ANNALISE

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I laid sprawled on my bed with three pictures in front of me. The diary from the cabin, the painting from the festival I took, and the drawing Maria tried to take away. All containing one particular man.

King Demotis of Descuvi.

I couldn't help but try to figure out if he was related to the eyes watching me. He kept appearing in my life in the most odd way. In the waterfall, in my head to draw it, the cabin, even a festival where an old lady was speaking none-sense.

He was a reoccurring theme, and I couldn't help but wonder why my homeland ruler was imbedded in my head.

"You don't even know... do you?"

"Could you be her... the lost princess-"

"Annalise, your room is absolutely a mesz!" Maria stormed in, carrying a woven basket. I threw the paintings under my covers and left just the diary out.

"What are you reading, Mrz. Woodz?"

"Just something for my history class about Queen Katherine."

"Ah- beautiful women she was!" She picked up my clothes around the room, a smirk on her face.

"What could be so interesting, Maria?" I crossed my arms.

"I heard rumors of you dancing with ze Prince all night, Annalise! Quite a statement for ze Prince to make," she sounded giddy. She always had a thing for cheesy, romantic couples. When Maria wasn't doing chores around the house, she would be propped up in a chair with a romantic book in her hand.

"I can't say the rumors are false." I smirked as well, thinking of last night's events.

We didn't just dance all night.

The night was wonderful, as was the morning after. Damien woke me up with kisses and breakfast in bed. He even remembered how I told him about Maria's grits I loved so much, and included some.

He told me how he really felt about me, and we both finally came to the conclusion we needed one another more than we thought we did.

"No more games, Annalise Woods."

"He is quite a catch! The most wanted bachelor in most all the lands," she continued," You must be ze most hated!" She laughed.

"Maria, that isn't funny." I giggled. Yet the more I thought about it, Damien really was the most wanted in all the lands. I was a valuable asset against the Prince.

This can't be a Descuvian matter.

She walked of my room, crackling the whole way. I decided to put away the paintings and read the diary, wanting to learn more about King Demotis.

4-18-1280

Prince Demotis of Descuvi

Today I am going to ask Lillian to go on a date with me.

I could still remember the first day I saw her, a ball of all I would never forget. I saw her from across the room, her emerald green eyes shone against her black hair. She could've been a siren for all I knew!

So I purposely bumped into her, but accidentally split my apple juice all over my suit in the process. She apologized many times-giggling so hard she could hardly speak-but it was all worth it to strike up a conversation with her.

We were twelve at the time.

She is a Princess from a quaint land known as Gola. They are well known for their desserts and bakeries, as Descuvi was for our sea and artistic work.

She walked me over to the buffet, handing me chocolates from her land,"Would you accept my apology?" She asked. She was the prettiest girl I had even seen, how could I not accept?

We became the best of friends after that, and one day I invited her to go to Deltora with me. Deltora and Descuvi are allied kingdoms, our trade prosperous as is our friendship. There, I introduced her to my best pals since I was born, Prince Eggar of Deltora and Princess Katherine of Eurizola.

Eggar and I loved taking horseback rides through the Unio Forest, archery, sword fighting; we were very competitive. So when we would have bets, our two lady friends seemed to start talking, and became best of friends as well.

Eggar and I decided to build a clubhouse for us, one to call our own space free from the Kingdoms. There we all had no titles: just Lillian, Eggar, Kathrine, and Demotis.

Every month we would spend a week in Deltora playing games and spending quality time with our best friends. It was something we could all look forward to; no duties, playing the part, or titles. Just a bunch of teenagers hanging out.

I could remember the day Eggar told me he was in love with Kathrine,"You don't understand man, she's beautiful. She plays the piano like my heart on strings. She doesn't even know it, but she has me wrapped around her finger." Eggar plucked a rose from the Deltorian garden we were walking through.

Kathrine is different from Lillian, both have gentle souls but Lillian's is... how do I explain? Lillian doesn't care about her title, her lands; she only cares about a persons soul. She doesn't care to speak her mind or tell you your place, she's free spirited and a little crazy. The type of girl who went horseback riding with a shorter dress, climbs trees for the fun of it; you can't catch her knitting or reading.

But she loves to bake, and thank the gods for that.

"I think I'm in love with Kathrine, Demotis." We were sixteen, only a year ago.

"What are you two talking about?" Lillian asked with a sly smirk. Kathrine followed behind her, not keeping her eyes off of Eggar.

"Nothing much, Lillian. What were you two ladies up to?"

"Kathrine was trying to teach me how to make a wreath for BlackBerry day coming up." She gave a pointed look at her," But it didn't really work."

"Your not trying hard enough!" She huffed out," All you did was eat the blackberries till we had none left to decorate!"

"Which she obviously did on purpose, you know." I winked at Lillian. She gave a pointed look back, knowing I knew her too well and busted her.

"Is this true, Lillian?" Kathrine gasped.

"No?" She squeaked out.

Kathrine started swatting her head with her basket, the freshly picked blueberries flying all over the place. We were all laughing profoundly as Lillian tried picking up the blueberries and eating them while Kathrine continued her assault.

That's my little Lil.

"Hey Kathrine, could I talk to you for a second?" Eggar broke the fight up. He had a smile on his face, no worry about what could go wrong. The rose he picked earlier was dormant in his hand.

Kathrine stiffened up, eyes full of wonder,"Sure, Eggar." They walked off together in the garden.

"Wonder what that's all about,"Lillian sat down on a bench.

"I think he's finally going to tell her." I took a seat next to her, a smile playing at my lips.

"That he loves her? That's been known, Demotis." She bumped my shoulder.

"Well he finally wants to make it known, Lil." I bumped her back, and she almost flew off the bench. I had to catch her to make sure she didn't, but when I pulled her back up she was only laughing.

What a peculiar woman she is.

"Next time you do that, you're going to get it." She warned me, but through her giggling fit it didn't sound like much of a warning.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

So I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder, running around the garden until I chucked her in the fountain.

"Demotis!" She screamed, her hair wet and eyes wide. The water must've been freezing due to the weather. I laughed a hearty laugh, until she made a 'come closer' movement with her finger.

"You think you can trick me?" I only stared at her in the water.

"Well I was going to give you a kiss on the cheek, but I guess you didn't want that." She pouted.

My sixteen-year-old-horny-self was freaking out on the inside. A beautiful siren (whom I knew I had also fallen in love with since I had first laid eyes on her) wanted to give me a kiss? I couldn't miss the opportunity.

I learned forward with a cocky smirk, one I regret doubtfully to this day. She grabbed my arm and pulled me under. Submerged in the water I could hear her giggles, drifting off into chimes of almost angels.

I lifted-

"Annalise, what are you reading?" I hadn't even noticed my mother was standing at the doorway.

"Oh—nothing much, just a history book." I was startled. I felt like I was reading a rom-com book, not a diary.

"I just wanted to check up on you before going to bed. I've already started on your tournament dress." She was about to shut the door.

"My tournament dress? Whatever could you be talking about, mother?"

"You haven't heard? Every new year, Deltora holds an annual Targles tournament. Jousting, sword-fighting, racketball, horseback racing, and that one you like with the ball."

"Football?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, football! You were always so good at that targle." She pinched my cheek.

"Is there any citizens that try out?" I asked innocently.

"Yes, it's a competition between kingdoms! Any citizen is welcome to try out, they need the best of the best!" My mother didn't catch on.

"That's very kind of Deltora, mother. I bet they hold the try outs in the castle?" I pried.

"I think they do, actually! Though you had to apply a month ago to try out for a targle. That's so they can check backgrounds to be let in the castle." She pondered.

This shouldn't be a problem.

"Alright mother, I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning." I smiled at her.

"Goodnight my Annalise, I love you."

"Goodnight, love you!" She shut my door. I dove back into the diary, wanting to find out what happened after Eggar told Katherine he loved her.

I lifted myself out of the water, splashing Lillian in the process but she didn't care. She was already soaking wet.

"Demotis, I want you to make a painting of this exact moment." Lillian squeezed the cold water out of her hair. All that could be heard around us was the fountain's spur of water and the birds chiming away.

I felt so peaceful next to her in this moment.

"And why is that?"

"I don't want to forget any moment I spend with my best friend." She looked off into the distance.

Right...I was just her best friend.

This is why asking her out is such a big deal. For if she dismisses my offer, it would make our relationship less strong. She would know I would yearn for her presence in a different light, not a best friend of mine.

Yet this is a risk I am willing to take. I can't change how I feel about her, and if I never told her I would always regret the chance I never took.

I would regret how I never tried to entice the most beautiful girl in the world, for she should be put on a pedestal for others women to follow.

I shall continue with an entry tomorrow, following the events of today.

With uncertainty,

Demotis