Disclaimer: Don't own and never will

AN: Kalus is by and far the most interesting character I've seen in the game. I thought I'd give her some more love.

"Mummy, mummy, look at what I can do!" Kalus said excitedly as she ran into the Throne room, her young face aglow with happiness and pride and her wings fluttering. She was so happy, so proud that she had managed to finally cast her very first fireball and at the age of six no less! Most elf royalty cast their first fireball when they were seven but Kalus studied hard and worked and worked at it and now she had it! "Mummy, I can actually cast my very own fireball!"

Queen Theena, better known as mummy to the young princess in question, looked up and smiled and Kalus felt her heart rise.

"Look Kalus," Theena whispered as she pointed to Kalus's sister Kameo, hovering gently above the ground. "Look, your sister has mastered her wings spell."

Kalus pouted. Kameo was five years old and pretty average as far as elf children were concerned. Most children her age mastered their wings spell and Kalus had mastered hers at the age of four! All her mother had said then was a brief well done, as though it was something to be blasé about and here she was proud of something an interloper achieved in less spectacular circumstances.

"But mummy," Kalus said, her bottom lip quivering as she tried to hold back her tears. "I really wanted you to see this!"

"Queen Theena, Queen Theena, you're urgently needed in the Throne room!" cried an elf messenger and Theena sighed. She leant over and kissed Kalus and Kameo quickly on the forehead and walked away.

"Mummy never makes time for me!" Kalus said as she stomped her feet and tears began to well up in her eyes. She turned and glared at Kameo. "It's all your fault! It's all your fault!" and with that she stomped off angrily

As she stomped out of sight, tears began to fall. Daddy would have cared. Daddy would have given her more than a passing glance. Daddy would still be here if it wasn't for Kameo and she hated it, she hated it, she hated it!

"Come now Princess Kalus, it is time for your next lesson," her teacher said as she placed a wrinkled old hand on her shoulder. Kalus pulled away with a snort as she dried her eyes.

"What does it matter?" she asked sulkily and her teacher raised an eyebrow, making her cragged features even more cragged.

"You are the elder child. You are required to excel. It is expected of you, to be better than normal. A queen to be needs to be nothing less," her tutor lectured, wagging her finger. Kalus sulked as she returned to her lessons. Maybe next time, she would get attention from mummy. Maybe this was a one off. Maybe Kameo simply had bad timing this time and mummy would notice and praise her later.

Yes, that was it. Mummy was a busy queen, with lots of responsibilities just like Kalus herself would have one day. That's all it was. Mummy would congratulate her later and make time for her just like daddy used to do, Kalus told herself.

She just wished that it didn't sound so hollow.

KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP

A bead of sweat slowly trickled down Kalus's forehead, but she ignored it. Another bead crawled down the back of her neck, but she kept on concentrating on the task at hand. This was a particularly difficult set of spells to pull off, one fraught with potential pitfalls and difficulties, but she knew she could pull it off. Surely THIS would gain her praise and attention. Surely this time she wouldn't be overlooked in favour of her little sister. After all, this was pretty powerful magic for an nine year old mage.

"Most impressive my dear," one of the judges said from behind her as she finished the spell. Six identical round balls sat on top of one another in an impossible manner, each ball spinning in a different direction. "It must have taken a lot of practise to master such complicated spells."

Kalus smiled. Here she was being actually acknowledged for something she did. She was sure that Kameo would hardly do so well. For once, she wasn't going to be overshadowed by her adopted sister. Her mother would actually see her and be proud. She'd actually make the time and they would talk and play and actually have time for more than a quiet meal together.

Then it happened.

Kameo did her magic display and the crowd went wild.

It was a very simple spell really. Not several woven into one as Kalus had done, but a single, easy to repeat spell. The kind that did not warrant such applause in Kalus's opinion, but gained it anyway.

Kameo stroked closed flowers, one after the other and they blossomed into their full glory. It was a spell that Kalus had mastered almost two years ago and was unremarkable as far as spells went. It should have been barely a whisper.

However what drew the crowds applause was not the spell. No, Kameo had made a PICTURE with the blooms. A painting composed of flowers of many colours. A picture of none other than Queen Theena wearing a colourful rainbow dress.

Kalus glared at her sister. She knew that mother hardly had the time to see Kalus and now, when it was her time to shine, to be seen, Kameo was upstaging her with a contemptibly simple spell. A spell that was nothing special.

What was worse however was what mother did. Instead of staying in her seat as she had done with Kalus's own display, she actually stood up and smiled.

"I thought of you mummy when I made this," Kameo said cheerfully, completely oblivious to the burning anger on Kalus's face. Kalus half expected to spontaneously combust as a burning rage flooded her veins.

"Well done Kameo," Queen Theena said cheerfully, a smile on her face. "I'm…touched. You made a real effort for me."

Kalus seethed angrily. She had spent the last two months mastering the spells necessary for her display and weaving them together. All that work to be acknowledged by mother and yet when the day arrived, she was ignored.

Releasing the spell, Kalus stormed away. She would not let them see her cry. She was sure that they would never understand the frustrations of all that hard work going to waste. To raise her hopes, only for them to be dashed by something so simple.

"I think your display was the better one my dear," The Mystic said as Kalus sat down and started crying at the base of slim oak sapling. "It was you they should have applauded."

Kalus jumped to her feet as like she had been electrified and quickly wiped her tears away. A Princess of her age had no business ever being seen crying. The Mystic chuckled.

"There's nobody here but us child," she said, her reptilian features turning into a smile. "You can cry or laugh or rage all you want. Nobody will think any less of you. You have ever right to be upset after all," The Mystic paused and looked at Kalus with her one living eye. "I think that it would be better done with a nice cup of tea," she gestured to her hut. "Would you like to join me? I'm about to brew some right now."

Tentatively, Kalus stood up and followed The Mystic. While it was true she didn't know the Sargothan that well, she was one of the royal advisers. Surely she was safe? What was the worse that could happen?

KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP

Kalus was eleven and attending her very first debutante ball.

Her dress was a long, floor length deep blue dress with thin straps over her shoulder and her red hair was tied up into a stylish bun. She looked good and she knew it.

Mother was unavailable. Some diplomatic function or another that she was unable to avoid or postpone, but Kalus didn't really care. Over the past few years, the two had drifted further and further apart. The Mystic was always there for her to talk to anyway, whether it was over a new type of spell or curiosity about Sargothan culture or anything really.

Smoothing out her dress, she stepped onto the dance floor. In the background, she could hear her Auntie Lenya whisper excitedly how this is such a beautiful, important moment in every elf nobles life and how beautiful she thinks Kalus looks and how she's growing so fast.

Just not important enough for her mother to be there, it seems. Kalus can't bring herself to care. Or at least, not as much as she really should be bothered by this. A little part of her is saddened by it, but not enough to spoil her evening.

The mood was awkward. Nobody really expects a group of eleven to twelve year olds to make the kind of romantic connections that will last for the rest of their lives. It's just a tradition really. On one side of the ballroom, the boys of various different species congregated while on the other side, the girls did the same. Music played in the background as the two groups shuffled around one another.

Kalus stood alone. The other girls didn't know her and she didn't know them. She was always studying one thing or another, while they had time to play and gossip. She hadn't the faintest idea HOW to talk to them to be honest.

"You came here to enjoy yourself child, did you not?" The Mystic asked as she sidled up next to Kalus. The Mystic then gestured to the boys. "They will keep staring at their feet and being awkward until one of them builds up enough courage to actually ask someone to dance. You would think that the girls were terrifying monsters who will eat them whole. I find that the one who breaks the ice tends to be a leader."

Kalus grinned and stepped forward. She was supposed to be the heir apparent, was she not? She was expected to lead a kingdom no less. Choosing a boy at random, she confidently strolled over to the boys side of the room and extended her hand.

"Would you like a dance?" she asked with a smile. The boy in question, a skinny young elf with long blonde hair and blue eyes stared at her.

"Y-y-y-you w-w-want to d-d-d-d-d-d-dance with me?" he asked, his face pale and Kalus rolled her eyes.

"I would hardly have asked you if I did not intend to dance with you," she said as she fixed him in place with her stare. "However, if you're too chicken…" she left her sentence unfinished, but he appeared to get the message and placed his hand in hers. Leading him onto the dance floor, the two young elves began to dance to the music.

Soon they were joined by another couple. And another. And another. And soon, the dance floor was filled with couples, dancing to the music.

"Ouch! Watch what you're doing!" Kalus hissed as her partner stepped on her foot for the fifth time in short succession. "You're meant to be dancing with me, not trying to maim me!"

"S-s-sorry," the boy apologised once more and Kalus rolled her eyes. As the dance came to an end, the two parted ways and made their way to the food and drink table.

For a couple of songs, Kalus sat and rested her feet. A cup of rose juice sat in her hand and a strawberry pie in the other. As she finished her drink, she stood up and walked over to the boy she had been dancing with, before suddenly pausing.

The boy was talking to one of his friends, one of the plant like Erysim. Neither of them noticed her and for a moment, Kalus listened to their conversation.

"Wow, you really drew the short straw didn't you?" the Erysim said and the boy shrugged.

"W-w-w-well I c-c-c-couldn't just t-t-turn down an invitation to dance b-b-by P-p-princess Kalus. I-I'd never h-h-hear the e-e-end of it," he replied and Kalus felt her previously good mood dim slightly. The boy continued however, completely oblivious to her presence. "B-b-but s-s-she's a b-b-bit of a b-b-b-bitch really. All s-s-she does is c-c-complain and I kn-kn-kno-kn-know that K-k-k-kameo would be nicer."

"Yeah, but she's not here," the Erysim said with a smirk. "And we get stuck with the know-it-all bitch instead."

Glaring silently at the boy's back, she spun on her heel and grabbed the first boy she found and dragged him onto dance floor fuming. Even when she wasn't here, Kameo was overshadowing her and it wasn't fair!

KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP

Kalus was in love.

Or at least, she was convinced that she was. It was hard to tell with her mood swings, if she was honest with herself, ranging from extreme lethargy to unstoppable determination and everything in between.

His name was Glyn and he was the son of one of the guards. He was tall and dark skinned and he had an amazing smile that lit up his face and charmed the birds out of the sky. He was smart too, able to speak at least three separate languages and a thorough understanding of the plants around the castle. He was nothing short of perfect as far as Kalus was concerned. And at the age of fifteen, they were even the same age. Now all she needed to do was work up the courage to confess her feelings.

As with many a countless teenager's romantic dreams, this one was to fall.

Kalus was on her way to visit The Mystic, a being who was closer to her than her own distant mother. She was walking out of the gates, paying little attention to those around her. It was her sister they wanted anyway, not her. Nobody wanted to talk to the sullen, studious princess with very little idea how to socialise or interact with others.

"Princess Kalus?" a familiar boy's voice asked and Kalus snapped up her head to see Glyn standing nervously in front of her. "Can I-can I ask you something please?"

Kalus nodded, her heart rising. Here it was, he was going to ask her out, maybe to a nice romantic meal or picnic or dance or-

"I was wondering…do you have any idea how I should admit my feelings to Kameo?"

Kalus's heart shattered into a million pieces, like a cliché from a romance novel (that she would deny having ever read. Which she had. A LOT.) Glyn however, continued obliviously on.

"I mean…she's a really amazing girl and she's royalty and really tough and pretty and-"

"Yes, yes, I don't need to hear all about my 'darling' sister!" Kalus snapped before she could stop herself. "What makes you think that I know how to compare? What makes you think that I care about you or her?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them and they left a sour taste on her tongue. She might not be that close to Kameo, but she still cared about her. And Glyn…the way he looked at her made her heart plummet through her shoes.

"Fine! I'll just ask someone else then!" he snapped back with a scowl. "I only asked you because I thought you were more than just that spoilt brat everyone says that you are! No wonder everybody prefers your sister!"

Kalus opened her mouth to defend herself, to argue otherwise, only to find she had nothing to say and Glyn took the opportunity to press on.

"You think that just because you're going to inherit the throne that you're above being a nice person? You can't even say anything against it. Good bye, your highness," he finished sarcastically. "Have a good day with your shrivelled heart!"

Kalus opened her mouth, unsure of what to say or how to say it as Glyn stormed away. Biting her bottom lip, she walked away with her back straight and a determination not to show how much his words hurt. Words that were devastatingly accurate. EVERYONE thought Kameo was better. Even her own mother preferred her more easy going, more compassionate, more socially adept adoptive sister.

"You look upset child," a familiar voice said and Kalus allowed herself a small smile. Well ALMOST everyone preferred Kameo. At least The Mystic wasn't so enamoured with Kameo. At least The Mystic noticed Kalus when nobody else did. "Sit down and have a cup and tell me what has you so upset?"

Taking the cup from The Mystic's hands, she sat down and paused for a moment to compose herself.

"Well…it's silly really," she began and The Mystic nodded her head.

"I'm sure that it is," she said with typical brusque lack of tact. "But it's still important to you and that's what matters. So tell me and I will listen."

And so, Kalus told The Mystic everything that had happened and as The Mystic comforted her, a traitorous thought crossed Kalus's mind, one that she dismissed, but one that would soon return.

I bet mother wouldn't be here for me like this.

And although she tried to convince herself otherwise, the thought rang depressingly true.

KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP KEOP

Kalus looked over her things once more and ran through her mental checklist once more.

Clothes? Check.

Health potions? Check.

Spellbooks? Check.

Journal? Check.

Sleeping bag? Check.

Simple leaf tent? Check.

Gathering her belongings, she pushed them all into her pack and slipped it on her back. She looked at her room, a luxurious place painted with beautiful elf patterns and decorated with fine silks and furniture. The bed was a comfortable four poster with purple sheets.

But for all that, it was not home.

It was not the place that she belonged, Kalus was sure of that. It was the room of royalty, of someone who had a part to play, who was a PART of the royal family.

In short, not a place for Kalus.

It had been six days. Six days since she had been usurped by the cuckoo in the nest. Six days since Kameo had been named heir to the throne and granted the powers of the Book of Whatnot.

She had sat there during the ceremony as Kameo was presented with the book. Watched in silence as she received the greatest of magical powers, the highest of honours afforded to any elf. Said nothing when all around her celebrated Kameo stealing her very birthright, even as she wished she could go up to Kameo and steal it back.

Pulling on a dull hooded cloak and covering her head, Kalus quickly and quietly made her way to the servants gate. The main gate was simply too busy and well guarded and too public. Anyone leaving would be noticed and Kalus in particular would stand out.

But a hooded figure leaving through the servants gate? Nobody would bat an eyelid.

Actually that was a rather apt metaphor for Kalus's life really. She suspected that nobody would notice her disappearance for at least several days, more than enough time to get to where she was going.

Pausing for a moment, Kalus turned and looked at the castle for a moment.

"I hope you weren't planning on leaving without saying goodbye," a familiar voice said from behind her and Kalus spun round to see The Mystic standing there with her hands clasped and the slightest hint of a smile on her face. She hugged her.

"I'm going to do it," she whispered as tears threatened to fall. "But…is this really the right thing to do…they're my family…"

"Your family betrayed you Kalus, chose an orphan over their own blood!" The Mystic replied with a hint of anger. "They don't deserve the title of family!"

"You're right," Kalus growled as she released the hug and looked The Mystic in the eye. "And they WILL learn. For once, the cuckoo in the nest won't be the one they see."

"That's right my child. I would go with you if I could, but I would draw too much attention and these old bones are no longer as young as they once were," she paused and put a hand on Kalus's shoulder. "Go, and make me proud child. I have no doubt you can do it."

"Will you be sa-"

"I'll be fine," The Mystic said with a wave of her hand. "I am no longer in favour with the royal family. They don't like the fact that someone appreciates their own blood better than they do," she cackled slightly. "Ironically, they have left me safer than they left themselves. Now, you have a long journey ahead of you child."

Straightening up, Kalus began walking away and vanished into the crowds. She had a task to complete

The Mystic watched Kalus leave with a smile. When she had first conceived of her plan to seize the Elements of Power, she had no idea how she was going to free Thorn. How fortunate that Queen Theena and the rest of the elves delivered it straight to her.