CHAPTER 5 A DAGGER

Only two weeks left until my first birthday celebration, and the palace buzzed with activity. Anna and Mom were busy sorting through dresses and ornaments, while Dad continued with his royal duties, ensuring everything was perfect for the big day. As a special addition, Dad had assigned a new guard to watch over me—Sir Tristan. He was one of Dad's most trusted knights, known for his bravery and strength. With his blonde hair, striking blue eyes, and towering height, he looked intimidating, but I found him quite handsome. Still, of course, Dad was the best!

Now that I had the best guard, Sir Tristan escorted me everywhere, never leaving my side. While this made me feel safe, it also felt a little suffocating at times. I was still trying to figure out what my first word would be. "Dad" or "Mom"—it was like a competition! During the day, Mom encouraged me to say "Mama," while at night, Dad urged me to say "Dada." My brothers were quiet about the whole situation, which only added to my unease. Were they planning something behind my back?

The dress fitting brought some relief from my worries. "Princess, which dress would you like to choose?" Anna asked excitedly as Mom watched my expression closely. I peeked at the array of dresses—baby pink, lavender, ivory, and red—each adorned with matching crowns and tiny shoes. The lavender dress caught my eye; it had flowers and butterflies on it, and it looked so pretty!

"Looks like Ellie likes the lavender one," Mom observed, smiling at me.

I returned her smile and nodded.

"Alright then! Let's get back to practicing your words. Say 'Mama,'" Mom encouraged, lifting me into her arms.

"Bah bah aha aba," I attempted, but I felt like giving up. I couldn't even manage a proper word! We had been practicing all day and night, but it felt useless. Would I have to choose which parent to call first? I didn't want to start a fight over the honor. Letting out a sigh, I thought, Hmmm…

"Looks like the princess is tired. Why don't we start again from scratch tomorrow, Your Majesty?" That was the first time I heard Sir Tristan speak. Mom stared at him for a moment, then looked back at me with cheerful eyes. "That's right; we can always try again tomorrow!"

Once Mom sorted everything out, she returned to her office to finish her work. I shuffled over to Sir Tristan and attempted to say, "Taba bu bah," which meant, "Thank you, Sir Tristan."

"You're welcome, Princess," he replied.

I blinked at him, surprised. Did he actually understand me? I decided to give it another shot. "Bah aa ha baa"—"You are pretty." I observed his facial expression, hoping to get a clear response.

"Thank you, Princess," he said, smiling.

Oh my goodness, he at least understood me! Encouraged, I began sharing my frustrations with him, and he listened quietly, displaying what a true gentleman he was. (Little did Sir Tristan know that the princess was simply babbling, making a game out of it.)

After our deep conversation, I climbed into bed, feeling light and happy. A little while later, Dad came in with a new storybook. He settled into the chair next to my bed, where he always sat.

"Ellie, today's story is about the lion who became a king after killing his cunning brother," he announced, excitement glimmering in his eyes.

"Hah bah ab!" I exclaimed, meaning, "I'm too young for killing!"

"Yes, let's read it!" Dad chuckled, obviously more excited than I was. The words began to blur, and before I knew it, I'd drifted off to sleep, grateful he hadn't pressed the issue of my first word.

Meanwhile, in the prince's room:

"Is she going to say 'Dad' or 'Mom' first?" Liam wondered aloud, pacing.

"It doesn't matter," Noyal replied nonchalantly.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? My first word was 'Dad,' and yours was 'Mom.' They're already fighting over this! Why don't you ask Ellie to call our names first?" Liam shot back.

"As I said, it doesn't matter. What we need to ensure is that she loves us more. Just imagine if she says, 'I love my brother Noyal more,'" he grinned mischievously.

"That's not fair! She's going to say, 'I love brother Liam more!'" Liam fumed.

"Did you figure out her present yet?" Noyal asked, changing the subject.

"I did! I got her a beautiful necklace with a protection spell," Liam said proudly. "What did you get her?"

With a mischievous smile, Noyal replied, "A dagger."

Author's Note:

I just want to take a moment to talk about the dagger. As someone who loves fantasy stories, I made my first handmade resin dagger two years ago. I used to sell them on Etsy, but my shop is now closed. If you're curious, you can search for "Rose Dagger Bookmark" on Pinterest. It's a dagger with real rose petals inside and a golden flake handle.

It has always been my dream to use this dagger in my own story, and now that dream is becoming a reality! In this story, Noyal presents the dagger to his sister after she experiences a few dangerous incidents. The blade is coated with a deadly poison, capable of killing anyone within seconds. Let's see if she ever has to use it in the future.

If you can't find the picture, just leave a comment, and I'll upload it in a future chapter.

Many thanks again, and welcome to my world!