1 CHAPTER ONE

It's been three years since I left Astoria Kingdom. Yes, I was away at school...studying but today, I finally return home. I haven't heard from anyone except my best friend, Princess Halen and her brother, Prince Nathan from Axon Kingdom. I have also spoken to my mother but that's only a once in a while unlike thing Halen and Nathan who write to me every three days and it is from them that I learned father got himself a seventh wife.

I'm playing with the hem of my skirt besides Princess Rose Waters of Red Waters Kingdom. She might just be the only true friend I have at Knight Academy though she is eighteen and I'm yet to be seventeen in about two weeks.The journey to my Kingdom is a little too far so we're first headed to Red Water's Kingdom for the night.

"Rose."

"Yes, Aylin." she says turning to me. 'Asterin Aylin Spears' that's my name. Everyone calls me Aylin except for my mother. She calls me 'Asterin' meaning Star. She told me she names me this because I was like a her bright shining star. The brightest shining star in the sky and by sky she means Kingdom. I believe her but I also believe it's because of the birthmark on my neck shaped into a star.

"Aren't you even the littlest bit nervous?"

"Why I am, Aylin." she says smirking at me.

"Then how do you keep yourself so composed?" I ask her surprised.

"Aylin, there will be situations where you will have to hide those emotions. I am nervous but not like you...I can hear your heat beating all the way from where I am."

Oh right, Enhanced hearing. Another reason Rose is my friend is because she can relate to me.

I shut my eyes trying to listen to her heart and it's completely calm.

Like I said, Rose is from the Red Water Kingdom so all her magic has to do with water, she's a Water Attune while I am a Sun Attune but there are a few little tricks we can do that disobey our elements.

Suddenly, the carriage stops and four men Stan in front of it.

"Princess Aylin, Princess Rose, please stay-" the man guiding the carriage says but we're already out and changed into our fighting attire. All it takes is a thought of it and there it is. Rose is in her light ocean attire; long pants and a blouse hugging and framing her plus a jacket falling mid-thigh. Here, we don't do armor as unsafe as it sounds.

My attire is just like hers except for the fact that mine is deep red. Her hair following the color of her attire along with mine. We both whip out our sounds and that's how it all starts. The fight ends as fast as it began. The men lie lifeless on the ground sounded by a pool of their own blood. We both head back to the carriage covered in blood and slowly head off. We arrive the palace late at night. As soon as we're in, we spot two people pacing in the throne.

"Mother, Father!" Rose says from beside me snapping all the heads to us.

A gasp escapes a lady's lips as she moves towards us. It's Cindy, Prince Richard's wife. Her belly is big and round so I am assuming she's pregnant. I turn to Rose grinning. She glares at me knowing why. She used to make fun of me of being an aunt for the past two years but it now seems the Lord answered my prayers.

Cindy places a hand on my cheek pulling me out of my thoughts.

"What happened to the both of you, all this blood?" she asks clearing scared to hear the answer.

"We were attacked." Rose and I calmly say before bursting out laughing.

"Attacked? Why are you laughing then? This isn't funny at all. Are any of you hurt?" Rose's mother whom I refer to as Queen Regina asks.

"We're fine, my queen. The four of those men couldn't m-"

"Four?!" This time there it's the king, King Ronald Waters.

"Yes, your highness."

"Quit the formalities, Aylin. I'm like a father to you." Regina nods agreeing.

"Of course, uncle Ronald."

"The both of you get dressed and we'll talk at dinner."

I nod and a maid takes me up stairs to a room leaving Rose downstairs with her...family.

As soon as we head upstairs, she prepares for me a bathe.

"Jasmine, vanilla or lavender, my lady." she asks from the bathroom.

"Lavender and jasmine." As soon as she done, she leaves.

"I'll be back in ten." she says and leaves.

I strip off my clothes and sink into the warm water. Slowly washing away all the dirt on me.

After I rinse off, I grab a towel and wrap it around myself. The maid from earlier is standing by the mirror.

"Your clothing, my lady."

She hands me a blue dress and undergarment. I head to the bathroom and quickly dress in them. The dress falls to my feet but hugging my entire body in well...all the right places with pearls adorned on the waist area.

I head back out and she's standing by the mirror.

"Can help with you make up?"

"No, I'll manage. Thank you though."

She turns to leave but stops at the door, her eyes roaming me before she gives an approving look. I tie my hair up in a ponytail and paint my lips coral then head downstairs to the grand dining room.