I walked along the much worn path I had made from pushing through the underbrush over the years and then, by using magic, fully cleared it last year. No one had really used it except for me of course but it had come to serve as my way to the river.

It was blustery and with it came the cool beginnings of fall, the wind blowing at my black cloak. My short sleeve shirt had been replaced by a black one with longer sleeves and my vest for one with fur lining for warmth. I wore dark grey pants and my tall black boots that came just to my knees, perfect for a walk in early autumn.

Sunlight gleamed through the canopy of the early morning as soft leaves crunched beneath my feet. The chilly wind blew in my hair when I neared the river. Ananta has stayed behind today, to stubborn to leave on a day like this, staying by the fire in the living room while I ventured through the woods.

The river was running clear and fast, occasionally spraying water when it hit the rocky side to my right. Across the river, the hills rolled casting long, flowing shadows across the land. Waving my hand, flat rocks raised from the river, a sort of bridge to hop across. Half way along the wet rocks, I heard the sound of a horse. I quickened my pace, still careful not to fall as I stepped of the last rock and began running toward the sound.

In the clearing beside a steep slope, a horse stood, tied to a loan tree drinking water from the small pond to its left. It was a beautiful white stallion, with a neatly groomed mane and coat. A black leather saddle sat on a ruby red saddle blanket. A black bridle and reins accompanied the set, all embellished with gold lining along the edges. The Spring Valley royal emblem with the tower and hills was pressed into a gold circle, embedded into the horse's breast collar.

This was a palace horse from the Spring Valley which could only mean one thing. Brendan. Probably the most self-centered person the kingdom had ever seen. Of course, he was a prince, but that only added to his already inflated ego. We made a deal several years ago when I ran into him at this very spot. I was twelve and knew every living thing in the forest while he was a bratty thirteen year old who got on my nerves quickly. He had been looking for some rare plant that he had promised to find for one of his subjects. I had laughed at him for thinking he could find it and agreed to help him if he did something for me in return. That was the start of our tradeoff deal. He left a horse there when he needed something from me with instructions and I would meet him to get my end of the bargain. Even for a guy like him, he always came through. The tag, tied to the horse's bridle read 'the old stone bridge', the letters written in his neat handwriting.

"Hello there," I said reaching to untie the reigns. The horse, Gillorn, stepped closer to greet me as I turned around with the reins in hand. Brendan had always left the same horse, who, in my opinion, seemed to have an understanding of what was going on. I stroked his neck and brought the reins over his head after adjusting the stirrups. "Come on Gillorn, off to the old stone bridge," I said and mounted him. He took off with a slight tap of my foot.

I made a bridge from an old fallen tree by the water, morphing it into a sturdy platform that spanned across the river. Keeping in the shade was nicer, even though it was cold, the trees blocked the glare from the sun. I rode deeper into the forest, mostly to admire the scenery, but to look for the old path, worn from old travelers before the Flaming Forest became abandoned by humans a few centuries ago. No one from the kingdoms would dare venture far along the path I was taking, nor would anyone even thing of it.

Sun poured in through the gaps in the leaves as my cloak flapped in the wind that hit my face and rushed through my hair. Gillorn seemed unaffected by the cold as he continued to run along the path toward the bridge. At the edge of the forest, the old stone bridge came into view. A beautiful black mare with similar tack, save for the saddle blanket which was a deep blue with the same gold lining, stood to the side.

Brendan's curly, honey brown hair appeared from behind his horse when he heard Gillorn's hoofs along the trail. He was dressed in a navy blue coat with gold trim and buttons, his coattails hanging behind his legs. He wore grey pants and shiny black boots that came up just under his knees and reflected the mid morning light. His white gloved hands held a piece of paper as he stood in the middle of the bridge. I pulled Gillorn to a stop at the edge of the bridge and dismounted, bringing the reigns back over his head. I walked him to the middle of the bridge, the reigns in my left hand and my right hand on his neck.

"Novia." Brendan nodded his head.

"Brendan." I nodded back, my voice struggling to come out in a formal manner. Even talking to him disgusted me because I knew any moment now, he would say something arrogant and stupid.

"How are you?" I asked.

"Very well, thank you, and you?" Brendan had the same formal look of any ungrateful prince.

"Repulsed by your being," I replied, not caring for the disrespect in my voice. I knew the only reason he hadn't bothered me, was because he knew I could get things that no one else could. That was our trade off, I got what he needed and he would do something for me, not that I really needed much from a stuck up person like him, but he always seemed to find something I needed. He looked cross for a second but continued.

"I was-"

"What do you want," I said, crossing my arms as I cut him off before he could go into his long reason for coming.

"I grace you with my presence yet you give me that attitude," he said, frustration in his voice.

"I think most would be revolted by your presence," I retorted.

"How dare you!" he raised his forearm.

"Oh no, the prince of the Spring Valley just threatened me," I scoffed. He opened his mouth to speak though nothing came out. "Out of things to say?" I asked.

He gritted his teeth, holding back whatever he wanted to say. "Anyway, I.."

"Just get to the point," I said.

"One of the town doctors requested dragonberries, you know, bright red, spiked leaves? Oh, and he also wanted some scale-charred bark. You know, burnt wood? I was hoping you were able to get them as both are not found in the kingdoms.

"Okay, you can stop taking like I'm stupid, I know what both of those are and there also happens to be and abundance of them near where I live," I said.

"Great! I'll meet you here tomorrow then?" Brendan said.

"Hold up, what do I get?" I didn't think there was anything I really needed.

"Oh, right, I won't turn you in," he said with a sickening grin.

"Turn me in? I didn't do anything!" I snapped back. It took a lot of restraint to not put him in a rather painful headlock.

"Apparently, you're a thieving bandit," he said, amused by my quick temper.

"I'm not a thieving bandit," I said. Then it hit me, the High Kingdom was angry at my escape. "The High Kingdom wants me on accusation of being a spy for the Spring Valley."

"I don't understand," he said. I almost laughed at his ignorance.

"Of course you wouldn't," I sighed. "Your little pea sized brain wouldn't be able to comprehend such matters."

"Why is the Spring Valley getting involved in your problems?" Brendan, Of all people, would have been the last person who needed to know about this, but if I was a spy for his kingdom, then he couldn't turn me in!

"I was in the High Kingdom the other day, just walking around. Anyway, someone dropped a crate behind me, I jumped and accidentally ran into some of the palace guards who accused me of being a spy so they locked me up and I escaped. End of story," I said.

Brendan looked like he was about to burst into laughter. "Are you serious? I mean, come on, you of all people go caught!" he said.

I glared at him but stayed on topic. "My point is, you can't turn me in because they are convinced I'm your kingdom's spy. Therefor, you'll need to find two other things to make the deal even," I said. Brendan scowled and looked at the ground.

"Wait, two things?" he asked.

"Yes, because I'm getting you two things," I said. He was really more of an idiot than I thought.

"Fine, what do you want!" his tone matched mine when he began the conversation a few minutes ago. Though he was a prince, I saw no reason not to teach him a few lessons here and there.

"I grace you with my presence and you give me that attitude!" I mock him. Brendan balled his hands into fists, restraining from lunging at me.

"Rude!" he yelled at me.

"How dare you," I continued to mock him.

"I am a prince!" he yelled.

"Yet you don't act like one. A title doesn't make you a prince you know," I smirked.

Brendan was fuming and it was fun to watch the helpless prince struggle for words. "I'm warning you now, mock me again and I'll-"

"You'll what, lock me in a dungeon, have me executed, you know you need me to get things because of the promises you make to the people of the Spring Valley," I said.

"Fine, what do you want!" he yelled. I snickered at his face, red with anger and embarrassment.

"Well, you could learn to act more like a gentleman and less of an arrogant kid-" I started, exaggerating my motions of thinking, putting my finger to my chin and looking upward.

"I am not arrogant! I am a well-mannered prince!" he yelled.

"Says the guy with the biggest ego in a three hundred mile radius," I crossed my arms, leaning a bit to the left.

"I don't have an ago, I am going to be king someday, and-" he attempted to counter.

"Oh look, your mouth is just as big as well," I said. If I ever said he was full of himself, that would have been an understatement. I needed a more self-centered word that egotistical or narcissistic to describe someone like Brendan.

"Alright! I'll work on my ego! What else do you want!" he said.

I felt Gillorn's reigns in my hands. I loved that horse so much but if I came home with a horse, my mother would get suspicious. Mentally sighing in defeat, I had to think of something else. "You could get me a bow and quiver of arrows from the palace. I've always wanted to take up archery," I said. When I was young, I'd watch at the edge of the hills while the royal guards trained. I'd watch them shoot arrows, into the center of targets with perfect aim. I had always pictured myself being able to do it from the trees.

"Okay, if that's what you want, I'll be back tomorrow with a deflated ego and bow and arrows and you'll be here with dragonberries and scale-charred bark," he said.

I nodded my head in agreement before he turned around to mount his horse. I smoothed out Gillorn's mane and whispered a goodbye to him, even though he couldn't talk. Knowing he'd be back at the tree tomorrow, I didn't feel too bad when I handed the reigns to Brendan and watched them disappear beyond the hills. I was skeptical about his promise to humble himself a little but I had other things to do, mainly get the berries and wood by tomorrow. I thought about dragging Ananta out to help me and started down the path back home.