Unnamed Story

Chapter 1
“Lena!” Lynette exclaimed. “Get up, get up! It’s already noon! I swear, if I wasn’t around you’d sleep for an entire day.” Lynette pulled the bed covers off of Elena.
“Waaaaaaah Linny~~~ I don’t wanna~~~~” Lena complained as she tried pulling the covers back from Lynette. “Lemme sleep some more…”
“Don’t nod off while you’re talking to me!” Lynette let out an exasperated sigh. “C’mon Lena. You know tonight is the ball where you meet the eligible princes from the neighboring kingdoms. We’ve got to start getting you ready now.” Lynette starts to drag Elena off the bed.
“Nooooooo I don’t want to—“ Lynette manages to pull her off the bed and they collapse on the floor. “Besides,” Elena mumbles into her pillow, “why would they want a tomboy-like princess like me..”
Lynette looks at Elena softly. “Now now…that’s just part of your charm” She smiles softly at the sulking princess, patting her head.
“I’m not pretty; the princes will take on look at me and reject the marriage proposal..” Elena responds dismally.
“Well, we’ll just see about that” Lynette replies, “When I’m through with you, there won’t be a man on this planet that won’t fall in love at first sight.”
“Now, come, “ Lynette takes Elena’s hand, “Let’s turn you into the most dazzling person at the ball”

“Elly!!!” Prince Caleb, Elena’s older brother bursts through the door, “How is my precious little sister doing??”
“Onii-sama!!!!” Elena squeals delightedly.
“PRINCE CALEB!!!!” Lynette throws a pillow at his face, “HOW MANY TIMES MUST I TELL YOU TO KNOCK BEFORE ENTERING!! It’s a good thing I was just putting the finishing touches on the princess’s attire, or something other than that pillow would have gone flying.”
Prince Caleb laughed off the attack while Lynette stood fuming. “Ahaha Lynette, you’re as strict as ever. Do forgive me. I tend to forget when I think about how my cute Elly is on the other side of the door~”
“Princess, your brother just loves to fawn over you, doesn’t he,” Lynette says as she ties off Elena’s dress.
“Onii-sama, why are you here?” Elena asks, “Shouldn’t you be with Camille-nee-sama?”
Prince Caleb smiled at her and said, “I just wanted to give you your birthday present early” He took a small box out of his pocket, “Happy 16th Birthday Elly!”
Elena squealed and took the present. “Wooow! Thank you Onii-sama!!!!!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.
“Ah, if this is my thanks, how I wish I could give you a birthday present every day!” Lynette came over as Elena opened the box while Prince Caleb was off in his own little world.
“Oh, my!” Lynette gasped.
“It’s beautiful!!!!” Elena exclaimed! Inside the box was heart-shaped sapphire pendant that hung from a silver chain. On the back of the pendant, etched into the silver, were the words “I’ll always be there –Caleb” “Onii-sama, I love it!!!”
“You only love the necklace?” Caleb said, pouting.
Elena ran over and hugged Caleb tightly. “Of course, I love you so much more! Thank you for the present! I love you the most, Onii-sama!!”
Prince Caleb hugged her back, eyes full of love. “I’ll always be there for you Elly. No matter where you go or what you do.” [Lynette watches the siblings and smiles happily]
Someone knocks on the door. “Your Highness!” a guard calls from the other side, “Princess Camille is calling for you!”
Caleb looks annoyed at being interrupted, but he calls back, “Alright, I’ll be right there!”
Elena looks up at Prince Caleb. “What’s with that face Onii-sama?” she asks, “Don’t you want to go back to Camille-nee-sama?”
“Of course I do,” he responded, “I love my beautiful wife. But I also love my precious little sister. I was just annoyed because I wanted more time with youuuuuu.” Caleb squeezed Elena in a tight hug.
“What a major sister complex he has, this prince…” Lynette thought.
Elena giggles. “Onii-sama spends a lot of time with me already. I fear Camille-nee-sama may begin to get jealous.”
Prince Caleb laughs. “It’s alright. She knows how much I dote on you. But I really must be going.” He kisses Elena on her forehead. “I’ll see you later Elly.” And with that, Prince Caleb leaves.
“Lena,” Lynette calls, “We should get going as well. It’s almost time for the ball.”
Elena turns around and smiles at Lynette. “Okay Linny. But first help me put this necklace on.”


Laughter and chatter drift and mingle with the music throughout the great hall of the palace. At the top of the grand stairwell, Elena and Lynette peak around the corner at the happy guests.
“Look Lena,” Lynette whispers to Elena, “there are the princes who are to be your marriage candidates.” She points to a group of young men near the bottom of the stairwell. “Prince Julian Escariet of Kingdom Vyrania. Prince Nicholas Calden of Kingdom Ilosia. Prince Darian Temil of Kingdom Ardano. And Prince Jun Lybar of Kingdom Emelion.” Lynette pointed out each prince as she said his name.
“My, my. Such handsome princes. You’re going to have quite a difficult time choosing one Le--” Lynette cut off what she was saying after seeing the princess’s face. “Why are you making that face?”
Elena stares at the princes below them. “I can’t do this Linny..” she mumbles.
“What?!” Lynette exclaims. “Lena! You can’t be serious! Why on earth not?”
“. . .” Elena blushes but stays silent.
“…Does this have to do with your first love?” Lynette asks. Elena flinches a little. She continues to stare at the young princes as her mind travels back to her childhood.


“Princess!! Princess, where are you!?” the maids and guards frantically run around the castle. A 10 year old Elena climbs out of the study window.
“LENA!”
Elena flinched, causing her to fall into the bushes. A panicked, 10 year old Lynette climbs out after her. “Lena, are you okay?! Mmph!”
Elena jumps out and covers her mouth with her hands. “SHHHH!!!” she hisses at Lynette, “Quiet Linny! They’ll catch me if they hear you!”
Lynette starts talking, but it just sounds like gibberish. Elena slowly takes her hands of Lynette’s mouth.
“—and you still have to finish your studies! What do you think you’re doing running out of the castle? And in THOSE clothes, no less!”
Elena gets up and dusts herself off. With her hands behind her head, she walks away. “I’m tired of studying and wearing all those girly clothes,” she said casually, “I want to run around, climb trees, and have fun, Linny.” She turns and looks at her maid and best friend. “Come on!” she calls with a wide smile.
Exasperated, Lynette follows after Elena.
The 2 girls go further into the castle’s courtyard. “Wow! This place is bigger than I thought!” Elena exclaims happily. She giggles and skips ahead. “Look at this! And this! And this!” Elena is awed at everything in the courtyard.
“You’ve never seen trees before or something? Weirdo,” says an unfamiliar voice behind Elena and Lynette. The two turn around in surprise to find 2 boys watching them.
“Excuse me? What did you just say?” Lynette asks the boy.
“I called her a weirdo. Who gets excited seeing bushes and trees?” the boy responds, his hands behind his head. *other boy face palms*
“So rude! How dare you!” Lynette stalks angrily toward the boy. The taller boy steps in front of his companion, blocking her path.
“Haha! Calm down Linny,” Elena shrugs off the boys words.
“But—“
“Oh what’s that!?” Elena runs off towards a tree.
“Does she have a small attention span or something?” the boy thinks to himself. *sweat drop*
Elena crouches low to the ground in front of the tree. She gets up and suddenly starts climbing.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Linny shrieks in horror and runs to the tree.
Elena reaches the first branch and starts crawling across it.
“Are you part monkey too?” the boy calls out. Linny turns and gives him a death glare. Elena just laughs and continues crawling. She reaches out behind a clump of leaves, leaving only one hand to balance her.
“Oi, monkey girl,” he calls out again, “you’re gonna fall if you do tha—“
Suddenly, Elena slips.
Lynette stifles a scream with her hands. Elena closes her eyes, embracing for the impact. But, strangely, she doesn’t feel the ground. She opens her eyes. “Eh?”
“Oi. How long are you gonna sit there? I’m not a chair”
Elena looks down to see the boy underneath her. She jumps up in shock. “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry!” she apologizes hurriedly.
The boy sits up. “Geez I thought I was going to die. You’re so heavy.”
“…What was that?” Elena asks quietly. *a vein pops out on her head*
“You’re~ hea~vy—“ *BAM* Elena hits him on the head. “ARGH WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!” He jumps up quickly.
“That’s what you get for calling a girl fat!”
“I was only telling the truth!”
The two continue to argue and yell at each other. The boy’s companion looks appalled and at a loss for words, while beside him, Lynette nods her head in approval. The 2 glare at each other.
“—girls aren’t supposed to be violent!” the boy retaliates.
Elena has no response to that, so she just puffs her cheeks and glares at him as he turns his head to look the other way. “Hmph!”
Then, Elena starts laughing as she realizes what she’s been doing. All three of them look at her like she’s crazy.
“What’s wrong with you?” the boy asks, “why are you laughing?”
“Because,” Elena says between giggles, “this is the first time I’ve ever spoken to someone like this. I’ve always had to be respectful and keep my thoughts to myself. I’ve never argued with anyone before, besides Linny.” She smiles at the boy.
He just stares at her. Then he turns around, embarrassed. “Why did you even climb the tree in the first place?” he asked.
“A little bird,” she replies, looking up at the tree, “a little bird had somehow made its way down from the nest, so I was just returning him home.”
He glances at her without turning his head and asks quietly, “Why? It’s just a bird.”
“Because,” Elena looks at him with a warm smile, “his brothers and sisters were probably very worried about him, since their mama isn’t here. And I was thinking about how lonely he probably was, all by himself under the tree. I couldn’t just leave him alone.”
The boy stares at her, reminiscing in his own memories triggered by her words.
Lynette and the other young boy stop glaring at each other to watch their companions. A silence follows as they all stare at one another, with only the sound of the wind rustling the leaves.
“-cess, where are you?!”
The sound of the maids calling out startled the 4 children.
“Uhh sorry, but I have to go now” Elena apologizes with a small smile, “I hope to see you around!” She runs off with Lynette following after her.
“Ah, wait!” the boy calls out, but she was too far to hear him. “I didn’t even ask for her name,” he says quietly to himself as he watches her run towards the maids. “Let’s go, Jun.” The older boy nods and the 2 turn to go.
“Princess Elena! Where have you been!?”
The boy turns at the sound of the maid’s voice. He sees the young girl laugh nervously as she is scolded by her maid. “Elena….huh?”


“-na…Lena!” Lynette’s voice brings Elena back to the present. “Lena, it’s time for you to make your entrance.”
Elena takes a deep breath. “Right,” she says with determination.
Trumpets play, silencing the hall. All heads turn towards the grand stairwell as Elena appears at the top. “Princess Elena Lariel!” announces a guard.