Well, let me just say that i will be posting the story in script format. Just for those who are a bit slow, here are some guidelines:
(Character Name): Quote
(Character Name): (thoughts)
Actions/descriptions/other will be posted in paragraph form that is written in black.
Also, to make things easier, all characters will have their own color text so it'll be easier to tell who's saying what. You'll catch on eventually ^_^
Any questions, comments, or anything you want to say about the story? Just comment and i'll letcha know! Thanks!
Chapter 1
A small, pale, seventeen-year-old girl sat next to the open window, her cascade of burgundy curls blowing with the cool autumn breeze. She had sparkling hazel eyes that could light even the dreariest room, and soft pink lips that had never yet been kissed.
Lissabelle: (I can't believe father is going to make us go through with this... We've met those men once before... They were rude and obnoxious, and they couldn't even tell me and Jessina apart! They don't love us, they just...they just think we have pretty faces and will look good on display for the stupid West Kingdom! Why...Why can't we choose what we want to do for once? Ever since we moved to the Central Kingdom, it's like father has completely controlled our lives. We've never even been able to leave the palace walls. And now he's making us marry these two...these two....Ugh!)
She sighed in discouragement. The young princess had always been a dreamer, always wanting to be free to do as she pleased. However, her father cared more about politics than his daughter's happiness.
Lissabelle: (Why couldn't we have just stayed up north, where our kingdom is? I remember when we used to live in that little chateau by Sapphire Lake... I loved it there... That beautiful lake was my favorite place in the world. The crystal blue waters, the cool breezy air, the way the stars reflected in the water like candles in a mirror... I wish I could go back.... But instead, I'm going to be cooped up in the desert where the Western Kingdom is, sitting beside King Aderas: leader of the complete morons, while my twin sister sits next to his idiot cousin who doesn't even know how to spell his own name.)
She closed the window and went to sit down on her four-post bed.
Lissabelle: (I wish I could get out of here... I wish I could run away back up north and never look back.... But there's no way out....)
A second girl-completely identical to Lissabelle save for a few minor features like bright eyes filled with excitement and fewer freckles-stood in front of the mirror, grimacing at her reflection as she tried on a forest green evening gown.
Jessina: (Betrothed or not, I'm never going to wear this dress....) Yech...
She pulled the girly green ribbon out of her curls and tied her hair up into a ponytail, sticking as many sharp hairpins in as possible (she never knew when she was going to need a weapon.)
Jessina: (Why do I have to get married anyway? I don't need a man to tell me what to do! Chances are, I could kick any sissy prince's a** any day, let alone let him boss me around! I'm not going through with this, and I hope father knows that. If he expects me to marry some prince's cousin just so he can have political ties with the western nation, he's crazy)
Jessina had always been the tomboy of the family, a bit of a rulebreaker, and also the most free-spirited girl in the entire Central Kingdom, their residence that was a small nation including a few representatives from the Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Kingdoms, though, they were the only complete royal family living there. She had always been famous for beating up her older cousins, all of which were boys.
Jessina: (And what about my poor twin, huh? What, do they expect Lissy to just go along with this? She's not the type of person who takes mental pain very simply. She cries every night just because she feels like a bird stuck in a cage. Now Father's going to ship her off to marry that prince? I mean, I'm not worried about myself. I'm just gonna punch the daylights out of him and run like hell, but she's not that type. She'll just bottle up her pain as much as possible until she can't take it anymore....and once she gets to that point...then...then she'll...)
Jessina winced at the thought. Lissabelle had never been the type to think rationaly, and her sister feared for her life.
Jessina: (But hopefully we'll get ourselves out of here... I know we can....)
Queen Elise: You two look lovely...
The twins' mother was a short, pale woman that shared the same hazel eyes as her daughters. She had always put her daughters before anyone else, unlike her husband, who's mind focused only on his precious Northern Kingdom.
Both Twins: Yes, mother...
Lissabelle: But...but...
She couldn't seem to get any other words out of her mouth.
Jessina: Why do we have to go through wit this?
Lissabelle: Can't we...can't we just...
Jessina: Why can't we just do what we want to? Live where we want to, marry who we want to? It's just not fair!
Queen Elise: Girls...I...
The queen stuttered, trying to ignore one daughter's yelling and the other's tears.
Lissabelle: I...I just want to go back to the north... Can't we all just leave Father here and go live in our old home?
She was pleading with all her heart to try to escape from her fate.
Queen Elise: That's not my decision to make, girls... I would help if I could...but...
She shook her head and stepped away from her daughters and closer to the door.
Queen Elise: Your father and your fiancees are waiting in the foyer.
She sighed deeply as she left the room, motioning them to follow close behind.
The tall, skinny, bearded king stood in the foyer, making witty conversation with two guests in their early twenties: One tall, muscular man with oily black hair and harsh green eyes, the other smaller with brown hair, brown eyes and a strange expression that made him look somewhat like a rodent.
King William: There's my beautiful wife!
As the queen stepped closer, he walked up to her and kissed her once on each cheek. Following close behind were his two twin daughters in matching gowns, Jessina first in her green dress, Lissabelle hiding behind her in a pink one.
King William: And my beautiful daughters as well...
He motioned them closer, making them curtsey and greet the two men in front of them.
King William: Lissabelle, Jessina, you remember Aderas and Aidan.
Aderas, the taller of the two, walked up to Jessina and kissed her on the hand, making her other hand ball up into a fist until her sister kicked her in the heel to remind her not to do anything she would regret.
Aderas: How could i forget the beautiful Miss Lissabelle?
The two princesses rolled their eyes in disgust.
Jessina: Apparently quite easily. I'm Jessina you idiot...
Lissabelle slapped her forehead and the king chuckled uneasily, trying to mask his rage.
King William: Now Jessina, is that any way to adress your future cousin-in-law?
Jessina smiled fakily and took a step backward, bottling up her anger until she could get back to her room and punch something.
Aderas: So sorry, dear...
He walked over to Lissabelle and took both her hands into his own.
Aderas: But it is a pleasure to be meeting you again...
There was a strangeness to his voice as he spoke so softly and seductively. He leaned in to kiss her hand, but she just pulled away shyly, making him glare at her slightly.
Aidan: And hello to you too, Miss Jessina.
He took a bow and kissed her hand.
Jessina: Haha.... You just kissed the same hand you're cousin just kissed. You just transitively kissed your own cousin! Haha!
Aidan: I...But...He...
The man started stuttering uneasily as his face turned beat red and his fiancee snickered with delight.
King William: Heheh..Um...Jessina, that's not polite...
He was holding in so much anger that his face was beginning to turn purple.
Aderas: Well....Um... Moving along.... You two might be wondering why we're here...
The Western Prince seemed to be inching closer to Lissabelle every passing moment. She just pretended to have a coughing fit, which made him back off slightly.
Aderas: Ehem. Anyway, we're here to announce our wedding date.
The twins' hearts seemed to drop to the pits of their stomachs at the same moment.
Aidan: Yes... We're planning it to be on April seventh.
Jessina: Oh, the springtime.... But i have such terrible allergies... And you want an outdoor wedding, don't you? That certainly won't do...
She spoke in a terribly fake voice, but the "Western Morons" didn't see through the lie.
Aderas: Oh, well then how about in the summer, then?
Lissabelle: The summertime... But it's so hot during the summer... You know how I faint in the heat...
The shy princess decided to play along with the fib.
Aidan: Well how about autumn?
King William: That's too long from now. We want the wedding to be sooner than that!
The twins looked at each other, one looking angrier than ever before, the other looking ready to burst into tears.
Aderas: Well, how about a month from now! December thirtieth!
Lissabelle: Too soon!
Jessina: Way too soon!
King William: Oh come now, darlings? Too soon? Never too soon! December thirtieth it is!
Lissabelle: Father...Please...
Jessina: But you can't make me...!
King William: Come now, boys, I'll show you to your rooms for the evening...
He completely ignored his daughters' pleads and shuffled off with the two men.
Jessina: I can't believe he's doing this to us! One month! NO WAY! NEVER!
Lissabelle: I....I....I can't do this....I really can't....
She burst into tears, which caused her loving mother to come running over, embracing her daughter with love.
Queen Elise: Oh, shh... Hush, dear....
Jessina: Is he crazy?! Does he just think that he can ship us over to the west just so he can be buddy-buddy with the Western king? I don't think so!
The princess was pacing back and forth in fury, stomping her feet into the ground, trying to lose some steam.
Lissabelle: Mum...I can't do this....
She sniffled between sobs.
Lissabelle: I...I just... You do know that if....If I go through with this.... Eventually, you'll find me with a knife in my chest...
Jessina: I can't believe that he...! Oh my gosh Lissy...Lissy don't say that....
She walked up closer to her sister, trying to console her.
Queen Elise: Lissabelle... You're just upset... You need your rest...
The queen took her daughter by the hand.
Queen Elise: Come on. Let's get you to bed...
Queen Elise: Now darling, I know you're upset...
The queen spoke softly and calmly as she closed the door.
Jessina: You do realize that somehow, I'm going to get out of this!
The tomboy called out of her locked bedroom door to anyone willing to listen.
Queen Elise: Yes, yes, we know, sweetheart! Anyhow, I really think that it'd be best for you, if you were to marry this man...
Lissabelle: But mother....I...
The queen pressed her finger to her lips and began scribbling something down on a notepad, then holding it up to her daughter. It read: "TONIGHT-TUNNELS-GREAT HALL-PIANO-MIDDLE C"
Queen Elise: I just think you'd be doing both yourself and the country a favor...
She winked, then let Lissabelle take the notepad and write a very large: "WHAT???" Queen Elise took it back and wrote: "Tunnels under palace- lead outside walls- escape route"
Lissabelle: But why must I do this, mother?
She was beginning to catch on to the charade, but was still a little behind on the notes. "How do you know?" She wrote this time. The pad was handed back to her mother, who wrote "secret-passed down through women in this castle. It's like an escape from royalty if you want it."
Lissabelle: I see.... I mean...
She slapped her hand over her mouth, praying the night guards didn't hear her words. She tried to take the paper back, but her mother continued writing. "Tunnels-dark-small-cramped-not good for your breathing disorder- but only way out. Still want to?"
The queen looked at her daughter in that motherly way that she always did when she was worried. Her daughter nodded, wiping the tear from her eyes. But then she thougth of something.... She took the pad and scribbled down one word: "Jessina?" Her mother took it from her and wrote next to it: "Tomorrow." The princess took the paper back and wrote "Me-Tonight?" Her mother nodded.
Lissabelle: I suppose so.... He can't be that terrible...
Queen Elise: That's my girl...
The queen wiped a tear from her eye and gave her daughter a hug.
Queen Elise: I'll miss you...
Lissabelle: I'll miss you too...
With a few more tears, they said good-night and good-bye, and the queen took her leave.
-PREVIEW!-
Mikona: Puu! I'm here to help Starlite give a preview for her next chapter!
What's this? Looks like Lissabelle's up past her bedtime... And oh no! What's Aderas doing there next to her? Hands off Pal!
Next time, Chapter 2, Into the Darkness!
Mikona can't wait!
Mikona: Puu! I'm here to help Starlite give a preview for her next chapter!
What's this? Looks like Lissabelle's up past her bedtime... And oh no! What's Aderas doing there next to her? Hands off Pal!
Next time, Chapter 2, Into the Darkness!
Mikona can't wait!
