𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧

ANGELINA kicked the sides of her horse, Duke, and brought him to a gallop. His braided mane bounced against his thick black skin as he crossed a field swiftly. The tall grass and vivid wildflowers barely grazed Angelina’s feet as they soon reached the stables of the castle. Palace workers were bathing and grooming the palace owned horses when she arrived.

“Enjoy your ride?” An old voice questioned behind her and the man that stood at the fence she recognized to be the man head of the stables.

John was an older man the Royal Family knew to be the greatest in the country with horses and a former champion jockey. When he retired, their family hired him to not only look over the stables, but to care for the horses as well.

“I did, John. I think my Duke is recovering fast.” Angelina patted Jared on the side gently before pressing a kiss to his neck, undoing the braids of his mane.

“I’m very glad to hear that Your Royal Highness. I’ll check the bandage after I’ve put him back in the stall.” John remarked as he finished grooming one of the palace horses, instructing one of the palace workers nearby to take the horse back to the stall. He made a motion to take Duke's reigns from the Princess.

“I can do it myself John, thank you very much. I’m just a Princess, not armless or legless. Everyone seems to think otherwise and please, John, no formalities. That’s an order.” Princess Angelina began to make her way to the stables with Duke behind her as the sun began to settle in the sky over Ixania.

SHE knew she was going to get caught, but she didn't care that the crew of palace workers who polished the marble floor every morning didn't like her walking around with muddy riding boots. Angelina only wanted to sneak to her room to simply change out of her riding boots. Well that was until her mother turned the corner of the hall where her bedroom resided and stopped talking to head of palace workers, freezing in place.

"Angelina Jane Spencer!" The Queen cringed inwardly at the sight of her daughter in nothing but dirty and grass stained riding attire. "You know better than to get on that horse and ride through the pasture! We have paths for the horses for a reason! Go change- now! I except you to be at the table for breakfast in no more than 10 minutes young lady."

"Yes, mother. I apologize." Angelina curtly responded and scurried into her room to find her own group of maids tending to clean up and tidy her room. "Ladies, ladies! I've told you before to not clean my room unless I'm here to help."

"Yes, Your Highness but your father requested that we tidy it up for you in the meantime." Quinn, the smallest and youngest of the bunch responded promptly before glancing to the side to give Angelina a gesture that her father awaited for her on her own balcony.

Again? Angelina thought and ran possibilities as to why her father was in her room this early.

"Father," Angelina bowed respectfully to her dad, the King, before joining him on her balcony and overlooking the palace's garden. "What brings you to visit me?"

"Do you remember the story of how I met your mother?" The King simply questioned his eldest child as he kept his gaze on the palace workers trimming bushes and watering flowers.

"Yes, about a thousands times. Why ask?" Angelina leaned against the stone fence of her balcony, glancing at her father.

"It's not easy finding someone you love and have the people of this country believe they're worthy enough to sit next to you at the throne on your own, Jane." He now faced his daughter with nothing but concern etched on his face. "I heard from Jaxon's family that you broke things off with him after he had asked to marry him and help you rule the throne. Why?"

"Dad, the guy's a sick bastard only hungry for money and power! His whole damn family is!" Angelina's outburst was nothing but appropriate though she continued. "I heard him with my own ears about wanting to take the wealth from every person in the country and rob them of their money. I heard him talk to his father about overthrowing me and making sure there was no one to end his tyranny once he was dead. He said that-"

"You over exaggerate, Angelina." Her father spoke evenly. He was pissed and she knew it. "I never trusted you'd find someone decent enough for you and the country on your own. You think this is a game, but I assure you it is not. This is for the future of our country and it depends on it as well. I've had enough of your games. You will go through with the Selection whether you want to or not. You owe your country this for the time you've wasted on not finding a perfect husband. I'm disappointed and ashamed of you. We'll have a meeting with the council tomorrow to approve the Selection and a meeting with Public Relations for a press release to start getting applications in. Your presence is not requested, but mandatory for both meetings. I'm done waiting for you to find someone, Angelina. So is our country."