Her Royal Pen Pal

Prologue

(Copyright) © 2011 Candle_Ice

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[A/N:  Pic of Emmy Rossum as Elise at the side ] 

[[This entire story is unedited; so there maybe a few mistakes. Please ignore them =)... for now!]]

Prologue: 

Elise van Hastening felt invisible. It was almost as if no one saw her standing there as she tried to hand out flyers. People either walked by her, or ignored her outstretched hand.

Dropping her hand, she ran it through her shoulder length brown hair and released a sigh of frustration. Being ignored by her peers was something she had had to deal with her whole school life.

She wasn't exactly the belle of the ball, but she wasn't socially awkward either. She was easy to talk to, and would be able make friends easy due to her kindness, but most people avoided her because she's very proactive in her cause that youths should be more concerned with their future, and they sometimes felt threatened by her or thought that their youth and playfulness made them immature compared to her. Most people her age bypassed her, due to her maturity. Well, her mature thoughts. Her behaviour could be deemed a little immature at times.

And she never said that they shouldn't party or have a good time. Hell, even she partied at times, however, in moderation, while most students in her university tend to be more concerned with the next party or hanging out in the bars far more than their future.

The only other persons who shared her views were her best friend, Tatiana Daae, and group leader Garson Tillman. Together, the three of them started a club at their university to help get across their ideas and get others interested in the future of their country. So far a few others have joined them, so it wasn’t a complete waste of a perfect April afternoon trying to pass out flyers to students who just walked pass briskly. 

It wasn't a popular club, but at least there were other members, besides the three of them, who meet at least twice a week, and discuss their role in Elyria's future as future leaders. Elise wanted to be Prime Minister one day. It's always been her dream. What better way to influence a nation than becoming a political leader? Either that or she'd have to marry the Crown Prince.

Yeah right! The Crown Prince of Elyria would be the last man she’d ever marry. The playboy prince who had a different girl on his arm every week, that’s a good one. He'd never go for someone who had a mind of their own and an actual opinion other than the latest club hot spot. All his girlfriends were all frosting and no cupcake. And he, himself, may be a prince and well packaged, but she doubted his heart was into anything other than partying. She often felt angry and envious towards him, for he had the ability to make a change, and influence persons by merely his birthright, and by his actions he didn't look too worried about the Crown duties. But she shouldn't judge him too much; her information on him was limited to what the tabloids wrote about him. For all she knew, he might prefer to stay home and read on the weekends.

Laughing at the ridiculous nature of that thought, Elise shook her head and attempted to hand out flyers to those who passed by the table she and Garson had set up on the lawns of the campus grounds.

 "Sorry I'm late," said a breathless Tatiana, as she rushed up to them, dropped her backpack and quickly picked up a few flyers. "Mrs. van Walden needed to talk to me about my thesis. What'd I miss?"

"Nothing much. We got a few flyers crumpled and thrown back at us, but a few actually took some. Granted they just stuck it into their books or binders, but hopefully one day they'll actually read it," Garson said brightly. 

Elise admired Garson. She'd never met anyone like him. He was easy going and pretty friendly. Nothing much fased him, and he had the patience of a saint. The two became fast friends their first day on campus, when they discovered they had similar interests. Garson had dreams of running a political campaign also, but not as Prime Minister, more as the manager, who did the behind the scenes stuff. They often joked that he'd manage her campaign when she's ready to run, and Tatiana would make sure they're dressed well.

She looked at her best friend, and smiled as she saw the girl walk up to a group of guys and started flirting, tossing her long, shiny blonde hair over her shoulder, while sticking the flyers into their hands. Tatiana was more social than she was, and even though she was an active member of their club, she wasn't interested in a political career. She would much rather work as a magazine editor, like Elise's mom.

 Tatiana finished her 'flirt by' and came back and stood next to her. 

"So how are things going with 'prince_charming01.’ Are you two still talking regularly?" she asked.

Elise blushed slightly. Okay, so there may be another person who shared her interests other than her two friends. Leo. She couldn’t believe she met him. Well, not really ‘meet’ him, since she's never met him in person; she only ever chatted with him online. But they connected on a very scary level.

"Yes, we're still talking. Almost every night, it seems." she told her friend.

"Really?" Tatiana said, drawing out the two syllables before she continued. "Are you planning on meeting him in person?"

"I don't know. I really want to, but what if he's better in cyber world? You know? Perhaps his reality wouldn't be as spectacular as his internet version?" She responded honestly. 

"You never know if you don't try. How about you meet him in a public place? Say… invite him to one of our club meetings? That might work. I mean he did give you some awesome pointers. And everyone already knows about him, the 'cyber' member of our group. You'll meet him in person and the club will have a new member. What do you have to lose?" Her friend pointed out. 

"Are you two going to gossip all the time, or are you going to help me out?" Garson called out in his always friendly voice.

"Women do not gossip, Garson. We discuss affairs," Tatiana informed him cheerfully, going over to help him, she left Elise to think about what she said.

Elise weighed her options. Maybe she should invite him to a meeting. Not because she was curious to meet him in person, but because he's been a useful member of the club. And the club needed some dedicated and intellectual members like him.

Oh! Who was she kidding? She wanted to meet the guy she spent hours talking to. She wanted to meet the guy who was so much like her. She felt she could somehow calm down the way she was feeling by having reality burst her bubble. She liked him, a guy she's never seen before, one she's only talked to online, and she liked him. He may turn out to be a psycho internet stalker, who lures persons into talking with him for some sick reason. Or he may turn out to be the man of your dreams. A voice inside piqued up. 

She knew he wasn't lying about his beliefs. He was the one who started the conversations. He told her his plans first, and she then told him her own. So he couldn't be a fake, right?

Well there was only one way to find out. She'd have to do as Tatiana said, and invite him to a meeting. Hopefully it will all work out she prayed.