Aspen

<3


When the Gladeshadow Province became an ally to the powerful Court of Arcane and Earth, I was sent with the ambassadors and taken to their territory, where I was expected to wed a prince. That was when I met the nuisance known as Prince Podzol.

It was not that he was cruel or improper--for he was a handsome and refined gentleman, just as any prince should be. He was, however, very strange. His eyes were dark and held an unsettling aura within them, and everthing he did, even apparent everyday tasks, seemed as if it was done for some nefarious purpose. Perhaps the most eerie thing he did was how he spoke to me. The way he stared at me, as if silently carving out my heart to create an unnatural space for himself to reside, and the way his soft voice echoed throughout my head when he addressed me--it began to form chains around me that none could see. He was placing an enchantment.

He came to see me every day, and every day the vile thorns wrapped even tighter around my heart. If he continued, I knew I would be unable to save myself.

I was a newcomer; there was no reason the kingdom, let alone the empress, should believe me if I expressed my fears. I would need to earn their trust, but there was no time to do so. So I decided to take extreme measures. I consulted with Prince Barley, elder brother to Podzol, and we agreed to marry instead. After the marriage, we revealed our secret. The empress was surprised and slightly unhappy about the news, primarily because we had been dishonest, but soon her upset features changed into those of excitement. She held a banquet for the royal family and forgave us of the elopement.

Podzol watched me darkly throughout the evening, but I knew I would be safe from his clutch. With Barley beside me and the family celebrating our union, there was nothing he could do.

"Well played, princess," he muttered. "Well played."

---

When I learned that my little cousin, Prince Teacup, was being sent to our Province, my heart warmed at the thought. I had not seen him for a long time; my only memories were of him when he was just a baby. I still remembered his curious face peering up at me from his mother's arms, his large pink eyes searching through mine with a sparkling wonder.

Barley and I stood by the front of the palace, eagerly waiting for the prince to arrive. Soon enough, we could see his carriage rolling briskly along the road. It rumbled into a slow halt in front of us, and a scrawny drake hopped down from the front seat to rush over to the carriage door. He laid down a plush velvet blanket, giving the surrounding path a curious look, before straightening and opening the door.

My cousin quietly sighed and gracefully stepped out, his pink scales shimmering gently in the morning light.

I had donned the warrior's mantle, but my cousin had chosen the mark of a prince. He was dressed in exquisite finery, draped in expensive jewels and proudly displaying a suit made from glittering white silk. He stood regally upon the soft carpet, silently watching us as his mind clicked away. He almost seemed to sneer as we watched him, and I had to keep myself from giving him a disapproving look in return.

"A cordial welcome to you, Prince Teacup, representative of the Court of Arcane and Earth," my husband greeted, wilting slightly beneath our visitor's penetrating gaze.

Finally, Teacup's body relaxed, and a pleasant expression crept onto his face. He nodded politely. "It's a pleasure." His eyes finally left ours and swiveled to observe the palace instead. "Edgar!" he barked abruptly, making me flinch.

The small drake standing rigidly by the door jumped and looked over with startled eyes. He nodded vigorously, as if he knew exactly what the prince wanted from him, then he scurried to the back of the carriage and started rummaging in a trunk tethered to it.

Teacup rolled his eyes slightly, then continued to look at the palace. His eyes narrowed.

I had a strange feeling that Teacup was searching for something specific.

WIP
He comes down the hall and turns a corner, barreling right into her. They both have a hard fall.

For a fleeting moment, a frustrated look consumed his face, and his eyes simmered with rage. But just as quickly as it came, he crushed his reaction within a manner of seconds and adopted a more gentlemanly expression.

"Pardon me, my cousin," he stated with a flickering smile, offering me a claw.

I accepted it and he helped me to my feet. "You were in quite a hurry," I observed. "Why were you going so fast?"

This only seemed to further his annoyance, but I patiently waited for an explanation.

... Edgar comes and hails her, distracting her. Teacup disappears.

... Later she interrupts Teacup, finding that he is in a room in complete disarray. He talks about catching a glint.



Pure G2 Tadpole
Frog & Emiyn -> Me!