elloooo! How are you my beloved readers? New week with a new chapter! I tried, I honestly really tried to finish Elga's flashback part about the incidents before her mother's and sister's deaths buuut I couldn't XD. The chapter got too long and I had to put an end xD. So the next chapter will be that one and then I hope we have other 2 or 3 more about the incidents after the funeral. It scares me because every Monday I repeat the same things XD. I didn't expect to drag that long Elga's flashback but I guess there were many info I had to reveal. Thank you for your patience and I hope you enjoy the chapters!
Feedback is useful as I would like to let me know what you liked or not so don't forget to leave a comment!
I don't own OP but I do own the oc and extra characters.
NOTE: I will have a break for a week so next chapter hits Monday 18/4.
LOVE YA ALL! HAVE FUN!
That day while Mr. Duvall kept talking endlessly about who knows what on the history lesson, my mind didn't seem to be willing to stay focused for more than 5 minutes straight, at maximum. The view outside of the window looked much more appealing and my brain kept thinking of games I would play with Drystan once this torture was over.
But the problem was that this blonde man in front of me didn't seem like the slightest bored of spreading history knowledge out of his mouth and I knew this subject was his great weakness. Mr. Duvall could talk about past events of this Island for hours with so much passion and zeal like it's been only 10 minutes from the beginning of the lesson.
However, He wasn't aware of my secret that I knew not only this weakness of his but all of his quirks!
Mr. Duvall is a perfectionist with a peculiar personality that strives for flawlessness. Some signs as his efforts to control situations, his workaholic characteristic and his critical behavior to others and specifically to me, made it clear for even a small child like me that he despised anything disordering inside the place he worked or lived. From the objects' position to the way I sit on my seat or pronounce the words.
"Princess Valerie, have you even listened a word of today's lesson?! You keep spacing out a lot! I won't accept such a behavior! You will stay for study two more extra hours!", he ordered and I frowned in irritation.
How could he add two more whole hours of study when I longed to see my beloved friend from the very beginning of this lesson!
"Now stand up if you finished with your whining and draw the border map of Solkey Island! A Queen should know her kingdom like the back of her hand!", he said and I stood on my feet and walked with the slowest pace possible toward the blackboard.
Mr. Duvall left a sigh of annoyance out of his lips and glared at me something that made me sweatdrop a bit and fasten my steps, smiling awkwardly.
When I reached the spot, I held a chalk between my index finger and my thumb and instantly an idea popped in my mind.
I couldn't do anything to erase the plus study hours but I could give him as much trouble as possible for that, right?
I raised my hand to start drawing the said sketch, having a mischievous smirk planted on my lips and pressed it a bit harder on the blackboard's surface as a result the chalk to break in half.
"Oops!", I said innocently but the man kept his composure and gestured me to take another chalk from the remaining 9 in total number and continue the procedure.
Then, accidentally the second one broke in my fingers and then again with a silent Oops I looked rascally at him.
The man didn't break his mask of equanimity but I could see distinctly behind this calm act that he put a great effort on his movements so as not to get his discomfort exposed.
I repeated the action for once again and now the chalks were 7 in number.
Did I mention that Mr. Duvall was also superstitious?
"Mr. Duval there are 7 chalks now!", I announced to him and the man stood up from his seat and with quick steps reached the seventh chalk between my fingers and broke it himself.
"It's 6, not 7! It is 6!"
My eyes widened in surprise from his actions and bitted my lower lip to restrain a giggle.
His eyes shoot dangers on my figure and crossed his hands, standing behind me so as to observe my actions in case I provoke him again.
As I began drawing clumsily the map, creating high pitch sounds from the contact of the chalk with the blackboard, something that made the said man want to cut off his sensitive ears, I made a mistake and reached for the sponge to erase it. However, the moment I held the sponge, white dust raised like a cloud carrying snow and filled the atmosphere around us until the microparticles landed on our clothes, coating us with a grayish layer.
The blonde's face turned a deep beet root color from frustration and clenched his fists on his sides in anger.
I rushed to bring him his cup of tea in fear he will burst any moment then and there when accidentally I tripped and dropped the cup on the expensive carpet breaking it while spilling the dark liquid on his white shirt.
"Pfffttt!", I couldn't restrain my giggles anymore looking at his dumbfounded expression as like his brain froze on the spot trying to process whatever just happened.
"You.... You little...", his voice was trembling from fury and gave me a death glare.
However, given my young age I was very brave for a child standing in front of a mad adult three times my height and straightened my pose.
"Pick your words wisely! You speak to your future Queen!", I replied flashing him a smirk and his face changed into a new deeper color of red.
"You... you are the devil!", he yelled and walked quickly outside the study room, continuing to murmur words.
"The devil! This country will be doomed! We are doomed!"
After some minutes neither his voice nor his steps' eco were heard from the long corridor outside the study room and I was left alone staring at the door in disbelief.
He had left the door open! It was wide open!
A wave of excitement burst inside me and I walked hesitantly towards the exit.
I gazed at the gate of sweet freedom that was surrounded with a dazzling light and firstly popped my head slightly at the other side to check of witnessing eyes. When I ensured myself that the area was clear, I stepped outside and run towards the opposite side from the one Mr. Duvall had followed.
The triumphal sense of victory filled my chest and with a curved smile on my lips I set my goal to search for a certain black haired boy.
*Now... If I was Drystan where would I be?*, I thought and checked the sun's position from looking at the sky through a nearby window.
It must had been already midday and so recalling the boy's schedule, he should be at the kitchen on carrying duty. I immediately rushed to the lower levels of the palace by a stair located at a hidden room, at the end of the corridor of the upper floor, where there were the study room, the library and the glory room.
That was a laborsaving route as it leaded you at the lower levels without the need to pass through many other rooms and do the double effort to reach your destination. The royal palace was an enormous place that even an energetic kid like me hadn't discovered it all yet even if it was my own home.
The moment I stepped down the last two rungs of the metallic helical staircase, a combination of smells such as different spices, meat flavors and veggies hit my senses and I took a deep breath to fill my lungs with this coziness.
The huge rocky stove burned hot from the flames that escaped here and there from its opening, providing a warm atmosphere inside the place and there were everywhere spices hanging from the top cupboards above the kitchen's counters where cooks and other servants prepared the ingredients for the lunch.
"Ahh, your majesty! Did you come here for a snack? The cinnamon cookies must be ready by now!", Sebastian the friendly ginger chef with the huge beard that reached his beer gut said with his infamous toothy smile while wearing his long white cap to prevent a hair fall inside the food.
My mouth drooled at the idea of freshly baked cinnamon cookies only Mister Sebastian could make and nod in agreement.
He politely offered me a piece and devoured it with my not so ladylike manners.
"Jajaja! Princess you sure have an appetite! Would you like another one?", he offered me a second cookie and I shyly accepted it because I would never say no to food despite what the royal etiquettes teached.
"Uhm, Febvathian *nom nom* Hav yo theen Dlystan?" (Uhm, Sebastian have you seen Drystan?), I asked him still munching my delicious treat.
"I saw that fellow rascal about an hour ago but he finished his job early today. Check on the stables, he probably went to inspect the horseshoes."
"Ah, I see..." I replied and begin walking towards that direction when I saw a familiar figure pilling off potatoes.
I mimicked the cat's steps and silently sneaked on the small girl with the beautiful blonde locks.
"Gotcha!" I shouted and the poor kid jumped almost to the roof from the scare.
"Valerie! I told you not to do this again!" she answered trying to catch her breath but giggled nonetheless.
"Heheh! Aurora that was for doing those silly sketches on my notebooks! You deserve it right!" I replied crossing my hands to provoke her with the success of my revenge.
"Girls why don't you go outside to play until lunch time?" a woman wearing a dirty apron and a cloth on her head suggested with a warm smile while washing vegetables.
"Is it really ok mother?" the blonde girl with the mesmerizing blue eyes questioned but the woman nodded approvingly and so we headed for the stables together.
~...~
Drystan was nowhere to be seen for once again and no matter how long we called for him, the boy didn't come out.
The royal stables was a place that scared me but simultaneously fascinated me too. My love for horses, those gentle and elegant creatures that looked massive in my childish eyes, was so great that I often found comfort in this place despite the disturbing smell. However, the trauma of my first experience of ridding one made me decide that I will never come closer to a horse other than a few brushes of its mane and some touches.
Now that reminds me the first time I met Drystan...
~...~
It was a shiny summer day when my father thought it would be useful to learn how to ride a horse and so he hired the best teacher of the whole high- society, Mr. Maverick.
A tall man with deep purple hair and yellow eyes that reminded you those of a snake. I remember my first disapproving impression when I saw him smiling cunningly at my 4 years old self and even though I smiled him back politely, I won't forget the chilling goosebumps on my skin.
He held the bridles of a wonderful total black horse with shiny fur and dazzling wavy mane and tail that looked back at me aggressively while hitting its legs on the ground, rising dust in the air.
Firstly, fear overwhelmed my heart at the sight of the impatient creature but then my naïve self decided to trust the man in front of me and so with his help I sat on the horse's back.
We made some rounds inside the wooden fence's borders with Mr. Maverick holding the stallion's bridles and suddenly he began checking on his surroundings. When he was sure enough no one else was around, he slapped the horse's buttocks and freed the martingale leaving me alone at the top of a horse that was running at full speed inside the fence's area.
"Make it stop! Put me down! Please, put me down!", I begged with tears running down my cheeks totally scared for my wellbeing but the man departed like he never heard me screaming out of my lungs.
I remember I tried with difficulty not to fall, holding for dear life the horse's mane until my thighs were hurting unbearably and my hands felt numb.
Suddenly, a whistle was heard and I saw a boy a few years older than me, jumping upon the fence and running towards my side. The horse at the sound of the tanned boy calling for its attention stopped running and headed to his position.
"Princess! Let me help you! Are you alright?" he yelled worried at me and helped me get off the horse's back by supporting my trembling figure with him hands.
I looked at him with my tearing eyes reflecting the adoration on his face as I felt amazed how a boy only a few years older than me managed to calm such a ferocious animal.
"W-what's your name?" I asked shyly gazing at the ground and the boy landed me safely on my feet.
"I am Drystan, your majesty!", he replied with a kind smile that reached his shinning onyx eyes that resembled two black peddles under the sun's light on a clear day.
Yes, now I think about Drystan, he must had the most crystal clear personality I ever met. Always honest with his emotions and kind towards me that it was hard to believe he was a mare human being and not an angel who came from the sky to provide me protection.
"Drystan...", I repeated his name and he nodded his head in a gesture to reassure me that I was correct. "My name is Valerie! It is nice to meet you! Uhm and... thank you for saving me!"
"You aren't hurt, right?", he asked concerned but I shook my head negatively and he left a sigh of relief escape his lips.
"That's good! Then should we head back inside the palace? You mustn't be alone outside! That was a dangerous situation you put yourself into, your majesty I will escort you!", he replied and took a hold of my hand.
I will never forget the warmth of his bigger hand against mine as this sudden physical touch was the first approach of someone except my mother's and father's.
That day, Drystan was the very first person who came close to me because he truly cared for me and not for my title.
"Uhm, why are you being so nice?", I asked him while pausing my movements.
He stopped walking too and glanced back at me with a cheeky smile.
"Aren't you lonely? I saw you sitting alone many times and I hate being alone. So do you want to be friends?", he asked and I widened my eyes is surprise.
Friends? That's a first for me. Is there really a person who wants to be friends with me?
"Y-yeah...", I hesitantly answered confused whether I should trust his words or not.
But that was the answer I would give to him again if I turned back time because Drystan became probably the most important person to me back then.
~...~
Dragging up this beautiful moment from my memory's drawers made me smile with this boy's unconditional kindness and that made me feel even more determined to find him and spend some time with him.
"DRYYYYYSTAAAN!"
"DRYYYSTA....", I started yelling again until a figure about my height entered the stables with a light brown horse by their side.
"Why are you screaming like a peasant without manners there? Some kind of princess you are!", a girl with light pink hair and purple eyes like valuable gemstones commented.
"Ugh, it's just you Brie...", I responded rolling my eyes in irritation.
"I am not pleased to see you too!", she answered back but I just turned my back on her and began to head towards the other side.
"You think you are greater than me, huh, only because you are the princess!", she spoke and I stopped walking.
"I never said something like that!"
"Keep in mind that an ungifted princess is as useless as a flower in a vase. It is only beautiful for a short period of time and soon when it withers it will be replaced with another one in contrast with a planted flower with roots that will blossom every spring. You have no roots on this Island and so you carry the curse to be ungifted! Or so that's what my mother says...", she explained with a devilish smile thinking she hurt my feelings.
However, the only thing Brie didn't know was that no one can hurt me again by the time I became immune to their words.
Ungifted.
Incapable.
Weak.
The royal family's black sheep.
Heh, nothing's new...
"Take it back!"
Brie and I turned our attention towards the voice's source and this time it was Aurora who talked.
"Huh, what is a maid like you are..."
"I said take back those harsh words! At least Valerie-chan has a kind heart. You are only seeking protection under your mother's skirts and dare to speak like that to your future Queen! Take it back!", she insisted with her almost high pitched voice while clenching her fists at her sides and I widened my eyes in amazement how such a gentle little girl can get so bold for my own shake.
Yes, Aurora was the second friend of my childhood and I met her when her mother started working as the royal cook's, Mister Sebastian's, assistance at our palace.
"J-just you wait maid! My mother is the Queen's Countess and first lady-in-waiting. Y-you will see!", she threatened and I felt my blood rising in my head.
How could see act so rude to my friend?
"Can't you just mind your own business?", I said but Brie put out her tongue at me.
"Uhh, and you call yourself the Countess's daughter? Monkeys have better manners...", I commented and the pink haired run towards me like a raging bull, ready to pick up a fight.
She fell upon me and began pulling my hair but I kicked her stomach in defense. Brie fell backwards but the next moment stood up and grabbed my dress's skirt so as to drag me down and punched my face.
I fell on the ground getting my knees dirty and got a hold of her hand biting it in the process.
Brie left a cry and tried to dig her nails on my cheek's skin to draw blood when I got lifted by strong hands and a body stepped between us, providing me shield from the girl's next attack.
"Look at you! Two members of the royal family fighting like chickens!"
I glared at the familiar figure disapprovingly, frowning slightly and turning my head to the other side while they still held my torso with their hand on their left side.
"S-she started it!", Brie said and fake cried that her wounds hurt.
"That's a lie! She was the one who firstly attacked her!", Aurora demanded the truth from the pink haired but she just glared at her.
"That's enough! How are you supposed to solve your country's problems when you act so immaturely?", they said and I just gazed at the ground pouting.
"B-but it was...", Brie was about to add another one lie but the figure's face hardened and his eyes narrowed dangerously. The girl flinched from fear and bitted the inside of her cheek, nervously. "Uh, uhm... I-I should go. M-mother must be searching for me..", she shallowed her thoughts and rushed to escape running to the direction of the palace.
Aurora thought it was a good idea to go back to her mother's side and prepare the first aid kit so as to treat my wounds afterwards.
We were left behind alone inside the empty barn and the figure put me down to step on my feet and walked a few meters away so as to get a hold of the startled horse in front of us.
Directing the mesmerizing creature into its place and securing the door so as to prevent its escape, they took a deep breath and turned the face to look at me.
Suddenly, a sunray fell upon his features and the toothy smile that never missed from his face made me mimic his expression as well.
He approached me again with his smile turning into a foxy one and curved his eyes in excitement.
For a moment he got me there with his serious acting but seeing his expression I left an exhale I didn't know I held until now.
"You totally won on this round!", he whispered in my ear leaning closer and I nodded happily for his praising.
Drystan was always with my side and supported me in every argument getting even angrier than me every time someone tried to hurt my feelings. However, being a palace's servant and having to earn money so as to feed his family, the 5 years older boy couldn't express his true opinion.
"Hehehe! That's my girl! That's my girl!", he said giggling and started tickling me, something that always made me laugh.
"Drystan! I even used the punch you learned me!"
"Hehehe! You did it, didn't you?", he laughed with my enthusiasm and ruffled my hair making a mess on my head.
"Drystaaan! Stop it my ponytail will become loose again!", I complained but he continued teasing me anyway despite my whining.
Ah yes, me and Drystan always shared one single brain cell and used to goof around the palace on our free time.
When I realized he didn't have any intention to stop I stepped on my tiptoes to reach his height as he was one head and a bit more taller than me and lifted my arm to muddle up his hair too, in an effort to give him a piece of his own teasing when I lost my balance and fell upon him dragging him down too on the ground.
"Ouch, Val you should be more careful! What if...", he began to say but looked at my giggling face that rested upon his chest and turned his gaze sideways, turning red.
"Drystan! Do you have a fever? You are all red!"
"Uhm, I am fine... You are very clumsy you know that? What if... what if you get injured or in trouble and I am not there to protect you?", he said with his voice turning into an unusual serious tone.
"But you teached me self-defense techniques so I should be fine!"
He sighed troubled and sat up, removing me from his chest and I took a seat right beside him on the ground too, without a single care for my expensive dress.
He buried my hand on his, like he did that very first day we met, and looked right into my eyes with honesty.
"Val, I-I want to protect you.", he confessed and brought out of his trousers' pocket a beautiful silver hairpin with carved, shiny, metallic flowers all over it.
"I made it at the blacksmith's shop. I worked on it the past few days after job when I had cleaning duty, with the leftover metal pieces. I-it is not much... I-I mean you are a princess, you must have... of course you have more beautiful and valuable hairpins b-but..."
I grabbed his hands inside mine with the hairpin at the middle of our palms and looked at him with tearing eyes.
"It's the most beautiful gift I ever had!"
The black haired turned his gaze from mine clearly flustered as if the pack of straws behind him was more interesting at the moment.
"You have many enemies, being the special princess so... If your life is endangered you can use this hairpin, see?", he explained and held the object that looked like a big thick needle on his hands like a knife.
I widened my eyes and touched the pointy edge realizing his words.
Well, that was true as I have eavesdropped many conversations between my parents discussing over the fact of increasing my protection.
Even the incident that happened one year ago with Mr. Maverick, I learned afterwards that it was an effort to get rid of me and write it down as an accident.
Of course no one knew I was aware of those information, not even Drystan and that's why I found his actions very cute. However, that made me think if there was something more he was aware of and I hadn't discovered it yet.
The boy stood up and shook off the dust from his clothes while helping me to stand on my feet too.
"Well, Princess...", he said and bowed sarcastically his head in front of me, a movement he knew quite well I found it ridiculous. " We shall part our ways here with my heart feeling heavy from sadness. I am afraid I am extremely busy this nice day but I promise I will come find you after dinner!", he added and winked on me and I giggled watching his funny show of 'a humble peasant's good manners' as he named it.
"Well, sir Drystan, I shall return to the library because Mister Duvall will forget about my title and kill me, heheh"
"Ahh, you escaped under his nose again, huh?"
I winked at him playfully and made a small curtsey, lifting slightly my dress by the sides and the boy waved back at me heading towards the opposite direction.
I tried to walk out of the stables as sneakily as I could but when I was about to cross the back garden's path I bumped my head on a hard surface.
"Ugh, why is a tree here?", I questioned myself but I heard a laugh coming from above me and looked a bit closer at the object or rather, the leg I had hit my head.
"Fufufu, if it isn't for the famous princess of Solkey!", the voice said and I narrowed suspiciously my eyes at him.
It was this mysterious tall, blonde man again who always sent chills across my spine. We never had the chance to talk from this close as I always chose to observe him from afar but here we are meeting each other.
His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses and he wore this pink feathery cloak that made him look like a flamingo.
"Fufu, shy aren't we, your majesty?", he commented with a smirk planted on his lips and lifted his hand in a gesture meaning to ask for my own so as to kiss it and show his respect to my title.
I refused to greet him and as a response I just walked a few steps back putting some space between us.
"Fufufu, you have a good judgment for a kid, princess! I expected no less from the child of the prophecy."
I titled my head in puzzlement at his remark and knitted my eyebrows, being at full alert while watching his every move.
"I guess you still haven't heard of that, huh? Then I won't spoil the fun! Have a good day, princess and I will give you a hint because I like you...", the strange man leaned closer to my face still maintaining his disgusting smirk. "Watch your back! Fufufu!"
My eyes widened in shock as I found it difficult to understand what he just said to me and remained frozen on my spot as he distanced himself.
I had a bad feeling for this man...