I've had this sitting on my desktop for a while now and decided I'd finally post it. Hopefully, this will motivate me to keep working on it (the outline is totally done!) but I suppose we'll have to see.

Anyway, as the title suggests, this is AU and sort of has a fairy tale/fantasy plot line. However, I am planning on upping the rating (maybe T?) as we go so maybe that'll keep your attention as we wade through the slower, informational parts ;) I hope you enjoy!

Prologue

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a thriving and prosperous kingdom. The Kingdom of Xanadu was made up of many remote villages scattered throughout the vast desert as well as the magnificent Royal City itself.

In the center of the Royal City stood the Royal Palace, home to the Royal Family and the Second Prince, Prince Ulrich. The Second Prince was well loved among his people and many were resigned to the fact the First Prince, Prince William, would be the next to rule along with his wife, Princess Sissi, when the current King or Queen passed away.

As was law in the kingdom, neither man nor woman could rule by himself or herself, nor could a King and Queen rule without an heir. Therefore, Prince William, first born and married with a child on the way, was almost promised the position as future king over his younger brother, Prince Ulrich, who, at 17 years old, was unmarried and childless.

Now, a day's journey east of the Royal City, would lead one to the village of Kadic, a modest yet comfortable community near the border of the Kingdom of Xanadu and the Kingdom of Lyoko, a lush, green, fertile land. While the two kingdoms were nearly always on friendly terms, those of mixed Lyoko and Xanadu descent were considered to be lesser beings than those of pure Xanadu blood.

Because of Kadic's and other villages' diverse nature and advantageous geographic location, they were often the targets of raids.

It is on the day of one of these raids, now celebrated annually as the Festival of the Queen, in this quaint village, that our story begins.

Chapter 1

"Oh! Yumi, dear, Theo's been waiting for you all morning!" Delicate features were twisted in impatience and the matriarch of the Ishiyama family spoke sharply with her daughter as she walked through the door.

Yumi sighed, loud enough so that her mother could hear her annoyance but not loud enough to be heard by their guest in the living area. She knew that her mother was only being cross because she was excited by what Theo's visit might mean but after the long morning, Yumi was in no mood to visit with anyone.

Hiroki had caught three fat fish that morning while Yumi had come up empty-handed.

Maybe if he weren't so tall all of a sudden… Yumi thought sourly, well accustomed to being the main provider of fresh food from the lake for their family.

She set the heavy fish basket on the table with a thud and crossed her arms. That explained why Hiroki had been so eager to visit with their father around the back of the house instead of bringing the fish in himself. Apparently, everyone had known about Theo's visit except her.

"Here, let me fix your hair first." Yumi's mother tried to run her unusually white fingers through her daughter's strikingly dark hair but Yumi ducked away.

Her mother's porcelain skin and inky black hair was a result of her Lyoko ancestors and had been passed down to Yumi, while Hiroki seemed to have their father's warmer Xanadu features.

"I'm fine, mom!" Yumi shook the last drops of lake water out of her hair and took a deep breath before entering the sitting area. On the sofa was her close friend, Theo, a boy only months older than herself, with skin tanned from years of helping his father lead horses and camels, buying and selling in different villages throughout the entire kingdom.

When they were young, the idea had fascinated Yumi. She longed to go with Theo and his father and travel to all these exotic places that he told her stories about during dinners or when they lay in the sand looking up at the stars.

But now, the idea didn't seem so appealing.

"Hello, Theo." Yumi sat down stiffly, blushing at the sight of her childhood friend in his festival clothes. She knew his mother had worked very hard to wash them; she even remembered his mother making them when all the women in the village got together before the Sun Festival.

His mother had spent hours working on them and now…

"Yumi, I've been hoping to talk to you. I've already met with your father and he agreed and-" Theo paused and rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, he didn't really say one way or the other, but he didn't say no, and I thought maybe…"

He looked up at her earnestly with his clay colored eyes. "I think we should get married, Yumi."

Her breath caught in her chest. Yumi knew her parents would be furious but the words came from her mouth before she could stop them.

"I-I don't think that's a good idea."

There was a gasp in the dining area and the fish basket dropped to the floor.

Serves you right for eavesdropping, Yumi chided her mother, irritated that she had been listening in on such a private conversation.

She looked back at Theo. Disbelief reddened his face and Yumi immediately felt guilty.

"But… What else are you going to do?" Theo asked incredulously. "Yumi… I thought this was what we wanted."

Yumi forced herself to meet his gaze as she spoke. "I never wanted this. I don't…. I'm not in love with you, Theo. I thought you knew…"

Theo stood up, running a hand through his hair. "What does that have to do with it? Yumi, you're being ridiculous."

Yumi frowned. "I'm being ridiculous? I thought we both agree that we wanted to wait until we found real love. You said yourself you were willing to wait forever."

He took her hands in his larger ones and pulled her up in front of him. "I care about you enough to make this work. We'll have a sturdy house and beautiful children and I'll take over my father's business and, who knows, maybe we'll even fall in love someday but you'll grow old waiting for a marriage for love, Yumi."

Yumi pulled her hand away. "How can you say that? I can't marry you knowing that you don't really love me. Can you imagine lying together? How could you do that with your best friend, Theo? Our whole lives would be empty!"

"I'm the only suitable match for you in the village and you know that!" Theo looked cross, anger rising in his voice. "You ought to be thanking me for not choosing Emily instead!"

"Wh-… Why didn't you? You know she has feelings for you. She'd be a good wife to you, much better than I could." Yumi cringed at the desperation in her voice but she knew that she could make Theo understand if he would just listen to her.

"Yumi…" Theo threw his hands in the air. "How can I make you understand this? Emily is… younger. She's naïve and you… You're gorgeous, Yumi. I'd be the envy of every man I ever encountered. Just think how it would help business if-"

"Stop!" Yumi cried, suddenly confused. "You mean… You want me to be a prize? A business incentive!"

"I don't understand why you're being so difficult! And stop shrieking, your neighbors will hear." Theo snapped at her.

"Get out," Yumi said in a low voice.

"I said 'get out'!" she repeated when he looked at her in shock.

"My answer is no. I refuse your offer and I don't think I want to see you again for a long time. Now leave." Yumi glared at the man standing in front of her. She stood up rigidly, hoping he wouldn't notice her glistening eyes or shaking hands.

Theo looked at her for a long time, as if trying to decide his next course of action. Finally, he clenched his teeth, outlining his broad jaw, and walked away, ignoring her mother as he pushed through the door flap and disappeared behind the faded cloth.

Yumi covered her mouth with her hand and almost collapsed back into the chair behind her when she saw her mother watching her. She looked like she was about to say something but, instead of waiting to hear her mother's scolding, Yumi ran outside to find her father and brother sitting at her father's work table.

Hiroki looked bewildered when he saw his sister's tear-stained face but her father just patted the seat beside him. Yumi sat down and let him wrap one large, muscled arm around her shoulders. Hiroki sat quietly, fiddling with the tools on the table and not saying anything, still alarmed by his big sister's unusual emotion outburst.

"I thought you liked that boy." Her father's voice was deep and soothing. Yumi shook her head into the worn material of his shirt.

"Mother is upset with me," said Yumi, finally regaining her composure. Though this was a statement she found herself frequently repeating to her father and brother, this time, she fully realized the gravity of her words.

She would never be married.

"Well, I suppose she'll get over it. Or perhaps, you'll decide to forgive your friend and you'll get married after all." He released her from his firm hug and turned his attention back to the pieces of metal on the table.

"I don't think I can forgive him." Yumi looked across the table at her brother, who avoided her gaze by handing her father different materials and trying to look busy. His boyish ignorance almost brought a smile to her face.

At 16, Hiroki was just two years younger than Yumi, but he had yet to form any serious attraction towards a girl, much less any interest in marriage.

Fortunately, Hiroki had been born during a time of great prosperity, meaning that he had many more peers than Yumi, who had been born during a drought and had only Emily and Theo as friends her own age.

Her brother would marry well, when the time came, Yumi knew. But, that didn't do anything to resolve her current predicament.

"Copper or nickel?" Her father's voice pulled her from her musings.

"Oh, Father, whatever you think. You know I have no eye for things like that."

"Copper it is, then." Her father coiled the thin metal wire around a sparkling stone and connected it to a beaded string to make a stunning necklace.

Their father was a jewelry-maker. His creations fetched a decent price with traveling merchants and some wealthy men even custom-ordered pieces to further spoil their wives.

"All done." Her father clipped off the extra wire and looked over the necklace. "Try it on, will you?"

Yumi allowed him to fasten the exquisite jewelry around her neck. It was surprisingly light. The pendant came to rest just above her breasts and Yumi looked down to examine the unusual stone.

"What is this?" Yumi asked her father. She had seen something so unique only one other time in her life.

"Opal. I made one just like it for your mother before we were married and… Well, I intended this to be for you wedding day but now seems more appropriate."

Yumi beamed. Her fingers gently traced the opal and felt the string around her neck decorated with engraved pieces of metal and other delicate beads.

"I love it," she whispered. "Thank you, Father." Yumi wrapped her arms around the man's neck and hugged him tightly. Then, she stood up and stepped out from under the tent to let the necklace shine in the hot desert sun.

She giggled, relieved to have her father's support and overwhelming proud to wear jewelry that matched her mother's.

Hiroki was unaffected by the gift of a shiny trinket but knew better than to belittle a present from their father.

"It is very beautiful, Father, and you look very nice, Yumi. Maybe we should make sure that Mother hasn't made dinner already and is waiting on us."

Their father laughed heartily and agreed. They all entered the main tent together and sat down just as dishes were being set on the table.

Yumi waited anxiously for her mother's reproach but her eyes fixated on her daughter's new necklace before she could speak. Then, she exchanged a glance with her husband and rolled her eyes.

"I won't make you marry Theo if that isn't what you wish; your father and I both want your happiness." Her mother paused and put a hand on her daughter's cheek. "You look beautiful, dear." She smiled gently and Yumi knew that all was forgiven.

"Just like your mother!" Her father added, mouth full of food.

Yumi watched her mother roll her eyes again before reminding him to chew with his mouth closed.

Thankful that the day had ended much better than it had started, Yumi began to work on the fish and vegetables in front of her.

She would have plenty of time to decide what course her life would take.

Review please! I love hearing what you think. And let me know if you have any questions about the story! I'd be happy to answer them :)