Who Made Me A Princess : Runaway Princess

runaway princess ; chapter 1

Chapter 1: First Encounters

"To what do I do your pleasure today, sir?"

The sign hung big and clear- along the stalls selling jade jewellery, stalls of snacks or perhaps, stalls of weapon materials. 'Love magician' did not have much to offer but what could be seen as a rather small sized boy in his young adult years gone by the name of  'Athy'.

His eyes were dull blue, but hidden were crystal cerulean jewelled orbs- unruly platinum golden blonde hair hidden under the gat sitting on his head.

But most of all, hidden beneath the disguise of magic, was a girl- not any girl, but the Princess of Obelia. Athanasia de Elger Obelia- marked as wanted, marked as the missing princess of the Emerald Palace, who was supposedly.

Supposed to have died at the hands of her own father- no one other than the king of Obelia, Claude de Elger Obelia.

Athanasia's eyes twinkled with the bright afternoon sun, bustling like the Imperial City's  most busy street.

She shifted in her seat, listening to a lovesick man's request. "I would like you to help me write a l-letter."

"I am extremely bad at expressing my emotions- and I heard you're a skilled magician at this." Athanasia was a magician. But at the same time, she wasn't. She knew magic, knew spells and studied it during her childhood, but never did have enough mana to ever perform something well. "How much do you offer, my lord?"

The man in the light blue hanbok held up a bag of coins- making Athanasia feel as if her drool could come right down.

'Athy' was well known in their village- the kind and affectionate orphan who'd lived with a girl by the name of Lilian who'd taken him in as her brother.

"Deal!" She took the bag, signing a contract of promise to the man. "Please come back tonight!"

But even with all these money, she could never make ends meet. She was in debt, after all.

Hours and hours went by and it was finally time to get home- she dragged her feet, trudging her way to the door. She tried her best to close the door quietly, but a squeak came about. "...Athy?"

"L-Lily? W-Why are you awake?" Athy kept a sheepish grin as Lilian, who she called Lily was lighting the candle. "I was waiting for you."

"I've got something to tell you, Athy."

The foreboding feeling came- it didn't sound good at all. "What is it?"

"I've been trying to tell you for a while now," Lily avoided her gaze, looking away as much as she could. "It's okay, Lily. Just tell me, I'll be fine," she grabbed her sister-figure's hands as she spoke- gently and softly, finally relieving herself of the lower voice she had to make in the day.

"It's really hard to say, Athanasia..."

"I'll," she stopped for a while, looking down. "Be leaving for the palace in a few days..."

Athy knew she didn't feel good about it. She could feel a little prick in her conscience, but at the same time, she was happy for Lily getting what she wanted after two whole years. "I never expected myself to pass the test, but," she spoke. "I did."

There was guilt in her voice. With even the slightest of feeling bad in every word.

"Does that mean my love magician job to you is done?" Athy tried to joke around, talking about how Lily had been head over heels for a red-headed knight in the palace. She could only remember Felix as someone with red hair, but it couldn't be him. "In a way?"

"But, Athy..."

"You don't always have to hold back for me," spoke Lily. "You know, you can disappear and not come back..."

"...you know what I mean, right?" Lily finally turned to her, crestfallen expressions plastered to her face. She was talking about going back to the palace, but for Athy, the palace was an extreme nightmare.

"I'm fine here, Lily."

"Don't worry about me," she beamed as her sister pulled her into her warm embrace. "I'll miss this, Athy."

The words escaped her mouth effortlessly, "me too."

•••

A busy day rolled around but Athanasia decided to close early- before a tall boy clad in a dark red hanbok with ruby red jewelled eyes sat his ass right in front of her, one leg crossed over another. She furrowed her eyebrows, but tried keeping a smile to it- maybe he has something urgent.

"H-How may I help you, My Lord?"

  He kept a smug smile on, scoffing as he kept his eyes on 'Athy'. "She came to a tiny wimp like you?"

  She could feel him grating on her nerves as the moments went by. "Sorry, sir?" Athy gritted her teeth, holding back the urge to deal a stinging punch in that pretty face of his.

  "I'll get to the point."

  "Do you remember a slightly-taller-than-you, brown haired and blue eyed girl from weeks back?" She tried her best to recall, but his descriptions come as useful much. "You gave her a love potion, didn't you?"

  Athy's mind came to a realisation. Her. The girl had come to her weeks back, asking for a way to receive love from her childhood friend. Athy'd given her a love potion- it was wrong, but, little did the girl know it was temporary either. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, sir," she smiled, face completely flustered. She was never good at lying.

  The girl had paid Athanasia lots for that potion. Athy'd thought that she was probably a noblewoman of a rich family or something, but it looked like she had a protective boyfriend- or brother or something.

  And so she ran, fleeing from her shop. After all, there weren't any customers for the day- because everyone was preparing weeks early for the memorial tribute festival of the missing princess' birthday. Her birthday.

  The boy chased her- all the way to a swing hung under a tree but yet still, a ditch sat near the place. A ditch people use as a toilet, she thought, trying to get away from the strange boy in front of her.

  "You know, you could just give the money back," he spoke.

  "Was she happy?"

  "Of course she was- even after she knew it was temporary," he sighed. "She's a big idiot men like you love to manipulate," he shook his head.

  "Do you need the money?" The words escaped her mouth insensibly as the boy looked up, expressions cleared of his face as he mumbled what seemed to be a "no".

  "Then," Athy took a step closer to the red eyed boy- a cheeky smile lingering on her face. "See ya," she took a swipe with her legs to his, making him lose his balance to fall right in the ditch. "You little rascal-" he exclaimed, but Athanasia was caught off guard.

  She felt something grab her ankle as she fell in with him.

; A/N ;
hEEYA! i hope u guys enjoy this story so far 🥺 i'd rly appreciate some feedback or anything <3 but thank you so much for reading my new book hehe <3 get ready for weeks of eru's sub-rants ( most of my lonh a/n rants are on my other book hehe ) love you!

till next friday,
ja, matane~
-eru <3