Princesses Problems by Ally Coates {Inklings Book Contest 2024 Author}

Today, we are featuring Inklings Book Contest 2024 author Ally Coates! Ally wrote a dramatic fantasy story titled “Princesses Problems.” Her story features impeccable world building that puts the readers right on the frontline of the warring kingddoms. Continue below to enjoy her work in digital book or plain text form.

Prologue

King Rowen and Queen Eleanor were fighting again. Queen Eleanor was furious.

“Fine! But you can only take one of them.” she pointed to one of the two babies on the bed. “That one is mine and I’m naming her Valette.”

“Valette? Out of that book you’re always reading? Ha, worst name ever. Anyway, I’m taking that one.” Rowen pointed to the other baby. “Her name is Linda.”

“That’s a terrible name!” Eleanor huffed, “Leave and start your own kingdom! I’m done with you. You just ruined my life! And since you’re leaving, remember what we promised, never tell Linda she inherited our power, and never say anything about her twin sister. If that gets out…”

Rowen, who had turned as if to go, now turned around to face Eleanor. One hand shot out, pointing at the queen. Blue sparks flew from his fingertips. The queen blocked the attack by pushing her hand out slowly as if something was blocking its path. The sparks sizzled out inches from her hand and in that moment, Rowen scooped up Linda and disappeared out the door. As he left, he called “I will have a kingdom more powerful than yours will ever be.” 

Eleanor whispered, “I loved you Rowen.” as she watched King Rowen leave. He’d have to start over in the country, without people to rule or a palace to live in. She had everything, a palace, a kingdom, even an heir to the throne. Princess Valette had a hidden power both she and her sister shared. 

I

Valette

Princess Valette woke to birds chirping and a breeze blowing her hair. She lay in her bed for a while before getting up. Then she stretched and yawned, rolling out of bed.

“Happy birthday to me. I’m Princess Valette. I’m turning sixteen Happy birthday to me.” Valette sang softly to herself. It’s my birthday! She twirled on her way over to the closet and promptly fell over. “Ow!” she cried out.

“Princess Valette? Stop bouncing around and get dressed.” Valette’s mother, Queen Eleanor, called through the door. She was always there when Valette woke, waiting for her outside her door. Valette sighed and walked over to her closet. She looked at each dress in turn. She had narrowed them down to a few choices. Slowly, she started to rule each one out. Purple Galaxy dress? No, too warm. I’d get overheated in this weather. Yellow Sunshine dress? No, too bright. I’d blind anyone who looked at me. Red Witch dress? No, too creepy. I’d terrify the children. Or maybe…Blue-Green Ocean dress? Perfect! Blue-Green Ocean goes well with my pale blue gloves and aqua highheels. Valette checked herself in the mirror, brushed her hair, and then, when she was satisfied, she left the room.

“Mother, how is this?”  Valette asked.

“Fine. Now, Princess Valette, I’m leaving for an important meeting, so remember,” Queen Eleanor said, “Stay out…”

“Of your office,” Valette finished for her begrudgingly. “I remember.” Valette turned and walked away.

Valette shifted around and rearranged her dress.

What seemed like the 20 millionth villager she’d seen that day stepped up.

“Your Majesty! The crops this year have mostly dried up! Only some survived. Enough, but barely.”

 Her stepfather, King George raised his hand. “Nesli, we have food, the prices have raised a bit, but you’ll survive. Next!” 

Nesli left and an important servant replaced her. Prickle, that’s her name.

“Your Majesty, Your Highness, I have important news. Our spies say that Linda has potential plans to enter our kingdom in disguise. We think it may be sometime soon.

The King smiled. “Linda is from Reagoland. Need I remind you that Reagoland is at war with us? Linda won’t want to risk coming here.

“Father, may I be excused?” asked Valette, standing. This is getting boring, and if I want to get into the office, now’s my chance.

“Of course, Valette” Gorge agreed.

II

Linda

Linda lay in bed, quietly eavesdropping on her father and her stepmother arguing. Usually, the arguments were boring, but this time was different.

“Ronda,” King Rowen whispered, “She will find out eventually, we shouldn’t tell her right now.”

“No!” whispered Queen Ronda, loudly. “We should tell her now; Linda is already too smart. I’m surprised she hasn’t found out yet. If we tell her now, she won’t be as upset.”

“No!” King Rowen whispered very loudly. “Imagine Queen Eleanor’s face when she finds Linda of all people at her gate!? And Valette will find out too? No, that’s final.”

Linda frowned to herself, What do Queen Eleanor and Princess Valette have to do with me? She thought. She heard her parents open their door and…

“What!?” King Rowen yelled at the top of his lungs. “Where are the papers!?”

Linda yelped and fell out of her bed in surprise, even though she’d been expecting it.

“Rowen!” scolded Queen Ronda. “You woke Princess Linda, on her birthday!”

My birthday, is it really? It’s not like I’ll get anything for it. Linda thought. She pulled herself up on her bed. Queen Ronda swept into her room.

“Linda, sorry if we woke you up. We should have been more careful.” Queen Ronda frowned slightly. “No, Rowen should have been more careful. I was quiet.”

“What happened?” Linda was careful to pretend like she didn’t know anything while keeping an air of importance. “You woke me, ON MY BIRTHDAY.”

“Rowan found some important papers went missing.”

Important huh? Interesting. Linda smiled to herself. Maybe taking those papers was worth the risk after all. “Were they too important to be misplaced?” Too bad Linda hadn’t read them yet.

“Yes, they were too important. Anyway, your birthday. You are turning sixteen so you may have a special present.” Ronda held out a master key, it opened any door in the palace, any door. The vault. It was the one place she was not allowed to go. Linda reached for the key but then Ronda snatched it back.

“No, you get it tonight while we are out, so you must wait. Now get dressed, breakfast will be soon.”

At almost 10:00. Linda quietly slipped past the guards standing at the gate, who were making sure no one got out, including her. They’re not particularly good guards. If I can leave without them seeing me. Well, she did have a small advantage. She had a power that she inherited from her father; she was sure of that. One thing she could do was camouflage herself, and though it was not perfect, she could fool the guards if she went slowly.

“Tom, did you hear? King Rowen found someone took important papers from his locked vault!”

Linda paused. Now, that’s weird, I found no locked vault. When did that get added to the tale?

The second guard, Tom, gasped in disbelief “No way… Balin, are you seriously telling the truth!?” Linda continued toward the village nearly out of earshot. The guards had moved to brag about where they got their information. Whatever, that’s useless.

 Well, that was what she thought until one of the guards, Tom, said “… all over town… …Valette.”

Stupid Valette, the daughter of King Gorge and Queen Eleanor. Their kingdom, Sovia, is at war with my kingdom. Why is she the only one that anyone ever talks about? They should talk about me, I’m their princess! She sneaked around the corner of the castle into the village.

III

Valette

Valette watched as the servants crossed the hall, and then she slipped into her mother’s office. The room was cluttered and had a desk in the corner. On the opposite wall were shelves filled with paper, books, records, and encyclopedias. Valette walked over to the shelves. She had to act fast. First, she looked at the titles of the books. Nothing. Next, the cabinet. She opened the door and found… something. A folder was not quite put back in the right place. It was labeled: King Rowen. She opened the folder on the desk to reveal a mess of divorce forms, birth records, and letters signed by King Rowen of Reagoland. Wait, divorce!? Valette arranged the letters from the most recent to the oldest. She opened the most recent one, which had been written three months after her birth:

Dear Queen Eleanor,

I have enclosed our divorce forms. I have begun a kingdom named Reagoland. Linda will be my princess weapon. She has already shown signs, as has, I assume, Valette. I wish you luck as I hope we won’t have to use our weapons against each other.

Your Ex-husband,

-King Rowen of Reagoland-

Valette’s head swam with questions. Mother married Rowen and then divorced, and now we have a war!? And the birth records… Valette grabbed the first birth record with trembling fingers. 

The top read:

Name: Linda Date of birth: May 102501, Time: 10:23

Parents: Rowen and Eleanor             Place of birth: Royal Hall               

She stopped reading. This matches my birth record! Linda is my sister! I have a sister! No, twin! Suddenly everything made sense. That’s why Linda is trying to sneak in! So, what do I do? Should I help her or…

Footsteps echoed in the hall. Valette scanned the room and then dove behind the desk.

“Hawk, the Queen and I are worried about the meeting tomorrow. When should we tell Valette? And if we do tell her… well you know.” King George was saying, “Now hurry up we need to prepare for the…” They walked out of earshot. Valette strained to hear more but they were gone. She crept out from under the tight spot underneath the desk and sneaked up the stairs.

Valette? Come on, time for the meeting.” Queen Eleanor called. 

“What meeting?” Vallette called back.

“Did we forget to tell you? The one with King Rowen and Princess Linda?” Queen Eleanor replied.

“What?”

“Sorry, we forgot to tell you, but you do need to hurry up. The meeting’s in 5 minutes.”

Valette fixed her hair faster than she’d ever fixed it in her whole life then rushed down to see her sister for the first time. My sister!

Valette got to the meeting just in time, or rather, 2 minutes late. Linda looked up from adjusting her makeup in a hand mirror. Linda had a beautiful white gown and makeup so professionally set up she was surprised when she heard from a servant that Linda had done it herself. Linda was gorgeous and Valette suddenly wished she were as nice-looking as Linda was.

“Valette, you’re late.” Linda stated. Wow! Her voice is so…so practiced, Vallette thought.

“Yes,” Valette replied. “Uh…Linda, right?”

Linda snorted “Princess Linda, the best princess in all the kingdoms? Yes. I believe so.” 

King Rowen smirked. “Now Linda, remember, you’ll get your time.”

Linda smiled and said “Yes, yes. Father,” then she rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She mumbled under her breath.
“King Rowen,” began King George, “now that Valette is here, we can begin?”

“Hurry up though. I have a meeting in an hour.” Rowen answered. 

“Allow us to begin with the matter of your ships intruding on our territories.” Droned Queen Eleanor. Valette stopped paying attention and picked at her fingernails. She heard nothing of the conversation until she and Linda were asked to leave. 

“Valette, Linda, we need you to step out for a minute while we talk.” Queen Ronda requested.

Linda walked up to her mother and whispered in her ear, then she walked to the door. She paused in the doorway and turned. “Valette? Are you coming or not?”

Valette hurried to catch up with Linda and together they left the room.

IV

Linda

Linda sighed. She had left some makeup back in Reagoland, and she was getting worried that she would never get back home when shouts came from the meeting room. 

“It wasn’t my fault!” yelled one of the queens.

“Well now you know how I feel!” hollered the other queen. 

“Shhh! Remember the girls.” King George shushed.

Then Valette whispered something, but Linda didn’t catch it. Linda had been paying attention to the conversation, not Valette.

“What?” Linda hissed.

“What are they saying?” questioned Valette.

“Don’t you have ears?”

Valette looked timid but she held her head high and said, “I have ears. It’s just that the things they’re saying make just about as much sense as you do.”

Well, that was an insult. “So, you think it makes more sense to me? I can hear everything that you can hear too.”

Rowan chose that moment to enter the waiting room. “Linda we’re going. This discussion is over.”

“What about mother?” questioned Linda.

“She will meet us back in Reagoland.”

“But-”

“No!” King Rowan nearly shouted. He sighed, “Just be quiet. Please.”

He never says please! He must be really frustrated. But, why?

“Sorry Father.” Linda followed Rowen out of the room.

“Ah, Linda. Just the one I need!” Queen Ronda sauntered out from her room. “Your present, yes. Aha! Here are the keys. And… well, we’re out of town for the night! Happy Birthday!” Then, just like that, Queen Ronda and King Rowan left.

As soon as Linda was sure they were gone, she hurried up to her room where she fished underneath her bed. She pulled out a handful of papers. She looked through them and realized that they were ripped-up pieces of a letter. She fitted them together and began reading it.

Dear King Rowan,

My kingdom is much better than Reagoland. Valette has shown signs of her growing power and will continue to become stronger than Linda. Unlike you, I hope one day Valette and Linda will battle so I can prove Valette is stronger. 

Your Ex-wife,

– Queen Eleanor-

A battle? Why does she want us to battle? Is Valette coming for me right now? Linda looked around her room and her eyes fell on the key her mother had given her. The vault. Linda opened the door and hurried to the vault. The vault held all the most important papers in the kingdom. She used the key to open the door to the vault and stepped inside. She closed the door behind her. There was a shelf on one wall, filled with documents and records. She found a file named Linda. Curious, she opened it. On top was her birth record. She skimmed it and then moved on. The next was another birth record. But it wasn’t hers.

The top read:

Name: Valette Date of birth: May 102501, Time: 10:57_

Parents: Rowen and Eleanor             Place of birth: Royal Hall               

She stopped reading. This looks like my record. Linda compared the two papers. The only difference was the time and name. The date, parents, and place of birth were identical. Valette is my sister? Wait, no twin! Suddenly everything made sense. So, what should I do now? Does Valette know already? I am already going to Sovia tonight; I can find her when I go.

V

Valette

Valette waited. Eleanor and George were still going over what had happened at the meeting. After another hour, Valette began to doze. Another hour after that, she was fast asleep. 

She woke to a door slamming shut. Eleanor and George were going to sleep. Valette pulled herself out of bed. The floor creaked as she reached into her closet and found her pack. Valette, clutching her pack, hurried out into the courtyard. She ran into the woods. Deeper and deeper she ran until the light of the castle was out of sight. Then she stopped and set down the pack. She fumbled around until she found a flashlight. Valette flipped the switch. The light clicked and the sound sent shivers up and down her spine. She was suddenly aware of how dark it was and how bad of an idea this was. She fished in her pack and pulled out a compass. She put the flashlight in her mouth and worked to figure out which direction Reagoland was. She guessed she had run south when escaping so… she rummaged around in her pack again and pulled out a map. 

“South of the castle… murmured Valette as she traced the lines of the map. “Reagoland should be that way.” She stowed the map and compass into her pack. She also grabbed an apple out of her pack to calm her nerves. A wolf howled in the distance. Valette jumped. An owl exploded out of a nearby tree. Valette screamed and ran as fast as her legs would carry her in the direction of Reagoland.

VI

Linda

Linda paused outside the great hall. Her parents were eating dinner. She stormed in. Well, she tried. Not like I get much of a chance. It’s fun, in a way. Still, this is a one-time thing. She crossed her arms and looked straight at the King and Queen. “When were you planning to tell me about Valette?” That was all she needed to say. The looks on Rowan and Ronda’s faces were so stunned, she would have laughed, but, well, she had to do this right.

Rowen and Ronda shared looks. “We have no choice. Who knows what she might do?” Rowen whispered. Ronda sighed. 

“Guards!” cried Rowen.

Linda spun to find five guards advancing. They tied her arms behind her back and dragged her out of the room. Linda was stunned. This was not what she had expected. The guards took her down to the dungeon and opened an iron door. They threw her in a cell. Linda was confused but, she could work through this. So, there is some secret here. But first, she had to get out of here. I might be a princess, but I can do things that most can’t. She removed a lock pick from her pocket. Luckily, they didn’t check my pockets. She reached out and began picking the lock. She worked for hours. She stopped every time a guard passed or even when she heard the slightest sound in the distance. She was almost sure that it was the next night by the time the lock clicked. Linda slipped out. She silently moved to the door of the dungeon. She stopped. Guards were talking right outside the door. She listened. 

“Tom, I’m hungry.”

“Balin, we’re all hungry.”

“Not as hungry as I am now.”

“Fine, go have your dinner break.”

Linda rolled her eyes. Balin and Tom were not bad at their job. They were not, however, amazing at it either. Linda usually thought their conversations were useless, but now, she was glad they weren’t watching her in her cell. She hid herself behind the door and waited. Balin left for his dinner break and Tom was left alone. Linda strained to hear from her new position at the door. After a while Tom got bored. He began shuffling around. Linda waited until she was sure Tom was looking the other way, then she pushed the door open. Tom was absent-mindedly inspecting the top of his spear. He poked the top of his spear. Linda carefully inched around the door toward the throne room. Her foot slipped on her dress, and she fell face-first on the floor. Tom turned toward her. Linda panicked. She camouflaged herself the same way she hid herself when sneaking out of the castle. She didn’t use it often because it drained energy to camouflage, so she’d need to find some food after this. Tom frowned at the open door. He stepped forward. Then Tom snatched the keys off the table and hurried down toward her cell. Linda ran. She dropped the camouflage and rushed up to her room. She dove under her bed and snatched the pack she had prepared and chased the wind down into the kitchen. As she whirled through the castle, startling the maids, she heard Tom calling for the king. As she made the cooks scream, she stuffed food into her pack till it was overflowing. 

“Sorry!” she called, racing out the door. She headed for the forest northwest of the castle. Toward Sovia.

VII

Valette

Valette was low on food, and it was dark. She had been wandering in the same direction for two days. Leaves crackled underfoot and the wind wasn’t helping keep her warm. Although she had eaten almost everything edible that she had taken from the castle, the pack seemed to have gotten heavier as she walked. I hope I am still going in the right direction. I wonder what Linda is doing. She seemed like she didn’t know that we were twins. Valette became lost in thought as she wandered along. What happens when I do find her? Do I attack her because we are at war? Is it right for sisters to fight? Suddenly a dry stick cracked loudly behind her. Valette spun around.

“Hello?”  said Valette. She was scared and the shadows didn’t help. It’s just an animal. Right? She listened. “Hello?” she called again. “I-I know you’re there.”

“Wait. Valette?” The stranger called back.

So not an animal. “Who are- Linda?” What do I do? Will she attack me? Does she know I’m her sister? How do I tell her? Unless she knows and is trying to kill me. What do I do? Valette picked up a stick and flung it into the darkness. We are at war. I can’t just let her walk past me. That would mean my parents would lose the war. She could be trying to kill my parents too.

“Ow!” yelped Linda. A flash of light exploded from the spot where she had thrown the stick. Valette froze. A ball of blue light sailed past the head and hit the tree behind her. The tree exploded and, in a panic, Valette ran. The tree fell with a crash onto the forest floor. 

“Valette!” cried Linda. She rushed out of the darkness and helped Valette up. “I thought I should kill you because of the war but…”

“We’re twins.” Valette finished.

“Here.” Linda stooped down and helped Valette up.

“Thank you.” Do I attack her too? Or should we convince our parents to make a truce? No, they won’t agree to that.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Linda. “I have just one question. Why do our parents decide which battle we fight?”

“You’re my sister. I don’t want to fight you if I don’t have to.” 

Linda took both Valette’s hands in hers and then looked into Valette’s eyes. “I think we are better off together than fighting our parents’ war.”

.