...We return to our Saga 2 months and 3 weeks after Princess Patricia entered the magical land of Freguard as Paul...

This fits my character well, I think.

Fumbling his confidence
And wond’ring why the world has passed him by
Hoping that he’s meant for more than arguments
And failed attempts to fly, fly

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

Dreaming about providence
And whether mice or men have second tries
Maybe we’ve been livin with our eyes half open
Maybe we’re bent and broken, broken

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside
Somewhere we live inside
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
Somewhere we live inside

We want more than this world’s got to offer
We want more than this world’s got to offer
We want more than the wars of our fathers
And everything inside screams for second life

We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
We were meant to live
We were meant to live

--------------------Switchfoot "Meant to Live"-----------------------------

"Princess?" said the guard, waiting to be given permission to proceed with his message.

"Yes, guardsman?" she said in response, giving the go ahead for him to speak.

The guard continued with, "The Queen would be honored if you would join her for tea and a chat at mid day."

"Tell the Queen that it would be my honor to accept

Trish arrived at the Queens tea room at a little before 12 and knocked on
the door.

"Come in." replied the Queen, to the knock.

Trish entered and sat down next to the, already seated, Queen.

Trish was a bit curious as to why the Queen was being so informal.

"Trish I'd like to have a, sort of informal, non ceremonial, tea time with you on occasion.
We never really get much of a chance to talk, with our busy schedules." said Fiona.

"I would very much like that, Your Highness." returned Trish.

"As you noticed, I called you Trish. As I said before, I'd like this to be informal. Please call me Fiona." reminded the Queen.

"Ok, Fiona." said Trish.

"Thats better, dear. I'd like to say some things to you, Trish. Some things you might not want to
hear or face. I'd like you to do me a favor. No matter how badly you may want to respond, I'd like you to remain quiet until I've had my say. After I am finished, I will promise to give you the same courtesy. Can you do that for me sweetheart?"

Trish nodded slowly.

"Thats a good girl." said fiona sweetly.

Trish grew warm and tingly inside and even blushed a bit in response to that comment. She still was not used to being called a girl or sweetheart or any other feminine name or pronoun, for that matter.

"It's ok sweety, I understand. You are still fighting who you really are." Fiona replied when she
saw trish blush. "That is partly the reason I've asked you to tea."

Trish figured as much.

Fiona continued with, "My son loves you very much, Trish. I know this is very hard for you, since you still fight your destiny. Your engagement ends in a week. You must then decide
whether you will fulfill destiny and marry the Warrior Prime, or shatter my precious sons heart. I will make you a deal. If, indeed, you can look me in the eyes and tell me you have, at no time, longed for his touch against your body and lips, then, I will write you a decree this instance and let you go back to Learity and that poor excuse, that you insist was a life. However, if you cannot do this, then you owe it to the kingdom and my son, to stop avoiding him, and spend the last week of your engagement really trying to get to know him. I'll be able to tell if you are lying dear."

Trish began to cry. Quietly at first, but eventually developing into heartwrenching sobs. Anyone could tell that she was comletely torn with internal conflict. The only words Fiona could understand were, "How could he love me? He doesnt even know me. I'm a boy not a girl."

Fiona asked, "If you believe what you say, then, why are you crying child? Tomas knows your spirit, Dear, and for him that is enough."

Trish responded with, "A part of me wants to run home as fast as I can. I dont want some strong man to make me his "Little Princess"............unless I am near Tomas. He makes me yearn to be his little girl. It's not fair." She finished, in a cute little pouty voice.

"Why are you fighting against being what everyone, including you deep down inside, wants?" The queen asked in wonderment.

"Because it is wrong!" Trish responded, between sobs.

"The kingdom needs you to be their Guardian Princess. Your own mother is happy with her new daughter, The Princess. More importantly, the Warrior Prime longs for his promised wife, The
Princess. We need you, Princess. Why do you reject us so and how could a kingdoms desparate need for their Guardian Spirit, be wrong?" Fiona asked, a bit sadly and almost in tears herself now.

"I ........I dont know.......it just is." Trish said quietly.

"Will you at least do as I ask, Princess? I'll send you home after that, if you still want." The Queen said, with tears flowing freely from her eyes. She finished with, "I'm so sorry I've caused you so much turmoil and pain by ordering Aldegard to bring you here." In a whisper.

"I will do as you have ordered, My Queen." she replied, in a sharp and formal tone, then got up without another word, and walked out, clearly both hurt and angry that she was being asked to give up what small amount of manhood she had left, for strangers in a strange land.

The queen just sat there for a bit sipping tea and crying silently.

Prince Tomas noticed Trish leaving his mothers tea room. I know she will just make another excuse to keep avoiding me, but i must keep trying, he thought to himself. "Princess, oh Princess. he called to her. Trish turned around and waited for the Prince to approach.

Well at least she didnt turn and run away this time. Thats certainly a good sign, he thought.

"Umm.......would you care to.....that is......i mean.....could i.......ummm....would you like to
picnic with me, today?" He finally managed to get out.

"Yes." She replied.

"Oh, I understand, you must be pretty busy." he returned quickly, not registering the "yes".

"Ummm..............I said yes." She said, a bit amused. *He is so adorable. STOP THAT!!*

"Oh, dont worry about it, I'm sure some other ti............. wait, what did you say?" Tomas asked, sure that he was hearing things when he heard "yes".

"Tomas, I'd love to picnic with you, this day. She replied with a giggle.

His face lit up so bright, in happiness when he realized she had agreed to picnic
with him, that Trish was overwhelmed with a yearning to make HER Prince
smile like that, whenever possible. Wait, what? Her prince? What had come over her?

"I will need an hour to get ready." She replied, walking away quickly.

He called after her, "Okay, I'll head to the kitchen and prepare a basket, then meet you at the front gate."

She waved back, signaling that she heard him and agreed. After she turned the corner and was out of sight, she started running for her room. Once there, she closed the door quickly and leaned on it, panting hard. How am I supposed to get through a week of this when I can't even spend two minutes in his presence, without aching badly for him? As she thought more and more about him, at some point, she went on auto pilot while getting ready for her "Special Prince". She realized
her thoughts were affecting what she was doing, but it was too late. She subconsiously had been getting pretty for HER Prince, and now, her hour was up. It was too late to change. she stood in front of the mirror trembling, as she started to notice her flawless makeup. Her eyeshadow was purple. She had applied her eyeliner in a way that had made her, almond shaped elven eyes of jade, look even more catlike.

Her golden hair was just below her pointy ears, with lushous curly locks dangling all around her head like a crown. Somehow, she had succeeded at putting her hair in cute little pigtails, each high on the head, canting out and back at a 45 degree angle. It was no surprise that they were done up with pink ribbon and tied off into a bow.

She had a cute, pink dress on, that didnt quite make it to her knees.

She was wearing pink, mary-jane flats with white ribbon and bows, replacing where her buckles would be.

Ascending up her legs, were white stockings that stopped just above her knees. Each stocking sported a cute little pink bow at the top. The stockings were attached to a white garterbelt that contrasted the cutest little pink bikini briefs she had ever seen, with little kittens sewn on them and "Daddy's Little Princess" written on the rear. She would have to remind herself to kill her sister, later. These clothes had to have come from Kimberly. Most likely as a joke, however, the Spirit fancied them for some odd reason.

Finally, under her dress, she had on a lovely white corset with pink laces and bows all up and down it, making her, already curvy body, into that of a goddess.

She was doomed and she knew it.....................................................................................