Eir Dominion revolves around Princess Evelyne Lefevre, a Snivy who is the rightful heir for the throne of the Western Kingdom. Their Kingdom was being threatened by Emperor Huang Cai, a mighty Emboar who was known as a ruthless conqueror. Huang wished to take control of the world and gather all its riches for himself, and King Pierre Lefevre's kingdom was known to house the greatest jewels of the world. Thus, the war between the Western Kingdom, the last remaining kingdom standing against Huang, and the great power of the East began.
In the midst of all this war was the sickly princess. King Pierre wanted nothing more than to keep his daughter safe, so he had her shipped off to a safe haven, in the great Priest Ho-oh's temple. There, the monks of the temple worked to make Evelyne's body stronger, so that she could grow to protect her people. After three years, just as the princess reached a coming of age, she found that she had been touched by Arceus and rid of her frail being. But she was too late. The war was at a standstill, with both sides finding themselves with great casualties. The Emperor had lost two of his sons and had only his youngest left. The King's men were dwindling and morale was being lost. The people of the lands have suffered greatly. But both sides still continued to fight.
Finally, when all hope seemed lost, Celebi descended from the heavens to deliver a message from Arceus. There would be a way to finish the war and determine a winner. Heirs from both sides would begin an adventure throughout the land in an attempt to win sacred gems from Arceus' guardians, and only once they held the eight sacred gems in their hands would the victory be theirs. The Emperor was haughty and agreed, expecting the princess to be worthless, and for his youngest son, Yuan Cai, to take the victory without breaking a sweat. But none of them expected to see the determined fire in the princess' eyes. Oh, the challenge had begun alright, and Evelyne would make sure she won.
She felt her hair being tugged into a clean and high ponytail, no stray strand of light green hair marring her stone cold face. Her crimson eyes remained trained in front of her as her maidservant moved to tighten her jacket. She opted out of the Western armour laid in front of her and kept her usual attire - the green, white lined jacket of the Western royals above the simple white garb of Ho-oh's monks, and the white, green lined shorts that had been her favourite when she was young. Her lips were pressed in a thin line as the hands disappeared from her body and she was allowed the chance to glance at herself in the full length mirror. She looked every bit the royal she was, with the aura of a mighty knight instead of a princess.
In a way, she was. She was a knight, fighting for the freedom of her kingdom.
"Your Highness," the servant spoke up from where she demurely stood behind the royal. Her pink hair covered her eyes as she kept them trained on the floor. She didn't look up as she whispered, "Good luck."
Princess Evelyne Lefevre, the only heir left to the Western Royal Family, stood in front of the mirror in all her glory, and spared only a small glance towards the Whismur, a member of the loyal family that had served hers for generations. She threw on a yellow scarf and smirked, confidence and elegance radiating from her in waves. "I don't need luck."
***
She stood there, in front of the Priestess Celebi. Beside her stood her opponent, his posture stiff and rigid, whereas hers was lax and calm. Yuan Cai, the last heir to the East, was a handsome young man with fiery ginger hair and golden eyes. His tan body was toned and muscular, the image of strength. He wore nothing other than the orange scarf that marked his country and an intricate pair of trousers that held his family's insignia. His weapon of choice were sharp, deadly claws that shimmered in the fire of the room, whilst Evelyne's was a long whip that she had coiled around her waist like a belt.
Celebi watched them both, eyes warm yet calculating. Behind her stood the King and the Emperor, kept at a safe distance from each other. King Pierre watched his daughter with apprehension; Emperor Huang watched his son with pride.
After what seemed like a lifetime of silence, a silence that Evelyne was more than acquainted with from her time in Ho-oh's temple, Celebi spoke up in a soft voice that surprisingly carried around the entirety of the huge chamber, "May the blessings of Arceus reach you all." The two contestants bowed low, as was customary. "East and West, warring kingdoms for years now, all of the bloodshed will come to an end. Heirs, in your hands is the future of your kingdoms. Win, and you will be granted fame and eternal glory. Lose, and shame will never leave your bloodstream."
Evelyne felt her jaw clenching. No. None of it was about fame and glory. It was about her kingdom and the people's freedom. She cast a sideglance towards Yuan to find that the boy's face had remained impassive.
"You are both equals as of this moment, but once you step out of those doors, you are to do all you can to build an army and become stronger. The rules have been relegated to you prior and you have agreed to them. Break even the simplest one, and a swift and painful death will befall you," Celebi's words were harsh for her gentle face, but Evelyne had learned long ago not to let looks deceive you. "Out there, the eight sacred gems await you."
The priestess paused, and allowed her eyes to roam over the two heirs before her lips curled up in a smile that sent shivers down Evelyne's spine. "But first," she said, "a battle."
Evelyne had a split second to take in Celebi's words before she was jumping back, narrowly avoiding having her guts strewn on the flooring. She glanced up, fire burning in her eyes, as she took in the sight of Yuan, ever prepared for a battle. She was tempted to wield the whip, but thought against it. She would need to learn her opponent, and she would need to test her own strength. So she Tackled.
And she was fast.
And Yuan had not expected it. The two of them fell in a thud, skidding against the floor from the force of inertia. Evelyne was off Yuan in an instant and back in a safe distance, crimson orbs watching intently as her opponent gathered himself. Yuan's lips were parted in a snarl, and she knew the fight had truly began.
Yuan rushed at her, but she was too fast and he was too slow. She managed to move out of the way a split second before his claws slashed at the air where she had been, and she tackled him to the ground. Again, and again, and again. Her own strength was fading, and she felt the slight itching of her old disability crawl up the back of her throat. Her breathing was labored and sweat poured from her pores as she stood, a fair distance away from the bruised body of Yuan. The two of them had put up a decent fight, and while Evelyne had managed to land blow after blow, she still exhausted herself too much. Yuan, who had been built for stamina, had pulled through despite himself.
And now they were in a standstill, much like their fathers had been before them.
"Enough," Celebi's voice rang out and Evelyne's shoulder's sagged. "Both your strengths have been seen and applauded. Be healed," she waved her hand and two identical green lights surrounded Evelyne and Yuan, ridding them of their wounds and breathing a rejuvinating air in their bodies, "and go forth. The challenge begins."
Yuan bowed low, and headed for his father, who threw a disappointed glance his way. Evelyne walked to her own, a small smile playing at her lips. Pierre nodded, encouraging and hoping that his daughter would pull through. For himself. For the kingdom. For the future.
-tbc-
