The Princess And The Stones
Prologue
"I hear he passed away of a broken heart. It's understandable. I personally could never comprehend his pain after the loss of Queen Illeira and the child." An elven dressmaker said to her client, as she carefully placed pins along the hemline of the elaborate gown. She, like the entire kingdom of Karelena City, and even the entire country, was both mourning the loss of the beloved king, as well as spreading gossip about his tragic death.
The client shook her head and admired her own reflection in the mirror. "I've heard... Other things."
"Bat your wings. I need to make sure the dress won't bunch." The dressmaker said, pressing pins between her lips. She carefully finished pinning before returning to the conversation. "Now, what do you mean by 'other things?'"
"I've heard whispering of his interest in the crystal ruins." She said. "He must have been going batty with grief. Everyone knows the stones are mere myth." The client scoffed.
The seamstress stood up to admire her work. "Now Ms. Estella, let's not be judgmental. Neither you nor I have any idea what really happened."
Estella sighed, and moved behind the curtain to change back into her own clothes. "I suppose you're right, Moraca. Now, who is going to reign now, anyway?"
Moraca stopped to think for a moment. "The king's cousin, to my knowledge. Him and his new bride. He's the son of King Orire of the small kingdom on the countries edge, Halatia. How a kingdom prince can instantly learn to rule an entire country is beyond my understanding. As for his wife, well I'm not exactly sure who she is though."
“That Isabella-Maris girl, isn't it? Isn't she barely twelve years old?" Estella asked. "A mere child she is, she can't be queen."
Moraca shook her head. "Three years she's been a adult, Ms. Estella. Nineteen is a good enough age to be queen, under these circumstances, anyway. Besides, her husbands old enough to be a mature king. Nearing twenty-five I believe."
"Still too young for my taste. Aren't they already expecting their heir?"
Moraca nodded, as she carefully lay the unfinished gown on her work table. "I believe so. I also hear that they've promised him to be the groom of Miss Talia Thormas."
Estella sighed, rather disappointed. "Poor thing, barely a year old and already she has a fiancé."
"Poor her? Think of her fiancé, he isn't even born yet." Moraca said, turning to look at the nearby cradle that held her son. "I couldn't even imagine doing such a thing to my own son."
Estella nodded in agreement. "Well, the fairies do things much different than you elven folk do."
"You're one of those fairies Estella, don't think they are any different. It isn't a race specifically, it's the nobles, all of them. They have the strangest way of living, don't they? Sometimes, I doubt it's the best way to live." Moraca said. She wasn't speaking directly to Estella, but actually was thinking aloud.
"You'd best be careful who you say that to Moraca, those nobles might demand your head for such insults." Estella warned.
Moraca breezily waved away the idea. "Aye, I know. Now, I'll see you tomorrow, once I finish the alterations."
"Alright, first thing tomorrow. Good bye Moraca."
**************************************
Twelve years had come and gone since Reir, the new king, and his wife had taken over the kingdom of Karelena. They lead the country and it's thirteen small kingdoms just as well as their cousin had before them. Only one problem occurred during these twelve years, but unfortunately, this problem sparked many more. It all begun with the birth of their first child.
A girl.
Not just any sort of girl either. This girl was strong headed, stubborn and rebellious, and thought little of the royal families traditional ways of arranged marriages and formalities. This girl's name was Esmaeiria, and it is with her that our story begins.
The client shook her head and admired her own reflection in the mirror. "I've heard... Other things."
"Bat your wings. I need to make sure the dress won't bunch." The dressmaker said, pressing pins between her lips. She carefully finished pinning before returning to the conversation. "Now, what do you mean by 'other things?'"
"I've heard whispering of his interest in the crystal ruins." She said. "He must have been going batty with grief. Everyone knows the stones are mere myth." The client scoffed.
The seamstress stood up to admire her work. "Now Ms. Estella, let's not be judgmental. Neither you nor I have any idea what really happened."
Estella sighed, and moved behind the curtain to change back into her own clothes. "I suppose you're right, Moraca. Now, who is going to reign now, anyway?"
Moraca stopped to think for a moment. "The king's cousin, to my knowledge. Him and his new bride. He's the son of King Orire of the small kingdom on the countries edge, Halatia. How a kingdom prince can instantly learn to rule an entire country is beyond my understanding. As for his wife, well I'm not exactly sure who she is though."
“That Isabella-Maris girl, isn't it? Isn't she barely twelve years old?" Estella asked. "A mere child she is, she can't be queen."
Moraca shook her head. "Three years she's been a adult, Ms. Estella. Nineteen is a good enough age to be queen, under these circumstances, anyway. Besides, her husbands old enough to be a mature king. Nearing twenty-five I believe."
"Still too young for my taste. Aren't they already expecting their heir?"
Moraca nodded, as she carefully lay the unfinished gown on her work table. "I believe so. I also hear that they've promised him to be the groom of Miss Talia Thormas."
Estella sighed, rather disappointed. "Poor thing, barely a year old and already she has a fiancé."
"Poor her? Think of her fiancé, he isn't even born yet." Moraca said, turning to look at the nearby cradle that held her son. "I couldn't even imagine doing such a thing to my own son."
Estella nodded in agreement. "Well, the fairies do things much different than you elven folk do."
"You're one of those fairies Estella, don't think they are any different. It isn't a race specifically, it's the nobles, all of them. They have the strangest way of living, don't they? Sometimes, I doubt it's the best way to live." Moraca said. She wasn't speaking directly to Estella, but actually was thinking aloud.
"You'd best be careful who you say that to Moraca, those nobles might demand your head for such insults." Estella warned.
Moraca breezily waved away the idea. "Aye, I know. Now, I'll see you tomorrow, once I finish the alterations."
"Alright, first thing tomorrow. Good bye Moraca."
**************************************
Twelve years had come and gone since Reir, the new king, and his wife had taken over the kingdom of Karelena. They lead the country and it's thirteen small kingdoms just as well as their cousin had before them. Only one problem occurred during these twelve years, but unfortunately, this problem sparked many more. It all begun with the birth of their first child.
A girl.
Not just any sort of girl either. This girl was strong headed, stubborn and rebellious, and thought little of the royal families traditional ways of arranged marriages and formalities. This girl's name was Esmaeiria, and it is with her that our story begins.