Royalteen - First 500 Words

Here are the first 500 words of my new teen fiction, Royalteen. In class we are work-shopping the first 500 words, then going home and reworking it, then the next week bringing in the next 1000 words, work-shopping again, and so on. Tomorrow I have to bring in the first 1000 words. The first 500 words have been looked at by two of my classmates and lecturer so I have changed it quite a bit from what you're about to read now. The first 500 words of a children's story have to snappy and interesting. But because I was so intent on getting the story going I do info dump a lot, and try and shove a lot of back story in quickly. So, here are the first 500 words unedited. My next post will probably be the first 1000 words so keep watching and see how much it's changed!

Whoa, I said 'first 500 words' quite a bit then!

Princess Prudence’s Royal Decrees

5. All maids should be nice and friendly not total bitches.

4. Governesses should teach interesting things like reading and history.

3. Annoying younger brothers should not be allowed inside the castle.

2. Parents are not allowed to be bossy and controlling, even if they are King and Queen.

1. And finally, there should be no arranged marriages!

I have had the worst day in the history of worst days. First, I had a dismal princess etiquette lesson, I had to learn how to sit like a princess, wave like a princess, and even yawn like a princess – it was a really boring lesson. I appreciate that having princess etiquette is important but why can’t my governess teach me more interesting things, like history or geography, surely that would be just as useful to me when I am queen.

Then, while I was walking to the stables for my riding lesson I heard two of the maids talking about me. But I recognised one of the maids as Cathie, she always has it in for me, every time I see her she’s doing that snide little laugh. You would think as a princess I wouldn’t have to deal with bitchy girls, but apparently being a princess is more of a reason to be talked about behind your back. I heard them say something about my clothes and then burst into laughter. I knew today wasn’t a good day to wear these red shoes; they always make my feet look big.

And to top it off, after my riding lesson my parents told me the worst news ever.  My parents are so frustrating; they’re always bossing me about and telling me what to do. If you think your parents are bad, try having the great King Cedric for your dad and the beautiful Queen Annette as your mum. Seriously, they never stop telling me what to do, from ‘don’t bite your nails, Prudence’ to ‘stand up straight, Prudence’. One time they even told me to stop tapping my foot in public, it’s not my fault that the royal band was playing some really good music that day. And now they drop this huge bombshell on me:  they’ve arranged a marriage for me. That’s right, I’m not even 17 yet and they’re already trying to marry me off to someone. Not even someone good looking, they’re going to give me away to Prince Percy, and I’ve met him before at a Royal Ball, and believe me they don’t call him the Pimply Prince for nothing. They told me that this marriage would be perfect and would unite Adruhal and Minadrill. Our kingdoms are already friendly; I don’t understand how getting together with the Pimply Prince would make it any better. Okay, I realise that it is a good royal investment, and it worked out great for my mum and dad; my mum was princess of Erithna and when their marriage was arranged she was only 15! I want what’s best for my kingdom but I also want to marry for love not convenience.  It sounds really silly but I always imagined marrying someone tall and handsome, maybe someone with blonde hair and blue eyes. I admit it; I’m just imagining Raymund. I know he’s only a knight but I figured that when I was Queen I could alter the rules a little bit and marry Raymund instead of a prince. But now that plan’s out of the window thanks to my parents. Sometimes I wish that I had evil step-parents, like in those fairy stories, that would just lock me in a tower and never talk to me again. That would be nice.