The twins didn't know how much time had passed but they woke up from their nap it was already day break.
"Mr. Stallion!! We're gonna be late!!" Screamed Reinel shaking the Stallion and Renèe awake.
"Huh?- WE HAVE TO CHANGE," Screamed Renèe.
"... My mistake..." Said the Stallion awkwardly.
"Hop on, I'll get you there quickly," the twins hopped on the Stallion and quickly whooshed through the skies.
"Look! Father's leaving without us!" Exclaimed Renèe.
"Tch, Mr. Stallion, can you get us to the palace straight after we change? They say the princess bakes the best sweets, she sold the recipes to other bakeries in Sterling, the recipes of the cookies you ate last night were made by her," explained Reinel.
"Say no more," said the Stallion determinedly.
The Stallion quickly dropped off the twins in front of their mansion.
"Quickly get us our outfits!" Commanded Reinel.
"And give us our invitation! We know father left it in his drawer," Renèe said quickly taking off his jacket and ran to their room to get ready.
After a few minutes the twins came out in matching white and gold tail coats, freshly bathed, and hairs styled.
The twins and Stallion set out quickly and arrived in a flash.
But as soon as the they got close the Stallion had gotten a whiff of the baked sweets inside the palace and rushed inside.
"Wait! No! You can't go in!!" Shouted Reinel.
"Stop!" Pleaded Renèe.
The twins and the Stallion burst through the doors of the castle, guards frantic to stop the Stallion but failed miserably.
"Neigh!"
They burst into the ballroom as the Stallion ran straight to the buffet table and stopped abruptly launching the twins from its back.
"Ugh," The twins groaned.
"A storm stallion," exclaimed a sweet and silky voice in delight.
-Snow's pov-
"I never thought I'd see one in real life," I said approaching the stallion amazed by its cloud like mane and shimmering body.
It was devouring all the raspberry tarts and oatmeal cookies.
I felt it's cloud like mane and was dumbstruck by the softness. It was like firm cotton candy that didn't melt in my hands.
I took a lemon butter cookie from the table and offered it to the stallion.
"Here, you might like this one," the stallion rose his head and seemed to examine me closely.
"... I'll gladly accept, princess..." He spoke as he took the cookie from my hand.
I felt all giddy, it knew who I was!
I looked at the twins who watched me frozen in shock.
I offered them my hands as they accepted. I hugged them the moment the got up, squealing.
"Thank you so much for bringing me a storm stallion!" the twins were stunned and started to flare up.
They had never felt this much embarrassment and awkwardness before. For the first time in their lives everything had become fuzzy and light, they couldn't say a word.
I let go of the twins to talk to the storm stallion.
"Is it possible to keep you?" I asked hopefully.
Storm Stallions used to be partners to many great warriors.
"... Hm... If it means I can get treats like this you seem to be a worthy partner," he said as I squealed excitedly.
"Just give me a name and we will bond successfully," I thought for a moment.
This stallion was painted in the dark colors of midnight and looked sturdy and strong.
"I will give you the name Nightmare," I said gracefully.
Unlike a familiar, spirit beasts aren't bound to your soul and are free to break off their bond at anytime.
"I am glad to see that my boys have pleased the princess," Duke Liam Ascot approached me with a crystal ball in hand.
"Oh, don't mind this, it's just rare to see my sons so... Happy," he smirked.
Without the twins knowing the duke had actually recorded the twins' reactions when the princess hugged them.
"Father..." Reinel said meekly still in a slight daze.
"The twins have another gift for you, princess," said the Duke pulling and pinching on Renèe.
Renèe winced in pain before snapping out of his daze.
"Here," he said plainly handing over the snakeweed necklace not wanting to look me in the eyes.
I took the necklace and held it up happily.
"I love it, where did you get the black snakeweed? It must've been so hard to find," I asked with a smile.
"Maybe we can tell you how we acquired it and how we brought the storm stallion here if you'd invite us?" Asked Reinel hopefully.
I looked to my father with big puppy eyes.
He sighed before being pushed aside by mother.
"Of course! You darling boys can visit whenever you'd like!" She beamed as she was pushed by father.
"With my permission. Of course," he said sternly.
I laughed at both of them as Nightmare started to nudge at a box.
"Hey! That's our gift to the princess!" Said King Lennon protectively grabbing the box.
"Hmph! What distasteful behavior," Nightmare said as he turned away insulted.
"What was that you ugly horse?"
"Ok, that's enough," said my father intervening.
"You can summon me whenever you'd like with that necklace, princess, now if you'll excuse me I would like to cleanse myself, I reek of over-sized house cat," Nightmare said before he disappeared.
"Why that little--, Ahem, princess, this is a token of appreciation from my whole family," he said presenting a small black box with the gold seal of the Fantasian royal family.
I opened the box and heard collective gasps of everyone here.
"It's Lanoranite!"
"A piece like that could cost enough to build another kingdom,"
"The princess sure is favored," I heared them all whisper in gossip as I held up the pendant.
It looked like a marble but slightly larger a deep blue mixed with lighter shades.
Lanoranite is a rare stone that is sought after for being a 'source' of mana. No one knows how mana is made but Lanoranite constantly produces mana. Powers of someone in direct contact with Lanoranite will increase by 10 fold. This stone will randomly appear in any cave sometimes they can even appear just outside a cave but some are buried down deeper than diamonds.
And they don't have veins, when you find Lanoranite there'll only be one or two next it which makes it the most valuable stone in the land.
"... This... Is a bit much," I said with an awkward laugh.
"You've already treated me very well and I think you've done enough," I said trying to hand it back.
King Lennon knelt down and whispered into my ear.
"You didn't just save Claudia during your visit. You saved my son and my relationship with him," I nodded and accepted the gift gratefully.
"It'll look good with my new necklace," I smiled.
The party had started once more but everyone around couldn't stop buzzing about the princess.
Whether good or bad the new princess was guaranteed to go down in history and leave a legacy...
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°and cut!°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°