The Crown's Magic

A Very Happy Beginning

Look, I'm currently pretty happy with my life, if you don't include the rules, expectations, lack of a mom who teaches me how to deal with crappy formalities with her humor.

Yep, my mom's dead. Happy beginning.

Suppose I should introduce myself, like how a duke's elegant daughter should behave. Not my words - I'm quoting dear old father. My name's Diana Hales, daughter of a wealthy duke in Nyersan, one of the strongest kingdoms in the northern continent.

Now, fast forward to the present. I was in the School for Aspiring Rulers where I was minding my own business, talking to my friends Renie Lopez and Charles Aston, both also children of lords and dukes.

The school was pretty impressive both inside and out. Grand marble hallways, steel lockers gleaming, the fountain bubbling crystal clear water, and of course, can't forget the students roaming around, all playing different roles to perfect a variety show. They were all wearing different gowns and formal clothing, formal jackets and breeches for the guys.

"Anything happening at yours lately?" Renie asked. Most people at first glance usually assume that she's a spoilt child, judging from her extravagant gown, delicate lace gloves, and two buns styled using the top half of her hair, and her favourite fan that snaps open whenever she encounters strangers. Renie's pale skin contrasts with her midnight black hair, with striking green eyes. But when I got to know Renie, she was a wonderful friend and person, for all her wittiness, mischief, pride and the sheer stubbornness she had.

"Nothing, if you exclude how Father's considering to send me away. I don't know if it's from me and Her Royal Highness's bickering or due to his own reasons." I muttered back.

Princess Astoria Milisse and I never got along, and even now I still can't specify the reason. Maybe our cheerful personalities didn't see face-to-face. Or maybe she thought she could pick on kids just because she was a princess and I was possibly one of the first few people who stood up against her. She once filled my locker with water (for revenge or for her amusement, I never knew), only for me to get drenched when I unwittingly opened it. She found her shoes full of roses' thorns when she slipped them on a few hours later. Her scream as she yelped for someone to help her as she frantically hopped around and then screeching as she stepped again on the thorns was deserving - so did her reputation when it plummeted for a few months afterwards.

"Speak of the devil, Milisse's here. At least suffocate her with matching colours that'll look nice on her grey gown," Renie warned. "Last time, the shade of the red roses with her blue gown clashed way too horribly."

The entire hallway's laughter and chatter nearly died away instantly as everyone spied the princess of Nyersan approaching me, giving way to whispers and murmurs.

"Diana! How lovely to see you out of Headmaster's office," Astoria crooned, her head held high, her little group of followers trailing behind her. "Fresh air in detention class must be so hard to come by." Her minions giggled, some giving me amused glances while some glared their dislike at me. Pale, powdered makeup coloured their cheeks and foreheads while red the colour of fresh roses were smeared across their lips. Even at a first glance, it was obvious how much makeup was spent on their faces, especially those whose faces we're practically chalk white. How they haven't suffocated to death with their make-up clouding them was beyond me, nevermind my flowers. The fact that Astoria and my relationship wasn't the best was well known in the school, thus forcing the school to pick sides. Being the princess and all, everybody tries to get on Milisse's good side.

"Fresh air must've been equally hard to get when you were stuffed with my roses," I smiled back, fighting the urge to straight out curse at her. That would've earnt me another trip to detention class for another week straight.

Trouble or no, it was still satisfying to see Astoria's bristling, the redhead's dark eyes narrowing with promise for revenge. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Renie's lips twitch.

"Watch out for water today," Astoria regained her mask of smirking amusement. "Maybe today you'll choke on your drinks or get splashed wet." Astoria's magic gift was control over water, though she can have liquids obey her to some extent; mine was mostly flowers, though I favoured roses. Renie was delighted with her gift of communication with animals.

Renie shot me a warning glance, but I still blurted out my retort anyway. "With the royal bloodline's magic gone, how can you possibly even defeat me?" Gasps from the audience. I was almost tempted to take a dramatic bow just to annoy Astoria even further.

Before I could, though, water shot out from the fountain and sprayed me. I barely had time to scream, but I managed a muffled shriek as the jet of water aimed for my face. I heard Renie's cry of no! but Astoria's brainless minions' laughter drowned out everything else. I raised my arms to block the water, but it was useless. The water kept on coming, getting into my eyes, so I acted on instinct.

The laughter instantly died out, followed by screams as I blindly summoned flowers to wrap around Astoria, hoping it was enough for Astoria to loosen her grip on the water.

The jet of water suddenly died off, and I rubbed at my eyes to squint at my surroundings. Then I had to rub them again because I couldn't decide if the scene was real or not.

Apparently I lost control of my magic again. Instead of attacking just Astoria, my gift attacked her entire group. Flowers of different kinds entangled themselves into Astoria and her group. One had daisies wrapped around her like a mummy, another found herself ensnared in a lilles' embrace. Princess Astoria herself found her grey gown overrun by cheerful, yellow sunflowers, which definitely wasn't an intentional doing. Maybe.

"GET THEM OFF ME!" Astoria screamed as she tried to no avail to do so. The entire hallway was silent, save for some hushed whispers. Saying this incident stole the spotlight of the week probably was an understatement. Everyone was wide eyed, either horrified or amazed that a daughter of a duke did such a thing to the princess. Probably the former.

Renie was wide-eyed with shock as her mind processed what had happened. This may not be the first time I'll obviously get in trouble, but it's absolutely the worst.

"What is this? Oh-"

Crap. It was the headmaster. His stern face remained blank as he surveyed the scene. Me dripping with water, the floor flooded with it, and Astoria with her friends harrassed by flowers. "Miss Hales, kindly go wait inside the office while I resolve this issue."

"Sire, it's a misunderstanding, both sides were provoked-" Renie, bless her, was already once again trying to get me a lighter sentence.

"DIANA PROVOKED ME FIRST!" Astoria's shrill voice echoed down the hallway.

"And you attacked her first!" Renie countered.

"Miss Hales, go to the office," the headmaster repeated, his grey beard moving with the movement. Old as he may be, from what I heard from the seniors, he was still stern and never lost his commanding tone.

Nodding my head stiffly in acknowledgement, I turned on my heel and left, knowing that no matter how it was Astoria who attacked me first, being the princess would land her a lighter sentence than I'll clearly get.

Like I said, happy beginning.

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This is my first story, so I repeat, point out any mistakes you're unhappy with - don't forget to vote and comment!