Violets are Blue | Lumity | Royal AU

When Gold Brushed the Leaves

      Autumn fell like a shadow over the kingdom, making its residents know that winter was approaching.

      When gold brushed the leaves, the lives of two young women began to entwine.

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      Luz had just finished packing her stuff. So, sure, she was physically ready to move, but.. mentally? Not even close.

      "¿Estás lista, Luz?" the girl heard her mom call.

(Translation: Are you ready, Luz?)

      "Si, mamá."

      And so began the Nocedas' short journey to the castle. Luz had all five of her Azura books close to her side; she'd be able to read at least one during the ride. She opened up the first one and quickly got lost in the words. She had loved this series ever since her father had left them to her. Oh.. I'm thinking about dad again.. Luz thought with a sigh. Her father, Manny, had died when she was younger. He had left Luz--and her mother--in grief, but he also taught them valuable lessons, like how you never realize how much you love someone until you let them go, and to treasure the memories you do have of your loved ones. After all, you loved them, so they must've been special.

      Luz felt tears gather in her eyes, but then she smiled. She recalled how much she loved her dad--and the books he had left her. With that she continued on with the good witch in her adventures, loving every moment of it. "Luz," the girl looked up to see a wildly large palace with magnificent turrets and flags waving from the arched tops, all of it surrounded by cobblestone and little houses that dotted the roads. She gasped. "We're here."

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      Amity stared out the window at the color-changing leaves. The bravest ones dove down with a crackle, hitting the tall grass below. She new there was some scientific reason the leaves turned--chlorophyll, was it?--but she liked to think it was simply a magical phenomenon. Unfortunately, her thoughts were interrupted by her mother strolling through the doorway unannounced. "Amity," the girl jumped a bit at the sudden sound of the queen's voice. Amity stood up tall and tried to look presentable. "Y-yes, mother?" "I just came to tell you that we've hired someone to care for the horses. If you see her around, be sure to welcome her." Amity stood up even taller. "Alright, mothe--" "I wasn't done." Odalia said sharply, to which the princess hunched down. "Stand up straight." Amity did as she was told. "The new employee has a daughter, so if you see her, I guess you may greet her too, but DON'T mingle. You have duties of your own, you know." "Yes, I do." "That will be all." "Thank you, mother." Odalia took her cue to leave, pivoting on her heel. At that moment, Amity heard another crinkle; another leaf had taken its turn. She sighed, and turned back to stare out the window.

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      The Nocedas hadn't completely put away all their belongings yet, but Camila let Luz walk around while she got a decent amount of unpacking done. Luz decided to take the fifth Azura book with her, in case she got bored. She suspected she would. After all, she hadn't been the best at making new friends in her old town.. but maybe that was because there wasn't anyone my age, Luz finished. She set off on the smooth stone path to try and find somewhere to sit for a while.

      Ah, she thought after a bit of walking, that place looks peaceful. Vibrant flowers of every imaginable hue were settled on lush green grass. Roaring fountains and intricate statues nestled comfortably in the scene. Luz had a wild imagination, but she wasn't sure if she could dream up a place like this. She sat on the edge of a fountain, opened her book, and started to read.

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      Amity had been staring for so long, she almost dozed off. She was about to snap her attention away from the window and work on something productive, but she saw something out of the corner of her eye. A person! In the castle gardens?? She didn't suspect anything at first--after all, it could've been someone tending to the flowers, but she soon realized that person wasn't caring for the plants. In fact, they were going nowhere near the plants at all! Actually, the princess thought, they look too short to be an adult.. they even look a little to small to be one of my siblings! Amity decided that she wanted to investigate. She went outside and closer to the fountain. When she got close enough, she saw... a girl! She looked about Amity's age, and was reading.. was that The Good Witch Azura? The FIFTH one?! No, she couldn't get distracted. This person was trespassing, after all. Amity was about to question what she was doing when the girl looked up at her.

      "Oh, hey! I didn't even realize you snuck up on me. I--woah, YOU'RE SO PRETTY!!" the girl yelled with a huge smile. Amity felt heat rising to her cheeks. She took another look at the girl and realized.. she was really beautiful too. She had smooth, warm skin; dark, soft-looking hair; and bright, curious eyes. The girl's expression changed, and Amity realized she had been staring for too long. "Oh--I--uh--wow, is that the fifth Azura?" "You read them too??" the girl's face broke into that wide grin. "I didn't think anyone else did! I'm Luz. Luz Noceda. I'm new here," she said as she stuck out a hand. "U-uh, Amity Blight," the princess stuttered. "Woah, as in, the princess? My mom's working for you!" Amity saw that a hint of sadness flowed across her face, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. "Um, she's looking after the horses, right?" "Yup!" Luz responded. "But anyway. Azura. What do you think of... Hecate?" Amity couldn't help herself, she smiled. "Oh! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for someone to ask that!" They started to chat and didn't stop until the air grew cold and the sky dimmed.

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      When gold brushed the leaves, Luz Noceda left the woods to move to the kingdom.

      When gold brushed the leaves, she met someone new: Amity.

      When gold brushed the leaves, the young women talked, introducing new friendships, problems, and even.. love.

(Final word count: 1,057)