CHAPTER 1

PROLOGUE

Her soft silky dress clung to the snow white skin of her breast which jiggled as she tries hard to get rid of the berry stains from her dress. The sun was setting as Esmeralda hung her favourite dress for it to dry. It was the only high-priced dress she had managed to preserve since her father passed away. It was a red dress made from the finest of silk, it might have gotten a little small, but it was all she had. She needed to look presentable enough for the royal family to hire her as a cleaner.

She was eighteen and since her father left her mother's health was failing, she needed enough money to treat her. She can't afford to loose her only family, she sold berries for little money, and no matter how much she saved, it didn't make up for enough food for the weekends. She cried everyday realizing her mother was in a sickbed dieing slowly and she wasn't getting enough money for her treatment.

She had been overjoyed when she heard about the ball for the crowned prince which had requested every young mauden to be there. Although she lived faraway from the Palace, in a little cottage, as long as she could make it to town every morning to sell berries, it wouldn't be hard to get to the Palace.

Esmeralda saw the Ball as a golden opportunity to plead with the Queen to hire her. Meanwhile others saw it hmas a chance to become a the Queen. She only cared about her mother's failing health and stuck to the simplest solution. She couldn't hope to be the future Queen, there are a lot of beautiful girls in town, that would catch the prince's eye. She only wanted to be hidden in the crowd and sneak up to the Queen with her request.

ESMERALDA

The sun was already setting, I had to make dinner and set up berries for tomorrow sales. Working as quickly as quickly as I can, I make dinner for mother and take it to her with her medication. I always try not to cry when feeding her, watching her gasp in pain at any slight movement. She was very fragile, she was weak both physically and mentally.

When father was still here they would be joking and laughing at little thing. They always complemented each other, they did their best to make me happy. Although they were old, their love was still blooming. Even in pain, hunger and chaos, they somehow manged to keep each other happy and going. I had only hoped for a love like that, but what was the point, if someday one of us would die and leave the other saddened with nothing to live for.

At some point, mother tried to be there for me, because I was also grieving father, but she had lost an important part of herself, the part where all her dreams came true. Love can change a lot of things, when even the poor can be happy in love, nothing else matters, so long as they were happy.

I lost a father, but she lost a partner, I still had time. I could also find mine and be happy again. She laid on that bed everyday hoping to die, to unite with her love once more. I wished that for her too,but I wasn't ready for her to leave me yet, I want her blessing in my marriage, so I needed to keep her alive first.

Mother was fast asleep and now was the time to clean the house, I would be leaving early for the market tomorrow so the berries will sell out fast and I can get ready for the ball; More like my job appointment. I brush through the strand of my curly red hair, just like my father's, it was one of the beautiful features I had gotten form him. My hazel eyes and pale skin were attributes of my mother. I must say they were quite unique.

Letting out a heavy sigh as I freed the straps of my corset which held my breast in place.

"Now I'm free" I whispered to myself. Jumping on the creeky bed, it made quite a noise, thank God my mother's hearing was bad. She almost dead by the way so...

Slowly tears drop from my eyes as I wet the sheets, but I sobered up remembering I had a chance to end all of this tomorrow.

THE NEXT DAY

It was forenoon and I still had a basket full of berries, two empty. I dabbed the sweat of my forehead as I try to get the basket of berries off the road. The bellman had announced the arrival of a carriage. Rumors had it that the prince was arriving from Scotland, and his carriage would go through the market. That was partly impossible, because there was a separate lane to the Palace built spwcially for the Royal family. They didn't have to use the same lane as we the commoners.

"Oh no!" I gasped, watching half of the berries spill to the ground.

Katherine ran over watching me intently to know what to do next. I sighed as we dropped the rest of the berries on a safe side.

Hurrying to pick the rest into one of the empty basket.

"It would be bad to put it back for sale with everyone watching" she mumbled.

" But I can't let it waste. I'll just take it home and make more juice" I said.

She looked at me with her hand placed on her hips. "You already have lots of juice at home as if it were water".

"I'll just make some for the queen, as a gift so she can consider my request" I smiled at the thought.

"You say that like it's a demand. It should come as an appeal to the Queen."

Kathrine cut me out of my thoughts as she stood up to meet her mother, they seem to be done for the day. Her mother was enthusiastic about the ball and had gotten everything for

Kathrine to win the prince's heart. I fully support her, she was really pretty with her silk black hair and green eyes. Her features were immaculate and who knows she might actually appoint me as her lady-in-waiting.

"I guess so". I picked up the rest of the berries pondering over her words.

Forgotting what I was doing I got startled by the clatter of hooves nearby, my instincts had me out of the way immediately.

It was a carriage, could it be the prince? The carriage wasn't quite fancy and by the way, couldn't they halt for me. I would have been bulldozed out of the way.

"Stop" I shouted. I didn't know where this amount of boldness was coming from. I knew by thet end of the day I would be embarrassed, but I can't overlook it. The carriage has come to a halt and suddenly I was wishing it hadn't, couldn't they have ignored me.

I probably looked like a befreckled beggar, with my curly red hair over my face masking my face and my berry stained dress.

"What do you want?" The coachman asked. I could hear a deep laughter coming form the carriage. Were they laughing at me?

Summoning enough courage I said. "Where are your manners? I was almost killed" I exaggerated by kicking the carriage. "Ouch" it stung.

Esmeralda, you have a ball tonight, you'll have to dance on your feet. Stupid.

The coachman mounted down from his seat, he was quite huge. He had his hand on his scabbard, was he threatening me.

But before he could approach me, a man got out of the carriage. I gasped , he was simply charming, with shiny blond hair gelled back and his striking blue eyes that highlighted his face. His face looked perfectly sculpted from the finest of stone. He walked up to me, his height domineering compared to mine.

"Such impudence. How dare you stop the royal carriage with your whiny excuses?". He boomed, his voice deep and cold.

I stepped back a little. "Well, you had almost hit me sir. He could have slowed down a bit" I said hinting at the coachman.

"You could have gotten out of the way, or maybe not be on the way the first place, crazy woman". He muttered the last part.

"You just called me crazy!"

"You know what?" He rubbed his hand on his forehead. "It's a bit sunny out here and I'm not used to it as you are. So why don't you take this" he said handing me some money.

"You think money will make me shut up" I scoffed. "I'm only going to shut up because I want to".

A small smile graced his lips as he stared at me. I looked like a child who found a piece of stray candy for sure. This was worth more than my monthly earning by the way. It was a lot.

"Thank you" I screeched. He had started to walk away and I could help but express my gratitude. He covered his ears probably because of my high-pitched voice. The amount of money might have meant nothing to him but it meant a lot to me.

As the carriage drove off, i couldn't ignore the feeling of someone staring at me.

Could it be him?