Chapter 1: Mundane

"The butterfly floats above the beautiful flower even before it has bloomed"

An elf readied himself to fire an arrow to kill a minotaur. The iron part of the arrow reflected the sun when the string from the bow was stretched. We can almost hear the arrow travelling towards the creature. The creature fell down upon contact with the pointed part, spreading blood on the ground. The elf went closer to the minotaur and flashed a smile.

Behind the elf was the training grounds where Princess Selene and Carlos, the celestial knight slash her training partner, were training. Queen Serenity, the queen of Furia, stood on the side, giving out side-comments of how Selene should fight.

"Selene. A true princess fights with beauty, elegance and strength. Maintain your poise as what a princess should do," The queen said.

On the Queen's left, stood Leila, floating in mid air. She was the right hand of the queen. You could easily spot her because of her blindfold. Breyan, the wizard and Selene's best friend and brother, cheered from afar on the Queen's right side.

"YEAH. WOOOOHHHHH. GO SELENE WOOOHHH. YEAHH," he said jumping up and down.

Leila, with her gentle gesture, swayed her hands in mid air.

She reminded the Queen about how everything takes time without looking at her, "My Queen, be patient. Selene has a long way to go."

The queen just looked at her and then looked back at the training.

Carlos, being a skilled warrior, still wasn't fully tired. Selene, on the other hand, was starting to get frustrated and tired at the same time. Stamina has always been Selene's enemy.

Selene shapeshifted into small critters to hopefully defeat Carlos. Selene's power wasn't fully developed. The queen knows about Selene's limited power but she still keeps on pressuring her. It would be Selene's dream to defeat Carlos and for her mother to be proud of her.

"Hmm. Pity. The daughter of the legendary queen is being defeated by a knight,"Carlos snickered and boasted in front of her.

That made Selene furious. Adrenaline kicked in quickly. She transformed as a rat so she can get close to Carlos without getting stopped.

"Selene. Why a rat? A princess does not choose such a dirty creature. Why not a hamster? Or a squirrel? Or maybe a chipmunk?"

She transformed into a squirrel midway to fulfill the Queen's wishes.

She transformed into a human form and punched Carlos when she got close to him. He was caught off guard so she successfully punched him.

"Peachy. Giving remarks when he himself can be caught off-guard," She teased him for a bit. She had this sneaky grin on her mouth. Pride was plastered in her face.

"Selene, you could have punched him harder," The queen threw another remark at her. Her smile disappeared while Carlos' own smile appeared.

"Hmm. Successfully punching me yet the queen is not impressed. Pathetic." Carlos looked down on her. She was shocked. She was insulted. Carlos grabbed her leg and took advantage of her being caught off-guard. She fell down immediately was pinned to the ground.

"Let me go. LET ME GO!" She screamed. She was squirming to get out of Carlos' grasp. He didn't let her go. He was too competitive. He couldn't just lose to a mere girl.

Leila called the training off.

Selene looked at her mom. The queen showed no emotion but disappointment was still visible.

Carlos stood up and offered a hand for Selene. She slapped his hand away and stood up alone. She looked at her mother's back who was going back to the palace. Selene walked away because she had disappointed her mother again.

-•-

"My queen, Selene has potential," Leila suddenly spoke.

She was walking with the queen and Breyan. They were going to the dining room to have lunch and talk about the coming event.

"Yeah. Mom," Breyan joined in.

Breyan calls the queen 'mom' since she practically adopted him when his father and mentor, Alexander died.

Alexander was a good man, until 'that' happened.

The queen sighed. She turned to him and held Breyan's cheek.

"Breyan, darling, she's the next heir of the kingdom. I can't just let her be weak," Serenity said. The queen was soft. Selene didn't know that. She was always caring for her. She wasn't even disappointed at her. She's just disappointed at herself because she couldn't make Selene strong enough.

"Hmm, my queen, I see your point. But pressuring her isn't the right way," She turned to Leila.The queen didn't respond. She was thinking of being more hard on her. I mean, she couldn't just let her feel loved without going through rough times.

Leila laughed a little. She could read minds thus, reading the queen's mind. She doesn't turn to who she's speaking. She's always looking straight. You're special if she turns her head to you.

"That's the most absurd way my queen. I guess this is what you call 'Tough Love' "

Breyan pretended that he understood what they were discussing. He just nodded his head multiple times.

"Yeah!"

The queen turned her head, not looking at any of the two. She still did not respond. She thought that it was the only way.

"My queen, there are other ways, you know. You could always try to show appreciation." Breyan still did not understand and wondered why Leila was talking to herself. He thought that she was crazy because both ladies are not maintaining eye contact.

The queen was as always silent and Leila continued talking to herself. Breyan was bored since he thought that they have their own worlds. He looked at the ground to observe the ant that was on the carpet and followed it until his eyes landed on Leila's dress. Particularly the hem. It was flowing without the wind.

He swayed his hand under her dress to feel if there was a breeze. He laughed at his own doing.

Leila was still talking but still used her magic to send Breyan flying away to stop him from bothering her. She was a little bit annoyed.

The queen was about to say something when a servant came.

"My queen. The king is requesting for your presence"

The queen nodded and looked at Leila one more time. She then followed the servant with a stern face.

Leila was left there. She was humming something. Breyan came to her side, still dizzy and asked.

"Miss L..." That's what he calls her. He said that it was the cool way of calling her so she didn't mind.

"....pH care?" He continued. Leila showed no emotion but still used her magic to send Breyan flying again.

-•-

Selene was reading a book in the castle's library. She was so hung up with the story until she finished the story in an hour.

She wanted to borrow the book but she wanted the complete series. Unfortunately, the second book was on the top shelf. Who reads a book with a cliffhanger?

She walked to where the book was and looked up. It was so high up since the palace library was 30 feet tall. She went to fix the ladder to reach the book. She wondered why it was so high up.

She climbed up the ladder even though she was afraid of heights. But for her, nothing can stop her from reading her book. Nothing. Even her own fears.

She was on the 7th step when the image of Carlos' face. She thought why she was thinking about him and slipped.

She was ready to fall when she was caught by someone. She opened her eyes and saw the man that she was thinking about a while ago. It was none other than Carlos, in the flesh. Well, he showed up out of nowhere.

She was embarrassed because his face was so close. Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid that he might feel it. She punched him and that made Carlos stumble and hit the shelves. The books almost fell over them but another certain someone appeared and levitated the books. It was her cheeky brother, Breyan. He thought that "something" had happened and smiled smugly.

"Hehe. Am I interrupting something?" he mischievously smiled and gave out a smug face

"NO!" They both shouted. Talk about being defensive.

"Really? Hehe." His smile grew bigger and bigger.

"Yes, I was just here to pick up a book for myself and this happened," Carlos said.

"Sure. Im not gonna listen to excuses. By the way Selene, Miss L wants to see you. She's by the garden," said the annoying brother of her.

Selene was blushing for an unknown reason and just looked at the ground then rushed to the garden.

The two were left in the library.

"Did you kiss her?"

"No," Carlos said that with coldness. He just picked up the books that fell. Breyan refrained from laughing. He can't erase the scene about what he saw. He just helped Carlos pick up the books.

"So..." Breyan trailed off.

Carlos didn't even glance at him. He just continued picking up the books.

"...How did you feel?" Breyan said this while jumping up and down with sparkling eyes.

Carlos was silent. Well, his mind wasn't. As if he's not human that he cant feel anything. Note the sarcasm. Several things are flying in his mind right now.

Carlos stood up. He picked up two books. Two on each hand. On the right, he held his book. He looked at his left hand. "Mudpies for Pigs". It was the title of the book. Perfect. He went to Breyan. He hit him with the book on his left on the head. Of course Breyan fell down.

"Owwww" He was teary-eyed for a second there. He thought why he was always the one getting beaten up up.

Carlos tossed the book on Breyan's stomach. He went to the door carrying the other book

"Use your levitation powers dimwit." He exited with that as his last words.

"Huh? Dimwit?" He scratched his head cause he was confused but forgot that he had a bump in the head. "Owwwww, stupid hand"

-•-

"Fuck. What was I thinking?"

Carlos face-palmed himself using his right hand.

The book was on his right hand. Since he face-palmed with his right hand, he hit his face with the book. Since he was not actually numb of course he got hurt, making the book fall. Talk about stupidity.

Well, that was another embarrassment that he had done infront of her. Tsk.

He noticed that he got the wrong book when he looked down.

"Tsk. Stupid"

He walked to the other hallway to get back to the library but stopped midway when he heard a voice.

"Selene. Stop thinking about what happened" She wrote a memo in her head. Well that was the 2nd embarrassment today. And worse, infront of him.

She was consumed to scolding herself when she didn't notice the uneven part of the carpet making her trip. Luckily, she held the vase by the nearby table. She sighed in relief. But the vase was not glued to the table so she fell down with the vase having it in a broken state. Tsk another stupidity and all in one day.

"Look. Is that how a princess should act?"

"Oh my gosh, Brittany"

"Well, you were thinking it."

"Well you said it. Anyway I have like the capabilities of being a princess than her if you ask me"

"Oh no you did-nt. I have the capabilities"

Tsk. Lowly servants, she thought. She tidied her clothes and walked by the garden.

Carlos hid himself by the corner and wondered why she didn't even scold them when she has the power to do so

-•-

Leila was by the flowers when Selene arrived. Selene quietly went to her side when Leila spoke.

"It's a good day, isn't it?"

Selene was quiet. She was too preoccupied that she even wondered if she can see her eyes. She's been this curious since she was a kid.

"Follow me, child."

They went to the Queen's tent on the training grounds.

They both entered it.

Upon entering, Leila spoke.

"You see child, you are like a flower during spring. The massive heat of Summer, the raging wind of Autumn and the cold atmosphere of Winter will never stop the flower in growing. You are like the flower and your mother's words are the heat, wind and coldness. These things will help the flower grow. Do you understand me child?"

"Well, sort of" she understood it a little bit.

"The butterfly floats above the beautiful flower even before it has bloomed"

Leila spoke that with her eyes closed, summoning flower petals. Selene was confused of some sort. She looked at her face and a thought came.

"Mistress. Why is it forbidden to see your eyes?"

Leila didn't respond. She gave her a sad smile.

"Child, do you trust me?"

Selene bit her lip. She was hesitant of course.

"Hmm. I understand. I can't tell you if you dont trust me."

She missed her chance damn it.

Leila hummed a melody.

"Child, do you see this bird?"

On Leila's hand, a baby bird laid. It was close to dying.

"I found her almost dying by the garden. Her mom was trying to teach her from flying when her mother was shot by the hunter."

"WHAT?! Mistress, please let me take care of her"

"No child, she wont learn how to fly if you take care of her. I will heal her. For now, take her to a high tree, that way she'll learn how to fly"

"But... that's cruel."

Leila was about to speak when a servant came in and informed her that the king would like to speak with her.

"Madam, the king and queen would like to speak with you about an event the day after tomorrow"

"Hmm. Tell them I'm coming to the palace after dawn. Selene you see..."

"Excuse me madam, they said it's urgent"

The servant left.

"Hmm is that so? Selene, child, remember everything I taught you. See yourself as the bird"

Leila left the training ground. Selene stood alone in the tent when a hand grasped her shoulder and covered her mouth.