Introductions

Christina sat her vanity and brushed her milk chocolate-brown hair. She was actually truly bored, and she lost count at 87 strokes of brushing. Her sisters were busy entertaining themselves somewhere else.

"How could they be happy living like this?" she thought to herself. "Because this isn't enough for me."

She stood up and walked out of her room. Her silky, yellow gown flowed with her every move. After she reached the downstairs part of her home, she saw her two sisters, Delilah and Johanna.

Johanna was the youngest of the three. She was small, and her hair went down to her shoulders. She was a gentle girl and was rarely mean to anyone. Her skin was lighter than Christina's skin tone, courtesy of their mother. Johanna was enjoying the company of her pet bird. Even if it didn't talk, Johanna seemed to make it seem like it was the best thing on Earth.

Then, Christina looked at her older sister, Delilah.

Delilah was taller than her younger sisters. She had light brown eyes and dark brown hair. Sometimes Christina was even sure it was black. Unlike Johanna, Delilah never cut her hair. Her boyfriend, Michael, once told her he liked girls with long hair before they were dating. Delilah, having feelings for him, refused to cut her hair after that. As a result, her hair reached a little under her behind. Christina thought it would be too long, but Delilah liked it…and so did Michael. After they started dating, Michael seemed to be in love with her hair. In his letters to her, he would say how much he missed her soft hair. In his poems, he would tell her how he loved to run his fingers through her hair.

Speaking of letters, Delilah was writing a letter to him at that moment. It was a little difficult for Michael to come to their castle sometimes. You see, their parents didn't like Michael. They thought he wasn't a very good gentleman. It was half true. Michael only respected the people he liked. At times, that list of people didn't include the South King. He only acted politely on some occasions, so the king wouldn't forbid him from seeing the eldest daughter.

Michael was a very opinionated person. He was open with emotions, and never tried to fake anything. In fact, sarcasm was one of his greatest traits. He didn't like Johanna very much. He said she was "too sensitive". He and Christina rarely talked, because she wasn't sure if he was a good influence or not.

"Christina, you've been in your room all day", Johanna told her. She ran up to her sister, and gave her a warm hug.

"Yes, I was just bored," Christina told her.

"How can you be bored", Delilah questioned. "You have servants that will follow every order." She raised her hand to show an example. A servant that Christina hadn't noticed before had quickly walked to Delilah.

"Can you bring me some water", Delilah asked him. He nodded his head.

"Yes, Princess." He left as quickly as he came, then returned with a cup of water.

"See", said Delilah.

"Will you two need anything," the servant asked Christina and Johanna. Christina shook her head, while Johanna replied with a "No, thank you." He nodded his head and left the room.

"Sister, you should find love, like me", Delilah told Christina. "I am never bored with Michael."

Christina sighed. "I shouldn't need a boy to be happy", Christina told her.

"Well, maybe you should get a pet", said Johanna, motioning to her bird.

"No, but thank you, Johanna", Christina said.

"Girls", their father's voice was heard throughout the room. He came in with his wife. They both dressed in their kingdom colors: blue and gold. They had on silky, blue robes and gold jewelry; they looked very fancy.

"We have a very important meeting today with Queen Fiona and King Caldwell", said their mom, Queen Bri.

"Yes, we need all of you on your best behavior," stated their father, King Jordan. His sentence mainly pointed towards Delilah, since she could be loud and smart-mouthed; a habit she adopted from Michael.

"We all know", said Delila, rolling her eyes. Her father shot her an exasperated glance, but the Queen interrupted the silence.

"You all get ready now", she told them. They all walked out and went to their separate rooms.

*In the North Kingdom*

"Prepare the ships", King Caldwell announced. "We will be going to find my older son's bride."

"Father, why aren't I going?" questioned Prince Andrew.

"Because son, I have to see whether she is worthy or not", the King explained. "Surely it would be a waste of your time if you came all that way, and didn't like her." The prince nodded his head in understanding.

"Very well," he said, and he walked away.

After strolling down a long hallway that shined colors of red and gold, he came upon a large door. He knocked on the wooden door, and after a few seconds, a servant opened it.

"What are you doing in my brother's room?" Andrew demanded. The servant kept a calm look on his face.

"As you know, I'm am your brother's servant," the man answered. "He required assistance, so I am here to aid him."

The older prince merely rolled his eyes, pushed past the servant, and walked into the room. His little brother's room seemed so plain to him. The walls were sea blue, and he didn't have any precious jewels anywhere. Where was the large portrait of his royalty? It was nowhere to be found. The bed was messy, and Prince Andrew reminded himself that his brother wasn't like him.

He looked onto the floor to see his brother doing push-ups. The younger prince did nothing to acknowledge the presence of his brother. Andrew saw him counting, but he couldn't care less.

"Brother, our father is going too…" he started, but all he could hear was his brother's counting and even breathing.

"Are you listening to me?" he asked, irritated. His brother continued his exercises. This made Andrew upset. How dare he not speak when spoken to?

"Treyvon, are you listening to me?" he asked loudly.

Treyvon only paused for a second to lift his head up, and look up at his brother. Andrew inwardly smiled, liking how his brother obeyed him. But then, he saw him move to a sit-up position. He continued to exercise and count. Andrew was getting ready to scream! He was trying to be nice, but Andrew was clearly getting mad. The servant took that chance to intervene.

"He is in the middle of his workout routine", he stated, his words as calm as his facial features. "He doesn't speak, because it interrupts his concentration. You would know if you actually cared for his life, instead of constantly talking about yours." Andrew turned to the servant. He would never tell, but William's tranquil demeanor freaked him out a little. It seemed as if he could hold a knife to someone's throat, without showing a single emotion.

"You do not talk to me like that", Andrew told him harshly. "You are just a servant, and I am royalty. You follow my orders." At this point, Andrew was in William's face.

"On the contrary, sir, I am Treyvon's personal servant, not yours", William politely corrected. "I listen to him, not you." Treyvon finished exercising, jumped up, and walked over to the two.

"What did you need to tell me, Andrew?", he asked.

"Get rid of him!", Andrew shouted, pointing to at William. "He is disrespectful, and doesn't know how to speak to royalty!"

"William is a very good friend, and do not talk scornfully about him," Treyvon told Andrew. Andrew wanted to rip his dark brown hair out of his head!

"He is not your friend", he exclaimed.

"He is your servant! He is here to serve you, not become your friend!" Andrew paused for a second.

"…Respect him?" he asked. Treyvon just nodded his head, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

Andrew sighed, annoyed with the conversation between him and his only brother.

"Treyvon, you must understand that we hold a different status from people like him," Andrew explained. "We are rich, and he is poor. We aren't supposed to connect. Why do you think our father rules over them?" Treyvon stayed quiet for a while, and Andrew thought he had finally got through his brother's thick skull…just like usual, he was wrong.

"So just because we are different, we aren't supposed to be friends?", asked Treyvon. "We have different interests; we are different. But we are both important. And our father rules over us also- after all, we are his sons."

Andrew almost had steam coming out of his ears, but he took a deep breath instead. "Let's talk about this later", he said. "I just wanted to tell you a princess might be coming." Now it was Treyvon's turn to look irritated.

"I do not want to be assigned to some girl, Andrew", he said.

"Good, because she'll be here for me", Andrew replied smugly. "I bet our father chose the most beautiful woman in the South Kingdom for me." Just when Treyvon was about to interrupt him, Andrew continued his fantasy.

"And she'll be so brilliant, so she'll be able to make tough decisions with ease."

"You really want to be wed right now?", Treyvon questioned. "What about living your life to the fullest right now, by having fun and relaxing? I've heard marriage could be very stressful."

"Well, I would rather be the idol of the kingdom when I inherit the crown", Andrew told him. "Everyone in the kingdom will wish they were as great as my wife and I. History will remember how this kingdom flourished under my ruling." Treyvon raised an eyebrow, but just nodded.

"Best wishes, Andrew", Treyvon told him.

Andrew nodded and smiled. "Thank you", he said. "Now, I have to prepare for the arrival of my bride." He walked out of his brother's blue room. Treyvon turned back around to his bed and looked back at his friend. He shrugged his shoulders.

"So what should I do now?", Treyvon asked.

"Well, I believe it's a perfect time to eat your morning meal", William answered. "What would you like to eat?"

"Maybe you should make it a surprise today", Treyvon said. "Anything you make is good." "Thank you, sir", said William. He bowed his head and walked out of the room. Treyvon opened the doors to his balcony and looked down at the village below. Suddenly, thoughts of the princess flowed into his head. Why did he have a feeling something bad was about to happen?

*With Princess Christina*

After cleaning herself, Christina brushed her hair once again. She put on one of her beautiful blue dresses. It flowed down to her ankles, and it complemented her well-tailored matching shoes. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror of her vanity. Then she heard a gentle knock at her door.

"Come in", she said softly. Delilah and Johanna walked into her room.

"You're beautiful", Johanna exclaimed.

"Thank you", Christina replied. She looked back at her mirror.

"Chris, you look perfect", Delilah told her. "You do not have to look at your reflection for so long." The middle princess sighed.

"I am not worried about my appearance", she explained. "I'm worried about life." It was quiet for a while because neither of her sisters had ever heard their sister say such a thing.

"Can you look at me?" Delilah asked Christina. Christina turned to face her sisters. "Christina, I believe you are strong enough to handle anything that life gives you", Delilah told her.

"Yeah, you're nice, and you give great advice", Johanna added.

"Thanks", Christina said genuinely. "It's nice to have support from you two." They smiled and nodded their heads.

"Anytime", Delilah told her. Then, their mom walked in.

"Our guests are here", she announced.

They followed their mother down the stairs, and to their neat dining room. When they arrived, they saw their father, the North King, and the North Queen sitting at the table together. Queen Fiona turned towards them.

"You all have grown so beautifully", Queen Fiona admired.

"Thank you", said the three girls.

"I'm sure your sons have done the same", their mother stated. "They are both such strong young men."

"Yes, they take after their father", Queen Fiona replied, gesturing to her husband.

The three princesses sat down at the table, and their parents started talking about business with the North King and Queen. Then, King Caldwell asked Christina many questions and seemed pleased with her answers. After the meeting was over, King Caldwell and Queen Fiona concluded that Christina would be the best choice for their older son.

"Perfect", said their father. "When will the wedding be held?"

"I will give them two months", King Caldwell answered. "That way, they'll already be accustomed to each other. While everyone seemed happy with the decision, Christina had an uneasy smile on her face.

"Sister, aren't you happy", Johanna asked her. "You are being married to one of the princes of the North Kingdom!"

"I guess so", Christina said unenthusiastically. "Many girls say he's handsome", Delilah added.

"I bet you will look beautiful together." Christina just nodded her head. She didn't really have a response to what Delilah said.

"You can get ready tonight", King Caldwell told her. "When the sun is at its peak, we will set off for my kingdom."

After the meeting, everyone went to their separate rooms. Christina began to pack her things. When she finished, she placed her bags on the side of her bed. She changed into her night clothes and got into bed. That night, she dreamt of the North Kingdom.

*The Next Morning*

Everyone was wide awake at breakfast. The room was cheery because everyone was happy for their princess. The people had a good-bye celebration for her, to give her blessings for her future marriage. When the time to say good-bye came, it was a bittersweet moment. King Caldwell's ship was at the coast, waiting for them.

"We will miss you greatly, Christina", her father told her.

"Yes, I am not used to any of my daughters being far away", her mother added. She wiped some tears away from her eyes and hugged her daughter. Then, Delilah and Johanna walked up to her.

"I love you, sister", Johanna told her. She was already crying a lot.

"I love you too, Johanna", Christina said to her little sister. "Don't forget, in two months, I will see you again." Johanna smiled and nodded.

"I really hope that prince is worth your time", Delilah said declared. In return, Christina raised an eyebrow. "Or else, I'll have his head," she concluded with a smile. They shared a laugh and hugged each other. Tears started falling from Christina's eyes, so she closed them.

"I'm proud of you", Delilah stated.

"Thank you", she told her older sister. They let go of each other, and Christina returned to the side of King Caldwell and Queen Fiona.

"You will all see each other again at the wedding", the North Queen announced. "And after that, you may visit her anytime you wish." The family nodded in understanding. Christina told her family one more goodbye and boarded the ship with the North King and Queen.

*At the North Kingdom*

The people of the North Kingdom rushed to prepare for the arrival of their future Queen.

"No, no, no!", Andrew rudely told the gardener. "I need the best roses for my wife!" He pointed to the bouquet of roses the gardener held in his hand. "Those are not good enough!"

"But-but, sir", the gardener stuttered. "The people said these were lovely. Surely the princess will think the same." The prince's frown deepened, and he rose from his chair. He pointed to the window of the room.

"Those people know nothing of true beauty!", he told the gardener. "And if I say these flowers are hideous, then they are! Don't you ever challenge my opinions like that again, or I'll have your head! Understand?" The gardener flinched at Andrew's tone but nodded his head.

"My apologies, Your Majesty", he said with his head bowed.

"Good, now leave and bring me back some presentable roses," the prince yelled The gardener nodded once again and quickly left the room.

"I thought they were beautiful." Andrew rolled his eyes, already knowing who the voice belonged to.

"Brother, you also know nothing of true beauty", he told Treyvon. Before Treyvon could say anything, the irritated prince continued. "If you did, you would not dress like that." Treyvon looked down at his clothes, and then shrugged. He wasn't wearing the same royal silks as Andrew. He wore simple clothing that was a bit dirty.

"I went to the village to help the people prepare for the arrival of your bride", Treyvon explained. "And this is comfortable." Andrew scrunched up his face.

"Royalty does not dress that way", he said. "There's a reason why the best tailors make our clothes. It's so we don't look like the lower class."

"A good friend of mine in the village made this for me, and I cherish it very much", Treyvon defended. "…But why did you send the roses back?" Andrew rolled his eyes.

"They did not appeal to my taste", he answered.

"But why did you have to threaten him over some lovely flowers?", Treyvon asked. "That's not very nice."

"Did you come here just to criticize me?", Andrew asked as he exhaled loudly.

"No, I believe that is usually your job to criticize others", Treyvon replied. Before Andrew could say anything about his brother's last remark, Treyvon changed the subject.

"When is your bride coming?", he asked. "I'll bet she'll be surprised to see her future husband behaving in such a manner."

"You know nothing about the princess", Andrew stated. "Maybe she'll be happy that I am able to rule this kingdom with an iron fist."

"I guess," Treyvon shrugged, as he began to walk out of the room.

*With Christina*

"We will be at my kingdom tomorrow", King Caldwell announced. Christina just nodded her head, still staring the vast ocean. "Something troubles you, princess?", the king asked.

"I'm just thinking about your son… may you remind me of his name?", she asked.

"Yes, my first son… his name is Andrew", the king answered. "If you were thinking about him, let me assure you, he is a great young man." Christina just nodded her head again, in understanding.

"I'm just wondering if we'll learn to like each other", she told him. "Also, will I have great friends, like how I did at home?" King Caldwell just laughed.

"You may not know, but you and he aren't that much different", he told her. She looked at him for an answer.

"You are both beautiful, very intelligent, and constantly think about the future. You always think about what's good for the kingdom."

"I know that you have another son", Christina started to say. "Can you tell me about him?" The king's eyes cast downward, and he sighed.

"Treyvon… even though I am his father, I often do not understand him", he said. "It seems as if he doesn't want to be a part of the royal family. He is constantly leaving the castle, and most of the time, no one in the castle knows where he goes." The princess didn't know what to say. She had never heard a lot about him, but the North King's description made the second prince seem like the estranged son.

"So do you suggest I stay away from him?", she questioned.

"No, when you are married to Andrew, Treyvon will become like your family", King Caldwell told her. "I wanted you to know how he behaves already, so you won't be caught off guard."

"Oh, okay", Christina said. After that, she bid the North King a goodnight, went to her quarters on the sturdy ship, and went to sleep. She had a big day coming up.

*The Next Day with Treyvon*

"Sir, you don't look happy", William said to Treyvon. "May I ask you what's wrong?" Treyvon kept on tugging at the collar of his shirt, with an annoyed expression on his face. Then, he looked up at his private servant.

"It's just that I'm not comfortable like this", he said, as he pointed at the fancy clothes he was wearing.

"Well, your father requested that you dress in the finest clothing today, for the arrival of your brother's bride", William told him.

Treyvon could sense William's anger when he said "your brother's", but he could understand. Andrew could become the rudest man in the world when it came to talking to William. Treyvon couldn't understand just why Andrew didn't like William so much. He sighed loudly.

"I guess I could be polite tonight, but if I don't like her or her attitude, I will leave immediately", Treyvon told his servant.

"So is there anything else you need, sir", William asked.

"Yeah…", Treyvon trailed off. "Could you stop calling me 'sir'? You sound stiffer than these garments."

"If someone were to hear me call you as such, it would surely be questionable - disrespectful even," William said.

"Yes, but this situation is awkward enough as it is," the prince replied.

"As you wish, Treyvon", William said. Treyvon gave him a bright smile before leaving to meet his brother's bride, along with the rest of his family.

*With Christina*

King Caldwell's ship had finally reached the shore. King Caldwell, Queen Fiona, and Christina walked off the ship, and the immediately heard loud cheering and music. Men came with bed-like thrones that had see-through curtains. After being told to, Christina sat in one of them. Four men lifted it up and carried her to the North castle with the North King and Queen. People cheered, sand, and tossed flowers at her. She smiled happily; she felt so loved.

"Maybe being here won't be so bad. The people are so nice here," she thought.

When the ride was over, she walked up the front steps of the palace, alongside the North King and Queen. They reached the inside, and Christina marveled at the glorious sight. Red and gold were the North Kingdom's colors, so there were red walls with gold designs. Creative paintings adorned the walls, and everything seemed so fancy.

"Beautiful", Christina complimented.

"Not as beautiful as you, my princess".

She turned around to see a handsome stranger. He was a tall young man. His skin was a little darker than caramel, and he seemed to have a strong physique. His eyes were dark brown, and they held a sense of seriousness in them. As she studied him, she could see features that reminded her of the Queen. In addition, he was, of course, wearing his kingdom colors with a fancy outfit that suited him well. He was definitely the eldest prince of the North Kingdom.

"My name is Andrew," he said.

"Oh, so you are my fiancée," Christina said. "Nice to meet you, Andrew." She curtsied to him politely, and he walked up to her. Upon him coming closer, she held out her hand to him. He completely ignored her gesture and pulled her into a long hug.

"I've been anxiously waiting for your arrival," he told her. "And now that I am in your presence, I see it was worth my while. Slightly embarrassed from the greeting, Christina felt the heat rise to her cheeks. Smoothly, he released her from the hug and opted instead to wrap his arm around her waist.

Queen Fiona spoke.

"Such a charmer," she gushed. "Come now, we need to announce your arrival." They walked upstairs and went onto a balcony. When the people saw them, they applauded even louder. After the calmed down, King Caldwell made his announcement.

"My people", he said clear and loud. "Welcome my first son's future wife!" The king motioned for Andrew and Christina to come forward. They did, and everyone in the kingdom bowed. Then, after a few seconds, they all stood up again and continued their deafening cheers.

Then, Christina felt as if someone was watching her from behind. She turned around, but when she did, she only saw a figure, but not a face. She concluded that they were a male, but after she did, he seemed to disappear. She frowned because she thought it was creepy, but then she wondered if he could've been a guard.

*With Treyvon*

Treyvon heard the whole kingdom cheering for his brother and his future wife. He shook his head. He thought about how everyone in the kingdom thought Andrew was such a good guy when in reality, he wasn't. But he would never say anything to compromise the peace in the castle. Everything was running smoothly, and everyone was happy. Who was he to try to mess that up? He thought about the princess. Would she be happy in the North Kingdom? He started to hear roaring cheers, as he walked down a hallway. They became even louder when he opened up one of the doors to the grand balcony of the castle. He heard his father speak.

"My people, welcome my first son's bride, Princess Christina of the South Kingdom."

The praises thundered throughout the kingdom. He looked at the woman next to Andrew. He could get a small glimpse of her face, as the sun shined perfectly on her. The way she stood upright and held her head high gave her a look of elegance- she was truly a sight to behold.

Suddenly, she turned around and looked towards him. It startled him a little since he didn't realize she could actually feel his presence during all of the commotion occurring. He focused on her face, and only one word came to his mind: angelic. Her brown eyes seemed to open a new world, and he was in it. The wind guided some of her hair to her face, and he grew this foreign need to brush it back into place with his own hands. He lightly shook his head. He didn't understand why he was thinking that way. "Outside appearances don't mean anything." He walked away as quickly as he came. He really needed to get away from the castle and clear his thoughts.