I'm crazy I know. Another story. I better finish another story but I just can't let this sit around. I've done something new this time and took one of my favorite Grimm story and changed it a bit. I usually make up my own. But let's see how this goes. Critic as much as you like! Please I need it.

Chapter 1: The Haughty Princess

Mornings are the worst for me, Princess Ruthia Lynet Salvadoro. My nurse, a grumpy old woman named Sue, awoke me by opening up the curtains to let the sun flash onto my face suddenly. Then she growled, "The sun's up, girl. You should be too." I always pulled the covers over my head, knowing that my nurse would just yank them back again.

"I'm awake!" I yelled when Sue drew away my protection.

"But you aren't up!" Sue shot back.

So I had to roll out of my silken bed and be dragged away to the mirror to be pampered over. Usually I'm too tired to resist as Sue tugged at my long curly brown hair until it was proper looking and plastered my face with all the cosmetics I needs to live up to my title as one the fairest maiden in all the land. I certainly am fair of face, with rosy cheeks, bright blue eyes, and an upturned freckled nose.

Along with my title as being one the fairest maidens in the land (Princess Katelyn still rivaled me) I had a better known title of being the haughtiest and the proudest. I don't know which I liked better. This is why at the age of eighteen I was still not married and not betrothed. No man would have me, and I would have no man.

When I was clad in the royal attire of satin and silk I would be sent to my etiquette class, alone. You see my two younger sisters, Esther and Loretta, were already happily married to lesser princes. So it was left to Madam Catalin (a very new teacher) to teach the princess what she already knew.

"When being introduced to a young man from a foreign country, how do you address him?"

"With an insult and a toss of my head of course," I scoffed, while lounged carelessly on the couch eating chocolates. My favorite is the one with the syrupy cherry in them.

Madam Catalin's face flamed. "How should you address him, princess?"

"Oh, that. Well, the books say I ought to tell him I'm pleased to meet him and ask how the weather is in his country, but that is not how I do it and I consider a most false and unrealistic address. Young men from foreign countries have no right, no privilege to even approach me. After all, they are aliens."

"They aren't aliens!" gasped the shocked madam.

So naive.

"An alien, Madam, according to the dictionary, is something foreign and strange. You stated yourself the young man is from a foreign country. To add to that I say they are strange and also extremely inadequate and quite unnecessary. Really, teach me something I don't know."

She couldn't so I was left to walk through my gardens unmolested, but to molest.

"Now, see here, you ugly thing, what are you cutting up that rose bush for?"

"It needs trimming your highness," stammered the pale gardener.

"Trimming shimming," I mocked. "I didn't tell you to trim it and it is my garden. Leave off, thou foul smelling fool. Don't come in here again and taint my beautiful garden. Only beautiful things may enter and you are far from it."

He really was ugly with a huge flat nose and a bald head.

The gardener wasn't the only person I fired from the castle. However I suspect my father the old king made sure all the molested servants were paid and given some other job where I could not see them.

One day as I was swinging lazily in a hammock in my lovely garden I was startled by the sudden appearance of a young man standing in the middle of my walk. He was not one of the servants for he was dressed grandly and had a royal ring on his finger.

"Who are you and how dare you come into my personal gardens?" I cried, sitting up abruptly. "It isn't proper at all for you to come upon a sleeping lady unawares. Away with you insolent knave!"

"Forgive me, milady," said the man tipping his hat. "I dare anything. But I could scarcely say you were sleep, for you were humming to yourself, and one hardly hums in their sleep. I am Prince Nathaniel of Durant, and you are?"

"Very annoyed!" I snapped, grabbing up my book. "I said away with you, knave, go or I shall call my guards and hit you with this book!"

"Don't damage the book, dear lady. T'would be a waste to use it on me when I mean you no harm. If you would just calm yourself and give me a name I will go."

"You want my name?" I scoffed. "I'm shocked that you don't know already. Everyone knows who I am. Therefore you are most unworthy to talk to me. Get away from here now, or I shall surely call my guards and command them to take you to the prison."

The prince looked surprised, and then he shrugged, and said, "I was simply walking around. But I have learned something. You really are as haughty as they say, Princess Ruthia. Good day."

"It was a good day until you spoiled it," I yelled at him as he strolled out of the gardens. But there was something about the way he had said the third sentence that made me wonder for a second. He had said in...not disgust as most did, but in determination or conviction. So strange.

Grumbling to myself about inadequate aliens I slipped back into my hammock, ready to sleep when I was suddenly pushed by Sue. Sue was the only one who was not afraid of me among the servants, and the only one who could stand my conduct with retorts and insults of her own. She had lived in the palace since the day of her birth, and had unquestioned and undesignated power to boss around the royalty. She is very annoying.

"Up, you lazy girl," she barked. "You've got to get dressed."

"I am dressed, hag, go away. I've a dream to finish."

"You've a social gathering to attend to, princess, and if you don't come at once your father will ground you from the gardens."

I opened my eyes to glare in surprise. Father had not wanted me to go to a ball ever since I declared to the whole assembly that no man was good enough for me. It had been after Lord Ralph had proposed to me in a most romantic way. But he had to big of a lips and I didn't like him. "Why is this ball so important that father would risk him losing his patience again? He knows I can't stand them and neither can he; when I'm there that is."

"No questions, just come and put on the azure."

"The azure from Froc?" I gasped, suddenly very interested. I had received the dazzling gown two months ago for my eighteenth birthday but had not been allowed to wear it, much to my disappointment.

"It's the only one you've got isn't it?"

I immediately jumped up, excited to dress up in such a fine dress. I had thought I'd never be able to wear it, since it was a ball gown and father was very strict. "Oh, I'll go and I shall the most beautiful one there! No one will be able to compete with Princess Ruthia when she is the azure. Nay, not even Princess Katelyn!"

---

Indeed even Princess Katelyn's eyes widened with envy when I swept into the room in my sparkling silver and azure gown, which shimmered down my slim body and matched my piercing sapphire eyes. My gorgeous dark brown hair fell down my back in a series of tiny curls with a net of jewels on my head. I smirked as all eyes turned to me and some gasped. I loved being beautiful.

"I'm so glad you came," smiled the king. He seemed very glad to see me, probably because I was in an exceptionally good mood and so was he. He took my hand gently and whispered, "You look beautiful darling. I have a surprise for you."

My eyebrow raised in disbelief. My father was hardly a man of surprises. "Oh really, and what is it, dear father?"

But he simply clapped his hands over the large assembly of young men and women. Immediately all the young unmarried men dashed to the side of the room and in seconds formed themselves into a long line. They were all marshaled in a row according to their rank and standing. First came the kings, then the grand-dukes, then the princes, the earls, the barons, and the gentry. I gaped in horror, realizing the trap I had just walked into.

"My dear daughter," said father out loud. "I have decided to give you the freedom of choosing your husband for yourself. Look well, and choose well. If you don't like him, be sure to have a good reason."

The Haughty Princess Ruthia was not about to be beat so easily.

"Have a reason for not liking them you say," I murmured, and a brilliant plan flashed through my head. I clamped my mouth into a sly sweet smile and glided towards the waiting suitors, who were all trying to look their best. I approached the first man, a king from the richest country known. He was looking at me expectantly and in awe.

"You," I said gently. "Are...too fat. A wine barrel. Sorry."

His double chin dropped.

Everyone looked at each other, in shock.

Let them talk about this for gossip.

I didn't give a second glance at him but moved onto the next one, the king known for his army. I hardly looked at him before declaring, "Good heavens must I jerk my head up to see your face? You are much too tall. Long and thin have little in their heads."

His tiny neighbor looked nervously at me and wasn't surprised when I stated, "You are too short." But he frowned when I added, "Short and thick is never quick."

And so I went down the line, insulting each one. Too pale, pale as death. Too red, a mere fighting cock. Not straight enough, a green log behind a stove. Uglier than mud. Slumped with too large of a rump. I was actually enjoying herself, for father had told me to give a reason, so I was legally insulting them. Oh the joy!

"Look," I cried and laughed when I spotted a king whose chin had grown a little crooked. "He has a chin like a thrush's beak! From now on, good sir I'll think of you as King Thrushbeard!"

I laughed and continued down the line. But I stopped suddenly when I came upon the prince I had encountered in the garden. I sneered in disgust and pleasure, knowing I had to think up of something very crude for him. But I hesitated as I took in his sturdy straight figure, tanned handsome expression, and confident air as he stared right back brashly. I frowned, realizing with reluctance that he was a bit harder than the others.

"Thou," I said frostily and formally, "Thy eyes are much too cold and full of rudeness and arrogance..."

"As are thine, milady," replied Prince Nathaniel quickly. But he said so softly only his neighbors and I caught it and they smirked.

I flushed angrily. I said loudly, "You are the worst of the whole lot, for all their faults combine to make you, a most unruly, boorish lad. I would rather marry a fool than marry you. But then again, you are a fool."

I was about to move on, and begin with the earls but father suddenly stopped me and said through his clenched teeth, "Methinks you've had enough fun for one day, my daughter."

I smiled charmingly at all the suitors I disposed of in one day. "Indeed I have," I smirked. "Thank-you father for a most delightful surprise." I tossed my beautiful curls and glided gracefully out of the room.