A/N: I'm really, really sorry for not updating sooner!! So, to make it up
to you, I'll add TWO installments today. So, here's the first installment.
~*zanuas917*~
WED? What kind of idiot thought that I, Prince Simon, son of King Char and Queen Ella would wed?
Wed was something I could imagine Torlin doing. Yes, Torlin all dressed up in a fancy silk dress and having a fine tiara in her dark curls, standing next to a handsome young Frellian.
But, no matter how hard I thought, I could not imagine MYSELF marrying some young woman who only liked me because I was a prince. In fact, the thought was insulting.
Sure, I did like a few young ladies, but they were daughters of the noblemen and women from places like Bast and such. Not really ladies that I would plan to start a life with.
I had never given a thought to marriage before Samone said that I must. It was like she had just said 'You must die.' It was the truth, but it wasn't something I looked forward to!
Torlin, I could tell, was also a bit worried about getting married, probably because she thought that she was too young. After all, our mother hadn't gotten married until she was seventeen.
" Well?" Samone asked impatiently, " Are you ready for me to tell you how to begin your quest?"
I nodded at Torlin, who said," Yes, we are."
" Good." Samone sighed as if we had just let go of her hair," You must begin shortly after midnight, but no one must know that you have left who has not been bestowed with a curse from Lucinda. And, even then, you must only tell one person. It is dangerous to let others know if they do not understand. But, my dears, that is all I can tell you."
No, she couldn't leave now!
" Wait," Torlin called out, but Samone was already fading away from our sight. Samone gave Torlin a sad look.
" I will be there to guide you, but only if..." Samone and her voice faded away.
Torlin turned to me solemnly and whispered, " But only if what?" ***
Char tried to follow Simon into the castle, but Mandy stopped him.
" They must be in there alone." she whispered soothingly. But neither Char nor I were comforted.
Secretly, I crossed my fingers under my poppy red gown. I was horribly terrified for my children.
After a few minutes, we heard another short shriek. It was from Simon. My fear began to bubble over. Simon wasn't afraid of anything except...
" No!" I muttered and squeezed my eyes shut. The only thing Simon feared was fear itself, which meant that whatever they were facing in the castle was either going to kill them, or worse.
Suddenly, I felt a wave of cold. The same wave I felt sixteen years ago today, the day I had Simon. And the same wave of cold I had felt a little more then a year later.
I looked over at Mandy, who looked worried. Mandy hardly ever looked worried, so her fear was a bad sign.
My head spun sickeningly for a moment, and I almost fell out of my chair. But Char caught me and picked me up. He held me close, running his fingers through my hair and making soft cooing noises to calm me.
But I could not be calmed for there, in the middle of our party, grinning lazily at all of Simon's guests was none other then Belinda.
~*zanuas917*~
WED? What kind of idiot thought that I, Prince Simon, son of King Char and Queen Ella would wed?
Wed was something I could imagine Torlin doing. Yes, Torlin all dressed up in a fancy silk dress and having a fine tiara in her dark curls, standing next to a handsome young Frellian.
But, no matter how hard I thought, I could not imagine MYSELF marrying some young woman who only liked me because I was a prince. In fact, the thought was insulting.
Sure, I did like a few young ladies, but they were daughters of the noblemen and women from places like Bast and such. Not really ladies that I would plan to start a life with.
I had never given a thought to marriage before Samone said that I must. It was like she had just said 'You must die.' It was the truth, but it wasn't something I looked forward to!
Torlin, I could tell, was also a bit worried about getting married, probably because she thought that she was too young. After all, our mother hadn't gotten married until she was seventeen.
" Well?" Samone asked impatiently, " Are you ready for me to tell you how to begin your quest?"
I nodded at Torlin, who said," Yes, we are."
" Good." Samone sighed as if we had just let go of her hair," You must begin shortly after midnight, but no one must know that you have left who has not been bestowed with a curse from Lucinda. And, even then, you must only tell one person. It is dangerous to let others know if they do not understand. But, my dears, that is all I can tell you."
No, she couldn't leave now!
" Wait," Torlin called out, but Samone was already fading away from our sight. Samone gave Torlin a sad look.
" I will be there to guide you, but only if..." Samone and her voice faded away.
Torlin turned to me solemnly and whispered, " But only if what?" ***
Char tried to follow Simon into the castle, but Mandy stopped him.
" They must be in there alone." she whispered soothingly. But neither Char nor I were comforted.
Secretly, I crossed my fingers under my poppy red gown. I was horribly terrified for my children.
After a few minutes, we heard another short shriek. It was from Simon. My fear began to bubble over. Simon wasn't afraid of anything except...
" No!" I muttered and squeezed my eyes shut. The only thing Simon feared was fear itself, which meant that whatever they were facing in the castle was either going to kill them, or worse.
Suddenly, I felt a wave of cold. The same wave I felt sixteen years ago today, the day I had Simon. And the same wave of cold I had felt a little more then a year later.
I looked over at Mandy, who looked worried. Mandy hardly ever looked worried, so her fear was a bad sign.
My head spun sickeningly for a moment, and I almost fell out of my chair. But Char caught me and picked me up. He held me close, running his fingers through my hair and making soft cooing noises to calm me.
But I could not be calmed for there, in the middle of our party, grinning lazily at all of Simon's guests was none other then Belinda.