The Lost Princess

Episode 2

Twelve Years Later

In a small village not far from the kingdom of Serenity, she played with her friends. Laughing at the conversations going on and watching the boys being fools, she sat in the grass making a flower crown. Rolling over to her knees to stand up she heard her mother calling for her.

"Loraz! Come quickly!"

She looked towards the voice and then down at her outfit, her skirt was covered in dirt from rolling down the small hill behind Tylic's family stable earlier in the day, she smelled of wet fur from laying with the gillimens, and a day of baking in the sun; pieces of straw fell from her hair from their game of hide and seek out by Mr. Pumpington's farm and she could now feel the rocks in her shoes from the race she won by the half dried up pond not far from Alise's house. The thought of going home in the state she was in made her knees quake, but she knew she had no choice. She looked back at her friends and smiled.

"Mother's calling me now. I will see you all again soon." She said.

No one answered her as she watched Tylic and Jonic running about while patting off what dirt she could from her clothes.

Tylic and Jonic were having a sword fight to the 'death' with their self-made wooden swords. Marie, Bon, and Alise giggled their delicate giggles at the boys as they made fools of themselves. Vestin, who stood closest to her, was to fight the winner of the match and just studied them as the awful display called "fighting" continued. She notice that he would take quick glances at her every so often though.

Shrugging her shoulders she waved to her friends then turned to run home. She stopped at the touch of a hand grabbing hold of hers. Looking back her eyes slightly began to glow.

"Oh, it was you. What is it now, Vestin?" She asked.

"Will you be coming out tomorrow?" He asked.

"I might come out, but after I've done my chores and completed my lessons for the day. Mother has been very hard on me these days about my lessons being completed."

"If you make it out tomorrow meet me at the well behind the bakery, I want to give you something."

"A present for me... can you show me now, please?"

"I can't you have to wait until tomorrow."

"Oh please, please, please."

"No. You have to wait until we meet."

"Oh, that is not far, why wait. Why can't it be now? Is there something special about tomorrow?"

"Your mother is waiting for you so you can get it tomorrow."

She crossed her arms over her chest and her sweet smile twisted into a frown while her hazel eyes began to water. Blinking her eyes a few times she took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

" If you want it so badly then remember to be at the well behind the bakery."

The rest of their friends had stopped playing to look at them. Tylic nudged his elbow slightly into Jonic's side and pointed at Vestin as he whispered something to him.

"What is this Vestin; have your eye on Lo do you?" Jonic said.

His long skinny arm folded in front of his chest as Tylic stood by his side and laughed. They held a smug look on their faces as Vestin's face turn beet red.

"Lay off you guys..." Bon said walking up to Jonic and ramming her forefinger into his right shoulder hard.

"Oh come on, he was joking with him..." Tylic replied.

With a soft sigh, Alise asked in a soft voice,

"Why are you all making a big fuss? Is it really any of our business if he fancies Lo? Leave them be."

Rolling her eyes Alise looked over at Marie and scoffed then sighed herself then walked up to Bon and pulled her back to where they were sitting.

"Alise is right. Let them have their precious little moment. Leave it be and come finish the fight you two." She said.

"Awe, come on Marie, we want to watch what happens next," Jonic replied.

"Yeah, quit messing with our fun. Everyone already knows that he's head over heels for Lo. Just look at how red he is right now." Tylic said.

"I said leave him alone, guys. Why do you keep teasing him about it every chance you get." Bon said.

"Bon, stop feeding into it. They're looking for a reaction." Alise said.

"Hey if you're not going to finish the fight then I'm going home. This isn't fun to watch and I don't really want to listen to it." Marie said.

"Ugh...could you guy keep quiet!" Vestin exclaimed.

They laughed at Vestin's outburst tears forming in their eyes. Vestin face went even brighter red and he hung his head low.

Loraz looked at Vestin and smiled. She walked closer to him and took his hand in hers.

"I find this side of you the cutest Vestin," she said.

She kissed his cheek and everyone's eyes grew big.

Vestin looked at her and touched his cheek with his free hand. His face still red he just stood there speechless.

Jonic pulled at Tylic's shoulder and singled him to follow him. Reluctant to go Jonic scoffed and followed him away from everyone.

Marie already walking towards her house looked back at Alise and Bon motioning for them to follow.

"Let's go, Bon. They need to be alone." Alise whispered.

Bon shook her head and ran to catch up to Marie.

With the two alone Vestin sighed. His chest felt heavy as he took deep breaths and searched for something to say.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Uh... yes, yes I am fine. Just let me think for a moment." He replied.

"I like you, Vestin. You're really funny and cute. Maybe in the future, I can be your wife. I'm sure mother would love that as well."

"Wife... marriage... you to me?"

"Yes silly, but you have to wait until I get older. So no falling in love with Alise or Bon."

She giggled then smiled at him while he stood with a blank face. Everything she was saying felt like a dream.

"LORAZ..." Her mother shrieked.

"Oh, My... she's never done that," Loraz exclaimed her eyes wide as she jerked upright, dried her eyes, and looked at Vestin she smiled.

"I must go now, Vestin, but I promise to meet you tomorrow, okay."

"Tomorrow, go before your mother comes to chase after you," Vestin said.

"Goodbye, everyone."

They waved at her and she smiled at Vestin again and raced off towards home. She wondered if she was in trouble for something she forgot to do at home; her mother would never raise her voice like that to call for her. With her skirt gathered in her hands, she raced home to see if something was wrong. Lucky for her they did not live far from Tylic and Jonic's house. She often played there to stay nearby home in case her mother needed her. She wondered what would become of her if the illness claimed her mother's life since her mother had been sick for a very long time. The door wasn't closed so she leaned her head in to see if her mother was close.

"Mother..." She muttered hiding behind the door unsure if she were in trouble or not.

"Please come inside, Loraz. We must speak of something important." Her mother said from inside her bedroom.

She walked further into the house following her mother's voice. She noticed a few bags packed and a clean dress laid out on the bed in her room. When she entered her mother's bedroom her mother paused in mid-step and turned around to face her. You could see that her skin was unhealthy and pale, her eyes a stunning grey appeared swollen and red as if she hadn't slept in days. Her once long healthy brown hair, now riddled with white hairs and dry as the dirt, laid untied along her back and across her shoulder; a once young vibrant beauty taken over by illness and near death.

"Yes mother, what is wrong?"

Loraz stood before her mother puzzled caught in her trance similar to a gaze. She knew even though she was twelve that her mother looked as if she were preparing herself for her own death.

"Loraz, my child, you must listen to what I have to tell you. I wish for you to understand that I have always loved you as if I birthed you myself."

"What are you talking about, Mother? I am lost what you are trying to say. Are you not my mother, mother?"

"Sit down my child; we've much to talk about after tonight you will understand your true purpose in this vast world."

"My true purpose...mother you are scaring me."

Loraz sat on the bed in a frightened daze. She thought about her mother's words and tried to figure what her mother was trying to tell her.

Her mother smiled and patted her daughter's head. The child she had raised since birth was about to be gone from her sights. Although she wished to go with her on her journey it was not in the stars for such a wish to be granted.

"Don't fret, my child. I will protect you even when I am gone from this life. I will watch you in my next." Her mother said as she went to sit in her rocking chair next to her bed. "There isn't much time to explain everything in great detail but listen to my word with care. You are of royal blood. Rightful heir to the throne of Serenity though it may be hard to believe this now. You are not alone, my dear Lo; I wish we could be together longer so I may witness the beauty you will grow into, a bright young lady I know you will be. Before we continue, change out of that dress. You will be leaving here tonight with a close friend, be quick about it, we've no time to waste."

Loraz got up and went to her room to change her mother's word weighing on her mind. She had many questions she wanted the answers to but felt that she would just confuse herself more if she asked any of them. She decided to wait until her mother explained everything to her first. It would all make sense once her mother told her all the details.