The Land Of Camellias

Chapter 1: The Forest

It was a serene summer day.

All was well. Sunlight filtered through the nearly transparent yellow barrier above, keeping certain things out, and certain things in. The sound of cicadas filled the green trees, as the wind somehow reached them within the barrier. The flowers in the garden were at their best and proudly stated it with their vibrant colors and tall stems. But none of it mattered to a certain dirt-covered little girl. Her long flyaways fluttered as her hair fell from its original updo.

She had been on the run for a while yet, always looking over her shoulder. Eventually, she found herself outside- nearly out of places to hide. Running down the loggia lined with pillars, the child took a sharp left. And not looking forward, she nearly ran into a maid. The woman exclaimed, almost dropping the stack of papers she was carrying to some other location. Realizing who it was, she decided to scold the child before she could run off again.

"M'lady! You mustn't run around and not look where you are headed. Be careful! You could've-"

The maid's grey eyes drifted downwards to the little girl's dress. She would've fainted if it wasn't an uncommon occurrence by now. But she isn't wearing her play clothes. This was one of her finest dresses! The bottom was tattered and torn, her fine black strapped dress shoes scuffed and muddy, not to mention her hair! The intricate updo she spent nearly an hour doing was ruined, while pink leaves stuck out prominently. Dear goddess! Her mother would have a fit.

But thankfully, she didn't appear to be harmed in any way. The child's small fluffy wings were tucked tightly behind her, resembling how tense she felt. Crouching down to her height, the maid tucked a stray piece of auburn hair behind her own ear. The girl held her hands behind her back nervously.

"My apologies, Miss Estelle. I inadvertently ruined the hairstyle you did this morning."

She looked ashamed, and that made the maid feel bad. She's just a child. She always wondered how such a young little thing could have such a vast vocabulary. But it made sense, she supposed. One of the first things she was taught to read was the dictionary. The next was a book on an old language hardly anyone speaks anymore. Her parents want her to be well-educated more than anything. And they certainly spared no expense to do so. She could be the next ruler of Sun Malum after all.

"Oh! No no. That's quite alright. I'm just glad you're not hurt." She placed a hand on the side of her arm, in an attempt to convey her concern. She doesn't seem frazzled, so she mustn't be in any immediate danger. "What on earth happened, dear?"

Choosing not to mention the scrapes that had already faded from her brown skin, she opted to change the subject. Opening her mouth to reply, her contrary eyes drifted behind the woman- far off down the hallway. Her mismatched eyes grew wide. Slowly pulling away from her maid, the little girl turned and sprinted off in the other direction, holding up her tattered skirts. Standing abruptly, she frowned. The maid wasn't fast enough to catch the little winged girl, even with her superior size and strength. She knew that in the end, she was just a human. So she could only call after her.

"M'lady!"

She ignored her maid's echoing voice and kept on running until she had rounded a corner. Frustrated, Estelle spun on her heel to at least try to catch whoever chased her lady off. A young boy bolted past, gently picking her white skirts up in a short breeze. She would recognize that mess of black hair anywhere. She tried to sprint after the prince, but it seemed like she was running through molasses compared to him- especially with the stack of papers bundled against her chest.

"You little scoundrel! Come back here!"

Slowing down, he laughed and ran backward, facing her. His big brown eyes were full of mischief, though that's all that little boys know at this age. Taking a breath, she cursed her mortal body like she had done many times over the years. She was never fast enough. Never strong enough.