The Beautiful Chelona

1 : Princess

Princess Chelona Castellanos led a beautiful, peaceful life. She planned on having it that way. Although, fate is never what you plan or wish to do. Fate is...well, fate. Chelona knew that, but wishing never hurt anyone, did it?

Looking at the large mirror in her chambers, she sighed to herself. Things went on, like a clock ticking away, taking away what was dearest to man, time. But Chelona, wasn't worried about time. She had plenty. A princess had duties, but they were altogether negligible or rather, went unnoticed.

She thought that it was rather unfair. To think of princesses like porcelain dolls. Breakable. They had no idea what princesses were, they were the descendants of the witches in the hills. Did they walk in a perfectly perfect stance while balancing five novels on their heads, wearing corsets and ballgowns. Ball gowns that threatened to entangle in the heels of shoes with every step one took.

Her chambers were in the eastern wing of the castle. The sunrise was particularly spectacular there. How the hues of blue, pink, red and orange intermingled in the sky was worth a thousand paintings.

She loved the sky. It was beautiful, ever-changing, colorful and free. Especially free: something she could never be, however hard she tried. To be fair, she wasn't even allowed to try. She felt like a caged bird, singing for the sky that was ever closed for her.

Sometimes, all she wanted to do was to lie in her chambers, strip off the pesky corsets and heels, let her hair fall free and eat and sleep all day. Alas, that wasn't in the least plausible. She was tied to schedule so tight that she couldn't budge. It was like cords that connected themselves to her and controlled her, like a puppet.

Someday, as her sister put it, she was going to rot her brain off this idea of freedom.

Because princesses were never free. At first they belonged to the royalty they were born in, and next where they were married off to. Married off to...

Her sister's marriage was scheduled to the prince Fenrys of Noctin. Noctin was one of the largest kingdoms in all of Tenebria. Rumour was that the royal prince was a werewolf. Astrea had laughed it off. She'd told Chelona not to worry one bit about her. She had said all was going to be fine. Chelona did not believe her.

Nishan was a small kingdom. Not much of an army, not much of land, no heirs. Only two beautiful princesses. Astrea and Chelona, the king's priced possessions, his daughters.

War had never done anything to expand or profit Nishan, so obviously, the only thing that remained was to marry off the princesses to the largest kingdom and stay safe. Chelona always believed, that if they would have had their mother with them, this never would have happened. But the queen of Nishan had died in a dark war. The story was repeated every year at Starfall.

Tenebria was the dark land, the land of night. Snow was a regular companion along with large ranges of mountains. It was divided in many kingdoms, all divided by centuries of hate and war and bad blood.

A maidservant hurried into her chambers. Chelona discreetly noticed that the latter's glases were askew and her hair was a mess.

"What is it?"she asked.

"My lady, princess Astrea has demanded your presence in her chambers,"she muttered in a low voice.

"Well," Chelona drawled." Speak louder. And when?"

"Now, my lady."

"Fine. You are dismissed. Fix your hair and glasses while you are at it."

She gave a deep bow and hurried out of the chamber. Chelona gave a long sigh and got up.