13Ch 1: The Princess
The sun shone brightly into Victoria Winden's enormous bedroom, reflecting off the polished wooden floors. A gentle breeze came in, lifting the white lace curtains and caressing her fair face. Victoria stirred slightly, grumbling as her maids came in, going about the usual routine of bringing in her breakfast and preparing her outfit for the day.
"Vic-to-riaaaaah!" cried her personal secretary, Prudence, in a shrill, sing-song voice. She always greeted Victoria in this annoying, nagging voice every morning. Usually, it caused the poor 17-year-old English princess to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
"Ugh," grumbled Victoria, as she scratched her chocolate brown hair and rubbed her beautiful yet sleepy lavender eyes in a most unladylike manner. Her ginger cat, Cuddles, stretched on his sleeping place at the foot of Victoria's bed.
"Tsk tsk," said Prudence, checking her notorious black planner, which held Victoria's life in its pages. Ironically, for something so small and ordinary, the planner determined everything that Victoria must do for the day. "Hurry up now or you're going to be late for your 8:00 breakfast with the Prince of Monaco!"
"All right," said Victoria, struggling to get up, "You know, most girls my age sleep in late on Saturdays!"
"Well," said Prudence writing something in the planner, "you're not a normal girl! You're a princess!"
"That I am," said Victoria, sarcastically as she stroked Cuddles' fur.
With a snap of her fingers, Prudence had ordered the maids to get Victoria ready for the day. Soon, she found herself standing on the lobby of the castle, waiting for her parents to come. Victoria sighed as she looked out on the windows at the royal gardens, feeling trapped and stifled. She felt as if she had no control over her own life. Everything she does and wants to do must be approved by her parents, or else she will risk shaming her whole family. Everywhere she goes, the paparazzi watches her every move in the hopes that she would do something shameful just so that they could get money for photographing her. Victoria was sick of her life. She felt like a prisoner! She didn't even have a lot of friends. Sure, most of the girls at her school swooned all over her because she was a princess. Truth be told, she didn't even know if they were real friends or not.
Her best friend, Suzie, who is the daughter of a wealthy family is the only person whom she knew was a real friend. Suzie had never been jealous of Victoria and was there for her most of the time. But at the moment, Suzie was at France on vacation with her family. She had promised, however, to be back in time for Victoria's 18th birthday. But Victoria missed her terribly. There was no one to talk to. Her parents were rarely present – they were too busy attending social events.
She sighed again. She wasn't even allowed to chose her own outfit. She would have given anything to get out of her painful tan heels, white knee-length dress, and scratchy light brown hat and put on some torn jeans and tennis shoes. She was about to sit down when she heard the footsteps of her parents, the King and Queen of England, King Edward and Queen Catherine.
"Good morning dear," they both said as the three exchanged kisses.
"Good morning Father. Good morning Mother," said Victoria. "I was wondering, Father. May I stay at home today? I don't quite feel like meeting Prince Philip."
Edward smiled softly at her with fatherly pride, saying "I'm afraid you must go this time, dear. Prince Philip has gone all the way from Monaco just to meet you. Give him a chance – he is a prince, you know." Edward had a twinkle in his eye, meaning that he thought the Prince and his daughter made a lovely match. After all, Victoria was almost 18 and therefore eligible for marriage.
"Besides," teased her mother, "don't you want a beau?"
"Mother!" cried Victoria, blushing profusely, "I don't even know him!"
"That's why you should come and meet him! Now hurry along! And don't worry – before you know it, you'll find yourself having fun." her mother laughed, ushering Edward and Victoria towards the limo outside.
Victoria inwardly groaned, somehow feeling that she would not have fun, like her mother said. But then again, she never had fun. Being a Princess sucks, she thought as she climbed into the limo and looked sorrowfully out the window.