Chapter 1: The London Meeting

Right at 9:30 in the morning on a bright sunny Saturday in North London, a young girl with dirty blonde hair and and blue eyes strode into Heathrow Airport, with an air of confidence following her. Her name was Princess Anna Maria Elizabeth Townley, daughter to Great Britain’s own Prince . The girl’s hair fell in waves to her middle back with a few natural sun streaks in it that brightened her complexion. Dressed in cream dress pants, a cerulean silk tank top, and a pale blue silk scarf, Anna Maria made her way to Gate 15. Upon her arrival, she sat down in one of the vacant chairs and set her navy blue tote in the seat next to her. Then, she began to look around. As her eyes scanned the surrounding area, she noticed three plainclothes body guards as well as her personal attendant, Angelina Dodson. The woman was 35 years old and had been hired by the girl’s father by the time Anna Maria was old enough to be without the care of her mother. For almost sixteen years, Angelina had been following the youngster around to parties, grand openings, and many other national and international affairs. Anna Maria rolled her eyes and sighed. She was quite tired of being followed all the time. “Is it really so bad if I want to wander down to Mister Pierce’s farm and see what produce he has?” The girl thought to herself. She then shrugged it off and continued to look around, observing the different patrons. 

Anna Maria had recently been accepted to the Queensland Boarding School in the northeast corner of Queensland, right outside a small town called Julia Creek. In the acceptance letter, Anna Maria had been assigned a small apartment style room to share with two other girls. One of whom she was to meet there at Heathrow. Anna Maria bent down, pulled a notebook out from her bag and straightened up. Opening the lime green spiral, the she took a photograph from one of the pockets. After memorizing the straight black hair and green eyes of the girl in the photo, Anna Maria’s eyes wandered from the picture in her hand to the people seated around her. Not spotting anyone that matched the Asian girl in the photo, she started started to look around at the other people in the area. There were parents keeping a watchful eye on their young ones, couples on their way to a romantic honeymoon, business men and women as well as elderly folks taking a much needed vacation. 

*****

Still not seeing anyone that looked like the girl in the photo, Anna Maria got a another book out of her bag and began to read. “Well it is a good thing I got here early.” she murmured to herself as she engulfed herself into the latest escapades of the Tudor court. 

“Anna Maria? Anna Maria Townley?” A smooth voice asked from behind her. Turning in her seat, Anna Maria looked up and smiled. For the girl standing before her was none other than Cheska Amarante Nagasaki of Japan, the girl in the photo. She was dressed in a crimson red scoop-neck shirt with short sleeves , a black mini skirt, and black combat boots. Anna Maria stood up and held out her hand politely, her smile growing from ear to ear. 

“You must be Cheska!” 

Cheska nodded and shook Anna Maria’s hand, a small smile upon her face “Yes that’s right. I’m assuming you are Anna Maria, since you never answered my question.” 

“Oh, yes of course I am! I’m so glad to meet you. Would you like to sit down?” Anna Maria asked, gesturing to the seat on the other side of her.  Cheska nodded again and walked around the row and set her bag down before settling down in her seat. 

“I heard that you’re very wealthy like most of the people at the school huh…” Cheska stated dryly. Anna Maria looked down at her hands folded in her lap and blushed. “Yeah...well, I try not to elaborate on that too much. But it is nice to live in a big house.” She laughed then looked at Cheska who had dully chuckled  “Oh, I know what you mean.” 

“That’s right. Father mentioned that you come from a rather well off family in Japan. What were you doing in London? I mean, wouldn’t it have been easier for you to just stay in Japan then fly to Australia from here?” Cheska cocked an eyebrow and and shook her head in bewilderment at this stranger.

“I was here for international relations with my father. He flew back home a week ago.”

“What, and he left you here alone?” Inquired Anna Maria, her eyes the size of saucers.  A grouchy look clouded Cheska’s face as she began to spit the words out.

“No. I have guards. I’m the only princess of Japan. Didn’t you know that? Why would I have just been left here.” A couple people overheard Cheska’s outburst and looked over to the girls, some shaking their heads in disgust upon recognizing their own princess. Anna Maria’s eyes stayed wide for only the slightest of moments before icing over in annoyance.

“Oh I see.” The British girl had difficulty masking her newfound irritation at Cheska, however, she had become accustomed to various international royals and their snotty daughters. 

Cheska laughed haughtily “It’s just as well you were ignorant about that little fact. I’m next in line for the throne, so hopefully I will be leaving the school soon. It’s whatever, my brother Hotaki gave up the emperorship to me�"the idiot�"so now I’m stuck with it.” 

Anna Maria nervously chuckled, she herself being third in line to the throne of  England. “You’re not happy about that? 

“Not in the least bit! Anata ga kurutte iru!” 

Anna Maria’s gasped at being spoken to like that by an almost perfect stranger. “I beg your pardon?” 

Cheska rolled her eyes.

“I said, are you crazy? Why would I even want to be Empress? It’s a horrible job.” The two girls fell silent after Cheska’s second unwelcome outburst, awaiting for their flight to be ready to board. After a few awkward minutes of staring at ceiling tiles, Cheska sighed and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry. I’ve just been so stressed lately that anything is liable to set me off. May we start over?” 

Anna Maria shook her head, bewildered and concerned that this girl could change moods so quickly. “Um…sure?” She chuckled, uncertain whether she ought to trust the stranger. “Since you so politely mentioned you are�"“ she lowered her voice to a soft whisper “of royalty. I thought you may like to know that I am too. Royalty that is…not Japanese.” Cheska tilted her head and blinked at the blonde before bursting into girlish giggles. 

“Are you really? I thought I had recognized that face of yours.” 

Anna Maria froze, certain that she had been secretive enough to avoid any unwanted attention. Her counterpart smiled, and patted Anna Maria’s hand. 

“It’s alright, it doesn’t bother me.” 

Anna Maria nodded in satisfaction that their newfound friendship was starting off much better than it had minutes before. 

“So do you know who our other roommate is? My acceptance letter said that we would be placed in a room together�"how big do you think they are!?” Cheska questioned.

“I know a little. I believe her name is Brianá Joliet and that she is a French American. I did a little bit of googling and found out that her  father is a New Yorker�"a businessman of course�" and her mother is a French interior designer. She has some marvelous pieces, ! even discovered that I have a lamp of hers in my bedroom back home!”

“Alright then… I think my letter also mentioned that Brianá is around our age, 16 or 17.” Anna Maria nodded and clapped her hands in excitement as a huge smile spread across her face “Oh Cheska I can’t wait to get to Australia! I also-” Just then the P.A. system interrupted Anna Maria with a sputtering of static. In between little bursts of static, the speaker on the other end of the system announced that their flight was beginning to board. 

When the static had finally gone down, both girls looked at each other; both with a feeling of adventure starting to bubble in their hearts. Each stood up, picked up their bags and walked to the ticket counter, boarding passes in hand. As the woman smiled and took Anna Maria’s ticket and nodded the young girl through the gate, Anna Maria turned to Cheska. “Here we go!” Cheska laughed and handed the ticket taker her pass before responding to her new friend’s exclamation. “Australia, here we come!”

*****

The two walked down the gangway into the plane and quickly found their seats. Before long the captain’s voice came over the intercom announcing that the plane would be on its way shortly. As the stewardesses closed the cabin door and proceeded to prepare for takeoff, Anna Maria and Cheska stowed their bags and buckled up for the flight. After the plane was up in the air, the captain announced that the passengers were now free to move about the private jet. Cheska settled down in her seat for a nap and Anna Maria gazed out the window, looking down at the gridline of the land far below; a feeling of excitement washing  over her body as the young girl thought about what was yet to come in Australia.

Reviews

[Megara]

Nice first chapter the story is really picking up:)

[S. Waldo]

thank you! I don't even have the entire book/story w.e. typed up on the computer yet.....I was a bored high schooler...hopefully in the future I can get it all up!

[Megara]

Yes please:)

[S. Waldo]

haha guess I have something to do now!

[Megara]

You sure do:):)