Karnamilarganoi

Chapter 1

The Princess of Selnatin is reaching her sixteenth birthday. That means she has to perform the Heir's Task in order to be able to become queen. But will she survive the Task? And if she does, how will she warn her mother of the evil plot she uncovered?

A young girl was standing on a stone balcony as a soft breeze ruffled her wavy blonde hair. She scrunched her freckled nose and sniffed the air; it smelled of sweet pine trees and baking bread. Then she opened her sea green eyes and scratched her head where a small silver circlet rested. The girl sighed and walked back into the tower: her room.

"Princess Karnamilarganoi, you have to get ready for the meeting! Look at that dress, come now, let's get you washed." Scolded Dornal, the head maid.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Karna?" She growled, making her hands fists, "And I like this dress." Her dress had a white upper part with billowing long sleeves. The lower part was off white, faded, and the hem was frayed.

"Your name is Karnamilarganoi, and that is what I shall call you. And it's unseemly for the princess of Selnatin to be parading about wearing rags! Now in the tub." Dornal ordered, her voice firm. The fifteen year old groaned, took off her clothes, and got into the tub where Dornal scrubbed her down.

Karna was the presumptive heir to the throne of Selnatin, a land filled with magical things. Her mother, Bryla, was the sole queen and ruler ever since Karna's father died in the war with Bendralel, one of their neighboring countries. Once Karna was washed she had to squeeze into one of her formal dresses.

The dress Dornal chose disgusted her; though, almost all dresses disgust her since she's a total and complete tomboy. It was a bright pink that had short, puffy sleeves and frills everywhere immaginable. Her hair was done up in a special type of bun that was a ponytail like style that used no hair ties. The place where the hair tie would've been looked as if it was tied in a knot, the rest of the hair came down in curls and reached her mid neck, and resting on her head was the small silver circlet of moons and stars.

"I hate it." She said, staring at her reflection.

"Get used to it. Now hurry on down to the Council Room, the Circle arriving!" Dornal shooed Karna out of the room as if it had been the Head Maid's private quarters.

The princes walked down the many many stairs to the Council Room, grumbling all the way. She hated Circle meetings. As she proceeded down the last flight of marble stairs she put on a smile, pushed open the oak wood door, and sat by her mother.

Queen Bryla was wearing a gown of white silk that brushed the floor when she walked. Around her arms was a lavendar shawl. Her golden hair was curled and reched past her shoulder. And resting on her head was a silver circlet of moons and stars, bigger than Karna's. In her left hand she held a silver staff with a blue orb at the top.

"Hello little one, having fun?" Asked Bryla.

"Not really, and I hate my name." She muttered. The queen sighed, Karna had been complaining about her name ever since she could talk.

"Quiet Karna, you know the reason. I wanted to name you Karna, your father wanted to name you Milar, and the Council wanted to name you Ganoi. So your name is Karnamilarganoi." Bryla said.

"Still doesn't make it any better." Karna grumbled. Her mother elbowed her and then the Circle filed in and took their seats.

"Lord Kynar, what news do you have from the North?" Bryla asked the man at the end of the long oval table.

"Raiders, but nothing more than we can handle. But the Guard isn't doing anythig to help the villages." He said angrily. Bryla turned to the man with the dark blue uniform.

"Do you deny this Lieutennant?" She asked.

"Highness, we haven't helped because we know that Lord Kynar's citizens can handle themselves against the raiders. Besides, we can't spare any men from the North Border." He replied. Lord Kynar grumbled and didn't say anything else.

The rest of the meeting went on a usual. Brynal was informed of news from her North, South, West, and East border sectors. The Leutennant informed her of how well the Guard was running. The others informed her of news in their own parts of Selnatin.

"Majesty, I have some pressing news." Said Lord Regnol, speaker of one of the inner parts of Selnatin.

"Speak my lord." Said Bryla.

"Since, the princess is approaching her sixteenth birthday she will need to do the Heir Test." He said. The queen nodded.

"Yes, I am well aware of that." She told him.

"And if she passes the test and is the Heir, then she will need a king to rule by her side." Regnol continued.

"What are you suggesting here?" She asked, feeling a little uneasy. Karna was instantly on guard.

"That young Karnamilarganoi must get married." Regnol told them matter-of-factly. Karna was horrified and stood up, slamming her hands on the table.

"Married?! I don't want go get married! I'm only fifteen!" She hissed.

"Ka-" Bryla started.

"No Mother. I can complete the Heir's Test, and rule Selnatin without a husbund! And when I do marry, it shall be from love not duty." She spun on her heel and left the room.

Regnol and everyone else was shocked and silent.

"She still has her spirit, doesn't she Bryla?" Said Lady Natil, speaker of the West.

"Yes she does. I'm sorry Lord Regnol, for her behavior. This meeting is over." With that Bryla stood up and left to Karna's quarters.

She found the princess standing on the balcony looking out at the kingdom. Karna was wearing her night gown and had taken her hair out of the style. Bryla walked up and rested her hand on karna's shoulder.

"Go away." She said coldly.

"Little one, what's wrong?" Bryla asked.

"I'm not getting married, I simply won't. If you try to make me I-I...I'll run away!" Karna said fiercly, gripping the cold stone railing in her hands.

"Don't worry, you're not going to get married." Her mother said gently, "Not until you're ready."

"Thanks." Said Karna. Bryla stared up at the sky and noticed that the clouds were all moving quickly to a certain location.

"The Council is gathering early this month." She remarked.

"So I guess that means you'll be leaving soon." the princess muttered. Bryla looked her daughter in the eyes, dark blue meeting sea green.

"Which means you'll have to be my eyes and ears here." Her mother said softly, "Now come on, it's time for bed."

There it is!! The story will get more interesting in the next chapter. Please review!! Mouthful of a title isn't it? BTW it's pronuciation: car-nuh-mill-R-guh-noy. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Then PM me or review! Till next time!

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