Chapter 1

April 2, 2010,

Every little girl dreams about being a princess. You know, wearing all those beautiful dresses and amazing jewelry. But they never think of all the rules and control you have to put up with being royal. You not only have to deal with your parents and their rules for being their child but also those from your country. Your always being looked at and told when you look horrible, or fat, or too skinny, your hair is too long or too short. It totally sucks let me tell you. You have to look a certain part, especially when you're the future Queen. You never get a normal childhood. You know sleepovers, pillow fights, climbing trees, scarping knees, elbows, chins, having bumps and bruises. Not good for a princess and future queen to have scares all over. No normal real dates. I mean I went on dates but not like normal girls who weren't royalty did. I always had bodyguards hovering around. No quick first date kiss, no guy would have even tried to attempt that one. Most of the time they never gave me a ride home or there for that matter. No ride home means, no making out in the back seat of someone's car. Nope not gonna happen when someone's breathing down me neck about being a proper lady. Cause someone is always listening with a camera in hand.

I hate being a proper lady but true to princess fashion I am hosting our famous Tea party. The only people invited to the tea party are royal people from around the world but mostly just princess's. Mostly what the tea party is, is a fashion party where we all wear our favorite designers and try to out do each other, and we have this stupid tea party every year. The party is next Saturday; it will be my very last public appearance for an entire year. I turn 21 in 15 days and as of May 1st I am on vacation. Through a promise from my grandfather King Broderick, I will be free for one year to do whatever I wish to do whenever I want to do it. But according to my signed agreement I am to take a total of 3 people with me. Two are my personal bodyguards, Trevor Jamison, 25 and Bryan Gonzalez, 26. I've known both since for as long as I can remember. They are for safety so that I do come back in one piece and really they were the only way Grandpa Brody would even consider letting me leave. The last person is my personal assistant Raenah Ruiz, 23. Raenah and I have been friends for forever, she's my best friend and I wouldn't even think of leaving with out taking her with me. I have less than a month to wait and I want to say my bags are already packed and really in my head they are but in reality they aren't. I want to see what it's like on the other side, to have a little money, to worry about making ends meet and everything totally different from what I know. My parents think that I'm going through a phase and that on May 1st I'll change my mind and wont want to go, but I really doubt that one. I'm changing my name to Aubrianna Poppe. Poppe is my great-grandmother's maiden name.

"Aubri, your mother is on her way and she's in a fit about something." Raenah warned as she rushed into my room.

"Of course she's in a fit. Tell me when she isn't in one. She and my father are still pissed that I am going to actually take a year off and that my Grandpa is willing to let me leave." I said shutting my journal and hiding it under my mattress, my mother would look for it later but would never consider looking there.

"Aubrianna Jasmine. Your later again for the planning again." My mother demanded in all her elegance hands on her hips of her silk pantsuit.

"And what planning am I late for this time mother?" I asked rolling my eyes a little but just to annoy her like I know it will.

"The Tea Party. It's next Saturday."

"Yes, mom I know it is and those plans have been settled for awhile now. I have my final dress fitting in an hour." I said glancing at my calendar on my desk.

"I didn't see any final plans of the tea party." My mother in her most regal voice demanded eyeing me.

"No you didn't. I gave them to my grandfather already about 3 weeks ago. I figured since you weren't really invited to the social event you didn't really need to see any of the plans. Not to mention that the only reason you want to see the plans is to check my plans." I said watching my mother.

" Aubrianna how dare you."

"Dare I talk to you like that, I know I'm such a horrible child. Now if you'll excuse me I have an appointment with my grandfather in ten minutes and it usually takes me that long to get to his office." I said leaving my rooms.

"You will not talk to me like that I am still your mother." My mother demanded turning on her heel and leaving.

She would no doubt head to tell my father that I had and attitude towards her and you'll never believe what I did with the tea party plans. Oh, well she'll get over it or deal with the attitude I have. As I headed towards my grandfathers office I thought of how my father should know how I feel being cooped up in this awful prison of elegance and fashion, since he too was born into being breed for the throne. But I would put in my time here until I am free of this cage. But my only problem is that I would have to actually return after my year is up. Maybe I'll have a better out look on everything when I return. Finally at my grandfather's office

"Grandpa Brody, you wanted to talk to me about something." I said walking into my grandfather's office. The office is very masculine in the way of all the ugly deer heads and other things heads on the wall. My grandfather sat behind his Louis VI desk just chilling waiting for me to arrive,

"Aubri dear sit. And we shall talk." Grandpa Brody said leaning forward with a wide grin on his face.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked still standing ready to run if need be.

"Yes and no. I think you're the only one to know for sure."

"Um… Oh. I should probably sit then."

"Yeah" Was all he said watching me.

Some how I doubted this meeting had anything to do with my attitude towards my parents.

"Should I apologize for something?"

"I don't know should you?" He asked watching me.

"Um… Not that I know of." I said watching him hoping for a sign as to why I was really here and knowing that that this had nothing to do with my attitude lately.

"Max, the head of my security tells me that he has seen you climbing out of your window in the middle of the night and meeting some guy he couldn't recognize." Was all my grandfather said watching me.

"Really that's very interesting." I said straightening my jeans nervously.

"You know who I think that you're heading out to meet?"

"No." I said shaking my head knowing that my grandfather knew exactly who I was meeting and why.

"I think your late night meetings are with a young Trevor. But what I cant' figure out is why you two sneak out to have these meeting and what the two of you are doing out in the middle of the night."

"Um…" I said looking everywhere but at my grandfather.

"Do you have an explanation, Young lady?"

"No, Not really." I said quietly. For being a 65-year-old man my grandfather was huge in comparison to me. He reminds me of an older version of Hulk Hogan, you know with the wide shoulders and big muscular body. You would think that that huge body would look out of sorts in an Armani 3-piece suit, but oddly enough he look amazing, along with his snow white hair that he has a full head of.

"What does not really mean exactly?" Grandpa Brody demanded eyeing me with is chocolate brown eyes that showed nothing of any emotion.

"Do you honestly want to know the truth?" I asked hoping he would tell me no.

"Yes, I would like to truth and full honesty from you."

"Okay. So here it is. Trevor and I meet late at night and outside of the palace walls for the simple fact that we wanted privacy. We talk about how we'll handle the security and every thing else when we leave the palace. So that we both know how to handle things when I am no longer surrounded but the palace walls."

"Really or was that your best attempt?"

"Really. Trevor and Bryan want to be completely prepared as possible before we leave. Trevor tells me that I have to be extremely careful, which I already knew, to pull the entire year off. He told me that I needed to pull back from the public appearances about two weeks ago but I knew I would never hear the end of it if I missed the Tea Party. So the Tea Party will be my last public appearance. " I said explaining most of the truth.

"So you really are going through with all this non-sense." My father, Devlin, demanded from behind me standing weakly in the doorway still dressed in his riding clothes.

"Yes, father I do plan to go through with all my plans, maybe we I return you and mother will treat and think of me as an adult about to take the throne and not a 5year old child. I am not you little girl anymore I am growing up. Now if the two of you are finished with the execution I have things I need to see to." I said heading towards the doorway where my father was still standing. "Maybe you should lay down and not let mom wear you out so much." I suggested as I passed him. His color was gone and he was swaying way too much. Mother must have headed for him once I pissed her off. She needed to stop taking everything out on him his body wasn't up to go through a real fight with him. It really wasn't his fault that his body wasn't up to being king and that she would never see the throne and that within a year she'll be ruled by her own daughter.

"Aubri this is all non-sense. Father tell her its non-sense. And I don't need to lay down I can handle my self just fine." My dad demanded walking into the office and taking the seat that I just vacated.

"How am I suppose to run an entire country if I don't experience the same things that my people go through on a day to day basis. All I now is palace life. You were in the Navy; you had some contact with the outside world. Isn't that how you meet mom?"

"Yes it is. Do you know what you're risking?" My father demanded turning his chair to face me.

"Yes, I know what I am risking to have a little freedom to feel like and adult, a human being and a female. I've already talked to Dallas about the whole situation." I said knowing just what my father would have to say for his "playboy" son.

"Dallas will not take the throne." My father demanded just like I knew he would, hell even Dallas knew.

"Huh. And I wont either if you stand in my way of doing this." I demanded hands on my hips forgetting that my father was of poor health and that I was only hurting him. The show down had come and I was ready to fight for what I wanted.

"You wouldn't dare." My mother shrieked from behind me.

"Don't you dare talk to me like I am a child young lady." My father demanded sternly but a little quietly like he had to concentrate to breath.

"Look what your doing to your father." My mother demanded rushing to his side.

"Nothing you haven't done lately to him. And yes I would dare not take the throne if either of you stand in my way of doing this. Then Dallas will be your next choice unless you have some kind of magic to make dad better." I said aiming my words at my mother; I didn't want to hurt my dad anymore than I had. I watched as my mothers jaw dropped, then turned and walked away from the pain filled eyes of my father.

My brother Dallas is three and a half years younger than me, and since I am to be queen he's decided to do everything in his power to piss our parents off and embarrass them. The fights, the drugs, the alcohol, the girls, oh god the girls he goes through. He's cute enough with a body like Ashton Keutcher but with sandy blond hair and big green eyes like my mother. Just thinking of him and the whole situation makes me laugh. But I had a dress to get fitted for since it would be a semi- formal Tea Party outside in the gardens on the terrace. And true to promise this would be the last public appearance that I would take part in until the annual charity ball next June. A month, Four weeks, thirty days and then I'm free, and no I don't know how many hours, minutes or seconds, I'm not that weird. Starting three months ago until now I have made few public appearances, only the very important have crossed my desk, mostly the ones that involved the whole family being there did I go. Me and my attitude. And before that I didn't really go to a lot of things in the public or do things to put my self out there for all to see, so few really knew what I looked like. I think I could make this work, I hope.

"Aubri, how'd it go?" Raenah asked as I entered my rooms where my dressmaker waited, or actually was setting up.

"Princess Aubrianna you are early, I am not ready." Mara an old dear friend of the family demanded in her broken English.

"I know and I am sorry finish what your doing I can wait, Mara. My meeting with my grandpa Brody went who knows how it went. I was bout Max seeing me sneaking out of my room to meet some guy he couldn't identify. So as we all know how Max works he told my grandfather. In the middle of it my father showed up." I demanded rubbing the spot where I was beginning to get a headache.

"Princess. Sorry it interrupt but I am ready if you are." Mara said watching me quietly. A woman of few words a woman I loved at the moment.

"Yes, I am. The dress you want me to put on first. Thanks I'll be right back." I said heading to the bathroom to change into one of the dresses that Mara had made me the woman knew me and my size better than any one she could make me a dress that fit me with out me telling her what I wanted it to look like and how it should fit.

"Well be right here waiting for you." Raenah said laughing, she was in an unusually good mood today I would have to remember to talk to her about that little tidbit I wasn't in the know how of.

"Oh man Mara. This dress is perfect, exactly what I was looking for. This is amazing." I demanded excited but not surprised that she had done a perfect job of the dress.

"Get out here than and let us see this amazing dress." Raenah demanded standing on the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. I'm coming. You better hold you horses girl." I said finally putting my conversation with my grandfather to the back of my head.
My perfect amazing dress was a halter dress, which meant I would have to get a new bra. It's a white color with creams and pinks on the front. They aren't really in the form of anything but they still look really cool together. It 's totally gorgeous, I was in love with it as soon as I put it on.

"Princess." Mara said wistfully watching me as I came out of the bathroom. "Come here darling let me look." Mara added waving me her way so that she could pick at the perfect dress and find imperfections that only she could see.

"Mara, what did I tell you? Your like a mother to me please don't call me Princess, please just call me Aubrianna or Aubri." I asked walking to her.

"Yes, know but I am an old woman you have to forgive me if my memory is missing a few things. Now let's look at this dress. Take it in a little in the back, you like it a little tighter?" Mara asked already making the adjustments.

"Yeah a little but not too tight we don't want any thing popping out of the front of this dress, plenty people would see way more of me than I would like." I said laughing a little.

"Good God, Aub I wish I could pull a dress like that off like you do." Raenah demanded her voice dripping with envy

"Now Aubri I do have the other dress you asked for." Mara said turning to hold out this other dress. I always have her make at least three that way I have things to look and compare with. This dress was made like a slip, a pale, pale pink almost like a champagne pink color, with lace on the bottom which would hit mid thigh and lace along the cleavage line on the front and let me tell you I would fill that thing out just perfectly, if I were to wear it for a special guy. My mother would have a major conniption fit if I were to even consider wearing something like that to the Tea Party. Best to be a little conservative and make peace when I'm about to leave and not see them for a whole year, My Grandpa seems to think that while I'm gone I may learn that my parents really aren't crazy they just want what's best for me. Who knows what I may learn on my year of freedom.

"Truthfully, I think that for the Tea Party I should wear this dress but I will take that one. You never know when I may need another dress." I said thinking of maybe wearing that dress for Trevor once we're away from the palace and eyes.

What I had told my grandfather had been true, but not all true. Trevor and I had started to meet late at night and away from the palace walls but still inside the palace to discuss the right way to keep me safe but not over power me since I was leaving to get away from the strict rules of my well being. But then one night it all changed. Trevor and I grew up together and you know how it is usually with kids that grew up together they usually don't know anything about the other then all the sudden their thrown together and made to get along, but they still don't know anything about each other. To me he was my bodyguard and nothing more I knew his mom had died in a horrible car accident when we were little I remembered that, but other than that I felt it was none of my business just like I felt he didn't need to know anything about me to really protect me I like my privacy thank you very much. But one night we were to meet at the pond my favorite spot to sit and think things through and I was late getting there and came across Trevor skinny dipping, don't get me wrong I knew what naked guys looked like I have seen a well actually just one but that's for some other time. Back to Trevor and the amazing body my guard has on him. The workouts that he's put himself through really work for him and those perfect six-pack abs let me tell you something about those perfect abs, oh my I so don't have any words for them. But since then he's become something more than just my bodyguard but I still don't know exactly what to call him cause we haven't slept together but yet we really aren't boyfriend and girlfriend. He is however a great kisser. He's not one of those guys that practically suck your entire face off and you have his spit all over your face, now that is really disgusting, but he's one of those gentle but passionate kissers where you know that her really wants to kiss you and make you feel like your all there is for him right in that moment. Just thinking about how good he was as a kisser that I was anxious for midnight to come tonight.

"What's that stupid silly grin on your face for?" Raenah demanded standing in front of me right in my face and popping me right out of my very nice fantasy I had going.

"Huh?" I asked still a little confused from being forced out of my daydream so quickly.

"What's on your mind Aub? You left us for a while there." Raenah, my best friend and personal assistant demanded eying me. Raenah and I had grew up together too she was the daughter of my nanny so I had spent a lot of time with her and her mother. Raenah's dad had died of testicular cancer about 8 years ago, it had broke Raenah and her mother Liliana, it was like a piece of her soul had died that day. But she was really strong I don't know how she did it would have curled up in a ball and died too if my soul mate had died. But she once told me that she had to go on from day to day for Raenah, her little girl and watch her grow up and become the woman she was suppose to become knowing that her husband was watching out for their little girl with a birds eye view.