Once Upon a Time

Once upon a time there was a little princess who loved reading and writing, books, pencils, story time, and day dreaming. Her vivid imagination often got her into trouble but provided an endless supply of ideas for the many stories she was always scribbling on any flat surface she could find.

One day the little Princess had a birthday. It was a momentous occasion because in the girl's kingdom, the eighth birthday was commemorated with a very special religious ceremony. Her family members traveled from distant and neighboring kingdoms to help her celebrate. A joyous time was had by all.

However, when the little Princess retreated to the solace of her bedchamber, she held a secret wish to her heart. You see, deep inside the Princess was missing something. She wanted to celebrate the anniversary of her birth with a riotous celebration in the company of her peers, not just the solemn religious occasion. She kept this wish to herself for fear of offending the Elders of the kingdom or appearing ungrateful for the kindness already bestowed upon her. She continued silently hoping that her wish would come true while fearing her desire would be forgotten by her very busy Queen Mother (who is NOT the Evil Queen, at least in this chapter).

With the aid of a magic mirror, crystal ball, or some other magic device (that may or may not be the Princess's new diary that she left open on the royal sofa) the Queen learned of the Princess's secret wish. She arranged for a royal banquet to be held in honor of the Princess. The castle banquet hall was a bit crowded due to the many decorations amassed for the upcoming holiday, so the Queen looked for an alternative location that would not empty the royal coffers. She came across a free meeting room in the Princess's favorite place, the town library. There was a small eating establishment nearby that would provide space for eating and lighting candles (a big no-no in a building full of books) and a large green space with playground equipment outside for boisterous frolicking and shouting, and all would come free of charge.

The Queen quickly began printing royal invitations, baking cakes (and wishing she employed a royal pastry chef), hiding decorations, and trying to secretly contact the Princess's royal acquaintances to gather them on short notice to the celebration hall by Saturday morning.

The end of this tale has not yet been written. Hopefully it will have a happy ending!