The Legends of Paradise The Lost ~ Caraval Fanfic

Legends Don't Wear Rings

Legends Don't Wear Rings
Chapter 2

     Paradise hated Elantine's palace. Part of her wanted to light the whole castle on fire and watch it burn. Elantine had told her daughter that as she grew older, she hadn't any permission to leave the palace grounds. Paradise tried to protest, saying that she was the Princess of The Meridian Empire and that surely she should be allowed to roam anywhere she pleased.

     Then a group of Royal Guards dragged her back to her room and alerted Elantine of her attempted departure. She was fourteen.

     Now, she was seventeen and much more wise about sneaking around. There was only one thing that Paradise liked about Elantine's Palace, and that was the tunnels that filled the ancient walls. Paradise knew them by heart, using them frequently to sneak into the city. There was only one up side to the world not knowing her name nor her appearance, and it was the lack of fame that followed her. Only the guards would know to bring her back to the castle, and Paradise carefully avoided them.

     A bulge of coins attached under her petticoat in a small pouch as she neared Minerva's ModernWear, preparing to pick up a fine dress for her monthly dinner with her mother. Elantine rarely had time for Paradise, so monthly dinners was all the time Paradise had to talk with her.

     No matter how much Paradise told herself she didn't need it, she still craved her mother's attention and affection.

     The doorbell ringed as Paradise stepped inside, and she felt the slightest bit comforted.

     "Ah, Paradise! I was worrying you'd be late," Minerva chimed from behind her counter. "Come, your dress is all ready."

     As Paradise followed Minerva down twisty hallways, a man with an eyepatch crossed paths with them.

     "What's an innocent young thing like you doing in a dress shop like Minerva's?"

     The man's voice sounded like sandpaper and scratchy chalk, making Paradise narrow her eyes.

    "Oh hush, Harold. She's only here to pick up a dress."

"What kind?"

Minerva gave him a sharp look. "The kind a teenager wears to a family dinner."

Harold let out a raspy chuckle before departing the store, the bell sounding off a light ring before fading out into silence.

"What other kinds of dresses are there?" Paradise asked wearily when she was sure the man was gone.

Minerva paused. "Some young women in Valenda don't have families to protect them. They'll get scammed into a maid job should they choose to earn money fairly, or..."

"Or what?"

Minerva let out a short breath, but Paradise filled in the blanks.

"They kill?"

"Kill, steal, cheat, 's all the same. I sell fine clothing that conceals appropriate weapons or tools for said activities, but you don't want to dabble into that, Paradise. You have a family, stick with them."

Paradise nodded as they found a dressing room, but she couldn't deny the need to meet a challenge at Minerva's words. A way to be independent.