The Daft Idiot

V

Elinea's POV.

The screams woke me up.

Beads of sweat from my forehead dripped along my cheek. My right eye stung slightly.

I could not even remember the dream I had just moments ago. But sitting on my bed, the racing heartbeat and hitched breathing told me it was something scary, and it was my screams I heard.

"Elin?" The soft turning of my door told me it was mama. She carried a small oil lamp that made a soft yellow glow around her.

She wore her dark blue long sleeping dress that reached the ankles, and soft night shoes.

Mama and papa's chamber was opposite to mine. It used to be mama's room, but they always slept in the same bed. So she insisted I use it, because of these screaming nightmares I keep having since I was a child.

"Want me to sleep here, dearest?" Mama asks, gently placing the lamp on a side table and sat down on the bed.

"I'd like that mama, thank you," she lies down beside me and takes my left hand. "Try to sleep, dearest, it will be a long day tomorrow"

Tomorrow is my 16th birthday, my coming out party.

It is a time that I have been preparing for, my whole life. To match with my intended husband and live happily ever after.

If only it were that simple.

The person I wanted so badly to match with, is oblivious as the doorknob.

My childhood best friend, almost brother but not really, childhood crush and first love -- mage in-training, promised to do his best to attend.

Mama tried her best to appease my anxiety the best she could. I told her I don't want anyone else. He is the one. I was sure.

But being a princess in a powerful kingdom means I need to think about house alliances, with other great houses.

 Papa sent out invitations to every kingdom with an eligible bachelor. I know he loves me but he needed to think objectively for the good of the realm. And he didn't know how I felt about him, only mama knew.

 Michael is the grand duke and heir of Wallace, other than ours, Godfrey-- it was the largest land in England owned by a single family.

He came to our family's care, 13 years ago, when the whole of Wallace was ravaged by a devastating storm. There was also a war ongoing between Wallace and the scots that bordered it.

When I was old enough to understand, mama told me that Michael had seen his parents murdered and released his magic by accident, killing everyone, including peasants and their own soldiers.

This is why 4 other magi are training him. He apparently has tremendous magic and needed help to control it.

And as far as I can remember, he comes home almost every 3 months, for 2 weeks, then leaves again to train.

He is only 2 years older than me and his date of birth a week before mine. I have 3 other older brothers, Janus, the closest age to me is older by 8 years, Alfonse by 10, and Damian by 12 years. I was their baby and they all indulged me in every way they could.

But as far as I could remember also, I always preferred Michael's company, and he obliged me as well.

.

I was 10 years old, when I started noticing his cute lopsided grin, and brilliant light blue eyes that I could get lost in.

His hands, when I held them as we grew older, began to feel incredibly different for me. I had always dragged him around to accompany me. But as we got older, butterflies started fluttering on my belly, and my heart raced thunderously each time.