Detora Book 1: Prophecy by Elanor Marie Oliver (great books for teens TXT) 📕

Chapter 01
“Hey Rae! Are we going dancing again tonight?” She was my very best friend. Her name is Ashlynn. She is possibly the only person in the world who listens and seemingly understands my crazy antics. As if my parents ever would.
“But of course doll. We shall dance until our feet bleed.” I said, in my totally fake sounding accent. It was our thing. Sneak out of the castle, dressed as common gypsies to dance with complete strangers until far into the morning. Why, you may ask. Probably because I will never live up to the expectations of the rich and popular.
So I suppose I should start by saying that my name is Raelon. Latuka Atori Raelon Hashakan, if you’re feeling formal. Latuka Atori translates into Emperial Princess. But by all means, Rae will do just fine. Yea, that’s right. I don’t just happen to live in the castle. One day, it will all be mine. The throne, the crown, and a huge kingdom that covers half of this planet of Detora. The other half is “owned” by the Delcrose family. Though I can’t say I know them personally. Grand meetings aren’t really my style. Or rather I prefer to cause trouble and am not really invited anymore. Like the time I played a prank on a duchess from some small town in the middle of nowhere. Hey, I didn’t know that her so called fake wig was supposed to be a secret. I thought that everyone knew. But I suppose if you set it on fire and she has no choice but to remove it, then EVERYONE knows the secret… *Ehem.* On with the story…
I suppose I’m fairly pretty. I have long black hair that’s tinted red and straight as an arrow, whatever that means. My eyes are usually as blue as the sky, though they change colors with my mood. I’m skinny as a rail no matter what I eat, and I dress in totally cute, very expensive clothes. Sure. Your everyday Barbie doll. Thus the results: every guy wants to date me, and every girl wants to be me. But every girl dreams of being a princess, so that’s really the only reason for that. In reality, I think all the girls hate me. I’m sorry if you’re stupid boyfriend dumped you because of one night of dancing with me. My bad. It wasn’t my intention or anything. My philosophy? Live life a little crazy, because anything less would just be a waste.
So tonight is our dance night. I slip into a pale pink belly dancing costume with a gold bangle on my left upper arm and one on my right lower arm. My long hair has been curled and pulled back into a loose ponytail with my short bangs left down in front. I pull on a white see-through gypsy-looking shawl and I’m ready to go.
Ashlynn walks in the door to my bedroom wearing a similar outfit in an almost teal color without the gold bangles but adding a gold chain belt hanging off her hips with the little gold discs on it. Ashlynn is fairly pretty as well. Number two most dreamt of girl in the kingdom. She has long hair like mine, without the bangs and its jet black. No red tint for her. She is quite a bit taller than me, and she has eyes the color of amethysts. They always seem to see right through me and my intentions. She would make a good seer.
This world that we live in, throughout the universe it is known as the land of magic. Our people, that is, all the Detoreans from both kingdoms, have what is called “elemental abilities”. Most can only create and manipulate fire. There are a few who can create swords from the fire for battle; they become soldiers most of the time. And then there are the rare few who can see into the future or past. They are our seers. There is usually only six or seven and only one every hundred years that can see both the past and the future. He is our high priest, Eldoran. I’m supposed to be in some sort of training with him. My abilities are even rarer than his. I am a seer as well. I can see both the past and future. But I can create fire as well. Usually a priest is a priest and fire benders are fire benders. No one person can do both. That is until I was born.
It’s not just that though. I can use plasma as a defense, I can levitate, I can magically pull a sword out of my arm and, I mean, how many people can say they’ve done that one? But I suppose being different can torment a person. Perhaps that explains my behavior…
“Okie dokie, let’s go! I’m soo ready to go! Haha!”
“Right! Me too! All ready! Let’s have lots of fun and make tons of girls mad!”
“Rae! That’s so not why we do this.”
“Kidding! Kidding!”
I pushed on one of the edges of the mirror standing in front of us and a hidden passageway was revealed. But of course. Who would’ve ever thought to look behind the mirror? Cliché? Maybe. But it serves its purpose. We walked almost a mile of underground tunnels and came out in the side of a hill in the middle of a forest approximately half a mile from the town. It was a border town. It was smack in the middle of our kingdom of Graydon and the neighboring kingdom of Calldrom.
*slow breath out* “What better way for a 19 year old and a 23 year old to spend their night.” I said laughingly.
“True. But it would be a better night if we could find some halfway decent men who aren’t just looking for a plaything. Ya’ know?” Ashlynn stated.
“Ahh yes. That would be something. But you know how men can be.”
“Bastards?”
“Hahahahaha! Sometimes I think you are worse than me.”
“Ahh Rae. I think your parents would even agree that’s not true.”
“Hehe. Yea.”
We walked through the forest until we eventually found the path leading into town and made our way to the pub. I ordered some fruity girly drink and made my way to the dance floor. I danced for a little while and went back to the bar in time for my drink.
Somehow, I knew this night would be different. I just couldn’t quite place it. I could always see the future when it was someone else’s future. But never my own. Eldoran said it was because I needed training. But I didn’t want training. Oh what I’d give to be able to dance and have fun all the time. But that’s not the case. I should’ve been married by now. But my parents say it’s”all in due time”. Yea well, due time can kiss my ass. I don’t want to marry someone I don’t love. I don’t want to be that girl. The whole idea of an arranged marriage just gives me chills. I guess that’s why I do this every night. Hoping my prince charming on a white horse will come steal me away. But they are just a bunch of playboys in commoner clothes. Not much to work with.
“Ahh Ash. How I wish I could escape this world.” I said blatantly.
“Rae. You would forever be hunted down. You need to just face your problems. Stop running. If you continue to run away, you know, eventually you have nowhere else to run. You will always end up back where you started, as if you are running in circles.”
“Gee Ash, way to be a spokesperson for destiny.”
“I try. Haha. But I’m not saying that you have to always do what you’re told. Life would be boring like that. What I’m saying is that you just need to face it as it comes at you.”
“True. But still. I just want an escape from reality sometimes.”
“Yea. Well. That’s why it’s called reality, it’s real.”
“Good point.”
I decided to down my drink and move on to the next one when a guy sat down next to me. I’d never seen him around town before. He was unbelievably good looking. Even by my high standards. He had long white colored hair pulled back in a low ponytail and emerald green eyes. He was at least 6’ and he was dressed as a commoner. He wore a white long sleeve shirt with a long blue tunic over top. He had on black boots and grey leggings. He was incredibly good looking. He also had brought along a friend. Short dark brown hair same height and brown eyes. He wore similar clothes.
We both just stared at each other a moment before Ashlynn nudged my back and I stammered out a “hi.”
“She has been rendered speechless. I’m surprised.” Ashlynn whispered behind my back. I glared at her as she laughed and asked the other guy to dance. Oddly enough they seemed to know each other.
“Would you care to dance?” Asked the stranger with a smile on his face.
“When we asked for halfway decent men, we get cheesy prince charming.. who would’ve thought.” I mumbled.
“Sorry?” He said looking confused.
“Hehe, nothing. Let’s go.” I said grabbing his hand and pulling him to the dance floor.
Sure enough, the dj starts playing a slow song. My luck. We danced and talked for hours. I didn’t ask his name, he didn’t ask mine. It’s better that way. I won’t fall for someone I met in a pub.
It was 2am before anyone mentioned leaving. It was around 3am before anyone took action in it. The literal meaning to time flies when you’re having fun.
“Alright. It is waay past my bedtime.” Said Ashlynn stretching her arms above her head.
“Yea. Definitely time to go.” I said.
We left before I even got his name. But to be honest, I didn’t think I’d see him again anyway. I believe the term is cliché. Princess in disguise meets random boy, falls in love, blah, blah, blah…
Ash and I snuck back into the castle through the same passage we took on our exit.
“You know,” Ash said, “You shouldn’t think about men anyway. Tomorrow, everything will change. You are destined to become the high priestess.”
Yea. I can deny my calling, dance until morning, drink fruity girly drinks and pretend it’s not happening. But like or not, I WILL begin my training as a priestess. It’s not that I don’t like Eldoran, he’s a great person and all, and surprisingly not much older than me, it’s just that, destiny? I never believed in fate. Why would anyone want to? Why would anyone want their entire life planned out for them? It just doesn’t make sense to me. I know, I’m so much different from any one person born into this world. My abilities have never been seen before. But, I am the prophecy child. I was born into this world to save it. I just don’t understand why. Or from what.
Anyway. This prophecy never made sense to me. The only ones who know the entire prophecy are my parents and the king and queen of Calldrom. Oh, and of course the High Priest Eldoran himself. All I was ever told is that I was different, and then the whole thing about saving the world. And here’s my problem, tell a person their whole life that they are different, and all they want to do is spend their life pretending they aren’t. But as of tomorrow, or rather later on tonight, I will