HELLO!! This is a new story which im rather EXCITED about so PLEASE read, enjoy, and review, of course!

Lovies, Jyocka!

CHAPTER 1

Hello. Welcome to the Duke Arlington's Annual Spring Carnival. My name is Princess Emily Pernaval. And I'm so goddamn bored it's not even funny.

I'm sorry I'm in such a bad mood. The carnival is pretty enough, with vibrant herds of balloons at every corner, and colorful tents overflowing with exotic goods from Persel and Mambouya and Santa Crelish. There must be at least 2000 people here; all packed together like ants in an anthill, jostling each other and laughing. I can smell, even here, at the top of the Acrobat's Tent, the pungent smells of chicken and fish floating disgustingly up into my Royal nostrils.

Such a beautiful princess like me shouldn't even have to grace this pigsty with her presence, I think to myself, surveying with disdain the crowd of humanity below me. I've climbed up onto the rafters, where I stand on an iron bar that lithe acrobats grip strongly with their toes before gracefully sliding off and falling into the unknown, held aloft only by the swing contraption. But the show hasn't started yet, there's yet a few minutes to go, so the circus ring is dark and I'm certain I'm pretty much invisible.

I can hear the roar of the restless crowds, the wailing of babies, and the clash of beer bottles. The crowds aren't usually so rough but the traders from Santa Crelish have come to celebrate the Spring with us, the ending of winter. And everyone knows what kind of people come out of Santa Crelish.

The bar I'm perched on starts shaking strongly, as though someone is fiercely shaking it from below. Despite the dizzying height, I don't feel any fear. I have exceedingly good balance, being of Royal blood. I could give the Acrobats themselves a run for their money.

But the shaking is my cue to go; the first trapeze artist is checking to make sure the ladder is steady. Fluidly, my body instantly melds into the darkness, as I press myself into the wall of the tent behind me. The taunt canvas supports my back, and I'm overcome by the desire to let myself go and just fall, all the way down.

The slim man beneath me has almost reached the top of the ladder, his body like a graceful cat. A spotlight shines powerfully on him, as he assumes the same position I have just vacated and the crowd is silent for a minute, appreciatively regarding the slim figure silhouetted in black against the sharp contrast of white light. I press even farther back onto the narrow ledge, hoping the light wouldn't catch me. It would be pity to make a scene and faint yet again, when things have been going so well. Fainting was usually the best way to escape detection. Trust me, I have learned through trial and error.

I remain hidden and then the man is off, his body swinging back and forth, faintly reminiscent of a baboon during a mating ritual.

Sighing, I slide down the ladder as fast as I can before the next artist takes his place, and am out of the carnival before anyone so much as glimpses me.

I wander aimlessly through the crowds, glad to have eluded my bodyguard, Juan, for at least a few precious hours. Bustling crowds add to the noise and confusion. I pick my way cautiously through the mud and banana peels and other trash littering the carnival ground.

All these so called 'wonders' bore me. Why, a man who breaks a small house in a single blow with his bare hands is quite ordinary, as is a two-headed dog, no? And over there, the – OH MY GOOD LORD!!!!!

Only momentarily distracted, I assure you, from my normally haughty demeanor, I stumble in path, my eyes glued to the bearded lady swallowing torches of REAL FIRE!

I blink, dazed, then in the next split-second I crash into a HUGE figure towering in front of me. With a horribly undignified scream, I fall, my arms flailing about wildly. The – the THING shouts as well, and my brain manages to understand that it's just a clown on stilts.

I lay there on the ground, the wind knocked out of me and feeling like the biggest fool to walk the lands. I try to pull myself up, but I'm completely entangled up with yards of cloth, a pair of stilts, and the body of something very much alive beneath me.

'OI! What was that for?' Says a muffled voice, somewhere beneath the layers of mayhem underneath me. Mortified, I stand up, only to fall back down. So much for excellent balance. Now that my heart rate is back to normal, I get a grip on voice. 'Oi yourself! Watch where you're going!' Annoyed with the state of my body, I spring up, hoping I wouldn't blush.

Please, oh please, don't –

Too late. I can feel the hot flush rising up my neck and on my cheeks. The lump under the clown suit finally manages to stand up, and I see it's just another boy, about my age. And he doesn't look happy.

By now, a small crowd has formed around us, whispering and laughing. The boy looks at me with the darkest, most fierce eyes I've ever seen on anyone before. I shiver involuntarily.

'You stupid twit! I could lose my job thanks to you and your idiocy, do you realize?' He says in a low voice, with absolutely no regard to the scratch on my elbow, like a proper gentleman would have been. Mind you, he definitely looked worse for the wear than me. The clown suit had ripped in his attempt to stand up, and the clothes he wore underneath were stained with mud.

Angry now, for his rudeness to a lady such as me, I toss my hair and spit out, 'It's not my fault a clumsy oaf like you can't see whereabouts you're going! Really, the imbeciles they've hired to run this carnival never fail to amaze me!'

I was referring, of course, to the incident last year when a commoner waiter at the café here had had the cheek to put hand down my glass of lemonade to rescue the fly that was drowning in it. Of course, he made up an excuse later, protesting that he was trying to get it out so I wouldn't be subject to the horror of accidentally drinking it.

Ha! As though I'd have drunk the lemonade AFTER his filthy hand had touched it!

But something tells me that wasn't quite the right thing to say. Perhaps it's the fight in the boy's eyes. Or the way his hands are clenching. But I simply can't stop myself from talking. 'I was simply walking along here, you're the one who decided to trip on you, by the way, highly ridiculous clown legs and –'

'Well, Miss So-High-And-Mighty, I'd like to see you do better!' He said, furiously. I gape at him like a fish. It's quite one thing to play ridiculous stunts when you're alone, but here? In public? The Princess of Canton herself? Inconceivable! Mother would have a fit!

He sees the hesitation on my face, and looking around to find the crowd has dispersed, he boldly moves a step closer to me. Now we're almost nose to nose. I can almost count the freckles on his nose. I realize, with a sudden sinking feeling, that he's way taller and stronger than I. Not the smartest move to aggravate him, I think to myself grimly.

Still smirking he whispers smugly, 'Just as I thought. A coward'

Scowling, I glare at him. He just laughs. 'You act like you a princess or sum' thing' he says, still grinning. 'All snooty and stuck-up!'

I'm fuming so hard I wouldn't be surprised if steam came out of my ears, but my cheeks are still red and my usually witty comebacks have disappeared, leaving me feeling tongue-tied.

'Well I got news for you, girlie. I don't care what a spoilt, arrogant, snobby girl, like our beloved princess herself, has got to say.' He says coolly, his eyes never leaving my face. People rush by us but I don't register anything. 'What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?' He taunted, a fire dancing in his eyes.

I hear his words over and over again in my head – snooty, snobby girl…a coward…like our beloved princess…'

A rush of emotion encompasses me, an emotion I cannot really name. Fiercely, I promise myself it means nothing to me. Then I start promising I would never let him see me cry…

Unable to speak, I let my head hang, praying he wouldn't see the single tear on my cheek, curtained by my long hair.

'Aww, shucks.' I hear him say, sounding slightly guilty. 'C'mon, I didn-'

'EMILY!' I hear the voice roar behind me, and I know Juan has found me. Whirling around in relief, I even forget to be offended that he has forgets to address me as princess. He must be really worried. Ignoring the boy behind me, I wait for Juan to run up, puffing and out for breath. His swarthy face shows concern and anger. 'Princess! We must leave! The Queen is frantic!' Not even noticing the boy behind me, he pulls on my arm, half carrying me.

I risk a glance back at the boy. His face is transfixed with horror and confusion. Good. He knew I was a princess. I stared at him for as long as I could, and he just stood there, blankly staring back at me, not half as intimidating as he had been a few minutes ago, until the crowd swallowed up the distance between us.

Author's Note: HELLO DEARIES!!!! Tomorrow, or in a couple hours to be exact, is my birthday!!!! I can't wait. I CAN'T WAIT!!

Anyways, I planned on posting this AFTER the 3rd chapter was done, but since the second one is ready and its my birthday coming up, I thought I'd make this a nice little birthday present for me….FROM ME!

So please review, it would be a wonderful birthday present…..teehee….or at least just leave a single eesny weensy line, yes?

Is that a yes? REALLY? You WILL? THANK YOU!!!!!

Until we meet again,

Serpy. xoxox