Two: Of Kaelyn

Kaelyn Ry'Coryna rolled out of bed, yawning, and blinking in the bright morning light, which was rafting in through her large, open windows.

Where was she.? Ah yes. She strolled over to the window, and looked out at the beautiful gardens of the Fourth Castle. She was staying here with her older sister and younger brother while boring negotiations went on in the main city and palace.

Yawning, the sixteen year old girl turned away from the window, and stretched in the morning warmth. She supposed that she should get dressed and bathe before going down to make breakfast, but since there were only five other people in the large, rarely used castle, she decided against it.

Smiling, Kaelyn pushed open the door, and hurried out into the cold corridor, running down it and grinning as she imagined what would happen to her if she did this in the main palace.

She was the Fire King's seventh child, not really one of the more notable ones. she didn't have any horrible birthmark, no outstanding magical power, she was a bit over average with weapons, and she was intelligent enough to not be labeled 'court idiot'. She certainly was in no position to get the crown, although she had heard rumors that the Water King's seventh son was the heir, since the other six had died off in the battles. Of course, that had all been before the Peace Act, which was signed when Kaelyn was seven.

She stretched, and jumped the last stair of the steps as she meandered down them, taking in everything thing around her. It wasn't often that she got to travel out of the main city, and when she was allowed to, it was always a special treat.

"So you're awake," a boy said, walking out of the Dining Room.

"Good morning, Leo," she said, grinning down at her younger brother. "Is Kaerisa awake?"

"Of course she is!" Prince Laeoran, affectionately known as Leo said, frowning at her. He was fourteen, and was always unhappy when his seven older sisters acted like he was nine.

She grinned at him, and swung into the dining room, where Princess Kaerisa was sitting. She was a dutiful child, she had always been very obedient, and unlike her youngest sister she was only talented in the arts of writing, reading, and sewing. Kaelyn rather fancied that she was a knight, while Kaerisa was a scribe or something boring like that.

"Good morning!" Kealyn said cheerfully, sitting down and staring at her sister.

Kaerisa rolled her eyes. "Good morning, Kaelyn. So, how did you sleep?"

"Ah, it was nice not being woken up and pulled out of bed!" Kaelyn said, beaming. "I love it here!"

"I thought that you would. Well, enjoy your meal, I'm off to the library." Kaerisa stood up, and pushed in her chair. "Stay out of trouble, and don't go to the village."

Kaelyn grinned behind her sister's back. Right, as if she'd stay out of trouble! She was trouble itself! Chuckling, she looked around, and picked up a fruit which had been sitting on an abandoned plate. She loved fruits. they were rare, but becoming more common among the Fire Clan, and Kaelyn ate any and all in sight.

"Enjoying yourself, miss?" A bold servant walked up to the table, clearing away Kaerisa's mess.

Kaelyn smiled, and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Oh yes! How did you ever get such fresh fruits?"

The servant smiled. "We live very close to the border of the Plant Clan's kingdom, and they are always kind enough to send some over."

"Wow! That's awesome!" Kaelyn finished off the fruit, and stood up. "Need any help?"

"Oh no, miss," The servant said, laughing. "It is not hard, and it won't take me long. Go explore the village."

Kaelyn nodded, and left, grinning. Well, she had points for going to the village and not going to it. "I'm going!" She announced to a statue as she passed by, skipping down the hallway.

She hurried up to her room, and pulled the first dress that she could get her hands on over her head. She quickly twirled her hair into a coil around the back of her head, and slid out of her personal room, whistling.

She met no one as she half ran out of the small castle, humming to herself. This new kind of freedom was exciting, back home she would be forced to sit through ceremonies and boring classes where she already knew all of the material. This however, being able to walk out of the castle and not have anyone stop her.. She smiled, and looked around.

Kaelyn was walking into a large village, where it was oddly silent. She looked around, concerned. Why was no one out side? She knew that in the capital city, the streets would be filled with venders and tourists, and it would be almost impossible to move five steps in ten minutes.

She looked around, her eyes wide.

"Can I help you?" A quiet voice asked behind her.

Kealyn turned, to find herself looking at a hooded figure. Almost instinctively, her hand fell on the ruby drop which hung from a cord around her neck. It was a Fire Stone, used for deciphering lies and increasing the wearers magical power.

"Excuse me?" She asked politely, trying to see through the shadow of the dark blue hood he wore.

"Do you need any help?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Kaelyn blinked. "I only have questions, but thank you," she said, still trying to see the stranger's face.

"Than allow me to answer them. Please, ask away, princess." He whispered.

Kaelyn's muscles tightened. He knew that she was one of the royal princesses! However, she kept her face impassive, and she asked, "Who are you?"

"My name is Jaekan," he replied.

Lie. The Fire Stone warmed up under her palm, and she raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?" she asked.

He bowed.

"Why are you so interested in helping me?" Kaelyn asked, stepping forward, causing him to half step backwards.

"I only wish to serve my king's daughter," he said, still in the same whisper of his voice.

Another lie. Rather disgusted, Kaelyn turned around, putting up invisible magical shields behind her. As all royals in the Fire Clan, her magic was that of heat, flame, and air, and she had been trained by the best mages in the kingdom- her magical power was rumored to be the strongest in the Clan.

"Scared?" The man asked, walking directly behind her.

She rounded on him, now fiercely annoyed, and fire blazed from the ground beneath her. "OH SHUT UP!" She snarled, scorching the bottom of his robes.

He glanced down at the edge of his cloak, and instantly, the fire disappeared.

Kaelyn didn't let her eyes narrow, but her suspicion grew.

She stepped forward, and again, he stepped backwards. "Who are you?" She asked again. "And the truth this time! I don't take kindly to being followed by stupid liars!"

He yawned. "I'm not in the mood," he said, mostly to himself.

She grimaced at him. "So you're bored with this now? You're the one who walked up to me in the first place! Do you have ANY IDEA how ANNOYING you are?!"

"You do have a temper, don't you?" He asked, mildly surprised.

She glared, and in one fast moment, scorched his hood to ashes, and took away the fire, horribly delighted at the look of panic and shock on his face.

He wasn't much older than her, maybe even younger, with the strangest features that she had ever seen. It was obvious, from the first glance, that he wasn't of the Fire Clan.

He had stormy gray eyes which stared out at her from under his brush of bluish green hair. She felt a slight jolt, as if she knew him from somewhere.

But that was ridiculous! She had never met anyone who wasn't from the Fire Clan other than the King of the Plant Clan, who had given her a pat on her head when she was eight.

This boy however.

They studied each other for a few seconds, and finally, Kaelyn asked, "Are you from the Water Clan?"

He nodded, silent.

"Well what in the world are you doing here?" She demanded, trying to glare him down.

He glared back. "I'm on a secret mission," he snapped, "and it's none of your business!"

"It's all my business!" Kaelyn retorted. "If you're sneaking around our Clan, trying to annoy innocent, unsuspecting princesses-!"

A grin flashed across his face, making him seem even more familiar than before. "I am annoying you?" He asked, his heavily accented voice no longer a whisper.

"What do you think?" She asked, scowling.

He chuckled. "I must admit, Princess Kaelyn Ry'Coryna, that you aren't at all what they said you'd be like. Here I was, expecting some sweet little child, who'd almost beg me to help her understand why there seems to be no one in the village."

"So it's your fault?!" Kaelyn snarled.

"Stop jumping to conclusions!" He snapped back. "Of course it's not my fault! I just know what happened!"

"Well what did happen?" Kaelyn demanded, rather sulkily.

The boy grimaced. "And why should I tell you?" He asked.

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO SORRY, BUT I TOTALLY LOST INTEREST IN THIS STORY *SNIFF* I PROBABLY WONT BE WRITING IT ANYMORE... AHHHHH!!!!!!