Painful Fate

Chapter One

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine.

Thirteen year-old Princess Alanna ran down the open corridor of the Formosus Palace, summer palace of the royal family of Clarus, island kingdom to northwest of Tortall. Father and Mother had asked that she present herself in the atrium – the most important room of their summer palace – where significant decisions and announcements were made. She had walked only a few corridors and yet she was already hot. There were two more until she reached the atrium. She greatly wished that she were wearing the flowing gown of chiffon or charmuse that she normally wore, but instead, she had been ordered to don the elegant but cumbersome royal robes reserved for the more important social and formal occasions. The base robe, made of heavy royal purple silk and belted was embroidered with lilies. It was covered by a loose, open robe of silver silk embroidered with clouds. The top robe flapped as Alanna ran down the corridors, trying to avoid be late. She stopped in front of the doors to the atrium and smoothed her gown.

The guards opened the heavy doors and announced her. To her surprise, there were only Mother and Father, seated on their thrones and her older sister, Princess Aruella, standing before them. She walked to her parents and curtsied, sweeping her robes behind her, extending one foot and lowering.

"You may rise," said her parents. King Alan cleared his throat meaningfully. "Your mother and I have something important that concerns our kingdom to speak with you about. We have begun to discuss peace treaties with the kingdom of Tortall and our neighboring kingdom of Joppa. We have decided that in order for a concrete alliance with both kingdoms, marriage must be made between our kingdom and theirs. One of you shall marry the crown prince of Tortall, Jonathon of Conte and the other shall marry King Henderas of Joppa."

Alanna controlled her emotions, though she wanted to run back to her room and cry. She wished fervently that she did not have to leave Clarus and marry. She knew that once she was married she would no longer be able run free as she did. Mother gave her a sympathic smile but Alanna felt no better. She locked eyes with her sister, receiving a glare of resentment and anger. She looked away, confused and hurt. Why had Aruella done that? She was no stranger to Aruella's moodiness – sometimes Aruella was cold and snappish while other times she was kind and patient – but this time she did not understand the glare Aruella had given her. She was sure Aruella loved her as she loved Aruella, but Aruella was sometimes resentful and cold.

"We hope to have the treaties sealed by the summer solstice of the next year," he finished.

Mother rang a bell and a servant came forward, bowing. She told him something Alanna could not hear.

"Yes, your Majesty," he replied and walked away.

Two servants came in with portraits of King Henderas and the prince of Tortall. Even in portrait King Henderas was not pleasing to the eye. Alanna remembered him in reality, – she had visited the kingdom of Joppa two years before with their ambassador – his rheumy eyes, spotted and wrinkled skin, his crooked nose and drooping mouth. She certainly did not want to marry the old King Henderas. The portrait had made his skin less spotted, his eyes less rheumy and his drooping mouth a line, but he was still horrible compared to the Prince Jonathon. Prince Jonathon looked as handsome as Thom, her twin had described him – Thom had visited Tortall last year before the fall equinox. Prince Jonathon had coal black hair, sapphire blue eyes, a straight nose that was not too thin or thick, and full mouth. He was young and looked to be about three years older than her.

She suddenly understood that glare of resentment that Aruella had given her. Surely the ambassador of Tortall would want her and not Aruella for the prince and then Aruella would have to marry old King Henderas. She was the "beautiful princess" and looked like Mother – except that her hair was a tumble of coppery red curls and Mother's was a smooth wave of mahogany – with the same creamy milk-white skin, large violet eyes, small nose, and full but delicate rose-colored mouth while Aruella with her squarish face and figure, brown hair, ruddy complexion and dull gray eyes was known politely by courtiers as the "other princess".

She would give anything if Aruella would be happy. Surely whomever Aruella was married to would come to love her. Aruella was patient and docile, unlike Alanna who was headstrong and often impatient.

"Do you have anything you would like to say about this?" asked her mother.

"Nothing," Alanna and Aruella replied.

They curtsied and Alanna walked out of the atrium, but the moment she was beyond the doors, she ran, tears threatening to break, back to her room.

A/N: Please, please, please review!!! Should I continue?