Prologue for New Story Idea - 12 'Dancing' Princesses

“Please, allow me to assist you. A delicate flower such as yourself should not over exert yourself.”

Abigail ‘Gail’ Ariadne, eldest daughter to King Ariadne, smiled politely at her… ‘helper’, “Thank you Prince Frederick,” She stated, “But this is really nothing. I’m just bringing it for my sister.”

The prince shook his head indulgently, “I have no doubt about that at all my dear,” He persisted, taking the tray of food from her. “But such a flower should not do work needlessly lest their petals wilt. And that would be a tragedy.”

Said ‘delicate flower’ felt her eye twitch as she forced herself to calm down. It was just a tray of food. Toast and porridge. Hardly worth getting upset about. Instead, she entered her happy place and imagined all the ways she could maim him without it leading back to her.

She was up to twenty three so far. Her happy place was getting rather crowded with ideas.

This had been getting annoyingly common as of late. She knew her father meant well, but he had to worry about the future of the kingdom. This meant, of course, that she would be required to marry.

The Kingdom of Ganasia was one of the largest kingdoms in the area, and was surrounded by several other kingdoms. With both prolific farming and mining, they had gained much of their power and alliances through trading. In return, the other kingdoms provided a buffer to any potential invaders.

Such an arrangement worked well for the kingdoms… And sadly, many thought to cement such arrangements further through marriage.

Gail had known that such was her lot in life. As a princess, she knew she would have little input as to whom her husband would be. And yet…

“I do hope that your sister is feeling better today? Truly, it pained my heart to see the court deprived of any flower. This just supports my theory that all of you are working too hard!”

She gritted her teeth. How would he react if she told him the real reason her sister wasn’t feeling well?

… Actually, he’d probably laugh in disbelief.

Oh well, back to her happy place. Idea twenty four was getting creative.

They walked down the halls of the old castle in silence. Well, she was silent, and was ignoring whatever he was saying, so it might as well have been silence. Occasionally they would walk by a servant going about the constant war against grime, and they would bow low in deference the moment they saw the two royals.

The prince sniffed, “Commoners,” He scoffed, “In Simore, the servants only come out at evening so as not to bother those of import.”

The desire to maim was actually increasing. She didn’t think that that was possible.

Instead, she shrugged, “They are just doing their jobs,” She replied calmly, “And it’s hardly like they are bothering us.”

“Well of course, somebody of your compassion and gentleness would believe so,” He stated condescendingly, even as they arrived at the Princesses rooms, “But trust me, everything that one does tends to give a statement, and one must appear firm! Lest others will seek to take advantage of you.”

Gail put her hand on the doorknob, turning to look at the prince briefly. The man looked absurdly proud of himself at his attempt to sound wise. She briefly looked up and down, taking in his carefully put together outfit, the slight traces of baby fat on his face, and his skinny physique that betrayed the fact he probably hadn’t lifted anything heavier than a book for any length of time.

Did her father truly expect her to marry somebody like this?

True, this was merely one potential suitor of several vying for her hand, but it still didn’t bode well for her future.

She opened the door and reluctantly led the prince into their dorms.

The first room was a large living space, an extravagant rug on the ground, along with several couches in front of a large fireplace. Twelve rooms branched off from the main living area, one for each of the girls, as soon as they entered ten heads looked at them from the couch. While normally she and her sisters would be out and about with their own hobbies, they were taking advantage of the day to relax.

Curious looks turned to glares when they saw who was with her, and she could only shrug. There was only so much that she could do while being polite. And despite how much of an idiot he was, she did still have to be polite.

There was Violet, the next oldest, knitting what looked like a blanket, with the twins Bianca and Carolyn next to her, each reading from the same book between them. Hannah was painting a picture, while Isabelle appeared to be debating between jewelry. Kathleen, Lyndsey, and Julie were playing some sort of game between the three of them, and the youngest, Denice and Evelyn, were playing with some dolls. Kiara was lying, fast asleep, on the couch closest to the fire, her face pale and sweating slightly.

“Good afternoon to you all,” Prince Frederick proclaimed grandly, not noticing the mood at all. “It does my heart good to see such beauty arrayed before me. I hope that this day has found you all well?”

The next oldest, Violet, smiled gently at him as she set aside her knitting needles. “We are doing well enough.” She replied, “But I’m afraid that Kiara still isn’t feeling up to visitors.” She gestured to the sick sister with a concerned look.

The prince nodded sadly, “So I had heard,” He commented, “As I had told your sister, the very court was most morose for her absence. But I am sure that she will be grateful for something to eat. Though I am surprised, do you not have servants to take care of you when you are sick? It is only befitting of your stations, and a disgrace otherwise!”

Gail twitched, but didn’t say anything. The sooner he left, the better they’d all be, and he truly didn’t realize how precarious his position was…

She glanced around the room. Violet’s knitting needles, custom made and balanced - perfect for throwing. Jewelry specially crafted, now better than garrote wire. Each girl was within grabbing reach of at least one sharp implement, and Gail would be very surprised if at least one of those paint containers didn’t contain something a little more toxic than ‘paint’.

If this guy used the word ‘delicate’ one more time, he’d find just how many thorns these ‘delicate’ flowers truly had.

During her musing, she ignored as the prince meandered over to the sick princess and placed the food on the nearby table. Her eyes widened in panic as he then foolishly reached out to shake Kiara awake.

Before she, or any of the others, could say anything in warning, Kiara’s foot lashed out and slammed between his legs, the girl's eyes widening in panic as she suddenly woke up and was reaching for something behind the pillow…

Only for Gail to grasp her hand firmly, “It’s alright! Just relax, I’m sorry, there’s no enemies around,” She assured the panicked girl urgently, ignoring the prince as he dropped to his knees in pain.

“We’re all here,” She whispered gently to the girl, “It’s all right.” Continually whispering other encouraging words as she gently brought her other hand to brush through the sick girl’s hair until the confusion left her eye.

Would it be irresponsible for her to reward her sister? Maybe… She should wait until the Prince left before she did so anyways.

Behind her, she heard Violet stand up and help the incapacitated prince up, “I’m so sorry,” She apologized, “But our sister doesn’t like being startled. It would probably be best for you to go to your own quarters.” There was a pause, “Do you require assistance for that?”

She looked over her shoulder at the two, though still keeping a firm grip on her sister’s hand while running her hand through her hair in comfort. The Prince had lost all color in his face, his hands were clutching his crotch defensively as his expression remained in agony. She was impressed he hadn’t screamed… Or perhaps the pain was enough that he couldn’t?

After several moments he finally stood up, “N-n-no worries,” He gasped, his voice noticeably higher than it was before, “I-it was my fault for startling the young lady.,” He gulped, “A-and of course, I would hate to b-bother you ladies any further than I have when you are all c-clearly relaxing, so I shall take my leave.”

He limped painfully towards the door after attempting to make a bow to them, his pride clearly preventing him from asking for help.

After he left, there was silence in the room for several seconds before the room erupted in snickers. Despite what anybody said, Gail did NOT do so as well. She had to set an example for the younger girls after all.

Sadly, the good mood didn’t last.

Several hours later, Gail grimaced in frustration when the fire seemed to flare, the gold threading of the rug shimmering.

“Alright Denice, Evelyn” She called out, smiling sadly when the two youngest groaned. “Now now, you know that it’s time for bed.” She chided gently.

They pouted at her, but soon gave in when they saw the rest of the girls start to get up and move as well, and she quickly helped them get dressed and ready. They were unaware of what happened every other night, and if she had her way that would remain for as long as possible. Let them have as much of a childhood as she could give them…

After she put them to bed and locked the doors, she turned her attention to Kiara, who was struggling to get ready despite being sick. Without a word, she moved to assist, putting casual clothing on.

After that, she turned to the rest of her sisters while Kiara slumped against her, their gazes resolute. “Is everybody ready?” She asked rhetorically, receiving a nod from everybody just as the rug started to shine brighter.

She clenched her fist while looking down, “Then let's go say hello to the King.” She stated softly, just as the rug came alive and turned into a series of descending stairs, leading into the darkness.

Only a few minutes later, she and her sisters were wandering through an underground cavern, the sheer size and scope of it beyond anything that should be able to exist considering the distance it ‘felt’ they had traveled.

And the cavern wasn’t bare, oh no. All around them, as soon as they had left the stairs, they had found themselves in a forest. And not a forest of stalagmites and stalactites, of the stone and rock formations that one would expect underground.

Trees, intricately sculpted out of silver and gold, lined the path they were on. Hundreds of trees, from the bark to the very leaves, each was incredibly lifelike. A fortune worth more than any kingdom should have, whether you were counting only the metals or the sculptures themselves.

By now, simply an afterthought. A common occurrence, despite its grandeur.

Magic. That was the only explanation that Gail could come up with. Something that should only exist in stories.

She snorted. Honestly, it felt like they were in a story half the time. But the people in stories always got a happy ending. Real life was hardly as kind.

They were halfway through to their destination when the hairs on Gail’s neck stood up, instinct suddenly blaring as she grabbed Kiara and spun around, her other sisters taking her lead and leaping back.

The place they had been standing was suddenly occupied as an armored figure slammed into the ground from above. He wore old plate mail, a skull engraved on the front, and a black cloak fluttering behind him ominously. In his hand he held an ancient blade that glowed faintly with a black aura, causing Gail to shiver at the sight of it.

In an instant, he had multiple weapons pointed at him, with several more prepared to be thrown. Despite the threat, the armored figure stood up and looked at them, his horned helmet glaring at them ominously.

Gail simply glared back, “Was that necessary?” She snapped, “We haven’t even reached the castle yet!”

The armored figure stood silently for a moment longer before letting out a deep laugh, “Of course it is,” The voice boomed, “All of the training in the world is rendered worthless if you are taken off guard. A person must remain vigilant at all times. If I simply did the same thing over and over again, it would create habits. And that, would be most dangerous indeed.”

His helmet came off as he spoke, revealing his face to the group.

Gray skin, with white hair and a wizened face. The man looked old, yet Gail had long since given up on thinking that his age meant anything other than experience. If you ignored the color of his skin and the pointed ears, one could almost mistake him as human. On his head was a simple circlet, something which he had once declared was the symbol of his status.

Before them stood the Under King. By his own admission, royalty amongst his people.

Of course, they had their own names and titles for him. Sadistic, Slavedriver, Bastard, and according to Kathleen one particularly bad day, “Boots”, for that was what she would make of his skin after she killed him.

She took a deep breath, “I suppose it’s good that we ran into you right now,” She admitted reluctantly, “Kiara is not feeling well today, and she’s still recovering from our last training session. May she be excused from this evening’s session?”

The other girls looked at her in surprise, but she refused to look away from the Under King, and he in turn stared at her.

“The enemy will not wait for you to feel well before they attack,” He intoned without changing expression, and Gail felt something within her snap.

“We aren’t at war!” She cried out angrily, “There isn’t anybody attacking us! Kiara is not feeling well, and she won’t get any better if you keep on training us like this!”

She felt Kiara pull at her hand, but she ignored it. There was nothing she could do to prevent her sisters from going through the usual sessions, but her sister was suffering!

Her anger towards the armored king increased tenfold when he simply laughed mockingly, “Of course, because the only time one should prepare for war is when you are already at war.” He smirked, “Well, I suppose we should send word to all the other countries that they can disband their own armies, for what use are they if they aren’t at war?”

She felt herself vibrate with anger, suddenly lashing out with her own dagger. She was a blur, her movements sudden and perfect, her aim at his unprotected eye Unfortunately, and expectedly, he simply reached up and stopped the dagger with two fingers, and despite her strength she couldn’t budge it further.

Not bothered by the attempt on his life, he shrugged, “Such is my contract, to prepare the daughters of the royal family against the dangers of the world.” He intoned, a faint smirk on his lips, “I WILL abide by the terms that I have agreed to.”

“That was a century ago!” Gail growled, “And I doubt they meant it this way!”

He remained impassive, “The method of preparation was never stated,” He replied, “Nor was there an end date.” He twisted his fingers, breaking the knife easily and turned his back towards the group, walking into the trees, “I repeat. I WILL abide by the terms that I have agreed to. As shall you.”

He disappeared into the trees, and silence reigned once more.

Violet breathed out shakily, “A-are you alright Gail?” She asked hesitantly, even as Julie walked forward and wordlessly handed her another dagger to replace the broken one.

Gail let out her own breath, feeling very depressed all of a sudden, “No,” She replied, “No I’m not.” She stroked Kiara’s hair once more, smiling sadly as the sick girl grabbed her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. “C’mon,” She said, “Let’s go ahead and get this over with.”

Ignoring the worried looks of her sisters, she started down the path once more, and after a few seconds she heard them begin to follow her once more.

It was only a few minutes later till they came to a large gate, as foreboding as it was extravagant. The forest stopped several feet from the gate, and beyond  it lay an ancient castle.

Gail didn’t mean to boast, but she was aware that her family's castle was old, and was amongst the largest in the kingdom, and yet this one put theirs to shame. Dozens, if not hundreds, of windows of various sizes could be seen, from arrow slits to stained glass windows, and each only showed darkness within.

They walked up to the castle entrance with practiced ease, entering a foyer that was filled to the brim with weapons, and each girl seperated to collect their weapon of choice.

Gail grabbed a saber and a belt of daggers. “Violet, Kathleen, you’re in charge of our flanks.” She instructed as she observed her own weapons. “Bianca, Carolyn, You two take the front. Kiara, you’re in the center on overwatch. Everybody else? You’re choice.” She heard their agreements, and within moments the entire group was equipped.

They all moved to the door to the next room, opening it to reveal a hallway wreathed in darkness. A few steps in, and a shadowed figure leaped from the shadows with a wordless cry, only to fall with a choked gasp as an arrow and several daggers slammed into him.

Gail took out another dagger and prepared herself, her sisters doing the same around her.

time to dance.

The Kingdom of Iislav

Cor gave a deep bow to the royal spymaster, the sound of waves coming in distantly from the shore outside the castle.

“Sir, I was told you had asked for me?” He asked respectfully.

The spymaster put down the series of papers he was reviewing. “Yes, I have a new mission for you.”

Cor felt his lip twitch. To the point and with the minimum amount of words. He often wondered if the old man reported to his Majesty in the same manner.

“Prince Gaylen is traveling to the Kingdom of Ganasia next week.” He stated, picking up another paper and reviewing it absently. “You will be accompanying him, as his personal servant.”

Cor flinched, feeling like he had been punched in the stomach.

Did the spymaster hear his thoughts and decide to punish him or something?!?

“Sir,” He used every ounce of control to keep the confusion out of his voice. “Do you expect something bad to happen to the Prince? And if so, I’m sure there are many others who are more suited for babysitt - I MEAN bodyguarding!” He hastily amended.

He could have sworn he heard the other man snort…

“True,” The man replied drily, “Which is why you will not be there to guard the Prince.” He grabbed another paper and handed it to Cor. Looking at it, he saw a list of names and descriptions.

“Instead, your task will be to protect the princesses of Ganasia.”

He opened his mouth, and then closed it. He looked at the spymaster, who continued to look at other papers on his desk. He opened his mouth once more.

“The Princesses?” He parroted, his confusion not alleviating in the slightest.

The old man gave a sigh, “We have found evidence that somebody is planning on acting against the Ganasian’s. We have informed them of our findings, and yet all of our warnings have been brushed aside. Either we are too paranoid, or they believe that ‘The Castle’ will protect them.” He spat in disgust, “Superstitious fools. However, their Kingdom is too important to our own, and all the others, that we simply can’t afford to ignore this possibility. So if they will not do their part to protect their own, then we shall do so for them.”

Cor nodded slowly in understanding. That made sense. And yet… “How do I protect the Princesses if I am to be the servant of the Prince?”

He just knew that the spymaster was smirking at him now, “I have faith in your abilities.” He stated smugly. “Now, you better prepare. It will be better off for you if you were to get at least somewhat close to the young Prince before your departure.”

He bit back a response and nodded, turning and leaving the building.

Spending more time with the Prince… He had a hard enough time watching the brat from a distance! And then his task of guarding twelve princesses… He didn’t even bother holding in his groan, causing several people to look at him in concern.

With his luck the princesses would be spoiled brats, heads empty save for balls, dresses and jewelry. And the spymaster didn’t give an end date, which meant that it was until he deemed otherwise.

Still, he would do his duty, however distasteful it may be. He sighed and started heading towards his cottage, already debating on what disguise to wear.

As one of the top assassins of the kingdom, he would do his duty, no matter what that might be.