I slowly walk over to my seat and sit down. 

     I can see the food laid out neatly before me. We are apparently having boiled eggs, toast, firecracker salmon, orange juice, milk, and assorted berries.

     I take a heavy serving of salmon, an egg, some toast, some berries, and some milk. I pick up my fork and knife and start practically inhaling the salmon. 

     When I finally look up from my food, I see my parents exchanging nervous glances. I quickly swallow my food. 

     "What's wrong?" I ask them. They notice I was looking at them and my mother jerks her head at my father. I look at him. 

     "Well, my dear, you see...... You are heir to the throne." he starts. I roll my eyes. "Yes, I know that father, get on with it."

     My mother, seeing my father's nervousness, jumps in. "And it's about time you find a King." she states promptly. My mouth falls open. 

     "What?" I ask weakly after I process what she had said. 

     She ignores me. "And so, to carry out this wish, we have thrown a ball.... in honor of you!" she exclaims, not noticing at all my expression of utter dismay.

     "You did WHAT!!!!????????" I yell, to her own expression of shock that I am not thrilled.

     "You want me to get married!!????????" I scream. I can't believe this! A ball!? What!?

     I get up so fast that my chair falls over, then I start running to my room. I burst through the door and fall into a sobbing heap on my bed. 

     A few minuets later, my mother follows suit, and much more gracefully, I might add. She sits down on my bed and starts stroking my back.

     "It's okay, dear. If you really don't want to get married, we don't have to throw ball. We can wait until you're ready." she says soothingly. 

     "It's not that." I sniffle into the covers. "Oh?" she asks curiously.

     "It's just that....... how will I know? What if I choose the wrong guy? What if.....what if he turns out to be horrible?" I ask. My mother chuckles.

     "Oh, my darling, you will know  you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams."