ppy 2015 everyone! New year, new fics. Based on an anonymous prompt I received ages ago, and beta read by a friend who is amazing and stayed 6 HOURS beta reading it. I took a break these last months, but to make up for it I bring you a 26k words fic! Remember to leave reviews and favorite/follow this story!

The sun slowly rose behind the mountains. The bright rays of light washed over the forest and made the gentle ripples of the lake shine gloriously, the water being just a stream of glitter. The castle was reflected on the lake's crystalline water, it's high towers made with dark stone seeming so little on the reflection despite the fortress being so grand. The porcelain face of the princess reflected in the mirror of her room as she had her maids being prepared for the reception of the visiting royal family. From that moment, it would be just a few hours until she met her betrothed.

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EIGHTEEN YEARS BEFORE

Princess Cordelia of Orleans was barely seven years old when she had been betrothed to the firstborn of another royal family that lived past the southern swamps. Her father and leader of the kingdom had died in war months before she was born, and her mother and tormentor, Queen Fiona, had been forced to arrange a marriage in order to avoid a war that she was sure that they wouldn't be able to win. Despite the dark magic that ran through the woman's veins, after her husband's death she was not able to do more than enchant her mirror to observe the different rooms of the castle as she lay on her bed, the blonde little girl that begged for a mother left forgotten in the halls of the castle under the vigilance of her maid, who told her to go to her chamber.

"Myrtle, do you think that that prince I am going to marry will be sensitive?" the seven-year-old questioned the maid as she got dressed for the celebration of her eighth birthday, dreamy eyes full of joy as she wondered how he would be. "I'm sure he is clever, well-mannered, considerate and charming. As kind as he is handsome, and as wise as he is rich…" she sighed happily.

"I'm sure he will be everything you've ever wanted, dear princess." the red-haired woman told, a warm smile on her face as she pulled on the green embroidered gown and then made the girl sit on an old wooden chair, combing her hair back before braiding it and pulling it into an updo.

"I'm sure he will." Cordelia agreed, letting out a giggle.

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"Mother, mother!" the eighteen year old princess called with a southern accent as she made her light brown horse trot next to her mother's stallion, then grinning at her. "Do you think she will be beautiful?" Misty asked with curiosity, looking to her mother with a questioning look. They galloped behind the king and his men, well protected from any bandits that could be waiting on their way to Orleans. Their horses' manes shone under the light of the afternoon sun, the young princess feeling the rush of wind in her hair, strong galloping hoofs beneath her, hands clutching onto the leather rein.

They'd brought about fifty men with them. Their flags were dark brown, fluttering against the wind, all of them wearing their house colour. The flags carried the emblem of the royal family, a golden stag painted in contrast onto the brown. Despite their apparent humility, their kingdom was rich and grandiose, their army the biggest one any man could imagine. That fact hasn't changed in many years, and her father was proud to say he was one of the most powerful men in the world. And Misty was his little princess, despite not being as delicate as a princess should be. The girl loved to ride horses and shoot her bow, curly blonde hair cascading down her shoulders and her blue eyes shining like the ocean water on a summer day.

"I'm sure she is an exquisite maiden, Misty." the queen told her daughter, not looking at her and maintaining her forward gaze with her head held high but a wide smile on her face. They had been travelling for three days, and Misty was becoming more and more excited by the idea of finally meeting the girl, now woman, that she had heard so much about. Cordelia of Orleans was known as the Princess of Light, as everyone seemed to call her in the nearby kingdoms, and had been living under her mother's strict rules for years and years. Of course, Misty had never actually seen her. Her people had the tradition of not meeting their betrothed until days prior to the wedding, sometimes just hours, except for the moment when the marriage was arranged. Problem was, Misty had not been born when that had happened. She had been born strictly to marry Cordelia and become the next queen of Orleans, and unite the kingdom with the Southern Swamplands.

Finally the royal family sighted the magnificent castle, passing next to a small village with peasants that looked at them with curious eyes before kneeling in front of them. They galloped across the bridge and stopped just in front of the castle's doors, waiting for them to start opening slowly.

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Cordelia stood now in her chamber, in front of the mirror, waiting for the old maid to fasten her corset as she looked at her reflection. Her dreamy eyes were now full of dread, not wanting time to pass. They would arrive there within hours, she had heard the peasants talk about the subject in one of her trips to the forest in search of ingredients for her beverages. She sneaked out of the castle once a month in search for herbs that could only be found in secret spots between the trees, what made the ingredients both valuable and scarce.

"I don't want him to come, Myrtle. I don't want to get married to someone I don't love. He might be clever, well-mannered, considerate and charming, but I don't know him." she sighed, feeling tears pool in her eyes. She wanted to escape the castle, to get on her horse and ride far away from that arranged marriage.

"I'm sure he will be everything you've ever wanted, dear princess." the old red-haired woman told, a sad smile on her face as she fastened the corset and then put on the dark green embroidered gown over her small, delicate body. Cordelia walked over to the wooden chair and sat there, combing her hair back before braiding it and pulling it into an updo as once before, just as Myrtle took a pair of golden shoes to slip onto her feet.

"I hope you are right." Cordelia agreed, looking to her reflection in the mirror once again, running her fingertips over the golden details of her dress before putting her tiara on and walking out of the room. She sat on her throne, next to her mother's, looking to the closed doors before her and making a silent plea that she knew wouldn't be answered as the guards brought in the new arrivals.

The announcer at the top of the hall pulled open one door as a second man pulled open the other, saying, "Presenting, their majesties, King Magnus and Queen Innocence of the Southern Swamplands." Trumpets blared and drums rolled, then there was an exaggerated pause following the announcement of the king and queen as the two took their first steps into the throne room, wearing brown and golden garments and followed closely by a young maiden. The announcer spoke once more.

"And their majesties' daughter, Princess Misty of the Southern Swamplands."

To be continued!