A Boring Royal Family
by Karen Cacciattolo
Published by Karen Cacciattolo at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Karen Cacciattolo
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.
To Carla
A Boring Royal Family
Maria and Josef were still the Queen and King of the country of Lampedusa. They were happily married and their joy continued to grow with the birth of their first son George. People used to love the young boy and when he was growing up, every girl in town wanted to be his wife. When he was about seventeen, his queen mother died and the king wanted to have a word with his only son.
“My dear son, I think the time has come for you to start thinking about your future. The day will come when you will become king.”
“Father, I know what you mean by that. When the time is right I will be the king of this country which is close to my heart”.
“Yes, that’s right! However, there is another thing which is important for you. Not only will this thing make you happier, but you will rule the country in a much better way.”
“What is this important thing?”
Josef put his hands on George’s shoulders.
“To marry a lovely girl that would be suitable to become queen of this country.”
George laughed at this.
“And how am I supposed to know who this girl is?”
Josef started walking out of the room.
“Tomorrow I will let you know all the details, it’s a surprise. I have to go now, goodnight!”
The next morning George woke up to a lovely day, with a blue sky and the sun shining bright. As soon as he went out of bed and dressed, he went straight to his father.
“Father, tell me how am I going to find the girl you mentioned yesterday. I couldn’t sleep with the thought of it!”
“My son, I didn’t know that you are so keen to know! Let me tell you … this Saturday evening at 9.00pm there will be a ball organized for you. There will be many rich eligible girls from all over the country and you will choose one of them.”
“What? Choose a girl from the ball?!”
“That’s right!”
“Will I be the only male there?”
“Yes.”
“Great, I am really looking forward to this!”
George had a great big smile on his face and couldn’t wait for Saturday evening to arrive. He spent the rest of the days thinking and practicing on how to approach the ladies that will be there.
Saturday evening arrived and George was preparing himself in his room. His father Josef entered the room to tell him a few words before he went down to the ball room.
“Son, make sure that you choose a girl that is well groomed and is suitable to be a queen.”
“Don’t worry father, I won’t disappoint you!”
Prince George went out of his room and walked down the stairs towards the ballroom. As soon as he entered all the girls started clapping. The music was on and George was dancing with all the girls that were present. He could not find anyone that he felt attracted to. It was the last girl that he approached that made an effect on him. She was a beautiful girl with blue eyes, pale skin and golden hair. Her lips looked soft and red. Prince George could not stop looking at her and when they started dancing, they seemed to be a perfect match. When they stopped dancing, George invited her to go outside in the garden.
“What is your name?”
“Antonetta.”
“You have very beautiful eyes; I never met anyone like you.”
“You are making me blush; no one has ever told me that!”
“So, how old are you?”
“I’m fifteen.”
“Oh, so you’re a little bit younger than me.”
Antonetta did not know what to reply. George looked deeply into her eyes and then kissed her on the lips. It was the first kiss for Antonetta and she felt like living a dream.
The day after, Prince George advised his father of the choice he had made. A few days later Josef wanted to speak to his son and was less than pleased with the choice of the bride as he got to know that Antonetta was not the best one for him.
“I don’t really like your choice.”
“Why father? You asked me to choose the one I reacted to!”
“Yes, you’re right, but …”
“But what??”
“I just heard that her parents have a troubled marriage, because apparently her father had a child with one of the servants. I wasn’t expecting this from you.”
“What didn’t you expect?”
“To choose someone whose father is an adulterer!”
“How could I know that?! Anyway, I don’t care what people think!”
“And what if there will be trouble during your marriage?”
“I don’t know and I don’t care! I like Antonetta and I don’t want to lose her.”
King Josef went out of the room, leaving George alone. The prince was really annoyed about this and went out to look for Antonetta. She had stayed the night at the palace and he found her sitting near the fountain.
“Antonetta … I need to speak to you.”
“Yes?”
“You know that I chose you to be my future wife. You know that I really really like you and I fell in love with you.”
“I think I know that” Antonetta was smiling now.
“I heard that your father had a child with one of the servants and your parents’ marriage is in trouble.”
“What?! A child out of wedlock?!”
Antonetta was stunned and put her face in her hands and started crying.
“Don’t cry Antonetta. I’m here with you!”
“I don’t want to be your wife and create problems for you!”
"That’s not true! If you want, we can escape from here and go somewhere else, where no one knows us!”
George was really in love with Antonetta and was now hugging her. He didn’t want to let her go.
A few days later the doctor was visiting King Josef who was very ill and fighting for his life. Prince George looked worried.
“So, Doctor, what is wrong with him?”
“I’m so sorry son, but your father has only a few months left to live!”
“What do you mean? Are you sure this is not a mistake?”
“Your majesty, you father is very ill and it is time for him to go.”
George stared at his father and the doctor was checking his watch. George couldn’t believe that in a few months he and Antonetta would become the rulers of Lampedusa. He didn’t want his father to die as yet, as he didn’t feel confident enough to rule the country. He decided to go and speak to Antonetta on the matter.
“Antonetta, in a few months’ time you and I will become king and queen of Lampedusa.”
“How?”
“My father is dying ... and we have to get married soon.”
“But this is so sudden …”
“This is the reality. Even though I don’t want my father to die after I lost my mother.”
“I’m so sorry darling. What can I do to comfort and help you, apart from staying by your side to rule the country?”
Prince George decided that they should get married very soon before his father died. He asked his assistants to prepare the ceremony for the following weeks. They ordered food and drinks and the dresses.
The day of the wedding arrived and Prince George and Antonetta exchanged vows and were now husband and wife. After the celebration they both went to see his father who was still alive but very sick. Prince George was crying by his father’s bed.
“I don’t want him to die.”
“George, please stop crying! Don’t let your father see you cry.”
“How can I stop crying when I know that my father is going to die?! At least I have you by my side.”
Prince George kissed his new wife deeply on her lips and he then kissed his father on his forehead. They then retired to their bedroom.
A few weeks later, King Josef died. At the funeral, bells were ringing to give the last salute to the King. A big farewell feast was held afterwards. On the night of the funeral both George and Antonetta were crowned as the new King and Queen of Lampedusa. This was great news for the country as everybody loved the new King and his beautiful wife.
A month later Antonetta was expecting a baby and King George was thrilled with the news! He couldn’t wait for that moment to hold the baby in his arms. The nine months passed quickly and they had a beautiful baby girl. She looked so much like Antonetta but her eyes were green. Everyone referred to her as ‘the angel’. The King and Queen called her Georga and when she was one; her parents organized a big feast in her honour and invited all the family.
Georga grew up to be a good girl and everybody loved her. She was very intelligent, generous and kind. She used to ask her parents why they were rich and some people in the country were poor.
“Mother, why do we have so much money, food, clothes and fine jewellery?”
“Why are you asking me this?”
“Because I cannot understand why some people are poor!”
King George interrupted the conversation and decided to reply to her himself.
“My darling, you are too young to notice these things.”
“Why?!”
Antonetta was the one to answer back now.
“Sweetheart, your father is right; you are too young to think about these things. When you are grown up you will understand.”
“But why can’t I get an explanation now?”
King George was becoming irritated now.
“Stop it with these questions!”
Georga could not understand why she didn’t get an explanation from her parents. She lowered her head and did not speak further. She couldn’t really understand why people in a country had different standards of living.
Queen Antonetta was now nineteen years old and she was expecting another child. King George was passing through a very bad patch because he couldn’t stop his daughter Georga from making friends with the poor people of the village. Georga had made good friends with a poor girl named Sandra, who was very pretty and had many friends.
“Georga, I told mum and dad about you, but I didn’t tell them that you are the king’s daughter.”
“Sandra, you did the right thing as otherwise they wouldn’t let you be friends with me.”
“I also told them that you wish to stay with us for a while and they agreed.”
“Thank you Sandra, that is great! But before I come home with you, I need to leave a letter to my parents to tell them that I don’t want to stay with them at the palace anymore. Don’t worry, they won’t find us.”
“That’s great! So all is set!”
“Now, let me tell you, this evening wait for me outside the palace and I will come and meet you there.”
That evening Georga was eager to go and meet Sandra outside the palace but as soon as she started walking towards the gate, someone grabbed her arm. It was her father, King George.
“What are you doing here at this hour? Come back inside.”
“No, I don’t want to go back inside. There’s Sandra waiting for me.”
“I read your letter and don’t think that I’m going to let you go. Are you crazy?”
“I will tell mother then, she will let me go!”
“No she won’t and this is my kingdom and you have to do as I say!!”
Georga was really sad and really wished to be able to speak to Sandra. She also felt sorry for her father who was extremely angry.
“I’m sorry father.”
“Don’t worry, I hope that this will never happen again!”
A few months later Queen Antonetta gave birth to her second child, a girl who they named Marie. She looked so much like her father, King George. As she was growing up she seemed to be the preferred daughter of the king but she was becoming jealous of her sister Georga.
Georga was now thirteen years old and her father was contemplating on a letter he received from the island of Girp-Giro, where a prince named Oscar was going to visit them and take Georga as his wife. Marie was so jealous of her sister that one day she went up on a balcony and threw a flower pot at Georga who at that time was having a walk in the garden with Prince Oscar. He saw the flower pot coming down and he managed to pull Georga out of danger. The flower pot went down on the floor and broke into hundreds of pieces, while Georga and Oscar fell on each other. As soon as Georga found herself on top of Oscar, she blushed, got up and hurried inside the palace. Prince Oscar got up from the ground and went inside. He had to meet King George and Queen Antonetta to ask them for Georga’s hand.
“I agree that you take my daughter Georga as your wife” said King George.
“Promise that you will take care of her and that she will be provided for with everything she needs” continued Antonetta.
“Yes, your majesty, I will!”
When Marie got to know the news, she was really pleased as now she would be the only daughter at the palace. In the meantime, Queen Antonetta went to speak to Georga about the decision taken with Prince Oscar. Georga was really surprised and told her what happened to her in the garden with the flower pot!
“You know, mother, as soon as he pulled me over and I went down on him, I was really embarrassed!”
“Don’t worry darling. So, you and Oscar have been talking?”
“When am I going to leave the palace?”
“In two days. Now, go and change so that we celebrate. And, by the way, Oscar is waiting for you in the garden.”
Georga went up to her room and changed her clothes. She then went to the garden to meet her beloved Oscar. He was standing near a bush of white roses.
“I’m really happy!”
“Georga, I’m very happy too! I feel like I’m the luckiest man on earth!”
“I agree to be your wife. My parents are pleased too and I agree to go with you. I’ve been wanting to leave this palace for ages! I want to see the world …”
“I’m really glad to hear that. Look at these roses; they’re almost as beautiful as you.”
Prince Oscar pulled Georga towards him and hugged her. She couldn’t stop smiling with joy. A week later, preparations were on their way for the wedding of Georga and Oscar. They were both in love and were very happy. After the wedding day they were ready to go to Girp-Giro and before they left, King George wanted to say his last words as a parent.
“I wish you all the happiness of this world!”
“Thank you, your majesty, I will take great care of Georga.”
Marie was at the scene too and tried to hide her joy that she will now get rid of her sister.
“Georga, I’m going to miss you!”
“My dear sister, take care of you. Goodbye!”
Georga and her prince left the palace. King George and Queen Antonetta received letters from them all the time until one day they received the news that Georga had a baby boy who they named Carlos.
Marie was growing up too and blossomed into a lovely lady. When she was thirteen years old she fell in love with Filippo. She got to know that he was Prince Oscar’s brother and he was seventeen years old. She immediately wanted to contact him and invited him over to the palace.
“Filippo, I’m very pleased to see you.”
“What can I do for you?”
“Let’s go down to the garden.”
When they went down the stairs to the garden, Marie looked deeply into Filippo’s eyes.
“Tell me, are you seeing someone at the moment?”
“Well .. no. But I really like your cousin Miriam.”
“My cousin Miriam??!! Does she know?!”
Marie was not pleased with this news. She had set her eyes on Filippo a few months before and she doesn’t accept defeat. Filippo had no idea why Marie was reacting that way.
“I haven’t told her anything yet. But as soon as I find the right time, I will tell her that I like her.”
Marie was really shocked now. She really felt like grabbing Miriam by her throat. She left Filippo alone and went inside the palace. She was already thinking of a plan on how to get rid of Miriam. She set up a meeting with her in the nearby forest and instead of going to meet her, she asked a hunter friend of hers to go himself and shoot at Miriam. She was eager to hear the news that her cousin is dead. On the day of the meeting, she invited Filippo to the palace. When he arrived Marie could notice the tears in his eyes.
“Marie, why did you do this to me?”
“What did I do?”
“You killed the girl I liked! I was going to meet Miriam at the forest too because we wanted to give you the news together and then I saw the hunter. I saw him shooting at her and I killed him with my sword. Before he died he mentioned your name …”
“I didn’t kill Miriam! How dare you think that I can do something like that?!”
“I know that it was you who sent him to kill her!”
“Filippo, I love you …”
“If you love me you won’t hurt me! You’re a selfish girl and I don’t want to have nothing to do with you!!”
With these words Filippo slapped her in the face and left the palace. Marie didn’t want to give up.
“Filippo, wait … I love you!”
It was all in vain to cry because Filippo didn’t take notice of her calling him. She was really unhappy and didn’t know what to do. During that night she couldn’t sleep and was all the time thinking about Filippo and the death of her cousin Miriam. She started to feel the guilt but finally managed to sleep. The next morning she woke up and was feeling really bad. She made a decision to try and change her attitude as she suddenly felt she couldn’t go on like that anymore.
Over time she changed to the better and everyone noticed that. Even King George and Queen Antonetta realized that she had changed to the better. People started to like her more and many young men wanted her to be their wife.
Two year passed and Marie fell in love with a distant cousin of her mother called Guzeppe. On her sixteenth birthday, King George and Queen Antonetta organized a party for her and Guzeppe was invited. Marie was really pleased to see him and she danced with him all night. He too fell in love with her. They spent the next two months in courtship and then decided to get married. They gave the news to King George and Queen Antonetta who were really surprised, especially the Queen.
“I can’t believe what I’m hearing! My other daughter is getting married too!”
“As a father, I’m really happy for you.”
“Mother, Father, I’m not going away like Georga did. Isn’t that so Guzeppe?”
“Yes, my darling.”
The King shook hands with Guzeppe and said “I wish you both all the happiness that you deserve.”
“Thank you father.”
Three days later preparations were being made for the wedding. All the royal family was invited as well as Georga, Prince Oscar and their son Carlos. George was pleased for her sister and after the wedding she went up to Marie’s room where Marie was changing.
“Marie! I’m really happy for you! You’ve really grown into a lovely lady.”
“Georga, I’m pleased to see you too! It’s been a while …”
“You’re my dear sister and I love you.”
“Thanks Georga. I would like to tell you something, but don’t say anything …. I’m pregnant. Guzeppe doesn’t know yet.”
“That’s really wonderful news Marie!”
Serena was born to Marie and Guzeppe some eight months later. And the same old story is repeated again.