Thanks to all my reviews. This does have to do with Ella Enchanted, trust me, I just haven't really been able to get into that yet, but it is coming. Oh, ignor the preface, it was just a blurb as to what happened to the kingdom after Ella and Char got married, nothing special. Keep reviewing please!

Chapter 3

Family Reunion

Wait, what? Did he say Lord? Whatever happened to Prince? He is my brother, I am the princess, and my father is the king, so that makes him a prince! What in the world is going on? "I-I am not following. W-why did you say lord?" Clair stammered.

"Well, I have decided to give up the throne and the crown. Instead of me becoming king, you will become queen! You must be so excited!" her brother, Lord Rand, told her grinning.

"B-but I don't want to be queen! Why are you doing this? You can't! Father, tell him that he can't do this!" she cried in shock. What is he thinking? Why is he doing this? He has always wanted to be king, but now, after he comes home from lord knows where, he decides to give up his title? He must have some disease that is making him loose his mind. That's it. Once he gets better, he will change his mind! Clair just stood there staring in disbelief at her father and brother.

"Okay, obviously you are not fit for a ridding lesson of any sort today, so why don't we just get you back to the palace and maybe something to eat. Come on, let's go." her brother said, taking her hand and leading her away from the stables. But instead of letter him lead her and make small talk, Clair snatched her hand back and ran up to her rooms crying.

This changes everything! Now I'll never be able to live a normal life, and I'll never have normal friends, and I'll have to take more classes so I can learn how to rule a damn country and how to command our nights! My knights! I don't want to do this! How could he do this to me? He knew that I never wanted to become queen! I can't believe him! At this point tears were streaming down her face so noticeably that as she ran past the guards and some of the servants that they all turned and looked at her in shock, wondering what could possibly trouble a princess so much that she was crying like a child. And, the worst part of this, I can not do anything to save Jeremy now. Not with all my new responsibilities that I have now. Why? Why does everything always happen to me?

Since she still had tears in her eyes, Clair never noticed that there was someone standing in front of her until she practically ran him over. She would have fallen flat on her face if he had not caught her at the waist in mid-air, spinning her around to face him. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded hysterically, still not being able to see clearly. "Let go of me!"

"Hello Princess! Did you have a nice ridding lesson? Obviously not, so let me help you up to your rooms so that you can rest." said a familiar voice. But Clair's mind was spinning too much to figure out who it was.

"Thank you, but I'm fine now." she said wiping away most of the tears. Looking up, she saw that it was her cousin Jacob. "What are you doing here Jake? I thought that you were still at school, training to be a scholar or a swordsman or something?" she said, finally relaxing enough for him to trust that she wouldn't bolt again.

"Well, I was, until that fool of a boy Jeremy came and asked me to escort you to the ball next month instead of myself. So I had to come tell Uncle Andrew. I seriously think that that kid in insane! I mean, I have heard of commoners and knights or low upper-class trying to wed, and sometimes succeeding, but never this! You're a princess for crying out loud! What were you thinking provoking him?" he told her, getting more upset as he went on.

"What? Is that what he said? I think not! He was my ridding instructor and a stable boy. I never saw him unless I went ridding. Though, I have heard that he would follow me at times. That is a little creepy, but come on! You know me better than that!"

"Well, anyways, whether you are right or he is..." she couldn't believe what he was saying. She was a princess, much less even interested in any man! I'm only seventeen for crying out loud! I don't want to marry! Not yet anyways, and certainly not for a while yet. I know that I will have to now that I am destined to rule, but not now! This day was getting too much for her.

"Well, I hope that everyone will find that Jeremy means nothing to me. Now if you will excuse me, I have had a long and tiring day. I would like it if you would let me go to my rooms now. It was nice seeing you back home safely. We will talk later I am sure. Good day Jacob." Clair said as she walked away on unstable feet, but was sure not to let him see, for then he would surely want accompany her the rest of the way. What in the world is going on today? I need some rest. I'll send Natalie down for some food later. I have to talk to Nicholas!