The Princess's Stepbrother

A/N: Hello, everyone! Remember me? Yeah, I'm sure you have, since I've been updating "Cilnea Crystal Chronicles" recently. For those of you who are waiting patiently for my story with the princess, sorry, you'll need to wait a little longer. Romance isn't my best point, and I think the first two chapters are bad. In the meantime, enjoy this new story!

A/N 2: Also, this story has no parallels to the other story with the princess. The selkie from Leuda the princess loves isn't in this story, and no original characters exist in this story whatsoever. I will not give the king a name, as I do not know his real name. And so on.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The end.

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Chapter 1: It's a Sad Day for Everyone

The king of Alfitaria looked out his window at the city below him and sighed drearily. His people looked so happy to the king. He watched the people of the city argue amongst themselves jokingly and converse about whatever they felt was necessary. The sun was shining above Alfitaria, its rays soothing all who felt it.

Not the king, though. He stood at the window sadly. He couldn't feel the direct warmth of the sun's rays, only their warmness as the sun heated the window he had put his hand on. But not even a million rays of the sun could cheer him up today.

Today was the day that his fair wife had passed away. His wife was a clavat, whilst the king had been a lilty. But they had loved each other very much and had produced the first hybrid child in all of history, a beautiful girl by the name of Fiona. The king found it harder and harder to look at his daughter without remembering his wife; Fiona was the spitting image of her mother.

The king turned away from the window, unable to look down upon his subjects . . . At all the happy families. Why, there was a family of lilties coming out of a house now. The father had his arm around the mother while she held the hand of her youngest child. The older child was walking backwards, trying to get her parents' attentions. They were all very happy, as the king had once been.

I miss you truly, my love, the king thought, closing his eyes. An image of his wife before her death came into his mind. Why did you have to leave?

He couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly, everything around the palace filled him with memories of his beloved. He couldn't stay in the palace any longer today. The king had decided to take a walk around his city. Surely the guards couldn't object to that.

And besides, dear Fiona must be taking today very hard as well, the king reasoned, remembering that his daughter had been nowhere in sight that day. I suppose I should stay out of her way today.

The king had made up his mind. He called for his loyal guard, Knocfelna, who came stumbling into the throne room. Knocfelna saluted to the king awkwardly, but then was knocked down by his dog.

"Forgive me, your highness," Knocfelna muttered, embarrassed. He stood up straight in front of his king and continued, "Is there something you request of me?"

"Yes," the king answered. "I will be leaving for a walk around town today. I wish for you to accompany me."

"O-of course, sir," Knocfelna stammered out. He saluted to the king again and asked, "When shall you be leaving?"

"Now."

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Jona Esla felt her cheeks starting to hurt as she smiled at the caravanner who had just purchased some meat and milk from her. Once the caravanner was out of sight, Jona let her smile falter slightly. Today was not a happy day for her. She didn't feel like smiling today.

Her eyes wandered to her young son, who was practicing with his spear in the outskirts of town. He looked so happy, but that was understandable. Today, he had slain the legendary Black Knight to avenge his father.

Jona's eyes filled with tears once again. She had never told her son that instead of avenging his father, he had killed him. Yes, the legendary Black Knight, Leon Esla, had been her husband. Her son was named Leon Esla, after his father, who had disappeared long before the younger Leon had been born.

Two clavats of Alfitaria walked up to Jona's tiny food stand and Jona forced a smile back on her face. After the clavats finished their orders, Jona's mind started to wander again.

My dear Leon, I do wish you were here today, she thought as she looked at her son again. You would have been proud of our son today. He truly loved you, but he didn't know that you were the Black Knight.

She couldn't take it any longer. Today, her house was bringing back more memories than it had been doing so ever since she saw her husband get killed by her son that fateful day. The house she and her son lived in was one that her husband had bought for them and their new baby before the younger Leon was born. Her husband had wanted their son to grow up without being surrounded by miasma, so he had gone on a crazy journey to get rid of the miasma. Jona had begged him not to go, but he had insisted that he could complete the journey.

The next time Jona had seen him was when their son had killed him, but at least he had remembered her.

Jona decided to close shop and take a break for the rest of the day. She couldn't keep a cheery composition anymore.

Besides, it's such a beautiful day today, she thought. It would be a waste to have to spend it all at work.

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"Make way for the king! Make way for the king!"

The people of Alfitaria cheered loudly as their king strolled through the streets of the city. Ordinary citizens of Alfitaria didn't have any opportunities to see their king and princess in person, so today was truly an occasional day.

The king, in turn, was enjoying himself. The bright smiles of the people and the warmness of the sun had put him in a better mood than before.

I must bring Fiona out here one of these days, he thought as he waved to his people. She might be happier if she was able to go outside more often.

The king was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he didn't notice the little lilty child who was standing in his path. Well, not until he heard a feminine voice saying, "Leon Esla! You get over here right now!"

"Coming, mom! Coming!" The little lilty child stomped his way to his mom, but then saw the king watching him in amusement. The child gasped. "You're the king of Alfitaria, aren't you?"

"Le-on!" The disgruntled and embarrassed mother grabbed her son's hand and pulled him away from the king's path. Then, she looked at the king apologetically and said, "I'm sorry, my son doesn't know his manners quite yet."

"That's quite all right," the king answered serenely. "No harm done."

Jona Esla was still embarrassed by her son's actions. When she heard the king's footsteps, she guessed that he had forgotten about her and moved on. But when she lifted her face, she saw that the king was still standing in front of her, looking at her in wonder. Their eyes met.

Forgive me, my love, both of them thought simultaneously. Every other thought was banished from their minds as the king and Jona Esla found themselves lost in each other's eyes.

The boy, Leon Esla, observed his mother and the king looking at each other with dreamy eyes. Ew! Romance! The lilty child grimaced in his mind, then decided to practice with his spear once more.

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A/N: Ha, ha! How was that? There's more where that came from!