Scarlet Heir

Chapter 2 - Scarlet

Our guests are present at breakfast as well but the difference to last night's meal is that we eat in complete silence the only thing to be heard is my weak, panting breaths ever present along with me. Evangeline has always scolded me for breathing too heavily but I can't help it I've always been a weak sickly child and almost constantly have some sickness or another.

After dinner we train alongside Clara who turns out to be Newblood like me, my other three brothers Lan, Daniel and Henry train with us as well taking a day away from their protocol lessons. Henry is the youngest at five he can hardly make sparks come from a fire. Daniel is the next at ten and then it's Lan at thirteen then it's Alfie and I at Seventeen.

Clara is a jumper and hops around the gymnasium casually​ like it's easy for her - I assume it is. She told me she's about nine months older than me and turned Eighteen three months ago. Our instructor suggests that we spar today. I am hesitant to agree but Alfie and I end up standing opposite each other outside while Father, Evangeline, Julian, Len, Daniel, Henry, Cameron, Farley and Clara watch us make our first moves. It's Alfie who shoots first but I dodge and grab him focusing my silence on him. I manage to hold him for awhile but he soon breaks free and grabs me before letting fire envelope me - it would hurt more if I wasn't part burner - I turn it back on him burning away his hair and then converting my fire sparks into lightning. This has more effect on him as he does not possess the power to control lightning. While the pain simmers through him I stand and nestle myself into his brain distracting him with a memory of when we broke his mother’s favourite glass vase. It gives me a few extra seconds to think out my next move, I morph some of the metal garden ornaments into a knife and cut my brother in the calf - I don't aim to kill. Then my eyes turn to their signature moony yellow then I sing bringing him to his knees using my voice. At the sidelines Cameron, Farley, Clara and my brothers clap as the healer fixes up Alfie. My father and Evangeline do not. The healer soon finishes Alfie up and comes to me healing the burns in a few seconds. I was hardly scraped which is why I see it's unfair - I have more abilities than my brother, but I guess when it comes down to a real battle the circumstances will not be 'fair' justice is something I little have the pleasure of experiencing.

A part of me revels in beating Alfie. As if if I win enough battles perhaps father will look at me with the same pride and love that is thrown Alfie's way. It never seems to work though as if he hates the idea of me having power. Though, I think, your the one who changed the frinkin’ law. Don't blame me for being a useless illegitimate red Princess.

Although really I am legitimate because I'm to be Queen. Perhaps just a shell of a queen, a puppet to the spouse father chooses for you. It can't be long until 'princetrial’ - or whatever father will decide to call it - emerges and shoves me closer to my looming future.

Alfie congratulates me and Cameron suggests that we all spend the rest of the afternoon in the grounds and surely enough we sit on the lawn with champagne and nibbles. I can see the look of disapprovement from father as I sip champagne. Everyone else at court does it. I thought you wanted me to fit in be the 'perfect’ princess of the burning crown.

I am not expecting the events that occur. The sky turns dark and lightning rumbles across the earth, wind blows the cushions everywhere. Guards try to cover us but gunshots ring everywhere.

"Protect the King and the Princess!" One of the guards orders. Yes, as my father's heir my safety is a priority, however the hands that grab me and pull me up are not those of a palace guard. Before I can think to kick the person who has taken hold of me; the terrain around me is not longer the grounds of Whitefire.  

A.n
AHHHHHHHHH! It's less than two months until War Storm. Is the wait killing anyone else?!