Chapter 1 - Freyar’s Arrival

" The Death of Gianovia Aimeè is a great loss to this kingdom, the wasted potential of a beautiful and talented young woman. May her soul rest, may her immortal life thrive in that of the gods' land. "

The bells rang, the bells of a royal heart being stripped away from a kingdom. A tradition in Bartona. I listened to these bells signaling my death, wearing my dark emerald green cloak as I traveled through the crowds of sobbing nobles, and common folk. Children unsure of what to say or do, not yet understanding the concept of death or high society, or danger. I miss that ignorance, with all my heart.

I looked up at the balcony of the castle I once inhabited safely with my mother, father, and sister. My sister and The Prince of the kingdom of Esmeux stood atop it. My sister cried into the chest of the man I was once meant to marry, not that I wanted to. We were meant to join in union, and create a joint kingdom in which our riches would flourish. I was never interested in such a man, my preferences lie elsewhere.

My sister was sobbing, I was so sorry. Her mind probably wandered everywhere. I was worried, she was going to be next in line to the throne. She'd become a queen despite her dream being a quiet life with a man she loved. I feel guilty taking that dream away from her.

I hated seeing her hurt. I'd miss her, But I can't let my journey be clouded by my emotions.

I will avenge my parents, no matter what it takes.

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Bartona was a kingdom that has thrived for ages, many lines of nobility, Kings and Queens have traveled within this blessed land. Ceres always made my kingdom one in which crops, plants, and other such things thrived with bounty each year. That's what made my home such a safe haven, Bounty. We would send shipments of materials and Crops to other kingdoms, during the winter cycle others struggled, but never us.

My mother always told me stories, before I slept every night. Her and my fathers love story, even as a child I always wondered..

"How in the land of Ceres could an arranged marriage become a love story?"

In theory it sounds quite boring, a forced marriage to benefit the others around you. Not very interesting, but my mother and fathers story proved my point to be wrong.

"My mother always knew I'd become royalty, my beauty was talked about for miles past the village. Simply because of my bright emerald green eyes. They told me they were a gift from the goddess herself."

My mother pet my head as I laid in my bed, the silk white curtains of my chamber falling down around us. Giving me a strong sense of safety and peace alongside my mothers affection.

Whenever she talked about her eyes, I always got excited. "I have them! I have them!" Those fabled emerald green eyes which people consider so rare and beautiful. Something that could turn even a baby born into a lower ranked noble family in a foreign kingdom into the Queen of a bountiful kingdom loved and cherished by many. Her stories gave me such confidence.

She continued to explain how the gossip of her eyes spread so far it reached the royal family of Bartona, more so, it reached Queen Renee III. The current Queen at the time, and my grandmother. She raised my father, and was currently searching for a girl that was worthy of being with a son like hers.

Father was quite a mama's boy.

Until she heard of a child. One blessed with emerald green eyes that people found related to that of a beloved Goddess of Crops and Bounty. Hearing this she quickly wanted to see the child for herself, after all this was worthy of inspection. She sent an invitation for a tea party to my mothers mother. Obviously, if you're invited to a party by a Royal Family. You attend. My grandmother took one look at my mother, her eyes only adding to the extravagant beauty.

Her caramel golden skin, her dark chocolate hair that shined and flowed like a waterfall down her back. Her soft and inviting regalness of movement. She was well educated, well groomed, and blessed by a goddess! So she thought.

" A perfect beauty! "

Once again, lifting my confidence. I resemble my mother more than my father, and I was closer to her in most regards. Freya always won over fathers affections. Though I never quite understood why.

My mother and fathers wedding was the most beautiful and regal one of all. Fireworks burst, as they run down a hall decorated with the most beautiful red roses. My mother always told me she specifically ordered her ladies in waiting to pick bloodshot red roses. Her wedding dress..

"Green?!"

I exclaimed with surprise, green really wasn't a traditional color to wear for a wedding. Maybe for common days, or balls and banquets, but a wedding? Really? Tho she quickly covered my mouth when maids looked through the doorway concerned, and turned back to me.

"Yes. Green with Gold accents. Of course I'd wear the famous color that gave me my title wouldn't I?"

That made sense, Green eyes, Green dress. Boom, Queen married to a handsome prince.

My mother was beautiful, intelligent, elegant, and cunning. I have always felt the pressure and dedication to live up to how amazing of a Queen she was. I still feel it.

As I grew I got thrown into my studies, my head constantly taking in information and preparing myself for marriage and to take over the throne. I wasn't particularly a perfect princess, but I worked hard. At the age of 5 I could speak 9 words of a magical foreign language correlated to elf's. Which was an extremely impressive feat for someone of that age.

One day, me and my tutor were in my room studying and reading through a stack of books I had been assigned to finish before the week was over. I suddenly got a signal to make my way to the Royal garden, somewhere my mother loved to frequent. I was excited, I assumed she wanted to see me and we could spend some time together. We could discuss my studies and how much I'm improving, faster than anyone my age. I hoped she'd be proud of me.

A few women who usually took care of me, escorted me to the garden. The pearly white fences that surrounded it had vines and red roses over growing it. An intentional thing my father designed for my mother.

Instead of my mother with a rose in hand, and a smile on her face. I came to see my father and mother standing in the garden. That was.. rare, but I wasn't against telling my father of my achievements as well. Though, the closer I got. The more dreadful the situation seemed. My mother was staring a few steps behind my father, her face in view. Her shiny locks of hair covered half her face, but I could see it.

Her expression. Pure disgust, or anger? I couldn't tell. My father was rubbing her shoulder, the man looked as if he was trying to beg for forgiveness like a homeless slave who hadn't eaten in years. I saw pigtails peeking from behind my father, was it another person? A maid? No, she was far too short for that. My father saw me and smiled gracefully, my mother saw me and her eyes widened as her eyebrows furrowed. She looked like she would bust a blood vessel.

"Gianovia. My princess."

My father spoke, I smiled and grabbed the ends of my poofy green dress. Bowing down to my father as my two braids afell down my shoulder. He smiled and walked forward, patting me on the head. I looked up with a wide smile, only to open my eyes and see my mothers lips tremble at the sight.

My father turned around, and grabbed the pale hand of a small girl. She was taller than me, and looked a lot older than me. She had brownish-red hair, and chocolate brown eyes. They looked very similar to my fathers. Those weren't the traits I noticed first, the first physical trait I noticed of my future adoptive older sisters was her pointy ears.

"A Elf?"

I spoke, and my father nodded. He bent down to hold the young girl's shoulders, presenting her to me as if she was a bribe. He seemed desperate for me to like and accept her. The young girl looked down at me, and trembled. She looked up at my golden tiara, and then back down at my eyes. Directly at my eyes. I decidedly I should return the favor and observe her closer, besides her mystical aspects.

A very.. old dress. Not raggedy, or quite torn. Just old, it was a golden yellow with green accents. I unconsciously as a child reached my head upwards and tugged lightly on one of her curls. She flinched but didn't protest this. My father looked at this interaction go down, he smiled brightly. I also smiled, but without thought the words escaped my mouth.

"Why is she here?"

I asked it without Malus, I surely and simply just wanted to know what was going on. She seemed a bit scared whenever I said this, my fathers eyebrows scrunched a bit. Perhaps because I lost my elegance in speech? Before long, I remembered. My mother was still here. I glanced over to see if her expression had changed, instead of the dreadful look on her face like before, she looked as if she could cry and scream at the same time. I was concerned, but only took note of this for later.

"This is your adoptive sister. She is an elf from a nearby forest. Her name is Freya."

A sister?! I have a sister?! Perhaps not by blood, my mother was only able to have one child. Adoptive.. yes I read about that. Sometimes royal families would adopt a child if they weren't able to conceive their own, but father had me? Was I not good enough? Why is she suddenly here? To take over? These concerns washed over me like a dark ocean, until my father spoke out, obviously noticing my struggle.

"She is simply here out of good Grace, despite age she won't have any future titles besides Princess and perhaps future Wife."

I looked up, Okay. Good. So I wasn't being replaced, the girl looked terrified. As a young child I was affectionate despite being raised to be refined. So, I hugged her. I fell forward and hugged the girl my father proclaimed as my sister. I closed my eyes as I fell to her chest. She soon hugged back, probably feeling a bit of safety. I could feel a tear drop down on my scalp.

Soon, I heard the sound of crunching grass and then the loud clacks of heels on concrete. My mother grabbed the ends of her gown and marched out of her beloved garden, she moved quicker than I'd ever seen my mother move. My father followed in suit, he sprinted to keep up with her, grasping at strings to win over my mothers anger. They left me and my new sister in the garden accompanied by my maids. I looked at her.

"Can we get her a dress?"

I tugged at the ends of my maids dress, and she looked down. Kneeling a bit to hear me. She closed her eyes and elegantly nodded towards me. Leading me and Freya to my room, soon to enter my closet. This was one of the first sisterly bonding moments I would cherish. One is remembered even when my life falls apart.