Chapter 1 -- The Two Girls

The dwelling sat gracefully in its roadside chair as if it were a part of the rolling countryside behind it.  Moss stood out against the eroded stone walls and gave the building its homey allure.  A low-stooped apple tree leaned against the abode, decorating the cobblestone walkway with the splattered remains of the fall harvest.  The sound of a temperate wind rustling through the tree in the yard harmonized softly with the gentle twittering of its winged dwellers.  Raised voices and heavy footsteps resounded from the house as the morning broke in its usual manner. 

A small wooden door swung precariously on its hinges as it was briskly thrown towards the adjacent wall, greeting it with an unnatural thud.  From the open threshold emerged a young girl, her bold strides carrying her across the cobblestone onto the dirt rode.  Flashes of long, dark hair whisked by as she made an effort to look furious, carefully applying unnecessary pressure to each step as she walked away from the humble dwelling.  The girl paid no heed to the booming voice that echoed out at her from the doorsill.  When the pounding sandals had finally reached the solid dirt road, the young girl stopped to take one last look at her house.  She glared intently at the shadowed figure beyond the doorway, swung her head back towards her destination, and recommenced her steady pace.  With the shouting ceased, the building began to return to its natural state.  The songbirds chimed their lively melody and the wind once again rushed through the tree. 

As the girl walked along the road and the distance between her position and the house increased, she began to slow down her pace.  Sandals were no longer pressed forcefully into the ground, and strides eventually became steps.  The fury embedded in the girl’s face slowly turned into exasperation and fatigue, and her heavy breathing became mild panting.  After a quick glance behind her shoulder to ensure that she was not being pursued, the young girl found a nearby tree and collapsed into the well.  She closed her eyes and her body slowly began to settle down in the protective shade of the tree. 
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The young girl casually opened her eyes and blinked, unaware of where she was for a moment.  Once the haze of sleep had lifted, she raised her head, and layers of long, dark hair fell down her back.  Propping herself on her elbow, the girl rubbed her eyes, and absorbed her surroundings, wondering why she had chosen this spot to settle down.  It was then that she noticed a towering figure looming menacingly at the side of the old dirt road.  Half-hidden by the shadows of the trees, the taciturn creature stood motionless as it gazed wearily into the distance.  The young girl squinted and rubbed her eyes once again to guarantee that she was not still dreaming, for it was unusual for such pristine animals to be found in this part of the kingdom. 

The girl eyed the being suspiciously, unsure of what she should do.  It was clearly an elegant creature; its milky coat shone brilliantly despite the looming shadows.  Its mane was well brushed, and fell neatly down its muscular back.  Sparkling shoes were hammered into each of the animal’s hooves, giving it the air of royalty.  This was certainly not an ordinary creature.  The girl knew that no noblemen from her area could afford such an alluring mammal.  Flashes of anger quickly passed over the young girl’s face as she tightened her fists, and abruptly stood up in irritation.  This girl had been told enough fairytales in her youth to understand her situation.  In her mind, there was only one type of person who could own a steed like this. 
         “I’m not in distress. I certainly have no need for a prince!”
The girl spoke to no one in particular.  She hoped that the prince who owned the stallion would heed her warning and leave her in peace.  Stubborn and defensive, this girl had no intentions of being protected by anyone, and knew she could easily take care of herself.  The girl crossed her arms, and waited for the prince’s reply.  Instead of hearing the expected deep voice of the prince, a soft, feminine voiced called back to her.
“You did not appear to be in distress and I had absolutely no intentions of helping you…”
From behind a nearby tree emerged another girl, slightly smaller than the first, but in attire that was far more refined.  Her soft, blonde hair fell past her shoulders and complimented her sapphire dress.  The bottom of the dress cloaked her bare feet, and was trimmed in fine gold lining.  Long, elegant sleeves fell past the girl’s pale fingers, and sparkled magnificently on their way to her thighs.  Two vivid oceans glittered in the girl’s calm eyes as they stared boldly forwards.  Resting carefully upon the young girl’s graceful head was a small tiara, shining radiantly in the mid-day sun. 
“…And I am most certainly not a prince.”
         Both girls stared at each other, absorbing the details of attire in their counterparts.  The girls were the same age, but were clearly from two different worlds.  The first girl realized that the youth standing before her was some sort of noble, and she thought sheepishly about her own scruffy attire.  She wore a tattered red shirt, stained with dirt and grass.  Her work shirt clashed horribly with her dark baggy pants, which were clumsily rolled up above her ankles.  Dirty feet poked through torn up sandals that barely fit.  Dark brown hair covered part of the girl’s face, hardly letting her hazel eyes peer through, and eventually fell down her back. 
         The tension between the girls increased until a harsh voice broke the overwhelming silence. 
         “Who are you?  And what’re you doing here?”
The smaller girl timidly took a step back, and looked apprehensively at her feet. 
“I just wanted to go for a ride, that’s all.” 
She gently nodded towards where the horse was standing, and the light from the sun briefly reflected off the stunning tiara and danced tauntingly around the other girl’s feet.  The darker haired girl stood for a moment, as her eyes widened and mouth gapped open slightly.  She was overwhelmed with shock and embarrassment as she realized who the girl before her really was, and awkwardly dropped onto one knee.
“I’m sorry, your highness.”
The face of the young princess suddenly hardened, and her soft pale fingers created firm fists beneath her extravagant sleeves.  She glared maliciously at the dark haired girl, and took an abrasive step forwards. 
“Get up.”
Her tone was no longer soft, and her words were harsh and rough, allowing each one to sink in fully.  The darker hair girl peered up from her crouched position and focused on the fierce eyes of the princess.  There was a moment of silence as two statues glowered at each other, half hidden in shade by the side of the winding dirt road.