(((OK! The imagination of Courtney proudly presents this new and thrilling tale!)))

The Story of a Girl

Chapter 1

Prince Gregory, the youngest son of King Yorren, rode through the village just outside the city walls. He rode every day to different parts of the kingdom surrounding the capital to talk with the people and hear their needs.

They didn’t have many complaints from him to take back to his farther; Bobberous was a peaceful realm run in a very proper fashion. They didn’t have rebels or heretics. Men bowed to him as he rode by, and ladies curtseyed in there properly long skirts, never a hair out of place under their head veil or kerchiefs. There were proper codes of conduct for every situation so no one was ever at a loss for words, there was never a social misstep, and nobody ever had to worry about a misunderstanding turning into a fight.

His highness stopped his mount and smiled in a friendly way at a young woman shelling peas on her doorstep. She stood and curtseyed, smiling back to just the degree proper for a younger prince.

“Good Morning fair lady,” he said to her.

“Good Morning to you, your highness,” she replied. “Can I offer your highness a drink from our well?”

“Not this day, thank you mistress. Are there any qualms that the royal family may see too?” he asked and she shook her head, replying that the harvest was looking well this year and that her husband doesn’t expect a harsh winter.

Prince Gregory was about to bid her farewell but a sound made him look toward a little road that led between two fields to the forest. He didn’t know what was down that road, he’d just assumed it was to bring wagons from one field to another. The fields where surrounded by a stone wall and was gated where the road passed through it.

Hooves pounded against the dirt and a rider at a full gallop was coming at them. The Prince raised his eyebrows. The rider was moving at a speed that was proper for someone seeking help after an accident. In only minutes the rider was within a distance that he could properly see them and his eyebrows crept up more if that was even possible.

It was a young woman. Her mount was black as night itself with strong, long legs that were only proper for the mounts of lords and princes. Ladies rode mares that were soft colors, white, grays, and browns. The girl never faltered. She jumped the gate and reined in her horse. The beast reared on powerful legs and pawed the air with a high pitched whinny.

All around him the prince’s men gasped and he saw a few of them grip the hilts of their swords. Gregory raised a hand, signaling that they where to stand down.

The horse plunged and pawed the ground. The girl on his back threw her head back and laughed delightedly.

Prince Gregory starred at her. She was wearing men’s breeches and a sleeveless shirt. Her feet were bare; she rode without a saddle and astride her horse instead of sidesaddle, which was proper for females. Her hair was long and fall in waves down her back.

The girl looked at them, then she addressed her, the maiden he’d been talking to, not bowing at him or waiting to be spoken to. “Well Jessica, I didn’t know you were expecting company,” she said to the lady, grinning. “They are company are they not? I trust nobodies causing you trouble?”

The lady, Jessica, shook her head politely though she looked rather nervous. “No no Fellise. This is his Royal Highness Prince Gregory.” She stressed the title and gave her friend a pointed look.

Fellise looked at the Prince and nodded. “Good morning,” she said brightly. “I am the most magnificent Fellise, Lady of the Forest. You and yours may bask in my magnificence if you wish,” she told them sincerely. The Prince was shocked into silence, some of the men around him lifted their hands to cover smiles and Lazarus, who was an adviser and more or less Gregory’s babysitter, was not impressed.

Jessica had turned white under her light tan. “Oh great mother!” she whispered and then said sternly to her friend, “Fellise have been drinking already? Because you are not in your right state of mind!”

“Jessica.” Fellise laughed. “You know I never have a drop until it’s 9 in the morn, as is proper.”

Jessica sighed and rolled her eyes. “You know well it’s not proper to drink till the noon meal!”

Fellise shook her head mournfully. “Sweetie… that’s a dirty, dirty lie.”

Lazarus finally recovered from his shock. “Young Lady!” he said, appalled. “Why do you behave in such a completely improper manner? You shame your very kingdom! I am ordering you to report to Mistress Franklin’s etiquette school first thing tomorrow morning!”

“I’m afraid I simply haven’t the time,” Fellise told him. “I don’t even get up until nearly ten on days that I don’t go fishing.”

Lazarus just starred at her so the Prince decided that he wouldn’t be interrupting if he spoke now.

“Lady Fellise, was it?” he asked and she nodded. “What kind of horse is that? And where did you acquire such a splendid creature?”

Fellise smiled and patted her mounts sleek black neck. “Shadow here was a birthday gift from the king of the dessert folk. I lived out there for a couple rainy seasons and the man took a liking to me. He really is a wonderful man.”

The prince frowned. “They were threatening war with us… but then we got a letter of peace and never heard another word.”

“To be fair,” Fellise told him sternly. “Your people where accusing them of being barbarians because of the way they lived. They got angry and rightly so. If they want to have more than one wife that’s their business and none of yours.”

“Why the sudden change of heart then?” one of the guards asked.

“Well, I said to the king, I says, Hakeem, Why would you want to go to war with them? They obviously don’t know the value behind your great people, and besides, what would you do with the land after you won the war? It’s covered in snow half the year and green plants the other half. No, not a good place for dessert folk at all. Sides, they cover up there women in fooffy dresses so you can’t even get a proper look at them.” Fellise nodded and grinned. “Well he agreed and dropped the matter, deciding he wasn’t going to waste time on such foolishness.”

Lazarus spluttered and the guard laughed out loud.

“Well,” Fellise said. “I got to be gettin’ to the market place.” She told them all and kicked her horse in a trot without another word.

Lazarus glared at her back and the prince starred after her, she was the oddest woman he’d ever encountered and he sincerely hopped to meet her again.

((OK, Chapter one! Thoughts? Review or else! MAAWWWhahahahahahah)))