The Doll and the Prince | Tedros Pendragon

Chapter 1

Layna wondered why she was suddenly all alone.

A blink was all it took, and then silence. Gone were the high-pitched giggles and the excited conversations of her fellow Ever girls when the flower train halted, indicating that they were at their destination. Most Ever girls were unable to contain their excitement, for this was the place they all have been dreaming of since they were mere children – The School for Good.

Then, in a split second, Layna's surroundings changed.

She was no longer in the flower train but in front of a magnificent golden gate that protected a castle glittering in sun mist. Pink and blue glass turrets glistened with pride as a glimmering crystal lake surrounded the scene deserving of its own fairy tale. Replacing the delighted hubbub of the squealing Ever girls and the dizzying stench of various perfumes were the gentle sound of wind and the fresh smell of flora.

At first, she was exhilarated.

A minute later, she was confused.

Then, ten minutes later, with no signs of the other Ever girls arriving, she became uneasy.

Distant sweet chirps of nightingales soothed her rising anxiety, almost as if sensing her apprehension. Yet, the tranquility would have made her thankful if she wasn't all alone.

Soon, her sight returned to the golden gate with arched, mirrored words that read:

THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD ENLIGHTENMENT AND ENCHANTMENT

Layna caught her reflection in the letters, blinking slowly. Her slim, feminine figure was donned with a flowing, white dress that revealed a pair of elegant collarbones as a bejeweled choker tastefully decorated her neck. Wavy chocolate locks fell to her slim waist, which was the same color of the butterfly lashes that rested upon a pair of soft jade orbs. Her porcelain cheeks were dusted pink, bringing a healthy touch of color to her pale complexion. Her stepmother once said that she looked just like a doll, and with that thought, she looked away.

She waited for a few more minutes, hoping for people to arrive. Yet, with every minute that passed, the more she realized that waiting for someone to appear was futile. Thus, with a hand above her tense heart, she pushed the golden gate gently as she went inside the premises of the School for Good. Moving forward, she went face to face with frosted castle doors emblazoned with two white swans. Her moist lips curved into a slight frown as her brows deepened with hesitance. After looking behind her one last time, she finally entered the pristine castle.

The girl's slow footsteps echoed from the marble floor throughout the tight, mirrored corridor. Was Layna unsure? Most definitely. She had no idea what to do, or where to go. However, she was already here. Although she did let herself into school with no guidance or permission, maybe the professors would understand if one was kept waiting with no instructions.

Her rumination was cut short when she reached the majestic foyer.

Oh, how deserving it is to be described as such.

The glass foyer was cavernous. Four spiral staircases, two of them pink and two blue, were lit by high stained glass windows. Each of the staircases was arranged symmetrically at the corners of each wall that spelled E-V-E-R, while each letter was decorated with lovingly drawn angels and sylphs fluttering around its edges. One of the two blue flights had HONOR tattooed upon its baluster, along with glass etchings of knights and kings, while the other read VALOR, decorated with blue reliefs of hunters and archers. On the other hand, two pink glass staircases had PURITY and CHARITY emblazoned in gold, along with delicate friezes of sculpted maidens, princesses, and kindly animals.