An Unlikely Couple

Chapter 1

I walked out of the carriage, my tattered red skirt blowing in the wind. I pulled up the collar of my blouse and shook my wrists, hearing the satisfying jingle of my bracelets. I adjusted my belt which contained my knife. As a gypsy one can not be to careful. I was a scalie. I had no hair, because I was a snake. My eyes were a dark brown, from far away they looked black. My skin is a dark green, snake scales from head to toe. My tail was long, just touching my ankles. My favorite part of being a snake scalie is my forked tongue. I flicked it out and tasted the air. It was going to rain soon. Then someone called out my name.

"Nagini!" He said. I turned and saw Kyle, my best friend. He was a cat furry, his fur a light blue and his hair a light orange. He was very skinny and definitely taller than me. He was a farmer near here, always helping his single mother. He takes very good care of his older sister, who is very sick. His brother is away constantly. He is good to his family. I think when you are poor you are better to your family. My parents died when I was a baby and I was raised by two gypsies, who taught me everything I know.

"How are you doing?" He asked. I smiled.

"I have been doing well, how are you?"

"Okay, I guess," he said. We didn't really travel like normal gypsy's, we just stayed in one place and became the "local gypsies." I grabbed my guitar and sat down on the little wooden steps on the carriage. He stood in front of me. He grinned. 

"Are you gonna work all day?" He asked. 

"I got to get my money some how," I said. He shook his head.

"Come on, lets go to town." 

"Why?"

"I heard the princess and the Queen are going to be there," he said. I raised my eyebrow.

"I thought you didn't like the royalty?"I said. He shrugged. 

"Just come on," he said. I sighed. I put my guitar away and stood up.

"Fine," I said. He smiled. 

"Let's go."

About twenty minutes later we arrived at the town. It was very large. Well, the castle made it look that way. The place was very busy. Carts carrying milk and cheese rolled down the cobblestones, jesters and musicians played guitars and flutes in the street, their hats on the ground holding their money. Stands were set up where furries sold fish and bread, advertising their fruits and vegetables. Guards walked down the street, their spear blades gleaming in the sunlight. A dog furry pulling some cattle walked slowly next us, the cattle snorting, looking uncomfortable. 

"This place sure is busy," I said. Kyle nodded. All of a sudden some trumpets sounded nearby and all attention was adverted to the big wooden platform in the center of the square. Kyle looked over at me.

"You wanna check it out?" He asked. I nodded.

"Sure." We got into the crowd of people watching a thin crocodile scalie in fancy silks standing on the platform, waiting for all the people to gather. Then he spoke.

"Welcome all furries to this amazing day. Today the Queen and the Princesses and Prince will be appearing soon  for you all to see." There were cheers in the crowd. In that moment the Queen came forward, she was a wolf furry, with gray fur that was smooth and shiny. She stood tall, proud, her chin high and her navy blue hair pulled back in a bun, braids trailing down her back. She wore a white dress that was simple yet beautiful. Behind her were the princesses and prince. First there was a little girl, a puppy furry, she had simple brown fur that was glossed over and she wore a pink frilly dress. Next to her was a little boy, also a puppy furry. His fur was orange, and he wore a simple navy and gold suit. The last princess was quite beautiful. I think she was our age. She was also a wolf furry, her fur green and smooth. She was short and petite, Her hair was in braids tied in a bun on her head. She wore a dark purple dress and looked positively uncomfortable. When Kyle's eyes hit the last princess he gasped. I looked over at him.

"She is beautiful," he said. I nodded.

"She is Princess Athias," I said, remembering what my parents told me.

"She's the oldest, right?" He asked

"Yeah, I think so." The Queen waved, saying things about how she was going to help them and making promises. I liked her enough, but I always thought royalty was the same. Caring for themselves over others. I couldn't say anything about her children, since I had never met them, or heard them speak. I looked over at Kyle. His gaze was still fixed on Princess Athias. I nudged him. He turned to look at me, surprised. 

"Come on, wake up," I said, jokingly. He smiled. 

"Ready to go?" I asked. He nodded. With his usual flare of drama, he turned around and we left to continue our errands.

We looked around for a while, until we each held a basket with the items we needed. I turned to leave and ran straight into someone. I stumbled back, an apple falling out of my basket. I leaned down to pick it up, and I bonked heads with the person as they went down to pick up the apple for me.  I stood up quickly, apple in hand.

"Oh jeez, sorry," I said, as she rubbed her head. She wore a hood and looked like she was wearing a dress.

"Ah no, sorry, my fault," she said. I was about to reply when I noticed something. There was a gold chain hanging out of her pocket, I followed it down to the pocket watch hanging off of it. It had the royal seal on it. My eyes widened. Royalty? Kyle came up behind me before I could say anything.

"You bullying the locals, Nagini?" He asked jokingly. I shoved him.

"No, I ran into her, on accident," I said. I turned to her.

"Sorry again," I said. I wanted to ask. Really bad. So I did.

"You're royalty, aren't you?" Kyle looked over at me curiously. The women sighed. She pulled back her hood and I saw the face of Princess Athias. I didn't think that my eyes couldn't open any wider but in that moment I realized I was wrong. Princess Athias?! I was wordless. Kyle on the other hand, hid his surprise behind just plain weirdness.

"Why hello dear fellow," he said, making strange gestures with his paws. She laughed. I smiled. I was used to him acting this way.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, I'm Nagini," I said.

"I bet you know who I am," she said, sounding a little exasperated. Like she hated the fame. I nodded.

"Yeah, I do," I replied.  She nodded, like she was expecting that.

"Well, I must be going, I have duties to attend to," she said.

"I understand," I said.

"I hope to meet you again," said Kyle, twitching his ears an wagging his blue tail. I could tell that he liked her. She smiled.

"I hope to see you again as well," she said. She was so polite. She turned and left. Kyle inhaled.

"She has nice perfume," he said. I flicked my forked tongue out. It was strong.

"I guess so," I said. He looked completely smitten. I nudged Kyle.

"Come on, lets go home." He looked at me, then the clock tower, then back at me.

"Yeah, we probably should," he replied. We left town and went back home.