not had a moment to herself since she stepped in to the castle for the very first time three days ago? Could it be that she hadn't even seen her beloved since the fateful ball? She didn't know. Kat was unused to the feeling of being stumped. Back at the cottage, when she didn't know something, she figured it out. That one simplicity, something cat had always taken for granted, was being tried on her very first day here. Why, Kat bet-

Thump, thump thump. Kat whirled at the unmistakable sound of someone knocking at the door. What was a princess supposed to do? Open the door herself? Call for them to come in? Ring for a servant to open to door? Suddenly Kat was spared by her armed guard who opened the door for her.
"Your highness," He swept in, bowing low. "May I present the lord His Excellent grace, sir Damion of Fief Murdern" I smiled as sweetly as I could when Damion walked in, but it took all my willpower to keep it from becoming a horrified grimace when I saw him. He must have weighed at least six-hundred pounds and was waddling like a duck. His corpulent face leered at me from out under a ugly unibrow and a mouth spread into what must have supposed to resemble a smile, though it looked more like a smirk.
"Princess" He reached out and took my slender arm, slobbering all over it in a pathetic attempt to try to kiss my hand.