The Princess Udashika stared out the open window of the royal vineyard cottage looking east. She furrowed her brow and scanned the skyline above the southern slopes of the orchard shrouded in the early morning mist that accompanied the dawn. The cruisers would fly in low, just above the vines, as they did every year on the first of September, the first day of harvest. Therok would be at the helm of one of those cruisers, his body lean and tan from his time working in the shore towns unloading supply ships sent from Earth. The thought of his opaque purple eye gleaming like the plump ripe grapes in the early morning sun made her shiver. When she saw the cruisers begin swooshing in through the mist she quickly jerked her head and whacked it against the window frame.

Mary McCaskill

Pain ran all the way to the Princess's toes but she forced herself to gain composure quickly in the event that Therok was watching from his cruiser. Not that there was much chance of that, she thought, since he was betrothed to Starva, her older cousin. She shaded her eyes from the sun, looking to the horizon for the cruisers. They were making their way back for the next pass.  She could feel her flesh growing at a spot just above her eyebrow but Udashika smiled in their direction and sighed. Starva did not deserve Therok. Yes, of course Starva was beautiful, with that shiny green hair and the perfect smile, but she did not have the aptitude to appreciate how lucky she was to have been given such a fine specimen for a fiancee.

Udashika's head began to throb as she turned back toward her beautifully appointed cottage room.  The walls were painted a soft yellow that brought out the lighter tones of the polished pine floor.  The walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings of sunny vineyards.  The main focus of the room was a high bed with a large billowy canopy of silk that fell down the sides in great waves.  On the side of the bed facing the window the silk panels were pulled to the side.  Udashika took a running leap, flew through the opening and landed on the bed, in a not so graceful and Princess like fashion. There was an immediate commotion on the bed when she realized that she had disrupted the napping of her cat, Speckles.  "I am sorry Speckles," Udashika cooed as she picked up the cat and cradled his large body her in her arms.   "Are you ok?"   The cat gently placed his paw on the Princess's cheek as if to say "just fine, thanks for asking" and then rolled gently back on to the bed.  Udashika continued to pet Speckles' long gray fur as she closed her eyes and begin to drift off. 

"How do you do Mr. Therok," the Princess asked of the genuflecting man.  "I am extremely honored to make your acquaintance, Princess," he replied.  "But respectfully, I am a bit puzzled as to why you have summoned me."  Udashika allowed herself to stare deeply into Therok's eye as if to relay the reason without words.  She almost felt him blush but then he averted his gaze to her feet.  "I was most impressed with the skill that you displayed during the ceremonial air show today, and I would like for you to take me for a flight."  Udashika nodded at Therok and he stood up...

Due to email access problems that have now been resolved the story will continue. The following prompt from the judges is meant to assist with plot development. You may use all of it and just continue on with the story, part or none of it as you see fit.

"Udashika - Udashika, wake up, it's time to prepare for the Harvest Welcome Ball'. Udashika, grumbled as her hand maiden Laveria walked around the bed, "You've already missed half the day Udi, you must get up now to start preparing - you want to look better than Starva at the Ball, don't you?"
The Princess reluctantly sat up in the bed and started looking for Speckles, "Speckles - Speckles, where did you get to you silly cat." But the cat had already escaped from her clutches in search of food, leaving Udi to squeeze her pillow instead as she dreamed of Therok.
Laveria moved quickly and gracefully around the room gathering various items the Princess would be required to wear to the ball. From the bedside table she pulled the tiara given to her by Prince Hevio, a fat man from the hopelessly silly planet Optimia. Udashika heard a story that his first wife was caught in an affair with a miner of meridium, the galaxies primary energy source. The two died in a horrible crash as they tried to escape the watchful eye of the proletariat of the planet. Udi's father, King Ochos, expected the Prince to ask for her hand in marriage tonight.
Gliding to the golden box on top of the mirrored dresser Laveria pulled the jewel necklace that was centuries old and made with large red stones from Oya, the home planet, before it was destroyed by a Super Nova. The last item she collected was the royal toe ring hanging on a platinum chain on the bedpost. The stones adorning it were of the same type as the necklace but smaller.
"Laveria - I want you to keep the Prince busy with Starva tonight. I want you to make sure he is not able to talk to my father and that she is not able to get in my way of talking to Therok."
The Princess stood in the middle of the room as Laveria heaped up the Princess's gown and let it cascade over Udi's head and shoulders, until it dropped down to loosely cover her voluptuous pear shaped frame. "Yes Princess - I will do everything I can to insure Starva and the Prince are kept away from you and the King. I will busy them both with their own narcissism and hopefully they will realize how truly made for each other they are."