A Princess in Blue

Chapter 1: Escaping the Princess Life

Elyon gazed at the setting sun on the horizon. A gentle breeze blew through her hair and a few curls from her hair danced gingerly away from her face. Her shockingly blue eyes seemed to pierce through the air and toward the orange and blue sky. The fluffy pink clouds seemed to catch a glow from the waning sun making the environment around her more peaceful. However, Elyon was feeling tense inside. Her muscles were strained as she continued to glare at the sky. She was waiting…waiting for him. A little golden fish plopped its head out of the pond, but Elyon still didn't move. She wasn't excited for this man to return to her, obviously. She wished that she was somewhere far, far away from there and she wished she could forget who she was, or what she was supposed to be, but she had to face this.

She heard footsteps behind her, walking softly toward her. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Her pointed ears pricked up a bit as he got closer. She felt his warm touch hit her shoulder and she turned around. Her blue eyes matched his perfectly. As her dark hair absorbed the last rays of the setting sun, his light blonde hair reflected the light back out into the sky. He stood a few inches taller than her, but right now, Elyon wasn't affected by the height difference…she stood tall. His warm touch was matched by his kind smile as he looked down at her.

"I suppose you know why I'm here."

"I honestly don't know why…I was just told to meet you here."

"I see. Well, I have this for you." He held out a little black box. Elyon knew what it was, but decided to play dumb.

"What…a gift?" she said, not even reaching for it.

"Yes, a special gift. Here, open it." He reached out closer to her. Elyon hesitantly took it and opened the lid. Inside laid a silver and white ring…a wedding ring. She stared at it, not allowing her hand to shake.

"It has been a long time since our betrothal, but now, I feel like it needs to be official. The king, your father, will be quite pleased. He has been speaking of you taking over the kingdom of Fantasia for years. Now, he can plan for a beautiful wedding and coronation within the year and the reign of Elyon and Haldorin can begin."

Elyon continued staring at the ring, hoping the little thing would just disappear. She could make it disappear easily, but that would be no use. She closed the lid and took it in both hands. She looked up at Haldorin and mustered the best smile she could. "Thank you."

"I take it that it meets your approval?"

"Yes, it's perfect…like always. Excuse me." She nudged past him walking toward the fields and hills behind the palace.

"Where are you going?"

"To the hills. I want to be alone for a while so I can contemplate the upcoming events."

"You shouldn't go alone, especially when we will be married soon."

"It's only for a moment. Please Haldorin."

"Alright, Elyon. I'll wait for you in the castle. I would like to tell your father the good news together."

Elyon walked along the grassy fields, clutching the box tightly in her hands. Her piercing gaze returned as each footstep became more like a stomp. After a few moments, she reached the bottom of a hill. She leaned against one of the tall trees and looked down at the box in her hands. Her golden dress glittered under the last rays of the sun.

"Can you imagine? Me, the wife of that boorish and brainless…" She threw the box to the ground in one swift move. "I want much more than this stale lifestyle!" She looked up at the hill in front of her and began running up the slope. She grabbed onto the sides of her dress to avoid tripping on it as she ran. "I want to take part in a grand adventure…someplace far, far away…" Her voice trailed off as a thought came to her mind. What a perfect idea! Why can't she just leave and not tell anyone where she was going? She could just disappear and go somewhere that no one would expect her to be. Then, she wouldn't have to worry about marrying Haldorin or anyone else she didn't love. She could get away from her controlling father and his "I know it best because I AM the fabulous King of Fantasia" attitude. Of course, the best part would be going somewhere new where she could create her own sense of being, not anyone else's.

She took a deep breath and stared down at the valley before her. No more long and sweet grass, no more sunsets over the castle, no more jewelry or fancy dresses, no more archery practice with the other soldiers, and of course, no more crowns, lords, or kings. She pulled down her hair and it draped down her shoulders and back. On her finger sat the only piece of jewelry that she cared about…a silver ring with a white flower on it. It was given to her by her mother and it was only to be used for emergencies. She never told Elyon what to use it for, but she did tell her that she would know when the right time came. Elyon felt like this was the right time. She clasped her hands together and began to quietly pray.

"Please, I pray, take me from this land to a whole new one. A place where I can be happy and free, away from the oppressive life of a Fantasian princess. Take me to the least likely place where they will find me, a place that no Fantasian would set foot on. Lead me to a better and more fulfilling life than I will find here. Take me there…now…on this hilltop…to my new home!"

She gasped as she felt her world go pitch black. Dim lights and sounds swirled around her and it felt like she was speeding through space. A gust of wind came up unexpectedly and whipped her hair and dress around her. She felt her shoes slip off her feet and her dress begin ripping away from her. Suddenly, she dropped down onto solid ground, the breath leaving her lungs. She looked around as she sat up. She was on the edge of a forest and beside her stood a few houses. It looked like a small town up ahead. She looked down at her clothes and shoes and noticed that they were different. She was wearing a white blouse with short puffed sleeves. Over that was a blue dress and on her feet, were black flats with small shoelace bows on the top. She felt her hair laying on her back in a braided ponytail and keeping it together was a light blue ribbon.

She smiled as she looked around once again and began walking out of the woods and into the town. She walked past several houses and looked into the windows as she strolled through. She looked the same except her eyes looked more innocent and less piercing. Her ears were no longer pointed which made her face look a little funny to her now, but it didn't bother her.

This is my new look and this is my new life, she thought. It is something I will just have to get used to.

TWO YEARS LATER

Elyon knelt down to pick up some toys off the multicolored carpet. She chucked them into a bin nearby and knelt down to pick up some costumes. Her students normally did a decent job picking up the toys before leaving school, but it was almost summer time…they were officially checked out. She sighed as she sat down in one of the chairs and put her head on her hand. She closed her eyes and just started daydreaming again. This time, she was thinking about babysitting her two favorite siblings this weekend, Kayla and Benjamin. Their grandparents weren't going anywhere, but she still came over to help them take care of their grandchildren. She awoke from her daydream by a knock on the classroom door. It was Mr. Gregg, the PE teacher.

"Oh, hi, Gregg. Can I help you with something?"

"Yes, perhaps you can." He gave her a mischievous grin.

"Oh, is it another invitation to church again?"

"Wow! How did you know?" He laughed.

"Because you ask me every Friday after school. You do realize I have went every Sunday for a year, and you still ask me."

"I just don't want you to forget."

"Don't worry, I won't." She stood up and began getting her purse from under her desk. She could hear Gregg walking up behind her. She turned around just in time to see him behind her. "Um, yes?"

"Oh sorry, do you need any help taking anything home to work on?"

Elyon was feeling awkward. "Uh, no I don't, but thank you for the offer. I already got all of my lessons ready for next week."

"Wow, you're an overachiever, aren't you?"

"No, I just prioritize my time." She slipped past him, walking toward her classroom door, purse in tow. Gregg was following close behind.

"I still need to work on that. I get disorganized sometimes."

"Uh huh."

"Um, Ms. Ellie, what are you doing tonight?"

"Sorry, I already have plans. I am spending time with the Douglas family."

"Oh, I see." He sounded pained. "Maybe next weekend?"

"Maybe. I'll see you in church, Gregg," she said, as she scurried out the door. She rolled her eyes as she walked through the parking lot and along the sidewalk into town. Gregg was a kind-hearted guy, but he was always attached to her at school. Everyone noticed it. It seemed like a lot of the men she was around, even at church, seemed to take a liking to her. It made her feel uncomfortable. The only people she felt comfortable and at home with was the Douglas family, her next-door neighbors.

Ever since she came to Earth, the Douglas family took her under their wings and helped take care of her. The family only consisted of an elderly married couple with their two grandchildren. Mr. Duane Douglas and Mrs. Mary Douglas were so kind and generous when she first arrived, they made her a few meals so she wouldn't be hungry. Their two grandchildren were just as kind as their grandparents. Kayla Douglas was a sweet little four-year-old girl that went to preschool where she worked at and she always talked about "Ellie Belle" being a real-life princess, which made Elyon laugh. Benjamin Douglas was seven years old and in first grade. He was the "man of the house" besides his grandpa, and he helped a lot with the chores.

Thinking about the family brought a smile to her face because they gave her a lot of joy, something that she didn't have on Fantasia. As she walked down the street toward her house, she noticed a poster on a telephone pole. It was about the World Martial Arts Tournament coming up in a part of the world that was thousands of miles away. She also noticed the same poster laying on the ground in front of her. She picked it up and clutched it in her hand, deciding to look at it closer when she got home.