(!!A big thanks to my second editor, because I need all the help I can get, Spagettii!! When I first wrote down the ideas for this story in an old notebook I was seventeen, I found it a few days ago and re-wrote it.
As per usual I have twisted things for my story so don't go searching for information on the creatures I use because a lot of it is based off my own imagination. Hope you like this even a little.
Leviane - pronounced Le-vy-an
Naithaniel - pronounced Nye-thani-el)
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Prologue
The many kings and queens were warned about the end of the world as they knew it, some of them laughed at the warning. Others grew scared and wondered about the details of their future demise. On the first day in every month when the clock struck three am there would be an earthquake. The vicious earthquakes devastated the land, tearing apart forests, destroying mountains, and reduced many castles to piles of dust. Many built homes underground, the rich had the most safety. Toward the end of the final day the earthquake added to the strength of the eleven before it. This pushed everyone back to the surface. The sight they were met with was nothing like they expected.
The sky was a bright blue, the forests that had been torn apart were even larger, the animals were healthy and not frightened a single bit. Many of the shattered mountains were even taller, the villages stood in perfect condition as if the homes hadn't been swallowed into the Earth to begin with. Even the cobble roads and natural springs were perfect and untouched. It was as if the Earth itself had shifted and stretched, nothing was as it was before the earthquakes began. As they went through the vast forest they could see that castles, much larger than their human-made counterparts, had come out of nowhere.
All of the humans who survived were taken hostage and escorted to different locations; it was at these locations that they found how life would change. In reality the Earth had always been this size, when the thin veil between the human and demon world was shattered all of the things in the way were simply removed and replaced. The various creatures in charge decided to play fair because in reality, these tiny humans couldn't do a thing to them. The humans had to tell the leaders what they owned and how they lived before the veil was broken.
Slowly month by month each human family was placed back in their posts; some were even removed from power. Former corrupted kings and queens were stripped of their titles and thrown into peasant life. As far as the humans knew they were all at peace, those that were allowed to have all of their riches had to pay a price, their youngest sons and daughters were sent to whichever kingdom needed them.
Whether they become slaves with nothing, servants with a chance at happiness, or pets with special treatment there were different stories for each group here is one that is the most important.
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Several young children were sent to the training grounds that belonged to the head Leviane kingdom of the South. The Levianes were one of the most vicious creatures that lived; they were the result of the coupling of a dragon and dark elf. They ranged from 6"4 to 8"5 in height; they were lightly scaled and came in a large range of colors. Like dragons they had claws and fangs that could cut through anything, and they were generally nocturnal but they slept lightly. That being said, even a fool who had lost everything wouldn't be dumb enough to attack one of their homes. They had strong bat-like wings that grew out of slits on their back and were short tempered.
They weren't known for yelling, if you had committed suicide by severely angering one of them you wouldn't know it until they came to kill you. They had two forms, the use of the dragon form depended on the owner, much like how each lady chose to wear their hair. Like dark elves, they had elfin ears and were startlingly beautiful. They were skilled in hand to hand combat, archery, and magic. Those in the royal family could secrete a poison from their fangs that promised a slow and painful death. Only those that were privileged got to learn more about them aside from that.
The children were pushed into plain black cells one for boys and one for girls and they were never told what their purpose was. They were told that they would be kept healthy and fed if they worked on their lessons and behaved.
As the years went on the children would disappear at random until there were only two left, but by then, they weren't children anymore. Princess Fiona was now eighteen and a beauty at that.
She was slim and petite, her pale skin was flawless, she had a set of blue eyes more vivid than any ocean, and her long auburn hair fell in waves around her heart shaped face. However, she wasn't the delicate little flower she appeared to be. She had been trained to handle a sword, was easily one of the best female archers around, and she could cook, clean, and mix poisons and potions like she had been born to do it. The princess next to her was Princess Madeline, she had been taught to fight just as Fiona had.
She had long blond hair that she kept in a simple braid, her brown eyes showed deceitful innocence, Though she had not been trained in potions like Fiona;she could identify them with ease. During the children's stay they had been trained in this room, and out in woods. Fiona wondered if they would ever see the actual castle, she was sure if they were being so heavily trained that there was a reason for it.
Fiona looked up as the wooden door was unlocked and their keeper, Hazel, came into the room. She was a low class demon and had aged a bit, but she held mature beauty on her pale face. Her green eyes only held wisdom and her graying hair was always kept in a proper bun. She wore a simple blue and silver dress, she stopped in front of them and they walked over to greet her.
"Hello ladies, I trust you had a relaxing personal night?"
"Yes Lady Hazel." they said in unison.
"Excellent, I'm here to tell you that your first bit of training is complete."
"First bit?" Madeline asked.
"Yes, you two have been chosen for a set of important roles, you could say you were born for them."
"What roles are those?" Fiona asked.
"For starters, I am no longer Lady Hazel to you my lady." she said to Fiona.
She turned to Madeline.
"And Fiona is now Lady Fiona to you Madeline."
Madeline swallowed.
"I'm to be a slave?"
"No you will be her lady's maid, her personal attendant, Lady Fiona you are to be his Royal Highness Lord Naithaniel Frederick Gabriel VIII's wife."
Fiona's eyes widened.
"What? There must be a mistake, I have never met him, surely he wouldn't want a woman chosen for him without meeting her first."
Hazel smiled.
"My lady, his royal highness has come here many times to scan the children being trained and decided several roles, you were the one who stood out the most."
"Lady Hazel, why is it that she was trained to kill if she is to be the queen?" Madeline asked.
"Because unlike in human kingdoms, the women are completely equal to the men, they are taught skills to protect the castle should the men be called to battle. While there are few that would try to go after a large group, the Levianes have many allies. The queen should be able to protect herself as easily as her husband."
Fiona bit her lip.
"So...I'm off to train more then?"
"You both are, you must be trained for your roles in the kingdom, a week after your twenty first year you will be married. Any more questions can wait until after breakfast, and then your lessons will begin."
End Prologue...
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One....
Fiona toyed with the empty vial in her hand, it had contained a mix of Naithaniel's blood and a strong potion that she would not be taught to brew until she had children. The mixture would prevent her from falling ill to life threatening diseases, and having his blood inside of her would make it easy for the king himself and the guards to find her if she was in danger or simply lost. She had learned plenty about their history and other traits.
One of which was the fact that they drank blood, the nutrients found in human blood did about the same for them that water and milk did for humans. Which is why certain humans are bred for marriage. Part of the wedding included that she would take a bit of his blood, when not diluted with anything it was a drink that caused eternal youth, a sort of perk for a human bride. While the king's blood was strong enough to promise pure blood offspring, she would remain human forever unless he decided otherwise.
It was her wedding day; she didn't remember much of her family but wondered if they would be present. She stood in front of a mirror, the top of the dress had high sleeves but the bodice itself was heart shaped. Silver vines decorated it making beautiful patterns on the white material. The skirt was bell shaped and fell to the floor, it was made of silk and cut down the middle to reveal the silvery mermaid tail skirt that clung to her well-shaped legs. Her hair was placed in a decorative side bun and several waterfall curls fell from the center to rest on her shoulder.
