Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or the world of Remalna. I am just here attempting to entertain you all…. if there's anybody there…
Author's Note: Yay! I got some reviews. Okay, just so everyone knows, I'm debating on changing Prince Vidanric's nickname from Shevraeth to Erethel (Courtesy of FelSong, thanx!) Or possibly, another fief in Erethel. So if you review, tell which you'd prefer….So, yeah… hope that works out. And, if you have any ideas about twisting the plot… do tell… read on!
Aislinna fussed over my dress for hours, tweaking things here, and adjusting things there, before I finally shooed her out. "You need to get dressed," I informed her.
"See you," Aislinna said, as she left.
I glared at my ball gown. Ball gowns were another thing that I disliked. They were huge, and hard to walk in, let alone dance in. Plus, they were heavy, and often low-cut and tight. They were covered in gems, and to be frank, I simply disliked them.
I never wore anything that 'poofed'. Unfashionable as I was, I wore slim gowns, that didn't accentuate my slender frame, but simply were easy to walk and sit for long periods of time in. They were rarely gem-encrusted, or even embroidered.
Lillith, my maid, helped me into my gown. It was pure white, at first glance, but it had the iridescent quality of an opal, and it threw off greens, pinks, blues, and purples. The thing was tight, hugging my waist, but, thankfully, was modestly cut with a square neck. Opals glimmered at my throat, in my ears, and one on my finger.
I glanced in the mirror. I wished that my hair were the color of Mother's— the gorgeous red strands, naturally streaked with blondes and browns. My hair was a sandy blonde color, which, tonight, fell in waves to past my hips. An opal, suspended on a silver chain, hung on my forehead.
I studied myself. Looking at me, could anyone tell that I really hated balls? Something about my eyes, a pure green, and the way my lips were positioned gave it away. I repositioned my face, and walked to my doom. AKA: the ball.
Shevraeth was waiting for me outside the doors to the grand staircase. He looked splendid in a dark colors, edged with gold. Nervousness was apparent on his face. I smirked. Unreadable, huh?
I could hear the music begin, a fanfare, as the doors to the staircase opened slowly. Slightly unsure, I took Shevraeth's offered arm, and we entered the room. Just as Aislinna had predicted, all eyes were on me. Not on my new tutor, though I had no doubt that many females would soon begin to look at him, but on me. Green eyes, blue eyes, brown eyes, smiling eyes, angry eyes, they all had one thing in common: they were staring at me.
I fought the urge to hide my face, or to run from the room. I managed to get down the staircase without an incident, and then, to my great annoyance, my tutor looked straight at me, and said, "May I have the first dance?"
Of course, there was no polite way to say no. So I dipped a perfect curtsy and replied, "Of course, your Highness," as was proper to one of royal birth.
I did love dancing. The music made me feel free, as I twirled under the blue and silver decorations. Blue and silver had been used for two reasons: they were the colors of my personal standard, as well as the colors of Erethel. Honoring me, and my new tutor.
The music went on and on, and I felt the thrill of simply dancing. After the ceremonial first dance, the banquet began. Mother and Father stood up.
After all the nattering about 'wonderful to see you all' and 'honored you came', they finally got to the point, "And, without further ado, we'd like to present Prince Vidanric of Erethel," my mother said.
Most of the female heads in the room turned to look at the figure seated next to me. Shevraeth appeared unconcerned, but the corners of his mouth deepened slightly, in what I now realized was amusement, as if he was used to the attention. After all, he was a prince.
After the banquet, the dancing continued.
Aislinna quickly found her way to my side. Flanking her, were three ladies that I vaguely recognized.
Aislinna smiled at me, "Serine, I think you'll remember Lady Melody, Lady Talysa, and Lady Nicola. Ladies, Princess Serine."
They were just as I remembered them, only older and more beautiful. Lady Melody, the heir to the Countess of Deliss, had warm chocolaty brown eyes and hair so dark that it appeared black. She had a pale complexion, and her entire face bespoke a good nature.
Lady Nicola, the heir to the Count of Merle, had the same unruly dark red curls that she had possessed nearly ten years ago. Her face was carefree and smiling, and her deep gray eyes twinkled with suppressed laughter.
The one the most like me, I suppose, was Lady Talysa. Her parents had died years ago, leaving her the Duchess of Camdry. She was soft-spoken and shy, but with an elegant bearing. Her long blonde hair was a similar shade to mine, although hers was in an elegant knot, and her blue eyes were smiling.
The moment of awkwardness quickly passed, and Lady Nicola took the lead. She quickly maintained that there was no need to say titles—after all, we were old friends. "Serine," Nicola said, in her energetic way, "what have you been up to lately?"
I gave a faint smile. "Learning how to govern a country."
Talysa gave me a smile, which said quite clearly that she knew what I meant. "My parents didn't think to educate me about Camdry, or how to govern," she said, softly, "so now, I'm trying to make up for lost time. My head pounds more often than not."
I nodded.
I soon learned that Nicola spent her days horseracing. Why she loved those animals so much was quite beyond me. Melody, with her kind eyes, enjoyed spending time with her huge amount of friends—and flirts. Aislinna maintained that no one wanted to know what she did for fun, and we didn't press the subject.
"I have an idea," Nicola said, gaily, "I think that we should meet tomorrow, for a private tea, in my chambers."
We agreed. Talysa and I didn't agree, however, with her next idea. "We should all try what the other's like," Nicola grinned, "On my day, we'll go horseracing, on Mel's, we'll have a huge party, and flirt a lot (Here, Melody gave Nicola a punch in the arm. A ladylike punch, of course) on Taly's day, we'll go to the library and such forth, on Linna's day, we'll do you-don't-want-to-know, and on Serine's day, we'll do painting."
Talysa and I groaned in unison.
"Pretty please?" Nicola begged. "Please?"
"Hmmm…" I said, "I know! Only if you promise to dance with every male that we point out for you to dance with." Talysa nodded in agreement, her eyes sparkling with suppressed laughter.
"No way!" Nicola yelped. "Never!"
Talysa shrugged delicately, "Well, Serine, perhaps we can find something else to occupy ourselves…?"
I nodded politely and Talysa and I begin to move away. Aislinna and Melody began whispering. Nicola looked put out. "Fine," she said, "I'll do it."
"Good," Talysa said.
We spent the rest of a very amusing evening ordering Nicola to dance with the men of our choices. Needless to say, most of them were not very attractive.
The only one she really liked was my tutor. The esteemed Prince Vidanric of Erethel. My tutor.
Nicola came back from the dance with a flushing face and a wide grin. "That was…" she fanned herself briskly, as she searched for the right word, "exhilarating!"
Aislinna raised an eyebrow. "Exhilarating?"
Nicola smiled.
Aislinna looked questioningly at her, and then turned to me. "Well, I'm off," she said, "I have to check out this exhilarating tutor of yours."
Talysa and I watched wordlessly as Aislinna walked up to Erethel. Within a minute, they were dancing.
"No fair!" Melody cried, "I want a turn!"
Talysa and I spent the rest of the evening watching our three friends attempt to make Shevraeth dance with them more than the rest. They all came back at the end of the ball, smiling insufferably. "He's going to ask me to the last dance," Melody said, grinning.
"He's asking me," Aislinna corrected.
Nicola simply smiled smugly.
However, when Shevraeth came our way, it was Talysa he turned to. "May I have this last dance?" He asked, bowing.
Talysa smiled shyly. "Of course," and then she was off—swept off by my tutor. My tutor!
Nicola, Aislinna, and Melody gaped. "But he was asking me!" They all whined, in unison.
I couldn't hide a smile. "I think he made the best choice." I said, "By asking Talysa, he's ensuring not only that he has the prettiest girl for the last dance, (I ignored their shocked expressions) but also that you don't claw out whoever's eyes that he chooses to dance with. If it had been one of you three, the other two would have spent all night with your heads together, plotting and planning. Since he chose Talysa, you will all watch jealously, but since she's your friend, and she's so shy, you won't do anything."
They gaped at me.
Aislinna, who knew me best, recovered first. "And if it had been you, Serine?"
I smiled. "Then he would have truly had the prettiest girl for the last dance," I said, completely serious.
Talysa returned with Shevraeth, to find us all laughing. "What is it?"
"Prettiest girl…!" Aislinna gasped out.
And we all started laughing again.
The next day during my studies, Shevraeth seemed to be biding his time for something. The entire lesson, he was on the verge of saying something, but held it back. He'd open his mouth, and close it. And open it, and close it. It reminded me of a fish. (A/N: Hee, hee)
"What is it?" I said finally.
Shevraeth glanced at me. "What?"
"You've been trying to say something all day. What is it?"
The corners of his mouth deepened as he attempted to hide a smile. Attempted was certainly the right word, in this case. "You have me all figured out, Lady Serine." I ignored his use of the improper title.
"Lord Shevraeth?" I prompted.
The corners of his mouth deepened again.
"When—when…" he trailed off. "When do you think I should ask Lady Talysa to go on a walk with me?"
I thought for a moment. This was a surprise, yes, but not that much of one, considering he could have had anyone to dance with last night, and he chose Talysa.
"I have tea with her this afternoon," I said, "I'm leaving earlier than usual. I could ask her then."
"Would you?" If he had been a normal person, with normal facial expressions, I would have said that his tone was pleading. As it was…
I laughed aloud. The absurdity of the situation had finally struck me. My tutor was asking me about how to, well, flirt with one of my friends.
"How about if I invite her to a picnic with me?" I suggested, "And mention that maybe I'd invite someone else. Not one of the group, but someone else. Then you can come, and I can go, and then wander off a bit, looking for flowers or something, and come back after an hour or so, to make sure that you're getting along?"
"Would you?" Again, his face and tone sounded as if he were enquiring about the weather.
"Sure," I said, "but only if I am excused early from studies once in awhile."
He glanced at me, as if he knew that the main reason I was agreeing was to get out of lessons.
In the end, I was allowed to leave lessons early. I had a tea party to go to, and, I grinned evilly (hee, hee) matchmaking to do.
This might seem odd to you, a stranger, reading these documents, I suppose. You may wonder, why would she care? All she cares about is art! If you're thinking this, than you are dreadfully wrong.
What I said was that I would rather embroider or paint, than do anything else. Especially if that 'anything else' means running a country. I mean, people are expecting one person to rule over them, and know what do? We aren't all that gifted!
Tea was lovely. Nicola took center-stage, as Nicola always does, and decided that we should begin our "days in each other's shoes" tomorrow. Naturally, we were starting with her. Horseracing and waving swords would be the death of me. Maybe there was a way to retreat?
Melody came to the rescue. "I'm afraid that I can't, Nicola," she said, "I will be returning to my estates tomorrow—I have some things to take care of."
"Of course," Nicola said, "Of course we shall postpone it."
Melody excused herself only a couple minutes later—she had to pack. Nicola followed after her because she wanted to catch a horserace before supper, and Aislinna soon developed a mysterious headache and left—to do you-don't-want-to-know-what.
That left Talysa and me.
"Would you like to go on a picnic tomorrow?" I asked, "Just you and me, and maybe another friend?"
"Nicola or Aislinna?"
"No… I wasn't really thinking of them," I replied.
Talysa thought for the barest of moments. "I'd love to," she said.
As she got up to leave, about an hour later, something else occurred to me.
"Oh, and Talysa?"
"Yes?" She asked, turning from the doorway.
"Wear something pretty," I said.
Talysa raised an eyebrow. "Why—
"Don't ask." I grinned, "I'm not telling.
Although Talysa put on a confused face, I had the feeling that she knew exactly what I was up to.
I informed Shevraeth the next day at our lesson that we would be going on a picnic with Talysa. By we, of course, I meant "him". Lessons were ended earlier than usual, and although he said nothing as he strolled from the room, I contented myself with imagining him rushing off muttering, 'whatever-was-he-going-to-wear-?'
I remained at the picnic for about three minutes total. After making sure that they were getting along, I left. I decided to use the time to embroider.
Talysa and Shevraeth met every day for picnicking. I was rather bemused. They were young, and in love. Or whatever the court scribes liked to say.
I was progressing in my lessons. I could read and write (fluently) three different languages, as well as work figures. I knew the history of Remalna, as well as all of our neighboring countries. This, I suppose was wonderful.
Unfortunately for my parents, my country, and my tutor, when we began lessons on how to actually rule a country, I failed miserably. I couldn't understand how taxes worked, let alone the appropriate times to level one. I disliked learning about foreign delegates, other countries, and how to rule over Court. There was no getting around it: I simply did not want to rule.
I had, of course, said this from the beginning. I think that my parents were still hoping for a miracle. A desperately needed miracle.
They spent months trying to teach me how to rule. Or, to be honest, trying to get me interested in ruling. It might seem spoiled and priggish, but I didn't want to rule.
I didn't want to spend the rest of my life deciding the lives of thousands of people. I just didn't want that responsibility. I would be in charge of everyone's life: from the smallest scullery maid or stable boy, to the noblest courtier. I didn't want that.
After that, I think that my parents decided that I simply needed to marry the right kind of Prince.
After several months of searching, my parents decided to leave Remalna for a few months. They were going to go 'Prince-hunting', as well as get out of Remalna, to give me a taste of ruling, and to simply get away.
I managed for the first week on my own.
Disaster struck.
One thing after another, impossibly annoying things that seemed to test my abilities of ruling. First, a tree fell.
A tree fell. That doesn't sound disastrous, does it? Let me fill you in:
In Remalna, the Great Northern Road is the most traveled road. The Great Northern Road extends from Southern Remalna, to the North. Anybody who is traveling, or shipping products by wagonload uses the Great Northern Road. You might go so far to say that it's the center of our country's economy.
Of course, the tree (wide enough that five people holding hands couldn't reach around) simply had to fall in the busiest part of the Great Northern Road—directly before Celeth, business city of Remalna. It took days and days of hard work to move the tree.
I had to personally oversee the removal of the tree. During the eleven-day course, I received over a thousand complaints.
Next, a huge storm disrupted harvest in Eastern Remalna. The farmers yelled for help, and the petitioners didn't stop coming for over a month after the problem was resolved.
Finally, an assassin managed to worm its way into the palace. Dressed as a stable boy, assigned to take away my horse (after I had returned from visiting the farmers) attempted to knife me in the back.
And was very nearly successful.