Chapter 11: Going Wrong

As Elisabeth and Tiqa were walking, Elisabeth said, "So you had a good time?" Tiqa said, "The best time ever. He was so perfect, so handsome, so amazing, so... what were we talking about?" Elisabeth smiled and said, "Oh nothing, Your Highness." They stood in front of a door and entered the room. Inside the room was a library. The library had walls with built in bookcases and shelves full of books, a staircase that led to a balcony that circled around the room, 5 black loveseats, 4 couch chairs with matching ottomans, and two glass tables that had cushioned chairs surrounding them and Crosses that stood up on top of the tables. The floors had blue rugs, and lights which were built into the ceiling, and they saw Queen Ana. Tiqa said, "Your Majesty! Hello." Ana smiled and said, "Hello." Elisabeth curtsied and left, saying, "I'll see you later, Your Highness." Tiqa walked up to Queen Ana and said, "So you're my teacher?" Ana said, "Yes. My sister has asked me to teach you all that I know, so I will be teaching you what you need to know." Tiqa said, "Well, I'm excited to start classes with you." Ana said, "Well, I'm excited to teach you. Now today you're going to learn about the family." Tiqa said, "Alright, let's get started."

While Tiqa was learning, Stephen was running to the horse stable for his class. When he got there, he saw Cedar and Victor standing there with 3 horses. Victor said, "You're late." Stephen said, "She was so beautiful in her gray dress. I couldn't take my eyes off of her." Victor said, "What?" Stephen said, "Her brown eyes. She even let me hold her hand." A smile came to Victor and Cedar's faces, and Cedar said, "It's time to stop daydreaming about Princess Tiqa." Stephen said, "I can't. What a beautiful woman of God she is. She is so..." Stephen looked at Cedar and Victor smiling at him and said, "I mean, who said I was even daydreaming about her?" Cedar said, "You." Stephen said, "Hmm... What's today's lesson Uncle Victor?" Victor said, "Since you can't seem to get your mind off of Princess Tiqa, the girl you saying you're not daydreaming about, we'll have an easy day. It's just an easy ride around the castle." They all got on their horses, and Cedar said, "Thank you, Stephen! Easy day means lunch faster!" Victor said, "Actually, because it's an easy day, I'm adding half an hour to our lesson." Cedar said, "And just like that, I'm no longer friends with you, Stephen." Stephen laughed and said, "I know what will you do? The cruelty!" They rode off around the castle for their lesson.

The hours passed, and Tiqa was finally done with her lesson. Elisabeth entered the room, curtsied, and Tiqa said, "Hello Elisabeth." Elisabeth said, "Your sister and the girls have requested you in the garden for another tea party." Tiqa said, "Another tea party? Well, I would love to join." Elisabeth said, "And the best part is His Highness is still out there riding." Tiqa said, "HE IS... I mean, oh, that's nice..." A smile came to Ana's face, and she said, "Hmm, you seem eager to meet him." Tiqa said, "Me? Eager to meet Prince Stephen? No. Besides, I saw him this morning for breakfast." Ana smiled and said, "Oh, so you had a meeting with Prince Stephen." Tiqa said, "Yes, he actually suggested and set it up for us. He was the perfect gentleman; he even kissed my hand before I left." Ana yelled, "I knew it! Congratulations! This is perfect..." and Ana said, "I mean... That was nice of him. Now you mustn't keep him, I mean the girls waiting. Goodbye." Tiqa and Elisabeth left, and Ana said, "Oh God, please let this be so. Please let her be the one."

Elisabeth escorted Tiqa to the tea party. When they got there, they saw the table had been set up for tea and Driaka, Susan, and Jenessa sitting down. Elisabeth curtsied and said, "Now I must be going goodbye." Tiqa said, "I wish you would stay with us." Elisabeth said, "As much as I would love to, I still have my own duties. I must go now. I'll be back later. Goodbye." Elisabeth left, and Tiqa sat down at an open seat. Driaka, Susan, and Jenessa all sighed and said, "Hello Tiqa." Tiqa said, "Oh girls, why the long faces? How was your day?" Driaka said, "We had the same lesson because Ms. Sky didn't believe we could do it." Susan said, "But we proved that we could, and tomorrow we start a whole new lesson." Jenessa said. "It's speech." Tiqa asked, "What's wrong with that? Aren't you happy?" Susan said, "Not with a teacher like her. She'll just yell at us and make us nervous." Driaka said, "We'll never get past this new lesson." Tiqa said, "I'm sorry, girls. I wish there was something I could do." The girls smiled at each other, and Jenessa said, "But there is! You can teach us!" Susan said, "Oh please, Princess Tiqa! You're the best teacher ever." Tiqa said, "Oh girls, what about my studies?" Driaka said, 'We can have our lessons after yours." Tiqa said, "But I don't know much about being a princess." Jenessa said, "You know enough! We know you do, and you could always learn what you don't know already." Tiqa said, "But what about your parents, Your Highness. I can't just up and teach." Susan said, "So we'll ask them. I'm sure they won't say no." The girls said, "Please Tiqa." Tiqa said, "I'll think about it, girls." Driaka said, "That means yes!" The girls cheered, and Tiqa said, "Wait a second, that doesn't mean yes." Driaka said, "Yes, it does. Your I'll think about it always mean yes. I know you too well." Tiqa smiled and sighed, and the girls cheered once more. Susan asked, "Now, how was your day, Princess Tiqa?" Tiqa said, "Well, I got dressed, studied about your family, and oh yeah, I had breakfast with His Highness, Prince Stephen." The girls gasped, and Susan said, "You had breakfast with my brother?" Tiqa said, "Yes, it was actually his idea." The girls screeched, stared at Tiqa, and Jenessa said, "Tell us about it!" Susan asked, "Are you gonna have breakfast again?" Tiqa said, "Girls, it was just a nice little get-together. Nothing more." Susan said, "Oooo, there he is!" Tiqa turned around, asked, "Where," and saw him riding by on a horse." She let out a sigh as the girls stared at her. She looked back at the girls and said, "What? I can't sigh?" The girls giggled, and Tiqa said, "Let's just eat okay?" The girls said, "Okay."

They began to eat. Driaka looked up, saw Cedar, and said, "Hi Cedar." The girls got up and ran over to him. Tiqa quickly stood up, turned around, and saw Cedar standing there with the girls. A soft frown came to Tiqa's face, and Cedar said, "Hello girls and hello Princess Tiqa. Anything the matter?" Tiqa said, "Huh? Oh no... I'm fine." Cedar said, "You look disappointed to see me. I always thought I was an exciting person. Guess not." Tiqa said, "Oh no, it's not you. It's just that I was looking for someone else." Cedar said, "Prince Stephen is coming. He was talking to his uncle." Tiqa said, "Really... Oh, that's lovely." Susan said, "She and Stephen had breakfast this morning, and it was Stephen's idea." Cedar smiled and said, "Is that so?" Tiqa said, "It was just a small get-together." Cedar said, "Very small. Like a date small." Tiqa said, "A date? No." She turned around, sat at the table, and said,"Come join us, Cedar. I know how you love to eat." Cedar said, "You're speaking my language!" Susan, Driaka, and Jenessa sat at the table while Cedar stood next to the table and ate. Cedar said, "This food is delicious!" Jenessa laughed and said, "You think everything is delicious." Cedar said, "What can I say? Justin is a good cook." A voice said, "Suzy." Susan looked up, saw Stephen, and ran to him along with Jenessa and Driaka. Cedar walked over to Stephen, saying, "Stephen, come eat." Tiqa quickly stood up whispering, "Stephen." Stephen said, "Hello girls and Princess Tiqa." Tiqa turned around and said, "Hello Your Highness." Susan grabbed Stephen's hand, walked him in front of Tiqa, and said, "Come see Princess Tiqa." Driaka and Jenessa walked over to them, and Driaka said, "His Highness looks just handsome, doesn't he Tiqa?" Tiqa glared at Driaka and said, "Driaka." Susan said, "And Her Highness looks just beautiful. Don't you think so, Stephen?" Stephen glared at Susan and said, "Susan." His face turned red, and Susan said, "Wow, what a lovely shade of red your face turns every time I talk about how beautiful Her Highness is." Jenessa said."They're only saying what you're thinking." Cedar walked over to them, and Stephen said, "Hey girls, why don't you play dolls with Cedar?" Cedar said, "What?!" Stephen glared at Cedar, and Cedar said, "Oh yeah. Let's go play, girls."

Cedar and the girls left, and Tiqa said, "Oh Prince Stephen, come sit down." Stephen sat on the chair next to her and stared at her. Tiqa said, "The girls seemed excited about the breakfast." He continued to stare at her and said, "I've noticed my sister gets happy when I mention your name." Tiqa chuckled and said, "So does mine." She looked down, and he said, "You look down so much. When you look down, I can't see your beautiful eyes." Tiqa's face turned red, and she said, "You think my eyes are beautiful?" He said, "Yes, they are beautiful." She looked up and said, "Thank you, Your Highness." He said, "You're welcome, Your Highness." She asked, "Are you thirsty?" He said, "Yes, please pour me some tea." She picked up the teapot, poured some tea in his cup, and accidentally knocked his cup over spilling tea on him. She put the teapot down as he stood up. She said, "Oh no... I'm sorry, Your Highness. I didn't mean to." He said, "No, no, it's quite alright. It was an accident." She said, "No, I'm sorry, I'm just so clumsy." He said, "It's really okay, Princess Tiqa. Accidents happen." She said, "Yes but, but... I have to go." She began leaving, and he grabbed her hand, saying, "Oh please don't. I wanted to continue talking to you." She pulled out of his grip, and he grabbed her hand again, asking, "Won't you at least leave me properly?" She said "I have to go." He said, "Princess Tiqa, please stay." She pulled out of his grip and said, "I must go." She left as he stared at her leaving.

She ran past Queen Ana without saying a word and ran into her own room, closing the door behind her. Queen Ana walked over to Tiqa's room, knocked on the door, and Tiqa said, "Please go." Ana entered the room and closed the door behind her.

Ana saw Tiqa with her face down in her pillow. Ana asked, "Is everything okay?" Tiqa answered, "Yes, everything is good. Why do you ask?" Ana replied, "Because you ran past me without saying a word." Tiqa sat up, looked at Ana, and said, "I just embarrassed myself." Ana sat down on the bed next to her and asked, "How did you do that?" Tiqa said, "I was pouring tea, and I spilled his tea all over him. He must think I'm a klutz!" Ana asked, "Who's tea did you spill?" Tiqa grabbed a pillow, said, "Prince Stephen's," covered her face, and laid back on the bed. Ana smiled and asked, "What happened?" Tiqa said, "Well, we were having tea alone, talking, and I asked him if he wanted tea, and he said yes. So I poured the tea and accidentally spilled it all over him. He said it was alright and wanted me to stay, but I didn't." Ana chuckled and asked, "Why didn't you?" Tiqa removed the pillow from her face and said, "How can I face someone like that after I did something like that. He thinks I'm perfect. I was just so nervous that I wasn't paying attention. He must think I'm a klutz." Ana asked, "Did he say that to you?" Tiqa replied, "No," and Ana said, "Then don't put words in his mouth. Don't assume what someone is thinking about you. If there's one thing I know about Stephen, it's that he doesn't think you're a klutz." Tiqa asked, "Even after I spilled that tea on him?" Ana smiled and said, "You think you're the first princess to spill something on him? His first time meeting a princess, she accidentally knocked over his whole plate of food on him. We had stains on the dining room carpeting for weeks." Ana and Tiqa laughed, and Ana said, "You shouldn't put words in his mouth, and you shouldn't assume things either. You wouldn't like it if he did that to you." Tiqa said, "No, I wouldn't." Ana said, "Princess Tiqa, you are something so special. God has made you something special. You need to start seeing yourself the way God sees you. Be humble, but know who God made you. You down yourself too much. Sure, you've never been a princess, and you made a mistake like that, so what? Do you think princesses don't make mistakes? Tiqa, God put you here and gave you the title of a princess because this is where you are supposed to be. Don't doubt that. God gave you this title because He has a plan. Don't down what God did by saying to yourself I don't belong here when God put you here and gave you this title." Tiqa said, "You're right. God did this for me." Ana said, "Now child, do you feel any better?" Tiqa said, "A lot better." Ana and Tiqa stood up, and Tiqa said, "I think I'll go and see what Driaka and the girls are up to." Ana said, "I'll come with you." Ana and Tiqa walked to the playroom and saw Cedar playing dolls with the girls. The girls looked at Tiqa, got up, and ran over to them while saying, "Tiqa!" Cedar said, "Finally, I'm saved." Driaka asked, "How did your get together with His Highness go?" Jenessa asked, "Was it charming?" Tiqa said, "Well, not exactly." Susan asked, "What do you mean? Wasn't my brother sweet?" Stephen quietly entered the room, and Tiqa said, "Of course he was sweet. He was sweet, handsome, funny, and perfect. Like always. He was so charming, it was like a daydream, he was like a daydream and when he held my hand my heart skipped a beat." A smile came to Ana, Cedar, and Stephen's faces, and Susan said, "I don't get it. What was bad then?" Stephen said, "Nothing was bad. Everything was perfect." The girls, Cedar, and Ana looked and saw Stephen. The girls ran to Stephen, and Susan said, "Come, Princess Tiqa." Tiqa's face turned red, she said, "Um... I have to go," and left the room while Stephen followed.

Stephen said. "Hey Princess Tiqa, wait a second." She looked at him and said, "Yes?" He said, "You didn't even say hello." She said, "Sorry, hello Your Highness." She turned around to leave, but before she could, he said, "That wasn't what I meant. I would like a proper hello." She said, "I think I've had enough embarrassment for one day." He grabbed her hand, and she said, "Hey, let go." He said, "Princess Tiqa, look at me, please." She sighed, turned around, looked into his eyes, and he said, "I don't think you've embarrassed yourself once today." She said, "You're supposed to say that." He grabbed her other hand, and he said, "I don't have to say anything to you. I wanted to say that just to let you know." She said, "Well, now that I know that, can you please let go?" He said, "Why? So you can run away from me again?" She sighed and asked, "What is it that you need, Prince Stephen?" He said, "For you to stop running away from me." She looked down, and he said, "Well? Will you stop running away from me? Because I hate it." She looked at him and said, "Fine." He smiled and said, "And to make it up to me for running away from me, how's about we take Driaka, Jenessa, and Suzy to the berry patch. We can bring them back, and the chefs can make berry pie." She said, "Well... I..." She was interrupted by the girls coming out of the playroom. The girls saw Stephen and Tiqa holding hands, screeched, Ana and Cedar ran out of the room, Ana asked, "What's going on girls," Cedar added, "Yeah is everything okay," they saw Stephen and Tiqa holding hands, looked at each other, smiled, and said, "Ooooooooh." Stephen and Tiqa let go of each other's hands, and Ana asked, "What's going on out here?" Stephen said, "Princess Tiqa and I were talking about how we wanted to take the girls berry picking tomorrow. What do you say girls are you up for it?" Susan asked, "Will the chefs make berry pie tomorrow?" Driaka said, "Berry pie? I love berry pie, and Tiqa makes the best berry pie." Stephen looked at Tiqa and said, "She does, does she?" Tiqa said, "I... well... I... I..." Driaka said, "Of course she does! Tiqa loves to cook and bake." Stephen looked at Driaka and said, "Really?" Tiqa looked at Driaka, shaking her head and mouthing out no while Driaka was talking. Driaka said, "Of course she's even better than Justin! She's a great cook and baker. You've got to try her cooking." Tiqa covered her red face, Stephen looked back at her and said, "Well, Princess Tiqa, you'll just have to make us some of this fantastic berry pie tomorrow." Cedar said, "I can't wait to try some." Stephen said, "Me either." Tiqa looked at Stephen and said, "Yeah, it'll be great." Stephen said, "Alright girls, we leave tomorrow right after studies." The girls cheered, and Elisabeth walked up to them. Elisabeth said, "There you all are, dinner is ready." Cedar smiled, said, "Yes, my favorite meal," and ran to the dining room. Ana said, "Come along, girls." The girls left with Ana to the dining room, and Stephen said, "Let's go, Princess Tiqa." She said, "Fine, let's go, Elisabeth." Elisabeth said, "Sorry Your Highness, but I have chores to do, but maybe His Highness can walk you." Tiqa glared at Elisabeth, Elisabeth curtisied, and ran away. Tiqa said, "Well, let's get going, please." She began to walk away, and Stephen said, "It's not very gentlemanly of me to allow you to walk ahead of me when I'm supposed to be escorting you." He walked next to her, put out his arm, and said, "Come Princess Tiqa, our dinner awaits." She smiled while sighing, grabbed his arm, and said, "Let's get going, Your Highness."