Attention!: I just wanted to let you know before you read that Char and Ella aren't actually that mean in the story. Most of it is told from the POV of Aurora, their daughter, and the fact that she has a bad relationship with them is completely her own doing. So they're not really that mean, it's just that it's her point of view, which is that they are terrible. She'll come to realize her mistakes at some wonderful climax near the end of the story, which I hope I'll get to without getting reviled for making them mean. So don't let that keep you from reviewing, please? Pretty please?

Emma the NazgulQueen

Chapter One

"I don't know what to do with you, child."

"You've already missed three dress fittings!"

"And the wedding rehearsal…"

"And the family portrait…"

"And…"

Princess Aurora's attention faded away as her parents, King Charmont and Queen Eleanor, rattled off her many shortcomings. She would admit that she had missed a lot of the planning of her darling sister's, also Eleanor, wedding, but it was deliberate. Could her parents not see that?

Aurora, it would seem to the passerby, was, quite frankly, not like most young women. As she stood in the great hall listening to her parents, she wore knee-high leather boots, black britches, a man's white shirt, and a black vest. Her long, reddish hair flowed to her waist, where it nearly became entangled in her belt, which held a long sword and many daggers. She held a look of boredom and disdain on her otherwise lovely face, and her green eyes sparkled with mischief. She was tall, very tall, and strongly built; even the guards seemed a tad afraid of her.

Of course, she had the misfortune of being the middle child. Eleanor the Younger was the eldest child of the five; then came her brother, Charmont the Second; then Aurora; then Arieda, the brilliant scientist child; and then, of course, Jerrold, the prodigy of an instrumentalist. And although her parents were very loving, the fact could not be denied that Aurora stuck out like a sore thumb. She not only physically appeared different than all the rest, she was the only one to be named arbitrarily, and the only one to engage in an activity of which her parents did not necessarily approve.

"Unless you are here for the next rehearsal, I'm going to have to keep you under guarded eye every moment, Aurora," her father finally finished.

Aurora sighed heavily, but lifted her eyes. "So we're done, then?"

"Have you not listened to a word we said?" her mother asked.

"Of course I listened," Aurora lied expertly. "I always listen."

Her father sighed as well. "And give some more time to your sister, alright?" he said, his voice sounding weary.

"I always give," Aurora continued, in her sarcastic, honey-dripped voice. "I'm a giver by nature, always have been."

"That's enough," the queen cut her off, her voice also tired. Aurora rolled her eyes; don't think I haven't noticed that I'm the only child you don't laugh around, she silently told her mother, although a part of her stung to think that she had never laughed, either. She began to tap her foot as an annoying silence fell over the room.

"Alright, you may leave," her father finally said.

"Oh, only if you insist, your Majesty," Aurora said, sweeping a surprisingly graceful curtsy. King Char clicked his tongue but didn't respond. Aurora turned on her heel and let out her anger on the doors, allowing them to slam shut behind her.

Once out of the room, she took a moment to take a breath. Well, if there was one thing she knew, it was that there wasn't anything happening today with the wedding; at least, not anything that she needed to attend.

She left the castle and went to her stable; when she was young, she had always made such a ruckus inside that her parents finally built her her own stable so that she could go out and play. It was now her favorite place in the world, as it was the one of the few places where her parents', and the kingdoms', disapproving eye was not constantly around.

She walked slowly toward the stable, the wind picking up and blowing her hair into her face. She caught a strand of it and pondered its color.

"Cursed hair!" she said, half-joking. "Why, why must you be so different than my precious brothers and sisters, all of whom were made in the image of my equally precious parents?"

"And why are you so dramatic?"

She looked up to see her friend, Thomas, smiling at her, standing next to her horse, Noir. She laughed.

"Because, how else am I to deal with it?" she said, stopping in front of the two.

"You could… oh, I don't know… talk to your parents?" Thomas said. He was an elder chap, with gray, curly hair and perpetual stubble. He was about as tall as she, with similarly broad shoulders.

"Now, why would I want to do that?" she said. "Sarcasm, you see," she began, jokingly stroking her chin, "is the only defense mechanism I have. I have been shunned and disliked my whole life, and this is what has become of it."

Thomas shook his head. "You're incorrigible."

"Ooo, big word," she replied, stroking her horse's mane.

"So, are you actually going to attend the next wedding-plan-step?"

She grunted. "I have to. My evil plan is failing."

"Oh, really? And what was this evil plan?"

She mounted her horse with a swift move. "See, I thought that if I never came to any of the planning, my family would be so heartbroken and despairing that the wedding would be called off. But then, I had forgotten that my family doesn't especially care about my input… it's just the image they want."

Thomas shook his head again, something he had become an expert at after so many years with Aurora. "Where are you off to then?"

"Eh, I guess I'll just go to the forest and back," she said, placing a hand over her eyes and searching the horizon. "I should be back by dinner or it'll be me they're eating tomorrow." With a smile to Thomas, she urged the horse forward and took off to the forest.

"Your highness, I am sorry for the intrusion, but the others have asked if it would be alright if we stopped for a bite to eat?"

Marius, Prince of Oredya, stopped his horse for a moment. He looked behind him to the other knights; they were barely clinging to their horses, panting for breath. He looked at the messenger, who was biting his lip and looking terrified.

"Of course," Marius said, dismounting his horse. "We are close to Kyrria, anyways, we aren't losing any time."

The other knights thanked him, and they began to prepare a meal. Marius could have kept riding forever, but he loosely tied his horse to a tree and wandered a little away.

It was the first time in months that he had been able to get away from his parents. It felt wonderful to be on a journey, even if it was to boring old Kyrria to see his cousin get married to some probably equally boring princess. They were near the edge of the forest, and Marius felt some disappointment at the sight of his journey's end.

Not that he was a snob, or anything. He didn't even particularly like Oredya, but it felt to him as if there was never any true excitement anywhere he went. In Oredya, his father pushed girls on him as if it was like choosing a favorite candy. In Kyrria, girls would probably push themselves on him, and he was tired of being polite and distant. He did, however, feel a sense of responsibility for his people, whom he cared about a great deal.

He had climbed a boulder and was looking out upon what little there was left of the forest before Kyrria. He sighed, resting his arm on the limb of a tree.

He had been standing there but a minute when he felt a sudden pain in his arm.

"Don't worry, it'll only take a minute."

He whipped his head toward his arm to see that his wrist had been tied to the branch. A great, ugly ogre leered at him, chuckling at what he must have thought as his great wit.

Marius free hand flew to his waist, but a flood of panic ran through him as he realized he had left all his weapons down at the camp. He opened his mouth to yell for help, but another ogre's hand came from behind and tied a rag around his mouth. They grabbed Marius' free arm and tied it next to his other one. He hung, limp and helpless, as he watched the ogres brought out a large pot and set it on a pile of twigs and branches.

He struggled for a few moments before settling into a panicked despair. So, this was how it was to end, he thought. To never experience anything real; to never be king, or fall in love…

He got lost in his own miserable thoughts as the ogres prepared to cook him. He was tugged out of them when the ogres began to poke him with a stick.

"He looks nice and juicy," one growled.

"I think I might like his legs," the other said, and the laughed.

"I don't think so, Ugly Ogre!"

Marius was jerked out of his fog of doom and looked up. Atop the branch stood a poised, strong, fearless… woman? The ogres laughed harder as the woman unsheathed her sword and a dagger.

"Sir, never fear," she said, and then paused. "I'm here!" Then she chuckled. "Ha! That rhymed!" A grunt from the ogres brought her attention back, and she leapt from the branch, successfully kicking both ogres in the face. They stumbled back, and she landed on her feet.

Marius watched in amazement as the ogres clumsily, but powerfully, swung their clubs at the woman. She dodged every blow, dealing them a few strikes of her own with her sword. One ogre started to bring his club down on her head, but she blocked it, struggling for a few moments and then sending the ogre reeling back into the pot, knocked out by his own club. The other one rumbled, and she turned to face him squarely. They circled each other for a few moments, before the woman lunged and they began a duel, the ogre stupidly using his powerful club as a sword. She caught him by surprise and his club rolled away. She brought the hilt of her sword down upon his head, and he fell to the ground, causing it to shake.

The woman stood for a moment, panting and trying to catch her breath. She then straightened, pulled something out of her ears, and placed a triumphant foot atop the fallen ogre's stomach.

She cocked her head and said, "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how it's done."

Marius made a muffled sound, desperate to see her closer. She gave a jump, and hurried over.

"Sorry!" she said. "I forgot all about you!... got caught up in the moment, you know…"

She bent down and cut the binds free with her dagger. She then reached to pull off the gag, which Marius had just been about to do. She laughed.

"Right, you can do that yourself…" she trailed off, standing up. He pulled the rag off his head and stood up as well.

"That… I mean… wow," he ended, somewhat lamely.

She smiled. "Thanks, I guess."

"No, no, thank you," he effused. His savior was beautiful, with long, dark red hair, and sparkling green eyes. She stood almost as tall as he, and was strong of build, but all that was softened when she smiled.

"Well, it was nothing, honestly," she said.

"No, there must be something I can do to thank you," he insisted.

"No, forget it. Please. Forget it," she said, a look of apprehension passing through her eyes.

He smiled. "Alright then."

She nodded, and turned to leave. She was partway down the small hill when he began to run after her. He felt an urgent need to know more.

"Please, all I ask for is your name," he said, catching her hand.

"Oh…" She looked toward the edge of the forest, where a bit of the castle could be made out. She turned back to him, a smile on her face. "What's in a name, really? You know? I mean, what's a name going to tell you?"

"More, I hope," he said. "Fine, I'll tell you my name first." He swept a gracious bow. "My name is Marius of Oredya."

She cocked an eyebrow. "As in Prince Marius of Oredya?"

He slightly rolled his eyes. "Yes, guilty as charged."

She smiled. "Well, then, your highness… Aurora of Kyrria," she answered, giving a curtsy.

"As in Princess Aurora of Kyrria?" he responded with a smile.

She gasped, but it was obviously fake. "Don't tell me… other nations know that I'm a princess? Wow… I thought my parents had told everyone I was either dead or in a mental asylum."

He laughed. "Well, there are stories."

"I'm sure there are," she said sarcastically, resuming her walk.

"Let us take you back to your home," he said, walking alongside her. "We're going there, anyway."

She sighed as they came upon a black mare. She reached up to pet it, obviously thinking. She looked back at him, as he gave what he thought was an encouraging smile.

"Alright," she finally answered.

"Excellent," he pronounced, and offered his arm. She took her horse's reins in one hand and laid her other arm on his. They walked toward his knights' makeshift camp, as he tried to discreetly smooth his thick, chestnut brown hair. His own eyes were brown, and he noticed her green ones were laughing as they looked on him.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing, it's just…"

"What?"

"I just find it humorous that I saved you… I wonder if I can use this against my parents in any way," she said.

He laughed, although he wasn't sure if it was a joke. They came upon the knights, who, from the looks of it, hadn't even noticed their prince was gone.

"Gentlemen," Marius said. They looked up reluctantly from their food. "This is Princess Aurora of Kyrria. She has just…"

"… been saved by your wondrous prince," she interrupted. He looked over at her questioningly, but she just winked and smiled.

The knights grunted a hello, and quickly went back to their food. Marius sighed, embarrassed that his knights were so lazy and inattentive.

"We should get going," he said loudly.

The knights looked at him for a moment, and then rolled their eyes at each other as they stood up. Marius blushed.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to Aurora. "They are not very… professional."

She laughed. "I've seen worse."

The knights packed up their things and mounted their horses once more. Marius and Aurora trotted ahead of them at a rather leisurely pace.

"So, have you come to Kyrria for the wedding, then?" Aurora asked.

"Yes. It is my cousin your sister is wedding," he answered, looking over at her. She kept her eyes forward, but he noticed a change in them.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

She broke from her daze and looked over at him. "Nothing, it's just… what kind of stories are there?"

She was being serious. He bit his lip and said, "Well, there's the story about when your sister was born."

She laughed, but this time there was no sarcasm in it. "That was a good one."

"I'd love to hear it from you," he encouraged.

"Honestly?"

"Yes," he urged.

"Alright, well… I was four when my sister, Arieda, was born. She was a few days old when they finally let me hold her, so I was sitting in the healing hall with her all by myself. I suddenly had an idea, and walked to the room where they keep all the babies. Of course there was no in there, they were all too busy fawning over my mother and making sure she was fine. So I traded Arieda with a darker-skinned baby and walked back to the room. Putting on my best innocent face, I walked in and held the baby up. 'Father?' I asked 'why does Arieda have darker skin than you?' No one replied for a moment, so I went on, 'Does Arieda have a different father?'"

Marius was laughing hard by now, leaning over his horse.

Aurora went on, "I definitely saw a look of horror flash over my mother's face, but my father was livid. 'WHERE IS YOUR REAL SISTER?' he shouted. I just laughed and ran out of the room, quickly trading the babies back and carrying the real Arieda to the room. 'What are you talking about, she's right here' I said. Well, my parents were furious, to say the least. I had to stay in the castle for a month."

"That's brilliant, it really is," Marius said, still chuckling.

"Really?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes!"

"Hmm… you're the first person to think so," she said more seriously. "Everyone else has always thought it to be horrific."

"Well, I think you're brilliant. To tell you the truth, I always liked to hear the latest story about the rebel princess from Kyrria."

"Really? Well, I'm glad to have found someone who doesn't spit the ground at the sight of me."

He didn't answer, gazing at her. She seemed… sad, somehow. Like she didn't have a friend in the world… but then again, did he, Marius, have any friends? Not really. He wasn't as detached from his parents as she was, but he was an only child. His knights couldn't care less about him, and he had never really known anyone growing up. He felt connected to her, as if they were already good friends.

"My father is always surprised when he hears stories about you," he said.

She looked over at him. "Why?"

"I don't know, but he always says that he would have thought your mother would be more understanding."

Aurora smiled knowingly. "One would think."

He didn't ask for an explanation. "How old are you?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Twenty one," she replied.

"As am I," he said, but then thought of something. "So that means your sister is…"

"Seventeen," she finished, but then her lips curled into a devilish smile. "Why?"

Marius inwardly groaned. He had just remembered his father's strong encouragement to befriend, and maybe even court, the younger daughter. Kyrria and Oredya would do good with an alliance, he had said.

"Oh, I see," Aurora said with a laugh. "A Kyrrian-Oredyan alliance on the brain, eh?"

This time Marius outwardly groaned. "Hardly… it is, however, on my father's brain."

"Well, no offense, but I don't think you're really my sister's type," she said.

"And how is that?"

"First off, I've heard that she likes blondes… and the brainy-types, you know, the ones who wear monocles."

He laughed. "Well, from what I've heard, she's not my type, either."

"Really? Who's your type, then?"

He shrugged. "I don't really have a type." He paused looking over at her. "You might be my type."

She laughed. "I doubt it. I've never been anyone's type."

"Well, you just met me."

"Yes, and in a few moments, you'll probably detest me along with the rest of human civilization."

He ignored the comment. "What if I told you, you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen?"

She looked over, a humorous look on her face. "Well, you can tell me, but I shan't believe you."

They fell silent as the group finally emerged from the forest. They paused for a moment, looking over the landscape. There was a great span of green meadow before it led up a hill to the castle, which was surrounded by a large village.

"Welcome to Kyrria, Prince Marius," Aurora said.

He looked away from the land and focused his eyes on her. "I think I'll like it here."