Chapter 1: Meet the Siblings

♪~ "You are going to be the death of me Reena!" ~♪

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"Aww, you're going to cry?" my sister Princess Avelon mocked.

"Avie, she's really crying," my other sister Princess Erica laughed.

"Give it back," I yelled trying to stifle my cry.

"You think, we're going to give a Non-Descendant like you mother's archery bow?" Avelon said.

"It's not yours, anyway!" I shouted feeling a little brave but that sudden bravery goes just like it came as my eldest sister strode towards us in the greenish courtyard. Cutting a striking figure, with her silky blue training outfit against the grey statues surrounding us. Two servant girls followed closely behind her, head bowed moving as one. I wonder how they could hold the same position for that long.

She stops in front of us, a glare on her face. Her hazel eyes sweeps over us, scrutinizing everything about the scene before her. Me on the ground covered in mud because Avelon pushed me when I tried to reach for the bow in her hands. Erica and Avelon standing over me in an intimidating manner a second ago, now frozen in place looking at Allelia in fear.

Finally she asked, "Erica, Avelon is this the way Madame Signy has taught you manners?" in a disgusted voice.

Avelon just gave her sister the stink eye while Erica had the efficiency to look ashamed.

"What has the poor child done to you two?" Allelia asked again.

"She took the archery bow that mother had, saying that father gave it to her," Avelon accused.

"So? It's better the bow to be used than be collecting dust in some shelf, is it not?"

Avelon fell silent although she turned to stare at me, like somehow it's my fault. There was a moment of silence before my eldest sister broke it.

"Give it to me," she said extending her hand to Erica for the bow. Avelon looked like she was about to protest but quickly fell silent again, when Erica shook her head to the side. She gave the bow to Allelia. "Thank you. See that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Then they both turned and walked away hastily eager to leave my sister. She looked on towards them as they hurried off, shaking her head in a sign of disappointment.

"Those brats," Allelia sighed once the princesses are gone. Then she lifted me up by the hand. "Are you hurt?" Her eyes soften when she looked over me.

When I shook my head, she smiled at me. It was quite surprising to me that someone like her is capable of smiling. But nevertheless she is beautiful whenever she is or is not smiling. I smiled shyly back at her.

"Don't let them get to you," she pushed a lock of black hair from my face. "You are special too, you know." 

Of course that doesn't make me feel better but I nodded nonetheless. But I think she saw my sadness because my sister suddenly became a little uncomfortable.

"Hey! You wanna see something cool?"

"Sure?" I answered, feeling a little curious.

She took my hand and led me away from the courtyard and to the training ground. The ground is usually for all the royal family but I won't go there because of the disgusted face that nearly everyone would give. Even the servants would not think me as high as how they think of the other royals. So when Allelia brought me to the ground, I turned to go away. Feeling a little disappointed that even Allelia wants to mock me.

"Where are you going?" she placed a hand on my shoulder surprisingly gentle.

"But, you just want to make fun of me like the others," I looked at the floor not wanting to meet her eyes.

"What? No! That's ridiculous. If I wanted to make fun of you, I would've joined your sisters."

"But...but this place, everybody makes fun of me, nobody loves me."

"That's not true, well maybe your bratty sisters but not me, not Hezekiel and certainly not Dad," she reassured me. It would've worked if my Dad was actually speaking to me right now.

"Is that why Dad won't speak to me, sister?" This time I looked up at her, questioning her straight. 

For this she has no answer, she turned away biting her lower lip slightly. "Mareena, I cannot speak for the others but I can for myself. And I will always protect you because I love you. I think of you as my sister." She smiled again looking back at me.

I brighten a little and held up my palm in front of her face. "Promise?"

She laughed as she laid her hand facedown on mine "promise." When she had made her promise she turned to face the big training room. "Now, let's get you back to where you actually train." 

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"Aha! Got you now, you sly little cockroach," Hezekiel said with satisfaction as he tackled me on the ground.

"Gerroffme!" I cried, my voice muffled.

"No! Not until you tell me where my training outfit is!"

"Never! You've got a date!"

"That's none of your business!" 

"It is! You can't leave a girl hanging!" I elbowed him in the stomach, he let me go abruptly while cursing in pain, then I turned and gave him a punch before running into the forest bare foot. 

"Hey! Come back here!" I giggled as he yelled in anger. 

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"Where have the two of you been?" Allelia asked when we came home, both soaking wet and covered in mud. "And why are you so filthy? Lord, can't you all just act as royals for once?" 

"We were out training Lia," Hezekiel answered for us. Then he grinned at her, "you know how things escalate." 

"But that doesn't explain why you're both soaking wet!" 

"We fell into a lake...," I began 

"While having a sword fight...," he continued.

"Uh-huh, and why were you nearby a lake?" she asked enquiringly. 

"We just wanted a new training place, looking at the same old trees and bushes. I was bored," Hezekiel grinned at her.

In truth, after running into the forest, I stumbled upon a pond and approached it to drink some water, but I didn't realized that Hezekiel was behind me and he pushed me headfirst into it. When I submerged up, I saw him laughing and without him knowing I pulled him into the water, and used all my strength to keep his head in, trying to drown the future king. 

But then I stopped because I was getting tired and I thought that Hezekiel's dead body would be hard to dispose. And then we went into a game of splashing each other, which went too far until we splashed each other with mud. 

We made an agreement to not tell Allelia, well more like he begged and I gave in after demanding him to get me some new arrows from oak wood.

My sister sighed in exasperation, that's when I noticed she was dressed in formal attire not the simple gowns she usually wear. 

"Why are you dressed like that?" I asked. 

"Because today's the day that the princes arrive," she answered. "Don't tell me that you forgot!" 

"Er..." I looked at her sheepishly, rubbing the back of my neck. "It may have slipped my mind."

She slapped her forehead. "You are going to be the death of me Reena!" 

And before I knew it, I was being dragged to my chambers by her. "And Hezekiel, best get ready before I come for you too!" she warned.