The next morning there was a nock on my door. I went to answer it. "Winnie!" I exclaimed. She stepped into my room carrying a tray with my breakfast. "I intercepted this from the kitchen and told them i'd bring it to ya. I have to know how last night went!! I left after dinner and wasn't allowed in the ballroom. Was the engagement just awful? I saw her during dinner. She was acting so smug. She kept leaning onto him. She calls him babe and honey. It's disgusting he can do so much better." Winnie frowned shaking her head.

       I picked up the spoon to eat the food in front of me. It was some type of porridge or oatmeal. But it had fruit and honey in it. It looked tasty. My food had gotten better since i got moved up here. So i wasn't complaining. Winnie caught sight of the ring on my finger. She gasped. "What is this!?" Her eyes lit up. I shrugged playing it off.

       "The king did say the prince was going to make an announcement about his future. He did, it just involves me." I gushed. "Tell me everything!" She squealed. I told her everything from last night. She grinned. "Oh i am so happy for you!! And I'm so glad the king has come around to you guys dating." She said. "Me too." There was a knock on the door. I had finished breakfast i guess they wanted the dishes.

       I pulled the door open and a handful of women stood in front of me. I overheard the women talking. "Yes, the poor thing. She thought she was getting a proposal but all she got was a case of the runs....oh!" The first woman stopped talking. I invited them inside the room. "I'll take your dishes back to the kitchen i have to get to work. I hope the breakfast was okay? They said it was good for the baby." She said nodding to my belly. "It was great, thanks. See you soon?" "You can count on it bye." She waved and left.

       The first woman stepped forward. She had four swatches in her hand. "I'm the royal designer Dancy. I've planned out everything for the babies room." She said holding up the swatches. I frowned. I guess it was all part of the job. "I prefer the grey, it's neutral and i can pair other dark things with it." She said flipping through all of the colors. "Well i prefer the light yellow. It's bright and i think it's pretty." I said. She sighed. "Okay yellow it is, ill get finished with the room and you and the Prince can see it soon." She said leaving the room.

       The next lady walked forward. "This is my sketch book. I cut the pages down the middle. That way you can pick the top and bottom you like. These are the styles acceptable for you to wear." Said Leona. I had already met her as she had made my dress for the ball. I took the book and flipped through the pages. "Everything is going to fit me so big. I mean I'm pregnant." I sighed. "Don't you worry about that. I'm going to add a stomach support. It'll be able to be adjusted if you get bigger." She said.

       "Well then, i guess i like this." I held the book out to her. The top was sweetheart neckline with sparkles all over it. The bottom was a big ball gown. Fitting of a queen, or at least a princess for now. "That will work out just fine. I'll take this and get started on it right away. Can i just measure you real quick? You might have changed since the last time." She frowned pulling out a tape measure. She measured everything and wrote it down in her book. "Thank you." She left.

       The third lady stepped forward. "I'm Arlo the royal party planner. I'll be planning everything for your wedding. She pulled out a scrap book of sorts. She flipped the pages and she showed me everything she had planned. I frowned. "You don't like it?" She asked. "It's not that...it's...are you married?" I asked. "Why yes i am." She smiled. "Who planned your wedding?" I asked. "Well i did, kind of my job." "But what if someone else had planned it? And they didn't ask your opinion on anything?" I asked.

       She frowned. "I am very sorry. I am sure this is not what you wanted. And i do wish i could ask you input on things. But most of the things are just tradition. I know!" She held up a finger. "What flavor would you like for the cake? The outside'll have to be white. But you could choose the inside." "Really? Thank you. That's very kind of you. I'd like Chocolate if that's okay." "The king will hate it but I'm okay with that. He's stuck on tradition." He rolled his eyes. Will i have to do the same thing? I just want to have some say in ANY of this. But i guess i was just going to have to bend.

       She left the room and i was finally alone. I took a seat on the bed. There was another knock on the door. I sighed standing back up. Nobody comes to see me for days and today they can't get enough. I pulled the door open. "Oh Prince Cedric. Please come in." I said stepping back. "Hi, i just came to check on and the baby." He said. I closed the door behind him. He bent down onto the ground. "Hello sweet baby. This is your father. I just wanted to tell you how much i love you." He kissed my stomach. I ran my fingers through his hair. "That's so sweet of you." I said. "I just wanted him or her to get to know my voice." He said.

       "I like it." I smiled. "Did you uh, want kids? I mean were you ready to have a child when you found out?" He asked. "No, not really. But i guess with life sometimes it gives you things and it's all about what you do with them." I said. "I like that." He nodded. "What about you?" I asked. "Oh no. I thought i was going to have to marry Lady Esmerelda actually. And i knew i'd have to produce an heir i just...didn't really wanna marry her. So in a way you saved me. And now I'm really looking forward to being married to you and having your child." He said taking my hand in his.

         "Good, I'm rather looking forward to it as well." I said taking a seat on the bed. He knelt down at the edge of the bed and took my feet in his hands. "Your feet are still swollen, I'm sorry." He frowned. "It's okay we did a lot of standing last night. So there just a wee bit sore. But that feels wonderful." I said.

       "Well what about the cravings? Craving anything weird?" He asked. I chuckled. "No normal things. Everything they give me is supposed to be 'healthy for the baby'. Only problem is i get three square meals a day. I wouldn't mind a snack every once in a while. Let's see. I crave nachos with salsa on top. Pickles. Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies with milk.  French fries covered in nacho cheese sauce....oh sorry." I shook my head laughing. There was a knock on the door.

          "That would be the maid, care to talk a walk with me?" I asked. "Sure, we can go out to the gardens." He said taking my hand and pulling me up. I felt so weird about having a maid come in and clean my room. Just a few months ago i was one of those maids. I let her in thanking her as i left. She curtsied to us. Or well to Prince Cedric.

       On the way to the garden Prince Cedric was stopped. "Excuse me i must speak to him for just one moment. They spoke a bit. Lot's of nodding going on. I was trying not to be rude and listen in. So i walked down the hallway a bit, looking at the portraits of kings past. They all looked so regal. I was worried that i wouldn't be good at this job. And i knew there were rules about my title. When i married the prince I'd be a Duchess. Finally I'd have a title and maybe more respect. Not that i was a title seeker. I didn't care about that. I wanted to marry the prince. But people sometimes looked down upon me as if i were trash. And that i was the sole person who seduced anybody. Really it was mutual. 

       Prince Cedric walked back over taking my hand. We headed out to the garden. "What a lovely day." He said. "Yes it really is." I said. We walked for a bit until i got tired and my feet started to hurt. "I must take my leave, i have an important meeting. Will you be okay to get back to your room?" He asked. "Oh yes, of course. Thank you. I'll see you soon." He kissed me goodbye and i headed back inside the palace.

       "You, you little homewrecker!" Called out Lady Esmerelda. "Me? No, i don't think so." I said. "Well you are. He would have married me if you hadn't showed up. It's disgusting." She fumed. "No what's disguising is you being so selfish that you'd marry a guy who you knew didn't want you." I spoke softer. "Don't you want to love somebody who will love you with all of his heart?"  I asked. "Nobody cares about that. I was bread for this job, this title. You know nothing. You will ruin this country." She scoffed. "Well I'm sorry you feel that way but I'd watch how you spoke me to me." I said. "Why, you are a nobody." She said. "For now, but soon i will be a somebody and i don't forget. Why are you still here?" I asked. She laughed. "Are you serious!? You really think I'm going to actually allow the two of you to get married? You're dreaming." She rolled her eyes. "I don't recall needing your permission." I stated. 

       "That's what you think. But i have a plan up my sleeve. And soon I'll ruin you. So even if the prince wants to marry you they will ban you and your nothing of a child." "You will NOT speak of my child that way! It is a helpless baby!" I screeched. 

       "Please, it will be a nothing just like you!" Said Lady Esmerelda. "And i will ruin you. I'm spinning a lovely little story about you as we speak. How about your daddy dearest being in and out of prison i think you might take after him." She pouted. "Excuse me!" Said Prince Cedric coming up behind us. Lady Esmerelda had the biggest grin on her face. "Oops I'm sorry Prince Cedric. I'm sorry you had to hear the truth his way." She gasped.

       "Do you really think i would marry this enchanting lady without knowing about her past? What her father did has no correlation on her. Also my father, the king. He hired a PR rep and he just let me know about the article you tried to sell to ruin my beautiful fiancés image. That was the meeting i just had. Also i heard what you said about my child." He stopped. Her eyes grew wide. "Well that was taken out of context your highness." She curtsied. "I don't think so. I've called a car to take you to the airport. I think it's best you leave." He said. She balled her hands into fists. "No i will not stand for this!!!" She lunged at me. "I'm gonna make you pay for ruining my life!!" She screamed.

       Prince Cedric caught her and escorted her to a guard a few feet away. He led her out of the palace. "Are you okay??" He asked wrapping his arms around me. "No, that was scary. She's been out for me since day one." I said emotional.  "Look let me take you back to your room. You can take a nice warm bubble bath." I nodded.

       When we got back into the room i noticed a tray of food sitting on the bed. "What's all this?" I asked. "A little something for you. It should still be warm." He said. "Thank you, this is sweet." I took a seat and dug into the delicious French fries. "When you left earlier to go to the meeting why didn't you tell me what it was about?" I asked licking a bit of cheese off my finger.

       "I don't like keeping secrets from you. But i was trying to keep you from worrying. For the baby. And i was hopping i could just have her removed quietly. But then she...well she came after you. I'm so sorry about that." He said. "It's okay, i am going to have to get used to a lot of changes. And I'm trying to accept them gracefully. But I'm afraid I'm not having a very good time." I frowned.

       "I'm sorry, i do so hope it will get easier. You know lot's of girls hope to be princess's But i guess it's not as glamorous as it looks eh?" He asked. "No, i suppose it's not. I mean i had so much i wanted out of life." I said. "Like what?" He asked. "I don't know, not be broke. Maybe even have enough money to take a trip." I waved my hand in the air. "Well how about this. When the baby is six months old we'll take a vacation. Anywhere you wanna go. It'll be a late honey moon. You can still breast feed but the nanny will be there so we can enjoy some alone time." He said.

       I smiled. "Maybe, how about the beach?" I asked. "I love the beach, let's do it." He said. "Thank you." I smiled. "I just want to take as much of the burden off of you as i can. I really do love you." He said. "And i love you." I said. I had eaten most of the fries when i started on the nachos. "Thanks for this, you were quick." I said. "Anything for you. I mean it if you need anything please let me know." He said. "Thank you." I finished the nachos and picked up the cookies.

       "I'll start the bath." He said going into the bathroom. Once it was full he helped me get in. "Relax, take it easy. I'll see you soon." He said kissing me on the forehead. Then he excused himself from my room.