6Chapter 1- Sunrise
Written by Wolfprint
Annabelle Durbin woke up to with the red sun that shined into her window. It's warm rays covered her eyes, and shined on her long blond locks into golden scrolls. The castle stone walls circled Annabelle, with tapestries of unicorns, knights, and garden that hung low to the ground. She squinted an eye, and smiled at her favorite tapestry, a woman with bright red haired that draped to her lower backside, as she fed a unicorn a red apple by the shiny waterfall.
The thick, wooden door opened with a creak, "Your majesty," a middle age woman dressed in a simple red tunic, brown hair pulled back in a bun, greeted. "It is time to wake up." She walked over to the white canopy, and pulled the thin curtains. "Your uncle John, the king, will want to up in time for breakfast." Annabelle sat up against the oak headboard of her bed, and watched her nurse with sleepy eyes. "Why must I eat with him, Roselyn? He is so terribly rude." Roselyn looked at the sleepy adolescent with pity in her old, gray eyes. "Aye, I'm terrible sorry miss, but it is his wish ever since-"
"Yes, I know. Ever since my father went on the crusade!" Annabelle snapped. She stood up from her bed tiredly, and swung her long hair over her shoulder. "It is his wish that I take morning walks with him through the town, that I watch him hunt, that I stand still pretty and stupid!" Annabelle continued with irritation. "That I flirt with his filthy friends, hold my tongue, and most of all," Annabelle made a face as she began to take off her night slip, "Pretend to be love with that horrible, disgusting, ignorant,-"
"Dear, please keep your words Christianized." Roselyn warned as she handed Annabelle a deep red gown.
"Sorry," Annabelle apologized in a mumble as she slipped her dress on.
Roselyn nodded her head understanding. "I know you must not like that sheriff, but Lady, keep your hopes up. Your father may return soon." She tied the laces on the bodice tightly, and Annabelle gasped from the tightness. She closed her eyes, and then reopened slowly as she focused her attention outside.
Annabelle could hear the town of Nottinghamshire wake up the call of sun, and the people busied themselves through the streets or argued for bargains. She could the music from poor player who hope to earn a meal. However, Annabelle's attention was not the town that lied beneath her feet, the mysterious woods that beckon her with the green magick. Endless hills of trees that rolled far beyond Annabelle's sight, claimed the true land. Myths and rumors were the guardians of the woods that kept intruders out, but even all the stories of robbers, dark faeries, could keep Annabelle's desire to travel through them.
Roselyn noticed the young woman's gaze, and smiled as she guided Annabelle to a beautifully carved chair. " You like those woods, do you not?" Roselyn asked while she pulled Annabelle's hair back. The inner child nodded her head, and did not answer. The nurse chuckled to herself as she knew the young woman mind was elsewhere, filled with adventurous thoughts. She braided a crown on Annabelle's golden hair.
"Why don't you tell me stories anymore?" Annabelle suddenly asked.
Roselyn drifted back, baffled for a moment before she answered. "Why Miss, I assumed you had grown tired of them. After all, most children do after a certain age, and you are at the brink of marriage!"
Annabelle turned around, " Tell me story."
"Right now, My Lady?"
"I see no reason not too." Annabelle confined. She grinned when the wrinkles on her nurse's face eased as her eyes twinkled, "Very well. I will tell-"
The woman was interrupted at the wooden door busted opened the second time that morning. "His Majesty wonders why his niece is not ready yet?" A young servant asked, his red caped that slipped to the side of his head from running up the stairs. Both women's mouths dropped with shock. Roselyn quickly recovered and finished Annabelle's hair, before she react.
"What?" Annabelle asked shocked. "But he's early!"
"I'm sorry Miss, but it is the King's orders." the boy stuttered. Roselyn grabbed a fresh buttercup flower and placed it in Annabelle's hair. "Now darling, please don't get worked up about his. Let's just hurry, and do what your Uncle asks."
Annabelle quickly stood up and caused the chair to be knocked on the ground. She spun around quickly, her green eyes darken with anger as she picked up her dress to walk out the door. Roselyn grabbed a pair of ruby red slippers and called to Annabelle, "My Lady, you forgotten your slippers." Annabelle turned around again, grabbed the shoes from the nurse's hand and muttered a thank you. As the left the bright room, and down the long stairwell, Roselyn closed the door behind her with a sigh. Annabelle may look just like her mother, but she had her father's spirit more than anything. She was born to be leader, Roselyn was sure.
hehe...alright i making a new story. this one won't be quite as serious, and the chapter won't be as long as my last story, because i'm writing this one more for fun...but let me know what you guys think!
~wolfprint