(20years later, At the palace of Torrentice)

"Princess!!"

"Please wait for us," Anne and Belle Schweitzer called out to Princess Marina, while she kept on running in the palace from here to there. Marina was like a waterfall always flowing at such a great speed that no one was able to get hold of her.

"Finally... you... stopped," both Anne and Belle said in unison while panting from all the running.

"Look at both of you, you can't even run."

"The thing is you are a great runner," Anne complained to Princess Marina.

"Is that so?" Without waiting for an answer Princess Marina continued.

"By the way, what's with this 'PRINCESS', how many times have I told you to call me Marina only," Princess Marina said, pointing her finger accusingly at Anne and Belle.

"What's wrong in that?" Anne asked Marina while Marina frowned and her gaze shifted to Belle.

"What? Don't look at me like that. Anne is right actually-" Princess Marina cuts off Belle and her frown deepened if that was even possible.

"Now you both twins are conspiring against me!! That's unfair just because you both are sisters you can't team up against me. As for the part of calling me princess. You both know you are first a sister and a friend to me then a bodyguard," Princess Marina answered while staring at both of them rather angrily.

"But-" Belle started to protest, only to be interrupted by Princess Marina again.

"You are my ALLY !! Anne plus Belle equals to Ally. I know you think that since my parents helped you, you too should give them something in return. But, its not needed we are like a family and will always be," Princess Marina explained to them while smiling.

"We know that Your Majesty has done more than we can ask for. Not only did he give shelter to two abandon babies at the seashore but also took the responsibility of our upbringing. Not to mention that he never ever asked anything in return from us and always treated us like his own children," Belle replied in a serious tone.

"But-"

"That's why we have sworn to protect and be with you till our last breath, that's the least we could do for you," Anne said while cutting off Princess Marina.

Princess Marina looked at her two sister like friends and also bodyguards. The two were of her age but so different. Princess Marina had deep ocean blue eyes ( like her great grand father) and long black hair, a trait she inherited from her father, along with big eyelashes and a well defined jawline with striking features like high cheekbones. While the only thing she and her mother had in common was their fair skin and food choice.

As for Anne and Bella both of them were also independent girls like herself. All three of them were tutored together. While Ally received special training to be bodyguards of Princess Marina. Princess Marina's brother Oliver had taught her the art of fighting, archery, using sword, spears and many more.

Only a few had actually seen, Anne and Belle's faces due to the dress code that both of them were so fond of to follow, but that annoyed Marina like hell.

Anne and Belle liked to wear a long white cape that was attached in such a way that it covered most of their body from anyone's view. To top it all, their outfit consisted of a hood which almost covered their face. Even with the limited vision they always had an upper hand in the fights. Not to mention their capes had a big golden sign of 'The Ardimentoso of Ocean' or the Kingdom of Torrentice and matching white long boots.

As for Princess Marina, she liked to keep her hair open almost all the time. Well, anyone in her position would want to flaunt their long black straight hair that reached up to her waist. She was wearing a long golden cape, brown skirt and golden brown armour like corset top along with long brown colour boots.

Not to mention, her silver metal sword that hung on her waist in such a way that it was concealed from the view of others. She even wore a golden chain that had a blue circle pendant which when opened, contained the symbol of Torrentice.

An observer could ask why was Princess Marina not trained by a professional? Well the answer was simple, despite being a princess that too of an Ardimentoso kingdom, the society had flaws in its thinking and culture.

One of them being the backwardness of women and men dominance. Even though the education of women was legalized in Torrentice, fighting was not. It was a completely different thing and hard for the narcissist tribe to accept.

The result being - for Princess Marina there was no one, who was willing to train her. Therefore, her brother, who was as it is one of the best fighters and had won almost all fights, decided to teach Marina fighting techniques despite their father's initial dislike towards this idea.

Thinking of all this made Marina's think of her great grandfather, King James Vendler. As people had often told her, she bore a striking resemblance to him from his eyes to hair color to even his confidence. In reality her freedom was a blessing of her great grandfather only.

She remembered each and every word that her father had told her about her great grandfather. The day when he gave her the gift she cherished the most, the gift of freedom. The conversation that her father had with her great grandfather. The conversation that had changed her destiny.

(Flashback starts)

"You know after fifty years, an angel has been born in our family. Marina is not only my great granddaughter, but, also that angel whose been given to us as a blessing after fifty years of only sons. I don't have any grudge towards any of my sons, but, I want to give my great granddaughter a gift worth changing her life. That is why, I, King James Joseph Vendler, wants Princess Marina Vendler to be given all the freedom, rights and everything that a boy is given, that my great grandson Prince Oliver Vendler, was, is and will be subjected to. I want her to have the best, to give the best and be the best."

"Grandpa I respect the love and affection that you have for Marina, but... this wish... I mean, what about the rules and regulations. The royal family is someone on whom all the citizens look up to if we only-"

"I know where you are going, but, rules and regulations are meant to be broken. New laws are made and old are revised or cancelled, a general nature. As for my wish, you can always reason it out to people that the treatment, upbringing of Marina is taking place in accordance to King James Joseph Vendler's last wish. This is where they would stop, this will be the answer to their questions."

(Flashback ends)

"...ina"
"Marina!! Where were you lost?"
Anne asked Marina, who just shrugged off in response.

"Woof- woof, woof-woof."
Marina looked up to see her pet dog, Brialle (meaning noble), running towards her.

"Here, I finally found you. Only God knows where you were?" Marina asked Brialle while running her hand in his golden fur.

"Don't tell me, you ran and made us run through the whole castle, just to find your dog!! Damn it," Anne angrily swore while eyeing Marina and Brialle.

"Ouch! What the he-"
Anne stopped midway on seeing her sister's murderous glare.

"I meant... what the heck?"

"Better, you know I don't like swearing," Belle said in an authoritative voice, after all she was the elder one.

"Yeah, I know," Anne replied grumpily.

"You two will never change. Come on lazy people catch me, if you can."

With that Princess Marina ran off again with Brialle following her.

"No, not again!! WAIT!!" Anne and Belle replied in unison while face palming themselves and following Princess Marina.

************************************************************

"Whoosh," finally this chapter ended. I know it was a very long chapter, but, I had to tell all the past details before moving forward. Besides, I covered 20 years in one chapter, I guess that justifies the length.

So, according to all of you Brialle should be of which breed? Please suggest something.

Till the next update, keep shining ;)

-Love Addy :)