Chapter 1
I stared at the beige walls of my new dorm room, feeling a mixture of excitement and dread. For the first time in my life, I was away from the stifling confines of the royal palace, away from the shadow of my brothers, Alexander and Nicholas. At twenty, I had finally managed to escape, even if only for a while.
Alexander, at twenty-five, had always been the golden child, the heir apparent with the world at his feet. Nicholas, at seventeen, was the charming one, effortlessly gaining favor with everyone. And then there was me, the unwanted princess, caught in the middle, neither here nor there.
My parents, King William and Queen Isabella, ruled the small but significant kingdom of Valoria. They had wanted me to study medicine or business, to follow in the footsteps of other royals who had chosen prestigious careers. But I had defied them and chosen teaching. Teaching! They were furious, convinced that I was determined to disgrace the family name. They didn't understand that I wanted to make a difference, to touch lives in a way that sitting on a throne never could.
The only person who knew my secret here was my best friend, James, who had been my confidant since we were children. He knew the real Andrea, the girl who dreamed of a different life, free from the suffocating expectations of royalty. James had been my rock, my shoulder to cry on, and my secret crush. Every time he smiled at me, my heart fluttered, but I was too scared to tell him how I felt.
The knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened it to find James standing there, his familiar smile bringing a small comfort.
"Hey, Andrea. How are you settling in?" he asked, stepping inside.
"As well as I can, considering," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.
He looked around the room, noticing the stack of books on my desk. "Teaching, huh? You always were the rebel."
I shrugged. "I just want to do something meaningful, James."
He nodded, understanding. "I know. And you will. You're stronger than they give you credit for."
Before I could respond, the door opened again, and in walked Emma, my new roommate. Emma was bubbly and full of life, a stark contrast to my reserved nature. She didn't know my royal secret, and I intended to keep it that way.
"Hey, you must be Andrea!" Emma exclaimed, throwing her arms around me in a warm hug. "I'm Emma. Looks like we're roommates!"
I smiled, feeling a bit of my anxiety melt away. "Yeah, it's nice to meet you, Emma."
Trailing behind Emma was another girl, Sarah, my other roommate. Unlike Emma, Sarah was no ordinary student. She was a maid from the palace, sent by my parents to keep an eye on me and ensure I didn't bring any disgrace to the family name. She was here to report back, to make sure I stayed in line.
"Hi, Andrea," Sarah greeted me, her tone formal but without the title. "How are you?"
I sighed inwardly. Even here, I couldn't escape my royal obligations. "I'm fine, Sarah. Thanks."
The four of us spent the rest of the evening unpacking and chatting, with Emma and Sarah quickly hitting it off. James stayed for a while, making sure I was comfortable, before leaving for his own dorm.
That night, as I lay in bed, the reality of my situation hit me. I was living a double life, trying to navigate college while hiding my true identity. My parents had made it clear that I was not to bring shame to our family, and I knew that any misstep would be reported back to them by Sarah.
As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't help but wonder what the future held. Could I find a way to balance my royal duties with my dreams of being a teacher? Could I ever truly be free from the expectations and pressures of being a princess? And most importantly, could I ever find someone who would love me for who I truly was?
Hi, it's your author here and it's a pleasure to write this beautiful novel. I hope you enjoy reading as well.
This is my work and any similarities to others is a complete coincidence.
Hopefully nobody tries to copy this without permission.
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