CHAPTER ONE
“Mamma, I beg of you to let me come,” Thalassa pleaded as her family started for the door. Unlike the rest of her family dressed in their best yet simple clothes, Thalassa was wearing a blue housedress that reached the floor. She was standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her mother with pleading eyes.
“Thalassa, my child, the tea would be served under the sun,” her mother answered firmly yet gently even though she almost wavered at her daughter’s wish. “But Mamma—I do not care about the tea party. I just want to see the castle in broad daylight.”
“Mamma, maybe we should just let her come,” Thalassa’s older sister, Aeras, interjected. She put a hand on her mother’s shoulder to assure her that everything would be all right as she gave her sister a soft smile.
Her mother contemplated the idea. And she turned towards her two daughters. The eldest was a tall blonde one, with her hair raised to a bun and her emerald eyes shining with joy and intellect. While the second daughter wasn’t tall for her age, she had her blonde hair down and the tail of it was colored blue while her eyes was the color of the sea and as deep as it. Her skin was the palest of her family and probably in her whole town.
The Haskells were well known and highly regarded by everyone. The father was a smart man that changed the world of business. While the mother was the only daughter and child of the Master of Pettisbourgh, a little town ran by a kind, loving family.
“My dear, let Thalassa join us. She can stay in the carriage where she would be safe and she’ll get her wish,” the father said as he joined the group by the door.
Thalassa, filled with joy, ran to give her father a hug before excusing herself to change her clothes.
~oOo~
The throne room was a majestic, spacious room. With rubies and other stones engraved on the wall above the throne to show different constellations. But- those stones were no match for the elegant woman sitting on the throne. “The Haskells will join us for tea, my dear prince,” the queen said as her son entered her throne room.
The queen looked well and healthy. She showed regal-ness even at her smallest of actions. Her white blonde hair was braided to support her crown. Her forget-me-not blue eyes were shining with love as she looked at her son. Her son, who would be two and twenty years, was tall. His light brown hair was ever unruly, but it only complemented his pale feature and brought out the color of his topaz eyes.
“That would be a wonderful honor, Mother,” the prince replied. “But most unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to welcome them as I have an important matter to attend too. But I shall make it back before they set to leave.”
“Ah, yes,” the queen replied sadly as her smile faltered. “the prince would surely be busy but I want you to take Pierce with you.”
“Most certainly, Mother.”
“Go on, Nicholas. And make sure to come back to meet the Haskells.” she said as sadness glittered her eyes.
Nicholas bowed and left the throne room. The queen looked longingly at her son’s retreating figure. He had started his duties and was rarely home to spend time with his mother. Although she missed her son so much, she was proud to see he will work for the people.
Not long after he left, the carriage of the Haskells just made a stop in front of the huge double doors of the castle. It was a plain carriage that no one would think belonged to the second wealthiest family after the Royalties. But then- the Haskells were well-known for their humble personalities. There were no instances that the family willingly bragged about their fortunes.
An attendant opened the carriage’s door and assisted them towards the throne room of the queen. But one remained inside the carriage: a person who wore so much clothing that the only visible part of her was her eyes. Looking from the small window the carriage provided, she was awed at the beauty of the castle before her. Its tower standing tall on each of its corner; giving a majestic feeling to its surroundings. She couldn’t help but envy her sister who could take a tour of said castle.
“It is such an honor to have received your invitation for tea, my queen,” Mr. Haskell stated as he and his family bowed in greetings to the queen.
“Come, come,” the queen invited as she lead the way towards her terrace where they would drink tea. “I heard you have another daughter, Mr. Haskell.”
“Yes, my queen. But my youngest daughter is too sick to join us today,” he answered.
“I do believe you have never introduced her in public before?” the queen asked.
This time, it was the wife who answered. “Yes, my queen. Our daughter is ill with a sickness that made interaction a little harder than it’s supposed to be.”
“Oh,” the queen gasped. “Just tell me and I shall help in any way I can.”
“Thank you for you kindness, my queen,” the oldest daughter, Aeras, answered as she looked around the castle carefully; memorizing every little detail to tell her sister once they got back home. Thalassa rarely got to see anything outside their little sanctuary in the forest, but Aeras had told her sister everything as to not make her feel left alone and clueless about the world.
“Who are you?” a man’s voice sounded behind Thalassa.
Standing up, she turned towards the voice, and she was shocked to see a handsome young man. He had a mane of unruly mahogany hair and a bunch was covering his forehead, which he fixed into one side. His leaf-green eyes were dark and unfeeling. He was standing proud and tall; a posture very much witnessed from the members of the Royal family. Something racked Thalassa’s brain; something that told her she should have recognized the man in front of her. But- she couldn’t quite place the memory together.
“Who are you?” he asked again, more forcefully this time as he took a step towards her.
His advance was simple. But- a shiver ran down Thalassa’s spine. A shiver that put all her guard up and told her that the man can take her if he so much decided on it. So, in fright, she ran deeper into the garden’s forest. She heard and felt the man ran after her. She pushed her feet harder, but the man caught up to her and pulled her by her hand to stop her and pointed a sword at her. Thalassa stiffened as she assessed her enemy.
She may have been a daughter of the second wealthiest family, which was first by the royalties, but she was never ignorant when it came to the deadly arts. His father was worried about the safety of his daughters with their lack of guards and such. So, he had them learn the art of fighting to keep themselves protected and to produce the atmosphere of independence.
So, Thalassa readied herself and the man’s sword was dispatched with a well-aimed butterfly kick. The man was taken aback for a few seconds before he ran after her again. She almost escaped him, but another man appeared and blocked her way enough for the man chasing her to catch up. The other man turned to her wide-eyed, as if he was not expecting anyone to be there. He jumped out of her way and she kicked once more. But- the man chasing after her jumped towards her and they both went down as the man tried to stop her from escaping again. And standing her up, he dragged her towards the terrace where the queen was having a tea with her guests.
“My queen, I have found this stranger lurking around your garden,” the man who was holding her announced.
“Oh, my!” the queen gasped as she looked at the man her nephew was holding. “How did such a stranger entered the castle?”
Aeras stood straight up from her chair and turned towards the queen. “My queen, please!” she pleaded. “That is my sister!”
The prince, the man, and the queen turned to looked at Aeras and shock written all over their faces. “Your sister?”
“Yes, please. Forgive us. But please- let her go,” she pleaded once more.
“I thought you said she was too ill to join us?” the queen asked firmly yet there was gentleness in her voice that told them she was not accusing them of anything.
“Yes, she is my queen. She was supposed to stay in the carriage,” the wife answered. “She is ill with a rare sickness. She is not like us. Being under the sun wearies her, and if for too long she is exposed, she gets weaker and sicker. Thus, explaining her strange attire.”
The man removed his hands on her, and she curtsied before the queen. “Forgive me, my queen. I was supposed to stay in the carriage but I saw your beautiful garden, and I could not help but admire them in a close distance.”
“You are forgiven, my dear child. But I wished you should have told me about her condition, and we could have moved the tea inside the castle.”
“We apologize, our queen,” the family said together.
“Nevertheless, let us continue this talk inside.” The queen led the way towards the castle.
The prince followed, but when he realized that the last man had not made a move, he turned around and walked back towards him.
“What happened, Pierce? Cat got your tongue?” he said in a joking manner, but he saw the expression on his cousin’s face. “Really, what happened?
“She was a lady,” was all Pierce’s answer.
“Well, obviously.” Nicholas answered with a laugh as he looked behind him to watch the family and his eyes landed on the older daughter and he felt as though he had seen her before.
“But she fought.” This time Pierce answered with a slight smile.
Realization dawned on Nicholas’ face. “Oh, I see. Finally, a lady caught your interest!”
“She did not catch yours? Where have you ever seen a lady, especially from a family background as hers, who knows how to fight? She would have escaped me if you hadn’t appeared.” Pierce answered plainly as if that was the only thing that could interest him.
“Well, she did. But not the way she got yours.” Nicholas laughed as he led Pierce inside. “But her sister certainly caught mine.”
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