In the Kingdom of Belmar, a time long forgotten and a country that no longer exists, lived a King and Queen, blessed and in love. To the royal couple's delight, and to the rejoycement of the kingdom, a young prince was born. Prince Accolodius of Belmar was gifted, intelligent, and resourceful. He deserved every bit of praise he received; his parents adored him, the people revered him, and he was soon named the heir to the throne.
Their happiness wasn't long lived, however, for while Prince Cole was still an infant, his mother perished due to unforeseen circumstances. Shortly after, a new lady of the court rose to the widowed king's side and a second prince was born, Prince Tristen of Belmar.
The new Queen was envious of the praise Prince Cole received, and longed for the day her own son, Tristen, could sit on the throne. She pleaded with the King, but his decision was final – his successor would be Prince Cole. The Queen decided on a new course of action for her own child to claim the throne, and approached the Ewell estate. Duke Ewell has always had a loyal relationship with the royal family, and so when the Queen approached him for the hand of his daughter, he did not refuse. Soon, Lady Amalie was engaged to Prince Cole.
The Queen used Amalie to carry out her plans with poison, fire, and brimstone: snakes with fangs filled with venom. One night, Amalie ensured the Prince was asleep, tricked the palace guards, and gave time for the Queen's men to carry out the Prince's assassination.
Awakened by the sound of footsteps, Prince Cole managed enough time to escape and made his way to Baron Hastings' estate, a loyal nobleman that readily accepted him. There he hid, planning his revenge on the Queen and his resurgence to the throne. He fell in love with the Baron's daughter, Margarite von Hastings, and together they stormed the castle, executed the treacherous Queen, her servant Lady Amalie, and reclaimed the throne.
* * *
Behold, the effects of a semester's worth of skipping lectures and eating ramen boiled in coffee. I somehow managed to snooze my alarm about a dozen times this morning, brushing away exhaustion from last night's "symposium of studying." My head was pounding from the gallons of caffeine flowing through my system, and my heart wasn't in much better shape. It didn't matter, though, because I wasn't about to fail this final.
The dormitory was normally a leisurely stroll from the lecture hall, but today it was a sleep-deprived sprint away as I narrowly arrived on time for my exam.
Multivariable calculus, the devil's mistress herself.
I very much preferred all of my English classes over anything mathematical. At least with literature, I didn't rip my books in frustration. The allure of exploring unknown worlds, falling in love with characters, and traversing a story as though it were my own. The escapism was just so enticing. In fact, after my exam, I'll be making my way to the library to return -- for the seventh time -- my favorite novel, "The Kingdom of Belmar". I know I should've been studying for finals instead of dawdling off in fantasy land, but I couldn't help it. The medieval setting is so charming, the dialogue and descriptions are so elegant, and the story itself is so full of betrayals, passion, and vengeance that I still find something new each time I read it. The world of reality in comparison was just a bore.
My friends in university never understood my obsession, often teasing me for my infatuation with fictional characters. I think they're just jealous.
With exam paper in hand, I scribble my name on top of the page while relentlessly trying to stop from daydreaming. Trying and failing as my mind keeps wandering back to Prince Cole and all of the adorable things he tells Margarite. The perfect couple.
The final itself was tiresome and tedious, my head continuously nodding from side to side as I tried to recount endless formulas, and numerical patterns that make no sense. After painstaking agony, and hair-splitting uncertainty, I finally put myself out of my misery and handed in my answer sheet. A bit dejectedly, but at least it was over, which means I can finally continue on with the part of my day I'll actually enjoy.
The librarian at the desk greeted me as I dropped the book into the bin, and began searching the shelves for my next adventure. The vast sea of ideas and novelty has me giggling like an idiot as I stare out at all the worlds in front of me. Of course, It's a bit disappointing that I had to end up in this one. True to my tastes, I choose another medieval book with an interesting cover, and wave goodbye to the librarian on my way out.
Traversing across the campus, I start my way towards the fitness center before I'm late for fencing practice. Despite my drowsiness, I still force myself through the cold, unwilling to jeopardize my scholarship for a few measly hours of sleep. I've been told I can wield a sword like no other, and if I lived in one of the worlds I read so much about, I know I would've been born a knight.
My bag brushes against my leg with every other step as I retreat into my jacket, trying my best to withstand the frost nipping at my nose. Tugging at my sleeves, I've successfully retracted into my clothes.
As the first flurries of the year fall around me, my pounding headache blinds me as much as my breath. I forget how pretty it looks when it condenses, the way the light rebounds off of it. How it reflects off of each flake. How–
Why is the night sky so bright?
That was the last thought I had before I saw a pair of headlights barreling towards me.
DU LÄSER
The Kingdom of Belmar
Fantasy"No, this isn't where he's supposed to be. He's supposed to run into Margarite Hastings, he's supposed to ask for her hand. If he doesn't dance with Margarite tonight, their fated meeting will be ruined. They're the protagonists, so what is he doing...
