The Lost Princess

Chapter One

15 years after the kidnapping of the heirs

Sister Mironda’s arms jiggled as she made a swift gesture, swinging and nearly hitting Sister Celie. Anne and I, along with the rest of the class of novices, stifled giggles as Sister Celie’s wimple was nearly knocked askew. Sister Celie began to scream at Mironda, with reciprocated effects. Before long, history class was long forgotten as the two sisters, literally and figuratively, began to scream at each other. 

A Sister passed and heard the screaming, coming in to break up the screaming fight. She chastised the two Sisters for forgetting their duty and demonstrating bad examples to the learning novices. Promptly shamed, the two exchanged reluctant apologies and the bell rang, signaling the end of the hour. 

“My!” exclaimed Anne as we filed out of the classroom. “That was rather exciting! Don’t you agree, Riya?” Her chocolate-brown eyes twinkled. 

I laughed. “Yes it was. It isn’t often that a fight happens between two sisters, though I’d think it was rather common.” Anne was petite and a little shorter than me, though I wasn’t too sure about the measurements. Her dark hair was cut straight just past her shoulder and her straight bangs swept over her eyes in a neat line. She pushed her bangs out of her eyes, to no avail, and made a face when her hair came right back to its original position. 

I giggled and Anne’s barely scowling face smiled too. She shoved me gently as we walked on to the dining room, one of the few rooms adjoined with the Monastery of Saint Danor, the saint of truth and knowledge, which was on in the other building apart from ours. Ours was the Convent of Saint Roseia, the saint of magic and battle. Unusual as it is, St. Roseia and St. Danor were brother and sister, regardless of their unrelated representations. 

Though they can’t change the way it is, to let male and female novices mingle, they do have strict rules. At least ten Brothers chaperone one side, and ten Sisters on the other. Anyone acting beyond acquaintanceship or friendship would be subject to punishments.

Among the chaperoning Sisters, I spotted Sister Fina. I’ve know her as long as I could remember, because she raised me. She was like a mother to me. I gave her a small wave and she smiled and inclined her head. That was just like her. She didn’t like attracting too much attention. 

Quite a few of the girls were raised by Sisters. Anne, along with a few other girls, was raised by a woman named Sister Selda. Sister Fina had told me that Sister Selda took care of me sometimes, when Fina was busy attending crucial duties, but I had no memory of that. All I knew was that when I was nine, Selda was taken by an incurable illness and left our world for the Realm of the Saints.

Anne and I settled down on the last table, our usual table. Like it always was, it was empty but we were fine with that. I glanced behind me. The other girls chattered away in their strange social hierarchy of popularity. Fortunately, we were spared the petty problems of the popular and set way down in this hierarchy, beneath notice. Not that we had a problem. We had our own way of doing things. 

I grinned and Anne did too, perhaps thinking the same thing I was.

“What’s so funny?” commented Will with a snicker. He sat across from us, a wide, lopsided grin on his face. He wore an ugly brown robe, in contrast to his usual clothes. 

At the sight of him, Anne and I burst into laughter, lost in the incessant chatter of the other novices. I tried to breathe but it was impossible. The sight of Will in the punishment robes set us in more peals of laughter. Will’s face reddened and he ducked his head, but a small smile was on his face.

Wiping away a tear, Anne coughed for more air. “What did you say this time, Will?” she asked between giggles. 

Will rolled his eyes. “Anne, I was telling it as it is. Not my fault they don’t want to hear it. Brother Tomas asked if I had ever lied, because he teaches honesty and truth from St. Danor’s principles. I said I had never lied in my life, and his face turned all blotchy. He accused me of lying, which set me off. And I asked if he had ever lied, since his initiation into Brotherhood in the monastery and he didn’t.” Will paused to pop a grape into his mouth and drink a bit of water.