Wow, I think I've worked on this story for almost a year. It's my baby. So don't bloody flame it! Criticism is perfectly fine, though.

I've got mixed feelings on this first chapter. I wanna say that it's a good chapter, but I'm not too sure. Just please keep in mind that Clarine is 13 in these first few chapters. The first part of this chapter is Clarine's thoughts. The second part is Rutger's thoughts.

I think that's mostly it. Read and Review, pretty please!

Come Back

Tri17

Chapter 1

She was always better than everyone, or at least, that's what she thought. She was a princess of Etruria, she was beautiful, and she was powerful, at least she was now.

Clarine was a Valkyrie; she had come far from that weak little Troubadour that was always protected by everyone. Of course, if she had gotten hurt (which was almost impossible; she was so fast!) her parents and brother would kill everyone. They were the Reglay's.

Her father was Pent, the ex-Mage General and probably the most powerful general there was. And her mother was the prettiest woman in all of Etruria! She was also better than a bow than Klein. And Klein was a general in the army, of course not as high as the Three General's or as high as her father used to be, but Klein was quite close to Prince Mildain, acting as a brother.

Their entire family was quite close to the Prince and King of Etruria. For a very long time, Clarine had always expected to get married to the Prince. It would be fitting for a girl like her and for the families.

But, anymore, Clarine was beginning to turn against her fantasy of becoming the actual princess of Etruria. Now, she would still love to be in that position, but as the war with the Dragons came to an end, Clarine had already come to the conclusion of many things.

One: She couldn't just use her rank in the world to get what she wanted. There were many people out there who were very powerful and who didn't give a flip about her rank. Therefore, she had to be powerful to make sure she got what she wanted.

Two: Just because people were lower in rank then her, didn't mean they were bad. Some could even be her friends. Like Dorothy. And she had to learn to help out people in lower ranks then her. That's the only way she could be a good ruler like her mother and father. Everyone looked up to them, and her brother, too.

Three: High-bred Etrurian Nobles are always stuck up, and Clarine had never been an exception. But, she wanted to change that. Being stuck-up, she had found out, led many people to dislike her. So, she needed to be more humble, like her mother. And like Lilina. She was royalty. Even Cecilia. She was a General. Of course, Clarine had been taught to talk like that from the pink-haired girl living in their palace married to her fathers' student. She had always told Clarine to act like eveyone else was bugs and that she was better than them.

Four: Even if you're beautiful, high in rank, and strong, you still couldn't force people to like you or even love you. And that was the hardest lesson Clarine had to learn. Because she had fallen in love and was rejected.

Five: Never threaten those you love, even when you're desperate. It backfires. And makes them love you less. Clarine had tried that to keep him near her. But he had just scoffed at her and left, saying what a foolish noble girl she was.

Six: Rank does matter in love. That's why, even if he did love her, she could never be with him. She was high-class... he was just a peasant. No one in the Etrurian Nobility would approve. It would be disgraceful.

Seven: No matter what she could do, mistakes were never removed. And people never forgot. She had almost hit somebody one time with a thunder spell, thus being chastised and put into the back lines in the next two battles. A blow to her pride.

Eight: Nobility, Rank, and beauty doesn't do anything in a battle. When your life is on the line, strength is the only thing that matters; no one will always protect you or if the one attacking is the enemy, they will not stop trying to kill you. Clarine had too many attacks aimed at her to realize how important how she could only depend on herself and on her speed.

Nine: Wars are bad for everyone. But they do have some benefits. Clarine had realized this when she saw how much it had changed her. And in a good way. She wasn't so stuck-up now.

Ten: Fairy Tales aren't real. Their "Happily Ever After" endings are as fake as the stories. Clarine was a princess, and princess always married the person they loved- usually a prince. But Clarine loved someone who wasn't a prince. But he didn't love her. So, fairy tales weren't real. Because she hadn't gotten her fairy tale ending, and shouldn't a princess get a fairy tale ending? Clarine had always thought that. And yet, she had found out that it wasn't true.

Ten things she had found out, that she would always keep in her heart. No longer was she that naive little girl, like her brother had always said. Of course, she was only 13. She didn't know too much. But, she and Klein were returning to Etruria in the next week. With all the other Etrurian's. Though sadly, the Prince would not be.

Prince Mildain, also known as Elphin, was still wandering around the world trying to be the best ruler he could be. Clarine admired him for that. She wanted to do the same, and had told her brother that. He agreed and said that she was growing up.

Of course, when she said she wanted to be a Sorcery General, Klein had shook his head and told her that she was dreaming. But now, Clarine was almost as powerful and General Ceclila! So, she could do it! Her father had. So could she.

Clarine had come a long way from where she was at the beginning of the journey, at least that's what she had thought. From the beginning, Clarine wouldn't have turned a second glance at a pesant. But now, she would rush to a... a... barbarian's aid! She was now one of the most powerful units in the army... At least since she got enough skill to use magic tomes to attack. She was even in the Temple fighting the Dark Dragon! Still, she couldn't change too much, so she still had her air of nobility around her. She still acted snooty and higher than people.

In a way, it was to comfort herself. To make sure that she didn't become bitter. Become bitter about being rejected. She couldn't lose her... herself in despair. She had to keep a false happiness around her and not let anyone see that she was hurting inside. She couldn't let herself see she was hurting inside, because if she did, then everything would shatter. She would become bitter and not be... not be a child anymore. For all she knew, she might give up. Something, Clarine of the Reglay family, did not want to ever do. Nobles weren't allowed to give up. They had to fight for what they believed in, because they controlled the lives of the normal people. They had to keep a good, happy, attitude because if they didn't, then their country would become panicked. That's why Clarine couldn't change, couldn't become too humble and had to continue being "better" than everyone. She had to be the best ruler she could be.

For Etruria, for her family, for her friends, and for herself. She had to prove that she had grew up and wasn't some foolish little girl anymore.

To prove that no matter what, she wasn't just some Etrurian noble woman that would be treated like a doll. She had to prove she was different and better than them. Better than all of them. And that she could become the next Sorcery General. Because she had grown up!

Rutger always knew what he would do after he got revenge on Bern. He would wander around the continent and get stronger, never to be heard of again. He had known that from the time he had started out on the journey.

But what he had never expected was some little 13 year old girl to tell him that she wanted to be his bride.

Now, Clarine was a pretty okay girl, after he got to know her. She had even gotten him a Wo Dao, a new outfit, and a Hero's Crest. Clarine had become quite generous towards him, though he had paid it no attention. Now he had wished he had.

Because if he had, he could have left before she got too attched to him. He was a wandering swordsmaster, for goodness sakes! Not some noble that would be able to marry the girl.

Rank mattered. He wasn't even Etrurian! He wasn't Lycian! He was half Sacaen and -Elimine forbid- half Bern! That was the worst combination for an Etrurian noble.

And of course, to top everything off, he wasn't in love with the girl. Sure, she was pretty, but in a young childish way. She was 13 for goodness sakes! He was almost 19! A six year difference! But she was in a war... he supposed that did count for something... Still, it didn't matter! Clarine was too young for him, Rutger knew this and he wished Clarine did too.

Which is why he had to refuse her. She had just come up an demanded to be his bride. She said he'd come to Etruria with her and they'd live happily.

He remembered her face. So confident, so happy, so expectant of a yes, so hopeful. Everything she should be- as a child, though. Rutger was not a child and would not marry one, nor would he marry a girl who... just didn't understand. She was far too young for him, physically and mentally.

And far above him in rank.

They just didn't match up, so Rutger said no. There was no hope for them, none at all. So why say yes and get her hopes up and go to Etruria with her, just to be scorned. There were too many consequences to saying yes and hardly any to saying no.

Plus, this was for Clarine's own good. Too much was at stake, especially since her "love" was nothing more than a petty crush. If they did get married, Clarine would forever regret it. And it taught her valuable lessons. Rank and power can't buy love. And that she couldn't get whatever she wanted. Even if she threatend him by using her power to force him to marry her. It was a lesson she would never forget.

It would be for Clarine's own good. She would forget about him when she went back to Etruria and he went back to traveling. They would forget each other and soon he would hear that she would have gotten married to some high class noble. Everything would work out in the end.

Rutger didn't care what really happened to her. She was just a snot-nosed brat, though kind of nice... She was only an ally for the war and he only protected her because he was ordered to. The closest thing they had to a relationship was friendship, and that was pushing it.

Both of them went to bed in their seperate tents (Clarine with Dorothy and Rutger with Dieck) Clarine trying to be strong and Rutger trying to get the annoying thoughts of the blonde haired girl out of his head.

End Chapter

Let's see... I'll try to update soon. A preview of Chapter Two!:

"Clarine, knock it off," he muttered. "He's your elder."

"I don't care! He's a mean, old, rude, lowly merchant!" Clarine yelled. Rutger shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, Clarine. He could tell your brother." Clarine's eyes widened. "You'd get into trouble."

"Ooh... Aggh!" Clarine stomped her foot. "It's his fault! I was sitting here peacefully and he disturbed it!"

"Clarine..." Rutger put two fingers to his temple, massaging it. "Come with me, if it will get you to stop screaming." Clarine opened her mouth to say, "okay" but closed it.

See you next chapter!