[The Beginning]

Katherine heaved a sigh of relief as she spotted her brother, Marcel,all the way up from his window and after a few minutes he was right outside and ready to welcome her.

‘I suppose your trip to Arindale was memorable'.He kissed her forehead and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

An outsider would mistake them to be married but they were only siblings and had a close-bond relationship,some of the maids when believe them to be incestuous.

Marcel was very lanky in frame with cherry red hair which was a trait he got from his mother while Katherine's ebony black hair was solely from her father.

They both had similar face features—cherry red lips,oblong jawline and even the same color of eyes.They could easily be mistaken as twins if it wasn't for the age difference and color of hair.

‘Mother would be so glad to see you little one'.Marcel muttered as he ruffled his sister's hair much to her own annoyance.

‘I am not little,I am almost twenty-four'.She sneered.

‘And still yet to be married'.

‘I have not found the one yet!'.

‘No one cares if you have found the one yet Katherine,you're a princess for heaven's sake'.He rolled his eyes and she playfully jabbed his ribs even though he was starting to get on her nerves.

‘Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't fall in love.I don't care about wealthy or status brother,all I want is a man—'.

‘Blah,blah blah....there is no such thing as true love and the sooner you get it into that small brain of yours the better,because the Duke of Hambruge so wants to make you his wife'.He cut her off again and before she could think of a comeback,they bumped into their father,Castiel Middleton the first—King of Leaton.

‘Leave your sister alone Marcel,she can fall in love if she wants to'.He came to his daughter's aid and playfully winked at her.

‘I am honoured your highness'.Katherine bowed in courtesy and when he nodded in acknowledgement,she hugged him.

The resemblance could clearly be seen between father-and-daughter except the color of her eyes which was sky blue and his was venturing around gray.

After a few minutes of talking privately with Marcel,he walked away and Katherine frowned deeply being left out of the conversation which was probably important.

They never tell her anything when it came to matters relating to the kingdom.They also never disrespected her just because of her feminity,which was why she would always practice her swordsmanship with the royal gaurds with her father's approval when the other ladies in the castle would make embroidery and take singing lessons.

King Castiel always knew his daughter was unlike any other princess and a partly cause of that was having two brothers as siblings.

They would play with her roughly when they were young rather than telling her to go play with dolls with children her age,they never said no to her requests and that always got her info serious trouble.

‘Still think I'm not matured enough to know what's going on?'.She asked as Marcel came up to her with a plastered grin on his face.

‘You know that's not true'.

‘Then what is it?'.

‘It's private matters little one, how was your trip to Arindale anyway?'.He changed the subject and she sighed deeply.

‘It was terrible to be honest.I had villagers crawling at my feet for a few coins to buy food at the market,I wish I could have helped more'.

Remembering the happy faces of the little children who she gave a few coins to gave her goosebumps all over and made her skin crawl.

The villagers were reeking in abject poverty but it was just a normal day in Arindale.

Arilea was divided into two parts—Arindale and Leaton.

Lord Herindale and Lord Middleton were best of friends when they conquered the land but power and jealousy fueled hatred between these two friends.

They decided to part ways and divide Arilea into two parts—Ari and Lea.

Lord Herindale ruled the Ari part which was later renamed Arilea while Lord Middleton ruled Lea which later became Leaton.Both families still hated each other even until generations later.

‘Those people are suffering Marcel, why can't we help them?'.Katherine asked with sadness in her eyes.

‘It is none of our business Katherine,Arindale isn't ours to rule,which means it's not our problem'.Marcel replied and patted her shoulder.

‘But they are suffering brother,can't we at least—'.

‘You see this is why father doesn't like talking about politics when you're around.Sometimes it might seem cruel but that's just it Katherine.Everyone isn't meant to live a luxurious life'.He cut her off before she could finish and she frowned deeply.

Everyone isn't meant to live a life of roses,but that didn't mean they deserve to suffer all because of a treacherous and wicked king who cared more about winning wars and kicking people from their homes.

‘Still doesn't make it okay brother'.

‘It's a kingdom being ruled by the Herndales little one,what else do you expect?'.