Chapter 1

"Ms. Rose."

"Ugh, 5 more minutes Megan."

"Ms. Rose, you have to have breakfast with your parents today."

"They can wait."

"MS. ROSE." Austin fell out of her bed in surprise at her nanny's stern voice, she wasn't quite expecting that loud noise before getting out of bed. Who needs alarm clocks when you have a nanny who used to be an opera singer? "Dearly sorry Ms. Rose, but your mother says if you are late one more time to breakfast then she will have me hanged."

"You? Hanged? You're the only person in this place that knows how to bathe properly, she'd rather die than hang you."

"Despite knowing that Ms. Rose, I'd rather not risk it."

"I've told you to call me Austin."

"And I've told you that I must be formal with the future queen."

"Ugh, don't say that. It makes me feel old." Austin managed to drag her feet out of her bed and stand up. Stretching her arms upwards, she yawned and scratched her back. Austin knew the drill, she had been trained to at a young age. She picked out the ugliest looking dress in her closet which her mom deemed as the prettiest, placed it on the bed. Changed out of her pajamas that the dwarves made for her as a present, and then got into the warm bath waiting for her nanny to pick up the bucket and splash her as she was considered "too weak and too delicate to do it herself." Just as her nanny was splashing her Austin caught a whiff of hydrogena-plant smelling shampoo. Austin's previously closed eyes flew open and she jumped away from the horrible stench coming closer to her. "OH NO YOU DON'T. NUH UH, I'M NOT PUTTING THAT ON ME."

"But Ms. Rose-"

"Don't you Ms. Rose me, I HATE THAT SHAMPOO."

"Please, Ms. Rose, be rational. It's a simple plant."

"That my mother grew on my grandmother's GRAVE as she laughed maniacally?"

"Ms. Rose, sh! Keep your voice down. It's only a rumor, your mother did not kill the Evil Queen. If she did, the Evil Queen tried to first."

"Oh what bull, Megan. I saw what happened, the mirror told me. My mom, the so-called beautiful 'Snow White,' wanted to kill the Evil Queen to gain her inheritance and so staged it so that the magic mirror told the Evil Queen that Snow White was going to kill her son. That's the real reason behind the Evil Queen's action. You don't honestly think that could happen over how pale your skin is?"

"Please, Ms. Rose, anyone can listen through these vents. Just please let me wash your hair with this shampoo, your mother will like it." Austin reluctantly let Megan rub the shampoo over her hair and rinse it with the rosewater to make her smell nice. To Austin, she smelt just like her mother, and she didn't like that, not one bit. Austin was every bit her mother as much as she wasn't her mother. Just as beautiful with her golden locks, bright brown eyes, and peach-colored skin. It was rumored Austin wasn't even her father's child but Snow White argued. Although, Austin secretly knew that was the reason why her mother visited Count Evans, the handsome blonde millionaire, so often. Just as much as she was beautiful, she was feisty and didn't like to follow rules. ESPECIALLY, rules her mother set.

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After her bath, Austin changed into the ugly pink gown with a hoop skirt. Her hair was styled old-fashioned, in a way that no modern-day princess would EVER think of wearing her hair. Austin managed to walk down the stairs in her long dress and higher high heels and somehow managed to clop her way towards the dining hall where her mother and father were sure to be. As she walked in she witnessed her mother kissing Count Evans who had just happened to walk in as she waited for her father to arrive from the early morning hunt. "Gross," Austin thought. Megan followed close behind her, wary of the queen seeing her and firing her on the spot. After making sure Austin was seated she speed-walked to the kitchen in hopes of avoiding the queen's gaze. Austin cleared her throat and her mother turned around. "Oh, Austin dear! I didn't know you were here. You, uh, see I was getting something off of Count Evan's face. It certainly looked like I was kissing him, but I assure you I would NEVER."

"Of course, mother." It was futile to argue anyways, the queen would simply deny it again and of course, since Austin was younger she would have to comply. "Please, Austin honey, keep your seat. I was just sending Count Evans on his way, your father will be here soon." Snow White rapidly pushed Count Evans out the door giving him a wink signaling him to come back soon. Not two minutes later, Austin's father walked into the room. "Hello, Austin!" He gave Austin a quick peck on the forehead and a goofy smile. "Dear, did you bring back food?" her mother asked.

"I shot a tiger that the forest creatures wanted gone, I'll be sure to have the cooks make it for dinner. Austin, honey, how was your sleep?" Austin smiled goofily and said, "Fine, except I couldn't find the pea just like Alina did."

"Your friend probably wants you to forget about that, Austin," her dad chortled.

"But it's hilarious! She got engaged to a prince even though the only reason she felt uncomfortable was because of them accidentally putting a brick on the top mattress!"

"Enough about Alina, she probably was never a real princess anyways. It's a shame Queen Gauntlet arranged for the marriage of her son to a fraud," her mother responded. "I think it's time for breakfast, cooks!"

"Yes, your majesty," the head chef replied. He brought forth many trays piled with bread, eggs, and many other delicacies the townsfolk couldn't have. After Austin barely finished her first plate, she placed her forks in the correct position indicating she was done. As the head chef grabbed the plate getting ready to throw it Austin leaned in close. "Please, don't throw these plates. I'll cover for you by saying that my garden of hydrogena plants needed growing. Feed your family and others." The chef smiled widely at Austin and while pretending to chuck the food he pocketed the leftovers while leaving the empty plate on the washing stand. It didn't take too long for the queen and king to also finish their plates and the head chef repeated this pattern with the other plates giving a wink to Austin before retiring into the kitchen in preparation for the lunch feast. "Now, Austin honey." Austin hated her mother's sickeningly sweet voice, she had been singing all her life and now it made her every word sound like a sing-song tune of death. "Tonight we were having a ceremony, you're 16 now, soon you'll be this kingdom's queen. Following in my footsteps, oh I'm just so happy."

"Ah, a ceremony. And who have you invited? Count Evans, I'm sure?" Austin retorted.

"Dear, why would I invite Count Evans?"

"Just in the best respects for the palace, especially you, correct, mother?" Snow White's face turned a scarlet red but she quickly looked away from Mr. Rose, Austin's father. "Of course not, he came this morning to give his best wishes. He will be there for the real ceremony. This is simply a mock one, just for you to get a feel. Your dance teacher tells me you're ready to begin ball dancing with the male elite crowd."

"Male?"

"Dear, as you get older, you would have to get married. I got engaged to your father when we were both just 18. You need to start looking for a male yourself, preferably one with a good dancing technique. We would never want a king who couldn't hold a jig to the tune."

"Well, what if I'm not ready for a male partner just yet."

"Nonsense, darling. It's never too early to look." With that, the queen rose up from her seat and walked to her quarters. The king followed suit and went to Austin. "Ignore her darling, we were young back then, yes, but that doesn't mean you don't have to wait. No matter what happens I'll support you. Just have fun tonight, alright? Make some new friends, perhaps." After giving an apologetic smile to Austin he gave her a peck on the forehead and walked away to his quarters. Austin was left there, sitting alone for a few more seconds just to make sure the queen didn't forget something and come back. Megan made her way to the table to get Austin. "She's gone."

"Great, I'm heading out, then."

"Back to the wall? Ms. Rose, I don't like you hanging out there. There are goons about."

"The garden gnomes?"

"Can be very dangerous. They are known to kill those that harm their owners."

"I'll be fine, Megan. Besides, it's much more peaceful there. First, I would like to change clothes, please."

"Same outfit?"

"Yeah." Megan sighed and looked around once more to make sure the queen wasn't watching. Non-royals using magic were banned in this kingdom for fear that they would overthrow the monarchy. With another quick glance, Megan uttered the words "Mutatio vestimenta sua" and Austin's clothes changed from the horrible hoop skirt into a more befitting outfit of a grey cropped shirt paired with a shorter grey mini-skirt underlined by black leggings and combat boots. The final touch, a messier up-do than the normal hairstyle permitted in the palace. "Thanks, Megan! You're the bomb!"

"Please, Ms. Rose, be careful."

"Can I ask one question before I leave?"

"Yes, Ms. Rose?"

"If you know the Fairy Godmother why don't you ask her to help get you out of this?"

"Fairy Godmothers don't really get paid in gold, do they? Plus, I would rather wave your hairbrush through your hair than my magic through the air and possibly get caught by evil people who'll kidnap me to do their bidding."

"Gotcha. I'm heading out, Megan. If anyone asks, I am greeting the townsfolk with formal fashion and have gone running my princess errands. I did them all yesterday but my mom doesn't know that." Austin rushed out of the palace doors and gave the secret whistling signal to the guard. As usual, he told a joke to the other two and within their laughter, they never noticed the escaping princess.