Return To Me

Chapter 1 - Invaders

"Hey Tal!" My friend Selegna shouted across the hallway and ran towards me. "Have you heard the news?" Selegna stated. I thought about what she was talking about, but I couldn't really think of anything. "What are you talking about?" I asked with a confused face. "There are men, maybe like 5 of them outside the castle waiting for you!" Selegna exclaimed. "Wait what?! Why? What's happening? Why am I not informed of this?" I said confused, I ran towards the balcony, and yes, Selegna was right. "Did you know about this?" I asked, facing Selegna. "No Tal, I came from down stairs and men started to enter the kingdom." Selegna said with a worried tone. "Where's father?" I said looking over what was happening outside. "Downstairs mylady."

I quickly went downstairs to check and confront my father.

I arrived at the throne room and there were loads of people. Men and women from different kingdoms are here, inside the castle. "Ah! And there she is!" My father exclaimed, walking towards me and ushers me to the front of the crowd.

"Natalia Rosemary Montgomery, the princess of the kingdom of Esmeralda. Is here to choose her husband." My father declared. 

My jaws dropped. "A HUSBAND?!" I thought to myself. I mean, I guess it would happen sooner or later. I glanced over to my mom, at the other far side of me. She looked over to me with a sly smile. I don't know how to think of it, is it an insult?

I got out of my dad's grip and ran upstairs. I could hear their gasps in disbelief on the staircase. I went straight to my room, knowing Selegna would already be there drawing me a bath. "Tal? You're already here?" Selegna said with a confused look on her face. 

"How come they didn't tell me about me finding a husband?" I blurted out because of frustration. Selegna looked at me for a second, then ushered me to my couch. "How old are you?" Selegna asked, staring into my eyes. "You know how old I am! We're practically the same age!" I stated. "Then answer me, how old are you?"

"21." I was confused by the situation. "You know the tradition here in Esmeralda right?"

"Yeah yeah. Every woman who turns 20-23 years old should've already found a husband." I whined at the fact that I'm supposed to find a husband. "But I don't want a man! I'm alright being alone. I can handle myself. You know that."  I whined. "Your coronation is just a year away. You're about to be queen of Esmeralda! And I bet your father will want you to stick to the tradition." Selegna said, trying to calm me down.

I shuddered at the idea of me having a husband. "But hey, I got some good news!" Selegna said, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to her and said "What is it?"

"Fauna is coming to Esmeralda!" We both squealed. Fauna, along with Selegna have been best friends since we were born. Fauna is a year older than me and she lives in our neighboring country Lazulum.

"Are you sure she's coming?" I asked for confirmation and she nodded answering my question with a smile. Then the trumpets bellowed. Me and Selegna already knew that Fauna had already arrived, we both squealed in excitement.

We both ran downstairs elegantly since my parents and some randos are in the throne room.

Selegna and I reached the throne room and the room was parted, clearing the center. The door slowly opened and emerged Fauna and his husband. Me and Selegan tried our best not to squeal but Fauna already squealed from the sight of us and me and Selegna ran towards her direction. "I've missed you both so much!" Fauna excitedly said hugging both of us. "Ugh, not as much we missed you!" I squealed. Fauna's husband went straight to my father's direction. "Wow, handsome and rude." I whispered to Fauna. "What's his name again?" I added. "He's Jonathan from the kingdom of Neelam." Fauna replied. All 3 of us went upstairs to talk more and left the other's on the throne room.

"How's life being a wife?" Selegna asked Fauna. "Well, it's a bit stressful, but I can manage."

"How can it not be stressful when you have a guy that's rude." I intervened. "How's he treating you? And tell the truth!" I added. "In front of others, he's sweet to me. But when it's just us..." Fauna didn't complete her sentence. We managed to walk over to the balcony. "You don't have to complete that. We understand." Selegna assured Fauna. "Princess Natalia!" One of the guards called out. "Yes Ben?" I replied, turning to him. "You are needed in the throne room."

"I'll be right there." Then Ben got back down to where my father was. "Shall we get going then?" I asked the two with a rather fake british accent and we all giggled at my attempt and we made our way to the throne room.

"Thank you all for coming to this wondrous occasion." My father announces as the three of us are standing in a corner. "Natalia Rosemary, could you please come up here with me." My father said looking at me. I made my way to my father, my long lime green dress trails behind me. "Today my daughter Natalia, will choose her husband to be." My vision went blurry when my father said that. I just kept a small smile. I turned to Selegna and Fauna's direction and shook my head slowly. Selegna looked concerned and Fauna was confused.

"From the kingdom of Amethine, Anthony Christian Argot. Please step forward." A purple haired with his bangs covering one part of his eye. He's wearing a black indigo robe looking tux with a pure black cape. "I, Anthony Christian, will protect you and support you in the time of our marriage." He said. I cringed at the way he said that, and I bet he has the worst grammar in the whole world. "From the kingdom of Garnetis, Garroth Harlow Feinstein. Please step forward." My father announces. A red slicked back haired guy stepped forward. He has a sword inside what seems like a black sword bag. He's wearing a tight orange-y suit with a small yellow-ish cape. "It's an honor to meet you, princess Natalia. I shall prove to you that I am worthy to be your husband." He said then bowed. God that cringed me so hard. "Now, from the kingdom of Perrylium, Percy Von Kerramin. Please step forward."

"Finally down to the last one." I whispered to myself. My father looked at me all confused but quickly turned back to the third guy. He has silver white hair, the length was down to his shoulders. He's wearing a gray-ish muscle tank with white tight pants, along with him he's holding a bow and there are some arrows on his back. "Ok who cares about speeches. Blah blah blah, caring husband, helpful blah blah." Then a guy behind him that looks to be his dad, smacked him from the back and I couldn't help but chuckle a little.

"You three have to compete in tommorows tournament. And whoever will win, will be my daughter's husband to be." I scoffed and rolled my eyes subtly. "The three of you, head to your chambers to rest, and thank you again for-" A loud bang from the outside interrupted my father. "What was that?" "What's going on?" The people whispered to each other. BANG the door bursts open.

I saw red eyes from the dust with some black silhouettes behind it.

"Well, well, well. How come I wasn't invited, Krasis?" It sounded like a woman, she was talking to my father. "Who is she?" I whispered to my father. "Is this the little queen to be?" The bright red eyes turned to me. I saw some red particles emerging from her. She walked towards the middle of the room while the people parted and I saw this woman with bright red hair, wearing a long flowy red dress with hints of orange. "How dare you barge in here Ratna!" My mother shouted at her. She just scoffed at my mother. I let go of my father's grip and I walked quickly over to where Selegna and Fauna were. 

"Now where are you going child?" The woman said. Then a red orb appeared on her head. She threw it to me but my father blocked it with a green orb on his hand. "What the heck? Is this a nightmare?" I told Selegna and Fauna. "No girl you're awake." Fauna said.

"Raja's!" The woman shouted. Then two cannonballs emerged from outside the door.

"EVERYBODY RUN!" My father shouted. Everyone was screaming and the woman was just laughing. "Natalia hurry!" Selegna shouted at me as she and Fauna were already on their way to the garden.

It's like I couldn't move. I was struck by what seemed to be my parents having powers? BAM a cannonball landed near me and that woke me up and I ran up to where Fauna and Selegna were.

"How do we get out of here?" Selegna asked while panicking.

A blue kind of light appeared from behind us. I saw this blue orb on Fauna's hand. "Oh come one why do you also have that and not tell us!" I whined. "No time to explain. Hold my hand." She commanded. Me and Selegna held her hand and we arrived at the kingdom of Lazulum. "What was that?!" I asked loudly. Lazulum guards went to where we were. "There has been an attack at the kingdom of Esmeralda. I want half of your men to go there and defend the kingdom." Fauna ordered. "Yes my queen." Then the guards ran out of the Lazulum throne room.

"Take me back there!" I commanded Fauna. "Are you insane?! You'll die there!" Fauna said. "I don't care if I die, I want to help my parents!" I cried out. "They're perfectly fine and can handle themselves Natalia." Fauna said and went to a hallway and I ran towards her. "Fauna please!" I pleaded.

She stopped and looked at me. "Fine, I'll send you back there. Just know it's already a blood bath there." Then she held my hand and I was in the castle garden. It looked like how it was when we left. I walked back inside to peek back on the throne room and I saw my parents still fighting against the woman and her men. A lot of people are dead, our soldiers and some of the towns people that haven't got out.

I saw the woman levitating up at the chandelier, her hands glowing red then an orb appeared. She threw that orb to where my mother was and it caused an explosion causing my mother to collapse. "TERESE!" My father shouted. "MOM!" I shouted and both my father and I rushed to her. "Natalia what are you doing here?" My father asked with a confused face. "I can't just leave you both here." I said. My father made this green orb turn into what seemed like a force field bubble. "N-natalia." My mother whispered. I placed my ear near her face. "I- i want you to have this." She then showed me a glowing green gem. "What is it?" I whispered to her. "You have to keep it. Hold it. Think about where you're going and it will teleport you there." My mother said. "W-what do you mean?" I said confusingly. "I don't have much time. Please think about where you're going and teleport there. And don't come here!" My mother ordered.

I did as my mother said. I thought about Fauna and Selegna and the Lazulum kingdom.

I opened my eyes and I was there, in the Lazulum throne room. "How'd you get here?" Selegna asked. I showed her the gem my mother gave to me. Fauna came walking back to the throne room. "I assume Natalia is back already?" Fauna said walking towards us. "Hide that gem Natalia. And don't lose it." Fauna ordered. I nodded and the gem hid itself, I could feel its strong power. "Did your mother tell you all about that gem?" Fauna asked. "No she didn't. She didn't have much time." I said sadly. "I'm still here." Selegna sarcastically said. "That gem is-" Fauna didn't continue her sentence. "We have to go." She quickly said. "Wait what? Why?" I said confusingly.

"Come on! Hurry!" She commanded and ran to a hallway and Selegna followed. I looked around the room and I saw a black shadow-y figure in the ceiling. I quickly ran to catch up with them.

"A dead end?" Selegna said looking at Fauna. "Not really." Then Fauna's eyes turned from brown to blue. She stared at the wall and the wall parts like a door. "Follow me." Fauna said. We both followed her into what seemed like an underground hallway as the door we went into closed on its own. "It's a bit dark aint it?" I said looking around the hallway. "Use your gem to light up the place." Fauna replied. I held out my hand and the gem appeared, lighting up the area. "Cool." I whispered to myself.

"Umm, Fauna?" I asked. "Where's Selegna?" I added looking around. Fauna looked back at me. I saw this black figure behind her. "F- fauna?" I stuttered. "What?" Fauna replied sarcastically.

A hand figure suddenly touches my shoulder. "AAAAAH!" I screamed.