The early morning sunshine filled my vision as I was pulled from the clutches of sleep, the rays of golden light flooding through the open balcony doors. I let out a yawn, clicking my tongue while fighting off the urge to settle back into the covers. I looked out towards my balcony. The soft sunlight coming from the rising sun bathed my room in a gentle orange glow, and the light of the sun helped me rise completely from my sleep. I shifted over to the side of my bed and slid off, landing nimbly onto my paws. I yawned again as I leaned backward, keeping my front paws in place as I stretched. I stood back up and looked out towards the dawn sky as I pondered on what I could do with today. With the weather looking like it does, I figured my day would be best started with a walk through the gardens, then I would pass by the dining hall to get breakfast from chef crabby, and then…
My body froze, and my breathing quickened as realization dawned on me. All of yesterday's events came rushing back, from the argument in the throne room to the long, final discussion I'd had with my mother. The next day had seemed so far away in my sleep-addled mind, but now it was here.
Today I was going to leave Kalia for the first time ever.
Today I would leave behind all the comforts of royal life.
Today I would no longer be known as your highness or princess. I would only be Samantha.
These thoughts circled around in my head like the twisting currents of a whirlpool, filling me with a sense of foreboding I was too familiar with. My vision swam, and I was forced to close my eyes in order to stay on my feet. "Not now," I thought; there was too much happening today. I didn't have time to have one of my episodes, but my body didn't listen.
My heartbeat quickened, forcing me to take in desperate gulps of air. The room darkened around me as my heart pounded painfully in my chest. It felt as though someone had taken my heart and shoved it inside of a cage made of ice, each beat echoing inside my mind and filling me with chills. Dread and fear flooded through my body, turning my blood into ice. My breaths came in shaky gasps as I lowered myself to the floor. My paws stretched out in front of me, and I stared at them, watching my white fur turn a soft gray as darkness pushed from the edges of my vision. I felt as though I was about to cry, pass out, vomit, or explode all at the same time.
I closed my eyes and struggled to control my breathing, focusing on making the gasps turn into steady breaths. I shakily inhaled while counting to three, and then held my breath and counted again. Then I exhaled, my breath coming out in unsteady spurts. I repeated those steps repeatedly; my breathing slowly began to calm until I took long steady breaths. My pounding heart slowed with my breathing, allowing the freezing chill of dread to fade away, replaced by the warmth of the morning sun.
My eyes opened, and I was greeted by my paws covering my view, laying over my now damp snout. I sniffed and rubbed my paws against my eyes, wiping away the tears. A sigh escaped my lips, and I pulled myself to my feet, my gaze traveling across the ground until it stopped when I noticed something odd.
The tall band of golden light coming from the balcony stretched across my room, illuminating the stone tile squares below. Yet near the center of the room, another streak of light cut across the band coming from the balcony. This light could have only come from one place.
My front door.
My head snapped up to see my gothorita servant's small black shape standing wide-eyed in the doorway. She flinched when my gaze met hers and tugged at the ends of her skirt, an anxious expression filling her face.
My paws moved of their own accord, slowly padding forward without a single sound. I stalked towards the gothorita like a wild pokémon hunting its prey. "What did you see?" I asked in a whisper as I approached the servant.
Jeni's face paled, and she shuffled back. "I-I'm sorry your majesty, I should have knocked, I-I-I'll go away," she said as she wrung her arms together. She turned to leave but didn't make it a step.
I pounced onto the gothorita like a pyroar, knocking her to the ground. Jeni let out a cry as she was pushed over, and I moved to the doorway she had come through. I slammed the door shut before spinning around to place my paws on the servant's chest, pinning her to the floor. "WHAT DID YOU SEE?" I yelled into her face.
Jeni's face was scrunched up in fear and pain. "You-you were laying on the floor, sh-shaking and crying," she said in a shivering voice. She closed her eyes and raised her arms to cover her face, expecting some kind of strike.
I pushed her arms away from her face. "Look at me," I said in a cold whisper, my teeth threateningly bared inches from her skin. Her eyes slowly peeked open, shakily meeting my gaze. "You will not tell a single pokémon about what you saw, not even my parents. Do you understand?"
The servant nodded her head as best she could, a soft whimper leaving her throat. I stepped off of her, allowing her to raise herself off the floor. She sniffled and picked herself up, dusting off the dirty parts of her skirt and sash. She glanced at me only to flit her gaze away from my face, not able to look me in the eyes. I watched her movements, studying to see if she would keep her word. Judging by her nervousness and fidgety movements, I knew she would stay silent.
That was good; nobody needed to know about my episodes. It would cause unnecessary drama and attention. I was capable of dealing with it myself, I figured out how to make the attacks go away on my own, and I would continue to do so. I didn't need anyone's help.
My eyes drilled holes into the top of the gothorita's head. "Why are you here?" I asked with a sigh.
Jeni shuffled her feet and looked towards them, not able to look me in the eye while she spoke. "The king and queen sent me to fetch you, they are expecting you in the main courtyard."
I let out a groan. I wouldn't have time to do anything. "Pour me a wash pot," I said to Jeni, moving to stand by the side of the washbasin. The gothorita rushed to the counter and grabbed a pot of water, pouring about half of the contents into the porcelain bowl. I dipped my paws into the cold liquid and rubbed it into my face. An extra emphasis was put into my eyes, washing away the chilling burn that came after crying. I needed to make sure there wouldn't be any evidence of my episode visible on my features. I looked into the mirror lying atop the counter and inspected my face for any signs of distress. A few locks of my mane stuck out in random directions, and I was forced to comb my paws through my mane and fur to get them under control. After my mane was organized and my appearance seemed natural, I grabbed a towel held in Jeni's outstretched arm and dried my face.
Jeni received the wet towel and moved to leave, but I held up a paw, silently telling the psychic type to wait. I walked over to my nightstand and picked up the silver tiara from its pillow. I placed it on my brow and turned towards Jeni, giving her a nod. The gothorita spun on her heels and left the room.
I kept a steady pace behind my personal servant, my paws padding softly on the carpet down the center of the hall. We turned left and right, following the quickest path to the courtyard. Finally, we reached a large foyer, with two sets of stairs leading to a spacious hall below.
This was the main hall, a large room my parents often used to greet guests. From my vantage point at the top of the stairs, I could see the whole gallery in all its glory. The hall was well decorated to make an excellent first impression on anyone who entered. Large silver braziers were burning with a bright orange flame placed in the corners to provide adequate lighting to the whole antechamber. Large silver and blue banners reflected the braziers' light, and large portraits of past royal families lined the walls. At the opposite end of the hall, a large set of maple doors lead out to the courtyard.
The soft pitter-patter of paws and feet were the only sounds echoing throughout the hall as Jeni and I descended the stairs. As we made our way across the hall, we were greeted only by the guards' blank looks standing by the doors. When the gothorita and I stopped in front of the stoic pokémon, they moved inwards and pushed open the large doors, clearing a path for us.
I stepped out into the courtyard, briefly squinting my eyes in response to the sudden change in brightness. As my eyes adjusted to the light of the morning sun, I noticed my parents standing beside a carriage in the courtyard's center. I made my way over to them, looking around to see anything new in the open area. The yard looked the same as ever. With its half-circle shape, it separated the front entrance of the castle and the outer wall. The open space was often used as a gathering place for the wealthy and the noble before large meetings or celebrations. The large area was easily big enough to fit a couple hundred pokémon, but now it was empty except for me, my parents, and the carriage.
As I approached my parents, a large blue pokémon stepped out from behind the carriage carrying a trunk. I recognized him as the feraligatr from last night. My parents spoke with the water type, and he began nodding his head in agreement to something my father had said. However, the feraligatr stopped when he noticed me approaching, a wide grin appearing on his maw. My parents must have seen the change in the large pokémon's behavior, and they turned to see what had caught his attention. My mother began smiling just like the feraligatr when she saw me approaching. At the same time, my father only gave me a dry look, his eyes utterly devoid of emotion.
The moment I was close enough, the older ninetales stepped forward and grabbed onto me, pulling me into a tight hug. I did nothing to reciprocate the show of affection, my gaze blank like my father's. My mother pulled back from the hug, keeping her paws on my shoulders as she looked into my eyes.
"How are you feeling?" the queen asked softly, her soft eyes filling with love and concern.
I shrugged off the older ninetales' paws. "I am fine now, mother," I answered in a monotone voice.
My mother turned towards the small gothorita standing awkwardly behind me. "Thank you Jeni, you may go now," she said before turning back towards the king.
My mother walked back over to her mate's side, offering him a small nuzzle before sitting next to him. The luxray remained as stoic as ever, his facial expression only changing when he cleared his throat, preparing himself to speak. "Your mother informed me you will not be fighting our decision. Is that correct?" the king asked, his deep voice cutting through the silence.
I answered his question with a question of my own. "Are you going to change your mind anytime soon?" I asked, my voice ringing with irritation.
My father's eyes narrowed. "No we will not," he said, the fur on his back bristling in response.
"Then I guess I have no choice but to go along with your scheme," I said.
"Good," the luxray said, a smug smirk pulled at his lips. "It would have been a shame to have been forced to drag you out by your tails. In front of the whole city no less."
My ears flattened against my head, and I cringed. I narrowed my eyes at my father, a cold mist jetting from my nose. "You would not have dared," I whispered.
My father glowered at me. "You continue testing me Samantha, and I might just do it anyway," he said. We glared daggers at each other until a loud voice cut through the air, disrupting the tension between us.
"Hello there your majesty," called out Fabian in a cheery tone. He had put away the trunk and now stood with his claws placed on his scaly hips. "Are you ready to go on an adventure?" The feraligatr asked cheekily, a wide grin plastered across his snout.
My mother looked between the feraligatr and me. "Oh Samantha, do you remember Fabian at all?" she asked excitedly.
"Yes, we met last night," I said blandly, then my ears perked up at the sound of the older ninetales' laughter. I looked towards my mother to see her chuckling merrily with a paw covering her mouth in a futile attempt to retain her manners. I shot her a dubious look, and she cleared her throat, trying to suppress the laughter.
"Heh heh, excuse me," she said, running a paw through her mane. "It is just, Fabian has been around since you were a vulpix."
My brows furrowed, "What?" I said as I flitted my gaze between the feraligatr and my mother.
The feraligatr's dry chuckle brought my attention to him. "About sixteen years ago I was the captain of the guard," he said, rubbing a claw against his chest. "But the castle life just ain't for me, so I went back to being an explorer."
My eyes widened. The captain of the guard was one of the most prestigious positions of nobility. He was second in line for the throne and was treated practically as royalty. How could anyone give up such a place of power and life in the castle to become a filthy explorer?
I opened my mouth to question the feraligatr, but before I could speak, my father's voice cut me off.
"Enough banter," he said, pulling a chest out from underneath the carriage. He moved to stand in front of me, pushing the trunk along with him. "We are wasting time," he gave me a stern look while he extended his paw. "Your tiara," he said.
My head went back. "What? No!" I said. I had not taken off my tiara except to sleep or bathe since I was a vulpix. Without it, I would be indistinguishable from any other ninetales living in Kalia.
The king's face darkened. "You do not have a choice in the matter," he said and lifted his paw higher. "Give it to me."
I looked towards my mother and gave her a pleading look, silently asking her to stop him, but she only smiled and shook her head. I huffed and looked away, a disappointed scowl crossing my face.
I slowly lowered myself to a sitting position and lifted my front paws, carefully balancing myself on my hindquarters. I reached to my brow and pressed my paws on either side of the cold silver ring. I slowly lifted the tiara off my head, lowering it until it sat in front of my eyes. My reflection stared back at me, oddly warped and distorted from the curve of the silver metal. It was oddly poetic. My entire reality was being distorted with the removal of my tiara. For the foreseeable future, I would no longer be considered royalty, a thought that sent shivers down my spine.
The luxray cleared his throat, breaking me out of my stupor. I gave him the crown, leaving it to rest around his wrist like an oversized bracelet. The king lowered his paw, careful to not let the shiny silver band scrape against the cobblestones below. He cleared his throat and raised his head, his chin held high as if he were giving a speech to the Kingdom.
"I, King Hector of Kalia, do formally annul the claim to the throne of Princess Samantha of Kalia. With this annulment, any titles passed to Princess Samantha of Kalia are officially withdrawn," While the king spoke, he placed the tiara into the chest and then pulled out a small scroll. "Let it be known all titles and heirdoms can be restored by the king or queen once they see fit," he then placed the scroll on the stones below and unrolled it, the paper rustling as he did so.
I looked at the document, giving it a quick read. The exact words my father had just said were written there in black ink. Below the terms were two black paw prints I recognized to be from my parents. The luxray took out two small metal weights from the chest and placed them on the paper's opposite corners. He then pulled out an ink-soaked cloth and put it on the ground next to the scroll.
My father's gaze returned to me, his expression appearing cold and professional. "Do you understand all parts of this decree?" he asked, his tone of voice just as emotionless as his face.
I returned his frigid stare. "Yes I do," I answered, my own tone matching the monotonous rumble of my father.
The king gestured to the paper below. "Then place your signature," he said as he pointed to an empty spot next to the two paw prints of the king and queen.
I sighed; with the loss of my tiara, I symbolically lost my position as a princess. Now, if I signed this document, I would officially lose my title. My own parents were forcing me to give up my future, and for what? To go on an adventure and play with filthy bounty hunters? I couldn't believe my parents actually expected me to learn something from all this.
I stiffly lifted my paw and placed it on the cloth, feeling the cold ink seep onto the pads. I raised my leg and turned my paw to look at the bottom of it, checking to see if the pads were sufficiently coated in ink. There was enough to sign the document, so I lowered my paw to the empty space, but I hesitated before it touched the scroll. My paw quivered in the air as I thought about the future I was about to seal for myself. If I placed my paw on the scroll, I would sign away everything I had, but there was no turning back now. If I didn't do this willingly, my father would take everything by force. I had to do this to ensure my future as royalty.
My paw pressed firmly to the paper, then slowly drew away. The scroll stuck stubbornly to the pads of my paw for a second, glued together by the rapidly drying ink, then it separated with a crisp smack. In the place my paw sat a moment ago was a clean black paw print, representing my signature. My father picked up the weights and rolled the scroll, returning them to the chest. He then turned towards the castle and gave a sharp whistle.
Out of a small gate came a duo of rapidash accompanied by a dewott. The living fire on the rapidash burned brightly, tongues of flame licking the air, sending embers drifting lazily over the walls. Their hooves clopped noisily on the cobblestones as they trotted over to the carriage. The rapidash organized themselves in front of the carriage. Simultaneously, the dewott moved to the coach seat, pulled out a few harnesses, and began rigging the fiery pokémon to the cart.
My gaze was turned away from the new pokémon when my mother grabbed me and pulled me into a tight hug. She gripped me tightly and held on for longer than I was used to, a warm breath floating on my cheek as the older ninetales began whispering to me.
"I know this all seems crude but I am telling you it is for the best. Please be safe my little snowflake," The queen whispered and then pulled away, looking lovingly into my cerulean eyes.
My father cleared his throat, calling my attention away from my mother. He pulled out a small leather bag from the chest and raised it to me. The bag was about the size of my head, its opening covered by a flap fastened closed with a small golden clasp. There was a long strap attached to the bag on both sides to better fit a four-legged pokémon.
My father gazed at the bag before looking at me. "This is the adventurer's bag I used during the time I spent in the expedition society. It served me well and I know it will do the same for you," he said before placing the bag on the ground, letting the dewott grab it and put it into the carriage.
Fabian spoke up, grunting as he stretched his arms upwards. "Well, we best be heading off now if we want to reach Darun before dark," The feraligatr said before sighing and turning towards the carriage.
"I hate carriages," I heard him mutter. The large water type approached the door to the admittedly small carriage and peered inside, visibly displeased. He took in a deep breath and pushed himself forward, using the doorframe as a handhold. The carriage shook and sagged under his weight. The water type managed to fit half of his body into the carriage before his weight shifted forwards, and he lost traction in his legs.
Fabian's legs flew upwards as most of his weight fell into the carriage. His muffled voice could be heard shouting curses as his legs flailed around, unable to regain a solid footing. My mother began giggling merrily while my father sighed and moved to stand behind the feraligatr before turning back towards the dewott. "Come here boy," he said to the young water type.
The dewott turned towards the king, his eyes widening in fear, his head flicked between my father and the thrashing legs of the feraligatr, apprehension visible on his face, but a stern look from the king kept any protest silent. He inched forward, doing his best to avoid the sharp claws at the end of the feraligatr's feet. When he reached the rump of the scaly pokémon, he turned back towards the king, clearly unsure of what he should do next. My mother stopped laughing for a second to give the servant a hint.
"Push him," she said before breaking out into another fit of giggles. The dewott's already wide eyes widened further. He turned back towards the feraligatr and tentatively put his paws on the large pokémon's rump while my father joined him. They both began pushing, and muffled yells could be heard coming from the stuck feraligatr. I couldn't make out much, but what I could hear consisted of "uncomfortable" and "paws where the sun don't shine," The dewott pushed harder, his face scrunching up in exertion. The small water type shifted positions until his back was pressed against Fabian's rear. Amazingly, they began making progress as the feraligatr's scaly legs got closer and closer to the carriage door.
Finally, Fabian got a claw into the doorway and hoisted himself entirely into the carriage. The small car rocked from side to side after his sudden movement. The dewott yelped and was unceremoniously tossed to the ground. He laid on the cobblestones, stunned. My mother trotted over to his prone form and looked down.
"Are you alright dear?" she asked with a happy smile.
The dewott remained still until his eyes slowly focused on the queen's face. When the coachman finally realized who was looking at him, he yelped and swiftly got to his feet, a furious blush covering his face.
"I'm ok, your highness," the dewott muttered, his young voice filled with embarrassment.
"Ok then, back to your post, it is about time the princess made her exit," My mother said, nodding her head towards the forward seat of the carriage. The dewott bowed quickly and moved onto the carriage's front seat, grabbing the reins of the now harnessed pair of rapidash. My mother looked again at me and let out a long sigh.
"Look at you," the queen said, her voice full of love. "It seems like yesterday you were a little vulpix running through the halls, and now you are all grown up," As the older ninetales said this, her eyes started brimming with tears. The queen reached out and pulled me in for another hug, gripping tightly onto me. I could feel the warm wet tears seep into my fur as the older ninetales sniffled into my shoulder. My mother pulled away, a sad smile on her face, then she turned to look at her mate. My father looked towards me, and I was shocked to see a slight hint of sorrow in his features. He nodded his head towards the carriage, gesturing for me to get in.
I strolled towards the carriage, unable to keep a trace of sadness from entering my heart. Everything I knew came from this castle, and now I was going to leave it behind. I entered into the carriage, sitting opposite to the large water type. My father closed the door behind me, forcing me to look out the windows to see the world outside. I heard a sharp whistle and a snap of reins, then the carriage jerked into motion, rolling smoothly towards the outer gate. I looked out the windows back towards the only world I had ever known. I could see my father standing stoically in the courtyard while my mother waved. I looked farther up the castle, towards parapets and lofts, until I found the balcony which jutted out from my room. There, I could see a small black shape also waving their farewells.
The massive outer gates opened as the carriage approached them, letting the car through. The pair of rapidash led us over the moat, the carriage rattling as it bounced over the planks of the bridge. We rolled out onto the road, and I stared out at the passing buildings.
Small shops and homes passed by, all bustling with pokémon. There were street vendors selling everything from berries to pottery shouting their wares at any passers-by. Pokémon busily moved from stall to stall to buy the necessities for the day. A few of them stopped to stare as the cart passed by them, probably wondering who could be the one wealthy enough to be pulled in a carriage. I watched as small children ran beside the carriage, trying their best to keep up but eventually falling behind as the cart continued its unceasing pace.
The white stone houses caught my attention, the stones in the castle were regularly cleaned and polished, but in the streets, the white blocks were marked by stains and dirt. These stains were dark and numerous, starting near the ground while the roofs were practically spotless. From my vantage point on my bedroom balcony, all I could see was the pristine white rooftops. However, in the carriage, I could easily view all the dirt and grime left by the bustle of thousands of working pokémon.
The houses and buildings suddenly disappeared as the carriage pulled out into a massive plaza. I recognized it as the city's center. I had been here many times before to witness festivals and the like. In the center of the plaza, there was a massive flagpole. On it hung a giant rendition of the royal flag. The flag fluttered softly in the wind, it's silver edges surrounding the royal blue interior. The silver snowflake and golden lightning bolt of the royal emblem shimmered with the flag's flapping motion.
The plaza was filled with pokémon of all types. Many were busy as they set up small shops and stands. I could not imagine being in the middle of such a massive crowd of active pokémon. Nobody seemed to notice each other as they scampered from one place to the next. I was sure if I was there, I would be trampled under the foot of some overbusy pokémon.
The carriage quickly crossed from one side of the plaza to the other, and my view was once again filled with passing white buildings. I sighed as the white stone houses turned into a blur, not bothering to focus my vision on anything as I let my mind wander.
I leaned against the window, my eyes blank and distant. I thought of all the things I would no longer have access to now that I was not a princess. I didn't have servants, I didn't have a bath, Arceus, I didn't even have a home. I needed money, but I didn't have a single coin to my name without my royal title. I would have to work, a thought that horrified me. I had seen the maids and servants milling around the castle doing their chores. The things they did seemed monotonous and miserable. I couldn't imagine having to do the same thing every day. It just didn't seem natural.
The rattling of the carriage brought me out of my thoughts, and I focused back on what I could see through the window. I was greeted by the blue depths of the Stann river as the carriage rumbled over the planks of one of the bridges connecting Helion City to the rest of the continent.
There were many bridges because, in all technicality, Helion City was an island. The Stann river branched around the capital city in a crude semi-circle. It separated the capital from the rest of the Kingdom. The swift waters provided a natural and effective defense against any attacking army, forcing them to squeeze into choke points on the bridges.
I thought back to my geography lessons and tried to remember everything I could about the river. The Stann river was the largest river on the frost continent. It flowed from the north, originating from the Niern mountain range above. The river acted as the border between the western Kingdom of Darun and the eastern Land of Malgus. The river then ran south until it hit the Kalian border, where it split in two. The larger portion of the river continued flowing south towards Helion City. While, the smaller branch cut east and functioned as the border between Kalia and Darun.
The carriage finished crossing the bridge, rattling and bouncing as the wheels left the bridge's wooden planks and began rolling on hard dirt. I lifted my head off the window as the vibrations of the carriage caused my head to bounce uncomfortably against the glass. This was it. I had left the city. As I looked forward out the window, all I could see were rolling green hills. This was the farthest I had ever traveled away from home. I craned my neck to try and look back towards the city, all I could see was an imposing and indifferent stone wall.
No, the city was no longer my home. I was an outcast princess, with no title to my name. I had no place inside the capital city, nor inside of a castle, and all because my parents wanted me to go on some stupid adventure.
I huffed as I turned away from the window, not wanting to look back at my former home. I glanced at the feraligatr sitting opposite me. He sat comfortably on the bench, his back leaning against the wall. He was staring forward, his eyes not focused on any particular object. His neutral expression suggested he was deep in thought.
I looked around the carriage's interior. I hadn't taken the time to inspect it before. The interior was very drab in my opinion, though, I had only ever ridden in the royal carriage, so any other carriage would seem bland to me. Dark oak wood panels lined the walls, held together by tiny metal brackets. Two simple doors, one on each side, allowed easy access to the interior. Well, easy access for anyone smaller than Fabian, of course. The windows embedded in the doors on either side were unembellished and bare, only sitting inside simple wooden frames. I glanced at the bench I was sitting on. It had plain red cushions which did little to soften the blow of every bump and divot. From what little I could see of the bench opposite me, the massive water type covering up most of it, it was identical to mine. There were no coverings underneath the seats. The space below was typically used to hold luggage and other items. This was the case now as I could see a few bags sitting behind the legs of the feraligatr.
I huffed quietly. My parents obviously didn't want anyone to think I was royalty. The bare-bones carriage testified to that. My exhalation must have been louder than I thought as I saw Fabian shift in the corner of my eye. I glanced at him again to see he had now turned to look at me. He sat still as a rock, his gaze locked onto my face. The attention unnerved me. In the castle, no one dared to look at me for longer than a second. Yet the feraligatr had been looking at me for almost a whole minute now. I turned towards him, shifting my body to face him. I returned his stare, looking directly into his dark orange eyes. I wasn't going to be intimidated by him. I may not have my title, but on the inside, I was still royalty, and a royal never backs down.
The feraligatr's face pulled into a smile, his pearly white teeth glinting in the morning sun. Old scars around his lips and cheeks changed colors from a soft cream to white as they were stretched by his grin. The corners of his eyes crinkled, forming distinct crow's feet that showed he had spent a lot of his life with a smile on his face. The joyful smile of the water type would be comforting to most pokémon, but I found his smile and constant happy attitude to be incredibly annoying.
Fabian scratched underneath his chin, white claws dragging against turquoise scales. When he lowered his arm, he kept a digit outstretched and pointed them towards me. "Has anyone ever told you how similar you are to your mother?" He asked in his gravelly voice.
I rolled my eyes. I was sick and tired of pokémon telling me I looked exactly like my mother. "Yes, I am well aware that many pokémon believe I look like my mother," I answered curtly as I ran a paw through my mane.
Fabian laughed softly, the paw on his stomach bouncing with each chuckle. "It's true that you do look a lot like your mother, but I wasn't talking about appearance," I raised an eyebrow and jutted my head forward, my face set in a silent question, but I was unable to hide the annoyance flickering onto my face.
Fabian's arm flew up as he quickly pointed in my direction as if he had just spotted something he had been looking for. "That," he exclaimed excitedly. "That expression right there," he gestured to my face. "I've gotten that exact look from your mother so many times," The feraligatr laughed and shook his head slowly. "Every time I saw that look I knew I was in for a good tongue lashing."
My brows furrowed in confusion. I could not imagine my mother raising her voice, much less towards a pokémon. I sighed and turned back towards the window as the feraligatr continued to chuckle, and my eyes widened. I pushed myself against the window to see clearly. The carriage had just finished rolling up the side of a hill, and now from my current vantage point, I could see the entirety of Helion City. I could make out the central plaza and the castle sitting not far behind it. The smaller buildings and houses blended together to form a white smear on the green countryside. The vast ocean laid like a blue blanket behind the city, and I could barely make out ships floating in and out of the nearby harbor.
Helion City was not only the capital of Kalia, but was also its largest port. Thousands of ships entered and left the harbor every week, carrying goods to and from the nearest continents. Helion City sat on a peninsula jutting out towards the south, making it the southernmost city on the frost continent. The city's southerly location gave it easy access to the closest continent, the sand continent to the south, a land rich with natural resources. Kalia and the rest of the frost continent had to import many resources to support the development of people and lands. This made Helion City a bustling harbor as it receives most of the frost continent's imports.
I heard Fabian grunt behind me; I turned my head to see he had also begun to look out the window. He remained in his slouched seating position while his eyes looked out towards the horizon.
"I've always loved the view from up here," he said, absent-mindedly scratching under his chin. His eyes were unfocused as a wistful smile touched his face, visibly lost in thought. His eyes widened as he turned to look towards me. "You know," he said, a cheeky expression coming onto his face. "I'm pretty sure this is where your father first confessed his love to your mother,"
Fabian suddenly let out a bellowing laugh. "Oh Arceus, she slapped him so hard," he said, hitting a paw onto his knee.
My eyes widened. My mother had slapped my father when he confessed his love? It didn't make any sense. My mother wouldn't hurt a rattata. There had to be something he wasn't telling me. I fixed him with a distrustful look before asking. "What do you mean she slapped him?"
Fabian continued laughing loudly, unable to answer my question with the strength of his laughter. He slowly composed himself, reaching a claw to one of his eyes to wipe away a few joyful tears. "Your mother lifted her paw and hit him so hard that he was knocked off his feet," Fabian said before he began chuckling again. "Hoo, she was so upset."
To say I felt confused would be an understatement. I felt utterly lost. My mother was the calmest and most collected pokémon I knew. To think my mother had gotten upset enough to slap my father was insane. My contemplation was interrupted by Fabian when he began speaking again.
"That fiery spirit and lightning quick temper is what makes you just like your mother," Fabian said with his infuriating smile.
One of my eyebrows raised itself in a dubious look. "You have been away from the castle for too long. My mother is nothing like that," I said with a shake of my head.
The feraligatr chuckled and shrugged. "I've known your mother for a lot longer than you have Samantha," he said, tapping on one knee.
I scowled at him. He had no right to use my name. "Do not call me that," I snapped, an icy mist jetting from my nostrils.
"Call you what? Samantha?" he asked. I didn't respond, but the icy look I gave him was enough to answer his question.
Fabian raised his arms defensively, an apologetic smile replacing his cheeky one. "All right then," he said as he lowered his arms and fixed me with a questioning look. "What would you prefer to be called?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Your highness," I answered automatically, I was the daughter of the king and queen. Only my parents had the right to call me by my name. Everyone else was beneath me.
Fabian chuckled, his scarred scaly chest bouncing up and down. He raised his claws and began scratching underneath his chin. "Sorry but, I can't do that," he apologized as he lowered his paw onto his belly. "That little paper you signed says that you lost all titles that came with royalty, and that includes your highness."
Fabian then leaned forward, the bench he sat on creaking under his weight. His elbows rested on his knees as he interlocked his claws in front of him. "How about this?" he said, a twinkle appearing in his eyes. "The custom all around this continent is that first names are for close friends and family, so you call anyone that doesn't fall under that category by their pokémon name." Fabian gestured towards me, his claws making a pass from my snout's tip to the ends of my tails. "And considering the fact that you are a ninetales, would you prefer it if I called you Ninetales?" He asked, an eyebrow raised in questioning.
I pondered over the proposition, all my life, I had only been referred to with royal titles, but now things had changed. I hated to admit it, but the feraligatr had a point. I had signed away all of my titles with the document. Yet, the thought of only being referred to as ninetales was appalling. I was much more than just a ninetales, I was a princess, and no piece of paper can change that.
I shivered as I pondered over my other option. To think any normal pokemon could just walk up to me and call me by my name made me cringe. No one had the right to use my name. They were all beneath me. To be called just a ninetales was terrible, yet, commoners using my name was undoubtedly worse. I sighed as I mentally made my decision. I would have to live with the lesser of the two evils.
I huffed as I turned towards Fabian. "Just call me Ninetales," I ordered, irritation very audible in my tone.
Fabian grinned widely and spread his arms out wide like a peddler presenting his wares. "Ninetales it is then," he said as his arms fell back to his sides. "You better get used to it, that'll probably be your name for the next year or so."
I stiffened, and my eyes widened in surprise, "A year or so?" I cried, my voice filled with shocked horror. I had thought this little experiment would last about a month or two, not a year.
Fabian raised his paws to either side of his head as if he was a soldier surrendering himself to an enemy. "I don't know how long your father expects this to last, but when I discussed it with him he seemed to imply that this would be a long-term solution," he stated. His arms in front of him as if they would protect him from another verbal outburst.
I let out a groan and turned my head away from Fabian. I looked out the window to gaze towards the city once again, only to find a hill filling my view. The carriage had long since crested the hillside, the top of it now obstructing my vision of the capital.
The carriage rattled and bounced on the road as it descended the hill. I was not enjoying myself at all. The padding on the benches provided little to no cushioning. I could plainly feel every bump and divot the wheels went over, leaving my backside feeling sore.
The royal carriage I was used to was much better than this abomination of wood. The dinky car I was in now could have easily fit inside the royal carriage with room to spare. Also, the interior of the royal carriage was lined with soft pillows and cushions. This made any trip feel as though one was floating in the clouds. Whenever I had ridden in the royal carriage, I wouldn't have even felt the slightest movement. Now I was jostled to and fro with every single rock on the road.
I hated it; I hated all of it. This carriage, the soreness I felt, the annoying feraligatr sitting in front of me, the fact I would have to be known as Ninetales for a year. I despised every aspect of my current situation, yet, there wasn't anything I could do.
I looked towards the sun, it's soft, early morning rays falling across the countryside, beckoning a new day. The warm sunbeams softly caressed my face, and I pondered for a moment before letting out a small chuckle. It was perfectly poetic. Today's sun wasn't just welcoming a new day to the world. It was welcoming a new chapter into my life.
Thank you so much for reading through the second chapter of "A Frozen Heart" For any of you who were wondering, the "episode" Samantha had will be explained in greater detail later on. Please Read and Review, I would love the inspiration and I would really appreciate some constrictive criticism. Again, thank you for reading my story, and I'll see you next Saturday.