1 Editor's Note
This story is, of course, a Lara Croft fanfic, only I twisted things around a bit. Lara does not live in England. All of the places and people are made up. Also, this is my first fanfic so please submit your reviews; I need the feedback! Please e-mail me at ritalin@hotmail.com for permission to repost my story. Thanks, LYLAS!
2 Prologue
I'm sorry Lara, but it all comes down to this."
Lara Croft, explorer, sighed. "Yes it does, Van Drako. Prepare to die."
"I believe you have it backwards my dear Lady Croft. I have the almighty Orb, and together, the world will tremble at the feet of the Dragon King. All of you piety efforts are wasted. But, you do intrigue me. Might it interest you to work for the dark forces?"
"Not a chance, Drako. Here it ends."
Lara could hardly believe anything like the events over the past couple of months would ever happen to her. It had all started one winter evening in Lara's homeland, Saden…
3 Chapter One
Lara was bored. This wasn't anything new, of course, however parties were not one of Lara's favorite things. The extravagant life of a Nobel Lady gave her all she ever wanted and more, for sure, but all of it didn't feel right somehow. Something was missing. She sighed.
"Munchkin, do please try to look your part. This is an important day for you after all."
"Yes, father. I must admit, though, turning eighteen does not change me the least bit." Lara retorted.
"Oh, but it does." Sir Howard Croft insisted. "If your mother were alive…"
"Don't worry, father, you haven't made a single mistake in raising me."
"Except for the fact she turned out more man than lady." he murmured.
"What's that daddy dear?" Lara asked slyly.
"Oh…nothing honey. As I was saying, this is the proper time for a respectable young lady such as yourself to be safely married off. There are plenty of handsome and proper men that blindly admire your beauty, so do please try to be friendly at least."
"Why should I be friendly to those idiots? All they care about is grabbing a pretty trophy and my father's huge estate. No one would ever understand me personally." Lara thought bitterly.
She sighed again and slumped in her chair. As the customary guest greetings began, Lara rose and mentally prepared herself. No way was she going to let all of the Nobles continue to think of her as an innocent girl. She couldn't stand it anymore. Many eyewitnesses later claimed to have seen assorted peoples dart white-faced out of the ballroom, ladies nearly break into tears, men visibly wince, and nobility grow wide-eyed as Lara innocently dropped random slightly offensive remarks.
"What an impudent girl!" Queen Laylia exclaimed to Sir Croft, "I'd have thought womanhood would bring maturity to her, but it seems to have been the opposite!"
Sir Croft coughed uncomfortably.
"If you will excuse me, my ladies, but I have just remembered some work that I must finish."
"Surely you would not leave this wonderful dance in honor of your only daughter for an errand that may be left off for tomorrow, father?" Lara asked impishly.
"This must be attended to, Lara. Do have a wonderful time dancing with the nice young men, dear." Sir Croft countered.
Lara glared at him. She knew as well as everyone else that it was only proper for the honored guest of the party to dance with those that offered their hand, which would probably be every single man in the room. She sighed. Somehow being the fair maiden of her land was not what it was cut out to be. Especially when most of the women in the room tossed her head whenever Lara passed by. It wasn't her fault she had captured every man's heart in Saden. She would much rather cut the hearts up and have them for breakfast than accept any, anytime.
"Good evening, Noble Lady Croft."
Lara whirled around to meet the voice.
"Why, hello. And what may your name be? I have never seen you in court."
"Indeed you have not.", the handsome stranger said. "My name is Aren, third son of Jaunte VI, Duke of Mollerea. I have come many distances to meet you.", he answered.
"Yes, how nice. It's been a pleasure meeting you." Lara replied curtly as she turned back.
"Lady, please. I would like you to come with me.", Aren said as he grabbed her shoulder and started dragging her away.
"What are you doing? How dare you treat the High Lady of Saden this way?!? If you don't let me go this instance, I will have to resort to hurting you!", Lara screeched.
Every guest in the room turned to stare at her.
"Oops, hehehe, it's all right, it's just…heh.", Lara mumbled, blushing furiously.
Aren was still holding on to her shoulder as he pulled back with a slightly amused expression.
"Well, well, well, if you can do some chopping action, I'd like to see some proof!", he challenged. Lara smiled sweetly, and Aren grinned back. Then, quite suddenly, Lara turned around, grabbed the hand on her shoulder, and twisted it around into a painful position, all in one swift motion taking Aren completely by surprise.
"Ah, ee, ow!! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!" Aren shouted.
Again the court turned to stare at them, this time with an annoyed expression. It was Aren now that became slightly embarrassed.
"Ok, Lady Croft, I trust that you will not be performing any more of your little tricks on me, am I correct?" Aren hissed.
"But of course, third son of Jaunte VI, Duke of Molleria. That is, unless you somehow manage to irritate me, which you have just managed to succeed. But that will not happen again, I trust?"
Aren smiled briefly and sighed, shaking his head in defeat. This girl was witty enough, and he decided that he rather liked her.
"All right, will you please come with me willingly, then? This is very important, and the whole world as we know it may be destroyed if we don't do anything about it."
This story is, of course, a Lara Croft fanfic, only I twisted things around a bit. Lara does not live in England. All of the places and people are made up. Also, this is my first fanfic so please submit your reviews; I need the feedback! Please e-mail me at ritalin@hotmail.com for permission to repost my story. Thanks, LYLAS!
2 Prologue
I'm sorry Lara, but it all comes down to this."
Lara Croft, explorer, sighed. "Yes it does, Van Drako. Prepare to die."
"I believe you have it backwards my dear Lady Croft. I have the almighty Orb, and together, the world will tremble at the feet of the Dragon King. All of you piety efforts are wasted. But, you do intrigue me. Might it interest you to work for the dark forces?"
"Not a chance, Drako. Here it ends."
Lara could hardly believe anything like the events over the past couple of months would ever happen to her. It had all started one winter evening in Lara's homeland, Saden…
3 Chapter One
Lara was bored. This wasn't anything new, of course, however parties were not one of Lara's favorite things. The extravagant life of a Nobel Lady gave her all she ever wanted and more, for sure, but all of it didn't feel right somehow. Something was missing. She sighed.
"Munchkin, do please try to look your part. This is an important day for you after all."
"Yes, father. I must admit, though, turning eighteen does not change me the least bit." Lara retorted.
"Oh, but it does." Sir Howard Croft insisted. "If your mother were alive…"
"Don't worry, father, you haven't made a single mistake in raising me."
"Except for the fact she turned out more man than lady." he murmured.
"What's that daddy dear?" Lara asked slyly.
"Oh…nothing honey. As I was saying, this is the proper time for a respectable young lady such as yourself to be safely married off. There are plenty of handsome and proper men that blindly admire your beauty, so do please try to be friendly at least."
"Why should I be friendly to those idiots? All they care about is grabbing a pretty trophy and my father's huge estate. No one would ever understand me personally." Lara thought bitterly.
She sighed again and slumped in her chair. As the customary guest greetings began, Lara rose and mentally prepared herself. No way was she going to let all of the Nobles continue to think of her as an innocent girl. She couldn't stand it anymore. Many eyewitnesses later claimed to have seen assorted peoples dart white-faced out of the ballroom, ladies nearly break into tears, men visibly wince, and nobility grow wide-eyed as Lara innocently dropped random slightly offensive remarks.
"What an impudent girl!" Queen Laylia exclaimed to Sir Croft, "I'd have thought womanhood would bring maturity to her, but it seems to have been the opposite!"
Sir Croft coughed uncomfortably.
"If you will excuse me, my ladies, but I have just remembered some work that I must finish."
"Surely you would not leave this wonderful dance in honor of your only daughter for an errand that may be left off for tomorrow, father?" Lara asked impishly.
"This must be attended to, Lara. Do have a wonderful time dancing with the nice young men, dear." Sir Croft countered.
Lara glared at him. She knew as well as everyone else that it was only proper for the honored guest of the party to dance with those that offered their hand, which would probably be every single man in the room. She sighed. Somehow being the fair maiden of her land was not what it was cut out to be. Especially when most of the women in the room tossed her head whenever Lara passed by. It wasn't her fault she had captured every man's heart in Saden. She would much rather cut the hearts up and have them for breakfast than accept any, anytime.
"Good evening, Noble Lady Croft."
Lara whirled around to meet the voice.
"Why, hello. And what may your name be? I have never seen you in court."
"Indeed you have not.", the handsome stranger said. "My name is Aren, third son of Jaunte VI, Duke of Mollerea. I have come many distances to meet you.", he answered.
"Yes, how nice. It's been a pleasure meeting you." Lara replied curtly as she turned back.
"Lady, please. I would like you to come with me.", Aren said as he grabbed her shoulder and started dragging her away.
"What are you doing? How dare you treat the High Lady of Saden this way?!? If you don't let me go this instance, I will have to resort to hurting you!", Lara screeched.
Every guest in the room turned to stare at her.
"Oops, hehehe, it's all right, it's just…heh.", Lara mumbled, blushing furiously.
Aren was still holding on to her shoulder as he pulled back with a slightly amused expression.
"Well, well, well, if you can do some chopping action, I'd like to see some proof!", he challenged. Lara smiled sweetly, and Aren grinned back. Then, quite suddenly, Lara turned around, grabbed the hand on her shoulder, and twisted it around into a painful position, all in one swift motion taking Aren completely by surprise.
"Ah, ee, ow!! Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!" Aren shouted.
Again the court turned to stare at them, this time with an annoyed expression. It was Aren now that became slightly embarrassed.
"Ok, Lady Croft, I trust that you will not be performing any more of your little tricks on me, am I correct?" Aren hissed.
"But of course, third son of Jaunte VI, Duke of Molleria. That is, unless you somehow manage to irritate me, which you have just managed to succeed. But that will not happen again, I trust?"
Aren smiled briefly and sighed, shaking his head in defeat. This girl was witty enough, and he decided that he rather liked her.
"All right, will you please come with me willingly, then? This is very important, and the whole world as we know it may be destroyed if we don't do anything about it."