A/N: this is my first fanfic. i have been reading heaps of other ones and now i finally did one. this was just a random idea that came into my head. it's my own story but it kinda is a different version of 'The Swan Princess'

disclaimer: all characters and plots in this story are mine!

please r&r i dnt care if u don't like it or if u never wanna read it again, just review! ok, here it is...

Ch.1: Long Time Friends

Prince Raymond became the King of Burada when he was just eighteen years old. The people of his kingdom all thought this was too young for their much loved prince, but in order to take the throne as was his fathers wish, the new king grew up and matured fast, faster then most young men at his age. He was a wise and fair king, and his people loved him, though, they said, it was sad for him to have the last years of his youth taken away from him like that.

On his coronation day, the young prince stood behind the raised platform on which the ceremony was to take place. The whole city of Buradell, his country's capital, was there to celebrate and bear witness to their new king.

He was nervous.

The young prince had short, light brown, wavy hair and deep, chestnut brown eyes that used to sparkle in the years of his early youth. The past few years had taken the sparkle out of him, what with his mother's death, war with their neighbouring country and then his beloved father's death too. Now his eyes seemed duller, but he still went on, prepared to be the best king he could be for the country he loved.

He paced back and forward.

"If I didn't know already, I'd say you look like your getting married."

Raymond turned, startled, in the direction of the voice. The owner of it was a man of medium height with dark, curly hair and deep, moss green eyes.

The two men looked at each other, each taking the other in. then they grinned, strode towards each other and clasped hands in a brief, one-armed hug.

"Damien, long time no see! I thought you'd forgotten your old pal," Raymond said as they broke apart.

At the same time, Damien stepped back and said; "Ray- look at you. I've been gone three years and you look ready to take over the world."

"Nah, just the kingdom," Ray responded, more solemn. Damien caught on.

"I heard. Seems everything has been happening since I left, huh? Well, I'm here for you, just like old times," he told the young prince, trying to be sincere.

Ray raised his eyebrows.

"'Just like old times' he says. When you always left me to be the one getting in trouble? Damien, I can't wait," he told him sarcastically.

Damien shrugged it aside laughing.

On the other side of the screen, the coronation began and their reunion was cut short.

"I've got a whole country to run. We'll talk tonight, you can tell me about the monastery. Come to the celebrations after this, too. See you," and with that, the young prince walked into his new kingship.

As he stepped out onto the raised platform, becoming king didn't seem so bad. His oldest friend was back, and so was some of the sparkle in his eye.

That night, after the coronation, after the first political royal court held by the new king and after the celebratory feast, Ray and Damien were talking in Ray's old nursery, where they had spent many years together in their early childhood. It was one in the morning.

"So the monastery thing didn't work out huh? What have you been doing all these years? Where have you been?" Ray asked, stretching out on a low lounge, tired.

"What makes you think I'm not a monk?" Damien asked, amused. His friend could still read him so well.

"The women," Ray replied smirking.

"Well for that reason, becoming a monk was never my thing. Besides, there is another more useful art of power," Damien told him, becoming more serious.

Ray sat up, eyeing Damien wearily. This doesn't sound good.

Damien looked into Ray's eyes, and Ray suddenly noticed how dark they had become. Maybe it was just the shadow of the night, but the King couldn't stop the voice in his mind that whispered; Damien is wearing all black.

"I set out three years ago but I never went to the monastery," Damien's voice was growing chillingly softer. "I met a black mage. He showed me things Ray. Things of beauty… strength and power, Ray- you couldn't imagine. He taught me, his arts, his powers, and I've learned so much."

Damien strode over to where the new king was now standing and looked into his eyes, searching.

Light brown orbs clashed with dark, emerald ones. Both were set, hard, standing firm.

"We could do so much," Damien whispered.

"Damien, stay away from those arts," Ray said quietly.

"With you a king, ruling the country, and me as a mage, side by side," Damien continued, staring up into Ray's eyes.

"That magic is evil, get out of it," Ray's voice was growing louder to match Damien's.

"We could rule the world," Damien said, his voice taking on an insane edge.

"No."

Ray's voice was quiet and after he spoke there was a strange stillness. They were both quiet, Ray, the taller one, looking down at Damien. The only noise was the hissing, crackling fire.

"Think of the power," Damien said softly.

"Never. It's evil, filthy, black mages are cold, heartless. I won't have them in my kingdom. Get out Damian," ray ordered strongly.

"The world would be ours," Damien hissed.

"I don't want it," the new King told him. "Now leave, and never come back. Should you ever be seen in my kingdom, you shall be seeing your death," Ray said softly.

Damien backed away from him, staring coldly at his old friend, calculating. He stopped in front of the open window, his black frame silhouetted against the night sky.

"I will have the world," Damien whispered. "And I'll start with your kingdom. When you have everything to lose and nothing more to gain, Burada will be mine. I will have the world."

And with his last words ringing in Ray's ears, the black mage turned and leapt out the window, vanishing into the black night.

The new king stared out into the night. It had been a long day. He would have to have it known that there was a black mage in the kingdom. Suddenly, the young king seemed much older.

King Raymond put the whole kingdom on it's guard for black mages. He ended all wars and made peace with all surrounding countries and Burada's marketing was going so well, Burada was soon the wealthiest most prosperous country it could be.

He met and fell in love with an exotic noblewoman from many countries north. She was an olive skinned beauty with dark hair and darker eyes, and when he was twenty and she nineteen, they married.

A year later the queen gave birth to their first and only heir, princess Kamianita. The queen died in child birth. Still, the king went on and raised his daughter, who grew up very close to him, and she put the little light back in his eyes.

King Raymond loved his daughter and his country, and all was well.

The story starts eighteen years after Damien's banishment.

A/N: so what do you think? obviously if no one read this i will just be talking to myself right now :) please review!