In Which Raela Meets the Prince but Forgets About It

Raela had never had much luck ever since a traveling gypsy had given her a prophecy. She had grown up on the outskirts of the Fairy Forest with her mother and father, until her father was killed by a raging boar, and her mother left to go find another husband. Raela went with her mother during the search, but once her mother did find a husband, Raela almost wanted to return back to their small home near the forest.

Her new father was a lord, and he already had one daughter, who was betrothed to the prince. She was a few years older than Raela, and in Raela's mind, much prettier.
Tara was tall, and very skinny. She wore face paint wherever she went, and her dresses were always in the latest fashions. Plus, most of the men in the court adored her, and she always seemed to be with laughing people.

Raela supposed that she was jealous, but she didn't really mind if Tara got all the attention or not. While Tara went off trying to win the prince's heart, Raela stayed at home, cleaning, and helping her mother, who had become pregnant, and was more often than not irritated and angry.

"Rae! Go to the market and get me oranges! Immediately!" Her mother gasped, sitting in the large, comfortable chair in front of the fire, holding her large stomach and groaning in pain as the baby inside of her kicked.

"Of course." Raela pulled on her shoes and ran outside, noticing that she could see her breath. She paused, and stared around her. "Is it winter already?" She wondered out loud, surprised. Her mother had married last spring... had it really been that long since Raela's father's death? She shook her head, trying not to think of him, and ran out the front gates, into the large marketplace.

Tara's father, the lord, owned two houses- one in the city for times when Court was in session, and one in the country, where he owned horses.

Raela wasn't sure about the horses. She had never really liked them, and the ones at her new father's home didn't seem to like her either. Three of them had bit her when she was last there. She paused again, dimly wondering why she was thinking about horses instead of oranges, and turned around, desperately trying to figure out where oranges would be sold in the winter. "Hmm." She shook her head, getting stray locks of her dark brown hair into her eyes, and she bit her lip.

Her mother was always asking for strange foods, Raela reflected as she hopefully peered into shops and at food venders. Yesterday her mother had wanted lobster-which could be found in the sea food area... but oranges?! They weren't even in season or anything.

"Oh! Look here!"

Raela turned recognizing Tara's voice. "Good morning," she said, curtsying slightly to Tara and four friends.

"It's my darling little step sister!" Tara said, smiling her large, white smile. "Isn't she cute, Prince Aalrin?"

Raela tried not to stare at the prince, who she actually hadn't ever seen before. He was a bit taller then her- although she found it funny that he wasn't as tall as Tara- and he had light, curly blond hair, bright blue eyes, and just about everything else that Raela thought a perfect prince needed. She blushed, and looked down.

"She's very cute, Lady Tara," Prince Aalrin said, smiling at Raela, who smiled back. "May I inquire as to your name, fair lady?"

"Raela, your highness," she replied, trying not to blush even more.

"Raela. What a beautiful name," the prince said.

Tara seemed to realize that the prince was no longer interested in her. She glared at Raela over Prince Aalrin's shoulder, and then tugged at his arm, "Come, dear prince, let's go look at the birds."

"Very well." Prince Aalrin sighed, and waved good bye to Raela who blushed again, and waved back.

Raela let out a long, not at all displeased sigh, and held a hand up to her speeding heart. Ahh- she was in love with the prince! Smiling, she swiveled around, half dancing as she walked among the shops, forgetting why she was even there in the first place.

He was so handsome! So... charming! And kind, and nice, and lovely and perfect in everyway... wait. Raela stopped, causing the roll man behind her to curse and almost run into her. She ignored him, and clutched her hands together. Prince Aalrin was going to marry Tara. Tara would get him, not Raela, and there was nothing that Raela could do about it.

Moaning to herself, Raela sat down on the edge of a fountain that had been turned off for the winter, and tried to think of something to do.

Obviously she couldn't kill Tara, and she couldn't run away with the prince, because they'd get caught sooner or later. Also, she plead with the current king to change the betrothal from Tara to herself... no..... that wouldn't work either. What could she do? After all, she HAD to marry the prince- it was part of her prophesy... the prophesy that had been given to her when she was just born.....

Suddenly, the thought of oranges and the reminder of her mother, inside and in pain came back to her. "Oh no!" Raela jumped to her feet, and bit her lip in worry, realizing that her mother was waiting for her. She supposed that Prince Aalrin could. she sighed. wait until she was done helping her mother.

Raela searched for another hour, until she arrived back at the gates to the lord's house, panting, feeling cold, and holding three oranges, which she had bought, despite them being disgustingly overpriced.

"Raela! There you are!" the head maid pulled open the front door, and grabbed Raela, pulling her behind her as she ran up the stairs.

"What- what's going on?" Raela wondered, clutching the three oranges to herself.

"It's your mother, dearie. She might not make it," the maid said, dragging a shocked Raela into her mother's room

"What do you mean?" Raela asked, surprising herself when her voice came out as a croak.

"The childbirth," the maid whispered, pushing Raela towards the bed.

To her horror, Raela found her mother lying there, paler than she had been two hours ago, and gasping for breath, coughing, and shaking. Raela crept forward, and leaned over the woman. "M-m-mother? Are you... are you alright?"

She smiled up at her daughter, but Raela could tell that something wasn't right. Although- she hadn't ever seen a woman giving birth, but she didn't think that her mother's conditions were normal.

"I-I brought you some oranges," Raela muttered, holding out one of the fruits, forcing herself not to cry.

"Thank you." Her mother began coughing, and hurriedly held up a handkerchief to her mouth- but not before Raela noticed the blood.

She turned away mournfully, leaving the two other oranges beside the bed. Her mother was sick. She was about to have a baby. and she was in love with the prince.

"Raela! Raela, come here!" It was Tara, just arriving from outside.

Raela stopped at the top of the stairs, watching as her step sister pulled off her layers of warm clothing, her hat, her mittens, her shoes, one layer of socks, another layer of socks underneath that, and then finally her jacket.

"Raela! Come here!" Tara beckoned to the air beside her, and Raela cautiously stepped down the stairs, until she was standing in front of Tara.

"Yes?" She wondered, trying not to sound as depressed as she felt.

"Remember Prince Aalrin?" Tara demanded, standing over Raela.

"Yes." Raela wasn't quite sure she knew where this was going.

"Well forget about him! If you ever see him again, ignore him, hear me? Ignore him! He's not yours, Raela. He's MINE. Forget that you ever met him or I'll..... I'll....." Tara seemed to catch herself, and she took in a deep, calming breath. "Forget that you met him Raela, or I will become most..... displeased....."

Raela opened her mouth to protest that it was practically impossible for her to totally just forget about someone, but Tara shouted, "FORGET ABOUT HIM!" She slapped Raela, and then stalked away, fuming.

Raela stood where she was, too shocked, dismayed, and frightened to do much else.