Chapter 2; Princess Ana Mae of Citrine

    

    

  *Third person's pov*

    

      16 years have passed since that day and the baby have grown into a beautiful and kindhearted princess. She was named Princess Ana Mae by the king and queen. They shower her with love and the whole kingdom adored her for her beauty and kindness. At first, the king was shocked to see her wife carrying a baby in her arms. But because of his love for her he have learned to accept the child and love her like his own daughter. He knows that his wife have longed for a daughter for such a very long time. But she can't bear a child no matter how much they tried. So he thought that Ana Mae is the answer for all their prayers.

    

      "Good morning mom and dad!" the princess said happily as she greeted her parents who have just started eating breakfast. She just came down from her room in the west wing of the palace.

    

         "Good morning our princess!" the king and queen said in unison. She kissed them both on their cheeks first before she sat down to eat with them.

    

          "Did you sleep well sweetheart?" the queen asked her lovingly.

    

         The princess giggled before answering, "I had the most amazing dream last night!" 

       

      Her parents laughed with her answer.

    

        "And what kind of dream is it sweety?" the king curiously asked.

    

         "I saw a beautiful lady with a golden hair. She's standing under a myrtle tree. There are butterflies flowing around her. She's like a Goddess and her smile looks really amazing!" she explained while imagining the dream she had last night.

    

     The king and queen looked at each other with amusement in their faces. They are both wondering why their daughter would have such a dream.

    

     "Did she tell you something?" the queen asked curiously.

    

        "No mom, she just smiled at me and then she disappeared," the princess answered.

    

        "Maybe she's one of the Goddesses. And you said you saw her under a myrtle tree ,then she might be Aphrodite," the king stated.

    

          "Aphrodite? The Goddess of love and beauty?" the princess asked with excitement. She have heard a lot about Gods and Goddesses when she was still young and for her Aphrodite is the most special. She don't know why, but everytime she hears that name her heart felt pain and longing. 

    

         "Yes sweetheart, maybe she was enchanted by your beauty that's why she appeared in your dream," the queen said and gave her a smile.

    

          Princess Ana Mae giggled with what her mom said. Maybe she's right, and she's very honored that a Goddess like Aphrodite finds time to visit her even just in her dream.

    

          After eating breakfast the king and queen started with their palace duties. The princess was left alone so she decided to go out for a walk in her mother's garden.

        As soon as she arrived there, the fresh morning breeze touches her golden hair and made it flew freely. The flowers were dancing, everything looks so serene and beautiful.

    

         She touches every flower that comes to her way and smell each one of it. She really love their sweet and majestic smell!

    

          "What a beautiful sight. A princess in the middle of beautiful flowers how charming!" her cousin Amira said sarcastically. 

        Ever since they were young Amira never treated her as her cousin but an enemy . Princess Amira is the only daughter of the King's sister, Princess Anatalia. Both Princess Amira and her mother despise her for they thought of her as a threat. They both want the throne and just by the thought that Princess Ana Mae will soon inherit it made them so mad.

    

         "Amira, I don't want to start a war early in the morning," Princess Ana Mae exclaimed as she started to walk away from her evil cousin. But Princess Amira quickly grabbed her arm and made her face her.

    

        "How rude for a princess to walk away from her cousin who have just greeted her good morning!" Amira mocked her.

    

       "Amira, I know what you're up to! You're up to something bad again! Please I want peace!" she begged. But Amira just laughed evilly at her.

    

         "Peace? Then run away from this palace! Run away from our lives! By then, maybe I could give you peace!" Amira shouted angrily.

    

        "What's wrong with you? Why are you like that? I'm not doing anything to you!" the princess cried.

    

       "Ofcourse that's what you thought! But you're wrong! You are taking away my position! I should be the crown princess and not you! Your birth is a curse to this kingdom!" Amira yelled before pushing her by force. Princess Ana Mae fell to the ground while crying. 

    

         "My birth were fated by the heavens. It wasn't my choice," she mumbled.

    

        "Well then, blame the heavens for all your sufferings! Because as long as I'm alive you will never be in peace!" Amira threatened her before she hurriedly walked away from her.

    

        The poor Princess Ana Mae bursted out in tears. All she wants is her cousin and aunt to love her but she finds it hard to obtain. Because of their too much greed for power they became monsters, monters that are ready to ravish even their own relative just for their ambition to be on top. Good thing her father did not know about this. She kept her mouth shut because she don't wish to see her own cousin and aunt being exiled because of her.

    

           "Your highness are you okay?" her lady-in-waiting Leana asked worriedly. It came running behind her.

    

           "I'm fine Lean," she said with a smile to calm her down. Leana helped her stand and wiped the dirt in her gown using her bare hands.

    

           "I should've stayed with you. I'm sorry your highness, I failed as your servant," she apologized while bowing her head down.

    

         "No! It's okay. This is not your fault. I never thought I would see Amira here. I should've gone back to my room so that I never encountered her," Princess Ana Mae said with sadness in her voice.

    

         "So it's her again? I told you your highness we have to tell your dad about her bullying you!" Leana blurted out.

    

         "No! It will just cause a bigger conflict. So it's better for me to shut up." Leana was amazed with Princess Ana Mae's answer. She's really a selfless and kindhearted princess.

    

      "If that's what you wish your highness," Leana answered accepting her defeat. She knows that she can't change the princess' mind but she promised to herself that she will not let Princess Amira hurt her again. She will protect her princess no matter what!