Imperial Academy, Imperial Aleksandra

February 20th, 3074 KSY

Arryne sat in the corner of the academy’s library, surrounded by a small pile of books. She had spent the last hour or so reading various books from the pile, although she had yet to find one that interested her. She sighed and placed the latest book on top of the others before picking up a new one and flipping through its pages.

“Skipping class again, are you?”

Arryne looked up from the book and saw her friend Emma standing over her. Arryne smiled and closed the book, placing it back on the pile.

“You know I’d rather be reading. It’s not like I would’ve learned much anyway.”

Emma sat on the ground next to Arryne. She took a moment to undo her ash-brown hair, allowing it to flow over her shoulders.

“You do want to graduate, don’t you?” Emma questioned.

“Of course-” Arryne started before Emma cut her off.

“Then start actually going to class, okay?”

Arryne rolled her eyes and picked the book up again. Emma shrugged and leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment. After a while, she opened them again and glanced at Arryne.

“It's been a while since we last hung out. Is everything okay with Harlan?” Emma questioned.

“He was just summoned to Kora a few days ago. Everyone at the estate is much more relaxed when he’s gone.” Arryne responded.

“That’s good. Maybe I should come over after class?”

“I’d like that,” Arryne said, smiling.

“Alright, I’ve got to get going, so I’m not late for calculus,” Emma said as she stood up, “I’ll see you later!”

“See ya, Em,” Arryne replied.

Emma left the library, and Arryne returned to her reading, but she couldn’t concentrate anymore. While she was glad that Harlan was gone, she was admittedly curious about the suddenness of his departure.

***

Arryne stood at the academy gates, waiting for Emma to come out of the large stone brick building that was the main hall of the academy. She watched as groups of students passed by her, chatting amongst themselves.

Arryne noticed her younger sister Vivian walking with a group of her friends. Vivian saw Arryne, too, and ran over to her. Vivian’s strawberry blonde hair trailed behind her as she approached Arryne.

“Hey, Arryne!” Vivian called out.

Vivian was a few years younger than Arryne, but her personality made her seem much older. She always seemed to have a smile on her face, and she tended to be the friendliest of the three Corbyn children. This was an aspect that Arryne was somewhat envious of.

“Hi, Vivian. Are you going back home?”

“Yup! Katrina and I are headed there now.” Vivian replied. “What about you?”

“I’m waiting for Emma to finish class,” Arryne answered.

“Oh, well, I’ll see you back at the estate!” Vivian said before running off to join her friends.

Just then, Arryne caught sight of Emma exiting the building. Emma waved as she walked towards Arryne. She had a bag over her shoulder and a data-slate by her side. Arryne thought she looked very studious.

“How was class?” Arryne asked as Emma approached her.

“Long, but I finally figured out that one problem!” Emma answered, clearly excited about her achievement.

Both girls walked side by side among the streams of students leaving the academy. Some students had aircars waiting; others took the city's maglev system. Arryne usually took the latter. She liked the feeling of independence that it gave her.

The two girls stepped onto the station platform just as the maglev arrived. The maglev itself was sleek and white and exceedingly fast. The trip from the academy to the Corbyn family estate barely took seven minutes, even though they were on different ends of Aleksandra’s capital city.

Arryne stepped into the crowded maglev car. Most of the passengers were other students on their way home. Arryne disliked how crowded the maglev was, but she also didn’t like relying on her families– no, Harlans– power and wealth. Harlan always reminded her, in less than savory ways, that she didn't deserve any of it. Arryne glanced at Emma. Emma caught her eyes and flashed a smile. Arryne did her best to smile back, but she knew it wasn’t entirely convincing.

The maglev glided gracefully away from the station, gradually picking up speed. Arryne watched as the city flew by until it became a barely recognizable blur. A few minutes later, the maglev stopped, and Arryne and Emma stepped onto the bustling station platform. The estate was now just a few minutes’ walk away.

Arryne took a deep breath before grabbing Emma’s hand, pulling her through the crowd and onto the street. They continued to hold hands until they reached the front gates of the estate. The gates were open, leading into the lush front garden. Arryne released Emma’s hand and stepped onto the property.

“Come on! We’ll go to my room!” Arryne exclaimed.

Emma followed just behind. She had been to the Corbyn family estate many times, but its size and beauty still astonished her. The white stone facade supported a growth of ivy, which reached the roof. The grand front entrance sported a wooden doorway, a feature that Emma knew could only be afforded by those with great wealth. Emma’s family looked almost destitute compared to the Corbyn family's wealth.

Arryne led Emma through doors and into a grand entrance hall. Wooden staircases flanked both sides of the room, and an ornate golden chandelier hung from the ceiling. Arryne climbed up the stairs and headed straight to her bedroom. She pulled open the door and entered the room. A seemingly oversized bed sat in the corner with a dresser at its foot. In the opposite corner was a bookshelf packed full of books. Piles of books were scattered all over the floor and on any available surface. A bank of windows was on the wall opposite the door, revealing the estate's large backyard.

Arryne threw her bag onto the floor and opened the dresser, rummaging through its contents in search of something to wear. Emma sat on the bed and watched Arryne, who had pulled out a shirt and a pair of pants. She handed the clothes to Emma before diving back into the open drawer. Emma quickly changed out of the school uniform she had been wearing, neatly folding it and placing it inside her bag. Arryne followed suit but instead threw her uniform onto the floor. Once both girls had changed, they both sat side by side on the bed.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

“So,” Arryne started, “do you think you’re ready for that calculus exam now?”

“Yeah, it definitely won’t be easy, though. But I’m confident that I’ll do fine after all the studying I’ve done.”

“Good, I think you’ll do just fine,” Arryne said reassuringly. She looked right into Emma’s eyes and smiled.

“You have such a pretty smile,” Emma said, leaning close to Arryne. “Try to smile more, ok?”

Emma kissed Arryne gently, caressing her cheek at the same time. Arryne pulled away. Her face had turned red, and her smile had turned into a big grin. Emma was smiling now, too. The two girls stared into each other's eyes, Emma’s hand still resting on Arryne’s cheek. Emma leaned in and kissed Arryne again, but this time it was much longer and more passionate.

***

“Would you like some more soup, Miss Arryne?”

“Oh, no, thank you,” Arryne answered. The servant nodded and moved down the table. Arryne was staring at her bowl. She held a spoon in one hand with which she aimlessly stirred the soup. The other hand lay on her lap, underneath the table. Arryne looked around at the rest of her family sitting at the table. Arryne’s older brother Rowen sat at one end of the table, and her mother, Emily, sat at the other. Vivian sat to Arryne’s left, perpendicular to Emily.

“Why exactly was dad summoned to Kora?” Vivian questioned. “What happened?”

“It doesn’t matter what happened. Dad is important, and he has responsibilities to uphold.” Rowen answered.

“You’re such a bootlicker,” Arryne whispered to herself.

Rowen turned to look at her.

“You know, there’s a reason why he does what he does to you.” Rowen retorted.

Arryne dropped the spoon into the bowl. A loud clink reverberated throughout the room.

“Stop that, Rowen!” exclaimed Emily.

“I don’t listen to you, whore.” Rowen said belligerently.

Arryne rose with a jolt and stormed out of the dining room. By the time Arryne was back in her room, tears were streaming down her face. She fell into her bed face-first and lay there for what seemed like an eternity.

After a while, she sat up, wiped her eyes, and let out a sigh. She picked up a book from one of the many piles and cracked it open. Her eyes scanned the page, and her mind began to wander.

***

Quest for the Queen’s Crown

Chapter One

The castle’s throne room was uncharacteristically empty. In fact, the entire castle seemed to be void of people. Bridgette wandered through the halls, searching for anyone who could clue her in on what was going on. She turned the corner and noticed a door that had been left ajar. She pushed the door open and entered the room. An elderly woman sat in a rocking chair in front of a hearth, which held a roaring fire.

“Princess Bridgette,” the woman said without turning around, “please, come in.”

“Who are you?” Bridgette asked. “I’ve never seen you around here before.”

“Sit down, dearie. We have much to talk about.”

Bridgette stepped closer to the woman, who gestured towards the floor. Bridgette sat on the floor before the fire, exactly where the woman had pointed. Once Bridgette had settled, the woman began to speak.

“You must be ready. The realms above are shifting rapidly. Something terrible is coming, and it will arrive soon.”

“What do you mean? Who are you?” Bridgette questioned the woman. Her voice was shaky and uncertain.

“Heed my words, young princess.”

Bridgette’s eyes snapped open. She was lying in her bed, the sheets soaked with sweat. She sat up, looking around the room. Everything seems to be in order, she thought. She rose out of bed, her feet hitting the cold stone floor. She grabbed a robe hanging on a hook and quickly threw it on. She approached the door to the room, opened it, and stepped into the hall.

Bridgette looked around and noticed a servant cleaning the floor. A deep sigh of relief escaped from her lips. She continued down the hall, making her way to her parent’s chambers. She passed by several other servants, going about their duties. They all greeted Bridgette as she passed them.

Finally, she reached her destination. She knocked on the door gently, announcing her arrival.

“Come in.” she heard coming from the inside. Bridgette pushed the door open and entered the room. Her parents were sitting in front of a fire. Her mother turned to see who had entered.

“Oh, Bridgette! What a pleasant surprise! How did you sleep?” she asked.

“I had a strange dream. There was this old woman, and she said something, but I can’t quite remember what it was.” Bridgette exclaimed.

“Perhaps you should eat some breakfast. I’m sure it will come back to you,” said Bridgette’s father. Bridgette nodded and bade her parents farewell, at least until later. She then started towards the kitchens with thoughts of food on her mind.

***

Arryne closed the book and placed it on the bedside table. All she could think about was the incident from dinner. Rowen was so acquiescent towards Harlan. He always jumped to defend his father without even questioning it. Arryne was sick of her brother’s blind loyalty to Harlan. She hated them both and wanted nothing more than never seeing them again.

She got up and walked over to the window. Night had fallen over the city, and Arryne could just make out the silhouettes of the high-rises in the city center. She could see what looked like fireflies darting between the silhouettes and shooting up high into the atmosphere.

Arryne stood at the window for a moment, taking in the night-time scenery. She desperately wanted to be aboard one of those ships and leave everything behind. Except for Emma, she was the one good thing in Arryne’s life.

Arryne turned away from the window and climbed back into bed. By now, it was almost midnight, and Arryne was getting tired. But she didn’t want to sleep just yet. She picked the book up once more and opened it. She struggled to keep her eyes open as she read and eventually fell asleep.

***

Sunlight poured through the window, illuminating the room as Arryne slept. The book she had been reading lay face down on the floor, having fallen off the bed during the night. Arryne rolled over and pulled a pillow over her head in an attempt to block the harsh sunlight. After a few minutes, Arryne sat up on the bed and rubbed her eyes. It took a moment for her to adjust to the light, but once she had, she stood up and began to get dressed in her school uniform.

Once dressed, Arryne headed down to the kitchen to find herself some breakfast. She found Vivian in the foyer, preparing to leave.

“Oh, Arryne! I was going to wait for you but you woke up too late!” Vivian exclaimed once she had spotted Arryne.

“Is it that late already?” Arryne asked tiredly.

“Yes, we are going to be late! Get ready!”

Arryne decided that it might be best to skip breakfast for the day. She quickly got ready and followed Vivian to the maglev station. Vivian walked quickly and Arryne trailed not-so-far behind her.

***

The room was silent save for the occasional whisper. Arryne sat in the back corner, studying the questions in front of her. She was stumped on one particular problem and had spent a minute or two trying to think of the best answer. Suddenly, she heard a slight click coming from the front of the room. She looked up to see the headmaster had entered. Unconcerned, Arryne looked back at her questions. The headmaster whispered something to the teacher and motioned towards where Arryne was sitting. The teacher gave a nod.

“Arryne Corbyn?” The headmaster asked, “Please come with me.”

Arryne looked up, startled to have heard her name. She stood and grabbed her things and walked to the front of the room. The headmaster watched before stepping through the door and leading her down the hall. As they walked, Arryne wondered what was happening. Am I in trouble? she thought, Did I do something wrong?

Finally, the headmaster stopped in front of a door. It was an ordinary door, just like all the others in the academy, but Arryne couldn’t help but feel like whatever was behind it was important.

“Through here,” the headmaster said. Arryne took a deep breath and stepped forward. The door slid open in front of her, revealing an office. Inside, sat a man in what appeared to be a military uniform. The man had wavy black hair, and greens eyes that pierced straight through Arryne.

“Arryne, please, come in.” said the man, breaking the silence. Arryne stepped into the room and the door closed behind her. The man stood up and introduced himself.

“I am Arden Voss, knight to emperor, well, to the late emperor Nathaniel Warren III.” Arryne looked at him, unsure of what was going on. Arden continued.

“As the daughter of the emperor, you are heir to the Koran Imperium. I know you must be confused,” stated Arden, “your mother and father had an affair, and then you were born. Your father decided to keep your existence a secret in order to protect you.” Arryne opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“You must come back to Kora with me. Arrangements have been made; all we need is you.” Arryne stood in thought, unsure of what to say. So much was flowing through her mind, and she didn’t know what to make of any of it.

“I’ll come on one condition,” Arryne began, “my best friend, Emma, must come as well.”

“Very well, I will make the arrangements for that, but you will travel separately.” Arden stated, “Now then, we must get under way.”