鈥淯ncle! No, please, she is my daughter!鈥?Arienne shouted, her confidence waning with every armored guard surrounding her.
鈥淵ou are to hand it over by nightfall, or we shall take it by force.鈥?Arienne鈥檚 uncle, Hugura of Mylar, calmly rumbled. The man had a voice so deep Arienne thought his throat might burst.
Arienne stared defiantly into the old man鈥檚 eyes. There she saw nothing but evil and greed. He finally turned and leaved. 鈥淣ightfall, remember, my little niece!鈥?br>
鈥淚 will never be of your blood, you great oaf!鈥?Arienne shouted after him. He either didn鈥檛 hear or didn鈥檛 care. At last the guards, following Hugura, filed out, leaving Arienne alone. The silence was unbearable, finally broken by the collapsed princess鈥檚 sobs. Her people, her kin, and her home turned on her because of her child, only six years of age.
The nobles sought the power of war, bound inside Verity. No one would think the heir to an innocent princess would hold so much destruction.
But she did. Under wavy locks of bright golden hair, gorgeous, deep blue eyes as big as the sky, and pure, soft skin was of course, a soul, but a soul combined of all the dark magic banished from the Earth, expelled by her very own mother, who kept all the evil inside her very self.
鈥淭his is all my fault!鈥?Arienne whispered through clenched teeth. She then, with her one choice, sprang up, grabbed her Elvin cloak, her sword, and her dagger. She quickly said her farewells to her old room.
When she was only Verity鈥檚 age, King Miller had graciously given her this room, and it seemed too much for and orphaned half elf, half human. She wasn鈥檛 even of noble blood! But he took her in, out of pity, perhaps, maybe out of love, but whatever his reason,, she had grown up in this very room which she was abandoning for her daughter.
That was all behind her. The sacrifices she must make for her daughter were in the least important. Arienne would have loved to present to her daughter one day the luxurious room, but it was still Arienne鈥檚 who would have been queen if it wasn鈥檛 for Hugura, who annexed the title of king after Miller鈥檚 death.
She linger too long in her old living quarters, something she should never have done, and bolted down the hallway. She knew where to find Verity, and she would have to get past some guards to get to her.
She ran down hallways and corridors, finally arriving at the golden gates, the entrance to the caste. As Arienne expected, about six guards were posted, dedicated to Arienne.
鈥淓xcuse me, but I have business outside the castle.鈥?She started politely. If the situation becomes bad, she will have to outwit them, and if it comes to worse, she will have to bring her sword upon them.
鈥淯nder orders of King Hugura to Keep Arienne inside the palace at all costs.鈥?One of the guards said blankly.
鈥淚 saved the whole world, remember? If it weren鈥檛 for me, you鈥檇 all be dead! Consider this,鈥?she explained, 鈥淚 risked my life to save yours, so you owe me, right? Besides, Hugura isn鈥檛 rightfully King. I am the heir to Miller!鈥?br>
鈥淯nder strict orders of King Hugura to keep Arienne inside the palace at all costs.鈥?Another guard echoed.
Arienne was frustrated. She wanted anything but to hurt these men; it would only make matters worse. 鈥淢y intentions are good, so please don鈥檛 worry.鈥?Arienne was reluctant to tell them the location of her daughter. 鈥淲ould your king, Hugura, be happy if you presented to him the monster?鈥?she bluffed.
鈥淵our intentions are to turn the thing in, are they?鈥?a guard asked. 鈥淚f she is in the palace, a penalty will be bought upon you.鈥?br>
鈥淵es, I realize this.鈥?She did it! She could barely contain her excitement, but she did not desire to ruin it by running, so as solemnly as she was able to, walked down the old stone steps leading Arienne to her daughter.
Luckily, her sword and dagger were hidden under the Elvin cloak. If the had seen it, or if they knew her true intentions, her penalty would be death for what she was about to do. She would escape though. She had to escape.
Arienne arrived in the village of Houle, the castle, with all her childhood memories, still looming over her. She felt she would never escape the gaze of Hugura of the palace.
She headed to Verity, blushing with the gazes of the silent townspeople. Any other day, they would come the greet her. They must have heard about her daughter. It took all her energy not to cry.
She had saved these people, and she was considered a here. Arienne even prevented future wars, and would never do anything to harm them. Where was the hero鈥檚 reward in that?
Eager to escape the townspeople鈥檚 scorning gazes, Arienne hurried to the stable. There she found verity grooming an old mare.
鈥淢ommy!鈥?Verity screeched with excitement. She ran over to throw her arms around Arienne鈥檚 waist. 鈥淕uess what! Ani is going to have a baby!鈥?br>
For such a trivial matter, Arienne was deeply saddened. No, maybe it was her daughter鈥檚 bright smile, and the fact she was wanted as a weapon of war.
鈥淰erity, would you like to come for a little ride on Atalina?鈥?She asked nervously.
鈥淩eally? Ellisar鈥檚 steed?鈥?Verity鈥檚 eyes widened. 鈥淵eah, lets go, mommy!鈥?br>
Luckily, this was the stable that kept Atalina, who must have been in the pasture on the outskirts of town. 鈥淧lease wait patiently while I set her up, ok? Keep grooming Ani, I鈥檓 sure she will appreciate it.鈥?br>
鈥淥k!鈥?she merrily skipped off, back to Ani鈥檚 stable. The palomino whinnied at the idea of being cleaned.
Arienne hurriedly grabbed a saddle and bridle, not caring if the weren鈥檛 hers. She tried to restrain herself as she half walked, half ran to Atalina, but she felt like a giddy child exited for some unimportant matter.
鈥淎talina, dear!鈥?Arienne called and whistled. 鈥淕ood girl, we鈥檙e going for a ride,鈥?She rambled while setting up the saddle.
鈥淎re you done yet mommy?鈥?Verity asked, coming out of the stable.
鈥淎lmost, you just need to wait patiently.鈥?br>
鈥淥k! I鈥檒l wait right here!鈥?Verity stood right beside Atalina.
At last she was done. Arienne lifted Verity onto Atalina, led the steed out the gate, and climbed on herself.
Now, they needed to pass the great golden gate. Surely, guards would be there, but this time, they would not let her through. She wondered with panic, how she would escape this situation.
Riding on her steed with an Elvin cloak, her daughter, and a now visible sword bought new and unwanted attention.
There was even more guards at this gate. Arienne counted twelve of them. Suddenly, with a sickening jolt, she realized the guards at the palace door will be in trouble.
Please, Hugura, don鈥檛 hurt them. Arienne thought, then wished, I can鈥檛 waste time here, I need to leave!
鈥淵ou may not pass! Your penalty will be great if you resist, Arienne!鈥?A guard blankly declared. Arienne didn鈥檛 seem too convinced he was going to carry out his orders.
鈥淲hy not, mommy? Aren鈥檛 we going for a ride?鈥?Verity asked quietly.
鈥淗ush now, it鈥檚 ok.鈥?Arienne was desperate, so she tried begging. 鈥淧lease! I need to go! You have daughters, right? Would you die, too to protect them?鈥?br>
Some of the guards shuffled their feet. 鈥淭hat is enough! Off the horse, now!鈥?br>
鈥淣o, you will never take my daughter away from me!鈥?br>
鈥淢ommy, why is he saying that? Why is he being so mean?鈥?Verity鈥檚 cry seemed to echo this time, and the guards鈥?eyes softened.
鈥淵ou leave us no choice but to seize you and the girl!鈥?The lead guard demanded. From behind, mounted guards surrounded Atalina, who seemed na茂ve to the situation.
How am I going to get out of this one? Arienne panicked.
鈥淗ey, she-elf,鈥?A mounted guard teased, 鈥渙ne who lives forever, you always seem to get your way, don鈥檛 you?鈥?
Why was he saying that? Arienne was dumbfounded, trying to make sense of his true message.
Then, two of the mounted guards deciphered the other鈥檚 code. The each said four worlds that would late get them executed.
鈥淪peak the words, escape,鈥?one whispered.
鈥淢ake it look good,鈥?the other one told her.
They were on her side! She agreed, and started her task. 鈥淩e na鈥檝al.鈥?br>
As Verity gasped, the gates lurched open, revealing the lands beyond: plains, forests, and rivers. By this time, Verity鈥檚 excitement turned to fear. She clung to Atalina with all her might.
Arienne urged Atalina forward, who reared, causing Verity to scream, then galloped out of the village of Houle.
The mounted riders pursued Arienne out of the village. She looked back, to see that two mounted riders were still in the village, watching Arienne escape.
It wasn鈥檛 all of their plan, which meant Princess Arienne of Mylar, heir to Miller, was a fugitive.
She rode vigorously, away from the castle, away from the village of Houle, away from the only family that would take her in.
From now on, she would run from shadows, protect her daughter from creatures far worse than Kraskia, and be known as wanted alive or dead.
Yet she would die for Verity, and that also means run away for her.
But only for Verity, the soul woven with evil. Do you like it? Obviously, there are some typos and stuff, but there is no need to point those out. And there was a prequel. Hard to say its not after all each person can view this and judge for themselves.
I think it has potential research character development and add some motivation for me to care about the characters and you may have a best seller on your hand all the best. |
