Youth as royal

i was only 3 years old. My mother had passed away just before my birthday. Today was her funeral.
Every one that day commented on how pretty i looked in my black little dress. But i didn’t even understand why i had to wear it. All I knew was that my mommy was gone and she wouldn’t be back. Father was besides himself with sadness. Sadness I didn't understand. “Look Lorna doesn’t Belle look precious in that black dress?” I heard some one say again. My fathers first general came to pay us respects my father said. I didn’t understand any of it. But he brought his son Gaston. He was 6 and all he seemed to do was parade around in his army suit his dad had made for him. And be mean to me. I didn’t like him. “One day she will have to marry one day Maurice” Gastons father said. i didn’t understand what it meant. A few years went by and I grew up from baby to child. I was now 8 years old. When papa wasn’t watching I played heroin with the servants in the basement of our castle. The cook was often a dragon I had to slay to safe the pretty princess what mostly was the young maid called Serena. Milan the old cook was not a dragon today but a harsh king that forced his daughter once again Serena to marry a man who she didn’t love I always made Trevor our master in arms either the prince ore the innocent victim of the choices that were made. Today Trevor was the man Serena was to marry but she didn’t love him. No she was in love with the handsome stable boy Rowan whom she would try to run away with. I loved playing with the servants they were so nice to me all the time. They didn’t expect me to only be the pretty princess. “Belle.” I heard my father scream. I had done something wrong again I knew it. I reluctantly went upstairs. “look at you Belle you’re dress is a mess. You are the princess darling you are to be pretty and ever clean.”
he said. I hated being the princess I wanted to do so much more I knew it.
At the age of 14 I despised being the princess all the time. Now I was no longer a child I was supposed to be at party,s and balls and meet men and boys. I already was engaged since I was 3 years old to the son of my fathers general Gaston. he cared more about his looks than he did about well any thing. He was so shallow and superficial. No I needed more excitement in my life. Gaston accompanied me to many balls as my escort and fiance. Today was an other ball. I stood in front my closet. Was it common for a princess to have many clothes and no dress to were? I wondered. Serena came to my room. “Miss Belle you should have been dressed by now.” she said to me. “Oh Serena I have nothing to wear.” I said to her. She looked at me.”you should be the right size now.” she said. “for what?” I asked her. “come with me.” sh said taking my hand and running trough the castle. “Serena where are you taking me?” I asked. “Let me be the hero for once miss.” she lead me in to my mothers old bed room.”we are not allowed in here.” I said in panic.”Miss Belle where is you’re sense of adventure gone? when you were younger you would make me a helpless princess so you and Rowan could safe me.” I looked at her. “I seem to be the helpless princess now Serena.” I said. “That is not true Miss Belle.” she said as she opened the closet using one of her iron ha pins.
She got out the most exquisite dress. It was red with a corset base that had golden stones on it the skirt was long and had 5 petticoats under it. “i will not fir in there.” I said looking at it. “Trust me Miss Belle you will.” she told me to put on the dress it was far to long for me. But Serena took out some scissors and started cutting the dress. With the extra fabric she made a hair band with a rose on it. “but I have not enough to fill out the top.” I said to her. “ Did I not tell you you would fit it Miss Belle?” she said and she sat me down on a chair and started working on the bodice. 4 hours later I had the most pretty dress I had ever seen Serena had put a ribbon under my bosom so it looked like it was fuller. What made the top of the corset look amazing. “If only you had some one you liked to accompany you Miss Belle.” she said I raised my shoulders. “There is nothing that can be done about that.” I said. “Well you will at least turn the heads of all those princes.” Serena said proud. “you’re shoes.” Serena remembered and got some matching ruby high heeled shoes out of a drawer. I slipped them on and started my way down stairs to Gaston.
I knew my future prospect. Just look pretty say the right thing. Keep the mans spirits up when things looked desperate. I wasn’t keen on entering that life. At least I had 4 more years before I had to endure that. i realized that time was running short so in stead of being proper and walk I ran trough the hall.
At the stairs I paused to get my breathing in order and descent the stairs as a princess was supposed to do. Gaston was indeed waiting for me down stairs.
“You are late Belle.” he said mad at me. “A lady is never late the others are simply early.” I hated balls this one was a tragedy all by itself at the end of the night every one had said how amazing I looked to get int o my fathers liking. The ogres seemed to be making a return to fight for our land and father had the most powerful army.
On my 18th birthday I was presented with a golden dress my mother had once owned. I was to war I tonight for the arrival of the dark one. So he would safe our town easier. It was again all for looking pretty my wedding would set place 3 weeks from today. How I hated that day. I didn’t want it to come any more than I wanted to see this dark one.
The ogres had indeed returned to our lands and were plundering and ravishing the lands.
Many brave men had fallen for our safety and we were afraid we would not hold on much longer. To safe us my father had send a message to the dark one to safe us with a promise of gold.
Hours passed and no one was coming.
“sir news from the battle field. Ovenly has fallen.” one of the messengers that had come in said.
“o my gods.” father said. “if only he had come.” Gaston said “well he didn’t did he?” father said and sat down on his chair. This was my cue to do my so called job as a princess.
I sat down besides him.”he could be on his way right now papa.” I said. “it is to late my girl it is just to late.” soon after we heard a heavy knock on the door. “that is him. It has to be him.” I said. Father got out of his chair. “open it.” he commanded. The soldiers opened the door to see no one.
Disappointed they closed the door again. “well that was kind of a let down.” a man,s voice said accompanied by a small cackling laugh I looked at the man that had appeared in my fathers seat.
Was this the dark one every one was afraid of. He didn’t look terrifying to me. In fact he seemed somewhat handsome. “you send me a message something like help help were dieing can you save us.” the way he said it made me smile. Gaston held his sword pointed at this man. “and the answer is. “ he said as he got up. “yes I can.” he added as he hit the top of Gastons sword. Serena would have loved to see that I thought but she had fled the castle a year prier. “yes I can safe you’re little town, for a price.” the man said. “we send you the promise of gold.” father said “ah well you see I make gold, what I want is something a bit more special.” he said moving his gaze on me. “my price is her.” he said. Gaston put his arm brutally before me shielding me from this man. “the young lady is engaged. To me.” he said. “i wasn’t asking is she was engaged, I am not looking for love. I’m looking for a care taker for my rather large estate, its her ore no deal.” The dark one said. “leave.” papa said. The dark one made his way to the door Gaston pushed me out of his way brutally his machetes hurting my skin. “wait. “i said. And I went to him smelling my opportunity to get out of this castle and my marriage. “i will go with him.” he made a funny cackle that made me smile. “no.” papa said. “I forbid it.” Gaston added to it. Typical him forbidding me things before we were even bound in matrimony “its for ever dearie.” the dark one said with a surprising softness in his voice. “and my family my friends they will all live?” I asked. “you have my word.” he said bowing his head. “than you have mine.” I said “Belle you can not to this you cant go with this... beast.” my father said. “no one decides my faith but me. And besides it has been decided. I said.
The dark one came next to me. “she is right the deal is struck.” he said as he put his hand on my hips more gentle than I had imagined the so called Dark one to do. “oh congratulations on you’re little war.” he said as we walked out of the main hall.
This was truly the end of my youth. But not as most princesses wee supposed to have it end by marriage and children no I was on my way to be a care taker of the house of the Dark one. It gave me a sense of freedom as much as it gave me a sense of fear. What was in store for me I simply did not know.