Beginning

Chapter 6 - The Families

After spending the first few hours of night sparing with Vincent, not only Titania's pride was bruised. She limped to her next lessons, spending most of her etiquette and history lessons glaring at her textbooks.
         "Ridiculous, I'm the bloody princess of the Romenheart family, tomorrow I shall be old enough to take on the throne, I should not be losing to such a low bread," is all that went through her head as the night continued. To say the least, she was pissed.
    Yet her lessons continued, and honestly, as she walked the halls, the servants would whisper comments of her birthday and of the party made her mood cheer up. Oh, how she has waited for this birthday... after the first 50 years, birthdays stopped being fun. In fact, many lamias started to just celebrate their decade, instead of every year.
Titania was jotting down some notes for her ancient monarchy lesson and bored to death since this is her last, extra long lesson for today. After this, she is supposed to have some free time to go at her leisure, what little of it, she has left. Which she fully intends to spend with her best friend Cornelia Trancy.
The Trancy family, they are what some would call, a "low-bread" family. Yes, they are one of the fourteen royal families, but... even among the royals, they are classes that differentiate us. Physically and socially, we are all different, with the Romenheart family being at the top.
However, to Titania, it didn't matter that Cornelia was a Trancy. She has been a sister to her. They met at her 40th birthday party and after that, they just got closer and closer, and they can't imagine life without each other.
Cornelia is the Trancy Princess, a loyal friend, and unlike her parents, Count and Countess Trancy, she didn't care about the family ranking. It was one of the many things Titania liked about Cornelia, that she didn't care about Titania having the Romenheart title. She just liked her for her, and after all these years hasn't shown any alternative motive for continuing their friendship.
Romenhearts and Trancys have had bad blood for centuries, all from the Great War when Titania's Great, Great Grandfather, Alexandru Romenheart,  won our battle and set us here in these villages. Alexandru Romenheart, the first great Romenheart King, made the family system. Having the Romenhearts at the top, and families like the Tracys at the bottom.
Titania sighed, knowing the lessons and stories of her ancestor Alexandru by heart. When the professor saw Titania had finished with the section she was reading, she decided to let her go a bit earlier than planned. To which titania was grateful for.

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Finally, Titania had some time for herself before it was time for bed. At most, she would have two hours till dawn was here. That should be more than enough time for Titania to get to the Trancy Village, invite Cornelia to her birthday in person and possibly whine over Lady Anna's unfairness earlier tonight.
Titania had someone bring her cloak to her before she goes out, just in case she didn't quite beat the morning rays back home. The sun is a nuisance to lamias, burning their sensitive skin. Some say it is the price they have to pay for casting aside the sun and being creatures of the night. It won't kill them, but it will weaken them, and feel like fire placed on their bare skin. It is, however, very easy to defend against the sun. A simple cloak, or enough layers to cover all viable skin would do.
"Princess would you allow me to accompany you?" asked William with a coy smile. William Vladu is one of the guards at the Romenheart Palace, a personal one to her royal majesty the princess. William is what is known as an Aristocratic in the lamias world. It goes from the top royal families- the Romenhearts, Ozears. Istoks, and Zeklos- down to the lower royal families- the Iriney, Radacanu, Trancy, and Dalakis- and all other of the fourteenth families in between.
After the royals, come the Aristocrats. A group of lamias that also have a strong hand in the decision making of their royal family courts. Each family has set of requirements to reach Aristocratic. Powerful families, like the Romenhearts, have small Aristocratic groups, and weak families like Tracy, have a rather large group of Aristocrats and it is much easier to become one if you swear yourself and usually family to them.
Titania smiled at William, with a glimmer of mischief in her eyes, that never seen to leave there in the first place. "Why of course, a Princess must not be without an escort," Titania said as she held her hand out to him, palm down, which to he gracefully let her fingers touch his palm before his hands enclosed around her's. They stepped out of the palace gates the, walking along the ready-made path. They walked along the dirt road, passing the homes and village of the Romenheart province, passing the farm land and after a while, they see up ahead is the bridge that contains the Romenheart province to the Istok province. Normally what people would do is walk from province to province, going through all the villages. Titania, however, has found a better solution.
Titania and William walk close to the forest edge, that is lined with a small rock wall, no bigger in two feet high. William gives Titania a hand and she steps up and over the wall, now on the inside of the forest. "Now Princess, please do not go and rip up your dress again like last time. Your handmaiden got quite mad at me last time this happened," William instructed.
Titania laughed and nodded, pulling on her dress, "This my dear William, is one of my favorite dresses. I swear nothing will happen to this dress or I'll have to punish myself for my carelessness. And pay no mind to Margareta, she's all talk, no bite," chuckling at her own joke and she flashed her fangs at William, "However, I'm sure she would love a nibble or two. Why not after I return you request her. She's not too fond of you, but I'm quite sure she'll appreciate it."
William smirked, "My princess, I highly doubt the girl would enjoy being requested by me, she can hardly stand being in the same room as me," William then came and took Titania's hand, bending down to place his lips on the back of her hand, "I take my drinks in my chambers for a bit more privacy."
Titania watched as William kissed her hand, and his words sent a smirk to her own lips, "That might even be better, the poor girl' self-image is awfully low. A night of fun might do her some good. Just promise you'll return her in the same shape I lend her to you in. Nothing's worst in a bend out of shape handmaiden, how will she help me into my dressing when I wake?"
William isn't paying any mind to Titania's warning, merely planning his plot for later, "If I remember correctly. Margareta's mother had a very strong taste, she used to be one of my favorites. Wonder why I haven't picked on her earlier."
Titania rolled her eyes at the Aristocratic and turned around. "Now forces William. I will be back by sunrise, so stay out of sight till I return."
William sighed and nodded, "I'll be in the area to escort you back to the palace Princess. We mustn't let anyone know you are traveling alone." William bit his tongue like he does every time he tries to hold back another comment.
Titania rolled her eyes and then looked at him, "Yes I'm aware. Anything else before I go?" "Of course he does", Titania thought before William opened his mouth to speak again.
    "Princess..." he sighed and continued to speak, "You know your parent's don't agree with you traveling to the Trancy village. You're a Romenheart after all."
Titania scoffed and turned her back to him. "And with being a Romenheart, does that mean I have to hate and avoid interaction with the lower families?" She looked over her shoulder and eyed him coldly, "Don't forget William, they may be a lower family, but they still outrank any Aristocrat." With that being said, Titania was off, she started to walk into the forest path and away from the main roadside, and away from William. Titania could hear William try to tell her something else but she ignored him.