Alynna's head grew wary and heavy as she traveled on her fair white stead. Her long fiery hair blew in the wind, making her pointed elf ears stand out. The night was falling on the long and narrowing Valorian road she was on. It was a useless journey, Alynna scorned to herself as she got off her horse.

The purpose of the journey was to make the kingdom leaders come to some sense and agreement, for them to rejoice as they did in the golden ages when everyone was one and didn't have separate names. Nobody was the same after the split. Everyone was scared. Even the most powerful leaders.

She tugged on her beautiful white mare to some clearing under some trees and let go of the reigns.

"I must be crazy." Alynna whispered more to her horse than to herself. She talked to her mare often as any devoted rider would and it would always seem to understand.

Anna set camp there for the night keeping a low profile as all odds could allow. As she sat there in front of a dim campfire, she started to fondle the silver engraved locket around her neck which she almost kept hidden underneath her clothes close to her heart.

Her great-grandmother was a fine woman, Alynna remembered when she was young. And strangely, she had died a sudden death after falling ill. It seemed to Alynna that a sickness ran in the family. She knew that her ancestors, especially of the females had died of this sickness. It started to happen right after the Split. Soon Alynna would be facing this perilous trouble but now it was affecting Meriele Enroris, Alynna's beloved mother. This is why Alynna was on her way back to Darmasthea. Back to her home kingdom. The place she grew up in.

Unexpectedly her eyes became glassy as tears started to brim up. She closed them and let them drip. She had failed them all in a way. She couldn't make the kingdom leaders come to an agreement. By the end of this journey, she was hoping for them to reunite and that clearly was not going to happen. Alynna, the daughter of the grand advisor to the king of Darmasthea, she thought to herself slowly.

Before she knew it, her horse's head met hers in a very comforting way "Oh, Shadow, my love" she muttered stroking her mare "I'm okay. I'm fine.. really, I am."

Shadow was such an odd name for a white beauty of a mare, others thought. But Alynna named her horse that name because her mare was different and very peculiar. When of all names, Alynna had tried calling, Shadow was the name her horse had neighed fondly too. So Shadow it was.

"Let's get some rest, yeah?" She asked Shadow staring into her lovely brown eyes. "We ride first thing tomorrow."

* * * *

When day dawned the next day, Alynna set off again on her way. It was a long and tiring ride, and she stopped time to time for Shadow to rest itself. Before long they had reached the entry gates of Darmasthea's kingdom walls.

The night was pitch black and the only thing keeping from blinding her, were the fire torch lights etched in the gates. The gates were wooden and fairly tall with large pointy spikes. Its large shadow cast itself on the ground making everything even more darker.

Alynna ushered her noble stead to walk a bit more closer to the gates-man. He was in charge of whoever entered the kingdom of Darmasthea.

"It's Alynna" she said for a bit. Her voice was slightly coarse from the day's sun and longing for water and shelter "Alynna Enroris" she said when she had cleared her throat.

Everyone knew Alynna in the kingdom. She had lived here for 28 years. And she knew almost everyone except the travelers that wondered in an out of the kingdom.

"Miss. Enroris, ma'am." The gates-man spoke as he tipped his hat. "Everything go as you expected it would?"

Alynna shook her head silently, not wanting to talk to anyone about what had happened. Not yet anyway. Everyone knew what she had set out to do. And of course no one expected any positive outcome.

Alynna had at least raised her hopes and she hated herself because she always did that only to get disappointed later on. For a while the gates-man saw her despair and hesitated no more to open the gates. Once they were open, Alynna made a little noise and tugged on Shadow's reigns to start walking again

"Only a bit more to go, Shadow." She whispered stroking her horse's hair. "That's a good girl."

The city of Darmasthea had shadows falling everywhere. It was quiet... There was only the sounds of a slight footsteps and murmur in houses which still remain lit behind the windows.

Alynna had a sense of someone watching her as she rode her stead on the streets. Her senses had risen and she could hear close footsteps along with her horse's gallops. She had never liked the dark. She had feared it but she had grown to it. It was never her choice if she was being honest. Keeping her ears open as well as her eyes, she rode.

Darmasthea was a good place. It was the only place she actually felt she belonged. She knew the people here and the people knew her. If someone was following her, she had no reason to be afraid.. had she? In any case, she would never let her guard fall.

There was still that sense of uneasiness against her. It's alright, she kept telling herself. But why did she feel like she was being watched? She looked over her shoulder not wanting to take in the suspense any more longer. She was tired and had, had a long and rough journey. Yet, she saw nothing and no-one.

She got off Shadow. Her horse needed a rest and the way back to the castle wasn't that far ahead. She was part royalty hence the reason she lived in the East wing of the Castle territories. She took in a deep breathe and made herself forget about her uneasiness. It was probably nothing. It was then when Shadow neighed. It was very unexpected.

Alynna tried to sooth her horse and managed to after a while "What's troubling you, girl?" she asked Shadow as she looked around herself "I don't like the dark as much as you do. Let's get a move on" she whispered, moving her horse forward. She started to walk again.

There, she said cautiously as she saw a figure in the background from the corner of her eye. She suddenly stopped and moved her hand to grab hold of her sword.

"If you think, sneaking up on young lady in the midst of the night is in your books as an alright manner, then you might want to think again." She said bitterly. It was a white masked figure and she wondered what he wanted of her. Was he new in town? Yes, he might just well be.

"Have you seen this person?" A man called.

Alynna turned herself around to look at the poster, the man held. He was a bounty hunter, she thought "Depends on why you're looking for them" she said coolly. The light was very dim and she couldn't make out the figure in the paper, though she thought she might know who he was.

"They are wanted by the kingdom of Ragadon. Dead or alive" he said in a professional sounding tone.

Alynna sighed "No, I haven't seen them" Alynna replied promptly. And even if she did, she wasn't going to tip them in. Bounty hunters were no friends of hers. Especially the killers. They were scum to her.

"Thanks anyways" he stuffed the poster back into his cloak and then looked back at her. He stared at her quite momentarily. "Where's the nearest tavern, or rather inn?"

"There's a tavern around that corner" Alynna answered, taking her hand off her sword to show the stranger the direction.

The man looked in that direction and then back at her. Alynna couldn't see his eyes but she could tell he was staring at her.

"Know anybody who would know where they are?" He asked slowly. "They.. They are wanted for murder"

Murder? Alynna thought to herself warily. What had Liam done now? Alynna kept her face as neutral as possible "I wouldn't know" she said gathering her thoughts "You are the bounty hunter.. So why don't you find out?"

She exhaled silently and cleared her mind. Alynna knew Liam Barren only very slightly. She had seen him around the castle and in Darmasthea just a few times. But that was enough for her to judge that he wouldn't hurt a fly... She hoped she was right. Her senses had never failed her before.

"That's what I'm trying to do" He said sharply. "Getting information is what I'm doing right now." Alynna could tell he was getting mildly irritated. "If you do get wind of information would you tell me?"

"I shall send it your way." Alynna lied. If she did get wind of this information, a bounty hunter would be the least person she would tell it to. She turned her back and ushered Shadow to move ahead kindly.

Authors Notes:

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