LOVE CASTLE

CHAPTER 1 – PRINCESS LOTUS

QUENSHI PALACE, HAN RIVER

"All hail his majesty!" The palace guards said in unison and everyone bowed as king Watergire swam majestically into the palace in his usual stern appearance.

The water calmed and the wind stopped, the fishes stopped moving around and the seashells halted their movements.

Immediately he swam in, bright shiny red lights came on and the palace became even more beautiful.

He's holding his golden amulet and his golden crown is sitting regally in his head.

Everyone remained bowing till he took his seat beside his queen...Aqua...

The king's officials are all present and the sons of the great people of the kingdom; one of them includes Sage...son of the closest man to the king.

The princesses entered and all the males present turned their attention to them, it's a hard task to not look at them anytime they're sighted, they're enchanting.

Sage was disappointed when he didn't see princess Lotus, only Cleo and Mul came.

"Where's Lotus?" Queen Aqua asked when the two settled beside her.

"She's not in the palace presently," Mul replied.

"How could she not be in the palace when the king specially called everyone" Otis said

Otis is Sage's father.

"Probably out in the city, doing her worthless magic again" Cleo said hatefully.

"Stop hating her for nothing Cleo" Mul defended.

"I'm just speaking my mind!" Cleo snapped.

"Enough!" Watergire cautioned and they both bowed as a short turbulence happened in the water, the young fishes ran into hiding.

"We can still go on without her, tell me the news about the preparations" he continued.

Otis stood.

"It's all set like you ordered your majesty, the festival is ready to kick off" he said.

"When?"

"Tomorrow" Otis replied

👥I can't wait!

👥 Gosh tomorrow should come fast!

👥 Who is singing!

👥 I guess princess Mul

👥 No she sang last year already

👥 It should be princess Cleo this year.

👥 I want it to be princess Lotus.

Cleo held her breath and Sage smiled, knowing the chosen one already.

"It's up to you to choose the princess that'll sing so I'll finalize the preparations your majesty" Otis bowed.

"Lotus is singing" Watergire said and Cleo sprained up, her tail shaking in anger.

"Lotus sang for the last three years, she sang two years ago too! Mul sang last year, I wanna sing this year too! Aren't I a princess too?Stop treating me like an outcast!" She cried out and Watergire folded his fist angrily.

Cleo's voice immediately seized and when she spoke, she couldn't.

"Cleo!" Queen Aqua rushed to get her.

"Her voice won't be back till two hours; no one defies me even as my princess! I'm still Watergire! The king of QUENSHI! My words are final!Lotus is singing!" He said and a great turbulence happened as he swam out of the palace angrily.

Everyone had to hide behind the waves and it took close to five minutes before the water calmed.

"You shouldn't have shouted at his majesty that way, now your voice is gone" queen Aqua rebuked.

Cleo left the palace angrily too without showing any sign of soberness.

"She'll always remain the same," Mul said.

Sage left the palace too and sneaked to the princess's chamber and he peeked at Cleo's room through the window and saw her busy breaking the treasures in her room in anger.

"Pathetic" he said and she stopped, looking back at him.

She started walking meanly to him.

"It's great to see the great Cleo break her room treasures cos of jealousy" he mocked and immediately she got to him, she held his face and tried kissing him but he pushed her away.

"I can never be for you Cleo, try loving Lotus like a sister, then we'll be friends" he said and swam away.

Cleo returned to breaking the treasures.

In another part of the river, mermaids and mermen gathered around, forming a circle.

A soothing tune is playing and the water waves are carrying it everywhere as it plays.

A tiny voice is singing loudly.

The backside of a girl came to view and her long hair reached her waist as she sat, she's the one playing the violin, singing along

🎵 Take me take me to the land of ecstasy...

🎵 Take me! Take me! Take me!!!!!!.....

🎵 Ecstasy ecstasy ecstasy!

🎵 Take my hands!!!!

🎵 My hands... take my hands...

🎵 My heart and soul...

🎵 My soul my soul my heart!

🎵 My heart and soul, will follow you!!!! .....

Her face finally came to view when she stopped singing.

👥 Princess Lotus marry me!

👥 She's too beautiful!

👥 The voice!

👥 I wish I can just be for her

👥 I wish I have that kind of voice

👥 I want the hair.

👥 I Was feeling sick before but now I'm fine, her voice really heals

She smiled, hearing sweet comments from people as she stood.

Her long hair flew with the waves, making her look more beautiful.

"Three guidelines to living?" She said

"Honesty, loyalty, love" the people chorused and she smiled again

"Your highness!" A woman swam into the circle with her baby in her arms.

"What's wrong?" Lotus asked quickly.

"He got scratched mistakenly by an ancient shell, I think he's gonna perish because he has been bleeding, please save my son!" She said quickly.

Lotus swam to her and touched the baby's forehead with her pointer finger.

She removed it after two minutes then she opened her mouth, different colors of flames came out and hit the baby's face.

"AriiAriiMannassarri" she said the magic words and the bleeding stopped immediately, the baby opened his eyes.

"It's fine now," Lotus said.

"Thanks your highness, your kindness will always earn you goodness" the woman said and Lotus smiled.

"Take care of him please"

"Of course your highness" she replied and Lotus started leaving.

Everyone bowed respectfully as she left the circle.

She was about to vanish when Sage appeared.

"What again?" She asked, not looking at him.

"You're always so mean to me, you'll soon become my betrothed" he said.

"Keep dreaming Sage" she replied and swam far away from him.

CHAPTER 2 – DREAMS

She vanished eventually and appeared at the palace.

The guards bowed as she swam past them, Mul appeared.

"Eonni, why weren't you at the meeting?" She asked, swimming beside her.

"Went for healing, was his majesty angry?" Lotus asked.

"Not really, but guess what? You're singing at the festival and the festival is tomorrow!' Mul chirped loudly.

"Tomorrow? It's sudden, and Cleo should sing, not me" Lotus replied.

"It was sudden because Otis took long with the preparations, and another rumor I'm hearing is that... you're gonna be getting betrothed to Sage tomorrow," Mul said and Lotus quickly faced her.

"Betrothed? Without my consent?"

"You know how his majesty can be, he even seized Cleo's voice cos she got angry and shouted at him when you got chosen, he seized it for two hours, guess it should be back by now" Mul replied.

"Of course, it's back!" Cleo's voice interrupted, swimming past their middle at the speed of light.

Mul flew and landed on the chamber wall, hurting her arm but Lotus stood still.

"Mul are you ok?" She quickly asked.

"I'm...I'm...fine," Mul said painfully.

"Why must you take everything from me, witch?" Cleo said to Lotus's face.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act like you don't know which! First was the voice and face! I'm the one who's supposed to have the two! That voice doesn't suit you, the face was supposed to be mine! Second was the king's heart, you're his favorite and that's why he always chooses you over me! The Third was Sage! You stole his heart too!" Cleo shrieked.

"Get the calming water from the queen, you'll be ok," Lotus said and swam to Mul.

She helped her up and said the magic words in her mind, her wound healed and they both started swimming away.

"Lotus! Lotus, I'll make you regret forever taking what's mine!" Cleo shouted after her, breathing heavily.

She saw the guards looking at her and grabbed two of them.

"Go to hell!" She snapped and threw them against the wall angrily before swimming away.

SEOUL, 7 AM, THE MCDONALD'S MANSION

Starr is currently on the run, looking for where the tune is coming from.

A violin is playing and he can hear the tiny voice of a girl, singing beautifully, it's like a magnet, drawing him closer.

As he ran, he got closer and closer to the voice.

"Don't stop singing please... don't stop playing the violin" he thought as he ran.

He finally got to the scene and saw a girl sitting on a chair.

Her back is on him and her long black hair is getting blown by the air, the aura around her smells like perfection and he starts going closer...

Her voice made his heart flutter and the tune she was playing on the violin is so soothing; it kept drawing him closer...

🎵 Take me to the land of ecstasy...

🎵 Take me! Take me! Take me!!!!.....

🎵 Ecstasy ecstasy....see!

🎵 Take my hands!!!!

🎵 My hands..... take my hands...

🎵 My heart and soul...

He finally got to her and when he touched her, he woke up from the sweet dream.

He sat up on his bed and removed his sleep mask, hanging it in his hair.

His handsome face came into view and he smiled.

"Why is this dream always ending anytime I wanna touch her? I haven't even seen her face for once" he pouted.

He started having the dream when he turned eighteen last month. He has it almost every night and each time he tries to touch the girl, the dream will end.

"Why is it always ending there? I hate it!" He complained.

His name is Starr McDonald, the only son of the couple Judy and Davis MacDonald

His parents own the biggest group in Korea, the Goldline group, he's the only heir.

"Good morning prince!" Judy came into the room and he smiled.

"Mum"

She sat on the bed and hugged him.

"How was your night?" She asked, stroking his hair.

"I had the dream again early this morning," he replied.

"Again? Did you see the girl's face this time?"

"No Mum" he replied.

"Try harder," she said and they both laughed.

"Aren't you going to school today? It's almost 7:30" she said and he gasped.

"Our classes start at 8 today and I'm late!" He said rushing into the bathroom.

"I'll make your bread and...

"I'll take it with milk!" He shouted from the bathroom.

"Ok, honey! Be fast!" Judy replied and left his room.

Starr did everything very fast and came downstairs fully dressed.

"Dad is off to work?" He asked.

"Sure, you know my baby is a workaholic," Judy replied.

"Isn't it weird that you call him your baby but you call me your honey?" He said and Judy laughed.

"Is that jealous?" she raised a brow.

"Come on mum," he said and she smiled.

He ate just a slice of bread and gulped down the whole milk.

"Bye, Mum!" He rushed out of the house.

"Make sure you eat lunch at school!" She shouted.

"Sure!"

~MELODY MUSICAL HIGH~

Starr's car stopped in the park and he rushed out before checking the time.

"8:20, oh Lord!" He said and made to start rushing again when two cars he knew very well stopped in the park.

Martin came out of the first one, Blue came out of the second one.

His friends.

"What a cool coincidence, Mr. Roger and Miss Stacy will devour us raw," Starr laughed.

"We have to find an excuse for our lateness, otherwise we'll get penalty points," Martin said.

"Martin we can just say your mother fainted and we took her to the hospital" Bluey replied.

"F*ck you" Martin rolled his eyes and Starr laughed.

"Let's use my mum then," Bluey said.

"Thanks, bro, you're the best," Starr said.

"As if," Martin said as they made their way to class.

They got to the doorstep and each took a deep breath.

Songs and different instruments are already playing in the class.

"Now," Martin said and they all went in at a time.

The songs stopped and the instruments paused

All eyes turned to them.

CHAPTER 3 – THE THREE

Mr. Roger and Miss Stacy are in as predicted.

The girls stared lustfully at the three handsome dudes.

Their class princes are here.

Ophelia licked her lip when she beheld Starr.

"He's always getting more and more handsome" she whispered, kissing her lyrics.

"I know right? Isn't that why you have a dangerous crush on him?" Floyd replied from her right side.

"They brighten my days' swears" Lilac replied from her left.

"Why are you guys late?" Mr. Roger asked.

"Bluey's mum was sick so we had to take her to the hospital for treatment," Starr said.

"Which hospital?" Miss Stacy asked.

"St. Mary's hospital," Martin said

"Severance Hospital," Starr said.

"Samsung medical center," Bluey said.

They all spoke at a time.

"Bluey has three mothers?" Miss Stacy creased a brow.

The whole class laughed out loud.

"F*ck, we got caught" Bluey muttered and Mr. Roger got the attendance book.

"That wicked man," Starr whispered.

"Starr McDonald, Martin Luther, Bluey Kings, a penalty point, each," he said.

"Mr. Roger!" Bluey complained.

"One more penalty point, eac,h" Mr. Roger said and everyone laughed again.

"Congratulations, you just got us another point" Starr rolled their eyes at Bluey as they walked to their seats.

The school is majorly for music and each class has different departments.

The singers, the cellists, the pianists, violinists, guitarists, keyboardists, and lots more.

Martin is a singer. One of the best bass singers in the group, Ophelia is a singer too, together with her two spawns, Lilac and Floyd.

Ophelia's voice is tiny and beautiful, she can handle high pitch very well and that gets into her head a lot, she ranks first in the singer's department.

Bluey is a violinist, also one of the best in the department, he smiles while playing the violin and his dimples will get you mesmerized.

Yolanda is also a violinist, the best female in the violinist's department. She's the only American in the school.

Starr is a pianist, he leads while others follow in the department, he's the only pianist in the school who once played the piano for two hours straight without resting and no one has ever broken the record.

The class was split according to the various departments so the boys went to their appropriate seats.

"You should learn how to lie very well next time, amateur liars," Yolanda said when Bluey sat beside her.

"Hey stop" he replied and she smiled.

Ophelia kept staring at Starr from her seat. She's sitting on the first singer's chair while he's on the first pianist's chair so they're not so far from each other.

"I believe each department knows where to open their notes," Miss Stacy said.

"Excluding us," Yolanda said.

"Page 14," Mr. Roger said and everyone opened.

"Yolanda and Bluey from the violinist's group, Starr you're playing the piano, Floyd you're singing with Martin... From the cellist's group... Colton and Alec'' Miss Stacy announced and they all filled out.

"Sir, I should be the one to lead the singers don't you think?" Ophelia said arrogantly.

"You've been leading since Monday, is it bad if another girl leads this time?" Mr. Roger said.

Ophelia grunted some inaudible words as Floyd filed out with them.

Only Floyd and Martin remained standing, the rest sat in front of their organs.

Starr played the piano intro first then Yolanda and Bluey played the violin before the cellists joined.

Floyd: Joy abounds, in my heart today!!!

I found joy, in the most beautiful way ever!!!

Martin: I have every reason to sing!!!!

To sing, sing! Sing! Aloud! Aloud! Aloud!!

Floyd: I have every reason to sing!!!!

The pitch was so high that she started coughing, Ophelia smiled and stood.

"I have every reason to sing!!! Sing!!! Aloud!!! Aloud!!! Aloud!!! Aloud today!!!.. Ohh!!!

Ophelia sang the pitch even higher than required.

"Gosh," Miss Stacy smiled.

Floyd went back to the seat and Ophelia took her place till the class ended twenty minutes later.

Everyone clapped for the leaders.

"Good job Ophelia as usual" Mr. Roger praised and Floyd felt low immediately.

"I told you I can do it, I have no problem in becoming the next youngest prima donna at this rate," Ophelia said proudly.

"Floyd, you have to try better, your voice is too low for soprano," Mr. Roger said.

"Bye cuties!" Miss Stacy said and they both left the class.

"Yes! I did it again!" Ophelia shouted, bumping into Yolanda as she rushed back to her seat.

"Watch where you're going," Yolanda said sternly.

"Shortie, I don't have time for that," Ophelia replied.

"Haven't I told you never to call me Shortie anymore?" Yolanda glared.

"Well... aren't you short?" Ophelia insisted and Yolanda smirked.

"Call me shortie one more time," she said and Ophelia smiled.

"Ophelia loves trouble," Bluey said.

"Yolanda is not easy too as we all know" Starr smiled as everyone watched the drama that was about to happen.

"They should pull each other's hair, I can't wait," Martin said.

"Shortie" Ophelia whispered into Yolanda's ear and Yolanda grabbed her hair immediately.

"Ouch! Let go of my American short hair!" Ophelia gasped.

Yolanda pulled it harder.

"Goodness," Martin laughed.

"Stop calling me shortie or I'll just make you go bald," Yolanda said.

"Shortie let me go!" Ophelia said again and Yolanda pulled her hair with all her strength as Ophelia tried to escape.

She escaped but some of her hair is in Yolanda's hand.

"Oh no," Bluey laughed with Starr.

"Ophelia your hair!" Floyd shouted.

Ophelia saw her hair pulled in Yolanda's hand and gasped, touching her hair.

"You...you dare pull out my precious hair? I hate you!!!" She shouted, rushing out of the class to report.

"You should have pulled it even more Yolanda," Bluey said.

Ophelia came back with the principal immediately.

Everyone went silent when she came in.

"You pulled her hair," Mrs. Mackinaw said, looking at it.

"She started it, ma'am," Yolanda replied.

"Follow me," she said and left the class, Yolanda followed.

Ophelia got her mirror in her bag and arranged her hair while admiring her face.

"You always look beautiful, don't try to try," Lilac said and she smiled proudly.

"I know I was awesome while singing right? Floyd, you need to try harder, your voice is not pleasing" she said.

"That was harsh," Lilac said

"I was just advising her as a friend, try harder Floyd" Ophelia replied and winked at Floyd before leaving.