Princess of the Moon
~Prologue~
7 years ago...
I maneuvered my way through the large crowd of fine dressed men, women and children that filled the spacious ballroom of Belle Manor, steadily carrying a silver platter of glasses and champagne. I was utterly baffled as to why I couldn't attend the simple occasion of my sisters' birthday gala. Then it dawned on me that I didn't have any formal dresses that would suit me, other than my old beige-colored dress. Which happened to be one of the very few dresses I owned. And as my mother had already told me, how else could I make myself useful than to serve our guests?.. With a sigh, I lightly blew a brown curl out of my face before gracefully curtsying to yet another member of the party. "Excuse me, m'lady, would you care for a drink of champagne?" I politely asked a slender, green-eyed woman who looked down at me with an undignified look. I've received many of those looks tonight, most of them making me feel like I was being humiliated and embarrassed. There would be times when I'd wish that people didn't look at me like I was nothing more than common dirt. I mean, I am eleven after all!
Though to be honest, after a while I've gotten so used to my treatment that it soon became a part of my way of life. The green-eyed woman simply nodded at me and I proceeded in pouring her drink into a thin Cabernet glass. When I finished, the woman dismissed me with a wave of her hand and I plastered a fake, yet polite, smile on my face before walking away. Throughout the night this was all I did. Endlessly serving drinks and appetizers to the familiar faces that I see every time my mother throws one of her extravagant parties. Many of which I was never invited to. And I am forced to listen to the two audible sounds of laughter coming from my sisters, Meredith and Eleanor, the twins. Fraternal twins that is. As well as their mean friends who always seem to get pleasure out of torturing me. Taking a quick glance at my tray I noticed that there was little-to-no champagne left, and with this overly crowded ballroom I am sure that others were still patiently waiting. As I walked out into the corridor I followed the velvet-colored carpet down towards the kitchen. Only to be startled by a pair of hands that pushed me hard onto the floor, making me drop the silver platter and shatter the champagne bottle and glasses.
Getting most of the drink all over my dress. I quickly caught my breath and pressed my hand hard against my chest, feeling the thumping of my heart beat. I looked up and saw a group of two girls and a boy all standing over me with mischievous grins and hysterical laughs bursting through their lips. I noticed that the boy seemed to be holding a tray full of the lemon tarts that I had prepared myself and a glass pitcher of water. Valerie and Ingrid held their stomachs in laughter while I watched Eric purposely drop the glass pitcher onto the floor and it shattered. Loudly. "Oops.." He said with fake innocence. Shock and dismal began to overwhelm me and I felt my eyes burn and begin to water. After deciding that I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me cry, I quickly turned hoping I could make a run for it but Valerie had a grip on me. Keeping me in place. "Oh no, we're not done just yet.." Smirked Ingrid as she and Eric each grabbed lemon tarts.
I shook my head at them. "N-No, please don't!.." I pleaded, but it was no use. The tarts ended up in my hair anyways. The caramel icing plastered the wet brown strands of my hair together and stuck them out in different directions, making me look like something a cat would drag in. I tried to break free from Valerie's grip, but she held me even tighter by my arms. No matter how many times I struggled. When it was all over, and the silver platter was empty, I fell to my knees on the floor. Feeling depressed and defeated. My only surroundings were glass shards and taunting laughter, and I was covered in appetizers and freezing in cold water. Nothing could make this day worse.. I thought. "Aw, don't you look precious!" Valerie laughed. I couldn't help it and let one tear escape me. "Ooh, are you crying?.." Ingrid cooed and cupped my chin as if I was a baby before laughing in my face. "Come on you guys, lets leave the crybaby to clean up her mess!" Eric taunted as he and the girls made their way back down the hall. Their echoing laughter filled me with immense sadness. When they were gone, I looked around at the mess they had made. No sooner were tears streaming down more violently.
I just know that as soon as mother sees all this, my punishment would be to clean every single room in the house. Twice! And there are a lot of rooms... Then, an abrupt voice broke my train of thought. "Excuse me," I looked up, startled, to see two storm grey eyes looking down at me. It was a boy..a cute one..and he was talking to me.. The boy, who looked about thirteen, generously held out his hand towards me, offering to help me up. I was very hesitant. No boy has ever acted like this towards me so I was a bit uneasy. Most of the time, a boy would mock me..or order me around. So this boy should be no different. "Are you alright?" He asked me. I let my thoughts linger in my head before slowly standing myself up, ignoring his gesture. "L-Like you care.." I said, my voice cracked because of the crying. "Well..yeah, I do. You'd have to be a fool to not care about a girl when she's crying." The boy stated, a sincere look on his face. I widened my brown eyes and searched his face for any hint of a lie, but surprisingly found nothing. "And besides, you are too pretty to be crying like that." My heart began thumping hard in my chest as if it were trying to break free.
The sound was so loud that it nearly drowned out any other noise that passed my ears. "..Who are you?.." I blushed at the boy's handsome face. "My name is Nathaniel," the boy bowed to me. "But you can call me Nathan." A smile appeared on the boy's lips. One that instantly put me into a trance. It was one full of charm and kindness, simple feelings no one has ever showed me before. "..Oh.." Was all I could say, especially since my name hadn't come to mind. The boy, or Nathan, handed me a hanky that he swiftly pulled from his pants pocket. I could tell my face was crimson red from the heat I felt blooming on my cheeks. "Thank you.." I nearly whispered before wiping away my tears. Why was he being so nice to me? Me! A girl who has no friends, works as a servant, and is hated by everyone she meets. Except this one boy.. "W-Why are you doing this?.." I asked him. He looked at me with furrowed eyebrows. "What do you mean?" He wondered. "..You're being so..k-kind to me, and I w-want to know why. Most people wouldn't give me a second glance, but you..you're actually h-helping me.." I said.
It wasn't long before I was listening to the sounds of Nathan's boyish chuckles. "I'm sorry for laughing but I don't think that's true. What about your family, of course you have their unconditional love, right?" He asked. After giving him an innocent look, the sound of a dramatic gasp filled the hallway and startled me past the point of no return. "Isabel!" My name sounded thunderous and I turned around quickly. Leaving Nathan standing alone while I scurried away to the furious woman wearing a floor-length indigo colored dress that was my mother. "Isabel, what is this mess?!" She shouted, looking at the stains of champagne and broken glass on the floor as I cringed at her loud words. Although, when she looked up at me, fear couldn't have struck me harder. "And what happened to you?!" I'm surprised that everyone in the ballroom didn't come see what all the commotion was. I hated when mother yelled, it was blood-chilling. "M-Mother, I...you see i-it wasn't my fault-" I froze when mother held up her hand, a sign telling me I should close my mouth.
"Ugh," She sighed roughly. "Isabel you know I hate it when you stutter.." She glared at me. Her red violet eyes set a blaze from anger. "I'm sorry.." I whispered. "Hush child, I want this mess cleaned up at once. Don't waste any time Isabel, or so help me I will make you clean every room in this house!" I bowed my head at her. "Yes mother..." And with that, mother was off down the hallway towards the ballroom. Walking past Nathan like she hadn't noticed him a safe distance away. When I saw him looking at me, I lowered my head embarrassingly. I couldn't look Nathan in his eyes knowing that he just witnessed all of that. "I..I guess that answers my question, huh?" He said, an awkward smile on his face. If he thought this was some sort of joke, he was completely wrong. After giving him a cold stare with my flushed cheeks, I swiftly and carefully picked up the glass shards, settled them in the fold I made in my dress and walked away before Nathan could see the few tears fall from my eyes. "W-Wait!" Nathan shouted as I walked down the velvet carpet, once again, towards the kitchen.
I felt his hand on my shoulder and almost instantly turned to melted butter. "Please don't go, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a joke when that wasn't funny, at all.." Wait..he was apologizing? No one ever apologizes to me! "Please..don't cry.." he reached out to wipe the tears but being the stubborn person that I am, I turned my head away. Feeling the blood rush to my cheeks fast. "Alright..Nathan." I breathed, looking him in his grey eyes and watching them sparkle. Why was it possible that a thirteen-year-old boy could be this handsome? "Thank you, Isabel.." He smirked, catching on to my name. I lowered my head to hide the smile I felt slide on my face, but my cover was blown when a giggle slipped through my lips. "Oh, so you can smile?" Nathan taunted. I giggled a little louder as he continued making me laugh. Nathan was really interesting.. I thought. Although it was true. He was the first to help me when I was completely down, the first to ever flirt with me, and the first to make me smile. Things like that don't happen to me everyday. It was a change for the better, and I loved it. It was a shame that Nathan and I only lasted until the gala was over. I was really enjoying my first real friend, and also, my first real crush..
But a feeling inside told me we would meet again. Heaven knows when, but I prayed that it was soon. I was grateful for this day for it was the happiest I've ever been in all my eleven years of life. I knew I would never forget it, nor Nathan's grey eyes either.
Ever since that day, that one particular moment, the things in my everyday life didn't bother me as much as they once did. And then that moment ended...
This was just a little chapter on how my two characters met. I really hope you enjoyed it, please leave a comment. Thanks!