Of Gears and Humanity

| Bonus Chapter #2

ELENA, THE PRINCESS FROM THE EAST

Year, 1042 A.H.

Sweet bluebirds chirped happily outside of Elena's bedroom window. She watched them as they hopped about on top of the tree branch closest to her father's castle. With her head slumped into the palm of her hand, she half thought to stretch her hand out, hoping one of the animals would perch itself on her finger. But she knew she shouldn't.

Elena had been instructed to sit in her room that early morning and study, not sit at her open window and let the wind blow through her curls. She hated reading the same books over and over again. All Elena ever wanted to do was explore. Be free like the birds outside.

But princesses weren't allowed to explore, let alone be free. The sudden closing of her red curtains reminded her of that.

"Elena," a girl not much older than Elena hissed her name as she pulled the thin rope beside the window, "if your father looks up at your window and sees you—"

"He'll be upset. Yes, yes, I know." Elena turned in her wooden chair as she sighed and turned to the older girl, Marleth. For as long as Elena could remember, she and Marleth were meant to be friends. As a young girl, Marleth was picked to be at Elena's side the moment she was born. A proper princess needed a lady in waiting. It was law.

But as Elena leaned back at looked at Marleth, she didn't see a personal or castle servant. She saw her sister, her mentor, her conscience. Marleth kept her from being rebellious and acting out against her father, the king of Homestead. Marleth kept her happy.

As the two girls stared at each other in silence, the awkward tension turned into laughter and Marleth walked over to the princesses' bed to sit down. "Do you know?" Marleth folded her hands over her violet dress as she looked over at Elena slouching in front of her desk. "Do you really?"

"Asking me the same question twice isn't going to make a difference." Elena pushed dark curls out of her face as she straightened in her chair. With one hand, she adjusted the sash tied around her waist.

"If I had asked a question, then your statement would have made sense." Marleth lifted her brow as she smiled. "Considering I haven't asked one, then I'll assume you simply choose to ignore the obvious and wish to be disobedient. Now," Marleth lifted her hands beside her head in defense, "I'm to make sure you study and be your best, but," her hands dropped as she narrowed her gaze, smirking, "I know why you were at the window."

Elena looked back at Marleth, her eyes wide. It was no secret why she'd been at the window that morning; it was the same reason why she huddled near the open view of her window every day for the past week.

Her father had left the castle on word of the Gate, the very place no one but he and his royal guards could venture to. Supposedly, as the story was told, those who tried were murdered by machines severed from their society during wars of the past. But Elena had never seen a machine, or an Attribution, as they were once called. She believed them to be myths, rumors, folklore written and told to scare children.

Elena believed, deep down, nothing bad ever came from the gates other than paranoia instilled by her father's officials. If she remembered her father's stories, not the other stories, he had met her mother on the way to the Gate when he was young. If anything, in Elena's eyes, there was nothing wrong with the Gate. And if during his last visit there, her father brought with him the love of his life, Elena was only curious as to what he would have with him this time.

"Do you think he has gifts?" Marleth pushed off the bed and approached the window. Before opening the side panel, she tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear. "I wonder what he'll bring you today."

Elena giggled before biting her lip. "If he were to bring me something, you know he never forgets you."

"Oh." The older girl waved her hand at the young princess as she shook her head, ready to continue with what she meant to say. To mention good thoughts about the kind king and his inability to never forget his servants, but she caught sight of movement at the town's entrance and bit the insides of her cheek. The guards in the distance called for the ropes to be pulled, for the wooden doors to be opened.

In the wind, Marleth heard, "King Rodrigo has returned! King Rodrigo has returned!"

Elena heard the guards, too. Immediately jumping from her seat, she rushed into Marleth's side, pushing her an inch. Her hands excitedly slammed down against the windowsill as she focused on the town's entrance.

Through the doors, first entered the royal guards on their decorated horses. Their heads bowed to the civilians who greeted them with raised hands. After them was a wagon covered by a tarp; Elena only assumed food and supplies would be inside. But she didn't care to watch as the wagon pulled over to the side, to the market stalls eager for merchandise, because she caught sight of her father, on foot, with a horse by his side. But it wasn't any horse, no.

And it also wasn't her father's.

"Did Papa bring me a horse?" Elena squealed into her hands. "A horse all for me?"

"Now, wait," Marleth chuckled nervously before pulling the window closed. The cheers from the tied were muffled as she locked the screen. "The horse could be for anyone."

"But what if it's for me?" Elena pressed her hand over her heart. "Papa knows I love animals and adventures and—"

"Don't know how horses equate to adventures, Elena," Marleth said as she dipped her head to one side, crossing her arms. "I let you do a lot of things, but leaving this castle isn't something—"

"I'm going to get my horse." Lifting the corner of her dress, Elena lifted her chin, then turned for the door to her bedroom. "It has to be for me."

"And if it isn't?" Marleth watched as the princess stepped out in the hall, but didn't leave. She looked back into the room, waiting for Marleth to continue. "What if it isn't your horse?"

Elena shrugged, smiled, and giggled as she said, "I'll ask for it nicely."

*

A/N: Bonus Chapter #2! A little look at young Elena. 

Again, this is a Bonus Chapter and probably won't fall in line with the plot. But writing this keeps me motivated and excited for Nano this year!