One Thing Parents SHOULD NOT DO-Chapter One

My tigress, Odetta, who sleeps in my room every night and I went
downstairs excitedly. My parents said they had a wonderful surprise for
my birthday. It sounded big. Last time they said this I received
Odetta, the best gift I had ever gotten. Each birthday was a huge event
accompanied by a ball. My parents didn't think I had much time left in
this world, and they wanted to make each moment special.
I was looking forward to the ball. I love to talk with people and dance
Snowball-Style (two people start, then they each choose another person
and so on), although the gown is quite uncomfortable. The shoes pinch
my feet like nothing else. I had a huge breakfast, and all throughout
Mother and Father were talking in hushed whispers. They both were
jittery and nervous the entire day, until 4:30 when the ball would
start. I stood in the middle of the ballroom while the guests
sang:
"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you, to you!
Many wishes, many wishes!
May your dreams come true!"
Usually at this point, dancing would start. Instead, my father brought
me to the front of the room, along with another boy whom I had never
seen in my life. "Ladies and gentlemen of the court!" my father began.
"Today is a very special day. Not only is our daughter now fifteen, we
feel now is the time to announce her betrothal to Prince William of
Cigam. Two years from today, they will be married!"
I stood there with my mouth hanging open. Why did nobody tell me this?
In fifteen years, no one could find the time just to say, "Oh hey,
Aurora, you're going to be married to this hot-shot prince on your
seventeenth birthday!"? Everyone was cheering and applauding. My
parents were nervous because of this, then. At a loss for words, I
turned around and ran out the door, tears burning my face.
Nothing could explain my feeling of anger and disbelief. And betrayal.
My parents and Odetta ran after me as I made my way to the tallest
turret of the palace. I always go there when I feel bad. I let Odetta
in (but locked my parents out) and we just sat there for hours, me
crying and eventually falling asleep using the tigress as a pillow.
This may seem silly but if it ever happens to you you'll know how I
felt.
My parents came back eventually, unlocking the door (they could have
earlier but they wanted to leave me alone).
"Aurora darling," Mother said, "We're so dreadfully sorry!"
"I find that hard to believe," I replied coolly.
"Darling-"
"Just how long have I been engaged?" I asked.
"Since..." mother paused, as if she didn't want to say. I know she
didn't.
"Since you were born, dear," my father finished for her.
"And why didn't I meet him before this?"
"Sweet, Cigam has been at war for years, until just a few months ago.
Ever since you were three. It would not have been safe for them to
leave the country, or for us to go there. You know that!"
"Still-" I protested, then deciding it was no use, I decided to try
enjoying my birthday. Then, deciding that was no use, I decided to eat
a huge turkey leg, as messy and unlady like as possible. People would
look at me disgustedly, some sympathetically. I pity anyone whose
parents have done this to them.
I saw William came over towards me so I tapped the shoulder of a court
member's son, I think his name is Adam, and we danced. William was wise
enough not to ask to cut in. Very wise. Adam was very bewildered
because I had talked to him only once a long time ago, and that was to
ask him to pass the potatoes at a big party we had. "Shouldn't you be
dancing with Wi-" he started.
"Shut up and waltz!" I commanded. He did what I said. I rarely give
orders, except to ask the cook if she'll "I've got to get rid of him!"
I muttered to myself.
"What?" Adam asked. I'm still not sure of his name.
"Did I not tell you to shut up, Adam?" I inquired.
"My-my name is Fr-"
"Now it's Adam!" I said sharply. Later I would smack myself for acting
this? childish. But at this moment, I did not care. I spent the
remainder of the ball miserable, pretending to adore my gifts (although
I wasn't paying attention to what I was getting, I couldn't tell you at
all what I received), avoiding William, and shooting dark looks at my
parents. What a birthday.
~*~
I didn't get to sleep until 3:00. The ball ended at two, but I spent my
time on my bed, curtains tightly drawn, whispering to Odetta about all
of my problems. I used her as a pillow and rambled on and on. She'd
yawn or sigh every few minutes, and fell asleep. I took it as a hint,
and blew out the candle, pushed Odetta off of my pillow (and pushing a
five hundred and fifty-pound kitty is no piece of pie), and fell asleep
myself.
The next morning I woke up late, since it was summer and I had no
lessons (unlike my friends in Saren, they have winter off instead of
summer). Odetta had slept across my feet and so that made my feet feel
rather heavy the rest of the morning, but overall it was fine, until I
went down to breakfast and there was William. I ate my breakfast
without saying a word, though many people asked me questions to break
my icy stare on either William or my parents. It wouldn't work. Then
Odetta and I retreated to my room again.
I pretended to write thank you notes to the people who gave me presents
yesterday, and I know I'll have to some time but now I was busy making
plans to get rid of William.
There was a knock on the door. I quickly crumpled up the picture of
Odetta eating my fianc?e.
"Yes?" I said. Mother opened the door.
"Aurora? I'm sorry. Things didn't go? as planned? yesterday."
"Oh, really?" I said sarcastically, scratching Odetta's ears. Mother
shook her head. "Aurora, will you give William a chance, please? He
just met you and he already likes you-"
"I didn't really meet him, actually. We just know each other's names,
but weren't even properly introduced. And likes me for what? My looks?
That seems to be the norm, doesn't it? Or are you just saying he likes
me?"
Mother didn't answer for awhile. "It isn't that, Aurora."
"It took you awhile to respond, didn't it? And we both know it is that.
Don't kid yourself."
"Just-"
"I know. Just give him a chance. Very well. I will spend one hour a day
with him."
"Two hours. I am your mother, Aurora, and you will spend two hours a
day getting to know him." My mother was getting impatient now. She
looked at me sternly, a look I was so fortunate to inherit, I used it
many times yesterday.
"Fine then," I said.
"Starting now. He's in the front parlor, go talk to him." My mother
pointed out the door. "At once!"
"Come, Odetta," I said, beckoning to the tigress.
"No," Mother said. "You'll only use her to intimidate him. I'll take
her outside to her pen with Argie." She grabbed the cat by the scruff
of her neck and led her out. Odetta growled but I said, "just for a
bit, girl!" And she calmed down. Mother knows me too well. Argie is our
other white tiger by the way. He isn't allowed inside, and prefers his
pen (which is two acres big with a pool and trees and
everything).
I went downstairs and there William was, looking at a portrait of my
family in the parlor. I was five years old in that picture and was
holding a ball of white fluff- Odetta.
"Ahem," I coughed. William turned around, saw it was me, and smiled
nervously.
"Good morning, princess," he said, bowing perfectly. Most boys bow too
low, or not low enough. One even fell down before I danced with him at
a ball. To this day I have no idea how he did that.
"Good morning, Prince William." I curtsied perfectly, except for the
fact that I didn't lower my eyes to the ground but stared him straight
in the eye. I needed to show him I had no flaws, no fear. I sat on the
couch and he sat across from me in an armchair. We looked at each other
for a moment, in silence.
"So, tell me a bit about yourself," William said.
"I'm sure you know a lot more about me than I know of you, but, I like
music, dancing, horse-back riding, reading?"
"Reading?"
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing at all. It's just that most women in my kingdom don't read.
They don't think it's lady-like. My sisters do though, and so does my
mother." He shrugged. "I don't see why it wouldn't be 'lady-like',
being learned. Maybe the women think the men won't go for them if
they're smarter than they are."
I kept myself from laughing, and instead just smiled. I couldn't laugh.
I like funny people, and I did not want to like him.
"What do you do for fun?" I asked. "Are you a jester in your spare
time?"
He laughed. "I hunt a bit, not much, I do ride quite well, and enjoy
that. I do archery, fence a bit. Though I'm not one for singing? as I
hear you are."
So he had heard about my blessings. My life is an open book! That's
what I get for being a blessed and cursed princess. "Well, yes I can
sing, I often sing. Who told you about my?"
"It's legendary! You know how news travels, in 15 years it's bound to
get to Cigam. And I also know about the?"
"Curse?" I laughed scornfully. "And do you suppose you'll be the one to
wake me from it?"
William reddened. "I don't know, Aurora, I mean?"
"Neither do I, " I interrupted. "'Twould be strange, really. I don't
even know you." But a lot can happen in two years.
"Are you scared?" William said, almost in a whisper. I stared at him
straight in the eye.
"No." But I was. That was a flat out lie. I'm terrified. What if
Miranda's blessing didn't work, and what if I don't have a true love?
Would they just bury me alive after awhile because they were tired of
keeping me somwhere, and since I'd sleep forever, why not? I shivered
thinking about it.
"Are you cold, princess?" William asked.
"No, not at all," I said. I decided to change the subject by saying,
"So, tell me about your family. What are they like?"
"Well, I suppose you know about my parents. I have five brothers and
sisters though. There's Coretta, who'll be queen. She's married and is
going to have a baby. Then me? then Devon and Darcy, younger twin
brother and sister at age fourteen, then Myra who's ten and Ramsay
who's eight."
"I could never live with that many people? especially if they're
related to me!" I remarked. William laughed. "You learn to like noise.
It's fun watching the younger ones race on the banisters or on rugs on
the stairs."
"Just watching?" I asked. He smiled sheepishly. "Well sometimes
I-"
"I figured." Maybe he wasn't so bad. Maybe we could, one day, be
friends.
But it doesn't make up for my parents forcing me into marriage. If it
means getting rid of William, so be it.