Firequeen
an excerpt

Excitement flew through the castle in the kingdom of Teurem. A royal birthday was at hand, and that meant a glorious banquet. Everything had to be just so for Princess Lavienna’s birthday, especially as she was coming of age. All in the castle were awaiting the event with eager anticipation. All, that is, except one.
“I don’t see why I can’t come,” Laseer grumbled. “But father’s…”
“Oh don’t start,” interrupted Struana. “You’ve been complaining for the past two weeks. Father’s just following tradition, that’s all.”
This earned her a glare from Laseer. “You were always one for following the rules.” She turned her back on Struana, muttering under her breath, “Spoilsport of a sister.”
“Oh, hold your tongue for once, Struana,” Lavienna said, upon entering the room and seeing the expression of an obviously outraged Struana. “Can’t you two stop your bickering for even a day?”
“Struana’s being prissy again. She won’t talk to father for me, and you know she’s the only one who could convince him. She is his favorite after all.”
“I just agree with father that you’re too young to go, that’s all,” Struana said smugly.
“I’m 16! That’s old enough to go,” said Laseer, outraged.
“You can’t go unless you’re of age, in other words, 18. So stop your complaining because it won’t get you anywhere,” Struana retorted.
Laseer lapsed into a moody silence and glared at her elder sister. The silence stretched thin. The room itself paid no heed to the sister’s bad mood. Golden afternoon light reflected off the polished stone floor and a small mirror hanging on the wall opposite the window. The general effect was airy, even transforming as if giving a glimpse into the realm of the fairies. However, even the breeze blowing in through the open windows couldn’t blow away the tension.
“Oh, this is no good,” said Lavienna, throwing aside her embroidery. “I can’t concentrate with the two of you glaring at each other.”
“Fine then. I was going to leave anyway,” Struana said, rising from her seat. She was almost at the door when her ears heard a remark from her younger sister, Lavienna. She paused just inside the wooden door to listen.
“I know father says you can’t go because you are too young, Laseer. We’ve got to find some other way to get you in. One thing is for certain, you won’t be sitting at the high table.”
Laseer’s face lit up. “Would you? Could you get me in? I really want to be there for your coming of age. I’ll do anything, be anyone, to get in.” She thought hard. “I could be a guest, or a servant. Just let me come please,” she pleaded.
“Well, being a guest wouldn’t work because the real guests would recognize you and there’s probably a guest list, so that one’s out. Servant…we’d still have the same problem with you being recognized.” Lavienna ran her fingers over the embroidery on a pillow, thinking. “What about a page? You’d be disguised as a boy so nobody should recognize you.”
“But all the knights have pages already.” Her face fell. “I’ll never get to go.”
“I wasn’t thinking of assigning you to a knight. No, I was thinking of something a little different. You see…” she said carefully, twisting her dress round her fingers. “It is the custom for the person coming of age to choose a page for their personal use during the feast.” She looked up to see Laseer jumping up and rushing forward to hug her.
“So I would be your page?” she exclaimed.
Lavienna nodded, smiling.
“How can you do this, sister?”
Lavienna and Laseer both started at the sound of Struana’s cry of accusation.
Struana stormed angrily over to them. “How can you just give into her like this?”
“I am not giving into her. I think she deserves to go. She shouldn’t be kept in the dark. After all, you got to go to Maithon’s coming of age when you were her age.”
“That was different,” sputtered Struana, caught off her guard.
“I see no difference,” Lavienna said simply.
Struana was lost for words and just stood there opening and closing her mouth though no sound came out. Finally, regaining the ability to speak, she said, “If you think I’m going to condone this or help you…”
“I expect nothing of the sort,” said Lavienna, cutting her off. “I merely expect you to keep your mouth shut about it.”
“Alright, I’ll do that. But be it on your head if Father finds out about this.” With that, she walked rigidly out of the room, slamming the door closed behind her.
“Oh, thank you sister.” Laseer exclaimed.
“Come now,” said Lavienna rising from her seat on the couch. “Let’s go and get everything ready. There’s so much to do.”

* * * * *

The moment had arrived, and Lavienna and her retinue, including Laseer, stood outside the Great Hall in the dim corridor waiting to be let in. Laseer stood at Lavienna’s side dressed as a page in the green and blue of the royal banner, with a crest and coat of arms on the front of her tunic. She was unaccustomed to the outfit and kept fidgeting and pulling at the tight, green leggings.
“Be still!” Lavienna hissed out of the side of her mouth.
“But they itch terribly,” moaned Laseer.
“You’re the one who agreed to dress as a page.”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to remind me.”
Further conversation was prevented as the heavy, wooden doors to the Great Hall swung open, flooding the corridor with light and sound. The light reflected off Lavienna’s jewelry and the silver circlet adorning her head.
The guests fell silent as she entered, seemingly struck dumb by her beauty. As she approached the dais, the king, her father, smiled and helped her up. He only had eyes for the daughter that he was so proud of. Laseer wasn’t noticed. She didn’t relax, though. He had the entire rest of the feast to notice her.