5 pictures- short story

The queen decided to leave the castle and go to a quiet place in the woods where there was a stream. This place had a cottage that had been built many years ago. She brought with her another woman, her best friend, to help her. The plan was for the woman to raise the young princess or prince away from all the pressures of the castle. The queen would spend as much time at the cottage as she could and the child would have everything she had wished for- the right to play, to cry, to sing and laugh and not be forced into a life someone else had set up.

The day finally came for the baby to be born. It was a baby girl, the kingdom's only princess. She grew up to have thick blonde hair that she would tie up into braids to keep out of her face. The queen named her Anna. The little girl was often sad because she couldn't understand why her mother had to leave so much but she was very, very happy whenever they could be together. Her nana, who did live at the cottage all the time, taught her such wonderful things like how to be a lady, to have good manners, but also taught her to read and about all the different kinds of wildlife in the forest.

One day, the queen came back to the cottage after a whole week. It was the Anna's 16th birthday and they were so excited. They had a party and Nana made the Anna a beautiful new dress. The queen gave her a single rose petal. Anna was confused, and asked her what it was. The time had come for her to be told who she really was. The queen said that the petal was from a rose in the Royal Rose Garden. Anna was so excited. She had heard about the castle from other girls in the village nearby but she had never visited. Then the queen explained everything to her. She said where she went when she left the cottage, that she had to help rule the kingdom. She told Anna that she was a queen, and that she had a father who was a king. She explained why she was raised in the forest, and asked for her forgiveness for keeping such a secret from her. Anna cried.

She ran to her room and locked herself away. The queen and her best friend were so worried. Could they have made the wrong choice? The queen had never intended to hurt her daughter. She just wanted a better life for her. Finally, Anna came downstairs. She was still crying a little, but she had made her choice. She ran to her mother and as they hugged, she told her she wanted to know her Daddy. And they all lived happily ever after in the castle, a family who loved each other and loved their people. Anna grew up to be the best queen there had been in two centuries. Her combined understanding of the hardships of peasant life and the ways to serve as a royal made her a kind and understanding ruler. Her people loved her, and she made her little corner of the world a better place. The End.