The children were beginning to be called into their homes and the esteemed farmers took in their animals and finished attending to their crops. The land was peppered with lights that came from each house as families began to pray to the gods and share a warm dinner amongst one another. After dinner, some of the people would exit their homes and socialise with their neighbours, the adults asking each other about their day, the teenagers either catching up or avoiding one another, and the children playing a few games before they retreated to their beds and dreamt away. Sheep would bleat every couple of minutes inside their pens which eventually halted as the moon rose.
Hjalfadargin was a small yet recognised kingdom filled with families, farmers, animals and the royal family whose castle sat atop the island. One would expect the royal family to be inhabited by a beloved king with his queen and their children, the princes and princesses which the younger civilians wish to be wedded to. Though this was not the case in Hjalfadargin. King Andor and Queen Seula disappeared, supposedly died eleven years ago, leaving the king's sister, Gerda in charge. Gerda Bager was the younger sister of Andor who married a nobleman turned duke, Jorn Bager and wished to be ruler of Hjalfadargin. Gerda has yet to be granted the title of queen though as Andor and Seula left behind their only daughter, Eulianna Ljungbergsen, the princess and rightful heir to the Hjalfadargin throne. But due to the laws and traditions of Hjalfadargin, the princess cannot be recognised as queen and rule the kingdom until she is sixteen. The kingdom has recognised Gerda and Eulianna as equal rulers, however, the princess is the least bit interested in her royal duties but still holds an upper hand in any decisions if she ever decided to step in to make one.
"Only ten more months," Ilda Ivarsson, daughter of a merchant spoke as she weaved a stem into another and secured it around the other flower. She rested against the tree "Do you think you can do it by then?" She weaved another flower into the crown she was crafting with her nimble fingers.
A sigh escaped the princess's lips as she pushed herself off Ilda's lap, making her own crown of flowers with a skill that was nowhere near comparable to Ilda's craftsmanship. "Rule an entire kingdom and be bestowed an endless list of responsibilities? And also possibly be wedded off to a prissy prince from another kingdom just so we gain allies?" Eulianna questioned, eyes boring into Ilda's dark eyes. "Bring it on. Can't be that hard," she snorted before ripping a flower from the soil and weaving it into her crown.
"Shouldn't be." Ilda picked up a stick close by. "All you gotta do is just wave the royal sceptre around and lounge around in that throne," Ilda joked as she swung the stick around before throwing it over the fence into her neighbour's garden.
"Maybe I could banish my aunt from the castle. I wouldn't mind waiting ten months for that," Eulianna laughed as she finished her crown and placed it on her friend's head. "She's too much. You know yesterday she scolded me for 'shortening my words because a real princess speaks properly and without any contractions!' Like seriously! I'm just trying to get my words out quicker."
Ilda scrunched her face up in disbelief and adjusted the wreath of flowers on her head. "Do noblemen do that?"
"Beats me," Eulianna lied her head back onto Ilda's lap and sighed deeply. "Why? You scared Rorik is gonna break up with you because you speak 'improper'?" Eulianna asked, using air quotes with the word 'improper'. Ilda immediately covered Eulianna's mouth with her hand.
"Be quiet! My parents still don't know!" Ilda hissed as she looked into the lit window of her parent's room. Eulianna's eyebrows flashed and mouth twisted downwards. Ilda Ivarsson's boyfriend was Rorik Hjolme, a teenager who was heading in his young adult stages. The son of the nobleman, Boden Hjolme who was well recognised as they've made significant contributions to the economy of the kingdom and because of that, they've been well acquaintanced with the royal family.
Eulianna reassured, "I'm sure they'll understand. Rorik's mother is super understanding. I think. And Lord Boden, well, he's gonna be the one who'll cause a fuss."
"Of course that's easy for you to say," Ilda replied. "You're the princess, you could be with whoever you want and get away with it."
"Not true."
"Very true! Do you forget your own parent's story?" Ilda reminded her. "The prince falling in love with the peasant girl from the Nirhong and changing the history of this kingdom!"
"Okay, I wouldn't say they changed history," Eulianna said, thinking Ilda was overexaggerating.
"That's where you're wrong. You're mother, our queen became a symbol for us Hjalfadargs who came from Nirhong or of Nirhong heritage. A symbol that we will no longer be treated like scum and that we have someone to speak out for us and show that we are equals to Hjalfadargs. That we too are Hjalfadargs," Ilda exclaimed enthusiastically. Eulianna rose again from her position. "And even you are a symbol of that! The love between people of two races is stronger than the hateful words of the ignorant people who strongly believe we should only marry within our own race. Now there are more mixed children on Hjalfadarg. Not that there wasn't any before you. Isn't one of the guards half Nirhongan as well? But people were not afraid to love who they wanted to love, because if their rulers could, so could they. And now the queen is gone… Sorry, I shouldn't have said that last bit."
This wasn't the first time Ilda spoke about this to the princess. "No...," Eulianna said. "I guess I lost sight of who I was since…" She trailed off before continuing her next sentence. "But you're right, Ilda. Everyone who lives in this kingdom, this island is Hjalfadarg no matter what they look like. I didn't mean to sound so ignorant."
Being partially raised by parents of two different races allowed the princess to live her first seven years of her life, experiencing a childhood of a Hjalfadarg child and a Nirhongan child. She often forgot she was privileged to be a royal of Nirhongan descent, especially when some of the kingdom still despise those from Nirhong. When Eulianna was born, the kingdom was divided. Most of the kingdom showed their full support of the princess and that "we'll show our loyalty to the princess regardless of her heritage", whereas there was still that handful of people who believed Eulianna tainted the royal bloodline. Her own aunt was part of the latter.
"It's okay. I know you got your own hardships, Euli," Ilda took Eulianna's hand into her own and patted it. Eulianna looked at Ilda and was reminded of her own mother as they shared the characteristics of dark hair, dark eyes of a Nirhongan. Eulianna never viewed herself as a multiracial child, just simply a Hjalfadarg who happened to look a bit different from the standard pale skin, light eyes and light hair colour of the "traditional Hjalfadarg" as her aunt would say.
"If anything, I guess my parents are evidence that you and Rorik could last?" Eulianna weakly offered.
Ilda gave a tight lip smile as her cheeks started to get warm, "He's said I'm the girl he wants to marry."
"Slow down there, you're still young."
"And I've never been so sure of something. Especially something like this."
"You haven't got his parents' approval yet, plus you haven't told your parents yet!"
"I'm definitely in love with him."
"Lovely," Eulianna said monotonously. "But consider this… Waiting until you're older."
"Must you be so negative, Euli?" Ilda stressed, clearly exasperated and crossed her arms.
"Not negative. Just realistic."
Ilda released an angry puff of air from her nostrils. "Just wait until we get married."
"Trust me, I am. I'll be at the front of the crowd crying tears of joy!" Eulianna exclaimed sarcastically, which gained a frown from Ilda. "But really, I'll be happy for you whoever you marry just as long as you both love one another and they treat you right." Eulianna put her arms on Ilda's shoulders and squeezed them while giving her a small smile. Ilda tittered and hugged Eulianna.
Ilda looked up to see the moon had risen higher. "It's getting late," Ilda noted and stood up from the grass, placing the much neater flower crown on the princess's brown head. Ilda held her hand out to which Eulianna took and pulled her up. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Hopefully. My aunt's been trying to convince me to meet a prince from the north. A so-called potential husband," Eulianna scoffed and rolled her eyes. She draped the hooded cape on her frame and pulled the hood onto her head. "If I don't come tomorrow, you'll know I'm being prepped for my engagement ceremony," Eulianna laughed, though deep down inside it's possible.
"I'll be at the front of the crowd when it happens!" Ilda put her hands on her hips.
"You better be crying tears of joy!"
"I couldn't imagine myself doing anything else," Ilda gave a departing hug and the two girls bid each other goodbye.
Eulianna exited via the back gate of Ilda's small home, scruffing the head of the Ivarsson's watchdog. It was common for residents to have their own watchdogs. Large watch dogs curled near the doors of their owner's homes and would perk up every time someone walked by. They barked as suspicious individuals walked by sometimes even moving from their default positions to chase or intimidate those individuals. Everyone knew the tale of the team of five thieves being attacked by two watch dogs of a noble family and since then crime rates have decreased. Obtaining a watchdog was easy. As Sveinn, the kingdom's infamous fisherman said, "Just pick up a stray, feed it some meat and train it!" The kingdom guards slacked off when they realised perpetrators feared a sleeping dog more than a guard. The sheep too had their own watch dogs, especially after the first raid eight years ago, two years after the disappearance of the King and Queen.
Hjalfadargin was being bombed by streaks of fire from the midnight sky. Half of the island's sheep, dogs and other farm animals were mysteriously lifted off the ground. No watchdog could've effectively protected their family or the farm animal. Total of fifteen human casualties and almost all the livestock were gone.
The raid lasted only an hour. Just enough time to do enough damage, including the burn on the princess's shoulder. Eulianna claimed a reptilian creature harmed her, but no one really believed the six year old. "She's just an imaginative child. She got it from her father," Duchess Gerda said. It doesn't help the guard who saved her passed away shortly after saving her so his side of the story couldn't be heard.
Eulianna knew better though. She remembered the bright eyes and slitted pupils staring her down behind the tall grass, which she escaped to alone as the castle grounds were being blasted. She remembered the growl and shriek of the creature. She remembered the claws scratching the earthy soil as it stalked towards her, growing more and more curious at the human. The princess pulled a flower from the soil near her and waved it in front of its nose. The creature sniffed the flower and the young princess and the princess herself was getting a better look at the animal before her, its pupils beginning to dilate. She tickled the nose of the dragon with flower in her hand. The moment was interrupted as the creature flew into the air as a royal guard found the young princess and shot an arrow at it. It shot into the air, not without leaving its mark on the princess's body. The princess would've died if not for the guard's quick reflexes. But his reflexes weren't quick enough for the blast to graze past the child's body and smolder her shoulder for a short moment.
The second raid happened two years after the first one. Lasted quicker, yet still the same damage. The civilians of Hjalfadargin believed it to be pirates who managed to launch themselves from the sky from their tall ships. Eulianna couldn't confirm whether or not it was dragons that time around as she was locked in her room when it happened. Her curtains were held down by the palace maids in order to not scare the princess any further. One of the nursemaids, Maudie left Hjalfadargin after the third raid, as her nervous heart couldn't handle the raids and she went to attend a kingdom east of Hjalfadargin which had their own young princess but apparently they had wild bears over there. The raids occurred inconsistently and they were lucky to say Hjalfadargin hasn't been attacked in two years.
Eulianna never brought the incident or her burn back up since no one believed her, but it was fine.
Eulianna had great suspicions about what it was.
A dragon.
Hjalfadargin only knew dragons as a piece of mythology. One to entertain both adults and children, a great vehicle in storytelling. Unruly beasts that acted as the villain's pet or the villain themselves.
Eulianna had evidence it was a dragon who attacked her. When she was carried away by the royal guard who saved her, she picked up a scale. The small scale interested her so much she asked the palace's jeweller to trim it in gold and add a chain to it. The single scale transformed into the princess's personal jewellery which was long enough to tuck under the bodice of her dresses. It was a sign to Eulianna that if she can survive a burn from a dragon, she could do anything. She does admit it's the slightest bit corny, but who dared to question the princess. They just went along with her 'shenanigans' and entertained her.
The princess maintained her slouched posture as she walked the path back to the castle. Of course, she didn't enter through the front. She was meant to be in the castle hours ago as her aunt set a curfew. There was no severe punishment for breaking curfew, just an earful from Gerda which was always annoying to the princess. Gerda would go on about how she wasn't raised this way, or how she's not upholding the responsibilities of a princess, one time she even blamed Queen Seula for Eulianna's behaviour which did not end well for Gerda. Gerda's bruise on her face lasted for a week and served as a reminder to not badmouth the queen in front of the princess.
The bricked castle was surrounded by tall hedges followed by a moat, covered in metal framed windows. The princess crept to the back to the castle, avoiding the guards like it was second nature to her. Eulianna fished out a tiny rowboat that hid amongst the reeds in the moat and used the single oar to row herself towards the castle, covering the rowboat in the reeds. The rowboat creaked as she stepped out of it which caused a guard to snap his neck to where Eulianna was. Eulianna was quick enough to lie flat on the ground, her dark cloak shielding her satin, orange dress and blending in with the grass. The guard squinted before turning back around. Euilanna released a breath of relief before pulling the door to the basement kitchen open and quietly shutting it.
Euilanna deemed herself safe until she spun around and saw the head maid, red in the face with her fists planted on her hips and her foot tapping at a concerningly quick tempo.
"Linnea!" Euilanna grinned and removed the hood of her head with the flower crown Ilda made for her falling back into it.
"No, don't try to sweet talk your way out of this!" Linnea fumed. "Princess, you can't keep going out late at night and break curfew! I'm losing years of my life making sure the duchess doesn't find out!" Linnea shook her finger at the princess before reaching to unclasp the cape from Eulianna. "I'm happy you're hanging out with people your age but gods, there are only so many rooms in this castle. I can't keep saying you're in the library reading up on those mythological stories or in the courtyard sketching away. She hates the fact you spend your time sketching, you know? She says it's not part of your duties."
Eulianna has been scolded by Linnea multiple times for breaking curfew so she wasn't affected by Linnea's rant. "And what are my duties? Making sure my corset is secured tightly when I meet with princes from other kingdoms? Waiting to be whisked away from my own kingdom to be queen of another kingdom just so she has a reason to be queen of Hjalfadargin?" Eulianna retorted.
Linnea pursed her lips and sighed. "Would you hate it if I said yes?"
"Honestly, yes. But we both know it's the truth," Eulianna shook her head and looked to the ground. "I'm sorry for worrying you, Linnea. You don't have to stay up and wait for me anymore. I'll take responsibility if I'm ever caught by my aunt."
Linnea took the princess's face in her hands and patted her cheek. "You know I physically cannot do that. It's my duty to make sure you are taken care of." Eulianna took Linnea's hands and held them.
"Thank you, Linnea," Eulianna squeezed the maid's hands.
"I know," the older lady laughed. "And I can't always be waiting for you to come back! I've got your great-grandfather to take care of too!" Eulianna's maternal great-grandfather lived in the castle and rarely left his room. He was too weak to walk by himself and had dementia. Food was brought to him and he was given his medicine daily. Eulianna had to frequently reintroduce herself to him until he could remember he was her granddaughter.
Eulianna's great-grandfather was the only member left of her mother's family living on Hjalfadargin. Her great-grandfather's wife passed away years ago before he migrated to Hjalfadargin and Seula's own parents passed away. Seula's father passed away from an illness and her mother committed suicide after hearing about it, leaving Seula the oldest of her siblings to fend for themselves. Seula's siblings no longer live on Hjalfadargin as some of them started their own families and either moved back to Nirhong or to a different country.
Eulianna was sure her great-grandfather had forgotten about his granddaughter and his grandson-in-law. Eulianna's mother was the only one her great-grandfather truly remembered, but considering he hasn't seen her in years his memories were deteriorating. Gerda rarely spoke to the old man, she might've only spoken to him three times in her whole lifetime. She didn't find her expression of disgust every time she heard a maid mention they had to tend to him. Every since Eulianna's parents disappeared, Gerda had considered throwing the elder out but Jorn had convinced her to let him stay as he wouldn't get in her way.
Linnea was more of a mother figure to Eulianna than Gerda ever was. Eulianna never once cried into the shoulder of Gerda. She never tried to show her vulnerable side to the duchess and wanted to keep a strong front to show she can withstand Gerda's horrible words. Eulianna was comfortable showing her emotional side to Linnea and knew she could confide in her for almost everything. Eulianna's friends in the castles were Linnea and a few of the other maids, the head cook who was from Nirhongan, the watchdogs and two of the newer guards. The other guards sided with Gerda as they've been loyal to her since they've been guarding the royal family before she married Jorn.
"Would you like some tea brought to your room?" Linnea offered as she folded the princess's cape.
"No, but thank you," Eulianna responded. "I think I'll just go to sleep. Are aunt and Jorn asleep?"
"Just about. Come on, I'll bring you up to your room."
Eulianna linked arms with Linnea as they walked to the princess's chambers where Linnea helped Eulianna change out of her dress and into her nightgown and tucked into the bed, blowing out the candles before shutting her door.
—
"I know you were out last night," Gerda started a conversation at the table during breakfast. Eulianna munched her breakfast, not even showing Gerda the slightest bit of attention. "This was found in the kitchen." Gerda raised her hand from under the table to reveal the flower crown Ilda made Eulianna the previous night. Eulianna's eyes moved from her plate to the crown and she cursed under her breath. "What was that?" Gerda raised a thin brow.
"I didn't say anything. Your ears must be playing with you," Eulianna spoke up, shooting a fake smile to her aunt.
"Do you not remember what I said about contractions? And slouching at the table?" Gerda eyed Eulianna's posture. Jorn looked over at Eulianna and then to his wife, daring not to speak. Eulianna scoffed with a small smirk appearing at her lips as she looked up to the ceiling, shaking her head. "Excuse me?"
"Maybe I don't remember. And maybe I just have a bad back," Eulianna challenged. Her back was perfectly fine. "Doesn't it run in the family?" It didn't, but this caused Gerda to pull her shoulders back.
"You are hopeless," Gerda scowled before throwing the flower crown into the fireplace, across the room. It travelled quickly in the air and landed perfectly in the centre of the fire and it shrivelled up and turned into ashes. Eulianna would've said that was an impressive move if it wasn't her aunt who threw it.
Gerda changed the topic. "We are expecting the king and queen from Bielgsnia in a few days with their son, Prince Espen Dalgaard."
"That's so cool," Eulianna said, with no enthusiasm in her voice.
"He is a potential suitor and is looking for a queen. The maids will wake you early to help you prepare and look presentable to him."
"Of course." Prince Espen would be the third prince to visit Hjalfadargin to attempt to win the heart of Princess Eulianna.
"This is him," Gerda snapped her fingers and maid appeared behind Eulianna and placed a painting of the royal family from Bielgsnia to the right of Eulianna's plate. Eulianna's eyes flicked to the painting and she studied it. From the painting, Prince Espen looked rather handsome. A tall young man with light hair slicked back and light eyes staring back at Eulianna. His eyebrows were slightly furrowed making him appear as a serious and austere person. But Eulianna was not interested. The two previous princes were the same. Somewhat serious, yet doing their best in trying to impress the princess by listing their skills and achievements and promoting their kingdom, saying it was "one of the best, if not, the best in the world." Eulianna was predicting he would be just the same.
"Is he not a good contender for the princess, Jorn?" Gerda looked to her husband who was on his second serving of breakfast.
"Yes, he's- he is a fine young man," Jorn responded, despite not even seeing the painting yet. He knew just what to say and what not to say to his wife after being married for over twenty years.
"Correct. Be ready when they arrive, princess," Gerda said, looking back at the bored princess.
"Sure." Eulianna stood up from her seat. "I'll excuse myself. Thank you for the meal, Erland." Eulianna bowed her head curtly with her palms resting at her waist to the head cook, who returned it - a custom from Nirhong showing gratitude. "Could you please visit papa when you're free? I'm sure he would appreciate talking in Nirhogan with a native." Erland nodded. Eulianna herself wasn't fluent in Nirhogan but knew enough to hold a basic conversation. Her great-grandpa could converse in English too, but he was more comfortable in Nirhogan. The cook gave a warm smile as Eulianna walked out of the dining hall.
Gerda clenched her teeth, biting back her tongue. She refused to acknowledge any Nirhongan custom or tradition in the royal castle and hearing the princess mention her grandpa made her skin crawl. Looking at the princess's brown hair and eyes, and warmer skin was already an eyesore to Gerda. Looking at Eulianna always reminded Gerda of seeing Seula for the first time in the castle, holding onto her older brother's arm. Hearing her brother was going to marry a peasant, she was a bit hesitant but figured her brother made the right decision. But seeing her brother had fallen for a Nirhongan, she couldn't believe her brother would even dare mixing her in with the royal family. She could not wait to never see Eulianna's face again.
A/N:
This is a rewrite of a story I posted on here ages ago but the main character lacked so much that it was the story was done in 10 or so chapters. I changed the character's name, look and gave her more of a story. I'm not a good writer and this is all just for fun. This story will follow the plot of the first movie and I do plan on continuing to the second and third movie if I do not grow tired. Apologies in advance for writing anyone out of character :(