Chapter 1: The missing crown princess
[Vandrad, The beast kingdom]
Whoosh.... Takk.
The arrow pierced through the air and hit the bull's eye on the target board.
Calhoun, the eldest prince of Vandrad, the beast kingdom, briefly took a look at his shot before taking another arrow and setting it on the bow. His fingers skillfully pulled string of the bow back as he aimed at the target.
"Which enemy do you think you can defeat with your bow and arrow, eldest beast prince?"
Calhoun didn't release the arrow as he heard a familiar voice behind him. He also heard the mocking tone when the other party called him the "beast prince".
The one who spoke was the second prince of Vandrad, Adrian Ivanov, born to the queen and supported by the entire royal court.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of having you here second prince?" Calhoun asked, his voice steady and gentle as he released the arrow.
Whoosh.... Tak.
The arrow cut the previous arrow mercilessly in half before hitting it's target. Calhoun didn't even look at the board and turned to look at Adrian.
But Adrian couldn't help but think how precise the shot was.
"Do you want to know what happened in court today?" Adrian asked playfully. His eyes carried a mocking glint whenever he looked Calhoun.
"The eldest princess of Mythiopia seems to have special affection towards you. She specifically sent an invitation to the court, implying to send you as her partner for the grand ball next month."
Calhoun didn't show any emotion on his face, but Adrian couldn't help but feel his anger bubbling inside.
"I am very happy for you, eldest brother. Though you can't have the dragon throne, at least you will have the wizard throne by following her" Adrian mocked again, highlighting again and again how he needs a woman to secure any position.
"Please be careful with your words, your highness. Princess Stella is the eldest princess, not the crown princess. Don't let anyone hear you again, lest it offends the royal family of Mythiopia."
Calhoun left after giving the prince a piece of advice. But Adrian didn't take his words seriously at all. Actually, none would take his words seriously for two reasons.
One, because though he was the eldest son of the mighty dragon king, neither did he have any beast within him, nor was he born to the queen. He was simply a shunned bastard no one bothered to care about.
Two, because everyone believed that Princess Stella will be titled as the crown princess soon on her eighteenth birthday next month.
Mythiopia is a huge and powerful kingdom, and establishing an heir to the throne is important for any royal family.
The wizard king had announced his youngest daughter as the crown princess when his twin daughters were born, but where is she? The youngest one has been missing for more than 12 years now.
The king has turned the entire magical realm upside down for his youngest daughter, but she was no where to be found.
But so what? The eldest princess is talented and an young prodigy in magic. Kind and Gentle. Loved by all. There is no reason to not make her the crown princess.
Thinking about this, Adrian couldn't help but feel irritated at how princess Stella seems to have a crush on Calhoun. What was so good about this crippled prince?
But he managed to calmed down after thinking that he would soon be the crown prince of Vandrad.
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[London]
"Uff.. All done" Bianca tiredly slid down the wall and collapsed on the floor which she and her bestie just cleaned.
"Here. Drink this"
Bianca caught a flying bottle thrown at her and made a face after looking at it. Who drinks almond milk after working like a dog for a half a day? She wanted coke.
Another figure plopped beside her and opened the bottle for Bianca.
"Bells. Will you be fine here alone? Though it close to campus, it is still far from my place."
Bianca worriedly asked the girl beside her. She wanted Isabella to stay with her, but her best friend insisted on moving out.
"I won't be alone. My roommate will come tomorrow. And this place is safe. I checked. Don't worry." Isabella reassured.
The two girls chatted for a while and Bianca soon left for her house.
Isabella pushed all the cleaning materials to a corner and took a look at her newly rented studio.
It wasn't big. A space just enough for two people with a kitchen in the same space and an attached bathroom.
The place was a bit old, with no furniture and not many facilities provided, but this was all she could afford after sharing.
Knock.. Knock.. Knock
The knock startled Isabella. She didn't have any visitors. She turned the knob thinking it was Bianca again.
Opening the door, she faced a big black backpack. The man turned around hearing the door open.
The two people stood facing each other, both looked stunned for a moment before the realization hit.
The man took a step back and tilted his head up to check the room number.
A410. He was at the right room.
Why was there a girl here?
"Dylan?" Isabella called out hesitantly as she looked at the man with jet black eyes and hair.
She thought she had lost contact with him forever.
Dylan looked at the girl standing in front of him again.
Dark green eyes which reminded him of an ever green forest, light brown hair which was tied into a messy bun, and her full lips which bore a smile after seeing him.
"Isabella?"
Isabella's smile got even bigger and she nodded happily. And the next moment she was engulfed in a tight hug.
"Isa. I never thought I would meet you here." Dylan said and released her from his hug. Looking at her, she didn't change at all.
Isabella thought the same too. But her words were stuck in her mouth as she looked at Dylan.
Last time she met Dylan was when she was fourteen. He was just as tall as her back then. But now she can only reach up to his chest. He also gained some muscle, not as lean as before and is also a bit tanned now. The first thing that came to her mind was "greek god".
"I went to the orphanage to meet you. But they said you already moved out."
"Uhh.. Yeah. I just moved in here today. Are you also staying in the same building?" Isabella asked.
Dylan scratched his head and looked around.
"I am actually moving into this room?"
Isabella blinked her eyes and parted her lips.
"No no no.. This is my room" She asserted
"Mine too. Look" Dylan showed her the housing contract for the next six months on his phone. Isabella pursed her lips and showed him her housing contract.
Isabella and Dylan immediately dialed the owner.
She wanted to share. But she clearly told that the roommate should be a female. How did the owner even think that she will be fine sharing this small space with a man?
The owner simply told her that they both were the only ones who approached him to rent that space and he also needed money.
He also told that he had checked the background of the man and she has nothing to worry about, which Isabella highly doubted.
"It's fine. I will look for another space in a few da.."
"No no. We both have a contract for next six months. And I cannot afford the rent if you move out. It's good that we both know each other and are not strangers. It will be fine."
Isabella didn't pursue the matter any further. It was her mistake too that she didn't ask the owner properly about her roommate.
She helped Dylan settle in. He didn't have much stuff.
"Why are you moving in here?" Isabella asked curiously.
"I got into Imperial College. So I .."
"WAHHH.... You will study at Imperial College. I am going to study there too..." Isabella jumped up and down when she heard this.
"I am going to study law."
"I am in business major." Dylan replied. Though he didn't show it on face, he was very happy with how the day turned out.
Meeting Isabella and going to study with her again was a beautiful coincidence for him.
It reminded him of his childhood. Both were orphans, in the same orphanage. They used to stick to each other like glue.
But then he got adopted when he was nine. Later he rarely went back due to various reasons.
Isabella did a second trip to the college with Dylan to get his student ID and then showed the library and cafe where she usually does part-time before going back to the studio together.
It was already seven in the evening when they returned back.
"I see that no one adopted you" Dylan joked while having their take-out as dinner.
"Humphh.. I know who my parents are. I am just lost here. They will find me soon" Isabella said confidently as she had her dinner.
Dylan looked at her briefly. Isabella never said yes to any adoption no matter how much the orphanage coaxed her.
She was a very cute girl, and many families wanted to adopt her. But she was stubborn. Everyone told her that she was left at the gates of the orphanage when she was a baby, but she never wavered.