Two

Tears were streaming down Annalisa's face as she sat in Drake's office. Her hands were shaking as she reached out towards Drake's awaiting hand. "I-It came yesterday morning. I only just got the chance to open it this morning. It's him, Drake. The man who is after me"

Thomas Drake stared at the letter, his eyes analyzing every word Jacque Hossian had written to her.

Peter

The name sent a shiver up her spine as she remembered what her fiancee had done to her. He had been a controlling and despicable man, looking for blood and power. Annalisa had only been a way to accomplish that goal.

Peter's father, Jacque, had demanded that she come back at once or he would stage an uprising. She knew he would, but she couldn't go back to Peter.

"Look, I can buy you some time. We can get you married off to some nice English gentleman and that will protect you. You'll need a child too, as fast as possible. A child in the picture can protect you even further."

Annalisa shook her head, "But what of my brother?"

Drake dragged his hand over his face as he contemplated her words. "Your brother is the King." He finally said, "Maybe it's time to protect yourself, Annalisa. A King can protect himself. A princess, however, cannot."

Annalisa stood and began to pace, "I-I can't just leave my kingdom exposed like that! I have a duty to my people."

Drake shook his head, "You are a princess. You belong to no one until you are married. You are a mere pawn. Take your fate into your own hands and see where it will take you."

Annalisa breathed deeply, trying to keep herself from breaking into tears, "I just do not know what to do."

Drake stood and gathered her into his arms, "Just leave it to me, darling. I will make sure everything will be okay."

~~~~

Annalisa felt a hand touch her shoulder, jolting her awake. She opened her sleepy eyes to see her mother standing over her.

"My dove, you must awaken." Her mother's melodic voice called to her. Annalisa could see the fear behind the tears in her eyes. Her mother was visibly shaking as she began to pull Annalisa out of bed,

"Mama?" Her voice asked, getting worried.

Her mother guided her over to the wall and removed a picture so that it revealed a small hole, "Annalisa, you must hide. Stay in this small hole until your brother comes for you, alright? Do not speak for anyone but Hans, yes?" Her mother's soft hands caressed her face.

"Yes, mama but what of Papa? Can he not come for me? Or you? Mama, I am scared." Annalisa asked, her eyes studying her mother's face.

Her mother' lips pursed, "It is not a matter that you must worry about. Just know that I love you, always."

An echoing of footsteps pushed her mother to cover the hole and run away.

Minutes later, Annalisa heard her mother beg for her life before she heard the blood-curdling scream that ended her mother. And then the silence afterward. It wasn't until she heard the footsteps echoed closer and closer to the hole in the wall that she began to silently cry. It was only a matter of time before she would be sentenced to the same fate as her mother. Annalisa's heart beat faster and faster.

She said her prayers before she heard the hidden door jiggle.

The door was removed and...

"M'lady?" A voice called out to her.

Annalisa sat up with a jolt, breathing hard and tears streaming down her face.. She looked around the room, frantically, blinking hard.

"M'lady, are you alright?" She heard the handmaiden, Bridget, ask.

She nodded, "Just a nightdream." She whispered, leaning back against the pillows.

"Well, m'lady, you 'ave me such a frightenin' sight that I surely thought it was one of those nightmares."

Annalisa smiled gently. The red-headed maid had taken good care of her over the past two weeks, making sure that Annalisa was up in time to meet the ladies and that she made it to bed at a decent time.

"Anyway, we must get you up of bed. The duke's son is awaitin'." Bridget said, motioning towards the window where the sun streamed through.

Annalisa almost stopped breathing. Edward was waiting for her? A foreign princess?

She had seen him in court multiple times throughout the past week and they had become good friends but she had never thought of him coming to see her personally.

She jumped out of bed and tore off her clothes, while the surprised Bridget stared at her princess in shock.

"Bridget, could you help me a dress?" She asked, standing in front of the mirror, feeling very impatient.

"Me, M'lady? A dress for you?" She asked, nervously.

"Yes."

Bridget came back with a soft blue dress. "I hope this is to your like'n, me lady."

"It's beautiful." She whispered as she stepped into the dress.

Bridget started to lace up her back as she told Annalisa about Edward, "He's been ere for hours! Before I! He always be a visiting Lord Drake but never this early. We'd asked him if we should have woke up you, m'lady but he refused. He be a nervous wreck! But I a think it was very considerate of 'em to consider you."

Annalisa smiled at the thought of the Duke's son being nervous.

She felt Bridget start to tug at her hair as her thoughts continued to race.

What could he possibly want? Did he want to court her? Did he want to make an alliance with her family? Did Drake have something to do with this?

"Go get 'em! You'd look purty!" Bridget said, smiling widely.

Annalisa stepped out into the hallway and practically ran towards the staircase.

This was so exciting to her- like those adventurous mystery novels that she read in the convent She had never had a man wait for her like this. This was all new to her.

She stopped right before the staircase and walked elegantly down the staircase. That was just as she practiced time after time again. Often she carried a book on top of her head to make it more of a challenge. But this moment was what she practiced for all her life.

This was it.

This was her big life-changing moment that she had dreamed for all her life.

This was for her mama.

~~~~~~

Edward leaned against the stairwell, tapping his fingers along the railing. He had to ask her today or else he would be meeting his elected bride. He couldn't sleep all night so he rode from Mayfield to Willow's Edge to arrive just as the butler arrived.

Edward felt bad for asking her to marry him but he was so desperate. And she was so beautiful. He knew the moment his father would meet her, the marriage would be official: she was the perfect choice to be the new Duchess of Mayfield.

He looked up and saw an angel, floating down the stairs in a blue, satin gown. Her dark midnight hair was around her shoulders- her skin glowing.

His heart stopped.

He ran up the last few steps and offered his arms to lead her down the stairs.

She was soft. Like a rose- she smelt like a rose.

"My lady, may I interest you in a walk through the rose garden? It's quite a beautiful day." He offered.

She smiled and followed him into the air of the garden. They walked through the garden in silence, just admiring the flowers.

"You know, gardens full of flowers are my absolute favorite. My brother's palace is full of them and that is where I like to spend my spare time. I love just to sit and read there." Annalisa said as she effortlessly floated through the garden.

"I didn't know you were a princess, Annalisa." Edward questioned, tilting his face to look at her.

"I... I try not to make a big deal out of it just to free myself from all the formalities. I feel the freedom coursing through my veins without my title attached to my name." Annalisa replied as she smiled up at him.

"I do understand that, Annalisa. My title seems to weigh me down quite often." Edward agreed.

"I feel that people expect me to be beautiful but with gardens such as this one— I fear I am not as beautiful as my title perceives me to be."

Edward reached down to pluck a rose and placed it behind Annalisa's ear, "I assure you, fräulein, no rose garden anywhere in this world would amount to your beauty."

Edward tried to sound happy and convincing but by the look on Annalisa's face, he didn't convince her at all.

"Herr, I feel that something is wrong." Annalisa's melodic voice suddenly said.

"It's not anything, princess." He lied, hoping to rid her of any worries.

"What do you mean? Please explain to me." She asked, stopping him with her hand.

"I was not going to ask you like this, Annalisa. I would like to ask for your hand in marriage." He spat out.

"What?" She yelped, her eyes wide. She snatched her hand away from his body and brought it to her chest.

He clenched his eyes shut, "I am sorry, this is not my strong point but I am in a dilemma. My parents are disinheriting me if I cannot find a suitable wife within the next few days. I was hoping that you could be my wife."

She widened her eyes more, speechless.

"It's just that you are so kind and so beautiful. You are not something that I would like to watch another man have. I would like to be the one to take care of you and to grow old with you. If it is not something..." He stared at her face. "It was only a request..." he started to murmur, trying to save himself of the embarrassment of rejection.

"No, Herr, I would be honored to become your... " She took a deep breath and looked into Edward's eyes, "wife."