The twins didn't know how much time had passed but they woke up from their nap it was already day break. Being a sensitive sleeper, Reinel was first to stir, rubbing his eyes sleepily, stretching comfortably having just slept on a cloud.

  Then Reinel realized what it was today "Mr. Stallion!! We're gonna be late!!" Screamed Reinel shaking the Stallion and Renèe awake.

  Renèe whined and groaned before he jolted up and looked around "Huh?- WE HAVE TO CHANGE," Screamed Renèe, scrambling around like a headless chicken.

  "... My mistake..." Said the Stallion awkwardly as it rose with a slight whinny, readying itself for the journey to the Ascot estate. "Hop on, I'll get you there quickly," the twins hopped on the Stallion in a hurry and quickly whooshed through the skies, Reinel and Renèe enjoying the rush of adventure they've never felt before.

  "Look! Father's leaving without us!" Exclaimed Renèe, pointing at the carriage that was quite the ways away from the estate already.

  "Tch, Mr. Stallion, can you get us to the palace straight after we change? They say the princess bakes the best sweets, she sold the recipes to other bakeries in Sterling, the recipes of the cookies you ate last night were made by her," explained Reinel, with a cheery smile.

  "Say no more," said the Stallion determinedly as it huffed out a mist like cloud from its nostrils. The Stallion quickly dropped off the twins in front of their mansion.

  "Quickly get us our outfits!" Commanded Reinel as the servants of the mansion had waited for their young master to arrive, moving quickly to present their prepared clothing and bathe them.

  "And give us our invitation! We know father left it in his drawer," Renèe said quickly taking off his jacket and ran to his room to get ready, going straight to the bathroom as Reinel went into his own room.

  After a few minutes the twins came out in matching white and gold tail coats, freshly bathed, and hairs styled and it wasn't long before the twins and Stallion set out for the palace, the twins struggled to hold on due to the Stallion's speed, but luckily the reigns they made out of black snakeweed kept them safe and fastened. It seemed like only a few moments when they reached the Sterling palace

  But as soon as the they got close the Stallion had gotten a whiff of the baked sweets inside the palace and rushed inside as Reinel and Renèe pulled hard on the reigns in a panic "Wait! No! You can't go in!!" Shouted Reinel.

  "Stop!" Pleaded Renèe, but their pleas fell on deaf ears as the Stallion charged without hesitation, after all, he deserved that much. The twins and the Stallion burst through the doors of the castle, guards frantic to stop the Stallion but failed miserably.

  "Neigh!" The stallion neighed proudly as he avoided the guards and managed to burst into the ballroom as the Stallion ran straight to the buffet table and stopped abruptly launching the twins from its back.

  The twins screamed before landing roughly behind the Stallion, dizzy and tired "Ugh," The twins groaned.

  "A storm stallion," exclaimed a sweet and silky voice in delight.

  -Snow's pov-

  "I never thought I'd see one in real life," I said approaching the stallion amazed by its cloud like mane and shimmering body.

  It was devouring all the raspberry tarts and oatmeal cookies to my surprise. I felt its cloud like mane and was dumbstruck by the softness. It was like firm cotton candy that didn't melt in my hands.

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  I took a lemon butter cookie from the table and offered it to the stallion. "Here, you might like this one," the stallion rose his head and seemed to examine me closely.

  "... I'll gladly accept, princess..." He spoke as he took the cookie from my hand. I felt all giddy, it knew who I was! I couldn't believe the Ascot twins would do something this flamboyant but this really was a great treat!

  I looked at the twins who watched me frozen in shock, they were still on the floor, gawking, so I offered them my hands as they accepted. I hugged them the moment the got up, squealing with glee.

  "Thank you so much for bringing me a storm stallion!" the twins were stunned and their cheeks started to flare up from embarrassment as I continued to hug them.

  They had never felt this much embarrassment and awkwardness before. For the first time in their lives everything had become fuzzy and light, they couldn't say a word.

  I let go of the twins to talk to the storm stallion "Is it possible to keep you? You would make such a handsome steed for a royal like me!" I asked hopefully.

  Storm Stallions used to be partners to many great warriors, but these days beasts refuse partnerships and live their own lives in virgin forests.

  "... Hm... If it means I can get treats like this you seem to be a worthy partner," he said as I squealed excitedly.

  "Just give me a name and we will bond successfully," I thought for a moment, looking at the Stallion up and down. This stallion was painted in the dark colors of midnight and looked sturdy and strong.

  "I will give you the name Nightmare," I said gracefully. As the Stallion nodded, seemingly content with that name. "Then so shall it be. It is a fine name..." Nightmare nodded slightly.

  Unlike a familiar, spirit beasts aren't bound to your soul and are free to break off their bond at anytime. The use of this bond is usually so that they can be summoned quickly when needed, though teleporting spirit beasts are rare and I don't think storm stallions have the ability to do so, which means it might take a bit before nightmare is summoned unless I use a large amount of magic to summon him with bond alone.

  "I am glad to see that my boys have pleased the princess," Duke Liam Ascot approached me with a crystal ball in hand as I look curiously at the crystal ball, it seemed to be some sort of...magic camera.

  "Oh, don't mind this, it's just rare to see my sons so... Happy," he smirked. As I glanced at the twins who seemed to be spaced out. Without the twins knowing the duke had actually recorded the twins' reactions when the princess hugged them.

  "Father..." Reinel said meekly in slight complaint, still in a slight daze.

  "The twins have another gift for you, princess," said the Duke pulling and pinching on Renèe to snap out of his daze quickly. Renèe winced in pain before snapping out of it.

  "Here," he said plainly handing over the snakeweed necklace, turning his head, not wanting to look me in the eyes. I took the necklace and held it up happily.

  "I love it, where did you get the black snakeweed? It must've been so hard to find," I asked with a cheerful smile.

  "Maybe we can tell you how we acquired it and how we brought the storm stallion here if you'd invite us?" Asked Reinel hopefully, this was their main objective, to get invited back to the palace by the princess' invitation.

  I looked to my father with big puppy eyes, silently begging him to agree because who wouldn't want to hear that? Black snakeweed is very rare, I would like to hear which forest they git it from exactly, plus how they got a storm stallions to follow them here

  He sighed before being pushed aside by mother. "Of course! You darling boys can visit whenever you'd like!" She beamed as she was pushed by father.

  "With my permission. Of course," he said sternly, attempting to look intimidating, but ultimately failing. I laughed at both of them as Nightmare started to nudge at a certain box from the gifts table as king Lennon walked forward.

  "Hey! That's our gift to the princess!" Said King Lennon protectively grabbing the box with a slight huff.

  "Hmph! What distasteful behavior," Nightmare said as he turned away, clearly insulted by king Lennon's huff and the rude sudden snatching of the gift from him.

  "What was that you ugly horse?" King Lennon asked with a slight scoff, looking at the indignant stallion up and down.

  "Ok, that's enough," said my father intervening, which surprised me, but he seemed to be enjoying the scene of Lennon being annoyed like this.

  "You can summon me whenever you'd like with that necklace, princess, since you seem to treasure it. Now if you'll excuse me I would like to cleanse myself, I reek of over-sized house cat," Nightmare said before he galloped out of the palace as other oohed and ahhed.

  "Why that little--, Ahem, princess, this is a token of appreciation from my whole family," he said presenting a small black box with the gold seal of the Fantasian royal family. I opened the box and heard collective gasps of everyone here.

  "It's Lanoranite!"

  "A piece like that could cost enough to build another kingdom,"

  "The princess sure is favored," I heared them all whisper in gossip as I held up the pendant.

  It looked like a marble but slightly larger a deep blue mixed with lighter shades.

  Lanoranite is a rare stone that is sought after for being a 'source' of mana. No one knows how mana is made but Lanoranite constantly produces mana. Powers of someone in direct contact with Lanoranite will increase by 10 fold. This stone will randomly appear in any cave sometimes they can even appear just outside a cave but some are buried down deeper than diamonds.

  And they don't have veins, when you find Lanoranite there'll only be one or two next to it which makes it the most valuable stone in the land.

  "... This... Is a bit much," I said with an awkward laugh as I put back the stone in the box "You've already treated me very well and I think you've done enough," I said trying to hand it back.

  King Lennon knelt down and whispered into my ear. "You didn't just save Claudia during your visit. You saved my son and my relationship with him," I nodded and accepted the gift gratefully.

  "It'll look good with my new necklace," I smiled.

  The party had started once more but everyone around couldn't stop buzzing about the princess.

  Whether good or bad the new princess was guaranteed to go down in history and leave a legacy...

  °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°and cut!°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°