In a one floor cottage that was made out of the wood from oak trees was a young girl named Naomi. She had long black hair, light purple eyes, and was about 5 feet tall. She wore her favorite white sundress that cut off at knee length and black flats that had a black bow at the tip. Outside of her small cottage were two apple blossom trees whose leaves were just growing. In her house, she had a living room, dining room, bedroom, and a bathroom. She sat at her small table in the dining room, watching the sun rise, and listening to the birds chirp when the sound of a sudden knock at the door bounced off the walls. She walked over to the door to see a girl that had long brown hair up into a pony tail, blue eyes, and she was wearing a tan sun dress.
The girl shouted, "Naomi." Naomi asked, "What is it, Sophia?" Sophia shouted, "Please, can I come in! It's urgent, and I'm scared!" Naomi softly frowned, took Sophia by the hand, pulled her into the cottage, closed the door, led her into the dining room, and they sat at the table.
Naomi asked, "What's wrong Sophia you never get up this early!" Sophia answered, "It's Darren!" Naomi asked, "What about that stuck up good for nothing, prince?" Sophia answered, "You know I'm engaged to Ivan!" Naomi asked, "Yeah, but what does that have to do with Darren? Is he not letting you get married?!" Tears ran down Sophia's cheeks, and she said, "It's Darren's 20th birthday today." Naomi asked, "Who cares Sophia, what does that have to do with you and Ivan?" Sophia said, "I forgot your new to the kingdom... You remember when those guards came by a week ago and looked at all the maidens in the village." Naomi replied, "Yeah, I remember one of those guards tried to hit on me. They said that I was really pretty. I thought it was rather odd." Sophia said, "Well, they weren't just doing that for fun..... It's a tradition in our kingdom that at the 20th birthday of the prince, he gets to choose one of the maidens from the kingdom to be his bride. Well, the head advisor announced in the Town Garden that me, you, and two other girls were top contenders for the prince. The other ones were so excited, but not me.... I'm engaged to Ivan! I can't be Darren's queen… I love Ivan!" Naomi shouted, "What?! We're top contenders for the prince?! What kind of man does that? I'm sure the prince knew you were engaged, and he still picked you anyway! Why does he get to choose us like this anyway?! We aren't a contest we're human!" Sophia cried, "I know, but if Prince Darren chooses us, we have to be his queen, and I don't want to be his queen!"
The sound of a loud pounding at the door filled the air, and Naomi quickly got up to open the door. When she opened it she saw a man standing there. He had light brown hair and green eyes. He was 5 feet 9 inches tall and wore a tan cloth shirt and a faded green cloth pair of pants. He quickly walked in and asked, "Where is she? Where is Sophia?" Naomi answered, "In the dining room." He ran to the dining room while Naomi followed. He said, "Sophia," and Sophia ran into his arms while crying in his shirt. He kissed the top of her head and said, "It'll be okay... We'll find a way out of it." Sophia cried, "No, it won't, Ivan! I'm a top contender! If he picks me for his wife, I don't know what I'll do! We're supposed to be man and wife. I can't imagine being without you." Ivan said, "I love you Sophia no matter what happens, I will always love you, and I will always come back for you no matter what happens." Sophia cried, "I love you too, Ivan." Naomi said, "Ivan take Sophia, spend some time with her. She needs you now more than ever." Ivan took Sophia's hand, and they walked out the cottage. Ivan said his goodbye to Naomi, and him and Sophia left. Naomi sat in her dining room and said, "Oh God, you know Sophia loves Ivan.... I know you wouldn't separate them. Please send them comfort, and please send me comfort as well. Reveal to me why I was ever put on that stupid list anyway!" Naomi heard A Voice say, "The Truth." Naomi asked, "The Truth? What does that mean?"
Soon after an hour of sitting at the dining room table, there was a pound at the door, and a voice shouted, "Open up!" Naomi walked to the front door, and before she opened it, she heard the same Voice say, "The Truth." Naomi opened the door to see two guards standing on either side of a man who was standing in the middle of them. The guards wore shiny silver armor, and along their wastes were swords that had just been sharpened. The man in the middle wore a black suit with a blue dress shirt underneath the suit coat. He was 5'10 feet tall and wore black dress shoes. He had blond hair and green eyes. He was skinny but buff and also wore black gloves. She asked, "What is this, a circus? Who is this clown in the middle?" The two guards drew their swords, the man in the middle cracked a soft smile, and said, "Put the swords down." One of the guards said, "But she insulted you!" The man in the middle replied, "It's okay she's new here, and she's a bit feisty as well." The guards put back their swords, and the man in the middle said, "allow me to introduce myself. I'm Prince Darren, and you must be Naomi. Is that correct?" Naomi said, "Oh, you're the prince." Darren replied, "Yes, I'm the prince." Naomi said, "Could've fooled me. You don't look like much of a prince." Darren chuckled and said, "You'll make an excellent princess." Naomi said, "Who me..... I don't think so. I'm not marrying you so you can take your circus and get off of my yard." Darren walked up to Naomi, touched her face, and said, "You'll make an excellent wife. You're exactly what I want." Naomi pulled his hand away from her face and shouted, "Don't you dare touch me ever again!" Darren smiled, said, "I'll see you later, my love, and we'll pick a wedding date, my queen," and he and his guards left. Naomi slammed the door, slid down it, and cried, "God, why! Why did it have to be me?!" The Voice said, "The Truth." Naomi sat on the floor with her head in her knees and cried for hours.