Princess Iris

Prince Leonard turns and looks at me.

"What do you mean she is very stubborn Leonard?" Prince Williams asks

He finally sighs.

"She isn't... well, she isn't..."

"She isn't what Leonard?" Prince Frederick asks impatiently.

"She isn't properly tamed yet," Prince Leonard says.

I look at him shocked.

"You set me up," I shout angrily.

"You bastard," Prince Jeffery says.

"Of all the stupid things you could have done, you strip this low," Prince Nathaniel says disappointedly.

"We should have known. This is classic Leonard all over again," Prince Gregory says.

"I always knew Prince Leonard never liked me but I never knew he hated me this much to want to get me hurt," I say to myself.

I couldn't help the tears that start to form in my eyes.

"How could things have gotten this bad? I thought I coming here will make things better between us but I was wrong. Someone like Prince Leonard will never change," I say to myself.

I turned to Prince Leonard and Prince Frederick is scolding him. He turns and looks at me and just then a tear drops down my cheeks. I can see pity register on his face as put looks away trying to avoid my eyes. "Are you ok Your Highness?" Lord Liam of Lockwood asks.

I turn to Lord Liam and I look at the other boys and notice they are all looking at me with the same pity in their eyes. I roughly pull my hands from Prince Jeffery's and walk towards Grenade. "Princess Iris wait," Prince Jeffery calls to me.

"I will not be made of a fool and worst I will not be pitied," I yell.

"Princess Iris, what are you doing?" Prince Jeffery runs after me.

"What does it look as if I am doing?" I ask.

"You can't be serious about getting back on that horse," Prince Jeffery says.

"Yes, I am," I say.

"I won't let you do that," Prince Jeffery captures my hand and stops me in my track.

"That horse is still wild and not yet..."

"If you have any grievances on why I shouldn't ride that horse take it up with that dimwit," I say pointing at Prince Leonard. "I will not be made a fool of and I will not be pitied," I repeat. "No one thinks of you that way and no one pities you. I just don't want you to get hurt," Prince Jeffery says.

"You are not my father and I don't need you trying to protect me. I can do it myself," I say pulling my hand from Prince Jeffery's grip.

"Ackley," I yell when I reach Grenade.

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Hold her steady," I say.

I put my left foot on the left stirrup, I steady myself first, and throw my right foot over Grenade, this time she gallops throwing me off my balance and I fall to the ground.

I hear the boys coming closer but I stop them with my hand

"Nobody dare comes close," I say.

I look up at Grenade. She is looking at me like she is challenging me. I smile and get on my feet.

"Ackley again," I say.

He hesitates and turns to Prince Leonard.

"Don't you dare look at that coward? I said again," I order.

"Of course Your Highness," Ackley says rushing to hold Grenade.

PRINCE LEONARD, PRINCE JEFFERY, PRINCE FREDERICK, AND THE OTHERS.

"Do something Jeffery," Prince Williams said.

"I don't know what to do. She is not listening to me," Prince Jeffery says.

"Leonard?" Prince Nathaniel asks.

"I don't... I didn't... She..."

"Leonard get your head back here. All of this is your fault but we need you to think of something fast. She is going to injure herself," Prince Jeffery says.

"I watch her fall for what looks like the 3rd time. I didn't mean to make her cry or get her angry. This is classic me all over again. I just couldn't stand how close she was to Jeffery and I took it out on her," Prince Jeffery says to himself. "LEONARD," Prince Frederick yells.

"Princess Adrianna. Adrianna, she can stop her. Lord Liam hurry, go fetch Princess Adrianna," Prince Frederick says.

"Of course, Your Highness," Lord Liam says and runs off.

PRINCESS IRIS

I find myself on the ground for the eighth time. I try to stand and I start to feel some pain in my shoulder but I don't give it attention. The boys have stopped trying to help me up. They are all quiet now probably watching me fail over and over again. I refuse to look back; I refuse to let them pity me. Grenade neighs and gallops on her hoofs. I watch her for a while as a plan comes to mind.

"Ackley you can let go of her."

"But Your Highness she won't..."

"Just do as I say. I have a plan."

Ackley looks at me for a while and finally, lets go of Grenade's head he signals to the others and they let go of her reins. I start taking off pieces of jewelry, I remove the ribbons and pins in my hair and my hair falls loose, I take off the pink garment on my gown, and I use it to clean the dirt on my face and hands, I take off my glove and finally I take off the boots. I walk to Grenade gently and hold her head and smooth her gently. She looks at me and sniffs my hair. "Since you won't accept as before I bet I can come to you as me," I say to Grenade.

I walk to the stirrup and decide to try one more time. I look at Grenade.

"Can I please try again?" I ask.

She does nothing. She turns her head and looks at me.

I steady my left foot on the stirrup and throw myself up; my right foot finally catches the right stirrup. I look around and I realize I am not on the ground; I am on Grenade's back.

The boys start clapping and cheering for me. I can't stop smiling as they walk toward me.

"Congratulations Princess Iris," Prince Nathaniel says.

"That was painful but fulfilling to watch," Lord Harry says.

"A job well done Iris," Prince Frederick says.

I look at Prince Jeffery and he smiles at me as I smile back at him. I look ahead and find Prince Leonard looking at me.

"Do I now belong? Am I worthy now Your Majesty?" I tease.

Prince Leonard doesn't say a thing but stares at me. I look down at everyone talking to me

"IRIS!!"

I turn to Ri and she is standing in a corner with other princesses and ladies. Lord Liam is standing behind her. They are all looking at me shocked. "Get down from that horse this instant," Ri says.

"Hey, Ri, look at me I did it. I actually..."

Just then a loud sound like a gunshot is heard; Grenade goes crazy and starts galloping as I scream.

"Iris!" I hear Ri shout.

"Someone help me, she is not responding to me," I say.

"Close the stable doors. If she gets in, there is no telling the damage she will cause to the other animals," Prince Leonard barks.

I scream loudly as she stands on her hoof and keeps neighing.

"Somebody get her down from there," Princess Esmeralda yells.

The loud sound is heard again, Grenade gallops hard; She runs to the stable doors and uses her strong hoofs to kick down the door. I hold unto the belts tightly. When she can't get me down, she tries to run for the other stable door at the left but Princess Catherine is in the way.

"Catherine," I yell.

I pull at the reins hard and Grenade stops in her tracks missing Princess Catherine and runs for the stable door behind us. Just then Ackley shuts the stable door making Grenade make a sudden stop, throwing me off her back as my body hits

the ground hard. I think I hear something break inside me as pain shoots up my left ribs and my shoulder. I feel the air in my lungs escaping as I struggle for air.

I hear footsteps running toward me.

"Oh my god, Iris, Iris, oh no she looks like she is in pain," Ri says.

"We need to take her into the castle. The royal physician will look at her," Lord Harry says.

"I will go get father," Ri says.

"No Princess Adrianna, she is going to need someone to smooth out the pain. We need you here," Prince Williams says.

I feel myself being lifted into an arm. But my eyes remain shut as I struggle with the pain.

"Dammit she's starting to burn up," Prince Jeffery says.

"It's the pain, let's hurry to the castle," Prince Frederick says.

"Iris, Iris I am right here. You are going to be fine," Ri says then I hear her sobbing.

I try to turn and look at her, but the pain comes like a thousand needles and I scream.

"Pull yourself together Princess Adrianna. Your sister needs you and not the other way round," I hear Prince Leonard say with irritation.

"What is he still doing here? I thought he didn't care?" I say to myself.

I start to feel the pain all over me and slowly I can't make sense of what anyone is saying. I hear Ri's voice but it feels far away. Minutes later I hear father and mother's voices. But all I could see after a while was darkness.