The king of one worlds daughter falls for his rivals son.

Name: Victoria Ann Lawrence
Age: 18
Appearance:

Name: Griffin Lee Revell
Age:19
Pic: http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...6tKvUVzlcxH7yQ

Victoria let out a soft sigh, her wild curls bouncing as the carriage made it's way down the cobblestone road. Nibbling on her bottom lip, she watched the large houses pass by, becoming larger and larger as she went. The royal carriage rode past a courting couple, the two walking alonside each other, the female farthest from the road, and an older woman chaperoning the couple. The young female had her floral paper fan risen to her lips, fanning it tentatively at the male, a flush spread across her pale face. Eyebrows raising in curiosity, she turned to watch out the back window as the carriage passed the nobles. The man was smiling, most likely telling a joke, his right hand resting on the middle of his vest.

"It isn't attractive for a girl of your age to stare so," her ladismaid reprimanded her, huffing from behind the princess.

Swiveling in the bench to turn back towards the center, Vicotria pouted, her plump lips pulled down at the corners, "I do not see why I cannot indulge in my desires if no one is around to witness it. Honestly, it is only innocent fun."

"Yes, but that innocent fun will turn into a habit, and the King would be most embarrassed if you did something so impolite with witnesses there," a loud tap sounded through the carriage as the driver thumped his cane against the front panel, "Alas, we are almost to the palace. Show some manners, and sit like a princess. It would be most embarrasing if their butler saw you sitting like that."

Straightening her back, Victoria tilted her legs to the side, crossing them at the ankles, her hands crossing on top of her skirts. Her purse rested underneath her hands, sinking into the depths of her silk skirts. Her ladismand praised her in approval, turning to look out through the silky sheen curtains of the window, the palace coming into view as they entered the large iron gates.

The minute or two it took to reach the entrance, Victoria was nearly humming inside herself. As the princess, she had never been outside of her own. It was custom for the princess to remain in her own city until the day she became of age. Once she came of age, it was considered her responsibility to visit other kingdoms. She was what you could call the salesman; she was the image of the castle now. Nervous energy pooling in the pit of her stomach, the carriage pulled to a stop, a tall butler stepping forward.

Griffin woke up and rubbed his eyes sleepily. His servant woke him up. "my lord?...my lord you must wake up now. It's nearly time for the party and you don't want to go looking like that do you?" his servant bugged him. Griffin groaned and pulled the pillow over his head. "I don't want to go at all! Let me sleep damn you!" he had been to tons of balls and parties in the past few years. All of them had been filled with old people and strange food. He was always the youngest there. He didn't see even the sense of these dumb events. Eventually his servant pulled him out of the bed and took him to a mirror. His hair stuck up in every angle possible, he was pale and he looked far to skinny for his taste. He sighed. He thought princes were sapossed to be hot. He got in the shower and cleansed himself. Then he was dressed and he fixed his hair. It glittered and shone. He had always liked his hair. It was a shiny silver. He ha eyes that matched. He looked at how he was dressed. He had on a black suit, red shirt, and black bow tie. He looked at himself and gloomily went down stairs so he'd be ready when the guest arrived. Why was he always having to greet the geusts. He looked to a maid that was walking past to do some important job. Gosh they had been busy preparing. He was ready for the people to arive.

Victoria rested her hand in the butler's as the man helped her step down from the carriage, her other gloved hand holding up her skirts. Her ladiesmaid followed after her, just as the other carriages followed behind. The King had sent two more carriages to carry a wide array of clothing for the princess. He'd told her it would be a terrible representation of him if she wasn't dressed regally each day, and appeared pristine and pure. More workers rushed to the carriages, grabbing her bags and suitcases from the wooden rides, taking one in each hand. She went to offer to to carry one of her bags, but her ladiesmaid quickly snatched her elbow, "The Prince is awaiting you. You are the first guest. Do not forget to remove your glove. It would be rude to make him kiss a gloved hand. It says you think he is not good enough to kiss your skin."

"I am well aware what it means. I have taken my lessons," tilting her chin up, she pulled her elbow away from the woman.

Making her way towards the large wooden doors, two suited men opened the large doors for her. Heels clicking on the marble flooring, she stepped over the threshold, her heart thrumming against her corset clad ribs.

Griffin looked and saw a pretty young woman exit a large carriage. He wasn't used to having such young guests. He thought she'd probaly be no fun. The royalty would have sucked the childhood right out of her. He greeted her and bowed low kissing her hand gently then showing her to the ballroom. He gave her the nicest seat in the room (other than his fathers) she was after all a princess and needed such nice things. He on the other hand would be happy sitting among the other people. He didn't like to stand out and expensive things bothered him. He hated the stupid outfit he wore. He told one of the servants to greet the other guests. Griffin tried to remember how one was to adress a princess. He didn't really listen during lessons. He went up to her. "Good evening my lady." he bowed low. "Would you mind if I joined your company." he knew he probably sounded like his servants did when they talked to him, but he was trying his best to show respect. He waited for her approval. She could either say no (he would go away) or yes (he would stay and talk.) he kind of hoped she would be the rude type and say no. He felt strange when he talked to beautiful women. Especially royalty.

Victoria had already replaced her glove over her right hand as the prince had led her into the ballroom. Her hands had been physically shaking as she stepped into the palatial room, her breath catching in her throat. Her teacher had always told her palaces elsewhere were equally large, but had their own decor. The decor in this palace had her nearly gasping in awe. Aside from her own palace, this was the most beautiful place she'd ever seen.

The prince led her to a large chair, nearly the largest she couldn't help but notice, and she'd tried not to fidget in her seat. For one, it was almost awkward, like she was being put up for a show for the guests that would be arriving. Secondly, the prince was speaking to her, and staring into her eyes very straightforwardly. As she noticed his eyes gazing into hers, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her gaze. Her ladiesmaid would definitely reprimand her if she forgot the rules of graceful submission. Though, when he asked if he could have her company, she couldn't help but look back up. Was it common to spend such time with a Prince?

Wanting to avoid being rude, she is the image of her kingdom afterall, she parted her lips that she'd been nibbling on, "I would be most pleased if you did so."

Griffin smiled and sat in a chair beside her. "do you like being royalty?" He had given up on being all princly and crap. He wanted to talk to her like a normal person. "This is torture. They make us study manners and act like proper adults. Where still just teens!" he really hated his lessons they were the worst part of his day. Meals were pretty bad too. he ahd to wait for someone to test everything. It was so dumb. No one wanted to kill him! He wondered what it was like to be princess. I didnt look very fun. She seemed to act just like an old woman. They made her wear a big poofy dress. He wondered if she'd be mad at him for speaking like this. It was a dangerous thing to do but he had done it. She could easily just tell her maid she wanted to leave because of the kingdoms ignorance. They were all alone in this room. No other geust had arrived yet. She could speak her mind and not worry about what others thought.

Victoria's eyes widened at the sudden switch in conversation, her fingers gripping into the silk of her dress. The prince was eager for her response, and very intent on her. She almost felt as if she were under scrutiny, and almost wished the room wasn't empty. If the room wasn't empty she could pretend she needed to go introduce herself to other people as a representative of her kingdom. As a young woman who hadn't been out of her own kingdom, she'd never had someone speak to her in such a way, and she wasn't exactly sure how to respond to it.

"Being royalty may not be as enjoyable as being a commoner who can act as she pleases, but it is a duty. We're the future leaders of our kingdoms, so I do what is asked, which includes lessons," She fidgeted again, clearing her throat. It was uncomfortable for the conversation to be about her. She much preferred for it to be about whomever she was speaking with, "You speak as if you do not like it. Are you not reprimanded for acting like this?" Her ladiesmaid would have her hide if she overhead what was happening right now.

He snorted. 'I hate this life. No one cares about us. Were just in our parents way. I just want to be normal like other children." He looked at how uncomrtable she was with the subject. He stood and uttered a gruff "sorry i won't speak to you lke that agian." he wanted to say he wouldn't speak to her agian, but that was rude. Instead he went up to his room and pouted. She was an old woman on the inside. She wouldn't be any fun at all.

The dumbfounded Victoria was left to deal with what he said as he abandoned her in the ballroom. Jaw dropped in confusion and bewildermint at what had just happened, Victoria didn't even notice when her ladiesmaid came stalking up to her, "You should not have been in a room alone with him like that, Miss. That is extremely inappropriate."

"Oh, hush. It is not as if we did anything inappropriate," Victoria huffed at her, wiping the astounded visage off and replacing it with a graceful and controlled one, "I do not understand the Prince, though."

"In what way?"

"He...," she hesitated, not sure what to say, "He is not what I expected a Prince would be like. He does not follow the rules of propriety, and doesn't even want to be a royal. As well, he stormed out of the room...do I follow?"

"No. That would be inappropriate. You do not follow, because you might walk into a situation that is most certainly not appropriate for a princess."

"He does not like my company. I do not understand. I followed the lessons, and I was polite. Yet, he still left," she pulled her fan out of her purse, fluttering it in front of her suddenly warm cheeks.

"He is new to young company as well, Miss. You two are both newly of age. Now come, we must get you bathed and dressed for the ball tonight."

Griffin stepped into his room only to find his servants who insisted on batheing him and helping him get ready. He yelled loud enough for anyone anywhere in the castle could hear. "I can bathe myself damn it!!! Can't I have privacy like normal people. The servant backed away. "We're very sorry my lord." the head servant said this. He went into his bathroom and bathed making sure to clean every part of his body. He smelled good when he got out. The servants dressed him and fixed his hair. His teacher frowned as he walked up to him. "Act like a civil young man. There is no reason to yell. Miss. Victoria will not like a man who yells and acts like a child. "I don't care if she likes me! She's an adult just like everyone else I know! The things they've taught her have made her act like she 30 not 18." he pouted. "No she acts like a respectable young lady." his teacher argued. "No she acts like my mum!" "Do you not think your mum is a respectable woman?" his teacher ask. "She's respectable but she's an adult! This girl is 18! She should be acting like a teen still!"Griffin argued. "You mean rebellious and immature?" his teacher asked calmly. "Shut up!" Griffin walked away. Everyone in this whole castle was annoying and boring. He went into a greenhouse of the castle. It was full of gorgeous flowers. He sat down and sobbed into his hands. He was mad, lonely, and full of emotions. He just wanted to be normal.

Victoria raised her arms, twisting this way and that as her servants told her to, bathing her in the heated water of the filled tub. The women scrubbed her, soaping her up while another washed cleaning liquids into her hair. They continued like this until the women were satisfied that she was cleaned from head to toe. Stepping out, towels dabbed at her, another yanking through her fiery locks of hair.

"You'll be dressed for the ball after your hair is dry enough to work with. Until then, you may wear your linens and study in your quarters," her ladiesmaid, Olivia, stepped out of the room, returning with Victorie's undergarments and a silk robe.

Nodding, she grabbed the clothes and pulled them on, silent all the while. She still couldn't stop wondering about the Prince. He'd been calm, yes, but such anger had hidden in the depths of his eyes, "Where is the Prince?"

"He is most likely still getting ready as well. He has a lot of guests to keep company with tonight, Victoria," Olivia had taken over rubbing the towel through her hair, squeezing out as much water as she could, rousing a wince every now and then from Victoria as a curl was tugged.

"Is it common for him to come to the guest's quarters?" She'd merely been wondering if she needed to be dolled up constantly when residing here.

"Heaven's no. Firstly, this is the female's hall. He would not even come in this side of the Palace. It is most inappropriate to be in a woman's quarters unless you have wed or are on your marriage bed."

Victoria's cheeks flushed with heat at her ladiesmaid's words, her heart thrumming against her ribs once more, "I did not mean I intended on having him in my quarter."

"You had better not. The King will have your hide if he hears of such a thing, and you will be viewed as soiled. The Kingdom would be a complete scandal," the woman's voice was stern, urging and begging Victoria to hear what she was saying.

Griffin stoped his crying and stood. He rolled his eyes. "I'm such a big baby." he walked back to his quarters and looked in a mirror. Jeez he looked horrible. His eyes were puffy and red and his whole face was pale as a ghost. His clothes and body were covered in soil and mud. His teacher nearly accreted at his appearance. "What the hell is wrong with you!! What have you done!" he was dragged into the ladies hall. Some if the younger girls (his sisters to be correct) giggled at him all covered in mud. One girl went and got Victoria. "Theres the price you search for." the girl fell in a fit of giggles. Griffin glared. that only made her laugh harder. The other stopped her from laughing. "I think brother's been crying." she looked concerned. So did the other. "He hasn't cried since he was twelve and broke mum's mirror collection." the girls looked afraid. "I wonder what happened." they looked after him. He was dragged into the seamstresses room. His teacher was scolding him as they walked. Griffin suddenly stopped walking and jerked out of his teacher's grip. He screamed at the top of his lungs his voice high pitched and unnaturally shrill. "If you touch me again or scold me or even cone within a few feet of me I will KILL you!!" Griffin marched down the hall his face was pale and his eyes watery. He was sick of all of this. He suddenly whirled around. "And tell my dad to man up and tell me these things himself!" Griffin then marched down the hall. The little girls ran to Griffin's teacher. "What did you do?" they ask in unison. The teacher looked at them sadly. "Your father told me to tell him he was going to live with andarry a woman from another kingdom far away. She's about thirty. Griffin's still just a child meantly and physiclly. He didn't take the news well" the girls gasp. "Daddy's sending him away?" the girls began to cry and huged Victoria for comfort.

Victoria's crystalline eyes widened as she struggled to understand everything that was going on, the girls gripping to her robe clad waist desperately. They were both crying, hanging onto her, as her hands rested atop their heads, "It's going to be all right girls," she cooed, her fingers patting atop their heads comfortingly.

Her chin tilted up stubbornly as she looked up at the Prince's teacher, mind reeling with ideas, "Please inform the King he cannot send the Prince away. It would be rude to do so, and does not follow basic rules of propriety."

The teacher's eyes widened in bewilderment, "I cannot do that, Princess. My apologies, but I am in no position to give the King orders."

"Fine," she gently pulled the girls from her hips, urging them forward, "Take me to the King, girls."

The girls both looked back at her in confusion and hesitation, but with a smile from Victoria, they began to lead her through the palace. After weaving in and out of hallways, up and down staircases, they finally arrived at his study. The two guards at the door bowed their heads, opening the large oak doors as she and the girls walked through them. The King looked up from his desk, papers in hand, glasses propped on the end of his nose, "Why is it you are dressed so inappropriately, Miss Victoria?"

Her cheeks flushed at the comment, her having completely forgotten she had not taken the time to dress yet, and was still in her bathing robe. Still, she did not falter. As the Princess she knew it would be a bad representation if she seemed weak and shy, "I was rudely interrupted from my bathing by your son."

"My apologies. I will have him punished. Now, leave me to my work," he waved his hand in the air dismissively. Both of the girls ran from the room, but Victoria stood her ground, hands folded in front of her hips.

"I have more to speak with you about. I have been informed that you intend on sending Prince Griffin to live with Andarray-"

"And?"

She held back a frown, angered that he would interrupt her like that, "And I find it proposterous that you would so blatantly disregard the common decencies of propriety," the King opened his mouth to speak again, but Victoria silenced him with a finger pointed in the air, "It is discourteous to invite your guests from their rightful Kingdoms, and then send away your representative image. As you well know, the females have come to be in company with your son, and if you send your son away not only will you lost nearly half of your guests, but your Kingdom will be looked down upon with shame and dislike for your barbaric ways."

"You wish to court with my son?"

Victoria nearly stumbled, her breath catching in her throat, "I did not say such a thing."

"You hinted at it. That is enough. You may go with him, and proceed with your courting at Andarray's if that's what you wish," he waved his hand at her again.

This time, instead of remaining in place, she very boldly stepped towards him, anger fuming through her, "I will not be dismissed so any longer, and I will not be accompanying your son to Miss Andarray's. Even if I do so, you would still lose your guests, and your Kingdom will still be seen with displeasure. You know that, as I know it. Sending your son away, with whomever you wish, would merely be the first step in the downfall of your Kingdom, for surely no Kingdom would have an alliance with one so shameful."

The king looked at her sternly. "I have another son whom you young ladies are sure to love. He is more matture and acts like a man. Griffin acts like a mere child. He is being sent away to be taught good manners and how to act. He is a disgrace with his rebellion and childishness." the king felt anger towards this young girl how dare she! Suddenly one of his daughters walked in pale and with tear filled eyes. In her hand were Griffin's clothes. They were bloody and very dirty and ripped. She fell at Victoria's feet and sobbed. "H-He's gone..they can't find my brother anywhere." she looked afraid and very sad. She looked up at her father who simply looked at the robe in disgust. "Child get that foul thing off my carpet!" he exclaimed. When she removed it there were dark red spots on the floor. He called in some guards. "Go! Find my son and bring him to me!" he looked angry. "See miss Victoria.. This is the kind of thing that boy does. He makes everyone else worry. He's a selfish little brat.

Griffin sat once agian in the green house. Blood poured from his chest and wrists. "Oww.." he mumbled as he tried to clean off some of the blood. He hadn't meant to do this. He pulled the remaining wire off his skin. He had stumbled into some barbed wire earlier when riding his horse in the coral. He had been slung off of his frighted beast and landed in a whole bunch of barbed wire. He had left his clothes in his room. He wad put on some new ones, but no shirt. He would just ruin it with fresh blood. He walked around admiring the flowers.

"It is selfish that your son is upset?" She fumed, appalled at the blunt uncaring manner of the King. She didn't know where she was getting the bravery to speak to the King in such a way, but as a future Queen she knew more than any other that the King needed a woman to tell him what's what. "What is selfish, your Highness, is how you are treating your son. He is a future King, yet you tire of him? He is not learning and maturing as fast as his brother so you send him away? That is not nearly as brave as one would expect from a King. The answer is not to send him away, for that will only rouse deeper and stronger emotions in him. What he needs is a better teacher. Perhaps the student is not the problem, but it is the teacher. The teacher needs to be matched to the pupil," her fingers fiddled with eachother, nerves wracking up as she realized what she was about to offer, "Let me teach your son. What he needs is me. Who is better to teach him how to treat women than a woman herself? Who better to teach him manners than a princess?"

Griffin was brought in by a man from the stable. He was grinning mischiviously. The man spoke up. "Your son nearly killed my horse!!!" He felt anger rise up. "Take control of him!" Griffin laughed. "Correction, your horse nearly killed me!" the king glared at his son. "Why can't you just behave!" Griffin stood there looking down his naked chest covered in little scrapes from the barbed wire he had been thrown into. "It was the horses fault for getting so spooked." the king looked at Victoria. "You have one month to strairen him out! But screw up and it's over Are we understood?"

Victoria tore her gaze away quickly when she saw the state Griffin was in, a flush immediately creeping over her cheeks. It was improper for her to see a man in such a state that she had not wed, and she did not wish to appear improper. The King's words, however, offered her the perfect escape to focus her gaze one. A month...yes, she could work with that. Nodding her head in agreement, she curtsied to the king, her slender fingers holding the silk of her robe.

Once she did so, the King waved his hand through the air again at her, ready to be rid with the both of them. Ready to leave now, Victoria turned from the King, staring down the man holding Griffin, "We would much appreciate it if you would release your Prince. Your behavior is most insulting." Not waiting for the man's response, she stepped around the two, and walked through the open doors of the King's office, expecting Griffin to follow her.

Griffin raised an eyebrow, but decided to follow. "You? Teach me? Why?" he didn't understand why she would even want to. He followed her down the corridor. "So what are you going to teach me? You're a girl and I need to act like a prince not a dainty little princess. He felt insulted that he had been given her as a teacher. She was only around his age, maybe younger. Then agian, she was more of an adult than a teenage girl. She was more like his nanny. "So what am I to call you?" he wondered it he would call her miss or whatever. "Also, why do you have to be so grown up? I've never even laid eyes on another person my age and when I do she's like forty-eight in her mind...I want a friend..." he knew his words were harsh, but it was how he felt. It's not like he could talk to his dad about how he felt. He sighed and continued to follow her.

Victoria didn't allow his words to put a falter in her pace, and she kept her chin raised, her walk steady and proud. Had this Prince really never paid attention during his lessons? Honestly...he had just broken many rules. "I am a woman, yes, but that means I was taught how men and women should interact, and how males should act. I don't know if it's the same for men, but us females are taught how the other gender should behave as well. It helps us learn how to interact with them. So, in answer of your question I am well capable of teaching you what you need to know. Secondly, you may call me Victoria, since that's my name. And I act old, because I have an image to uphold." Now she allowed herself to turn and face the man, pulling her robe tighter over her, "You may have your older brother to be the image of your kingdom and be your scapegoat, but I do not have siblings. I am responsible for the image. That is why i act old, because I do not have time nor reason to act like a child," she sighed now, looking down at her hands, "I do understand, though, how you feel. You are the first man I've seen of my age as well. So believe you me, you aren't the only one shocked at how others of my age are. You were the last thing I expected."

"The last thing you expected eh? Well I'll have you know I'm not some old man. I never will be. If I was I'd be just like my father....a selfish old hag. He's always loved my brother more. He often tried to push me on household servants when I was a child. He said they could have me to do their duties and such. They refused to take me. Now you must see why I will do what ever it takes to raise hell for him. He will regret the day I was brought into this world. I'll show the old bastard what it's like to be rejected." Griffin felt his temper rising and his face growing hot and red. He grabbed a random vase and threw it to the ground. He broke every object in his path. He had quite a temper. He had also never experienced anything but hatred, so this caused him to act much worse than normal children, or in his case teenagers. He grabbed a picture of his dad off the wall and threw it to the ground. He them stopped at one of his mom and frowned. He missed her. She had been kind enough....