Chapter 1

"There you go old fellow,� Janie spoke softly to Majestic, the beautiful white stallion she had received for her birthday just a few days ago. She brushed his long hair and his fur making it shine brilliantly when the sun�s rays hit him.

Janie was humming to herself when her ears perked up to a sniffling sound. She looked around the stable to see if it was coming from one of the horses, but alas, she spotted a figure hiding behind Marjorie�s haystack. Janie walked up to the person, only to spot Tookta crying her eyes out.

"What�s the matter?� Janie knelt down beside her sister worriedly, �Did something happen?� She brushed away her sister�s tears.

"Oh Janie!� Tookta broke out into more tears as she hugged her sister and told Janie her woes.

"Mother wants to me marry the Duke of Silanaree, but you know I love Thana�oh Janie�what shall I do?� She buried her face in her sister�s chest.

"Calm down Tookta�� Janie was confused, why on earth did the Queen not mention anything earlier? �I�m sure there�s a logical reason behind this�� she tried to comfort her sister.

"Mother is being quite unfair!� Tookta pouted and wiped her tears, �She knows I can never marry anyone I�ve met only once. Besides, I heard horrible stories about him and how he treats and uses women. Janie, I don�t love him�I love Thana�and he�s the only man I�ll ever marry! Please, you have to help me�make mother change her mind��

Janie was skeptical that she had enough power to make the Queen change her mind, ever since she could remember, the Queen was never one to listen to a mere child�especially a rowdy one like her.

"There�s got to be a way out of this�I�m not allowing you to be married off to a playboy with a bad reputation. I�ll do everything I can to make sure that you and Thana end up together.� Janie reassured her sister.

"I�ll tell you what,� Janie patted her sister�s head, �I�ll go meet Thana tonight once the Queen�s fallen asleep and I�ll tell him your dilemma, he may be able to help us figure something out.�

"Oh thank you so much!� Tookta hugged Janie tightly, �I love you�and please tell Thana that no matter what�I�ll never marry that pompous Duke!�

"Ok now, run off before the Queen catches you in here, you know how she doesn�t like you hanging around dirty things because of your condition�� Janie warned.

"Thank you so much Janie�you�re the best sister anyone could ask for!� Tookta trotted away slowly. Her weak heart prevented from doing a lot of the things Janie was capable of.

After Tookta was out of sight, Janie sighed heavily. How could someone like her be able to prevent this horrible fate that had befallen her sister? She had to, for the sake of love.

"Hmph!� Janie crossed her arms, �If the Duke thinks he can saunter into Tookta�s life so easily�it wont be a lost for him if he leaves that way too!� She picked up the brush and started cleaning Majestic once more.

As soon as night fell, Janie saddled up Marjorie, Tookta�s favorite horse and rode off into the forest. She had sent word to Thana earlier that day through Krit that she would meet him in the woods tonight.

Janie slowed Marjorie�s pace when she saw Thana�s figure in the dark. She then got off and walked over to where he was.

"Janie!� Oil ran up to her, �What�s the matter�Krit said you had urgent news about Tookta�is she all right?�

"Physically she is,� Janie sat down on a fallen tree, �But not emotionally�I think you should sit down for this�� Janie looked at him with a concerning look.

"What is it? From the look on your face, I can tell it�s not good news�� Oil set the lantern down next to her as he also took a seat.

"Tookta told me today that the Queen has arranged a marriage between her and the Duke of Silanaree��

"What!� Oil bolted up from his seat, �How dare she do that! She has no right meddling in Tookta�s life!�

"Ha! Tell that to the Queen!� Janie got up and walked over to Oil, �For as long as I can remember, the Queen has been nothing short of meddling with Tookta�s affairs. From what she wears to what balls she should attend�I believe it�s called the Mother connection��

"Is there a way to get out of this?� Oil looked at her, �What if�what if you took her place?�

"Uh uh!� Janie backed away, �The Queen would kill me�and personally, from what I�ve heard about this Duke, he�s no ordinary man. Besides�I�m not interested in getting married�for goodness sake I�m only 21! I still have my whole life ahead of me��

"But Tookta�s only 16�� Oil looked over to Janie.

"I know I know�but�� Janie got to thinking.

"But what?� Oil was curious.

"Why would the Queen all of a sudden do this to her? You don�t think she knows�� She looked at Oil.

"About me and Tookta?� Oil asked, �She can�t�we�ve kept it a very well guarded secret�and besides, why would she have something against me courting Tookta?�

"Oh�I can name many reasons�� Janie began, �From what I�ve heard, the Duke is a very rich and powerful man�could she be interested in acquiring his money and land? But our family is already quite wealthy��

"And I�m just new money�is that it? Is it because my family wasn�t born into high society but instead worked our ways to a decent lifestyle?� Oil questioned.

"I seriously don�t know�it might be a factor�� Janie sighed, �Anyways, we should stop talking about why this is happening, let�s instead think of how we can prevent it!�

"I�m with you all the way�� Oil agreed, �I�m never going to let anyone steal Tookta away from me, I love her too much to see her unhappy��

And so for a long part of the night, Janie and Oil talked about plans to stop the unwanted marriage from happening.

--squeak�

Janie tried not to make a sound as she tiptoed across the kitchen�

"Miss Janie!�

"Uh oh�� Janie turned around to see Salinee, Janie gave her a quick smile and tried to dart for the door.

"Come back here Miss Janie!� Salinee spoke strictly.

Janie backed up slowly and held her head down as she walked over to Salinee.

"Do you have anything to say to me coming in this late?� Janie could sense the seriousness in Salinee�s voice.

"Urr�� Janie lifted her head and gave Salinee a peck on the cheek, �Good Night!� and dashed upstairs.

"Miss Janie!� Salinee screamed after her, �Come back here!� She tried to run after Janie but her old legs weren�t helping her much, she stood by the door entrance and yelled up, �Just don�t let me catch you in the morning Miss Janie!�

Janie ran up the long flight of stairs up to her room, out of nowhere, the Queen appeared before her. Janie stopped abruptly.

"Where have you been Janie,� Queen Apiradee spoke sternly.

"You are not asleep yet my lady?� Janie asked.

"That�s not the answer I need,� Queen Apiradee walked up to Janie, �Where have you been out to this late?�

"I�I�� Janie stuttered a bit, she couldn�t tell the truth or else she would be in serious trouble, �I was checking to see if all the stables where locked. Krit told me of a robber---"

"That�s enough!� Queen Apiradee cut her off, �I suppose you�ve heard of Tookta�s planned marriage to the Duke of Silanaree?� She paused a moment to look Janie in the eyes, �Of course you have�Tookta tells you everything�but I want you to know I�m only doing this for her own good�I don�t want her to end up with a---� she paused and Janie knew that the Queen had found out about Tookta and Oil�but how?

"I want you to make Tookta agree to this union, the Duke is a good man, and he has enough wealth and land to make Tookta happy for the rest to her life�I hope you�ll do as I ask�you do love your sister, don�t you?�

"Of course I do my lady,� Janie looked the Queen in the eyes, �That�s why I�ll do everything for her happiness�� she stood up straight.

"Good�� The Queen seemed satisfied, �And I hope you keep your word�� The Queen walked away to her own room and shut the door.

Janie let out a sigh of relief, never in a million years had the Queen ever confronted her like that before. Janie went into her own room and walked out to the balcony. She looked up at the estate and how beautifully the moon illuminated it. She told herself that she would do everything she could for the happiness of her sister�even if it meant going against the Queen�s orders.

Janie walked over to her bedside table and pulled out a portrait of her mother. She caressed the frame and traced the outline of her mother�s face with her finger. She hugged the frame to her chest as she walked outside to her balcony that overlooked the estate.

"Mother�� Janie whispered to herself, �Please give me strength��

Just as she finished her sentence, an imaged flashed in front of her eyes. Janie was taken away, the image reminded her of the past she was desperately trying to figure out. She shook her head and headed inside.

"One day�� Janie spoke, �I�ll find out the truth��

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