"It is all right," I said in a monotone. Frustrated, the man threw up his hands. He then stood up from our stop on the hill and pointed to me angrily.

"What is wrong with you?" He cried. "I try to be nice and kind but you act so…so…emotionless! WHAT IS WRONG?"

I just sat calmly, not even flinching or surprised by his action. I said calmly, "Must I have a reason to act this way?"

Red faced, the man said the last thing he could say to at least try and hurt me. "Well, you have just lost another suitor! You're going to have a hard time finding another, Your Highness!"

I laughed bitterly. "I don't care. I've never cared."

He said, "Maybe that is your downfall," and he stomped away, angrily.

I still stayed sitting and continued to watch the sun fall behind the mountains in the distant. I was never like this before. I used to be another lively, happy girl. But, no. That all changed. That all changed because of what he did to me. He took my happiness away; he destroyed me.

You probably are wondering how can only one person do so much damage, leave such an impact on me. Well, this one person was someone I loved and trusted.

I will tell you what happened, last year when I was sixteen, when everything was happy and perfect. Or it at least seemed perfect…

[][][]

William and I had been courting for a year. He was the son of a lord and I was a princess, so there was no one who despised us or hated us.

Finally, William asked the question. He kneeled on his knee and said sincerely with his black eyes, "Will you, Princess Serenity, marry me?" I replied yes. He said he wanted to marry immediately and even asked for the wedding to be held the next day! I laughed and said it could never be done. A flash of annoyance flashed through his eye but then was gone so fast; I began to wonder if it was my imagination. I suggested in a week and he nodded, saying he wanted to be by my side immediately.

He moved into the palace since he was to be my future husband and king of Lincell (Lynn – cell), my home and land. Preparations immediately began. Then, horror struck.

I was in my personal library when a breathless servant came running into the room, papers in her hand. She curtsied wobbly and said, panting, "Your Highness…plot…throne…"

I asked, confused, "What is it?"

Still trying to catch her breath, she silently handed me the papers. I took them and read them, as my eyes grew larger and larger. I gasped as they fell to the floor.

"No…" I whispered but everything in that letter was right there. Written in William's hand. I picked up the papers and read it again.

Dear Leader,

I have gotten the princess to marry me, as you must have heard. She is a pathetic fool since she did believe I actually wanted to marry her! Though she is beautiful, she is plain stupid, just like the rest of them ladies.

I have got the plan set, Leader. After the wedding, I'll take the princess to an inn; I'll have some of my men kill the king and queen. Then, I become king and later on, another man will kill the princess, leaving me to rule alone.

We will have complete control over the land and then we shall use its army and conquer others.

I must go; someone might get suspicious where I am since I am mostly spending my time, planning everything. I hope this reaches you well.

William

He was using me. He didn't care about me; all her ever wanted was to be king. I glanced at the next paper. It showed the royal library, where my parents usually went. There were arrows pointing in directions and some pointing to my parents and others pointing elsewhere. I assumed they were distractions. The guards would investigate, leaving only one of two guards with my parents and they would be killed.

I thanked the servant, promising her to make her a lady. I know that is a lot but she had saved me. Saved my parents and I.

I asked where she had found these papers and she shrugged. "I was cleaning his room and I found them under his mattress."

I thanked her again, running out of the room, picking up my skirts as I ran. I immediately went to the throne room where my parents were, talking to the Council of Advisors about some politics.

"Father! Mother!" I interrupted them. Everyone looked up and looked at me, startled. I ignored them and said to my parents, waving the papers shakily. "You must read this and you must read this now."

My parents exchanged looks and took the papers. My father read the letter with my mother peering over his shoulder. Then she gasped and turned whiter than white its self. Father read it again, his dark blue eyes scanning it with disbelief.

I watched my parents then. How could William ever think of hurting them? Mother, with her brown eyes and her brown hair, already graying. And father, with his black hair but now turning gray and his dark blue eyes that could hold such anger or such warmth? And me, with my brown hair and my brown eyes. How could he want to destroy us? Did becoming king mean so much?

Father's face turned red with anger. "How dare he do such a thing?! I shall hang him!"

Mother put a shaking hand on father's arm. "Dear…" she tried to say more but she then just burst into sobs.

I then stared father right into the eye. "I want to be the one to tell him his little plan has failed. I want to cause him pain. I want him to suffer slowly and painfully." I knew my brown eyes held anger and fury that was waiting to be unleashed. My fists were tightly clutched and my mouth was in a straight, tight line.

Father studied me carefully. Then he nodded slowly. "Whatever you want, Serenity."

I went to his room that night. I will never forget it. I was allowed immediately in and William stood before me, running a hand through his black hair. I used to feel my heartbeat speed pick up once I saw him but it stayed the same and filled with ice-cold anger.

He smiled at me. "Serenity! What is wrong?"

I waved the papers in my hand. "This is wrong, William. When were you planning on telling me you were just using me?"

His eyes traveled slowly to the papers in my hand and his smile slowly faded. His black eyes filled with anger but he tried to put on a calm, relax smile. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I stepped forward angrily. "William, don't you dare continue lying to me. Don't…you…dare," I hissed out, venom in my voice.

William dropped his I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look and then glared at me. "Why were you in my room?"

I glared right back at him, my brown eyes flashing dangerously. "I wasn't but thankfully, a servant cleaned your room and found your plans."

Without warning, he grabbed my arms and pulled me in close so that our mouths were only inches apart. He was taller and I hated having to look up at him. He tightened his grip on me as I struggled. "Serenity, Serenity, Serenity…you made a fatal mistake by becoming my enemy. And now you must pay…" He took out a dagger from his cloak. I stared at it as it glimmered in the light from the fire in the fireplace.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said calmly.

He looked amused. "Why not? Or are you just stalling for time?"

I replied, "I don't plead. I demand."

Suddenly, there was a crash from behind William and the window shattered. A guard stood there with his sword pointed at William. I had put him there in case William tried anything and it now seemed lucky that I had. As William stared, I yanked away and managed to get out of this grip.

As the guard grabbed William and tied his hands behind his back, I hissed, "You will pay for what you have done, William."

William laughed. "I don't have any reason to fear you. There is someone much more powerful than you and me. And he'll kill you before you can blink. Trust me, Serenity, this man is far more powerful and dangerous. You should be concentrating on him now."

Suddenly, William broke free from the guard's tight grip and then stood on the window ledge. He turned back to me. "You lose." And he jumped out of my window.

"I hate you," I whispered.

[][][]

And that is what happened a year ago. The guards never found William; he must have gone back to the leader he was writing to in his letter.

A year went by and I grew distant to everyone, especially men. My parents brought men of all lands, of all status from lords to barons to earls to dukes. And although they came, claiming their heart was already mine, they never returned after one visit.

"Serenity?" Mother asked me behind me, bringing me out of my past memories. I turned and saw my mother with her weary, tired eyes. I saw her look at the far away figure of the suitor who had left. She shook her head sadly. "Serenity, you have to stop being like this. Not all men are like…him." We couldn't even say his name.

I shrugged, standing up and dusting off my skirt. "I just can't trust them, mother. Every time I try, I end up remembering what almost happened to you and father. I will not be the cause of your death, mother."

Mother sighed and embraced me, although I didn't hug back. "Serenity, you must marry. If you don't, the throne goes to another."

I shrugged again. I usually shrugged off people. "I don't care," I said softly.

Mother sighed, letting go of me. She turned to go. "You can't live like this, Serenity. You just can't." And then she left, walking away and back to the far off palace.

I whispered to her retreating figure, "I can. And I will. Watch me."

So…good? Bad? Hate it? Love it? I know I have 11 stories out right now but don't worry, I can work out the updating process.

So it this fairy tale or do I need to add more? LOL. Please Review!