Game of Hearts (Original Version)

Chapter 1

Alright, so new story and stuff...I'm kinda nervous, it's been a while since I've made a new story, so please let me know what you think, and if I should keep going or not.

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It was a joyous day for all the kingdoms to join in celebration. The worlds were at peace, the wars were over, and as if to commemorate the new era of peace, a baby was born. The long awaited third daughter to the King of the Enchanted Dominion. King Stephan and Queen Leah declared a holiday for the high and low estate to pay homage to the princess. Kings and Queens from all around the realm, as well as their subjects and children, journeyed far and wide to arrive at the Enchanted Dominion’s castle to join in the princess’s christening.

On that day, she was to be offered as the betrothed to a price of a neighboring kingdom, but there were many princes from lands and kingdoms that were growing farther from loyalty to the Enchanted Dominion by the year. There was the Leonhart family form Radiant Garden, the Rostar’s from the Land of Dreams (Castle of Dreams, from Birth By Sleep…Cinderella’s world), and the White family of the Woodlands Kingdom. King Stephan’s oldest daughter Leblanc was promised to a young prince from the southern Kingdom of Beasts called so for the fearsome creatures that lived in the forest around the castle. His second daughter, Aerith, was to marry the youngest son of the King of Departure, and join the Strife kingdom with her fathers when she came of age. Today would be a day of trial as well as a christening, for the remaining lands to see which was worthy of marrying the newborn princess.

But first, the christening. The trumpets blew, singing echoed through the halls, bells sounded. The main hall filled with people, and the thrown room was overflowing with people. High lords and ladies, as well as the commoners and peasants. It was an occasion for all to celebrate. The trumpets played a booming fanfare and the King and Queen entered, the King holding in his arms a baby wrapped in a royal purple blanket, with the Queen beside him, Leblanc, now eleven, was trailing behind them, and Aerith, nearly five, was holding onto her mother’s skits as they walked slowly down the parted aisle to the four seats at the head of the room. The baby was placed gently into a cradle of the finest blue and purple silks, and everyone gathered around.

The trumpets sounded, and the King stepped up as the rest of the family took a seat. He stood infront of the whole room, and silence fell as he spoke.

“To this, the child that is born on the eve of peace, we bestow the name ≈≈≈≈≈≈, after her late grandmother.” He announced, and so was the child named. The crowd applauded, and the trumpets rang out again. The King returned to his seat, and the guests began presenting their gifts. This was how they were going to decide the princesses betrothed, by the gifts presented by the royal families.

The announcer called the names of the families in order of presentation, and the Leonhart family sent forward their two sons, the older, being around five, carried a golden box with some sort of treasure inside, and the younger, who was so young he could barely walk, simply accompanied to remind King Stephan that he too was a young prince seeking a future wife. The two stood and bowed before the King and Queen, then walked over to the cradle and gift table. The older boy, Squall, set the box on the table and the younger boy, around two and a half, poked his head over the side of the cradle and smiled at the baby, before waving and making faces. Once Squall had the box settled into its stop, he took his younger brothers hand, and they walked back to their parents. The Rostar twins went next, accompanied by their mother since the two of them were just a few days over three, carrying exotic and precious gems and coins. The young Woodlands prince was a half-year-older than the Rostar twins, but seemed much more mature as he walked by himself over to the cradle and gift table with confidence, holding a fine stack of silks as sliver as the hair on his head.  He stopped by the cradle before walking back to his parents, and grimaced as he saw the giggling, slobbering baby ≈≈≈≈≈ looking up at him with bright eyes.  Though he was not an eligible bachelor, young Cloud from the Strife household approached next, bearing a case of expensive spices and dyes.