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"May I make it my honour to present, Her Royal Highness Princess Kitiwana!" A curtain held by two footmen fell away, to rigorous applause from the crowd of guests in Juniper Forest. Behind it, a girl stepped out, swathed in a long, silken green dress, her long black hair plaited behind her back. She was very beautiful and had a good skin, although swarthy (due to a life spent living in the sun on a warm, secluded island), and she wore a white jasmine in her hair, and lots of gold jewellery. She was a Princess, the heiress to the throne of the werewolves. When the current ruler died, she would leave her home on the island, and come to live in Jagen Tlanopé on mainland Billovnia, to rule over the werewolves. It would be only the second time that a girl was to have this job, so it was very special. She had come over to Jagen Tlanopé at this time for a ball, in celebration of her family. It was to be an extremely grand event - everyone she knew was there: her father, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and her four younger sisters. Tables had been laid out in a clearing of the Forest, laden with grand food as far as the eye could see. More than 300 werewolves (in human form) were present for the party. Kitiwana stood proudly to the sides as her sisters were introduced.
"Princess Mileena! Princess Aviktoria! Princess Luvika-Laviszania! Princess Shafilea!" After a gracious curtsy and shining smile, each came to stand beside her. Shafilea was the youngest, only ten. Their father, Bardolph Bulygin, entered last, to lupine howling from his family and subjects, and yet more rapturous applause. He was the Alpha Wolf of the pack, and Kitiwana adored him.
"Hail to the King!" Someone shouted.
"Long may he rule over us!" Cried another.
"May he live for one hundred years!"
"Yes - long live the King!"
"Long live the Princesses!"
"Long live the Bulygins, each and every one!" Oh please, yes! Thought Kitiwana. Her heart glowed and she beamed with delight. Music began to play, and the guests started to dance. The Princess watched them, mesmerised. They all looked so elegant as they twirled in and out, dressed in colourful silks and stains, extravagant brocade, velvets, top hats and tails, and thick furs. Their jewels were visible from where she stood, and they twinkled like stars.
Bardolph Bulygin stepped forward, and held out his hand to his eldest daughter.
"Would you like to have your first dance with me?" He asked. She nodded, smiling, and took his hand, letting him walk her into the throng of people to join the dance. He was a very caring father, and she giggled as she tried to remember her steps from her dance classes, hoping not to tread on his feet (because that would have been a disaster!). "Well now Kitty," he said, using the name only her called her by, "can you see any suitable young men in our presence?"
"Oh Papa, don't! I wish that I could have just one day here without you pestering me about marriage. It is exhausting, Papa!"
"All the same, it is something that must be considered. You are seventeen now, after all." The Princess rolled her eyes and looked away. "Really, Papa, I am here to enjoy myself - I do not want to even think about marriage for years yet. I will marry when I am ready, and not a moment sooner." She shook her long hair defiantly, enjoying how it felt as she twirled around. She expected her father to be angry, but he wasn't, he seemed amused.
"Oh, Kitty - you sound so much like your mother." A pang of sadness struck the Princess' heart. Her mother, Queen Maria, had died when her sister Shafilea was only a few years old. The dance ended. Kitiwana and her father bowed to one another, regally. The Alpha Wolf smiled, and turned to his four other daughters. Tradition dictated that he would dance with Mileena next, as she was his second oldest. But it was not to be. A shot suddenly rang out through the clearing, and the entire congregation began to scream and panic. More shots followed it - bang, bang, bang - hitting trees and tables, and smashing glasses and bowls. A man charged up to where the four young Princesses were stood, and grabbed Princess Luvika-Laviszania. She screamed in terror and tried to escape, her arms and legs thrashing wildly, but it wasn't use - he was too strong for her. "Luvika-Laviszania!" Her father yelled, and ran after her as fast as he could, followed by everyone else. But the man bundled the Princess into a waiting car, got in after her and rode away through the Forest, disappearing out of sight. Her father sank to the his knees, staring at the place where the car had been only a moment ago, crying out his daughter's name until it became choked by tears.
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"May I make it my honour to present, Her Royal Highness Princess Kitiwana!" A curtain held by two footmen fell away, to rigorous applause from the crowd of guests in Juniper Forest. Behind it, a girl stepped out, swathed in a long, silken green dress, her long black hair plaited behind her back. She was very beautiful and had a good skin, although swarthy (due to a life spent living in the sun on a warm, secluded island), and she wore a white jasmine in her hair, and lots of gold jewellery. She was a Princess, the heiress to the throne of the werewolves. When the current ruler died, she would leave her home on the island, and come to live in Jagen Tlanopé on mainland Billovnia, to rule over the werewolves. It would be only the second time that a girl was to have this job, so it was very special. She had come over to Jagen Tlanopé at this time for a ball, in celebration of her family. It was to be an extremely grand event - everyone she knew was there: her father, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and her four younger sisters. Tables had been laid out in a clearing of the Forest, laden with grand food as far as the eye could see. More than 300 werewolves (in human form) were present for the party. Kitiwana stood proudly to the sides as her sisters were introduced.
"Princess Mileena! Princess Aviktoria! Princess Luvika-Laviszania! Princess Shafilea!" After a gracious curtsy and shining smile, each came to stand beside her. Shafilea was the youngest, only ten. Their father, Bardolph Bulygin, entered last, to lupine howling from his family and subjects, and yet more rapturous applause. He was the Alpha Wolf of the pack, and Kitiwana adored him.
"Hail to the King!" Someone shouted.
"Long may he rule over us!" Cried another.
"May he live for one hundred years!"
"Yes - long live the King!"
"Long live the Princesses!"
"Long live the Bulygins, each and every one!" Oh please, yes! Thought Kitiwana. Her heart glowed and she beamed with delight. Music began to play, and the guests started to dance. The Princess watched them, mesmerised. They all looked so elegant as they twirled in and out, dressed in colourful silks and stains, extravagant brocade, velvets, top hats and tails, and thick furs. Their jewels were visible from where she stood, and they twinkled like stars.
Bardolph Bulygin stepped forward, and held out his hand to his eldest daughter.
"Would you like to have your first dance with me?" He asked. She nodded, smiling, and took his hand, letting him walk her into the throng of people to join the dance. He was a very caring father, and she giggled as she tried to remember her steps from her dance classes, hoping not to tread on his feet (because that would have been a disaster!). "Well now Kitty," he said, using the name only her called her by, "can you see any suitable young men in our presence?"
"Oh Papa, don't! I wish that I could have just one day here without you pestering me about marriage. It is exhausting, Papa!"
"All the same, it is something that must be considered. You are seventeen now, after all." The Princess rolled her eyes and looked away. "Really, Papa, I am here to enjoy myself - I do not want to even think about marriage for years yet. I will marry when I am ready, and not a moment sooner." She shook her long hair defiantly, enjoying how it felt as she twirled around. She expected her father to be angry, but he wasn't, he seemed amused.
"Oh, Kitty - you sound so much like your mother." A pang of sadness struck the Princess' heart. Her mother, Queen Maria, had died when her sister Shafilea was only a few years old. The dance ended. Kitiwana and her father bowed to one another, regally. The Alpha Wolf smiled, and turned to his four other daughters. Tradition dictated that he would dance with Mileena next, as she was his second oldest. But it was not to be. A shot suddenly rang out through the clearing, and the entire congregation began to scream and panic. More shots followed it - bang, bang, bang - hitting trees and tables, and smashing glasses and bowls. A man charged up to where the four young Princesses were stood, and grabbed Princess Luvika-Laviszania. She screamed in terror and tried to escape, her arms and legs thrashing wildly, but it wasn't use - he was too strong for her. "Luvika-Laviszania!" Her father yelled, and ran after her as fast as he could, followed by everyone else. But the man bundled the Princess into a waiting car, got in after her and rode away through the Forest, disappearing out of sight. Her father sank to the his knees, staring at the place where the car had been only a moment ago, crying out his daughter's name until it became choked by tears.
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