I am sooo sorry for taking so long to update. I blame the fact that I've been in England for two weeks and I haven't had time to write. Also, this chapter was one of those that I don't really have that much planned for. I'm afraid that Hanna's story isn't that interesting yet – but it gets better later in the story. And I'm sorry that this chapter really sucks! Next one will be better, I promise!

Another thing; thank you all sooooo much for reviewing the last chapter, you're reviews were amazing. I am also thankful for all the favs and follows, THANK YOU!

And to those of you that guessed that Aria was 'the beauty' (or Belle as she's really called) was right! A question for this chapter is of course; who is Hanna supposed to be?

Chapter 2 – Wicked Witch of the South

"Doesn't it look gorgeous?" said Isabelle who was dressed in a white wedding dress. She twirled a couple of times in front of the big mirror. Her daughter Kate smiled at her mother, "Absolutely stunning."

Hanna just sat quietly and waited for this to be over – not just trying on the dresses, but the whole thing; the wedding, the marriage, everything. She didn't doubt her father much, but the decision to marry Isabelle was insanity. She wasn't even nice, and her daughter was even worse. Now they were going to be part of her family and she was going to be stuck with them for life.

"Hanna, what do you think?" Isabelle turned to her soon-to-be step-daughter. Hanna forced a smile – even though she wanted to puke – and told Isabelle how great the dress looked. In reality, Hanna thought, Isabelle looked like a rat no matter what she was wearing.

"Mother the wedding tomorrow will be fantastic. You will look so great next to the king," said Kate with a grin. The way she had said king, it was like a confirmation to what Hanna had already suspected; Isabelle was only marrying her father because he was king. Of course, her father would never listen to her if she tried to accuse her soon-to-be step-mother of having other motives than love for marrying him. He would be heart-broken that she would think of such a thing, so it would do none of them any good.

Isabelle was as wicked as a witch, only without the powers. If she'd had powers, then everything she'd touch would rot. Hanna was sure of it. When she – or Kate for that matter – spoke it was like venom, that was how much Hanna despised them.

"I'm so sorry, I have to leave." Hanna rose from her chair, giving each of the monsters an apologizing smile, and walked away. Finally, she thought, she couldn't stand another second in the same room as Isabelle and Kate. It was pure torture.

Hanna was so busy hating her new family members that she didn't see where she walked and stumbled into her father.

"Hanna? Shouldn't you be trying on your dress for the wedding?" Tom asked in surprise.

"I'm done."

"You are?"

"Yeah," said Hanna, "I've got some really important stuff to look over, so if you would excuse me." Tom looked at her doubtfully but let her pass. He knew his daughter; he knew how stubborn she could be.

Hanna went straight outside. As she came out into the fresh air she immediately saw Mona, her best friend.

"Mona, thank God." Hanna hugged her friend. "How'd you know I wanted you to be here?"

"Please, I knew you'd need me considering the wicked witch and her wicked daughter is inside."

"You got that one right."

"At least there is one thing they can't take away from you," said Mona, "even though they've already taken away your father, your family, your home–"

"So what's left?"

"Your birthright."

Hanna thought about it for a second. Mona was right; she was still the rightful heir to the throne. She was an only child and Kate was not older than Hanna. But it was years and years until Hanna would sit on that throne. First her father must die, but that is something Hanna didn't even want to think about. Then Isabelle must die too, that was a much happier thought. But if Isabelle was gone she wouldn't even have these problems.

"My birthright doesn't help at all in this case, Mona," said Hanna with a sigh. Mona cocked her head and studied her fried. "I know, but it might be more helpful than you think."

Hanna loved Mona, she was her best friend. But sometimes she didn't understand a word that was coming out of her mouth. Kind of like with Alison, her former best friend. Alison was very mysterious, but at times she seemed to be the only one making any sense. Gods she missed her. When Hanna heard that Alison had vanished without a trace she thought that she might've just run away and soon enough she would appear at her doorstep begging Hanna to come with her. But that never happened. Alison had disappeared forever. She was most likely dead, buried in the dirt, never to be seen again.

Hanna missed the days when Alison was around, even though she was strange. Alison liked to come and go as she pleased, but she was, in fact, a great friend. Hanna always felt like she could open up to Alison about anything and Alison listened and gave advice. A year ago Hanna was plenty sizes bigger, she hated it, it did not fit for a princess, she thought. But Alison had kindly shown Hanna the way to a thinner body she could be proud of. Some people would say it's dangerous, others would just call it cheating, but throwing up made Hanna feel better, and that's what counted. No one else needed to know how Hanna had become skinny so fast.

Alison being around Hanna was a great motivation to look better; Hanna wanted to look just like her. Now she had a new motivation; Kate.

Kate was pretty, no doubt, with her blonde hair and thin waist. There was absolutely no way that Hanna would let the kingdom think Kate was prettier than her. Hanna was, after all, the princess. Kate was just a soon-to-be-princess because of her mother's marriage to Hanna's father.

Busy with her thoughts, Hanna didn't look where she was going and stumbled into someone. Looking up she saw no one other than her evil soon-to-be-step-sister. Kate stared at Hanna, annoyance clouding her eyes as she spoke, "Watch where you're going, clumsy," she hissed.

"Watch it yourself," Hanna was in no mood for Kate's 'I'm so perfect – I never make any mistakes' act.

"Clearly I'm not the one stumble into other people. I could've fallen, I could've gotten hurt."

Hanna frowned. "You stumbled into me just as much as I stumbled into you."

"Oh really?"

"Listen Kate," said Hanna, "you can't come here, to my home, and tell me what I can and cannot do. You don't get to do that."

"Don't you get it, sis? I live here now, I make the rules and the only thing you get to do is follow them. There's more than one way I can make you look bad in front of your beloved father." With that said, Kate marched away with a wicked grin upon her face. Hanna's brain formed all kinds of murderous thoughts while looking at the other blonde walking away from her. If Kate thought she won this round, then think again. This round was far from over, it had just started.

~BlueBelle03~

"Hanna, are you ready to leave?" asked her father, knocking on his daughter's door.

"Just a minute," answered Hanna, twirling once more in front of her mirror. The beige dress with golden glitter fit her perfectly. She was most definitely going to out dress Kate tonight at the annual Autumn Ball at the Eastern Castle. Hanna came out of her room, golden blonde locks bouncing on her shoulders.

"You look beautiful," said Tom while planting a kiss on his daughters hand.

"Thank you, father." Hanna gave him a sweet smile and followed him down to the carriage.

As usual the Autumn Ball was bursting with colorful dresses, just like the autumn itself. Hanna's beige dress might be seen as boring, but she thought it was stylish.

Rumor had it that Princess Aria of the Eastern Kingdom was to choose a prince tonight. Hanna couldn't believe she didn't already have a fiancée like she did. She had Sean, son of Lord Ackard – a great friend of the family. Hanna and Sean was the perfect couple, or so Hanna thought, they looked great together.

"Care to dance?" Sean asked and offered Hanna his hand. Smiling she took it and Sean led her out to the dance floor. He was a perfect gentleman. Hanna and Sean danced for a while in silence and when the dance ended he planted a light kiss on her lips.

Yes, Sean was a great fiancé, he was handsome and polite. But Hanna couldn't shake off the feeling that he didn't care about her as more than a friend.

"You're only doing this because of your father, aren't you?"

"What? No –" Sean looked upset. "Hanna, why would you think that?"

"It's just," said Hanna, looking down at the floor, not daring to meet his gaze. "You don't have to lie to me Sean; I know you only see me as a friend." Hanna's voice hit the edge. "It's only 'cause your father wants you to marry me that –"

"Would you stop it?" Sean looked angry, sounded angry. "You don't know anything about my father. Why would you accuse me all of a sudden? What was it that even got you thinking about this?"

Hanna still didn't dare look into his eyes. She felt as if she was going to burst out crying any second. This was not how she'd planned the evening. She didn't know why she had brought this up. Sean had always been good to her and this is how she repays him? By accusing him? The only excuse Hanna could find was that she wasn't her best self tonight. After everything that had happened with Kate and Isabelle and the wedding that was approaching. Nothing felt right at the moment and Hanna wanted to just curl up under a blanket and cry for some days.

Hanna looked up at Sean just to see him leave her side with a disappointed look in his eyes. Hanna was left completely alone in the middle of the ballroom.

Suddenly a wave of confusion washed through the room. All eyes of the crowed searched around for something – or someone? – and Hanna had no idea what it was. She had been so busy with Sean that she hadn't noticed that something clearly had happened in here.

Hanna's confusion must have shown since a dark-haired girl, with fairly tan skin, dressed in a red strapless gown spoke about the events with her eyes locked at Hanna.

"Did you hear?" said the girl, "the princess is missing."

Hanna raised an eyebrow. "Missing?" she said, "what do you mean missing?"

"Gone. Nowhere to be found. She might've just escaped the ball, but considering the fact that a princess went missing last year – and never showed up – makes me understand why everyone looks so terrified."

Hanna studied the girl for a moment. "Who are you?"

"Emily," she said, "but most people just refer to me as 'the princess of the Northern Kingdom.'"

"Hanna," said Hanna, "and I happen to be of royal importance too."

"Really?"

"It's true. I'm actually, as you so nicely put it, 'the princess of the Southern Kingdom.'"

"Can you believe it; two of the four princesses meet talking about a third missing princess?" Emily shot Hanna a smile.

"So what do you know of her?" asked Hanna. "I mean, the missing princess."

"Well," said Emily, "her name's Aria and she's from here–"

"The Eastern Kingdom?"

"Exactly. But I'm afraid that's all I know."

Hanna barely knew the girl, but something about her made Hanna… happy? Was that even the right word to use? However, Hanna would have no problem being friends with the brown-haired beauty.

"I'm so sorry for interrupting, but I heard you say you were Princess Hanna," an unknown man said. Hanna just nodded slowly. "You have to come quickly. The King from South collapsed on the floor."

Hanna didn't need to hear more, she followed the man to where her father laid unconscious on the floor. Isabelle was by his side looking falsely worried.

"Tom? Tom?" she said while shaking him.

"Father!" Hanna rushed to her father side and bent down to listen for a heartbeat. Luckily he was still alive.

"Someone do something," Hanna cried, "please."

~BlueBelle03~

"He's alive and well – for now," the house doctor said. The Marins had all gone back home to make sure that the King was alright. Right now Hanna's father laid in his bed while the doctor informed Isabelle. Little did they know that Hanna listened.

"For now?" Isabelle asked."

"Well, the King is sick and there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry."

"He's dying?"

"I'm afraid so."

No, Hanna thought, this was not happening. Her father was not dying, he wasn't. There was a mistake. He was not dying. But it didn't matter how much Hanna wished what she'd just heard wasn't true, because it was and there was not a single thing she could do about it.

"Don't tell him," Isabelle demanded.

Don't tell him? Are you insane? Hanna was about to explode. It took everything she had to stand still and not rush over there and give her soon-to-be-step-mother a piece of her mind.

"May I ask why not?" the doctor asked.

"I'll tell him myself."

"As you wish."

She wouldn't tell him, Hanna was sure. But why? Then it hit her; Her soon-to-be-step-mother – the wicked witch, as she liked to call her – was not telling the King he was dying because she was about to marry him. And when he dies she will be the one and only ruler of the South.

To be continued…

(Again I am so sorry that this chapter sucks.)

Next chapter will be all about our little Emily. But I have to warn you that it might take some time before an update due to school starting again tomorrow. I'll try to update soon.