WRITING FAIR WHAAT?!

[kels]

AH! I need help. I have a writing fair, and it is an assignment to put something in it. It's due Friday. So far, I have what's posted below. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it with the hour I have today, and the three hours tomorrow night. Just tell me if you guys like the idea, it'll help a lot. Also, if you see anything that just doesn't need to be there, tell me that too! It'll help me bunches!

There was once a princess of the land. She wasn’t the most appealing person in the land; not the most beautiful, she didn’t have long, rich hair. She wasn’t of the fairest hearted, nor did she have a special way with animals. She was average, normal. She had a screech for a singing voice, and she was average height. Dark hair cascaded around her face like waterfalls, and light brown eyes were large, almost too large for her features. She wasn’t madly in love with a vampire or a wolf, or in love at all for that matter. She was just a normal young woman, who just-so-happened to be of royal blood. Her name was Amelia, and she was in the middle of a long, terrible period of being looked at by princes as a prospect future queen. She didn’t want to be queen, the thought of it made her ill to her stomach.

Amelia was the lesser-known of her siblings. She wasn’t the last of the five born, nor was she the first. She was right in the middle, though the second daughter born to her parents Claire and Augustine. As a child, Amelia would let her mind soar, becoming the main person in the game of “Pretend”. She would tell her other siblings, both elder and younger, what was happening. She loved being the evil one in the games of pretend that would last hours on end. She would feed poisoned food to her fairest sister in these games, and trap her dear prince from saving her. She was also the evil step-mother who would keep one at home, while the rest gathered at a delightful ball. It was always that way. Always, no matter the circumstances.

By the time Amelia was thirteen, she had long grown out of the pretend game stage in her childhood, and was becoming to think of herself as a woman. She spent hours brushing her dark hair, hoping it would wave and become longer with each brush. It would always stay pin-straight, and when grown out longer than shoulder, would fray at the ends. All of her other siblings had dark hair as well, but their hair was long and beautiful, waves adding much-appreciated volume. She loathed them, and had always wanted to switch from her own body into theirs. They just seemed so much more- so much more, well, appealing. Amelia began to hate the world, around when she was thirteen. It started slowly, but before she realized what was happening, she had fallen into a free-fall, her anger and sorrow only growing. She continued to wish that she was just waiting here for her real life to begin. In her mind, Earth was only a half-way point to the rest of the world before her.

Young Amelia started taking an interest in writing, but that didn’t get her very far. She stopped after a period of a few weeks. Her next interest was animals and hunting, but that too came and went right before everyone’s eyes. Just as she thought there was nothing else to achieve, she remembered that one day, she would become queen in a faraway land. She took etiquette lessons from her mother, which lasted longer than the usual two weeks’ time. The lessons came to a slow halt after a period of four months, when Amelia lost interest. By this time, Amelia was coming upon seventeen. At eighteen, she would be married away. Her seventeenth year went by rather slowly. A number of balls, princes, and dresses passed before her eyes in a period of about two months.








“Mother, what must I do? I dislike Henry. I choose to sit this ball out.” Amelia whined when the fitting for her dress for the fourth ball of the year was just around the corner. Her mother looked at her sternly, and Amelia looked forward in her chair, hair pinned to the top of her head, which was the newest fashion.

“Mother.”

“No, Amelia. You are going. Henry asked for you specifically.”

“Fine.” Amelia retorted, attitude steaming out of her ears. Her eldest brother snickered from across the table. Amelia gave him a look, widening her eyes to put emphasis on the act. She kicked him hardly under the table, her face curling up at the nose like she had just smelled something rotten. Patrick, her eldest brother, whimpered and retreated back into his protective shell. He was quiet for the rest of dinner.

“Off to wash up and bed. All of you.” Augustus ordered. The children quickly pushed their chairs out from under the table and scurried off in the directions of their rooms. They respected their father; they obeyed his every word. He was the ruler of the castle and the land. All who wished to live peacefully among king Augustus followed his every word, even if that meant you were running about the village with your finest goat on your head. His word was law, and he always had the final word.

Amelia closed the large, heavy door behind her, the servant assigned to her gathered her warm water from the stove, and poured it into her basin.

“Thank you, Hanita.” Amelia said with a small smile. The peasant girl of about thirteen years always brought a smile to Amelia’s face. The small girl smiled warmly in return, and curtsied before running off into the servants’ quarters. Amelia changed into her bed clothes, and washed her face clean of all of the cosmetics she had used that day. She always had to look her best these days; you never knew who would come to the castle at any time.

[.Rissa.]

Wow, very interesting idea, Love the introduction! The last is good too =) How long do you have to make it?

[kels]

I can make it as long as I like, just as long as it's complete by TONIGHT! ah! I was thinking a few more pages, but I never know. I just keep writing until it comes to it's point, and I can't write anymore. I made a LOT of changes to the first quarter or so (the part that's posted here), but it's still the same idea, it just leads into the dinner scene and I cut out some stuff that doesn't relate.

[kels]

FINAL ESSAY:

There was once a princess of the land. She wasn’t the most appealing person in the land; not the most beautiful, she didn’t have long, rich hair. She wasn’t of the fairest hearted, nor did she have a special way with animals. She had a screech for a singing voice, and she was average height. Dark hair cascaded around her face like waterfalls, and her light brown eyes were large, almost too large for her features. She was just a normal young woman, who just-so-happened to be of royal blood. Her name was Amelia, and she was in the middle of a long, terrible period of being looked at by princes as a prospect future queen. She didn’t want to be queen; the thought of it made her ill to her stomach.

Amelia was the lesser-known of her siblings. She wasn’t the last of the five born, nor was she the first. Amelia was the second daughter born to her parents Claire and Augustine, right in the middle. As a child, Amelia would let her mind soar, becoming the main character in the game of pretend. She would tell her other siblings, both elder and younger, what was happening in her games. Amelia loved being the evil one in those games that would last hours on end. She would feed poisoned food to her fairest sister in these games, and trap her dear prince from saving her. Amelia was also the evil step-mother who would keep one at home, while the rest gathered at a delightful ball. It was always that way. Always, no matter the circumstances.

By the time Amelia was thirteen, she had long grown out of the pretend game stage in her childhood, and was becoming to think of herself as a woman. Amelia spent hours brushing her dark hair, hoping it would wave and become longer with each brush. It would always stay pin-straight, and when grown out longer than shoulder-length, would fray at the ends. All of her other siblings had dark hair as well, but their hair was long and beautiful, with waves adding much-appreciated volume. Amelia loathed them, and had always wanted to switch from her own body into theirs. They just seemed so much more, well, appealing. Amelia began to hate the world, around when she was thirteen. It started slowly, but before she realized what was happening, she had fallen into a free-fall, her anger and sorrow only growing. She continued to wish that she was just waiting here for her real life to begin. In Amelia’s mind, Earth was only a half-way point to the rest of the world before her.

Young Amelia started taking an interest in writing, but that didn’t get her very far. She stopped after a period of a few weeks. Amelia’s next interest was animals and hunting, but that too came and went right before everyone’s eyes. Just as she thought there was nothing else to achieve, she remembered that one day, she would become queen in a faraway land. She took etiquette lessons from her mother, which lasted longer than the usual two weeks’ time. The lessons came to a slow halt after four months or so, when Amelia lost interest. By this time, Amelia was coming upon seventeen. At eighteen, she would be married away. Her seventeenth year went by rather slowly. A number of balls, princes, and dresses passed before her eyes.

The whole family was only together at the dinner table, and that was a time period of about an hour. No words would be spoken between the children and their father, and little exchanged between anyone else. Meal times were mostly silent, and Augustus enjoyed that. The table where they sat was long, seating for eight, though they only needed seven. Augustus sat at the head of the table, the queen at the other end, and the children on the sides. Even the youngest knew not to speak loudly, or clash their utensils together noisily.

“Mother, what must I do? I dislike Henry. I choose to sit this ball out,” Amelia whined. The fitting for her dress for the fourth ball of the year was just around the corner. Her mother looked at her sternly. Amelia stared forward in her chair, hair pinned to the top of her head.

“Mother.” Amelia said in an inpatient voice, the tone bland.

“No, Amelia. You are going. Henry asked for you specifically.” Claire didn’t look up from her plate. She sounded annoyed with the comment by her second eldest daughter.

“Fine.” Amelia retorted, attitude steaming out of her ears. Patrick, her eldest brother snickered from across the table. Amelia gave him a look, widening her eyes to put emphasis on the act. She kicked him hardly under the table, her face curling up at the nose like she had just smelled something rotten. Patrick whimpered and retreated back into his protective shell. He was quiet for the rest of dinner.

“Off to wash up and bed. All of you,” Augustus ordered. The children quickly pushed their chairs out from under the table and scurried off in the directions of their rooms. They respected their father; they obeyed his every word. He was the ruler of the castle and the land. All who wished to live peacefully among king Augustus followed his every word, even if that meant you were running about the village with your finest goat on your head. His word was law, and he always had the final word.

Amelia closed the large, heavy door behind her; the servant assigned to her gathered her warm water from the stove, and poured it into her basin.

“Thank you, Hanita,” Amelia said with a small smile. The peasant girl of about thirteen years always brought a smile to Amelia’s face. The small girl smiled warmly in return, and curtsied before running off into the servants’ quarters. Amelia changed into her bed clothes, and washed her face clean of all of the cosmetics she had used that day. She always had to look her best these days; you never knew who would come to the castle at any time.

The brown-haired princess sat in her bed, brushing through her hair with her fingers. Thoughts raced through Amelia’s head; about a future marriage, about family, about her future. She had been focused on this for the past few days, Amelia’s mind searching through the endless possibilities and just trying to decide one she would be content with. Amelia placed her head on her pillow and pulled the thick quilt on her bed to her chin, allowing her mind to cease the hard planning and relax. She eventually closed her eyes and fell into a normal sleep for herself.

Amelia woke the early morning’s light streaming through her window coverings. Hanita had prepared for Amelia’s wake and had set a steaming pitcher of water next to her basin. Amelia enjoyed drinking her morning tea by herself while sitting in the chair by the window, her knees pulled to her chest. Amelia brushed her hair gently, she had quite the sensitive head, and brushing her unruly locks required a practice hand. She then poured the water into a clay mug, placed a teabag gingerly into the water, and took a seat in her usual chair. She watched the sun rise over the pleasant hills of livestock pastures that surrounded the back-end of the castle, the horse barn just a bit off to the side. Amelia could see the spring foals coming out of their stalls to stretch their long, spidery legs, their mothers wandering after them to steady the teetering little ones.
Giggling came down the hallway, and a loud “shush” came from behind the door. Amelia knew what was coming; a very loud, unnecessary wake-up call from the two youngest children of the royal family. Amelia acted surprised when they open the door and shrieked, running in her direction.

“I heard you younglings coming again. You should work on your approach.” Amelia loved using the word younglings; just loved it. Her tone was happy and lively, as the two youngest came to the window, pressing their noses against the glass.

“You see Bethany? I told you Amelia has a great view of the barn!” Young John said in excitement. He was the youngest of the family, and knew he was still the cutest. He wouldn’t really ever get the chance to be ruler of the land unless both Patrick and his chosen queen died or were thrown from the throne before they had children.

Just then the frame of their mother came through the doorway, and all three children in the room turned their heads. Their mother had fair hair and skin; her light green eyes were large and expressive. Claire and Amelia were alike in body type and features, Amelia just had her father’s hair and eye colors. Amelia had also inherited her father’s straight-as-a-pin hair, which she was never found of.

“John, Bethany: run along. Clarice is waiting for you in the garden for your lessons,” Claire spoke, her arms held in front of her, clutching each other. She said this in a monotone voice, and the children responded by running out of the room, and down the hall, giggling and nudging each other the whole way. Claire turned her head to Amelia.

“Time for your fitting, dear. Please get ready; it’s very important this time.” Claire showed some expression in these spoken words, and walked out of the room, not leaving the opportunity for Amelia to speak back to her about it, and refuse. Amelia had no choice but to get ready.

Amelia spun in her dress, smiling widely. Her hair was up, and somehow, her mother had gotten little strands of it curled to perfection. She felt beautiful, in the dress of light blue and white silk. A simple necklace hugged her neck, and small earrings adorned her earlobes. Amelia walked out of the parlor of her mother’s studio, and out of the front doors of the large castle. Claire followed her closely, dress of the same importance hugging her body. Augustus was already at the ball; he was the guest of honor. The two women got into the carriage, making small talk for the trip to the nearby land.

“Mother, did you meet father at a ball?” Amelia’s large eyes fixed on her mother’s face, her mouth curling into a smile.

“I did, Amelia. It was the best ball I still have ever gone to, even to this day. Your father picked me right out of the crowd of other young ladies to dance with him first.” Claire seemed to warm up at the memory, a smile coming up on her lips as well.

The two spoke about everything Amelia would do, from curtsying after every dance she was to dance, even if her partner was not the prince. She was to smile, even if she was having a terrible time, and she was to thank the king for his time, as well as the prince. Amelia was to comment about how beautiful the decorations were to the queen, and reward her for a job well done on the dining.
The carriage rolled up to the mighty ball, and Amelia’s stomach jumped to her throat. She was helped out first, and then Claire shortly thereafter. They walked into the grand ballroom together, side by side. The room was decorated in deep red, deep red roses at every table, red table cloths, and red banners of silk and satin cascading from the tall ceiling. Claire and Amelia stood by a wall, chatting with other young women and mothers. They were all waiting for the same person, who had yet to arrive. All of a sudden, the music started up, and the prince entered the room. Amelia didn’t know why she had said earlier that week that she disliked Henry; he was quite the attractive young man, and only a year older than she. He had beautiful light hair and blue eyes, and it was straight like hers. It seemed like they immediately latched eyes and he started coming over in her direction. Amelia’s heart seemed to skip a beat as she walked over, smiling at her. She watched him, coming closer and closer until they were just an arm-length away. He held his hand out, but not to her. The young woman standing next to her nodded her head and took his hand. Amelia’s hopes dropped, until she saw another body coming through the door.

“Mother,” Amelia said in an anxious voice, moving her head close to her mother’s. “That wasn't Henry, was it?” She asked this, watching the new body coming into the ballroom.

“Oh no, that was his cousin, Christopher.” Her mother replied in a calm voice, nudging Amelia’s back onto the floor. The prince noticed the sudden movement and looked over that way, a smile spreading on his beautiful lips. His long strides loped across the dance floor, and Amelia’s heart fluttered once again. It looked so much like his cousin, the same beautiful hair and eyes, but he was more masculine; he also had a stronger jaw.

“Amelia,” His voice echoed in her ear, sending a tickle down her spine and to her toes, “I’ve been waiting to see you for months.” Amelia smiled at her childhood friend, and they strode out on the floor together.

FINAL WORD COUNT: 2,238