Chapter 2
"Lance, hon, wake up. The nobles will be here soon." spoke a soft voice.
"Mmm... mom?" a young male voice replied.
"Lance. Good you're awake. Now hurry and get ready, I don't want to... look bad in front of the other nobles. We have to make a good impression for your father."
Lance got up and changed into more "formal" clothes. At this moment, he didn't care to eat, hell, he didn't even care that some nameless nobles would be visiting. Despite the fact that he himself, was now a noble he could care less even more than he already did. He didn't care if he made his mother and his step father ashamed to call him "son". Lance and his family, aside from his step father and step sister, were all commoners within the last month. Now, everything was always handed to you on a silver plate. You wanted to clean your own plate? Nope, the servants always politely asked you to sit back down while they did all the work. I know, this doesn't sound bad. But Lance, who had always had to do everything himself, did not like this one bit.
Lance didn't want anything to do with anyone, the only thing he liked about being a noble was he had more than enough free time to practice his sword fighting skills. He would spend hours just perfecting his skills. But, while Lance was good at sword fighting he was also... different.. from the other sword fighters. He was left handed. In the continent of Tellius, left handed people where shunned; they were claimed to be witches and said to cast curses on everyone. Of course, Lance isn't evil. He always shrugged people off and said, "If they aren't abusing the laguz or other beorc, they are shunning left handed people. That's politics for you."
Lance walked into the large courtyard in the middle of Sir Walton's mansion. It was a centerpiece of perfection. The grass in the middle was a glorious green. Around the outskirts where the grass ended on the rectangle shaped courtyard were tall pearl white pillars that stretched to the giant ceilings. These ceilings where made of glass and could be seen right through the top, a feature Lance made fun of, I mean, who in their right mind would climb all the way up to the top of Walton's mansion to peek in? There really was no logic there.
About halfway up the pillars was the second floor, where all the bedrooms were. Lance's room was closest to the stairs heading down to the courtyard, Grace's room was the one right next Lance's, and Rose's bedroom was a few doors down from the sibling's rooms. At the end of the hall was the magnificent master bedroom, and it is quite clear which two people in this story sleep there. The rest of the rooms were either empty or claimed by maids, servants and various other people Walton hired.
Lance waltz down their long spiraling stairs to his area of the courtyard where he practiced.
"Sir Lance! Your mother requested you not practice before Sir Aiden and his betrothed arrives." One of the female servants told Lance.
"Tell my mother," he paused and signaled the servant to get closer, "That... I DO NOT CARE!"
The servant stumbled back, "But... Sir?"
"I'm sorry, miss. I was practicing being a stuck up noble. Did I do alright?" Lance said with a smirk.
"Err... fine, Sir." The servant awkwardly walked away, not sure what to make of what just happened.
Grace then ran down the stairs at full speed and right toward Lance.
"BROTHER!" Grace yelled as she stopped right in front of Lance. "Don't I look pretty?"
She twirled in her new white dress with a red accent on the hems.
Lance laughed, he always loved it when his little sister was happy, "You look beautiful." He said, taking hold of her hand. "Twirl."
Grace spun in a circle with Lance guiding her. The two of them laughed and smiled.
A male servant appeared behind the two, "Excuse me. Sir Lance, Lady Grace, Sir Aiden and his betrothed are here."
Grace looked up at Lance, "Hehe. We better go!" She let go of her brother's hand, "C'mon brother!" And with that she ran out of the courtyard.
Lance sighed, he figured he'd just be an embarrassment to his parents. He simply pulled his blade out from his scabbard he was wearing, something he always wore. He held the iron blade in front of himself and sighed at his own reflection. "Needs to be cleaned", he thought referring to the blade and himself.
--
"Hold on to my coat. Make sure it doesn't wrinkle." A noble spoke to one of Walton's servants, "Darling, you need one of these peasants to hold anything for you?" Before his betrothed could answer, Walton and his wife, Jewel, approached the two of them.
"Good day to you, future prince." Walton spoke while taking a small bow.
"No need to be so formal, Walton. Our families have known each other for a long time. Now, didn't you say you remarried? It tis still a shame your old wife died. Where is your new wife?" The 'future prince' said cockily.
"This is she." Walton took the arm of Jewel.
"Oh? I didn't know you took an interest in peasants. I'm surprised you didn't marry, you know, to get more wealth." The prince rolled his eyes.
"Aiden, dear boy. You still have yet to learn the meaning of love." Walton smiled.
"Oh.... well... this is my betrothed. The Princess of Crimea, Kristiana."
Grace had finished coming up the stairs and heard most of the conversation, "Hello Princess Kristiana! I'm Grace. I'm not a princess but I want to be!" Grace smiled and took a bow.
Kristiana smiled and laughed, "She is quite the cute one, isn't she Aiden?"
"Yes, yes. Quite cute. Now, uncle, didn't you write that your new wife also has a son?"
Jewel spoke up, "Yes, I do have a son. He should be... either in his room or the courtyard. I'll send someone to retrieve him."
Aiden smirked, "I'm surprised uncle. From the way she speaks you wouldn't mistake her for a peasant."
Lance walked up the stairs, "Oh... the nobles are here... wow."
Aiden looked upon Lance in disgust, Walton and Jewel looked ashamed, and Kristiana was trying to keep from laughing.
Lance was covered in a tasty mix of dirt and sand mixed with some scratches and some blood. He had open wounds on his cheeks and his left arm. His right arm had his armor on it, which covered his arm from his wrist up to the top of his shoulder, and it was covered in soil and grass. The rest of his armor looked brown and green but it appeared to be blue armor previously.
"Well... once a peasant, always a peasant is his case, isn't it uncle." Aiden said in revolsion.
"Aiden, we have only been here... for a month now... you can't just expect..."
Lance rolled his eyes and sighed, "Look, I was going to clean up but you guys came WAY too early. Now, out of my way, you are in front of my room."
"How DARE you, leach! Do you know who you are addressing?!"
Lance laughed and shook his head, "A... nameless noble who thinks he's too good for himself? And his pampered 'betrothed'?"
"How... you don't know you are addressing the future king and queen of Crimea! You blue blooded fool! I should behead you for that!" Aiden yelled as he pointed his finger at Lance.
"Aiden." Walton interrupted.
Aiden glared at Walton, "We must speak. I'll take my leave of the leach." Aiden walked away from the party with Walton following close behind him. Jewel looked ashamed of not Lance, but herself, she slowly crept away. Leaving Kristiana and Lance alone.
Kristiana shook her head and laughed then tenseness of the air seemed to clear as Aiden cleared the area, "It's about time someone brought him down a peg or two!"
Lance was a bit shocked by her reply, she was a noble and the princess nonetheless!
"So... you're the princess? I've been a commoner... err..." Lance stuttered, he'd never apologized to a noble, aside from his mother recently.
"It's alright. I'll admit, if you don't want to lose your head... you should keep your mouth shut."
Lance smirked, "You talk a lot of smack for a noble..."
Kristiana shrugged, "Yeah, when I was little my mother and I used to visit the commoners. I played with all the little children."
"I'm... a bit surprised honestly..." Lance looked down. He, for some reason after that statement, recognized her. Not as a princess, but as an old friend. Something about her bright, short, red hair. He rosy cheeks and her height. When he stood in front of her, they appeared to be the same height. He'd swear he'd seen her before, he just couldn't remember where.
Kristiana sighed, "Well. I better return to my betrothed, even though I'd rather not. I will... hopefully see you again." She then smiled and politely walked away.
That moment was the last time he saw her.
(hey all! Chapter 2 is up and right when I said it would be! Don't worry, this is the last time its all slow stuff. Next chapter stuff gets real. I didn't really explain what Aiden or Kristiana looked like because I couldn't find a way to put it in there around all this dialog. I hate all this dialog, but its needed. Makes you hate Aiden and like people like Walton and Kristiana, amiright? anyways. Like I said, there will hopefully be less dialog in the next chapter.)