A Trylle Fanfiction
Jasper Frost has never been an ordinary child. He could see and do things which nobody else could.
When he is rescued by a tracker and taken to the city Förening, Jasper is assured that this was where he truly belonged. However...
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I wanted to find Eleanor and complain dramatically about what an ass my father was, but then I realised that she must be tired after her long night and especially quite shaken at nearly being caught by the King. So I let her be, and instead retreated to my own room.
I don't know what happened next; sleep took over my euphoria and annoyance. And when I woke up, the Queen was sitting at the foot of my bed, nervously toying with the fabric of her dress, her eyes darting about the room carelessly.
"Er, hello." I got up groggily, hoping I didn't smell of alcohol or look like a drunken hooligan. "To what do I owe this privilege?"
"Oh." Naomi was slightly startled when she realised that I was up. "I, er, only came to have a look at you after I heard about, er, that you had run off last night."
I immediately flushed in acute embarrassment. Well, that was spectacular! So now everybody in the city knew that I had run off from the palace like a homesick baby, only to be dragged back again by my brave, valiant and determined tracker.
"I am so sorry, Jasper. It's just that we so rarely receive . . .people like you. We mostly accommodate foreign royal guests, markises and marksinnas, political friends and rivals. Not . . . .young kids like yourself. Not changelings. And it has been a little strange for all of us with you around, since usually, it is just myself, His Majesty and Markis Staad in the palace. We rarely talk, except about kingdom affairs and politics. And we do not really have the air of casualness and friendship in between us, as you might've noticed.
"I'm sorry we didn't realise how much our distance and coldness could affect you and your views towards us, towards this place, and towards your duties as the prince. We were so busy trying to figure out the mystery behind your birth and about your mother - we hardly paid any heed to how you felt in this strange place. There is barely anyone of your age here; and I understand that my husband isn't exactly very friendly either.
"With no freedom, no cope of fun and an endless lot of expectations and responsibilities, I could imagine how you must've felt. And I am really sorry Jasper, for being so inconsiderate and senseless. I . . . I think we should let you spend a little more time with your peers and make some friends. My niece - Madelyn Laris - is about your age, and then there are Kyle and Bella Kroner. Oh, if only I had thought of them earlier! If only I had not been so daft!"
The Queen buried her tiny fingers worriedly inside her thick mane of curls. "Hey, hey!" I called, soothingly. "It's okay. It's not your fault . . . I think I myself was being rather silly last night."
"Oh, no. You had every right to do what you did." Naomi looked up, and I saw just how genuinely unhappy she seemed. It was oddly heartbreaking, watching someone else sob and blame herself for something stupid you had done. "I . . . I know how you feel - the sense of not belonging anywhere, the sense of being forced into something you don't want to do. And I want to help you, Jasper. Please let me help you."
Seeing her concerned eyes, I thought about the first time I had seen Loki, Oliver and Naomi - when the King had lost his temper at me and Naomi (though terribly scared of her husband) had attempted in rescuing me from his wrath.
Those mornings when she had punctually showed up for breakfast, just to give me company and the atmosphere of a family breakfast; just yesterday night when she had given me my silly allowance.
Maybe Naomi Staad really did love me, despite the fact that I wasn't her biological child. Maybe she was the only one who actually loved me and cared for me in this entire world - and I had only been too dumb to not see that before.
I placed my hand on hers gently and replied "Thank you . . . .for understanding and for attempting to help."
Naomi blinked her eyes, nodded and then got up to leave my bedroom, before pausing at the door. "Please, tell me if there is absolutely anything I could do for you. I'd be more than glad."
"I will." I replied.
***
"And His Maddening Highness also mentioned something about a debut and a ball. He said it was happening this Saturday." I said to Eleanor, when she was passively arranging books in the palace library and I was helping her (or rather, trying to stack books on top of each other to see how big a tower I could make).
"A debutante ball." She said, considering it.
"Yeah, that must've been it. What is a debutante ball by the way?"
"It's . . . .like a party thrown in the honour of a particular changeling, when he or she returns to the Trylle world after the age of 18. On your debutante ball, all those who had initially not been privileged enough to meet you, come and get acquainted to you. There are dances and drinks and lots of introductions and invites to other upcoming parties. And you are the host of the event." Eleanor explained carefully.
"Why do all dark clouds gather up to rain on top of me?" I cried.
"Don't worry. There's always a silver lining."
"I'm not even 18 yet! This isn't fair! And it's just this Saturday, did you know?"
"Yes. You mentioned that a few seconds back." Eleanor answered dryly.
"Oh, er, I must have. Who cares? Does every Trylle have to deal with this piece of horror in their lives?"
"Yes, but the more elite Trylle have grander and more awaited debutante parties than the lower class Trylle do. Afterall everyone is much eager to meet their new rulers, new divas and political bees than to indulge themselves in debutante balls of the ordinary Trylle. They aren't even half as grand as the markises and marksinnas have them, and yours is going to be twice as grand as the best party that happened in the decade."
"Because I am the illegitimate prince!" I groaned. "And just how on earth am I going to magically transform from a weird, goofy klutz to a polite, sophisticated prince!!? That too in just 5 days!!?"
"Stop shouting now." Eleanor quietened me down calmly. "There is no point trying to become someone you are not, on your debutante party. People just want to get familiarised with who you are. Through your debutante ball, they will be able to judge if you shall grow up to be the ideal ruler of Förening or not. I'll give you a real tip: just learn how to court ladies around without looking the way you looked when you were sitting beside Bella Kroner the other day - "
"Can you blame me?! She said that she might get married to me! And the way she said it was just super creepy, so dare you laugh at me for being such a wimp!"
"Don't interrupt. That, and be flattering, polite and chivalrous; and you shall charm the wits out of these people. Learn to make decent conversation that flows in ease. Wear a neck tie. Learn to eat and drink without spilling anything on your clothes. And get a better grip on your abilities. That is enough to make your judges approve of you."
"That's it?" I inquired sarcastically. "My lifetime's struggle, all cured in a minute by your 'real tip'!"
"There is no room for mockery here." Eleanor calmly explained. "Your training for the debutante ball begins tomorrow morning, when you go to train with your father about your necromantic talents. I hope you are ready for that."
"No." I answered. "PS: thank you for reminding me just another one of those many things that make my life miserable."
