Nixiesocean: I've been attempting to figure out how exactly to start this story. I knew I didn't want to start with "Once Upon a Time". So I started with a thought.
Also, I've been changing names around too see what fits this story the most, expect it to change a few times. But you'll probably know what it is, as the summary isn't going to change much.
So, with nothing else to say, I give you my first chapter.
Chapter 1: Lady Lorelei's Arrival
Hero: The protagonist of a story. Male. Represents "Good".
Heroine: The protagonist of a story. Female. Represents "Good".
Villain: The antagonist of a story. Male. Represents "Evil".
Villainess: The antagonist of a story. Female. Represents "Evil".
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What if, for once, these two were one in the same, that the hero was also the villain, and the heroine also the villainess?
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I sigh, push that piece of parchment aside, and continue writing my letter. Before you begin to ask questions, let me answer them.
I'm not your average princess. I have one brown eye and one blue eye, courtesy of my parents, Queen Hannah of Bavar and King Marcus Jonas of Hanor. A couple years before yours truly was born, my grandparents on my father's side, died. First went the king, Jonas Matthew, the commoners say my grandmother died of a broken heart, unable to continue without her beloved husband, and died soon after.
I don't remember them: I never knew them. But it makes my father and my aunt sad when I ask about them. The court says my aunt looks like my grandmother and my father, my grandfather. Regardless, I'm a true mix of a southerner and a northerner. My hair is a mix of red-brown and blonde. I'm paler than the native Bavarans, but darker than the native Hanorans. My face isn't perfectly rugged – like my father – nor delicate like my mother's. I'm slim, and, luckily, my aunt insisted that front-tie corsets be fashion, rather than the obnoxious back-tie ones that make it hard to breathe.
But, as you might assume, this story isn't about me. It's about my eldest brother, Matthew Marcus.
He's six foot two and well built, almost exactly like my father, and in turn, my grandfather. My aunt claims my father could hunt as well as the master hunter – and better. But, those two are nothing compared to Matthew. When I was born he was three, and already shooting a small Matthew-sized bow, practicing with a little dagger (wooden) and running up and down the palace halls.
My mother couldn't tame him, and even my "wild" father couldn't. Matthew is odd. When I was eight, the earliest memory I have of this type of incident, my mother attempted to get the wild Matthew to settle down and talk with the other girls.
He ran into the Royal Forest, but not far. My mother's guards (trained by my Uncle, the lord of Aevron's Pass) caught him soon after he went into the tree line. But the escape didn't deter Hannah of Diamond Coast. For the next three years she attempted to get Matthew to meet girls, even to speak with them. The only girls (besides Mother and Aunt Mercy) Matthew ever spoke with were my twin Sarah, cousin Adelle and I.
There was a drastic difference between Matthew (the oldest) and James (the middle child). James was only a year younger than Matthew, but more social. James is an eclectic mix. He's slim, like Mother, Sarah and I, but still strong. He likes to swordfight, and loves girls. Sarah and I expect him to be wed first. His hair is dark, like Mother's, but curly like Father's. He also has Father's eyes.
When Sarah and I were eleven, Mother caught James kissing a maid. Said maid no longer works at the palace and James now has one of Uncle Renold's highly-trained guards tailing him constantly.
Sarah looks nothing like the mix I am. She's a beautiful replica of Mother. Beautiful from head to toe and wears elegance like a cape. I'm jealous. She dances perfectly, can remember every title of the kingdom, and still speak the subtle language of court. All of this, I am unable to do.
I read. Like Mother, I learn and listen. I'm very good at offending men, though.
Enough of our family.
When I was fifteen she came.
Lady Lorelei of Southern Crossroads was trouble from the start. When she exited the carriage (I still remember every bit of this) my family was lined up, as we were taught. Matthew was eighteen, James seventeen, Sarah and I were fifteen. Father was first, and greeted her as custom dictated.
"Lady Lorelei, we welcome you to the palace of Hielkt." Father bowed, followed by all of us in age order.
Lady Lorelei was seventeen. She was five foot three, and, if it was possible, more beautiful than Sarah. While Sarah was humble about her prettiness, Lorelei flaunted it. She wore flattering clothing that set off her rather northern visage. Her golden hair was wavy and her eyes were bluer than Father's.
Immediately, her eyes were drawn to me.
Father smiled and strode away, formalities done. I attempted to escape, but she was a true fox, and caught me with Sarah.
"You two are obliviously Princesses Sarah Katarina and Hannah Mikaela." She curtsied beautifully. Sarah smiled and nudged me.
"Pleased you meet you, Lady Lorelei." We said in time.
Her pearly white teeth showed. "We shall be good friends," With that said, she purposefully strode away, her heavy cloak (for it was autumn) trailing a few inches behind her.
I turned to Sarah and muttered, "I don't trust that minx."
Her dark eyes turned on me, "Hannah, allow her time. She'll be better with time. You'll see."
I began walking away, "All I see is a court flirt wanting to break hearts for fun."
She caught up, and frowned at me. "Maybe first impressions aren't everything."
"Maybe they are." I sighed. "What do you want to do, aside from embroidery?"
Sarah laughed. "Watch James fight at the sword circle?" I took her arm and we strode off, truly sisters.
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My friend, David Michael, is similar to me. We're like brothers, only he's my second-cousin. Breaking Hanoran tradition, Great-Uncle David named his son after himself, making my cousin (when he gains his title) Baron David Michael II. His blonde hair is straight, not like my mass of curls, and his eyes are darker. He's shorter by a few inches, and leaner.
But we're friends, through thick and thin. David's covered up for me when Mother insists on my speaking with those of the "fairer" gender. Women are an entirely different species to me.
But David and I are so similar it's a wonder we don't fight.
He met me in the stables and already had Heart of Autumn (a descendent of my uncle's horse, Winter's Chill) and Southern Wind (a nod to my mother's ancestry) saddled.
That's when Lady Lorelei ambushed me.
"Your Highness!" She almost squealed. "I did not know you rode!" But, of course, she did. Everyone in the kingdom knows I hunt with a passion. She turned to my poor cousin. "And my lord!"
He took her pale hand. "Lord David Michael, my lady." His eyes were trained on her face. I shook my head and mounted Heart of Autumn. Southern Wind was anxious to ride, and neighed softly, blowing some hay around. Lorelei coughed. With that, David regained his senses, "The stables are no place for a lady," He explained and led her out.
"David…" I growled. I was becoming uneasy with the unusual courtesy my cousin was giving to this lady.
He turned back to me, his eyes slightly unfocused. "Go on without me, Matthew, I'll catch up in a little bit." He closed the man-sized door behind him and I almost spooked my horse, whose ears were pointing toward me and my aura of annoyance.
I kicked Heart of Autumn into a gallop after the stable hands yanked the big doors open. The cool autumn air felt nice of my heated face and I exercised my favorite horse until I saw David on Southern Wind riding up behind me. Already Autumn was beginning to sweat.
I pointed my horse at him, "Ready to lose, cousin?"
He grinned in a way only he could managed, "Eat my dust, cousin." David kicked Southern Wind into a gallop and sped off, leaving me gaping. I regained senses and forced Heart of Autumn into a fast canter, knowing that Sothern Wind would tire first and slow up, leaving me the option of galloping to the finish.
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I didn't bother to watch James fight, as soon as I saw David come with Lady Lorelei, I left. She saw me, but I made the excuse to Sarah that I had my tutor's work to finish.
She knows I lied because I had finished it this morning before Lorelei had arrived, but said lady needn't know that. Sarah nodded and I walked off. As always, no lordlings made contact with me, though I was highly eligible.
James saw me leave too, I'm sure. But I didn't care. I walked straight to my room and sat down to write to Isaac Renold and Adelle Mercy.