“just...hold...still...i...am...almost...finished” Madiline, a elderly lady started through gritted teeth as she pulled the string on the princesses dress a little tighter with each word.

Princess: “Its too tight. I can barely breath’ (said in a whining tone)

Madeline: “Beauty hearts, dear. And first impressions last.”

Princess: “I don’t want it to last” (still whining)

Madeline: “It’s simple. Go in, smile and it’s done” (Madeline said matter-of-factly)

Princess: “That will be the opposite of what my father is to expect of me. After all I did not sign up to be married to a man of my fathers choice.”

Madeline: “I know. And I also know you won’t make it easy on your suitor”

(madeline said tucking a grey strand behind her ear as she looked at the princess over her shoulder as she retrieved the baby blue gown from the silky bed sheets belonging to the princes)

Princess: “Such a nice dress, for such a waste of an ocasion”

(the princess said lifting her hands so that her maid - who had been like a mother to her - could get the dress over her head and her arms onto her body.)

Madeline: “Oh come on, Alaiya. It can’t be that bad. I mean you will probably run him off in the first few seconds.”

Alaiya: “That is not of any question.” (A smug smile danced on her lips)

a knock on the door sounded, making both woman look at each other for a second before they turned to the door)

Madeline: "You may enter"

(the double, oak-red, wooden door screeched open. Revealing Adam, the princesses handsome but agrovating bodygaurd standing tall as always)

Adam: "Your father expects you down in three minutes...princesssa"

Alaiya: "Oh! you can tell my father-"

Madeline: "Princess Alaiya!" (madeline warned before turning back to Adam) "-she will be ready. If you could just wait outside)

(with a firm knod of understanding, Adam took a bow and retreated to he's post at the outside of the princesses door.)

********

Alaiya: "Shall we?" (the princesses voice interupted adam from hes thoughts. He looked at her with amazement."

Adam: " Ofcause, your father said to tell you that he expects your best behaviour."

Alaiya: "Mmmmm, And you should know by now that is the exact opposit of what my father will get."

(she said as they walked down to where her father and a posible suitor awaited her, arm looped in her bodygaurds. It was no secrete she gave him a hard ttime but so did he her. He was different.)

Adam: "I wouldn't expect less.-" (he smiles handsomely) "-may I say, you look beautiful"

Alaiya: "Thank you" (her cheeks turning a blush pink)

Adam: " It is a pleasure"

***************

King Eddy: "Ah here is my precious daghter"

(The king says as he looks over at he's daghter as he motions in her dirrection to he's guests.)

King Ash: "Ah what a beauty. My son should be the luckiest man alive to have your daughter as a suitor.-" (The foreign king said as he walked over to Alaiya to kiss her hand. Alaiya retrieving her hand in disgust as adam takes he's place along side the rest of the palace gaurds.) "-This is my son..prince edward the third" ( King ash said as he welcomed he's son to join in."

Alaiya: "Princess Alaiya" (she said tight mouthed, throwing daggers at her father,"

Edward: "the pleasure is all mine" (the smug look on he's odd looking face made Alaiya want to laugh.)

Alaiya: "Alright, than" (Alaiya tried to sniffle a laugh as she retreated back to her body gaurd.)

Adam: "Such a odd face" (in whispers)

Alaiya: "Mouse-like."

Adam: "such a large head."

Alaiya: " Such a skinnhy body"

(Both burst out in chuckles as Edward staring at them obliviously)

King Eddy: "Alaiya! That is enough!"

(Standing silently, Alaiya looked at her father challengingly.)

Alaiya: "No it is not! I am being treated like the highest price at an auction. Im not just something to be handed over to someone with the most money. I am not some kind of an Object.!"

(Alaiya shouted before the floor moved beneath her feet increasilgly. Leading her into a maze she use to run to as a child when her parents upset her. Finding a comfortable spot on a stack of hay, she rested kicking of her shoes)

Adam: "You are quite the runner" ( said through breaths as he hovered over hes knees, gasping for air. Alaiya jumped at the fimiliar voice, not having noticed someone had followed her)

Alaiya: "Adam!-" (clutching her chest) "-What are you doing here?"

Adam: " My job" (he said getting to he's feet again walking over to her.)

Alaiya: " Ah, should have known. You can go and get your praise from my father"

Adam: " I do not know my way back, and I do not think leaving you alone is the best choice. Not now that its getting dark." (pointing up at the setting sun)

Alaiya: " My whole life has been planned out for me, who I will marry, where I will live.-" (Adam sitting down beside her on the hay "- sometime I wonder if that is the reason why the young prince from our neighnouring country ran away"

(Adam shifted uncomfortably at her words)

Adam: "I guess so. I mean he might have had he's own dreams, much like you"

Alaiya: "You know the tale? My mother use to tell it to me every time I was upset. She called it the The prince that escaped he's prison and chased he's destiny"

Adam: "that sounds overly romantisized" (nervously chucking)

Alaiya: " I likr to think its a fairytale" (alaiya said smiling at adam, whose eyes looked straight through her. A sudden sadness washed over him, making alaiya furrow her brows.

Adam: " We should get going. Its starting to get dark"