Of Fire and Gold - A Selection Fanfiction

- C h a p t e r O n e -

The palace had been busy that evening.

It was the night before the selected were to arrive, and Alpheus Schreave sat at his desk, hands tangled in his hair with stress. He felt his eyes burning from having stared at so many forms for so long, but alas, it had to be done– not once in history had the selected's named been forgotten by their prince, and certainly, he would not set the precedent.

Leaning back in his chair, he let out a long groan of frustration. It was all too much– in just a few months time, he would take the throne, despite having had it for so many years already, and would be named King of Illéa, hopefully, with a wife and Queen Regent by his side. The thought brought boyish butterflies to his stomach, and he shook it off, running a hand through his tangled locks to fix the mess he had created.

That was when the knock at his door came. Shutting his eyes for a moment, which caused an all-too familiar burning sensation, the boy rose from his seat, crossing the room to open the door.

"I've told you countless times, Louisa, I don't need new towels– oh, you're too kind." He insisted as he opened the door.

His eyes widened at the sight before him.

Before him was a ghost of a girl, one with hollowed, shadowy eyes and a pale, bony face. She wore a gown of the color midnigh, whoch hugged her all-too small frame, and despite it all, she wore a smile.

"Bay?" He asked, tone full of shock and confusion. "What are you doing here?"

Without a word, the girl squealed like a child, throwing herself onto the boy and wrapping her arms around him.

"Alphie!" She muttered into the fabric of his suit, hugging him with that little muscle she had maintained. "I've come to make sure you don't marry an absolute pig, of course!"

At that, the boy merely chuckled, pulling away.

"Is Blanaid here?" He questioned.

At his words, the girls face soured.

"Unfortunately," She said, straightening out the gold-embroidered skirt of her gown, which resembled the work of a cartographer mapping the stars. "She's in her room, went there first thing. I'm not sure she's quite as thrilled to be here as I am."

Alpheus chuckled again, though it was subtler this time. He had always been close to the girls elder sister– why hadn't she come to greet him?

"Beibhinn dear, you're probably jetlagged as all hell." He mused, looking the girl over once again.

He was reminded of the girl he had seen last march, a drunken mess crying in the arms of his brother over god knows what before sprinting away like the time-old tale of Cinderella. Quickly, he shook the thought away.

"I am, but it is all worth it to see you." She muttered, offering the widest smile that had graced the girls face in a long time.

"Go to your room and rest– we've a long day tomorrow." He insisted, shooting the girl a playful wink across the space that seperated them.

With a short chuckle, she nodded.

"Of course– goodnight, Alphie." She spoke softly, offering no more than a kiss in the cheek before she departed for her guest room just down the hall.

• • • • •

Laken Schreave could not seem to find sleep. Despite his efforts, it evaded him, the boy himself tossing and turning between silk sheets as he grunted and groaned in frustration. Something was keeping him up, he knew, for it was not often the boy could not sleep peacefully.