Chapter 1
The Grand Welcome I
"Syn! Look over there! I can see the steeples of the Royal Academy from here!" cried Princess Eldora in the heights of excitement, more than half her body hanging out the large window of their extravagant carriage.
Eva, her handmaiden who was seated by her side could tell how thrilled her young mistress was, just from the high pitch of her voice, billowed by the wind and the speed of their ride.
A contrast to such mood was what Prince Syncher, her brother, held, sitting back and gazing ahead, arms folded with calm airs about him. "Don't wreck your appearance before we even reach, Dor", he said, nonchalantly, although it was evident to a passive eye that was accustomed to observing him every day that he was just as exhilarated as his sister; even anxious of what was awaiting them.
The Royal Academy was a place built to administer to young princes and princesses, Dukes and duchesses and any descendant of a monarch, who would be enrolled therein, in order to shape their character, demeanor and poise in not only the arts of governing a castle and its kingdom, but also in matching them to find a worthy consort. Most royals joined the Academy solely for the sake of finding a partner for marriage to rule by their side.
And that was precisely why Eva, the young handmaiden, found a great deal of anxiety waging wars in her heart.
The princes were allowed to bring their gentlemen and the princesses, their own handmaidens, who would also be trained in duties necessary to serve their rulers best. To cater to Princess Eldora was Eva's greatest duty. But it was not regarding her mistress' finding a spouse that she was concerned of, but the Prince's.
After all those beautiful and cherished promises from him had recently turned into ugly threats, the young handmaiden of short brown hair couldn't help but feel the hurt of betrayal pulsing in her chest.
Just before her mind was about to voyage into the sad events that had happened to her that past year, she felt the thump of the princess landing next to her on the seat of the coach.
"Ah! My hair is in disarray! Eva! Set them a-right!" the daughter of the king cried, as the hand maiden scurried to groom the golden curls of her tresses back into the elegant style that had been done before they'd left the castle and on towards the Royal Academy.
As much as Prince Syncher and his sister Princess Eldora were nervous for the future that awaited them at the great place, Eva was just as stirred, for she would not only receive a great deal of training to tend to all of the golden haired princess' needs, but also, she would be forced to see Prince Syn marry some lady and make her his queen.
Something twisted in Eva's chest as she reflected on these things. There was a gruesome past she had and there was little she could do to help her future.
"Oh, oh! We are almost here!" the Princess cried, jolting up in her seat and Eva looked up with a start, her breath caught in her throat. The dark blond haired Prince and his gentleman, Butler Jean turned their eyes to the view ahead as well, staring at the magnificent beauty that was the academy:
Colossal stone walls with the Royal emblem of Peace and Fraternity embellished upon them stood taut, parting solely at the grand gate that opened to give them way.
Within, there were many royals and their assistants walking about, dressed in grandeur, each as per their cultures.
There was a large fountain at the front, leading up to a great place that could only be described as a composition of many castles and steeples. Spiraling stone stairways and passages and arches and long windows and courtyards and Library and combat grounds and chambers made the academy look like a kingdom of its own make.
Flagstone spread across to pave their floors.
The entirety of the place was divided into two sections: one, residential, for it was an institution that offered its students compulsory boarding and two, the educational realm, with halls and classes and ballrooms and all those one would find in their kingdoms.
There was a great chapel at the heart of the campus, decked with candles and chandeliers, with its own priest running the place.
Some of those walking about in robes and ceremony uniforms seemed to be instructors at the Academy, also staying at the campus for as long as they worked there.
Eva could feel her head going dizzy merely from the excitement and tension of being in the place.
Everyone seemed to be wearing calm airs, but it was evident that such was the result of their being raised in royal households where showing awe or emotion was curbed. Within, all people treading the place felt unequal levels of admiration and exhilaration.
Eva, the young handmaiden knew that as Princess Eldora's escort, she would be trained in various fields such as treatment in beauty, providing defense, cooking to her regal taste, child care, reading, singing, serving and so much more, even if she sustained prior experience.
This meant that no matter how much she did not want to be there and spend her future serving the sister of Prince Syncher, and have to endure being tied thereto, she had no choice.
Such was her cruel fate.
The chauffeur lighted off his horse and made his way to open the doors of the carriage for them.
Butler Jean stepped down first and assisted the dark blond haired Prince, and then arranged the tail of his coat, before taking all the luggage and following him into the Academy.
Then, Eva slid down the carriage and helped Princess Eldora down to her feet, scurried around her to remove any creases from her garments, took a parasol and held it over the Princess' fair face to keep the sunlight from touching her.
They walked to where the residential quarters were located, where a few porters arrived to help with the baggage and lead them to their respective places of stay.
Eva could not help but gawk at the beauty of the ambience, torches on either sides of the stone walls as they walked down the passage ways.
Just then, one of the men leading them said, "This is where women and men part ways." He turned to Prince Syn and said, "Your Royal Highness, if you may, kindly follow me this way. The princess and her handmaiden will be escorted to their room separately."
"Of course", the young royal of deep blond hair nodded, before turning to his sister and giving her a gentle embrace.
And just then, Eva looked up to catch sight of his fierce midnight eyes piercing her with a glare that felt like cold daggers through her chest.
There was no more love and no more lust in his gaze towards her.
Just threats to hush her to silence.
And coercion that his dark and severe secrets remain tied with her.
~