The Elements

Chapter One

Luna 

The knocking on my door woke me up with a jump.

"Princess, it's time to wake. Would you like me to bring in your breakfast?" I grunted in reply. Olive took the grunt as a yes and carefully pushed the door open.

I had fallen back to sleep.

"Princess! Princess Luna!" I jumped again, waking up for the second time. Rubbing my eyes, I took the breakfast tray and nodded to Olive.

"Thanks, Olive," I mumbled. Olive chuckled slightly and bowed. Turning to leave the room, she spoke.

"You're welcome, Princess. Oh, and to remind you, The Crowning begins at sundown." With those words, the maid was gone.

I groaned, falling back onto my soft pillows with a thud. The Crowning was something I had been dreading for moons after moons, wanting to push the memory farther and farther into my brain.

The Crowning was not as terrifying as I was making it, but I was still trying to wish it away. Now that I was sixteen, I was the age to meet a prince, fall in love with him, and get betrothed. It sounds a lot simpler than it really is. The only problem is, princesses don't get to choose.

The boy I was being betrothed to was a total jerk.

Prince Clay, his name was. Being betrothed to him, out of every prince out there, was a terrible mistake on my parents' part. Clay was from Lenia, the Forest province. He was a pure-breed, meaning both of his parents, Queen October and King Basil, are pure Forest elves.

Clay would be arriving in Canlord to meet me and my family three hours before The Crowning.

I brushed the thought away with a scowl. Setting my uneaten plate of bacon, oranges, and honeydew smoothie on my dresser, I reluctantly pulled myself out of bed. My stomach churned, making me want to vomit.

I fluttered slowly over to my mirror.

My waist length blonde hair was a tangled mess. My dark purple eyes were tired, and my matching dark purple and black feathered wings were twisted and turned in all of the wrong directions. My hybrid ears, round and pointed on the ends, were pierced three times with Bronze. Bronze happened to be the most expensive metal in the entire Elven world.

Scowling again, I pulled my white nightgown over my head until I was naked. Tossing the scrunched up outfit into the dirty bin, I grabbed a dark green skirt.

The breastplate went on first, following the rich green skirt, then my brown leather boots, and finishing with a black cloak. I braided my hair into two long braids, which ran all the way down my chest. Folding in my purple wings close to my sides, I pulled the hood to my cloak over my head, grabbed my bow and quiver full of arrows on and slammed the door behind me.

Queen Autumn and King Winter were sitting in the royal dining room when I passed quietly through the palace. I had avoided my parents all morning, and I wanted to keep it that way.

My plan didn't work.

"Luna! How nice to see you awake! What in the Provinces are you wearing? Is that your bow and arrows? It better not be." Those were the words of my mother.

I swore, knowing I was caught. Pulling the black hood from on top of my head, I turned and slowly made my way to the dining room.

"Hello Mother. Hello Father. How's your day going so far?" I asked, acting innocent and sweet, wanting to pretend I was just going out to stretch my wings.