"Arthur! Arthur!", the young girl ran with all her might in her ocean blue dress that barely swept the grass. When she reached the boy she had been calling her cheeks were rosy and she huffed, out of breath.
Her curls of strawberry blonde fell in strands into her face, broken away from the formation that once held it. But she looked up at his face full of sorrow and concern.
"Vaughn has chased Sebastian into a tree and now he can't get down, please Arthur you must help", the beautiful young lady said in tears. Vaughn was her twin brother who often liked to torment her and her cat Sebastian, who was not fond of him.
Arthur wiped away her tears. He could never refuse her request, not when she looked at him with big bright eyes, that reminded him of sage and honey when he looked into them.
"Lead the way", he said full of pride.
She raced back to the tree where her brother casually leaned against the tree. Vaughn slightly slinked back when he saw Arthur behind her.
"Arthur, I didn't know you were visiting today", Vaughn's voice trembled slightly.
Arthur and Vaughn were very close friends, both boys were introduced to each other at a young age, even though Arthur was three years older it did not hinder their friendship. But Arthur had also became friends with the young lady Valencia, the sister, even if it infuriated Vaughn to know that he and his sister shared everything including friends. Vaughn knew Arthur would not approve of him making a lady cry, sister included.
"My father has business to discuss with your father, it was rather urgent but we just arrived", Arthur explained and then looked up into the tree to see a small black cat sitting tirelessly on a branch.
"Your work I assume Vaughn, you know I hate it when you make Valencia cry"
"You don't know what it's like to have a sister!", Vaughn so desperately tried to defend himself.
"Don't worry I will fix everything", Arthur began to climb the tree, and little Valencia waited looking worried with those eyes of hers.
With ease Arthur retrieved the cat and placed into Valencia's loving arms. She smiled happily which brought his heart at ease, this young seven year old girl always made anyone's heart flutter with her perfect smile.
"Prince Vaughn,Princess Valencia your father requests your audience immediately", the herald came into the castle gardens "You as well Prince Arthur".
The children walked down the lavish hallways of the castles interior, with ceilings held by massive ivory pillars and floors a shiny black marble that looked as if it was polished in tears. But it was lacklustre compared to the gold that flowed through the kingdom of Logres, currently led by King Uther Pendragon and eventually would be inherited by Arthur when he became of age. Vaughn, being the eldest son would lead Theodore and the two boys often dreamed of becoming the kind of kings that would sung across the land with grandeur.
When they reached the study of King Tyrius, the twins beloved father, they stopped and their faces changed into worry when they saw the look on his face.
"What's wrong father?",Valencia was first to speak.
"It is nothing for children to worry about", the king put on a smile "The reason I have called you both here is because I think you both are old enough to attend this years festivities"
"Really we can?", the twins said in unison.
The annual festivities in Theodore were to celebrate the day it became a kingdom, though it happened in a day the festival extend into three days of dance, feasting and the traditional boat races. The twins have never experienced the festival because their mother believed they were too young to see the common vulgarity of drunk men. The day was referred to as Founding day.
"The reason I have called upon you Arthur is because I want you to escort Princess Valencia on Founding day, the people expect to see you two dance together", King Uther said.
"Yes, of course I wouldn't have it any other way", Arthur smiled at the shy Princess who hid behind her father blushing.
When that day arrived she was nervous, she wanted to etch a vision of herself into Arthur's mind so he would think of no one else but her until she reached the appropriate age to be courted by him. Every detail of the night was perfectly planned by her mother. Her daughter was dressed in a sweet cream coloured dress, tightened enough she could hardly breath with a striped corset. She would look just like a bride, which was of course the intention, she would be so stunning that everyone would stop and stare at her with admiration.
As tradition to the begin the dance then women stood on the left side of the ballroom and men on the right, gradually they would walk towards each other in the centre of the room and take each other's hand to an empty spot to dance.
Valencia was the last to dance, the guest of honour always went last. Terrified she stepped carefully across the pristine white marble floors until her hand touched Arthur's, he looked absolutely speechless.
"Princess Valencia, you look... beautiful", he said, not able to look away from her.
She blushed at his words, it was all too much for the young princess.
"One day I want to be your queen", she whispered softly to him.
He responded with a delicate kiss on her forehead.
The evening eventually ended and the time that seemed like magic ended abruptly. The only lingering thought was how the young princess knew even at her age that what she felt for Arthur was love.
And that night she had a very strange dream, it felt very real, that she had left the castle because she heard a very beautiful song coming from the lake just outside the east walls of the castle. Each step she took, the song became for clear until she was standing at the rivers edge, overcome with curiosity she strided into the water and began to sing the same song. The water rippled around her and began to drag her underneath, she started to drown. Panicking she felt everything going black until a hand reached in a pulled her out. It was a boy, with hair like the sun and eyes like sea foam on the ocean. He had pointed ears, he spoke a strange language and the song ceased. He looked down at her with such sadness, talking in a tongue unfamiliar and before she knew it, her eyes closed again, when she opened them she was awake in her own bed, but her hair was wet on the ends and her wet clothes soaked the sheets. She didn't quite understand but as if controlled by something she was unable to enter open waters but occasionally she can faintly hear the song from her dream at night.