The Fate of Alleria - Book One (ON HOLD)

-Chapter Two-

Tasia

Tasia crashed into the hard stone floor with a grunt. She and Athea had always been a close match but Tasia was off her game today.

"What's up with you today? You don't normally go down so easily." Athea grinned, waggling her magical fingertips that had moments before shot a burst straight into her chest, sending her sprawling.

Tasia herself didn't have any magic- just a magical weapon- but it wasn't frowned upon. The royal family didn't have any magic in their bloodline at the moment. Tasia was sure her parents wanted her to marry someone with the magic, to bring it back into the royal family.

"Nothing." She sighed, disappointed at being beaten.

Athea stood over her, bending to retrieve Tasia's magical axe. "Right. Come on, what's bothering you?"

"I'm just nervous for tonight." Tasia responded, picking herself up off the ground and taking her axe back from her friend. "Mother was pestering me all day yesterday about how I should act."

She had come down to the courtyard to get her mind off the upcoming ball but it still seemed to be all she could think about. Things like this didn't normally affect her, but she couldn't stop the nerves from trickling into her thoughts, like the small rivulets of water down her window when it rained.

Athea made a sympathetic face. "You know, even if this is like, a make-or-break for our kingdoms-"

"Not helping, Thea."

"There's nobody I'd trust more to handle it than you. Well, and your parents."

She blew out another sigh, giving Athea a smile. "Thanks. You're the best."

Athea grinned again. "I know!"

"I'll see you tonight." She said, waving to Athea as she walked backwards towards her room.

She pushed open the large door and slumped onto her bed, crumpling the dress that had been nicely spread out there.

She slipped out of her clothes and flexed in the mirror before pulling on the heavy, formal dress. The white and gold looked pretty together, common colors of her kingdom, but paired with her dark blonde hair and blue eyes, it looked out of place.

Thea is right. This is a make-or-break for the kingdoms.

Studying herself in the mirror, she didn't see herself as 'Princess Tasia.' Her layered dirty blonde hair hung down to her armpit level and her skin was pale, perhaps from the rainy and cloudy seasons of Castreau. Her blue eyes were wide, her long eyelashes hanging over them, influenced by simple mascara and eyeliner. She was more on the flat-chested side, but this mattered little to Tasia. Her legs were long, but she was still short, about five foot three. The dress complimented her, fitting the right places.

"I'm coming!" She shouted as someone knocked on the door.

Before stepping back out into the hall she rang her prayer bell. The sound washed over her like a calming wave.

Please let everything work out tonight. She silently thought toward the gods, before turning the doorknob and walking toward whatever events awaited her.

-

It was the second time she had been pushed to the ground that day, except this time it hadn't been by Athea, but by a menacing looking guard.

"Get down, princess!" She shouted over the chaos.

Between the sounds of shouts and screams, she ignored the guard, scrambling back to her feet, pushing past the masses of rioting people to get to her father.