Long, long ago, in the times of proud nobles, noble knights, and powerful monarchs, there was a land, a beautiful one, full of wonderful woods, dainty meadows, the hustle and bustle of markets, and loyal people.

At one time all of the subjects of Placenia, which is what the land was called, gathered in the capital to celebrate. They were celebrating the birth of a new royal, the Royal Princess Narissia. In the week of her birth, the citizens of the country showered her with gifts welcoming her to the world and blessing her with things such as love, beauty, well-being, and other vanities they thought she might like. 

Princess Narissia turned seven and was the heart of the life in the whole castle household, and was friends with every one in it from the king and queen right down to the last and smallest kitchen maid. In other words she was a golden-child. But then suddenly her mother the queen fell ill and died. It was as if a giant storm cloud came and hovered over the kingdom.

The king, heartbroken as he was over the lose of his beloved wife, fell short at his attempts to rule the country properly. Naplis, the country’s long-lived rival country, seized its chance to take over. It was complete chaos during the invasion. Citizens ran all over, screaming and mourning their burning houses, lost possessions, and dead loved ones. 

The governor-of-battle, along with the king of Naplis himself, snuck into the castle and slit the king’s throat in his sleep. Meanwhile troopers grabbed the little Narissia from her little chamber where she sat frightened and silent, and threw her into a dungeon cell. After what seemed to the princess like days, and months, maybe years, the door opened. A guard escorted her up back to her room where there was a small chest sitting in the middle of the floor.

“The gov’nor says that you must pack whatever you must into that.” He pointed to the chest, “I will come back with more information later.” The guard cast her a pitiful look before bolting the door shut. The princess didn’t know what to do. She felt lonelier and smaller than ever before. She started to pack her trunk but changed her mind and unpacked. When she was finished she had packed, unpacked, and repacked at least three times. Not long after she heard a rude bang on the door.

“Let me into the room.” A voice commanded. Reluctantly Narissia opened the door. As soon as she did, the guard started talking.

“You are to leave at dawn to go south of this vast country, now part of our noble Naplisan Empire. There you will have a new guardian.”

“What? You mean leave the city? My city? My home?”

“Yes,”

“But, but...I, I don’t want to do that!”

“I’m sorry, but those are my orders.”

Just as the guard said, even before the crack of dawn was noticeable, Narissia was unceremoniously thrown into the back of a wagon along with her chest of things. The wagon started rolling and didn’t stop for three days straight. Finally it slowed down to a stop. The driver shouted something unintelligent to the front of the little cottage in front of the driveway.

A middle-aged woman came out. She was a plump and jolly looking one with a gigantic chignon pinned to the center of her head. She looked kind and her face was framed with gentle laugh-lines. She welcomed Narissia warmly. 

“Come in, come in child. I’ve been waiting so long.” Her voice was melodious, “What’s your name?”

“Narissia” The little princess said in a small voice.

“Well Nari, may I call you that? Mine’s Marilla, Marilla Hackson, but you can call me whatever you’d like.”

As Narissia was ushered into the house she glanced outside the window. She saw the sea! She saw waves crashing onto the sandy shore, and heard them roaring. It was a beautiful sound. The cottage was beside the ocean! Narissia had never been to the ocean before. She got excited. Maybe leaving the city wasn’t so bad after all...