.
The Yellow Chronicles
.
chapter one
—YELLOW—
.
"How about this design?" Ruby asks, holding up a strapless pastel dress with blue flowers embedded at the top. "It would go great with Lance's suit. After all, it would be horrible if your outfits clashed."
"It's too low-cut." I shake my head politely. "I'm really sorry about this, Ruby, but none of your choices seem right."
We're standing on the veranda for the East Tower, a large selection of wedding dresses in the newest fashions displayed proudly on the clothesline. It's a myriad of mostly white and peach, with the occasional spot of color—too strong a shade will attract the attention of evil spirits, although neutral colors are too dull for the gods to bless.
Ruby looks down unhappily for a second, then smiles again, clearly thinking of some heinous idea that will end up in a mess. I open my mouth to interrupt him, but he speaks before I can utter a sound. "Then how about we go down to the dressmaker's shop?" He says. "They have wonderful selections there, fit for royalty, even."
"But it's dangerous!" I protest. "Only Mother and Father and Uncle Pearl or any of the older and wiser nobles can go there because they're well protected from bandits! If we go—"
"Don't you think the Princess if the Four Regions doesn't have protection?" Ruby rolls his eyes, snorting. "For your information, I am your supervisor, butler, servant, steward, and bodyguard. And if Queen Platinum forbids this trip, my name isn't the Esteemed Attendant of the Princess, Ruby."
"But you can get hurt!" I protest again. "Ruby, you're like the serious brother I never had and always wanted. I don't want any of my older brothers to be hurt! We can just send someone else from the palace to get it.
"And the only brother you never had and always wanted wants you to look beautiful on your wedding day." He sighs a bit, then tugs at my arm. "It won't be the same if you don't see the fabrics themselves. Come on, it'll be fun!"
"Alright." I answer reluctantly, but only because it is Ruby, and my heels tired from standing so long. A plaintive fear creeps up my spine, but I ignore it in favor of telling myself how wonderful the outside world will be. "But do be careful, please. Nobody needs to be hurt."
.
A little while later, we're on a carriage bound to the lower areas. Coachman Ethan drives it, and I sit with a excited Ruby in the back while the peasants gape at us in wonder. Most of them have never seen me before. I prefer staying inside the castle, where it's safe from the outside world. Just like Mother.
The dressmaker's shop has a lot of beautiful fabrics and designs that steal my breath away, despite my reservations about this trip. I run a fancy grey silk dress—the kind that you would find in fairy tales with exaggerated ideas of wealth—through my fingers while the seamstress, a woman named Daisy, smiles at us and chats. I question her about some of the particular works, and she has a history for all of them.
When I point out one particular lace piece that floats against my fingers, padding gently against my fingertips, her expression is one of pain. I almost think it's not a great idea to ask her any more about it when she answers.
"Oh, the lace dress? It was designed by my husband, Bill. He gave it to me after my brother Green was attacked by pirates," she says sadly, and I berate myself internally for my insensitivity, before finally registering her words.
"What? P-pi-pirates?" I stutter. "There are pirates in this area?"
"Not anymore, no," Daisy says, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her left ear. "After Green left, they stopped coming. But there's a lot of bandits, like Giovanni and Sird, who are willing to do anything for some coins." She sips some tea. "How about the muslin in the corner? That'll look as wonderful as everything else, but without the effort."
I acknowledge her sudden change of subject and firmly center my attention to the fabrics. Finally Ruby makes his choices and we board on the carraige home.
"Thank you, ma'm," Ruby bows respectfully, before raising his hat cheekily. "We give to you our deepest regrets for your brother, and I think we have enough for the wedding."
"Alright, your Highness, and Esteemed Attendance," she curtsies, nodding her head down. "I hope I see you soon enough."
We hand her some gold coins, and then set off again into the twilight sky. "I think the silk lace one will look beautiful," Ruby says dreamily. "Just imagine the lace floating over your thin shoulder blades, like a fairy in flight..."
"Whatever you say, Ruby," I say, almost amused by his nonsensical musing, as the horses gallop against the cobblestones. That wasn't so bad, after all.
And of course, I curse myself with those very words.
Suddenly, the carraige stops, and I'm thrown headfirst against the wooden surface. Hard. My head is spinning, and so is the world. Ruby yells out loud as he runs out to investigate.
"Pirates!" I vaguely hear Ethan scream. I barely get the emergency knife out of the scabbard hanging under the coach seat when I brush my hand against the area of my head that hurts, and freeze at the amount of blood on my glove.
The impact must have been worse than I think it was.
I shake my head, than wobbily prepare to fight. Suddenly, an arm grabs my leg from behind.
"Well, what do we have here?" A low, husky voice says, amused. Without so much as looking, I clamp my knife between my teeth and plunge it blindly at my attacker.
He howls in pain, and I pull back, ignoring the throbbing on my head. I also refuse to stare at the bloody sword, feeling as if I might vomit.
There is not much fighting outside. The horses are set free and have escaped, along with Ethan, who seems to have gone to warn the palace of our distress, while Ruby and another—was that a woman?—is fighting. The rest of the bandits seem to be looting and I see another woman admire the fallen fabrics. For my wedding. Which I will never wear.
Ruby grabs me as the woman he was battling falls, and her comrades fall back to help her. He looks at my wound and I can tell it's really serious by the yelp he utters and how his eyes widen fearfully.
"Princess! We need a doctor!" he yells. The road we escape to has no people visible, and then I wonder where the peasants I just saw have disappeared to. Then I remember how there's protocol for criminals on the loose: hide in your cellar and hope for the best. Oh, great.
"You won't get away!" someone shouts from behind us, and I almost want to laugh at how cliche this scene is. I see big black spots, but my feet are still running. Then I see that Ruby also has a gash on his knee, which must be slowing him down with pain. We half-carry, half-drag each other, and try to survive.
Suddenly Ruby falls. I grab him, trying to keep on running, when I feel lightheaded. Just before my head touches the ground, I see brown spiky hair and cold green eyes.
My world turns black, and red amid the sea of blood.
.
—PLATINUM—
.
"Your highness! Your highness!" Coachman Ethan screams. He cradles a bloody arm.
"Dear God, what happened!" I cry, rising from my throne. "Where is my daughter and Ruby?"
"It was pirates," he pants, wiping a hand over his forehead. "They sent me here to warn you, because none of them were fit enough to pass on the message. I didn't want to leave them, but then you would never know what had happened to them from all that would have been left."
"Pirates?" I screech, unable to keep the fear from my voice. "They haven't been here on the land for a good two years!"
"It was them," Ethan seems ready to drop, and his fingers are raw and blistered. "I saw Red, with he crimson eyes and black hair! We need to rescue them!"
Diamond and Pearl stare in horror. "My daughter!" Diamond screams. "You abandoned the princess, my beloved daughter and youngest child, just like that?"
"I'm sorry, your Majesty!" Ethan yells. "But none of them could run to warn you, with their injuries!"
"That is enough, Diamond!" I yell, and my husband shushes, cowed. "He has warned us, and that alone is what we should be grateful for! Pearl! Summon Prince Gold! Tell him the grave news, that his younger sister has been kidnapped and we must arrange the Taskforce immediately! And then call King Lance and tell him the wedding must be halted!"
.