There's gonna be a lot of these excerpts from stories that probably won't even be written but this is my random book so yea.

- 🌌 T a l i a 🌌 -

"Presenting, his Majesty, King Malcolm, and her Highness Queen Fantina!" The announcer yelled into the microphone, and I fidgeted behind the curtains.  My parents insisted that they would be announced every time they made a public appearance, and I was getting sick of it. Mother's dark skin glowed, her violet eyes gleaming as I saw the pink shimmering off it. She was glamouring up herself, adding extra layers to herself to make her seem glamorous, perfect.

Mother couldn't help it. She was born with a Fairy gem, with a family of those who twisted the heart.

Then you had Father. He too, twisted his image, making him seem taller, broader, and his pale skin became slightly more tanned, his eyes less sunken and more blue, to hide the fact that he kept himself to himself. He couldn't help it either. He was born with a Psychic gem, with those who twisted the mind.

"Do they have to do this all the time?" A voice beside me asked. My dark skinned little sister, a mirror image of my Mother, gazed up at me. She was young, only 12, but she wasn't stupid. Her gem was a Ghost gem, mysterious, ever changing, and not known to many, sly.

"Sorry, Daeva. You know them. And you know how they usually work." I said, my heart softening. I had grown up without any comfort or love, until baby Daeva was born when I was 5. I became like a mother to her, more than our real mother ever was. "They're the wow. We just stand back, follow they're orders, and then we'll be sent back to the Palace while they deal with affairs."

"But Talia, they do this every single time!" She complained, and I sighed. I didn't like my name. Mother gave it to me, and it was probably ironic when my gem was revealed at the ceremony when I was 4. The fair skinned princess, with a Dark gem. She had called me the dew of God, and I had ended up being a Devil's spawn.

"Hush, it's our turn." I whispered, and the announcer began again.

"Presenting know, the beautiful princesses, Princess Talia and Princess Daeva!" The crowd cheered as we entered, cameras flashing, all of them greedy reporters, hungry for a picture of the princesses. I too, like my parents called on a disguise. I was like my father, one that twisted minds, while my sister was one that clouded sight and judgement.

Instead of going for beauty, I went for modesty. The dark blue gown I had been put into had a swooping neckline, and I pulled it up, making it a sleeveless gown, the neck becoming a turtleneck that reached up to my necklace, my black gem in plain sight. The light lilac of my sister's gown contrasted with her dark skin, and complimented her lovely cinnamon curls, and I watched as she put a mist around the bottom of her dress, creating a gradient effect on the bottom of her gown.

"Thank you." Mother spoke to the press at the stands. Her gown was magenta, while her silver crown sparkled in her dark hair. "Thank you all very much. People of Peritia, I welcome you. Soon, we will be celebrating our 18th anniversary of the birth of our eldest Princess, Princess Talia, and will mark another year of prosperity for the future of our country!"

The crowd roared, and my trained eyes flickered from one reporter to another. Many of them were those of Psychic gems, like my father, to peer through the gaps my mother left them to meddle with. I surrounded my mind with a dark aura: no Psychic was getting in there soon.

"What will be of her future? What alliances have you thought of? She will be of marriageable age soon, and there are many fine suitors out there!" The reporter asked.

"Well, I guess my daughter will be there to explain this. Talia?" My mother looked expectantly at me, and I groaned in side. Of course I had to do a speech.

"Hello, people of Peritia. Thank you for your hospitality. As you know, my 18th birthday is coming soon, my final step to reaching adulthood, and we will be hosting a ball at our Palace, open to the public. We will have guests, special guests, from the countries outside of our Peritian border. I look forward to the event, and seeing you all there. May I say that only official reporters may enter the premises with a camera, as the people of the outer countries would like their privacy and we wish to respect their privacy. Thank you." I walked off the stage, and the limousine stopped, letting me in.

Daeva glided towards me gracefully, entering the limo with me, and as the door shut, we breathed in relief. "I guess we have our temporary freedom with Mother and Father not in the Palace." she said.

"Div, we're never free. Just, let off the leash." I said. "But let us assume our freedom, this way we may hope we will be free one day."

"But when you're married, what will happen to you? Will you leave?" She asked, her violet eyes widening.

My own violet eyes glanced back. "When I get married, I will stay in the Palace, and when Mother dies, I will be Queen. And you can be free." I hold her little hands in my own. "You will be free, Div. I will set you free. But I don't know how long it will take."

Turns out, our parents had left shortly after we had, and had reached the castle first. "Talia. We have a guest arriving soon, the prince of Tegimen. We would like you to greet him, in good faith, to make sure we can continue our alliance with his father." Her violet eyes lightened to her pink, and her eyes sparkled at mine. "Make sure he is well persuaded. I trust you can do this. He is one of the last countries we need to make peace with."

"Of course, Mother." I bowed, and she grinned.

"You will need to be fitted into your other gown, my dear. Maids?" A cluster of maids surrounded me, and I was pushed back into my room, forced to remove my gown into another one. These maids all had blue gems, the Water gem, since their fluidity made it easier for materials to smooth and slide around. They wrapped me into a new dress, this one of a dark grey silk, with silver embroidery, and once again, the swooping neckline and a slit that reached my thigh. Yes, the dress was long, but it was revealing and uncomfortable to wear. 

Once again, I altered it, covering my chest up to my neck, lowering the slit so it only reached my knees. I was then pushed in front of a mirror, my long curls freed from their former bun, twisted until now, my hair fell around me shoulders, with two strips of them braided together. They applied layers of make up, silver eye shadow, black mascara, and I had to obey. I couldn't resist, not under Mother's watchful eye. 

Finally, I was released from the servant's hands, and I walked up to the Throne Room, where the young prince knelt at my mother's feet. "Queen Fantina, thank you for having me. My father sends his apologies, for he is sick in bed, and sends me as his replacement. I hope to lengthen our alliance with the people of Peritia, because War is brewing. The neighboring countries will offer you a chance to join them against us, because they wish to take our land to be nearer to you, and in turn, invade this holy citadel."

Mother smiled. "Prince Gordon, we appreciate your concern. We will speak more of this later on the night. For now, I hope my daughter Talia will help with any further issues." I curtsied, and I held out a hand.

"Your majesty, delighted to be in your presence." I felt his eyes sweep over me, like any man would, and bowed back to me.

"The honor is all mine." He accepted my hand. "I do have some issues I wish to discuss with you, your highness." He said.

"I am at your service." I smiled back, and soon, we were in the Garden, where I made my move. "You are 17, are you not? Turning 18 in a month. Your parents must be looking forward to finding a bride for the royal prince."

"I am." Prince Gordon replied. "I am flattered you know so much of me."

"You may not have a gem, but it is my business to understand the current affairs of our nearest countries." I smiled, and as usual, he pressed his lips against mine.

This made me puke inside, but I had a job to do. I breathed against his lips, and a dark mist came from me, and he choked. I watched as the darkness seeped into his mind, and his eyes turned a shade darker. "You will leave Peritia alone. You will return to your country to tell your father that Peritia will not involve itself in their war, and our alliance is extended. You will feast with my mother and father and agree on all terms they set upon you. And you will leave and never come back."

The prince nodded, and I led him back to the throne room, where Mother looked expectantly. "It is done, my Queen." I said, eyes lowered.

"Thank you, my dear. You are dismissed." I exited, and the moment I returned to my room, I removed the tight gown, pulling on a more comfortable outfit, a simple pair of black jeans, a loose sleeveless top, and a black leather jacket that flared at the bottom. I checked the clock. It was already 5 in the afternoon, which meant I had to head towards the training center to meet with Father. I groaned. I was never dismissed. Only tossed around from one parent to another.

I hurried down the hallway, before I sighed. Running wasn't going to be way Father expected me to enter. I breathed in, and then turned myself into a shadow. Streaking through the corridors, I  arrived into the training center where my father stood their. Waiting. "Talia. You're late."

"My apologies, my King. I was required to greet Prince Gordon this afternoon, under Mother's request." I lowered my head. I didn't act like I was his daughter. I was just another servant, another citizen in the capital city.

"You are forgiven." He handed me two knives. "Why don't you show me your appreciation, and give me a good fight with your sister?" The darkness cleared on the opposite side of the training room, revealing my sister, dressed head to toe in her own gear, a whip in her hand.

We have no choice, sister. Her voice echoed in my mind. I know you will not mean it.

We are lucky that our voices cannot be detected by Father. Only mother can hear us. I replied, and readied my knives. Each and every day, our father forced us to fight. I would win each and every time, because Father would not harm Daeva for losing, since she was younger. I launched myself at her, streaks of darkness coating them as I slashed down. Daeva disappeared, her ghostly abilities proving useful once again, and then launched herself from behind me.

Her whip sliced through the air, and I matched it with a shield, knocking the whip of course, and she was tugged in the opposite direction. She groaned, and as I turned to slice her again, she vanished. I paused, my heart pounding, my blood humming. I heard the sound of her whip slicing from behind, and I jumped, narrowly missing the whip and slashing behind me. My sister tripped, and I held my blade to her neck.

"Finish her." Father's steely voice cut through the air, and I felt his mental fingers pry at my mind.

"No."

I sent a jolt of darkness in retaliation, and I knew what this was. This was training. Mental training.

I felt my father's presence disappear, and I released my sister. Immediately, my sister tried to trip me, but I lifted her up from the neck. She grinned weakly, and I let her down.

Her body immediately glowed a pink, and she stared in horror as Father attempted to control her. "You will not control me, Father." She said in her cold voice, and she vanished, waves of purple smoke releasing around her, as she suffocated Father with her ghostly fumes.

"Enough, Daeva!" I yelled, and dispersed her mist, and she solidified, panting. 

Daeva looked down. "I'm sorry, my King. I retaliated to hard. I require more training in control."

Father chuckled. "You did better, my darling Daeva. Better than last time." For once, I managed a light laugh, remembering the time Daeva had turned the entire training block into purple mist, which made us move our training to the Garden while the servants rebuilt it. He turned to me. "Talia. You did well. As usual. I expected nothing less."

"Thank you, my King." I curtsied. "I must be off. Mother has more business for me. Adieu."

That was a lie, but Father couldn't break my mind. He had spent too long training it, not even he could break it down. I grabbed a cloak from my closet, and put on a large rimmed hat, and disappeared into the dark as I flew to the outer sectors of Peritia.

Time for some freedom.