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As soon as she returned to her room, Gabriella took a nice, long hot shower to help soothe her aching muscles from her earlier run and then for her first rehearsals for the production with Chris at the studio, which had lasted for a few hours. After she changed into a clean pair of tights and a royal blue leotard, Gabriella pulled on a pair of jeans and a flowery top before she swept her still wet hair into a high ponytail, leaving it to be put into a bun later when she returned back to the studio.
When Gabriella walked into the dining room, she smiled as she saw both of her parents already there, having just sat down in their usual places, her father at one end of the table with her mother at his right, leaving the seat on his left to be Gabriella's given seat. She thanked the male servant who stepped forward to help her get seated and again when a plate of her favorite pasta was put in front of her.
"Yum!" exclaimed Gabriella, about ready to stick a pasta filled fork in her mouth when she heard a disapproving sound from her left.
"Really Gabriella, should you be eating that now that you are going to be the lead this season and will have all eyes on you? I would have thought the Royal Copanvy Ballet Company would have stricter rules for their principal dancers," criticized Lauren, shaking her head. "Markus, see that the pasta is removed immediately and a nice salad with a side of fruit is brought. That will be Gabriella's lunch from now on through the end of the season."
The male servant reluctantly did as he was told, giving Gabriella an apologetic look as he retrieved the plate that was in front of her, waiting until Gabriella slowly put the fork down on the plate before it was taken away. Gabriella let out a sigh, letting her gaze connect with that of her mother's sympathetic gaze. 'She seemed happy enough yesterday with me having the lead. I guess it's going to be a forced diet this season,' said Gabriella unhappily in her head. 'At least I'll always have an ally in Mom.'
Lauren and Edward both sat down, Edward at the other end of the long table with Lauren on his right. "So, Gabriella, are you off to another rehearsal?" asked Edward, wanting to change the subject as he saw his granddaughter's sad demeanor as a salad was placed in front of her.
Gabriella looked up and nodded her head. "Chris and I practiced this morning at the studio but we have normal class this afternoon and another practice for us. I'll be in the best form I think ever by the time the performances start," assured Gabriella, checking herself to keep from putting any attitude in her voice. She had learned years ago when they first came to Copanvy that neither of her grandparents, as the king and queen of Copanvy, accepted any type of attitude, even from family, except the occasional from their son and her father Stephen.
"Ah, yes, Christopher Sonders. I'm glad that partnership is working out finally to bring you both success within the ballet company," commented Edward, smiling at his granddaughter.
"She just better not be getting interested in him in other ways," muttered Lauren under her breath, realizing she hadn't been as quiet as she had intended to be when she saw Stephen give her a dirty look which she would accept only from him.
"Mother," warned Stephen, a certain edge in his voice that alerted Gabriella that there was something going on she wasn't aware of.
"Why would I be interested in Chris outside of ballet Grandmother? He is just a friend, really," assured Gabriella, sticking her fork into another piece of lettuce, trying to imagine it was the yummy pasta she almost had as her lunch.
When Gabriella looked back up, she saw all four faces of her family members staring back at her, some discomfort on all of their faces. "What?"
Edward cleared his throat. "I think it's time that we are honest with you Gabriella."
Lauren looked to her husband but nodded her head as she turned her attention back on her granddaughter. "You should know this has been decided on since you came to Copanvy but under your parents' persuasion, we decided to hold off on telling you until this summer. I guess today is as good as any actually."
Gabriella, panicked now, looked anxiously from her grandparents to her parents who both were not meeting her gaze now. 'Oh God, this is bad, so very bad.'
"Gabriella, it is tradition in Copanvy for a princess to be engaged and married by the age of twenty-two. We have held off on enforcing this tradition with you because of your determination to complete your education and then to get your masters degree. Now though, as you are done with school, we, meaning your grandmother and I, along with our council of public representatives have agreed that it is time you are wed," announced Edward, intently watching Gabriella's face to see any change in her expression.
He didn't have to wait long as Gabriella stared at him openly in shock for a few moments before she furiously shook her head. "That's funny Grandfather, really. Another great joke from you!"
"I'm not joking Gabriella, I'm actually very serious. We expect you to be engaged this year before your twenty-fifth birthday and married before you are twenty-six. In generations past, the marriages have always been arranged but, as we know this is difficult for you to accept already, we are willing to let you decide on your own husband of choice out of the pool that we approve of. We already have a list and plan on making the introductions for your review starting next month," explained Edward, glancing at his son to see him gazing back at him, checked anger evident in his brown eyes. "Stephen, you knew this was coming and that this was a reality."
"With all due respect sir, I remember you and Mother talking about this but not the way you just explained it. I thought I would be the one to talk to her about it," said Stephen, feeling Annette's soothing hand cover his on his right leg under the table. He heard a long intake of breath from his left and looked over to see Gabriella, still slightly shaking her head, trying to take in deep breaths. "Are you all right Gabriella?"
Before Gabriella could help herself, she burst out, "Am I all right? Dad, how can I be all right? My grandparents just told me that I'm supposed to get engaged to someone of their pool of choosing to get married to all in the next year and a half! Dad, I haven't even dated anyone since Troy! How can I be expected to marry already, especially against my will, to someone I don't love? And to top it all off, you have known about this but haven't said anything to me! How am I supposed to feel right now?"
"Hurt, betrayed, anxious," supplied Annette from across the way. "We understand that Gabriella."
"But you are agreeing with them aren't you Mom?" accused Gabriella, seeing that apologetic look on Annette's face. "You of all people, I can't believe this!"
"Gabriella, you will lower your voice now and get rid of your attitude. We have been more than lenient with you on this matter. The council has wanted you married to an eligible and respectable young man for years now but have respected your parents' wishes to hold off until you were allowed to finish your schooling. This will not wait any longer," replied Lauren, narrowing her eyes as she stared at her still struggling granddaughter. "This is your duty as Princess of Copanvy and you will fulfill it, end of story."
Gabriella stared disbelieving at both King Edward and Queen Lauren, not seeing them as her grandparents or family at the moment as family meant caring for each other and she certainly didn't feel cared for at the moment. Without another thought, Gabriella pushed back her chair before a servant could help her up and left the room, anxiously rushing to get outside of the palace, knowing she would suffocate otherwise. When she finally got to the exit she desired, she opened the glass door and walked out onto the upper gardens. Gabriella dragged a long breath into her lungs before she let it go, finding herself still shaking as she made her way to her favorite bench surrounded by flowers.
'Are they serious? I'm expected to marry someone before I'm twenty-six? To someone I don't know, that I don't care for? All for some tradition of this country? What happened to this being modern times?' ranted Gabriella in her head, wiping away tears of frustration, so caught up in her head that she didn't hear either of her parents as they quietly sat down on each side of her on the bench.
"Gabriella," started Annette, her heart twisting as she saw her daughter in one of the most emotionally distraught states she had been in since their New Mexico days. "I'm so sorry sweetie."
Gabriella dragged in a breath again and let it go before she sadly shook her head. "No, this is what I'm fated to isn't it? Living a life where I have no free will, where I'm expected to jump when I'm told to like I'm a royal dog?"
"Hey, no one expects you to be that obedient," joked Stephen, glad he was able to produce even the slightest smile on Gabriella's face. He gently took Gabriella's left hand into both of his, shooting Annette a silent look begging for help before he turned his attention back to his daughter. "I know this is tough, and it must sound so foreign to you about these obnoxious royal duties that you are expected to perform, but it is unfortunately our fate, our life. You know that I know how you feel though Gabriella, it's what happened with me too."
"Then why are you letting them do this to me? Why are you just sitting there, letting them make this demand of me and my life?" asked Gabriella, knowing she may be out of bounds but had to ask the question. "You disobeyed them and married Mom! And you both are so happy and in love! Why can't I have that same fate?"
Stephen returned her gaze, surprised that he had the strength to do that much. "If you had someone in your life right now that I knew you were crazy about, I'd stick up for you and by you in an instant but that's isn't the case Gabriella. You haven't even really dated anyone."
Gabriella continued to stare at her father, trying to piece together his reasoning as she slowly realized the truth in his words. "Not since Troy," whispered Gabriella, paling a little. "So because things didn't work out with him you're punishing me? You didn't even like Troy in the beginning!"
Seeing that neither father or daughter were really listening to each other now, Annette decided to step in, as was usual in these situations. "Gabriella, what your father means is that we can't give your grandparents a valid reason for you not to marry into an almost arranged marriage before your twenty-sixth birthday. Trust me, when I was first told about this I argued with your grandmother for an hour and got into some hot trouble with her for it for weeks after but I tried to get her to understand, truly I did. Sometimes I even wonder if she's so hard on you because of what your father and I did, that she is viewing you as her chance to make things better in the royal family."
"Better? How is forcing me into a loveless marriage better?" demanded Gabriella, looking off into the distance, her gaze trained on some birds on the lawn of one of the lower gardens. "I just wish I was a bird right now, so I could be free of all these demands, so I could have my own life, and live it my own way."
An idea formed in Stephen's mind just then, of a way to somewhat make Gabriella happier at the moment. "Would you settle to flying to see your best friends in New Mexico in about two weeks?" offered Stephen, grinning as he saw that instant smile on Gabriella's face.
"Really? I can really go?" asked Gabriella, excited at the prospect of going back to Albuquerque to see everyone. "When?"
"Well I have some peace meetings to attend to in Washington D.C. next week so you can come out with me, be my guest of sorts to the social events, and then from there you can fly to New Mexico, with Paul of course. Will that at least help make this moment a bit less painful? I know it won't make the problem go away but it's the best I can do at the moment," admitted Stephen. "What do you say?"
"Of course I say yes!" exclaimed Gabriella. "I would love to go visit! For a week maybe? Can I stay there for at least that much time?"
Annette answered before Stephen could even think about it. "Of course Gabriella, a week isn't too much to ask. You need to talk to Rodger though and let him know, and Christopher."
Gabriella excitedly nodded her head. "Definitely! Oh my God, this is so great! I have to go call the girls!"
As Gabriella was about to stand up, Stephen gently tugged on her hand to get her to sit down again. "Wait Gabriella, we still need to talk about this marriage thing. I know you are excited about the trip now but that doesn't erase this problem we are all now facing. I know you're hurt and frustrated."
"To say the least," admitted Gabriella, sitting back down on the bench. "Why is this a duty, to be married before a certain age?"
"It's more of a royal strategy per se than anything else that has been around for ages. Several generations ago, daughters were used all the time in arranged marriages to create strong alliances for families, especially noble or royal ones. It also served to keep the power within the families," explained Stephen, thinking back to his history lessons from his younger years. "In recent times, the arranged part has become more obsolete in several countries but there's still that expectation that royal princesses especially will marry within a selected pool of candidates for almost the same reasons I suspect. In your case, there's extra pressure as you are the only child of your generation. If you do not marry, the line will die with you as you will have no offspring, at least that's the mentality."
"So then would the pressure be off if I had a child out of wedlock?" asked Gabriella, shocking both parents.
Annette shook her head. "That wouldn't help you at all Gabriella so please don't think that way. I know you are very smart and with that said, I am willing to bet that you are scheming in your mind a way out of this but finding some guy and getting pregnant just to provide an heir for the next generation is not the answer."
"Not to mention that it would be considered scandalous and a slap in your grandparents' faces," added Stephen. "Look Gabriella, I know this is a lot to take in right now but what I am proposing is for you to take your time to think about this. It's not like you have to get married tomorrow."
"But I have to get married within a year and a half!" argued Gabriella. "That's still putting a time constraint on something that I should be able to decide on myself."
"That's true, I agree, but I have thought about this a million times before Gabriella and just don't know what more I can do for you here. Your grandparents are very set on this and unfortunately, your grandmother was right back there. This is part of the territory of being a princess, obliging the royal expectations," said Stephen, hating the sadness that resided again in his daughter's brown eyes. "Look, they won't start bringing the eligible bachelors around until at least next month. Let's just make the best of things now, focus on this trip to see your friends, enjoy your time out there, and then when you come back we'll start to think about this more. I do promise you this though Gabriella. If you don't meet a single man that is introduced to you that you like and can see yourself caring for the rest of your life, I will do my absolute best to make sure you aren't forced against your will then."
Annette patted Gabriella's hand before giving her a gentle smile. "I think what your dad means is that neither he or I will allow for you to be bullied by this royal commitment to this country to be in a bad situation for the rest of your life but at the same time, keep an open mind and please try to give this a shot. It would go down a lot easier with your grandparents if they saw you at least trying."
Gabriella let out a long sigh. "All right, I get it. Give it the old college try and if it doesn't work, we can renegotiate, right?"
Stephen nodded his head. "I promise you at least that much."
"Your word has always been golden Dad. Fine, when I come back from New Mexico, I promise to try to go along with this arranged marriage of sorts for the benefit of this country. You know, I bet millions of girls would stop dreaming of being a princess if they knew their prince wasn't always in the picture and that they would end up being forced into a marriage," commented Gabriella, looking off into the distance. "Being a true princess, even in modern times, isn't all romance and fun."
"But it can still include those aspects if you work at it sweetie," returned Annette, slipping an arm around Gabriella's shoulder and drawing her body against Annette's as the little family continued to sit on the bench in the upper gardens, each silently wondering what Gabriella's future really would be like in the next year and a half.