"Peanalita! Come downstairs at once, it's time for the annual Golden Kingdom Parade!" yelled Annalynne at the top of her lungs.
Down the palace staircase ran five-year-old Peanalita, in a shimmering pink dress that had been delivered from Paris the night before. "I'm ready, Mother!"
The parade began as it did every year, jesters and jugglers, clowns and face-painters...all the children in the kingdom would have a wonderful time playing with their friends and eating candy...all the children, that is, except Princess Pea. Of course Pea wanted to have friends but she was never allowed out of the castle. For her own protection, she was only to leave the royal grounds during the occasional public appearance. This was not a suitable childhood for a five-year-old girl. As Pea and her mother rode along in their carriage and waved at the commoners, a question struck Pea's mind.
"Mother, why isn't Daddy at the parade?"
"He's at a conference trying to arrange peace between our neighbour kingdom, the selfish son of a...sit up straight, Pea."
"Oh..." Young Pea missed her father when he went away as her mother had a tendency to be cold, shallow and self-absorbed. Pretty much exactly how Pea herself turned out.
Pea looked over the edge of the carriage and saw a group of girls playing together. They looked to be having imaginary adventures together. Pea longed more than anything to join them.
"STOP THE CARRIAGE!" exclaimed Pea. She hopped onto the path and walked over to the group of girls. "May I please join you?"
"Sure! I can't believe we're playing with a real princess!" smiled one of the girls.
"Peanalita, return to the carriage at once!"
"Yes Mother," Pea did as she was told.
The carriage kept rolling on through the parade. Sadly this was the closest Pea had to a childhood memory where she actually interacted with other children. Even though it had only been for a moment.
"Remember Pea," Annalynne said through her teeth, still waving joyously at the parade-watchers. "You are a princess and you have more shoes, dresses and toys than other children could possibly imagine. But in return you must keep in mind that you are a public figure and not a normal girl."
"Yes Mother, I understand," answered little Pea. She continued to smile and wave, even though her heart was aching.
Suddenly, Pea's flashback ended and she realized that the magic carpet was about to crash through a window.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. The magic carpet hit a tower of bricks and Pea fell through the window of the tower. By the time Pea realized what had happened, she was on the floor, sitting next to a weeping girl about her age.
(End Of Part 6)
