Love Sees Not With Its Eyes
by Cooking Spray
Yay! *caricatured version of authoress careens around the room hyperactively while waving pom poms* Ahem. But, the first chapter of my prized story is completed! And I really hope you enjoy. Will Lina and the gang make a cameo appearance? Perhaps... but you'll have to find that out along the way! *activates voicebox on Naga plushie to supply evil laughter* After all, this is an A/U fic... Nah, enough of my blabbering! Let's BEGIN!
A/N: Amelia has just turned sixteen in this story, so picture her considerably taller, more developed, so on, so forth....... ne?
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Prologue:
A Coming-of-Age Banquet and Talk of the Stone Man
Amelia wil tesla Sailoon looked as dignified as any princess should in the mirror's reflection, supreme in her ivory frills. (A/N: Think: The dress she wore at the very beginning of TRY) She smiled softly to herself, her pink lips pronounced in the mirror's light. Opening her eyes, she studied her body from every angle, and, when visibly satisfied, dramatically opened the door to descend the staircase. Amelia was getting good at descending staircases, she was always talented when life needed some extra drama. In the Grand Hall her dinner awaited, along with a slew of famous guests from prestigous places. Her eyes gleamed. Since her coming of age, she, as the princess of Sailoon, was allowed to royally decide matters without her father's consent. And tonight was her unveiling to the members of the board!
Feet trembling with excitement as she approached the banquet, she did her best to look mature and proper. Making a good impression for her father and the board members was absolutely necessary! She would prove her kingdom tht she was worthy of becoming queen!
The violet-haired girl on the cusp of womanhood sat down daintily (etiquette played a very vital part in her pilgramage to becoming Queen) at her place, the head of the table. Philonel beamed at his charming daughter as she cleared her throat, and launched into a tumultous speech full of her own soulful aspirations that left Phil with tears in his eyes.
"Greetings, members of the board! I welcome you to the kingdom of Las Sailoon! I, Amelia wil tesla Sailoon, represent it and its glorious peoples justifiably tonight in honor of my coming-of -age! Adulthood is yet a long, perilous road before me, but still I shall strive along it in the best intrests of my people and those who guide me! Now, do let us eat, and discuss the matters wherein these sturdy city walls!" she finished gloriously. There was a hearty smattering of applause, and the guest turned their heads to those next to them, murmuring words of approval. Amelia, if not a suitable ruler in time, was an excellent deliverer of speeches.
"The price of iron rose again last week," stated the town taxpayer after a bite of roast pig. He, of course, was always concerned about the prices of things, because when they tended to go up, so did taxes, and villagers weren't overly keen on it. Most of the time it resulted in having his house pummeled with eggs, or, like last month, when the price of flour rose, stones. He had to repair four windows.
"Oh, dear me, it must be getting harder to find. If it continues to be a problem, the prices of blacksmith wares will also increase," fretted one of Sailoon's doctors, whom was very fond of chariot rides and depended on the blacksmith the fit his horses with shoes.
"Residents in our fair city shall never suffer intolerable rates," quoted the princess firmly. "We must send more men into the mines to aqquire it, and to do so, we will improve working conditions and lower unemployment rates!" she said passionately, stabbing a yam. How clever her solutions! Why, running a kingdom was easy!
The taxpayer nodded approvingly. "Very good. I'll happily comission some campaigners to visit the palace, where you can launch the advertisements informing the commoners of the improvements."
"Er, yes," Amelia said boldly. "Yes, at once we will work to make life in Sailoon better!" There were a few more clanks of cutlery, and then the beautiful temple maiden, Filia (Ha! Filia!), who was known for being somewhat of a gossip, added, "In the streets there's talk of a mysterious man of stone wandering Sailoon."
Amelia immediately was interested. Filia had the attention of everyone at the table. "They say he has great powers, and his skin is hard to the touch." Her eyes flashed. "And it is rumoured by the village folk that he is searching for something inside our city walls." Having said enough to lead them all on, she neatly dabbed her chin with her napkin and resumed eating, leaving the rest of them to their blabber.
Amelia was very curious. She watched the shrine maiden carefully, but she showed no signs of revealing more information. Well, it was clear. If this man was looking for something her beloved city possessed, then it was her duty to find out exactly what. She would go undercover and single him out to discover his motives. Justice would be served!
"The roads are getting worn," complained a grumpy looking man, already averting the subject. "We need to get them repaired or innocent citizens will be injured!"
"Oh, yes," Amelia replied absently. "We'll send a commitee to scour the city for every last stone and repair them all." She took a sip of tea. The zest had left her normally spirited replies, and at the back of her mind nagged the suspicions about the strange stone man. Who was he? What could he be looking for in Sailoon?
The young princess, ready for adventure, wiped her mouth resolutely. Tomorrow, she promised herself, she would find out!
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How's that for a first chapter? Kind of fun dinner discussion. Bet you can't guess who the stone man is ^_^ Hee hee. And Filia a spreader of destructive gossip? Well, maybe if it was about Xellos. But we all know they're made for each other :P Anyway, coming up:
~*NEXT CHAPTER*~
Act I:
The Princess Goes Clue Hunting and a Rooftop Confrontation
See you there!