The Princess and the Panda - Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a magnificent castle. She had everything she could ever want - loving parents who schooled her, friends to keep her company, and a room to spend quiet time in. However, she felt that there was something missing. Something that would complete her, and make her whole. Something that would be the joy of her life. Unfortunately, she could not figure out what it was.

Until that day.

One dark, stormy day, she heard a knock on her bedroom door. She put down the book she was reading and opened it. Her servant, Abigail, was holding something in a blanket that looked very heavy indeed for a girl of her size.

"Oh, dear, Abigail," the princess said, reaching out her arms so she could carry the thing her servant was holding. "Let me carry that for you."

"I'm fine, Your Highness," Abigail said, walking into the room and setting the squirming object down on the princess' bed. "I think you should see this. I was walking around the castle's perimeter, when I saw this playing around in the garden."

Abigail unwrapped the fluffy blanket, and revealed a soaked, cute little panda bear cub. He seemed very shy, as he was trying to curl himself up into a little ball and hide. His eyes were of a bluish-gray hue, shining like clear water on a sunny day. He was sneezing and desperately trying to dry himself off.

"Oh, the poor little thing..." the princess cooed sympathetically. "Abigail, fetch me a towel, please."

Abigail rushed out of the room to get the towel. The princess knelt down by her bed and looked into the panda's eyes. He looked so scared, so uncertain of what was happening around him.

"Hey," the princess whispered. "My name is Anna. I'm going to take care of you, okay little panda?"

A-all right, the little panda seemed to say.

"Good," Princess Anna said with a satisfied smile.

At that moment, Abigail came in with a towel. The princess took it from her and carefully started to dry the baby panda off.

Once the princess started to massage the towel all over his body, the little panda cub calmed down and stopped squirming. He seemed to be content with the princess' soothing hands rubbing the towel all over his body. He really liked how her loving hands treated him gently, and not roughly like other hands.

The cub then pushed his head out from under the fuzzy towel and tried to touch his nose with the princess'. He was trying to say "thank you" to Princess Anna for taking him in and taking care of him.

The princess noticed this, and moved her nose closer so it could touch the cub's. She rubbed her nose against the panda's, and the cub did the same in response.

"You're very welcome," Princess Anna said.

"Your Highness, how do you know what he is saying?" Abigail asked the princess.

The princess looked at her servant with a sincere smile and said, "I just know."

END OF CHAPTER