The Prince of Avalor

Chapter 1

Mateo let out a deep breath as he signed the last paper.  He set the cap on his ink to prevent it from drying up.  All his work for the day was finally complete.  He supposed he should read or work ahead in his studies as he was always advised to do so, but his eyes traveled to the tamborita that hung on the wall.

It was his late grandfather's (Alakazar), an heirloom passed down from generations.  His mother, Alakazar's daughter, was never interested in magic, so she gave it to him.  It was the last birthday present he had received from her before she died.  That was when he was eight.

Since then, things had changed.  His father, King Victor, had remarried to a woman named Ash.  She had a daughter named Carla, so he had also recieved a step-sister in the process.  He actually liked Carla.  They got along as well as any sibling, at least, he assumed they did.  They weren't shy at teasing or annoying each other, of course, it was never done in the presence of their parents.  They had a tight picture as prince and princess to uphold.

Ash, on the other hand, was a different case.  She was nothing like his mami.  She was much more reserved and, frankly, Mateo was more than certain that she didn't like him.  Perhaps it was because he was the only thing standing that kept her daughter from becoming the queen of Avalor.  He was Victor's only blood child after all.

Mateo slowly wandered over to the tamborita, carefully holding in both his hands.  He drew in a deep breath, closing his eyes.

"Hey, Marco!"

Mateo visibly flinched, sighing.  "Hey, Carla.  It's Mateo."

That was one way Carla found to annoy him with.  When they first met (which was when they were ten and on their parents' wedding day) she couldn't remember his name.  She called him Marco, and he would correct her.  Since then, it was kind of her little joke to tease him with.

"I'm done with my work, what about you?"

"Completed," Mateo answered as he set his tamborita back on the wall.

"Great!  Do you wanna play olaball?"

"I don't know.  Probably head to the library to read.  You know Ash prefers it when we study."

"Yeah, but it is so tiring and... boring..." she muttered.

Mateo smirked as he turned to her, crossing her arms.  "I'm sure it will be fine if we play one game.  After all, we've worked this hard for weeks without a little fun."

"Yes!"  Carla linked her arm in his before pulling him out of the room.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

"Careful, Isa!  You don't want to fall from that tree!"  Elena called up to her younger sister, who was gathering coco beans.

"Don't worry, Elena!  I have my sticky glove on.  It will make it harder for me to fall."

"Good!  Maybe if I can get Esteban out of the chocolate, we can all go to the store together to pick up supplies for Abuela."

"The window is open, and I can hear you," Esteban said as he popped his head out of the opened window.

"Oh, come on, Esteban.  You love Abuela's chocolate and there's no shame in that.  We all do," Elena replied.

"Ah.  This is true," the seventeen year old chuckled.

"I'm done!"  Isa announced as she stepped up next to Elena with a basket of coco beans.

"Wow!  You got down fast," Elena admitted in surprise.

Isa giggled.  "Well, I'm ready!  What about you, cuz?"

"I don't know, the batch Abuela is making is an extra good one..." Esteban teased.

"Esteban!"  Elena put her hands on her hips.

The boy laughed.  "I'm coming.  Let me wash up first."  He ducked his head back into the kitchen.

"Right, wouldn't want you to have you covered in chocolate in sight of your girlfriend!"  Elena teased.

"My-ah!"  There was a thunk (probably Esteban hitting his head on something).  "What?"

"Nothing!"  Elena called.  "Hurry up!"

Isa clapped a hand over her mouth as she tried not to hold down a fit of giggles.  She failed.