A/N: Sorry about not going on with the other ZxN that’s still on its first chapter. But I’ve been tied to a few assignments at school (ALREADY) even though it’s the third week of school. But I have managed to get this up. I know I had the fairy tale in mind but I lost it and so instead, I came up with this one to ‘pay the price’. Expect humour… heaps of it. This way I can probably think of longer chapters… when I sleep during chapel and assembly… ^^;; I’m really naughty aren’t I? Save the spanking for later! *runs off*
Prologue
The door flung open, revealing the passengers aboard the private jet. The first passenger to walk out was tall, well man, wearing garments of fine material and well-polished leather shoes. He wore a black business suit and under that a white business shirt. A quick glance at him and everyone knew that he was a wealthy man, providing that he spoke in utter politeness around people, including those less well off. Behind him was a beautiful woman, So beautiful that she even passed as one in her late-twenties. Her grace was admired by all as she walked with a hand on the side rail as her shoes clanked softly under her. Waiting down the bottom for the pair was the chauffer and butler, ready to greet the pair.
“Signore how was your trip to Asia?” the rather old butler questioned with a smile.
“Very good thank you Andre,” the man uttered, placing a hand on the butler’s shoulder.
“So signore, what shall it be; back home or the ball tonight?”
Looking up at the afternoon sky, his master said, “Let us retire at home tonight for it will be another engaged day tomorrow.”
“Yes sir.” Andre motioned for the chauffer to push the luggage trolley into the airport where they finished the rest of the procedures before departing the airport in the white limousine waiting directly outside.
Arriving at the massive palace, the car waited as the gate opened before driving in the loop and stopping right below the white and shining stairs. As the man stepped out of the vehicle, a young seventeen year old girl greeted him. “Welcome home Father, Mother,” the dark-haired beauty smiled.
“It’s good to see you again my little darling,” the woman spoke cheerily, placing a hand on her daughter’s cheek. “My, you’ve grown.”
“Yes Mother.”
Her father turned to her and questioned, “Where’s my little one?”
“She’s in her room.”
“Let’s go in and have dinner.” He led the other two into the house, passing through the wide wooden doors painted in a mahogany colour. As he stepped through the front door, his maids greeted him formally, “Good evening signore.” The words chorused through the hallways as he made his way to the dining hall. Decorating his dining hall were portraits of his ancestors, each as successful as the one before. The bright glow of lights illuminated from the ceiling, lightening up the dark. “Dinner shall be served soon,” the maid informed, bowing her head slightly before leaving the room
“Call my daughter down for me,” he ordered in a monotone, not on purpose though. His daughter and wife sat down at the dining table, discussing about their future plans to come. “Aleena, I’ve found you a suitor from France. You are to meet with him tomorrow morning so you will need to dress more formally.” He took a quick look at his daughter’s dress. It was fairly formal already, skip the simple hairdo and she would’ve been easily able to present herself to the public. Thumping downstairs, a girl showed up in the room, her hair in a bizarre mess and her tracksuit rather creased, or as a matter of fact, too creased. She wore a pair of tattered slippers on her feet. “Why are you wearing a tracksuit to dinner with you hair in a mess?!” her father demanded, a deadly expression on his face. “If you wear a tracksuit at least you don’t a crumpled one… with holes!”
The young girl only rolled her eyes and protested, “They’re my favourite ones and besides I’ve just wash my hair.” She looked at him expressionlessly. “And the first thing you say to me after half a year of not seeing me is that I’m wearing a tracksuit to dinner with my hair in a mess. That’s just not right Father.”
“No more words from you young lady just go to your room and change something more decent and that means no jeans or cargos! Get it?” She opened her mouth to speak but a quick glance from her mother silenced her and instead trudged back upstairs to her room, growling a quiet curse of complaint. So many her father wasn’t so formal at home like he was towards his guests, even to his butler but not to his youngest daughter. She was ‘an exception’.
Quickly grabbing a skirt and a dress, the raven-haired teen pulled them on and combed her short hair quickly; trying her best to brush her fringe to the side but it just didn’t work out for her. From her wardrobe, she grabbed a pair of sandals and slipped them onto her bare feet and ran back downstairs, looking like an absolutely different being than before. Her father made no remark and instead lifted the wineglass gingerly and took a sip of the luxurious red wine; of an expensive brand. Or in this case the ‘ancient liquor’ from the well-stocked cellar. “Lucretzia dear, has your school report arrived yet?” Antonio Noin questioned in a softer voice, trying to suppress the unhappy tone in the air.
“Yes Father,” Lucretzia replied, grabbing for the wine from her mother’s goblet once her father turned around. Taking a quick sip, she put it back on the original spot. Her mother just smiled at her and shook her head slightly. Lucretzia grinned as she felt the flavour of the dry-tasting alcohol. Mmm… I feel a sense of purity… “Delicious, simply delicious,” she blurted out. Her parents and sister immediately looked at the speechless child. “… This food is really delicious. But I think the beef could just add a few more herbs?” An uneasy look appeared on her face as she faked a big smile.
“Lu,” her sister her uttered, “that’s what I thought too. I think it needs some spice for more flavour.”
But Lucretzia just stared at her sister. Are you just helping me out or what? But then again you’re pretty gullible to believe what I blurt out…
“Lucretzia, you think it needs more herbs too?” Her father asked. “So do I. Except I like a little flavour of wine to it would make it taste more sensational, don’t you think?” Was her father nuts? He never spoke like that; maybe things did change a bit after those six months. “Fetch your school report from my study after dinner.”
“Yes Father.”
Deciding to take the ‘quick’ way, Lucretzia climbed onto the recently polished rail and slid down, zooming down with great speed. She neared the first steps and grabbed the round sphere on the end of railing with both hands, lifting herself up and hurling her body over to land perfectly on the wooden floor beside the steps. The large white envelope in her hands managed to stay in its perfect condition. Slowly walking into the lounge with the documents, she bowed her head with respect and handed the envelope to him and quickly exited the room without waiting for any comments from her father. The report had arrived a month ago already but it hadn’t been touched since Andre, the butler placed it neatly on his desk. Personally, Lucretzia Noin was never the one to be bothered about reports, whether they were filled with complaints or compliments. So she continued to immerse herself into scoring three pointers in basketball again.
Antonio flipped through the pages to the report, glancing at the scored and compliments on each and every subject his daughter had ever possibly learnt. But the grade numbers were all the exact same, ones… with that number being the highest available grade that existed in the school. Sure she was ‘basically’ a girl that most men would like to marry. Lucretzia was smart, sporty, beautiful (when groomed), kind and cheerful. But she lacked one thing to become perfect, she lacked the skills in being a chivalrous young girl. So he had ended up with a wild girl instead of a little lady. Softly he sighed. He felt that her scrappiness and untidy performance scored her way to another school, a school for people of nobility or those who are at least learning to become the ‘perfect’ role model.
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“What?!” the sudden shriek called everyone awake. “But Father, I don’t want to go to a school like that just to learn my manners!”
Antonio glanced up at his daughter, “Lucretzia Noin you will be attending that school whether you like it or not. Even if you try and get yourself expelled I will only send you to another school and with my reputation, you’ll find yourself into that type of school either way. You’ll be boarding and the school is in the Sank Kingdom so you’ll board the jet next week Monday morning sharp. Do I make myself clear?” His facial expression turned into an icy glare.
“Yes Father,” she said hesitantly and wheeled away, out of the study and back to her own bedroom, flopping onto her own bed. Manners… why did she have to leave her school just to learn manners? Especially all the way in the Sank Kingdom and board there? It was done, all set. She only had what? Six days until she’d leave for boarding. Think on the bright side Noin, you’ll probably find some new friends there. There’s sure to be a few tom boys just like you…
Suddenly she felt a deep growl coming from her stomach. I’m so hungry… I need food… Once she heaved herself off her bed, she raced to the steps in her slippers and slid down the rail, doing a flip and landing perfectly on her feet. She hurried into the kitchen and skidded to a stop just before she crashed into her wet nurse from when she was young.
“Miss Lucretzia,” the maid glared at her firmly, “please do not slid around the house for it is rather dangerous. What would happen if you smashed into the wall and injured yourself?”
“But Eva, you know I wont,” the young ‘lady’ complained, sending the middle-aged woman a cheeky look.
“I just don’t want you to get into anymore trouble than you already have.” The woman smiled at her and patted her gently on the head.
“Just let me fool around until the day I have to say good bye.”
Eva looked at her worriedly before cracking into a smile. “Why do you say it so depressingly child? We shall see each other for a long time to come.”
“I’m leaving for the Sank Kingdom next Monday. It will be a while before we see one another again.” Lucretzia kept an emotionless sight on her face; one thing she had learnt to be good at during hard times when she wasn’t in her bad tempers.
“Lu… don’t feel so bad. It’ll only be for a term, until you finish school. I’m sure you’ll meet new friends and study the one thing you’ve always wanted to learn about but never had the chance to.”
Lucretzia looked down at the plump maid puzzled. “How did you know?”
“You grew up with me beside you, why wouldn’t I know? I’ve known you since you were a few months old.”
“But my mother doesn’t know…”
“That’s because she doesn’t have to time to be beside you.”
Looking up at the smaller woman, Lucretzia gave Eva a grateful smile. “I don’t know what it’d be like without you around. Thanks Eva.”
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A/N: I need a thing that’s short for author’s ending notes or something. As for my disclaimer… I’m fed up typing them so instead…
Do not steal money or possessions from the poor because all the poor owns is the brain they have and the body they own; I consider myself the poor and if you want me to pay with my brain then slice me in half and suffer the consequences of living in jail FOREVER!!! MUWAHAHAHA… now you shall know how evil I am. I believe that not ALL Chibi Tsukis are nice and I belong on the evil side.
You might have to wait a while until the next chapter comes out. But I’ll be working majorly on this one but I’ll be sure to do the other story and my DBZ one. So make sure to check it… OR… I was thinking about a mailing list for updates which could be helpful to you people. Tell me what you think and how this story plot is going so far. I think I need to revise this chapter… *sigh* so much work… Ja ne
