Chapter 2 BELLA'S PARTY

The guests comprised King, queen, prince ,princess and commoners alike. Even their family friends.The royal family of King Sebastian, Queen Augusta and prince Anthonio who was four years old were there.

When he was conceived that a lot of people had come the king gave an opening speech. In his speech, he thanked God for what he had done for them, told the guest who already knew the story of their nine( 9) years of childlessness and then ask for God's love, kindness and protection on himself, his family, and everyone in attendance. After his speeches, the real party began. people came with many gifts for the baby princess, prince Anthonio was not exempted. He wore on her a diamond bracelet and kept a box of beautiful. white and red roses,so artificially blended together that they looked real, inside her blanket. The parents of the both looked at themselve and reached a silent patch that the two of would get married, when they were old enough in order to comment their friendship. After the gift came the merriment. There was a lot to eat and drink and nobody had wish to spare the food. The party was butter, so everybody served his/her self. Everything was carried away by the triumph,songs and merriment during the party, therefore, could not notice that lady patricia was absent in the party

while everybody else was at the palace making merry, Lady patricia was at the house of Spanish, the witch doctor trying to map out the negative strategies. She would use to curb the baby princess. when she told Spanish that she wanted to kill the baby, She rebuke her again, reminding her that she had nine years to make the king hers,but she could not do that if she kills her or anyone in the family,then the spirit of death will arise,as surely as July will follow her. she must die. Lady Patricia had a heavy sign and for silent for sometime before she had spoke. "so what do you suppose to do?". Spanish thoughts for along time, then she smiled and said."I have an idea and this idea is as good as killing her."Then she beckoned by hand sign for lady Patrick to come closer and when she complied, she whispered something into ears as though anyone would over hear them.Whatever she said had pleased lady patricia for she smiled a very broad smile after she heard it.

late into the night of that Someday, after all the guest had gone, lady Partricia had sneaked into princess's room to steal princess Bella. she could have done it the next day but she did not want the royal birthmark which was always put on the second day of the bath of a royal child to be put on Bella before she execute her royal birthmark had been put on her immediately she was born as ordered by the queen. she had succeeded anyway,'because the royal guard at the princess door had gone away to answer natura's call.she took the sleeping child, put her inside a waterproof basket , which she had earlier obtained without being noticed and crept, ever so silently out of the house.she placed the basket in which the baby is therein at the back of the of chestnut river by the outskirts of the village,and pushed the basket a little way into the river

she smiled sonically,turned on her heels and ran a way back to the palace, happy that she had accomplished her aim."Bella!" the queen screamed as she woke with a start, her heart was beating fast,her pulse racing 50 kilometers per second. something was wrong somewhere,she could feel it ."Bella my baby"she sobbed as a sudden feeling of emptiness engulfed her."what is it"?Her husband, the king asked rushing to her side ,"what happened to Bella"?. without answering him,she fled to Bella's room,her husband hastily coming after her .when they got to Bella's room, the both stopped abruptly without collision.on noticing that the baby wasn't there anymore, the queen passed out. The royal doctor was sent for and he helped review the queen.when the queen came around ,she started sobbing again while the king reassured her and himself too that everything was going to be alright. A royal messenger was sent to inform their royal friends king Sebastian and family of the latest development.just then, lady patricia ran inside,her face red with tear all over it, demanding to know what happened. when she was"told",she fell to her knees and started crying.lamenting that she did not even get a chance to see her baby since she was born before she disappeared.

The King again sent out search parties to look for the princess, the searchers searched everywhere but they could not find princess Bella,you can guess they had forgotten to search the farm and the stream close by King Sebastian and king Andrew had been friends since their childhood days .Their friendship had grown strength to strength and had never deterred, no what happened? This friendship had extended to their wives and child, children( It would have been if only it was possible). so when he heard about the tragedy that had befallen his friend, king Sebastian,he did not waste time in coming over with his family.when they arrived king Andrew's palace , Augusta went into Queen Alicia room "to comfort her while her husband went to comfort his friend,King Andrew.prince Anthonio on the other hand,did not know what to do to help but he did not want to be left out,so he decided to make an inspectory visit to the princess's room. On getting there,he discovered that that nothing else had been removed accept the princess and her blanket,of course. Every other thing still lay untouched as they had been earlier in the day . The gifts which he had given to the princess was inside her blanket and she was wearing the blanket.His heart kept with joy and pride as a new hope welled up in his heart . The blanket and box would help in the search for Bella.They would find her easily if she was still alive. And he knew or rather felt that she was still alive.with this new hope he had found,he decided to give hope to the people whom; were hurting for Bella.He left Bella's room and went to Queen Alicia's room to join her and his mother.;He knocked and when he was permitted in,he noticed that the room which initially comprised two people now comprised a quartet,his dad Bella's dad now inclusive. But still,he noticed, Queen Alicia's condition was not much better,and he was downcasted. He hated to see people sad.without even giving himself time to think,he made a solemn promise to them, Bella's mother In particular,he vowed that he was going to find Bella come winter,come summer and at that very moment,the whole thing seemed quite easy. He thought he could do it without much stress. The four stared at him, the queen's mouth agape. They would have taken it as a child's talk, but for the vehemence with which he heart and prayed silently that she would be with her child again someday. it was all she could do not to breakdown.