The rest of the day was as boring as any other. Our tutor came and we had a lesson. It might have been important but we were too distracted. This darkness seemed to be real.
I couldn’t even focus in Power class which is my best subject. When my teacher told me to channel my air into my feet to hover, I messed up and accidentally shot air currents across the courtyard. Do not fret, I only uprooted a few plants.
And on top of that, it got darker earlier than usual. I know that it was winter time and it is supposed to grow darker then but never at fourteen o’ clock!
My sisters and I spent most of our time in Galena’s bed chamber. Hers was the biggest and most comfortable. We had to light seven lanterns around the room to be able to actually see each other.
“At this rate this darkness is going, it will be completely dark in… on our birthday,” Aqua stated, more uncertain. She was the smart one.
“Coincidence?” Safire asked, hopefully.
Galena shook her head, making her bossy tsk tsk. “I think not. Something has gone wrong with Donstania.”
I nodded. Whatever it was, it was happening for some reason. “We have to find out why and what.”
“We already know when,” Aqua pointed out. “On our fifteenth birthday.”
“But how do we figure it out?” Galena asked.
I stood up, feeling much more confident. “We are the princesses of Donstania! Powerful princesses. We can go on a quest!”
Galena and Aqua looked frightened. Safire was smiling. “War!”
“Not war,” Galena said. “a quest to save our kingdom from something horrible.”
“How noble are we?” Aqua asked, smiling for a change. “Let’s sneak away like a real quest.”
“Then Aaron will ask us to go to the dance!” Galena declared, excited. “Let’s do it.”
I looked at each of my sisters, excited. This was very exciting. “So at dawn we will sneak away, but any idea where we are going?”
Safire laughed. “We shall figure it out later. Sisters, pack for ten days.”
My sisters and I exchanged nervous but giddy glances. “Agreed.” We all said in unison.
I could barely sleep that night. Two things kept me awake. The anxiety of the quest was a big one. It is a very nice feeling to be heroic to go on a quest. But, of course, there probably were hardships. That brings me to number two, the great evil. Whatever it was, it wasn’t kidding.
At midnight, I heard screams of pain. Soldiers were sent to check what was going on. I heard the shuffling of their feet. But they found nothing except a bloody ax. That was scary.
I woke up before the sun. I packed up some belongings in my knapsack. It contained some traveling clothes, necessities, a thermos of medicine, and my jewel crown which neither of us could dare leave behind.
That’s when I heard footsteps. Not heavy like Father’s, but not as soft as my sisters’. A knock sounded at my door. Who could this be?
“Who is thy?” I asked in the formal, royal dialect that my tutors urged me to use.
“Aaron Delgado of the Paupers,” his voice called. That same childish yet handsome voice.
“Proceed,” said I, with distaste in my words.
Aaron opened the door, smiling. “Good morning, my majesty. Good early morning.”
I was scowling . “Galena’s room is that-a-way.” I pointed towards her door which was passed the west corridor.
“Actually,” Aaron looked, sheepishly, at his leather shoes. “I was looking for you.”
“We are busy,” I snapped.
“Even for the royal ball, it’s your birthday.” Aaron then asked, “Will you accompany me to the Annual ball?”
I was about to say something, probably rude and nasty. But then it hit me. He picked me over my sisters. Didn’t he know that I disliked him?
“I highly doubt my sisters and I will be back by then for the ball,” I said as slowly and carefully as possible.
He knit his eyebrows together. “My princess, if I may ask, where are you going?”
I bit my lip. What was I supposed to say? “Nowhere, really.” That didn’t sound so believable.
“Do you think I’m a fool? Like the village idiot?” Aaron asked, his face breaking into a grin. “You can trust me, I won’t tell.”
I thought about it. I really did. Should I tell him? Maybe I would give him clues. “The same reason you want to ‘bring’ me to the ball?”
Now he looked confused. “Because I find you likable?”
“No,” I shouted, exasperated. How dumb were these Paupers? “This is because of why Father told you to protect us at the ball.”
“How did you…” His confused face turned into his well-known, mischievous grin. “I admire you for using your powers like that.”
I shrugged, anxious to get on with our quest and too impatient to keep my polite manners. “I must be going now.”
I started towards the door, Aaron caught me by the arm. “My princess, let me join you!”
“No thank you!” I shouted, struggling to get out of his grasp. “Unhand me, you fiend!”
“Well, why not? I could protect you.”
“We don’t need protection,” I said, coolly. “Now good day, Sir Delgado!”
I finally broke free but Aaron did not respond to that. He looked crestfallen and hurt. “Good fortune, my majesty,” he said, distantly. Not at all how the famous Aaron Delgado would.
I nodded, politely, clutched the end of my peasant dress, and ran down the corridor , downstairs to the hall that my sisters should have been waiting at.
