"Adrianna! Come here at once!" Hollered Madam Miriam.
"Yes, madam." Adrianna answered.
"How dare you defy your father and sneak out of the castle again! Your punishment will
be severe this time." Madam Miriam scolded.
"What is it madam?" Adrianna shyly questioned.
"Your father will decide." Madam Miriam answered, with a hint of a sneer on her face.
She then grabbed Adrianna's hand tightly and rushed her to the palace head chambers.
"Your majesty," Madam announced bowing slightly, "your daughter has run off to the
village for the fifth time this month."
"Yes, have you a punishment to propose?" answered the King.
"Well, I believe that it is about time that she were sent away to a boarding school..."
Madam started.
"No! No, father! Don't let her…" Adrianna interrupted.
"As I was saying," Madam said covering Adrianna's mouth with her hand, "she is clearly
not behaving and needs to know proper etiquette if she is ever to be a good queen."
"Hmmm, yes, she is in need…Madam Miriam, you will arrange for a boarding school
today and have her ready to depart tomorrow." The King ordered.
"Yes, sire." Madam replied. Then she dragged Adrianna out of the court room and down
the hall to her bedchamber. "You, little nuisance, you will be leaving tomorrow, I would
suggest that you have a maid pack for you at once." With that, Madam left and Adrianna
was left alone in her bedchamber.
"You…you horrible witch!" Adrianna yelled throwing a book at her door. Then she threw
herself on her bed and cried. "Now…I'll never be able to explore the world…why do I
have to be a princess? I hate it!" Then she stood up and starting imitating Madam Miriam.
"Oh, I'm in charge of everything, you need to leave this castle! Why? I hate you! That's a
good enough reason for a horrible brat like you…isn't it?"
Then she sat down and starting thinking aloud. "Oh how I wish I could be a bird, then I
could just fly away from all of this, free...free like a bird." Then her face changed to a
more angrier expression, "Well, wouldn't it just set her aflame if I were to leave the castle
tonight and not return this time! That would teach her…I could leave tonight and go
explore the world." Then she picked up her brush and started brushing her long shimmery
blonde hair. She looked at herself in her mirror; a sad, angry face looked back at her. She
was a beautiful young maiden, in her late teens, and she had the loveliest hair one could
ever imagine. She was thin, from her lack of enough food (this is customary for a royal
female), and she had eyes bluer than the sky. When she was finished brushing her hair, she
quickly put on her commoner outfit and set off with a sack to the royal kitchen.
When she arrived, she quickly packed some bread, meat, fruit and water. Then, she went
to the royal vault and took some valuables to help pay for things along her journey. "Well,
it's now or never." Whispered Adrianna as she crept through the dark castle. She took her
usual route to the village (that no one had discovered), and when she arrived, there were
people all over the streets sleeping along the sides as they did every night. Adrianna was
now scared, and she was starting to doubt if she could even survive if she left the palace
for good. Just then, she saw candle light in a window and decided to go to the shop to ask
for what supplies she may need.
She hurried along the road until at last she reached the shop and knocked on the door.
"Hello? Oh, come in child." Greeted the storekeeper. Adrianna slowly entered the store,
she hated being called a child, but she didn't say anything. "How can I help you?"
"Well, I umm need to visit a sick aunt and I need some supplies to help me get there
safely." Adrianna quickly lied.
"Oh! Sure I can help you! Let's see here…are you familiar with a sword?" Asked the
storekeeper.
"No, not exactly." Adrianna replied.
"Well then, this little one here ought to help you out if you're a beginner." The
storekeeper said, handing a thin sword to Adrianna. "Now, you will need some quicker
transportation, do you know how to ride?"
"Yes, very well sir." Answered Adrianna.
"Great, we have a young stallion in need of a good journey. We just got him last week. Do
you have enough money to buy him?" asked the storekeeper.
"Will this do?" Adrianna asked, taking a golden bowl from her sack.
"Holy…that'll do fine! That pays for the sword too. I'll take you to the horse now if
you'd like." The storekeeper suggested.
"Yes, now is best." Adrianna said. With that, he took her to the stable and brought her to
a beautiful horse with a shiny black coat and mane. "Oh, he's beautiful…"
"Yes, he is a beaut. Well, here you go. Can I do anything else for the lady?" Asked the
storekeeper.
"No, this is great, thank you and goodbye." Adrianna said as she galloped the horse away
and out of the village. "Oh, you are beautiful. I wonder what I should name such a
beautiful steed."
"Well, my name is Regan." The horse said.
"What…who said that?" Adrianna said with a panic in her tone.
"I did, the horse." The horse said.
"Whoa, you can talk?" Adrianna questioned.
"Well, actually, I can. I wasn't always a horse, you know. I was cursed by an evil warlock,
who wanted to be the most handsome warlock again. However, before the spell was
complete, I added to it…well…a cure." Said Regan.
"What is the cure? Can I do anything?" Adrianna asked.
"Well, you definitely could help, but it can only be broken by a kiss of true love." Regan
explained. Adrianna paused for a moment, slightly disturbed at the thought of kissing a
horse.
"Well, how are you to know who your true love is?" Adrianna asked, nervously.
"I am not entirely sure, there was a strange poem that explained it, and I don't remember
it." Regan sighed. "If only I had better memory, I could tell it to you and you could help
me find her."
"Oh, I'm so dreadfully sorry. Do you want me to dismount you? I know having someone
ride your back must feel awful." Adrianna sympathetically asked.
"That is quite all right, I am fine with you there; you hardly weight an ounce. But, may I
ask the lady, who you are?" Regan asked.
"Yes you may, I am Adrianna Royale, the only heir to the Royale throne, Princess of these
parts." Adrianna casually announced.
Regan stopped the second he heard her say "Royale". "You…are a princess? Why on
earth are you going places at this hour?" Regan questioned.
"I am running away, and you are not to tell anyone who I truly am!" Adrianna lightly
whispered in his ear.
"I will do whatever the lady says. I am just very intrigued as to why a princess, who lives
in riches, wants to be common so very badly." Regan said.
"I have my reasons. We need not to say anymore about this subject." Adrianna stated
firmly.
"Okay! Consider it erased." Replied Regan. They then continued down the road for a few
more hours without saying anything to each other. Then, Adrianna was feeling tired, so
she stopped Regan.
"Okay, we are going to rest for a while, where do you think we should go?" Adrianna
asked as she slipped down from Regan's back.
"Under that beautiful tree over there would be great. Could you do me one small favor
first?" Regan asked.
"Sure. What?" Adrianna asked.
"Take the items off of my back, please." Regan asked. Adrianna then untied the saddle
from him and took her sack over to the tree with her. In a few minutes, Adrianna was fast
asleep, but Regan couldn't sleep just yet; the sun was starting to rise off in the distance
and he finally got a good look at Adrianna, he was mesmerized by her beauty. He then
slowly settled down in a spot near her and fell asleep. Several hours were passed before
Adrianna woke.
"Yes, madam." Adrianna answered.
"How dare you defy your father and sneak out of the castle again! Your punishment will
be severe this time." Madam Miriam scolded.
"What is it madam?" Adrianna shyly questioned.
"Your father will decide." Madam Miriam answered, with a hint of a sneer on her face.
She then grabbed Adrianna's hand tightly and rushed her to the palace head chambers.
"Your majesty," Madam announced bowing slightly, "your daughter has run off to the
village for the fifth time this month."
"Yes, have you a punishment to propose?" answered the King.
"Well, I believe that it is about time that she were sent away to a boarding school..."
Madam started.
"No! No, father! Don't let her…" Adrianna interrupted.
"As I was saying," Madam said covering Adrianna's mouth with her hand, "she is clearly
not behaving and needs to know proper etiquette if she is ever to be a good queen."
"Hmmm, yes, she is in need…Madam Miriam, you will arrange for a boarding school
today and have her ready to depart tomorrow." The King ordered.
"Yes, sire." Madam replied. Then she dragged Adrianna out of the court room and down
the hall to her bedchamber. "You, little nuisance, you will be leaving tomorrow, I would
suggest that you have a maid pack for you at once." With that, Madam left and Adrianna
was left alone in her bedchamber.
"You…you horrible witch!" Adrianna yelled throwing a book at her door. Then she threw
herself on her bed and cried. "Now…I'll never be able to explore the world…why do I
have to be a princess? I hate it!" Then she stood up and starting imitating Madam Miriam.
"Oh, I'm in charge of everything, you need to leave this castle! Why? I hate you! That's a
good enough reason for a horrible brat like you…isn't it?"
Then she sat down and starting thinking aloud. "Oh how I wish I could be a bird, then I
could just fly away from all of this, free...free like a bird." Then her face changed to a
more angrier expression, "Well, wouldn't it just set her aflame if I were to leave the castle
tonight and not return this time! That would teach her…I could leave tonight and go
explore the world." Then she picked up her brush and started brushing her long shimmery
blonde hair. She looked at herself in her mirror; a sad, angry face looked back at her. She
was a beautiful young maiden, in her late teens, and she had the loveliest hair one could
ever imagine. She was thin, from her lack of enough food (this is customary for a royal
female), and she had eyes bluer than the sky. When she was finished brushing her hair, she
quickly put on her commoner outfit and set off with a sack to the royal kitchen.
When she arrived, she quickly packed some bread, meat, fruit and water. Then, she went
to the royal vault and took some valuables to help pay for things along her journey. "Well,
it's now or never." Whispered Adrianna as she crept through the dark castle. She took her
usual route to the village (that no one had discovered), and when she arrived, there were
people all over the streets sleeping along the sides as they did every night. Adrianna was
now scared, and she was starting to doubt if she could even survive if she left the palace
for good. Just then, she saw candle light in a window and decided to go to the shop to ask
for what supplies she may need.
She hurried along the road until at last she reached the shop and knocked on the door.
"Hello? Oh, come in child." Greeted the storekeeper. Adrianna slowly entered the store,
she hated being called a child, but she didn't say anything. "How can I help you?"
"Well, I umm need to visit a sick aunt and I need some supplies to help me get there
safely." Adrianna quickly lied.
"Oh! Sure I can help you! Let's see here…are you familiar with a sword?" Asked the
storekeeper.
"No, not exactly." Adrianna replied.
"Well then, this little one here ought to help you out if you're a beginner." The
storekeeper said, handing a thin sword to Adrianna. "Now, you will need some quicker
transportation, do you know how to ride?"
"Yes, very well sir." Answered Adrianna.
"Great, we have a young stallion in need of a good journey. We just got him last week. Do
you have enough money to buy him?" asked the storekeeper.
"Will this do?" Adrianna asked, taking a golden bowl from her sack.
"Holy…that'll do fine! That pays for the sword too. I'll take you to the horse now if
you'd like." The storekeeper suggested.
"Yes, now is best." Adrianna said. With that, he took her to the stable and brought her to
a beautiful horse with a shiny black coat and mane. "Oh, he's beautiful…"
"Yes, he is a beaut. Well, here you go. Can I do anything else for the lady?" Asked the
storekeeper.
"No, this is great, thank you and goodbye." Adrianna said as she galloped the horse away
and out of the village. "Oh, you are beautiful. I wonder what I should name such a
beautiful steed."
"Well, my name is Regan." The horse said.
"What…who said that?" Adrianna said with a panic in her tone.
"I did, the horse." The horse said.
"Whoa, you can talk?" Adrianna questioned.
"Well, actually, I can. I wasn't always a horse, you know. I was cursed by an evil warlock,
who wanted to be the most handsome warlock again. However, before the spell was
complete, I added to it…well…a cure." Said Regan.
"What is the cure? Can I do anything?" Adrianna asked.
"Well, you definitely could help, but it can only be broken by a kiss of true love." Regan
explained. Adrianna paused for a moment, slightly disturbed at the thought of kissing a
horse.
"Well, how are you to know who your true love is?" Adrianna asked, nervously.
"I am not entirely sure, there was a strange poem that explained it, and I don't remember
it." Regan sighed. "If only I had better memory, I could tell it to you and you could help
me find her."
"Oh, I'm so dreadfully sorry. Do you want me to dismount you? I know having someone
ride your back must feel awful." Adrianna sympathetically asked.
"That is quite all right, I am fine with you there; you hardly weight an ounce. But, may I
ask the lady, who you are?" Regan asked.
"Yes you may, I am Adrianna Royale, the only heir to the Royale throne, Princess of these
parts." Adrianna casually announced.
Regan stopped the second he heard her say "Royale". "You…are a princess? Why on
earth are you going places at this hour?" Regan questioned.
"I am running away, and you are not to tell anyone who I truly am!" Adrianna lightly
whispered in his ear.
"I will do whatever the lady says. I am just very intrigued as to why a princess, who lives
in riches, wants to be common so very badly." Regan said.
"I have my reasons. We need not to say anymore about this subject." Adrianna stated
firmly.
"Okay! Consider it erased." Replied Regan. They then continued down the road for a few
more hours without saying anything to each other. Then, Adrianna was feeling tired, so
she stopped Regan.
"Okay, we are going to rest for a while, where do you think we should go?" Adrianna
asked as she slipped down from Regan's back.
"Under that beautiful tree over there would be great. Could you do me one small favor
first?" Regan asked.
"Sure. What?" Adrianna asked.
"Take the items off of my back, please." Regan asked. Adrianna then untied the saddle
from him and took her sack over to the tree with her. In a few minutes, Adrianna was fast
asleep, but Regan couldn't sleep just yet; the sun was starting to rise off in the distance
and he finally got a good look at Adrianna, he was mesmerized by her beauty. He then
slowly settled down in a spot near her and fell asleep. Several hours were passed before
Adrianna woke.