ANNABELLE'S GIMMICK

Annabelle awoke to the sound of birds chirping, the kitchen staff hullabaloos, the music of the minstrel, clattering swords of the knights in training and worse, to her racing heart, fearing that the day she dread was here at last- the day she was going to sell her free will. The maid came knocking at her door.

"Come in" Annabelle ordered

"Your highness, it is time" she said as the clothier rushed into the princess's room.

"Princess Annabelle, your father his Royal Highness has bested in me the opportunity to make you look perfect for King Micheal, and that my princess is what I shall do" the clothier promised

"Calm down Patricia, I believe you shall do your best" Annabelle assured with a smile.

"I have the perfect gown for you princess Anna; a beautiful orange gown with brown roses from top to bottom. I had a custom tiara made because of the gown choice" Patricia said with a huge beam on her face.

She got the gown out for Annabelle to wear. When she was fully fitted in the gown, she went to the mirror to look at herself.

"I love it Patricia, thank you" Annabelle said as she hugged the clothier.

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

Meanwhile, in the Lord's castle, he was wining and dining with his Constable; Tobias and the Duke of Miliem; Henry who was his cousin from his father's side. On the table were a stuffed chicken, a quarter of stag, and a loin of veal which were covered in pomegranate seeds, sugar plums, and sauce. And to quench the thirst of these noble men was the finest of Mead, beer and ale.

"How are the peasants in your land" Henry asked quite concerned.

"I've had my knights and soldiers patrol my land and see to it that the peasants comply to my regulations, you know....pay taxes and fines etcetera etcetera" King Micheal said chugging down the most expensive of wines.

"I hear the serfs are revolting against the serfdom policies, burning down buildings, killing noble men just so that they could get you to agree to their demands" Tobias proposed

"Most of those rats who have chosen to defy me already have their names written in my Domesday book. Who art thee to tell me how to rule my kingdom" King Michael retorted.

"You do realize you're putting our peerage in danger. Dukedoms could go extinct" Tobias suggested sternly

"Tobias there's indeed nothing to worry about" Michael assured already annoyed by Tobias's complaints.

"What about Ole, the preacher, the anchor of this revolution" Tobias asked.

"I've had my men search the villages for him. He's a rat that lives in many holes and his holes will soon run out"

"Now shall we eat?" Micheal continued as the three men laughed off the whole talk about the peasants. Then a messenger came to where they sat dining.

"Evening your highnesses, I've come to deliver a message to His sovereign Lord Micheal. Tis from Nottingham Castle" the messenger said quite startled as he was in the midst of noble men. King Micheal took the letter off the messenger's hands and read it to himself. After reading it he got annoyed and asked the messenger to eat the letter. The messenger was reluctant but seeing as a commoner dare not defy a noble, he had no other choice but to eat it.

"Your cruelty has no end, does it Micheal? What has happened this time?" The Duke of Miliem asked

"Come with me Tobias, for we shall go see my soon-to-be wife," Lord Micheal said as he stood up from his seat. The viscount followed suit. The castle Marshal had already gotten the carriage ready for the journey. As they journeyed through the valleys, they conversed.

"And who might I ask is this beauty of yours?" Henry asked.

"I barely know her cousin" Micheal replied

"I remember when we were kids you said you were going to marry a princess that saw you as an equal. One you would always argue with till the day breaks and dusks arrive, still none of you would admit that the other is right"

"Like you said young Duke, we were kids" Micheal proclaimed confidently.

"We are fast approaching Nottingham Castle your highness" one of the Coachmen announced.

Meanwhile, in Nottingham Castle, Annabelle stood by the mirror admiring her dress whilst her maid watched. But she wasn't happy and the maid noticed it.

"What a beautiful dress my lady" the maid said smiling

"A beautiful dress for an ugly occasion" Annabelle retorted. This made the maid quite astounded and she asked why Annabelle would make such a statement.

"I don't mean to cringe Isabel but marriage isn't just something you jump into. There are rules. This is all so sudden and worse of all I'm getting married to an arrogant fool. Where's the beauty in that¿" Annabelle asked hypothetically.

"I understand my lady, but remember this is a service you must surrender to for your people. If you don't go on with this marriage, then you won't be able to save this kingdom. When you marry that 'arrogant fool', both kingdoms get merged and power will be restored" Isabel; the maid said in an attempt to convince Annabelle. Soon, they heard the neighing of horses and sighted a royal carriage at the front of the castle.

"It's them" Isabel proclaimed smiling.

Annabelle quickly turned to Isabel telling her that she couldn't go on with the whole charade. She needed Isabel to help her escape her reality. Of course the maid thought it was absurd that a princess like Annabelle would want to run away from her perfect life, but Annabelle insisted making Isabel agree to the plan she had devised. No sooner was Annabelle out of her gown and into Isabel's brown woven gown made of linen. She wasn't quite comfortable with it but for her gimmick to go according to plan she had to play the part the best she could.

"When you get to my home you tell my sister that you are our long-lost cousin...oh sweet lord I can't believe I'm helping you with this" Isabel moaned as they walked down the Great Hall. Other servants and maids passed by and none of them suspected a thing.

"Why can't I just tell her I'm the princess?" Annabelle asked confused.

"Because the moment your father notices that you're gone he'll start a search party, and put a lot of money on your head. And in the end, we are nothing more than peasants, she'll give you up without even blinking an eye" Isabel said. Annabelle was shocked at this statement. It was then she realized that she was lucky to have been brought up in a family such as hers.

Meanwhile, king Micheal and the Duke of Miliem were escorted into the dining room of the palace. The Marshal had taken their horses to the stable for safekeeping. The King and Queen of Nottingham Castle arrived at the dining. All greetings and due protocol were fully observed.

"So king Micheal how is your kingdom faring?" The queen asked with her ever fervent smile.

"Might I add my Queen your beauty is like the morning sun, screeching yes but ever so dazzling" Micheal jeered.

"Oh stop it Micheal" the Queen demanded as she laughed at Micheal's jeer.

"But like you asked my queen, my kingdom is doing very well if I do say so myself. The financial and legal matters of the castle estates are handled tremendously well by my admirable Steward. Why, my kingdom is expanding so why not expand my household, which I did not too long ago, making me implore two stewards; one for the internal affairs of the castle and the other for its estates" Micheal boasted

"My kingdom is doing fine thanks for asking would have sufficed Micheal" the Duke of Miliem; Henry jeered

"I even have impostors impersonating me on the daily. I must say, that your daughter is lucky to have me as a husband" Micheal concluded boastfully.

"Yes, she is indeed" the king of Nottingham Castle agreed.

"So where is my future wife?" Micheal asked.

Annabelle and Isabel were approaching the castle's gates when a guard stopped them. He questioned their movement as king Micheal was around and they wouldn't have anybody going in or out. Isabel told the guard that the girl she was escorting out was her cousin; Maria and that she had just come by the castle to see her. The guard scanned Maria (Annabelle) but it was hard to notice her details through her rugged looks. They opened the gates for them and they passed freely unnoticed.

"Here, the map around my village. Most of the peasants live in cruck houses so you might be confused" Isabel said as she handed out a parchment where she had drawn the routes. Annabelle collected it and started her journey but before she left, Isabel told her that if ever she was chanced, she would visit them frequently to bring them food and water.

"Annabelle darling" the king called out but there was no response. They called out the second time and still no answer. So the queen ordered a maid to go to Annabelle's chamber to call out.

"Apologies for the delay Micheal, she can be really shy at times" The queen denoted.

The maid got to the princess's chamber as quick as she could. When she got there, she saw no one. Just Annabelle's gown on the floor of a very cluttered chamber. Her eyes opened wide in shock as she put her hands over her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She rushed back down the stairs to the dining room and whispered into the Queen's ears.

"I'm sorry your highness but....princess Annabelle is gone"

"That can't be possible" the queen objected in shock.

"What can't be possible?" The King asked confused.

"Our baby Annabelle is gone" the queen said in desolation as she fainted in the arms of her husband. The King was angry. He ordered his knights to search for his Annabelle around the castle. He knew that she wouldn't get out the gates of the castle since she had never been out in the public before. Little did he know. They searched and searched but they still couldn't find his daughter, then he dared to believe that his daughter was out where the peasants lived. King Micheal was embarrassed and left Nottingham Castle along with Henry and the guards that had escorted them. On their journey back they conversed about what had just happened. Micheal was furious that the princess would run away from their marriage. He began raining all sorts of insults on her. As he did, a shot was fired aimed at the two horses carrying the royal carriage. The horses neighed and fell off the cliff along with everyone in the carriage. The fall came to an abrupt end leaving only one survivor. The king's ambusher looks down the cliff and noticed there wasn't any movement so he left the scene thinking his job was completed.