Donkeyskin

Chapter One:

Elise was concentrating on her drawing, Arnaud behind her, sometimes looking at over her shoulder to see what she was doing. He smiled when he recognizes some people from the court, her mother, him and her step father. The little girl was trying hard, her tongue sticking out from her mouth, which made him chuckle.
"Will I train today?" She asked suddenly.
"If your mother wants to, then yes." Arnaud answered. "After all, she's the queen and I do as she says."
"Why are you so loyal to her?"
Arnaud smiled softly, remembering how him and the queen met, a long time ago on a battlefield.
"It's a story for another time, my lady. Now, how about we go to the throne room and show your parents your beautiful drawing?"
The girl nodded eagerly and once on her feet, started to run, Arnaud close behind her. They greeted the servants and the guards on the way and stopped when they heard shouts in the throne room. The man entrusted the child with a young soldier while he reached for his sword. A older nobleman walked toward him, a sad smile on his round face.
"No need for this, Derivière. Nobody is murdering the queen."
"What is happening, Toutgent?" He asked.
"Just a little argument the queen is having with the king. He wants more powers, and she does not want to give him what he wants." The older man elaborated while staring at the double wooden doors.
"It's happening more frequently." Arnaud noted.
"I'm worried, Arnaud." Toutgent whispered. "I heard some people talking about a rumour, that the queen is cursed, a curse casted years ago. But let's not talk about that here, join me tonight at my desk, I will be here. For now, I guess the little one want to see her parents." He finished looking at the princess walking toward Arnaud.
The older knight nodded and took her small hand in his big one.
"Come on, my lady. I'm sure your parents will like what you have done."
When they entered, the two noticed the broken vases on the floor, that one maid was cleaning up. Tension was still in the air and Arnaud noted that everybody in the room, including the guards, were looking uneasy. The queen was still red of anger while the king had one big slash on his cheek, that would leave a small scar surely and a black eye. However, when the couple both saw the young princess, hurriedly walking toward them, a paper in her hand, they both smiled, as if nothing had happened.
"What did you draw, my child?" The king mused, watching Elise sat on her mother's knees.
"I drew you papa! And maman too! As well as Arnaud, monsieur Toutgent, madame Valérie and the guards and the knights that play and spare with me when I'm training!" She explained with a big grin.
"That is very nice, Elise!" The queen said, kissing her daughter's head. "I will keep the drawing and put it in a frame."
"Thank you maman!"
"No, thank you dear. Now, I am sure that it's training time."
The girl grinned and jumped from her mother's keen and ran toward Arnaud. The latter bowed and exited the room, the maid who was cleaning closely after. The young red haired woman sighed and mumbled:
"I thought they were going to kill each other."

Ten years after…

Elise darted toward the knight on her left, her two swords raised. She blocked the spear of the man before striking him in the rib with the pommel of one of her sword. The young dark haired boy flinched and fell to his knees. The teenager snickered before attacking one of the young knights on her right. The boy backed up, his shield raised to protect himself but he should knew better: she made him trip and the poor boy fell, first head in the mud.
"Stop! It is enough!" A severe voice said.
The princess turned around to see Arnaud approaching. The boy in the mud slowly raised and bowed his head when he saw his mentor. The other one did the same but Elise, her, did nothing.
"How was I?" She asked, a smile on her face, expecting him to say well from how hard she trained and how she successfully defeated all of her enemies.
"You're like a buff." He replied, palping the ribs of the dark haired boy. "Don't forger that those young boys in training will become your personal guards, you don't want them to hate you already, do you?"
"It's alright, monsieur Derivière." The boy with muds on his face said. "We are used to it now. And a queen needs to know how to defend herself on a battlefield."
Arnaud stopped what he was doing and turned to the boy. War was a subject he hated, as well as nearly everybody in the kingdom. The last war, yes they won it, but many people have died and he saw horrors he wish he never saw.
"Thomas, what did I say about that?"
"That they would be no war, never again." The boy said.
"Exactly."
"But what if there is one?" The other one asked him.
"We will win it, like we had always done in the past." Elise answered him, staring at Arnaud.
"Thomas, Jacques, go clean yourself and your armours." The man ordered.
The two boys looked at each other and walked away, sending toward the princess a look of sympathy and compassion. The young woman sighed, knowing what Arnaud will say to her.
"If there is a war, you will avoid it, you will find a way. Maybe marry the son or daughter of the king or queen that want to battle against us." The older knight talked to her, growling a bit.
"I know but we can't always use diplomacy every time! We look like cowards!" She exclaimed.
"Yes and it's better that way!" The man shouted.
"No it's not! Arnaud, do you think I'm so blind?" She said to him, annoyance and frustration in her voice. "I know that the kingdom of Agrabah wants to attack us! I know that they don't want to talk, they just want to fight and to crush our kingdom! You know deep inside you that diplomacy won't work."
Arnaud seemed stressed and worried and he sighed angrily. The princess stopped talking, knowing that angering him more will not change his mood nor his point of view. He turned to face her once again.
"The queen will decide on that. Anyway, she wants to see you." He softly said to her.
"Is she feeling better?"
"I… I can't answer you. But you really need to get there and quickly."
Elise understood. She sheathed her swords in their sheaths tied behind her back with leather straps and started running toward the castle.

"Mother!"
The woman was lying in bed, white as the snow, and she looked tired, with red eyes. Elise stopped breathing, she understood that her time was coming to an end. The queen smiled when she saw her only child and signalled her to come. The princess sat on the soft mattress and looked at her mother with a sadden look, tears threatening to fall.
"Do not cry my child." She croaked. "I don't like when you make this face."
"But maman, you are dying…" She started to cry.
"Yes… It is right. And then, you will take my place, as the queen of the kingdom of Frenkilan." The mother said.
"I can't do it, maman. I can't…" The teenager sobbed. "I don't know how to handle this… Why not let Yves led the kingdom?"
The woman gazed at her, an incredulous look on her face. She sat on the bad and took her daughter by the shoulders, staring deeply into the dark green and brown orbs of the young girl, the same she has.
"Listen to me very carefully Elise, no man has ever rule over this kingdom. Never. And you should never let one rule. Do you understand me?"
The princess nodded quickly and hugged her mother, who stiffened immediately.
"You need to go to your afternoon lessons." The sick queen told her.
"But maman…" She whined.
"No but, go. You will need all the knowledge to rule, my precious little one. And do not skip them. I know you have been sparring with Jacques and Thomas. I want you to be the wisest queen Frenkilan never seen."
Elise stood up grudgingly but kissed her mother on the cheek. The latter closed her eyes and the young princess, soon to be queen, went out of the bedroom. Her footsteps echoed in the corridor in a deadly silent.

Autor note: Thank you for having reading my story, sorry for any mistake, English is not my first language. ^^" Also, I accept criticism so don't be afraid to let a review! Have a nice day!