Chapter 1
Authors Note:
I hated my life growing up. I was alone most of the time, and it wasn't until a wonderful English teacher in high school took the time to teach me how to read that I really understood the amazing world of true creativity. I may not say it in every story, but all of them are thanks to her.
May your next life be even more remarkable than the world you opened for me.
"OH GOD DAMN IT!" I cursed aloud. Shouting into the dark room that was only illuminated by my phone screen.
"You are so CRUEL!" I gripped my phone, part wanting to toss it across the room. But my sanity held up, and I flopped back onto my pillows, my arm flying out next to me, the phone dangling in my hand.
"I will have to wait at least a week for the next chapter!? That's like the worst cliffhanger ever!" I let out a long sigh and, using my empty hand, pulled my glasses off my face.
"I mean, come on... the buildup is insane. Worst possible point to stop at." I was pouting. My current reading addiction had left me hanging. I can't blame the author, and it's what they do to keep people returning for that next chapter. It keeps the pages turning. It's actually what they teach writers to do to keep all of us caught like fish on a hook.
I smiled a bit at the image in my head. I was always the type of person that made the images in my head so clear it was like watching a movie. It made life more fun. I lifted my phone to glance at the time.
"Shit!" My alarm went off right after I spoke. I clicked the silent button and crawled out of bed. I'd done it again. I stayed up all night until my wake-up alarm went off because of a good story. I had this issue with TV shows, too. But books, books were worse. Stories were my addiction.
I sighed again, long and loud. "Okay. It's just gonna be a rough one."
I sat up in bed and started to crawl out when the loud sound of a truck horn began to blare outside. As the room grew darker, I turned towards the window. The front grill of the 18-wheeler was the only thing registered before; there was only blackness.
The very next thing that I felt was pressure and pain. I felt wrapped up in a straight jacket and couldn't breathe. Finally, I was free, wrapped up in some cloth momentarily after I felt air on my skin. I still had an issue breathing, and finally, my lungs worked. I heard voices around me, but I didn't understand what they said.
My body felt horribly heavy, and I fought to get my arms free of the blanket. I finally got a hand free, my eyes struggled to open, but I managed it. Everything was a blur. I kept blinking until I could make out shapes. I lifted my hand towards my face, but it didn't want to work. I blinked as I could clearly see my hand.
It didn't look like my hand. It was the hand of a baby. My body moved in the air, carried by something, and then I was set down in the arms of a woman. Her dark brown hair flowed in a mess all around her face. It looked like a messy lion main. She had the largest smile on her face. She was talking, but I didn't understand her words. Her fingers moved to touch my face gently.
I was a baby. This woman had just given birth to me. I'd been reborn.
"Melody!" I cursed under my breath as I heard one of the maids shouting my name. It was normal enough that they were sent to look for me. I was forever sneaking off, which, at five years old, wasn't exactly what a girl of noble birth should be doing—or that was what my mother always told me.
I pulled the leather tie from my hair and let the hair I'd inherited from my mother free. I stood up from where I had been resting under a tree, dusting off my pants quickly before plucking the simple dark blue skirt off the ground and shaking it out before I pulled it up over my pants and tied it in place.
When I was reborn, I ended up in a world very different from the one I'd left. In this life, civilizations, while having some technology, were more in tune with magic than science, and fashion and society were a little closer to medieval than the modern age I was used to.
Next, I took the wooden short sword I'd been practicing with and slid it down the center of my back along my spine to hide in the training corset I was wearing. Lastly, I plucked up the book I'd finished reading last night, along with a stuffed bear nearly the same size as I was, and headed towards the sound of my name being called once more.
"Your Majesty!" Yep, you guessed it. I wasn't just noble. I was royal. I sighed softly and put a soft smile on my face.
"Anne! Mr. Bear and I were reading!" The maid sighed, looking at my wild hair and grass strains on my skirt; I likely had some sweat stains, too.
"Your Majesty, you should stay inside to read or sit on a bench, not crawl in the grass. You were gone before the sun was up yet again! You should wait for us to help you dress. " I pouted. I'd practiced in a mirror for the best cuteness effect.
"But the day is so nice! I didn't want to wake anyone up so that I could watch the sunrise. I was in the garden!" I wouldn't add that I'd snuck off to watch the knight training at first light and mimicked their posture. I also spent time alone in my room in front of a mirror to do the same thing.
"I understand, Your Majesty. You are very thoughtful; however, it's our job to help you. You want us to keep our jobs, yes?" I stuck my bottom lip out further.
"I didn't mean to make trouble." I lowered my head as if I might cry.
"Oh!" Anne moved up as if she were going to touch me. I really didn't like it when anyone got too touchy-feely and overly friendly with me. I pulled my bear up between myself and Anne, but before Anne could touch me, I was scooped up into strong arms.
"Up before the staff and sun again? It seems I will have to find you staff that will be there when you wake." I smiled even before turning in those strong arms to see the man who spoke.
"Daddy!" I wrapped my arm around his neck, holding the book so I could hug him. He chuckled and hugged me firmly, but not too tight.
"Your Majesty!" Anne's voice held a surprise tone. I glanced back to see her dropping to a low curtsy. I looked past my father to the four armed guards. It was a wonder Anne missed them since they had come from behind me, though slightly from one side.
"What have you been up to this morning, my sweet?" I smiled at my father; his hair had long since grayed. I was my father's thirteenth child. No, my mother hadn't had double digits regarding children. In our country, the ruler had to take at least three brides and have a child by each. Some high-ranking nobles did as well, but they had contracts for such things from the start, so it wouldn't cause issues. My father had five wives. My mother had been his third wife, and he'd taken two more after my mother, but my mother had been the last to give birth.
My father always called me his sweet Melody for the joy I brought with my birth. My mother was a low-ranking noblewoman with whom my father had fallen in love. His first two wives had been in political marriages, as had his last two, but he married my mother simply because he loved her.
"Reading." I pulled my arm back from around him and offered him the book. "It 's a fairy tale about a prince who fights a dark mage to save his kingdom!"
My father smiled as he chuckled. "Is it now? Well, that does sound interesting."
I smiled. "Shall I read it to you, Daddy?"
He shook his head. "Not now, Sweet. Did you forget what today was?"
I blinked. Honestly, yeah, I had. "It's important-" I cut myself off. "Magic testing!"
I couldn't believe I'd forgotten that it was today. Then again, I'd spent the last month sneaking off to the Library to check out our records for magic. The library keepers had thought I was just a kid playing around. Most of the people in the castle did. I did my best to act like a child in front of everyone. Today, I will be taken to the mage council and tested for the type of magic I can use.
"That's right. Are you ready?" I nodded and let my excitement shine through.
"Yes, let's go!" My father chuckled again. My maid, however, looked horrified.
"Your Majesty, Please allow me to take the Princess to change befo-" My father cut her off.
"No. I have many other things that need to be handled. You've run out of time. She would be more than presentable if your job had been handled properly. As it is, this will have to be done as is." Anne paled.
Part of me felt a little bad, but my father was right. I woke up before dawn every day and was generally out of my room before most of the staff was awake. I knew all the nightguardsmen better than my own maids. One of the guardsmen had been the one to gift me the sword when I'd shown interest. It was now my most used item.
My father carried me and headed off. I leaned into his shoulder. He didn't bother to scold me over my state of dress. Honestly, I knew better, but as a child of five, I shouldn't, so I didn't let it bother me much. Instead, I started to hum softly. My father took me to the audience chamber, carrying me the whole way.
I wasn't the only child my father took such care of. He made sure to spend time with all of us, not just as our ruler but as our father. I truly respected him for it. My father sat me on the ground next to the throne before he sat down. "Bring them in."
The doors were opened, and people began to fill the room. Eight mages walked into the room first: the six high mages of each type, the grand mage that ruled over the council, and an assistant who brought forward the testing crystal. After them came the other members of the ruling family. The emperor's wives took up all the space in the upper left part of the hall in the order they were married to my father. All of my half-siblings came in next, taking up the space to the right of my father's throne, lining up in the order of birth. Usually I would have been at the end of that line, but I'd seen this happen last year and the year before. Each of us had been treated the same way, standing right next to Father when it was our turn to be tested.
Lastly, other nobles came in and took up space to witness. My eldest brother, the crown prince, had gained the ability to use the four elements of magic, a rare talent. Several of my other siblings had two or more types of magic, though those with shadow and holy magic only had those types. The testing crystal was placed at the base of the steps that lead up to my father's throne.
"Thank you all for joining my family today as we see what gifts my youngest will hold, if any." I knew he added the last part to take any pressure off of me. Not that it helped much. I took a deep breath and offered my bear and book to my father. I saw his lips twitch in amusement as he took them. "Go on, Melody."
I gave a perfect bow to my father and descended the steps. I stopped just before the Crystal. It was nearly as big as I was and floated just a few inches off the ground. The grand mage spoke up.
"Fear not, your Majesty. Please place your hand on the crystal." I nodded and lifted my hand, hesitating for just a moment before touching the smooth, cold surface.
Just as it had with my siblings, the crystal began to glow a soft white. However, as I kept my hand in place, whispers began to fill the room, and even the Mages began to look worried as the glow never changed color to indicate my type of magic. I looked at the Grand Mage, and he gave a kind smile, one that didn't reach his eyes.
"What's Wrong?" My father's voice rang out in the hall, and I pulled my hand away from the crystal and put it to my chest.
"Perhaps just a fluke, Your Majesty, perhaps if another of your children could test the crystal again." My eldest brother came down the steps without being told. As I stepped back, Brian lightly patted my head, and then he put the same hand on the crystal; it glowed, and a second later, the colors changed, and four distinct patches of color filled up the crystal.
I felt the sting of tears behind my eyes. Brian pulled his hand away, and the crystal went clear once more. More whispers went around the room. I turned towards my father's throne and bowed my head and upper body to him. Silence filled the room.
"Melody, you are excused. I would have the mages stay. Thank you all again for attending. Please stay for a dinner to celebrate all of being here today." I lifted my head, eyes dry, and left the room. I didn't meet anyone else's gaze, and only when I heard the doors close behind me did I take off running.
