Chapter Four

Mrs Isabella wasn't aware that the princess was in her home because she was being played by the kids. When ever she went to Joanna's room to check on her, Joanna would hide Catherine under her mattress and sit on it, that was totally insane. Joanna sneaked Catherine in to her room through the back door and while her foster mother was busy sewing some cloths in the sitting room, she and Catherine were busy playing and chatting in a low tune in her room. Catherine nearly blew her cover when she farted loudly by mistake and Joanna burst out laughing thus attracted Mrs Isabella's attention.

"Joanna how many times have i warned you about that!" Mrs Isabella roared in anger and went to Joanna's room immediately.

"Am sorry mummy, it came out by mistake." Joanna replied fearfully and Mrs Isabella caught her by the neck and gave her a heavy knock. Catherine tried to blow her cover to tell Mrs Isabella plainly that her friend was innocent, but Mrs Isabella wasted no time in the room for she wasn't ready to perceive any kind of ugly stench. When this was over, Joanna and Catherine lay on the bed facing each other. Catherine kissed Joanna and said,

"I love you Joan"

and Joanna kissed her in response and said,

"I love you Cathy." They hugged each other and began singing the song which they dedicated to their friendship in a low tune,

"like God and his creations are bound by love

So shall me and you be bound by our lasting love

Indeed, our strong bound shall last forever, we forever in love..."

In the end Joanna decided to keep up the end of her bargain on her agreement with Antonio. She sat up and said,

"Princess let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a young hunter who went hunting in the forest behind the Chiltern hills. Close to this forest is the most beautiful garden in England, oh I wish I can go to the garden my self to see and experience the wonder of the planet."

"Hmm Joan take me with you." Catherine interrupted in smiles and Joanna gave her the 'You don't know, do you?' Look and continued her story,

"Anyway, while the young hunter was hunting, he found a helpless little wolf in the forest. The little wolf took him to its mother which needed help for it was attacked and wounded by a ferocious beast. Seeing that it's mother wouldn't make it, the young hunter took the little wolf home and took care of it. When the wolf grew a little, the young hunter took it to the wild life park for he wanted his dog to be in perfect hands. Months later, the young hunter visited the wild life park to see the wolf and when the wolf saw him, it recognized him and howled loudly because it missed him a lot. The young hunter bravely went into its cage and they played together. When it was time for the young hunter to go home, the wolf refused to let him go, it blocked the exit of the cage and howled endlessly…"

"Wow Interesting! Did you read it in a book?" Catherine asked.

"No it's a true life story, Antonio told me the story." Joanna replied.

"Wait! You mean this actually happened?" Catherine asked surprisingly.

"Yea, the young hunter is Antonio. Cathy the garden actually exists! He said he will love to take you there." Joanna replied and Catherine broke into silence and after a suitable interval, she asked again nervously,

"Me? Why me?"

"I don't know, he said he likes you." Joanna replied and Catherine was dumbfounded. Joanna gave her time to think and didn't bother to throw more words at her. When Catherine was done thinking, she had a deep breath and asked,

"Joan what am I supposed to do?" She stretched her hand, took the paper that had the five commandments written on it and pointed at the first line,

"Thou shalt not make friend to another." she read. "But this goes against the commandments guiding our friendship," she continued "I must not pay attention to him."

"Cathy you told me people are scared of you because they think you are supposed to be proud of your self since you are a princess of England. I was deeply moved when Antonio told me plainly that he wasn't courageous enough to tell you he likes you and I told him that you are a human who has feelings too. I am not trying to make you go against our commandments, but you should pay attention to him and know what he has to say- make them understand that you are the coolest girl in England and hanging out with you is fun." Joanna said. "And when I told him to take me to the beautiful garden situated close to the forest," She continued sadly "he declined because he likes you and he wants to take you there instead."

"Hmm, what's so special about the garden that..."

Catherine responded deep in thought and Joanna who interrupted her held her face and spoke directly to it,

"Just make out time to meet him for I don't want people to be scared of hanging out with you, I want them to see the simplicity and preciousness which I saw in you. Open up to them Okay?"

"Alright pal, but there are more beautiful things to see in my home." Catherine replied in smiles, reached to the corner and brought out the pretty gown she hid in the leather bag that came with her.

"Here." she said and handed the gown over to Joanna.

"From now on you are Monica, the beautiful daughter of the duke of Salisbury but that's only when you pay my home a visit."

"Wow! This is beautiful!" Joanna replied as she admired the gown. "Cathy are you sure about this?" She continued doubtfully.

"Yea! I have already made plans with Oliver, he will ride you to the palace in a royal chariot." Catherine replied confidently.

"What if your mum begins to ask lots of questions about the duke of Salisbury like; what is your fathers name? When will your father invite the queen for his birthday? What is your father's favorite food?" Joanna asked.

"I will always stand by your side to help you out. Just don't worry, I have you covered." Catherine replied. "and when you stand in the presence of the queen," she continued "don't be too timid or nervous, be bold and speak with authority. Tell the queen you are Monica the daughter of Edward who is the current duke of Salisbury and you have visited because you want to spend some time with Princess Catherine her last daughter."

"Oh I am already trembling! I have never done this before." Joanna responded nervously and Catherine became sad and seeing that her reaction made Catherine sad, she added immediately,

"And I will try as much as I can to make this work."

"Joan look, I disguised as a palace maid to possibly visit you in the ghetto. If my disguise worked for me, yours will surely work for you. Be brave! Do this for me okay?" Catherine said.

"I will." Joanna responded courageously and they hugged each other.

The next day Joanna prepared her self thoroughly and as she and Catherine agreed, she went to the market square and waited for the royal chariot which had been sent by Catherine to come down and ride her to the palace. She was yet to wear the pretty gown which Catherine gave to her and that was because she didn't want to draw attention to her self. When the royal chariot arrived, Joanna hopped in and for the first time in her life, she was ridden in a chariot. The maid sent by Catherine to beautify her was in the chariot.

"Time for some change of wears mistress." Oliver who was in front of the chariot said to her and the maid quickly removed her silk dress and replaced it with the gown. She also applied some make up on her. Yes, the gown looked very good on her, the gown and the make up polished her appearance and revealed her secret beauty.

"What a smart plan," Oliver continued "Who is the mastermind?- the princess?"

"Yes Oliver." Joanna responded in a little shaky tune.

"You sound nervous? Relax, just like your friend princess Cathy, the queen of England is a human not the great goddess of horror. She is even more cool to hang out with than Catherine. Her only rough edge is inquisitiveness and sometimes she feels she is more important than every body in the world. But feel free and be courageous okay?" Oliver encouraged.

"Okay." Joanna responded and had a deep breath. On arrival, Joanna came down from the chariot gently and Oliver said to her,

"Love at first sight."

"Thank you." Joanna responded in smiles.

"No not me, the queen, she will fall in love at first sight, I know her more than anyone can imagine." Oliver continued "I think Cathy just got you a new admirer."

Joanna smiled in response and Oliver escorted her into the palace like she was one of the princesses of England and like Catherine instructed, she was courageous. The palace was full of wonders. It was gigantic, majestic and well furnished. Joanna couldn't believe her eyes, but she tried not to exhibit the attitude of a commoner or she would blow her cover. Indeed Catherine had always been the one paying her visits and it was time to return her the courtesy. When she met the queen in the palace, she tried so hard to maintain her courage and in fact the way the queen admired her gave her more confidence. The queen was just speechless because she was wondering why the pretty little Angel paid her a visit. Then Joanna bowed before the queen and her sweet little voice spoke up,

"Your highness i am Monica the daughter of the duke of Salisbury, i came all the way from Salisbury to spend some time with Catherine." As she introduced her self, Catherine walked into the palace at once and stood beside her.

"Come closer." the queen said to Joanna and Joanna went a little close to her.

"Closer." the queen insisted and Joanna made few more steps close to her.

"Closer to me let me touch you, you look like a precious stone tossed down from heaven." the queen said and Joanna went to her to receive her priceless touch. Another rough edge of the queen which Oliver failed to mention to Joanna was that she liked to show off.

"Cathy you didn't tell me you added a name in the list of your friends" The queen said delightfully and Catherine became downcast for she was unhappy to hear that, and when she couldn't take the show off any more, she suddenly raised her face and spoke back to her mother,

"Stop pretending mum! I don't have any list of friends, i am a loner and you are the cause of it." she left the palace immediately in annoyance.

"Don't worry your highness, i will walk straight to her right now and tell her why all decisions made by mums are for the sake of their kids." Joanna said to the queen with a calm voice.

"Wow! you speak like an experienced woman. You are a real woman clothed with the garment of a child." The queen responded surprisingly "Monica talk to your friend," she continued "out of my three God gifted children, Catherine is the only one that gives me headache. May God heal Elizabeth and never let Catherine inherit my throne."

"Your highness she will be back to apologize, i promise." Joanna said and genuflected.

"Wow! You sound and act like a special breed. If you were the queen of England, the masses would surely love you more than they love me, i am Jealous- Just kidding." The queen responded playfully and ordered one of her servants to take Joanna to Catherine's room. When Joanna was led to Catherine's room, She walked to the bed where Catherine lay and sat beside her and when Catherine turned to discuss with her, she frowned and turned her eyes away.

"I understand." Catherine said sadly and sat up "I was upset, that's why i left." She continued.

"You promised to back me up, but you suddenly abandoned me and disappeared. You even embarrassed your mum in front of a nobody like me." Joanna said unhappily.

"You didn't get it pal. I left because i don't want to stay there, get provoked and do worst to her. Mum is always fund of hurting my feelings. Am sorry Joan. Please may this not be a reason why you will never visit me again." Catherine Responded.

"Cathy you will only prove to me that you are sorry by apologizing to your mum right now. If you fail to do so, then our friendship is over!" Joanna said and Catherine was shocked.

"We are done? Just like that?" she asked very sadly.

"Not yet! come with me." Joanna replied seriously, took Catherine's hand and tried to drag her to the queen.

"Wait!" Catherine responded and burst out laughing for she needed Joanna's face to brighten up first.

"Come with me right now, i am not joking." Joanna said and took Catherine back to the queen.

"Mum i am sorry." Catherine apologized at last in tears and hugged the queen. The queen became so passionate and she kissed Catherine endlessly. She also dragged Joanna close to her self and hugged both kids.

"What's happening here?" Prince Alex, Catherine's elder brother who came into the palace asked curiously. "Good day mum." He continued "Mum and Cathy had issue, but it is resolved, and the pretty little bird here must have settled the issue, Catherine intro me."

"Alex Joan, Joan Alex" Catherine wiped off her tears and replied.

"No!" Joanna whispered to her.

"My name is actually Monica but the princess is fund of calling me Joan, Joan is my elder sister's name." Joanna spoke up and gave Catherine a mean look.

"Monica is your friend and yet you can not recall her name? How did you girls met each other any way?" the queen asked and Catherine and Joanna spoke up simultaneously,

"In the church." Joanna.

"at school." Cathy.

"We first met in the church," Catherine took over "and then we became friends at school." she tapped Joanna and crossed the first finger after the thumb on her lips which means "shot da fuck up, let me do the talking."

"And Monica suddenly decided to pay you a visit?" The queen asked again.

"Yea mum, she said she had never been to your castle before." Catherine replied.

"Hope your dad is aware of this visit?" The queen channeled her question to Joanna.

"Yes your highness." Joanna responded in smiles.

"But the duke of Salisbury was here last week and he never made mention of your visit?"

the queen asked her again.

"Mum may be he forgot to tell you." Catherine intervened immediately.

"When we were kids, sometimes we sneak out of home just to go out on a date." the Queen said and chuckled. "Anyway, Cathy, Monica is the kind of friend i will recommend to you." she continued "take her round my castle and prepare to pay her your own visit one day."

"Alright mum." Cathy replied and hugged the queen.

"Monica welcome to the abode of the queen of England." The queen said to Joanna and Joanna smiled broadly in response. Catherine and Alex took Joanna round the palace and Joanna couldn't believe her eyes because everything they came across was splendid and beautiful. Even at a point, Joanna regretted being born a peasant. There were lots well dressed servants, beautiful maids, outstanding pet birds and Animals, gold and silver. Catherine took a basket and selected the best fruits in the Queen's Castle for her friend. She also brought some bread and cake for her and when they were done, she took Joanna back to her room to show Joanna her personal stuffs. She opened up her book shelf, brought out a book and said to Joanna,

"My pleasure reading."

Joanna took the book and read out the title,

"100 Bed time stories, hmm."

"My mum bought it for me and that's my number one pleasure reading." Catherine said and Joanna opened the book to read out what was inside. Then after moving to and fro in the corridor, Prince Alex finally came in and sat beside Joanna. He focused his eyes on Joanna and watched every move she made. He was just mute because he waited for an opportunity to join the discussion and possibly know more about Joanna. When the opportunity called, he touched the ribbon which tied Joanna's hair together and said to her.

"This belongs to Cathy, am i right?"

"How did you know? Catherine interrupted. "don't touch her hair." She continued and sat in between Joanna and her brother because she knew her brother liked Joanna and she had a problem with that.

"leave my friend alone, she is just seven." She said to Alex again.

"Cathy i never said i was going to date her." Alex gave Catherine a mean look and responded.

"Just that she is cool and prettier than you, jealous troll." He continued angrily and left the room.

"Oh yeah, that's why you peeped at me when i was in the shower!" Catherine replied to him.

"That's disgusting!" Joanna responded.

"Mum Cathy has started again!" sounded his voice from the corridor.

"Enough Cathy! lets get back to the reading." Joanna said to Catherine and returned her eyes to the book she was holding. When they were done, Catherine showed Joanna many more stuffs, and in the end, when it was time for Joanna to go home, She bid the queen farewell and was escorted by Catherine to the chariot that will ride her home.

"Smell you later pal." sounded Alex's voice.

"Don't respond to him, he is such a lunatic." Catherine said to Joanna, but Joanna turned and smiled at Alex in response. Joanna was gradually studying Catherine. She had figured out that Catherine had a little sense of humor and if she would keep her as a friend, she needed a long and lasting patience.