Title: Untitled
Authors: Domino and Anne
Email: zahfat@yahoo.com and partypooh@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: Not ours…
A/N: Alternate Universe
Summary: A fairytale, in the kingdom of Antarra, a prince, a bodyguard, a Ball…


ANTARRA

Thera (capital)

LASARA

Laseria (capital)

Hour = sun (28 hours in a day)
Month = Moon (13 months)
Year = Quantres (4 seasons)

Khedmar = Fall
Intûr = Summer
Leta = Spring
Minarth = Winter

Sarisan: hello as greeting
Jakan: reply
Tana: aunt
Grasa: grandmother

 

Chapter 1

Deirana walked through the palace gardens enjoying the peace and quiet before the palace would wake up and start bustling with people. For as long as she could remember she’d take these morning strolls through the garden before breakfast.

There was a time that her son, Michael, and daughter Isabel would accompany her. But now they were too old for that.

She sighed at the thought of her son. She loved him dearly but he would be twenty four quantres soon and he hadn’t found a suitable wife yet. He had flings here and there, but her son embraced his freedom with a vigorousness unseen before. One day soon he would rule this kingdom and although he was a great leader, he would be an even better one with a woman he loved by his side.

But that wasn’t the only thing that worried her. Lately their neighbouring country was kicking up a fuss and there had been several reports about brawls and uproars just into Antarra. Khivar, the leader of Lasara, had set his eyes on the prosperous kingdom of Antarra.

While he hadn't openly declared war against them, since he knew that his horde of brutes was no match for the Antarian troops, he had turned to his slimy true nature and was now making attempts on the lives of the royal family.

Only last week had Michael escaped death when he went out riding in the surrounding woods without a guard. Her heart had stopped beating when she’d seen him ride into the court yard, his shirt bloodied, his limbs hanging loosely over his horse. A posse of outlaws had ambushed him, Michael had been able to kill them all but not without getting wounded in the process. Luckily Maximillian of Evander, his cousin, had been able to heal him.

The sound of swords clashing broke her out of her reverie. She hurried to where the sound came from, entering an open field of dewed grass. Two figures dressed in black were in the middle of a sword fight. The silver crest on their uniform identified them as members of the Royal Guard.

As she neared she could make out their voices.

“Oh come on, Kyle. You’re not even trying.”

“Well next time, don’t drag me out of bed at 4 suns for some sword practice.” The brown haired guy puffed as he lunged his sword at his opponent.

“You asked for lessons.” Glinting in the rising sun, the sword made a small arch effectively stopping Kyle’s attack.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I had known you’d drag me out of bed at 4 in the morning.” He dodged the counterattack.

“Good boy. But try not to make such wide bows, you loose a lot of strength in them.”

As a response Kyle rolled backwards to dodge another attack, immediately flinging his sword to the side. Deirana would have sworn he was the winner when his opponent spinned around her axe, her blond hair flying around, and disabled Kyle by throwing his sword in the air. The tip of her sword rested against his throat while she caught his with her other hand.

“Too bad, you’re dead.”

“Clapping Deirana walked out of the bushes, startled the two guards who immediately sprang to attention. “Great swordplay.”

“Thank you my queen.” They answered as the trained soldiers they were.

“You seem to have an advantage on me, you know who I am. But I don’t know who you are.” She studied the persons in front of her. They both seemed to be her son’s age. The boy with light brown hair was muscly but not too much, and his eyes shone of honour and duty.

The girl seemed frail but her display just before belied that impression. Her hair reached just below her shoulders, her green eyes were piercing against her milky skin.

“My name is Kyle Valenti, you majesty. And this is …”

“Maria DeLuca, your grace.” She bowed slightly, evidence of a good upbringing. She was perfect, Deirana thought to herself.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, my Queen, but it isn’t safe for you to walk around unguarded.” Kyle said, the entire guard was aware of the death threats against their leaders.

Deirana’s eyes shone with glee as she answered. “No, you’re right. Why don’t you accompany me back to the palace, Lady Maria.”

A bit stunned Maria nodded her head. “Of course, your majesty.”

She handed both swords to Kyle before clasping her gun back on the belt around her slim waist. Grabbing her cape from a nearby bench she swung it over her shoulders. The large black cape was another tell tale sign that she belonged to the Royal Guard.

~*~

Isabel rushed through the palace halls heading to the park. Breakfast was about to be served and her mother still hadn’t returned from her stroll. And with the attack on her brother the week before she wasn’t in her most relaxed state. Add to this the organization of the Ballina de Rosi, the annual state ball, next week and you had one stressed out princess.

“Where is she? With everything going on she should know better then to go out by herself.” Isabel muttered more to herself then anyone in particular.

“I’m sure she’s well.” Her lady in waiting ran to keep up with Isabel’s long legs.

Seeing her mother enter through the large French doors, Isabel picked up her skirt and took off at a run.

“Mom.” She said sternly while brushing the wrinkles out of her dress, intending on giving her mother a piece of her mind about going out unguarded.

With a brilliant smile Deirana turned towards her youngest child. “Good morning to you too, sweetheart. It’s such lovely weather outside, I was thinking that maybe we should have lunch by the fountain today.”

Thrown off the tirade she had planned in her head Isabel muttered a, “Good morning.”

A huffing and puffing bundle of curls appeared by their side, her hand holding onto her side. “Morning. Fine day isn’t it my Queen.”

“So it is Tess, so it is.” Deirana replied.

Tess was the daughter of Duke Phillip Harding, a friend of the family. Her father had sent her here in hopes of finding a suitable husband. Deirana thought she was a lovely child, always happy and bouncing of the walls. Now if they could only find someone to bounce with her.

For the first time Isabel noticed the figures beside her mother. Her red lips curled into a smile. “Maria? Is that you?”

Maria declined her head in greeting, a smile lightening up her face. “Hello Isabel. Hey Tess.”

Isabel gave Maria a quick hug. Still trying to catch her breath, Tess gave her a little wave.”

“You know each other?” Deirana was a little surprised by the amicable way her daughter had just greeted a member of the Royal Guard.

Isabel was not exactly known for her friendliness – it wasn’t because she was a cold person, but more along the lines that she tended to keep people at bay, at a distance fearing the vulnerability it would bring is she let them in. Formal functions were her game, all fake friendliness and no real emotions, so no chance to get hurt. Either way, it was a shock to see her throw her arms around Maria with such exuberance, and enthusiasm. If she thought about it a little more, she would have realized that it wasn’t like Maria either – who she didn’t know that well yet – to do the same. Life had been tough to her and she’d formed a wall of protection around her similar to Isabel’s mask.

“Maria accompanied me too Laseria last year for the Khedmar celebration in Lasara. I told you all about it, remember.” She turned back to Maria, her face radiating. “I didn’t know you were stationed back at the palace.”

“I only got back from Lasgow yesterday.” Maria replied.

Lasgow was a border town where she’d posed as a couple with Kyle for several months, trying to gather some more information about what exactly Khivar was up to.

Seeing her daughter chatting friendly with Maria lessened the Queen’s doubts about the plan forming in her head. It was perfect. And now she had Isabel to help – and she knew Isabel would just jump headfirst into this by the way she greeted Maria.

~*~

The soft knock on her door interrupted Isabel’s thoughts. She’d been thinking about Maria, how happy she was to have her friend at the palace again. No matter how much she loved being a princess, it did keep people at bay. But since their first meeting Maria had treated her like a normal person, not someone that should be covered in cotton wool.

“Isabel, sweetheart.” Her mother’s face peeped around the door.

Laying her hair brush down on the vanity, Isabel turned to face her mom. “Hey mum, what’s up?”

Coming to stand behind her daughter, she admired what a beautiful lady her youngest child had become. “I just wanted to ask you some questions.”

Curious Isabel looked at her mother’s face in the mirror. The last time she’d seen that look on her mother’s face was when Deirana had tricked dad in going sailing for a weekend. had spend the entire time hanging over the railing, while Deirana thought Michael and her the ropes. It had been one of those rare moments spend out of the public eye, just the four of them without guards or servants. “Ask away.”

Reaching over, Deirana picked up the silver brush and started running it through the golden hair Isabel inherited from her. “This Maria DeLuca, she’s a friend of yours right?”

Isabel just nodded, getting more and more curious as to what this was about. “Yeah.”

“Do you trust her?”

“Totally. Maria is loyal and kind, intelligent, great to talk to … not to mention that she can kick some serious ass.” Isabel beamed, forgoing all etiquette.

In the mirror Deirana locked eyes with her daughter, her face alight with a beautiful smile. “Perfect.”

~*~
 Part 2

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