My Last Chance

     On this day, I was to be married to the King of Luxembourg. I was going to be a princess. It's everything I had ever wanted, or at least thought I wanted. I had a beautiful gown traced with sapphire gems and flower lace covering my arms. On my neck laid a white pearly necklace with a sapphire stone surrounded by gold. My crown was to have delicate golden flowers with sapphire, emerald, and pearls along it. The crown would go with my brown curly hair perfectly. My ring was even more exquisite. Gold and silver vines would form around my finger to make a ring. The gem was a crystal with vines climbing around it. There were sapphires placed with taste around the ring. I was going to be the dazzling prize of the season. Men all over the world proposed to me because of my high title. But at the end of the day the king was to take his prize and marry me. I tried to avoid the apprising thoughts as I looked into the king's eyes. I shouldn't call him that. He's going to be my husband. I should call him by his name, but I refused because to me that meant I was accepting this marriage. I don't know if I would be able to live with myself if I married him,not that I find him repulsive because I don't. He's actually quite handsome. He has dreamy green eyes and brown curly hair. He's beautiful,but I don't love him. I love Nate, the commoner sitting in the back row. 

     Nate is the love of my life. I hadn't realized it until it was too late. I had my chance to run away with Nate about a year ago,but I wanted the money. I wanted attention. I wanted materials that he couldn't give me. But now as I stand here in front of hundreds of people, I don't want the king. I don't want the riches and attention I desired a while ago. I want only what I can't have, Nate. 

     I look around the huge room filled with stane glass windows and twinkling people dressed in their finest clothes. I finally found him. He's sitting in the back wearing his finest suit. It's nothing compared to everyone else in the room, but he looks good. His dark brown skin and brown eyes catch my attention. He looks really good and it kills me that I can't have him. He stares at me and mouths the words "I love you." I hope nobody saw that because he and I would be in great danger. I can't help it as a huge grin rises on my face. I start to glow with happiness. The king thinks it's for him as he touches my hand. Just like that my happiness is taken away. I try to keep my smile but it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I can't maintain a fake smile the rest of my life when really my heart is completely broken. 

     I remember back to years ago when we were children. Nate was cleaning the dishes in my kitchen and I was sneaking around the huge house playing a game I called Lost Princess. I ran down the winding stone stairs until I reached a kitchen. It was the first time I had been in the kitchen. It had little windows at the top of the wall with light beaming through. I pretended the light was shining on me and I was turning into some type of magical fairy. As I took it all in Nate came to me and said "What are you doing here?" I looked at him for the first time. Back then his hair was extremely curly and completely out of control. He had a chubby little face and so did I. At that moment I decided he was going to play with me. He was going to be my prince. He didn't want to, but I told him that I would get him in trouble if he didn't play along. That's when we became best friends. Every day he would get out of cleaning and play with me. As we grew older we still hung out but we would have to sneak out to be able to do so. Our friendship was strong. We loved each other,but we would never tell each other. We were too scared of what society would say. My mother knew we liked each other. She let us be together until I was of age,and that's when she started finding suitors for me. She separated us. It was mean and cruel. She put hope in our hearts that we would be together,then she crushed it. I glance over at her. Of course she's sitting in the front row. Her grin covers her face. I don't know how she can possibly be happy when she has forced her daughter into an arranged marriage. 

     Who says I have to marry the king? Why has all this pressure been put on me? Where is my freedom? I see all the other happy couples in the room. Each husband and wife are holding each other's hand. They look happy. I just don't think this happiness is possible for me if I marry the king. That's when it hit me. I don't have to marry the king. I can't live without Nate. I can live with societies judgement on me. If I walk away from the King everyone will judge me. I will be a disgrace.

     "Any objections?" Shoot! I have to act now or it will be to late. I glance over at the huge round clock. I have exactly 5 more seconds before we are married. I already wasted my other 5 seconds thinking about Nate. I must act now. "You may kiss the-"

     "I OBJECT." Who said that? Did I just say that? I soon realized everyone was staring at me. The king let go of my hand. His face turned solid with anger. Everyone was upset, except for Nate and I. It is my life. I will live it how I chose to live it. Nate and I will live together and go far away from Luxembourg. I just know it. From the corner of my eye I can see his beautiful smile shining through the crowd of upset faces, although he really should be hiding it. I smiled to. And even though everyone else was furious with me, we kept on smiling. We were free. We weren't going to live by social judgement any longer. We are going to live in a tall brick house with a cozy fireplace. I can already see our kids running around. Windows will be on every side of the house. We will be far away from society. Someday I will come back here and bring my kids. But I will not pressure them into marriage. I want them to live freely as Nate and I will.