Princess मटर woke up, her vision fuzzy. She found herself in a carriage that was being pulled द्वारा a कोचवान, गाड़ीवान and two horses. She peered out the window and didn't recognize the trail they were traveling on. She realized the door was locked and someone had trapped her inside. The last thing मटर could remember before waking up was finding her mother, Annalynne, waiting for her in her guest room at the Beast's castle. The memory of what had happened came flooding back to her...

    "Mother!" मटर had cried when she walked into her room to find क्वीन Annalynne. "What are आप doing here? How did आप find me?"
    "Pack your things, Pea," क्वीन Annalynne replied coldly. "We're leaving."
    "What? No, I'm not leaving," मटर whined. "Besides, the last time I saw you, weren't आप the one telling me to run away? आप called me a royal bitch, I believe."
    "Listen, आप silly girl," demanded the Queen. "There's been an arrangement. Prince Bartholomew, of the South Kingdom, wants आप to be his bride."    
    "Excuse me?"
    "It's an incredible opportunity, for both of us," Annalynne's eyes glistened with greed. "The South Palace is two times the size of our castle. And the prince will buy आप and I countless new dresses, tiaras, pieces of jewelry and shoes."
    "But, I can't," insisted Pea. "I've fallen in प्यार with Conrad. He's stood द्वारा me through thick and thin."
    "Leopold's son?" the क्वीन was shocked. "Don't be ridiculous. He can't provide for you, he's a mere commoner. Pea, this news should have आप ecstatic. Until this offer, our entire kingdom never wanted to see आप again. They wanted आप dead. But if आप accept Bartholomew's proposal, आप can have your old life back. Everything will be as it was before...no better!"
    "NO!" मटर yelled. She ran towards the doorway but a dark shadow blocked her way. It was one of the palace guards.
    "Take her away quietly, we can't have her causing a scene, she'll thank me later," कहा Annalynne.
    The guard forcefully put a drop of sleeping dust into Pea's eye and the princess felt herself lose consciousness...

    Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt. A much larger carriage rolled its way अगला to the one मटर was trapped inside. The same guard who had attacked her forced मटर into the larger carriage...where her mother sat patiently.
    "MOTHER!" मटर was shocked. "What is the meaning of all this? I refuse to marry Bartholomew and आप can't make me...take me back to the Beast's गढ़, महल at once and I'll consider letting आप live!"
    "Fine, आप win," answered Annalynne. मटर was surprised at how easily she'd दिया up. "We'll take आप back to the Beast's."
    "Alright..." कहा मटर suspiciously. "By the way, how did आप find me?"
    "Your tiara has a tracking device, did I forget to mention that when I gave it to you?" क्वीन Annalynne pulled out a small envelope. "Peanalita, the only reason I'm agreeing to take आप back to that dingy गढ़, महल is because I reckon Conrad is in प्यार with you. I met him about an घंटा पूर्व and he asked me to give आप what I'm assuming is a romantic प्यार letter. We'll just take आप to the South Kingdom to formally reject Bartholomew's proposal and then we'll bring आप back to Conrad."
    "Oh, thank you, Mother!" मटर hugged the Queen. "I'm so glad आप understand. I know he's not rich but he's truly the one for me. And द्वारा the way, if आप ever have that disgusting guard put kidnap me again, I will put poison in your सेब martini."
    "Fair enough," Annalynne smiled. "Conrad asked me to give आप this." She handed Princess मटर the envelope. "I bet he confesses his प्यार for आप in that letter. Maybe there will even be a proposal."
    Pea opened the letter excitedly...

    Dear Pea,
    I know that we have spent a great deal of time together recently and that we shared much passion. However, it saddens me to say that my passion for आप has run short. I've दिया the matter a lot of thought and the truth is, आप are nothing और than a spoiled brat. Meeting Belle has opened my eyes and I now see that people can be beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. Thank आप for the memories but I think आप deserve a rich prince and I deserve a girl with an actual brain beneath her pretty face. Sorry it didn't work out.
    Sincerely,
    Conrad

    "Whatever does it say?" Annalynne asked, faking curiousity while मटर read the letter she herself had written fifteen मिनटों earlier.
    "It...he..." मटर felt a tear trickle down her cheek. She crumpled up the letter. "I guess he doesn't feel the way I thought he felt. Once again, I'm in प्यार with someone who doesn't प्यार me back..."
    "Oh, आप poor thing," the क्वीन pretended to be heartbroken. "Well, at least now आप can see that true प्यार exists only in fairy tales."
    "Maybe you're right," मटर sighed. "Maybe I was just fooling myself. I just really thought he saw beyond my stunning good looks. He seemed to really understand me and...anyway, I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I should just go back to what I'm good at...shopping to fill my empty void."
    "But you've been banished from our kingdom and if आप return, they'll execute you, how on Earth could आप get your old life back?"
    "I suppose I could accept Prince Batholomew's proposal," Princess मटर considered the idea. "If true प्यार is just a big fat lie, what's the point in sitting around depressed? I might as well just marry for money. At least that way, I get something good out of the deal."
    "Now there's an idea," क्वीन Annalynne felt victorious. "In fact, we've arrived at the South Kingdom..."
    Pea looked outside the carriage window and saw a handsome prince waiting for her.
    
(End Of Part 22)