Princess of the Realm
I stared at it. How could a mere object be so intimidating. It knew what I had in store. After all, it was a crown and I was Marie Anne Murray, and one day I would be queen.
Living on Salphie was what everyone wanted. We were seated at the edge of the world and our city looked over the edge of the universe. My mother had placed the capital as far away from the border as she could. Thinking of the princesses made me shudder. Our world was divided into two nations, Salaphaz and Deanway. My mother was queen of Salaphaz, and Deanway was in the middle of a civil war. The princesses were part of the Alexandre family, and everyone in Salaphaz felt that their family would win the war. Lillian Alexandre would become queen, but now she was hiding in the secret Alexandre family mansion with her sister Victorie. I almost pitied them, knowing that I was safe here in Salphie, the capital of Salaphaz.
My older brother Albert was studying at the university. Albert was the oldest of the five of us, but he couldn't inherit the throne because he hadn't gotten powers. The first child born with special abilities was the heir to the throne, and when I was able to hold fire as an infant, I put myself first in line for the throne. Poor Albert was studying the history of magic, hoping to be a professor even though magic was something he'd never have.
Closing the door to my room, I began to think of how I'd address my letter to Victorie Alexandre. She was nineteen, like me and we had recently become friends. We were born at the end of a huge war that had been raging for over a hundred years. Well, King Somier of Deanway had signed a treaty because he was losing the war, which ended when I was ten. Only two years later Deanway broke into civil war. But during those two years, I'd met Victorie and we were inseparable. I wrote my letter feeling sorry for her because she had to be locked in a tower. I didn't get along with her older sister Lillian. Lillian would become queen, and found it impossible to hide her rudeness from me.
After I sent the letter to Lucille, my only sister, to mail, I began composing a different letter. I wouldn't have the throne for years and it was time to take advantage that I lived in Salphie, a city of learning and enlightenment.
