Chapter 1
10 years ago:
The emerald-green fabric of her dress billowed like ocean waves, rippling in the wind. Standing at the edge of the hill, Iris watched golden light spilling through the clouds, tracing their edges with fire.
“It’s not often that I see you in a dress.” A voice said from behind her. Iris did not need to turn to know who it was.
“It’s not often that my princess is celebrating her twenty-first birthday.”
“Very well.” Princess Andrea stood beside her. “But usually, we celebrate inside where the festivities are, not outside all alone.” Iris and Andrea had been friends since they were kids, Andrea had discovered this little silver-haired girl working in the market trying to sell bread she had somehow baked. Andrea being the princess was only allowed one visit to the market per month and by chance this girl had been there that very day. Intrigued with the strange hair, she had order the guards to bring the girl to her. The girl had a strange golden glow in her eyes, it reminded Andrea of the stories of gods who used to wield thunder, because of that she had asked, almost ordered the girl, to join her house. They have been inseparable ever since.
“I don’t like people,” Iris shrugged. “My people have sent word.”
“And this is what you would tell my father.”
“Your father is not my friend, Andrea. You will be crowned queen soon, you need to know this.” Iris tried to make her voice stern, but ever since they had been kids Andrea always had this effect of getting away with murder.
“I can’t be queen, Iris. I certainly am not the most educated, the prettiest or the best in politcs. Agnus should be queen instead.”
“Agnes is not the eldest.” Iris reminded her. “You have a lot of suitors, no man can resist that raven hair and beautiful green eyes. You will do a fine job, besides I will be there with you.”
“Until the Lusus call for you,” Andrea said softly.
“And I will reject them again, like I did before.”
“Someday, they will reject your rejection and force you away. The only reason you have stayed with us for so long is that they did not want to risk a war with my father.” Iris felt a gentle touch on her arm and turned to see tears in the pale green hue of the princess’s eyes. “I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t,” Iris reassured her, placing her hand over Andrea’s and giving it a small squeeze. “And my news will make you happy.”
“Very well, let me hear it,” Andrea replied, her hand slipping off Iris’s arm.
“They found a girl in the Natus Kingdom. A Lusus—”
“That’s not news. Lusus appear everywhere,” Andrea said, rolling her eyes. She turned to watch the ocean crashing against the boulders.
“Let me finish,” Iris replied sternly, pulling a lock of her silver hair back behind her ear. “It seems that the queen’s maid has been hiding her for about ten years. They believe she might be the king’s eldest daughter.”
“Did the queen have a Lusus?” Andrea asked turning her attention back to Iris, her eyes wide with shock.
“That is what the rumours say.”
“And... will they come to take her?”
“I don’t think so. They didn’t come for me because of your father, and I was just an orphan girl left on your mother’s lady-in-waiting’s doorstep.”
“But you still had to live with them for five years.” A look crossed Andrea’s face as if she were recalling a memory.
“Once again, I was not royal. It would benefit the girl to join them.” Iris recalled her own memories of visiting her homeland, the wind picking up again
“The people will never accept her as their queen,” Andrea said, turning to head back inside the party.
“They’re talking about marriage,” Iris replied, causing Andrea to freeze. “The king of Incendium has offered his son’s hand in marriage—the next in line for the throne.”
Andrea whispered softly, “That would mean Incendium would have a Lusus as their queen.”
“Incendium does not care about the Lusus. Not like the other kingdoms. Arch has been telling about their trades. If Incendium takes a Lusus as a queen not only would they have an alliance with Natus, but there might be a possible alliance with the Lusus as well. They would be powerful.”
“And that would mean that would even be able to destroy Nympha.”
“You understand why I am telling you this. The people feared Nympha because I fought at your father’s side, but having a whole army of Lusus at one’s disposal would mean domination.”
“The Lusus has never bothered with our politics, why now?”
“The world is changing princess.”
~~~~~~~~
20 years ago:
The queen’s screams echoed throughout the castle as doctors and nurses hurried to ensure a safe delivery. The queen’s lady-in-waiting, Circe, stood by the edge of the bed watching on.
“She’s here!” the doctor announces, but no cries come from the baby. The doctor examined her to see that her skin had turned a pale, transparent hue, veins of purple and blue sticking out, and her lips discoloured. “I’m sorry Your Majesty.”
“The queen is not breathing.” One of the nurses announced. The doctor threw the baby into Circe’s arms and hurried to the queen. “Take off the body.” That was all he said.
Circe looked down at the infant, she saw the small chest moving up and down. Before she knew it, she held her fingers underneath her small nose. She could feel slight air coming out. The baby was alive. But the skin? It could only mean-
Without a single thought, Circe hurried towards the door, escaping with the child in her arms. She had only heard the doctor say “The queen is stable.” Before making her way out.
~~~~~~
10 years ago:
Aunt Circe had always warned Sophia not to play near the castle, but one of the stable boys had mocked her and called her a mutant, so Sophia did not want to go near the horses again.
Aunt Circe had decided to tie her hair up into a tight blonde bun, and to Sophia, it felt like it made her skin stand out more. Yes, she was a freak. She always looked like she had just drowned. The people usually get a fright when they see her walking down the market, some even accuse her of being undead. Like that sort of thing would ever exist, but none were so bad as the royal family. They despised the Lusus. They were, as the teaching goes, unnatural and dealt with dark magic to get their powers.
Powers, Sophia cringed. She had no powers, just a pale-skinned girl with ocean-bright blue eyes. Nothing else.
“Hey, you there! Girl.” One of the knights called. Sophia had looked up to see that she had wondered into the palace gardens.Oh no.
“Mutant.” The guard spat. “What are you doing here?”
“I...uh...” The words got stuck in Sophia’s mouth.
“Never mind.” The guard unsheathed his sword. “I should just kill you freaks before you spawn out more of your kind.” He raised his sword, and Sophia backed away lifting her arms in defence.
“Holt!” a voice shouted. Sophia looked up to see a crowd gathered in front of her. She recognized the pair in the middle: the king and queen,her mother and father.
“What do you think you are doing!?” The queen shouted, some of her blonde hair had gotten loose from her braid as she rushed towards Sophia, she pulled the girl into her arms.
“You’re majesty, she is a freak!” The guard protested.
“She is a child.” the queen said firmly.
“My dear, you know we don’t allow Lusus on castle grounds. The guard has full right-”
“Henry!” The queen interrupted, tears spilling from her eyes.
The king let out a sigh. “What’s the matter Dorothy, do you wish for another child? Is this what is causing this scene?”
“No,” Dorothy’s voice broke as she stared down at Sophia, their eyes locked. Sophia had only seen her mother this close once before. She was beautiful, far more beautiful than Sophia had ever hoped to be. “I can’t take it anymore...Henry...This girl. This girl is ours.”
The entire garden went silent. Not even the birds were brave enough to chirp.
“I guess now is the perfect time to make my appearance.” Out of the bushes, a man emerged, Sophia back into her mother, the man’s appearance was frightening, not for the pale lavender long hair or the blurred eyes but it was the bright purple veins surrounding his lips that frightened her. Besides herself, she had never met another Lusus before. “My name is Arch.” He smiled up at them.
