Beyond The Hidden Kingdom

Chapter 1 - The White Party

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The day had finally come, the White Party.

Claudia and Marie come crashing into my room as the clock hits 5pm. They are my 2 maids, I may as well call them my friends because sometimes they're more than just maids that bobble around the palace floors hoping that they'd come across something to clean.

“Good evening Amara, how are you feeling today?” Questions Marie.
“You already know, I've been waiting for this day for a year!”, I reply in an exhilarating voice.  “Its the white party today, right? It is, as much as I hate some events, The white party wasn't as bad as the other parties my family host so regularly. I adore the feeling of seeing some unfamiliar faces and some not so familiar. At Least I actually get to interact with people other than my maids and my family. The white party doesn't influence me to fall asleep because of how boring it was. If anything, it influences me to stay wide awake for hours and hours.

Ill never understand why my father hates the sight of me enjoying life. Although the palace we live in is glamorous and grand and beautiful, you get used to it and it isn't that special anymore as years pass by. 

Unlike my father, my mother is somewhat understanding. She actually understands the struggles of being a teenager and having to live a boring life stuck in the Palace. She tries her best to convince father to let me have one day in the city alone- or even with Leila. But that was simply too much to ask for

Leila has been my best friend for as long as my memory can recall. We see each other almost everyday as her parents are close friends with mine. Our palace's are also slightly close which is an advantage as we can actually get up to something and even cause trouble.

“Amara dear, your dress is ready for you!”
“Thank you Claudia, I really appreciate it.”, I say with a bright smile on my face. At the back of my mind I can hear a faint scream from the depths of the corridors leading up to my bedroom. Definitely Leila. Shes the craziest person I've ever met in my life!
“I’M HERE!”, Leila screams with a slight crack in her voice from excitement.
“Yeah, I can tell dumbass.” I scream. I throw my hands around her and give her the warmest hug I could possibly give. The mesmerising, white an elegant silk dress lays on my clean bed. Freshly ironed and everything! Blinding jewellery set up beside the dress.
" I suppose this is what im going to be wearing today?" I say in an uncertain voice. Leila’s jaw dropped to the floor in absolute shock. “Suprise?” I squeal. Leila lets out a slight scream.
“How were you planning to wear this and you didn't tell me? its stunning. Oh my days Amara!”
“Relax, I had no idea”, I scowled in a jokey way.

Leila steps into my closet to quickly get dressed into her ball gown. Whilst she does, I add a splash of blush to my tanned cheeks whilst staring into the mirror. An echoing feeling of excitement builds up inside of me until all I can think about is the White Party. My maids (Claudia and Marie) knock at my door at a sudden pace. “Come in!!” I say.
Marie and Claudia enter my room with a bag full of hair tools. Marie gently and patiently lifts my long length curls all up in to her hand with such grace. Marie’s gaze is frozen at my hair. Ever since i was a child Marie loved me so much, she treated me like the sister that she sadly never got to have due to work at the Palace. Swirling thoughts of different hairstyles fluttered around in my head, they where all so perfect. Not until I found the one. I was left with no words to describe how beautiful it was.

"Marie please may you do a claw clip hairstyle with my hair? " I ask.
She carefully takes my front pieces of hair and lays the strands hovering gently over my eyes. She then folds my curly, brown hair into a position where a claw clip can easily rest on top. The clip was a shining gold colour, laced in sparkling, sliver diamonds. I almost  looked like a princess?
Leila had just finished getting dressed. I couldn't explain how divine she looked as my eyes were set on her.

We could hear chattering from outside the palace. The guests must have arrived. Marie and Claudia left my room in peace and went on with their day’s.

“I know who you are trying to impress today.” Says Leila with a huge smirk on her face. And by that, she means the Huxley brothers, Theodore and Lorenzo Huxley. 2 orphans that work at the palace in honour of my father. I’d never really get to see them apart from at events… and thats why i actually consider going. Nothing excites me more than knowing the 2 most handsome boys in this entire universe would be there. “Please, don't make me laugh Leila”
“We all know its the truth though.” Leila and I both break out into an unstoppable laughter. This is one of the a million reasons why I love Leila.

“Girls!, its time for the party, hurry up before I come in there and bring you downstairs myself!” Mother screams.
“Coming” We shout back. Me and Leila run down the corridor in our white dresses, and make our way down the humongous staircase. I could already see the joy on peoples faces. Leila grabs hold of my hand and roughly drags me through the crowd of guests.
“We’re going to have fun tonight, OK?!”

I could barely hear her muffled voice over the sound of people laughing and talking. I proceed to nod my head and follow her through the crowd. I hope we'll have fun...

~~

Me and Leila were giggling so loud it felt like the whole world was watching us, but we didn't care. This was the most enjoyable thing I have done in almost a year.
"Want do dance?" I ask Leila in a manly voice.
"Of course my love" She replies. We both run into the middle of the dance floor and make an absolute fool of ourselves, we didn't care if the Huxley brothers were watching, all that matters is that we're having fun.

Shimmering chandelier levitating just meters above our heads, perfect portraits of ancestors on the walls. Tons of people dancing and having fun. Maybe I forgot how fun life actually was.

Leila begins to laugh at me whilst I was beginning to pant.
"Since when was dancing this tiring?" I ask.
"It's not, you're just lazy Amara".
"Wow, I see how it is, we'll see what happens next round shall we?"
" Bet."

~~

Everybody starts shuffling towards the eating area. Several circle shaped tables covered in white fabric with define and detailed mark making on them. They looked gorgeous. Me and Leila are sat at a table alone, we were so lucky to finally get the opportunity to. Usually I'd have to sit with my boring family and just eat in silence. But not this time.
" Whens the food Coming?" Leila groans.
"It's right here" A palace helper says. A plate of food was gently placed in front of Leila. I'd never seen her go so red. Her face looked like a ripe tomato that had been freshly picked. I covered my mouth to try and help the ugly laughter from escaping my mouth.
"What are you laughing at you idiot, stop trying to make me look like a fool." Leila snaps back. By the time she said this, the palace helper had already left.
"Uhm Leila, I just realised who that was. It was Theodore Huxley, you know the palace helper?"
" I'm not stupid, I know who Theo is, that's definitely not him- it can't be! He looked so different. The last time I'd seen him was a while ago and he had looked extremely different..." She exclaims
Was it the new haircut? Probably.

"Seriously Leila? You're still blushing".
" Are you playing with me right now? that was so embarrassing and you're not helping" Leila starts cracking up in the middle of the sentence. She nearly spat her food out but just in time, she covered her mouth. That would've been a catastrophe. I wasn't planning on messing up my dress, especially not today.

"Where is Enzo?" I ask.
"Why do you ask? You miss him don't you? You just want to find him and hug you don't you? I should stop teasing you now, shouldn't I?" Teased Leila.
"Yes, you should". No she shouldn't, I absolutely loved it. The thought of both our names in one sentence just gave me extravagant butterflies. I'd rarely see him, every now and then but only for a second at the most. If only I could see him more.

Me and Enzo would spend time together as kids. Playing in the garden with him was probably the best memory I have as a child. The thought of his company just made me feel warm inside. But we could not see eachother anymore. He grew busier and so did I. Then things began to change.

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Hey guys, sorry if the chapter was quite small, I hope you like the story so far :) I'll try my best to make the next chapter way better.
Sorry if I have any errors😭