Freedom comes at a price and a young Earthal princess must live the life of somebody else, even if it means facing evil threats and impossible odds.
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As someone who craves freedom, Princess Clarabelle cannot just stand by and let her life be take...
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CLARA COULD hardly concentrate on what Holly was saying, for the prospect of the placement exam was starting to weigh on her. She imagined herself in the middle of unknown faces without anything—not even her powers—in case something went terribly wrong. The placement exam was supposed to be a measure of strength. It wouldn't start in the next few hours, yet Clara feared she would flunk it.
Holly showed Clara to a bathroom. It had a large bathtub, kidney-shaped and made of the smoothest white porcelain. The high ceilings were covered by enormous frescoed portraits, depicting Hiestora's beginning of time—how it was created by the Guardian Deity. Against each of the walls—which were papered in elaborate swirls of turquoise, pink, and gold—was an oversized, lavishly carved wooden armoire.
"I sleep in Chamber 5, Your Highness," Holly said, leaning against the bathroom doorway. "That's downstairs. In case you need me, there's a communication system that's set up in your bedroom. It's directly connected to my room, Sir Maxwell's, Prince Emir's, and the receptionist's." She gestured across the hallway. "There is a small kitchen at the front if you need tea or breakfast for convenience, but you can always ask them to deliver it for you. The main kitchens and dining hall are in the main building, but that's many steps away. And when classes start, I shall accompany you wherever you go. The prince's order. I, uh... am already briefed about your after-adjustment from a year-long coma."
Clara cleared her throat, not wanting to linger on the subject any longer. "How many people live here?"
"Only six Erinian royalties are attending this year. The others were done with their arts and studies. We'll add six to that because other royals also have their wards. That is twelve in total."
"Twelve," Clara murmured, internally listing the royalties she met. She already knew Prince Emir and Maxwell, his right-hand man. Then, there was Prince Henry Cromwell from the tour show. That would be five if she would consider herself and Holly.
"Princess, would you mind going with me to Caelholme?" Holly said, pulling her out of her deep thought. "I-I apologize if I'm becoming too forward, but I'm just thinking if you'd like to look around some more."
Holly seemed like a strong-headed girl. Clara had observed how she unconsciously flicked her eyebrows every time she spoke. The reason why she was slightly on edge with Holly despite her anticipation of having a friend in her. But this Holly standing in front of her, asking her to have fun in Caelholme, was actually shy and nervous.
Then, Clara smiled, easing the tension on Holly's shoulder a bit. "I would love to, Holly. And maybe we can try to know more about each other. How is that?"
Excitement took over Holly as she ran across the room, Clara following her. Holly grabbed a small blue pebble from a bunch of it in a small rounded weaved basket placed over the fire mantel.
"Where in Caelholme exactly, Holly?" Unlike before, Clara was familiar with the city of Caelholme from her studies of history. It was another thriving city from the northern kingdom of Eirinia—the Notus Kingdom.
