My stomach falls as the Pegasus leaps up into the air and the chilly winter breeze flows past my face through my hair. I can't help but enjoy the feeling of riding a horse again, but this time a flying one. I ignore where we are going for now and I try to use the scenery to help calm my nerves.

I hope my father is okay, though. I never saw him, not even once. During an attack like that, it was unexpected for him to not be anywhere. That just shows me how that attack was sudden enough that it even threw my father off guard.

I push those thoughts away. There's nothing I can do about it anyway. I just trust he is fine somewhere and maybe I will see him again.

Maybe he saw these Knights take me to safety and he knows they must be taking me to the Castle. So, he will know where to go to find me.

"Are you sure the Princess will allow her to be a Knight?" The blond Knight asks.

Ophelia looks over her shoulder towards her for a moment before turning back, "No. But we will just have to explain to her what happened,"

Princess? So, there is no King?

Well, what if the Princess won't accept me? What will happen to me? If she asks of my parents, then I have nothing to tell her. Where will I go?

There I go again, worrying about the thing I just told myself not to worry about. Why can't I just be older already. Then I could have possibly went with them at the start and this wouldn't be an issue.

"I hope the Princess let's her in," The quieter green-headed one says softly.

"Yeah, me too," The blond one says.

"Alright girls," Ophelia begins. She looks around below us like she is scanning for something, "The Princess said to scan this area and report back to her,"

She raises her hand and points to the left, "Daph, you check that way,"

"Understood," Daph says and she starts to glide in that direction, breaking away from us.

Ophelia then points to the right, "That way is for you, Monika,"

"I'm on it," Then she drifts away towards the right side.

So, her name is Monika. I guess soon I will learn what Daph is short for.

Ophelia swoops closer to the ground in front of us, scanning the area more closely. I look around as well and I notice this is the countryside that is not that far from my village or the Castle. I wonder what the Princess has her Knights scanning for. Everything around here looks to be okay.

Maybe she is having them scan the status of her Kingdom which is how they found my village in ruins. Maybe they are scanning for anything like that to report to the Princess.

We fly slowly around as Ophelia looks back and forth, sometimes looking in one area for longer than others. The only thing we see are quiet forests and one village smaller than my own quietly nestled within the forest peacefully. After a short while, Daph swoops in near us. Ophelia slightly looks in her direction, probably waiting for her report.

"The west quadrant is clear and secure, Captain," Daph says gently.

Captain?

"Very good," Ophelia responds casually while continue to scan around below us, "Everything looks clear here as well,"

Another moment passes, and Monika then swoops in from the other side, her long hair flying in her face as she slows to a hover. She pushes her hair aside, "East quadrant is a positive, Captain," She says with enthusiasm while giving Ophelia a salute with her hand.

Ophelia nods, "Alright, let's report back to the Princess,"

She pauses for a moment as we take off high into the sky, my body not yet used to the sudden take offs, "We have quite a lot to report than I originally thought," She adds quietly as we reach the pinnacle of our height before leveling off.

I am unsure if I should say something or not, so I just stay silent, still shook up from earlier, unsure if I am happy that I am finally leaving the village or not. This is not how I wanted to leave the village.

Without Papa's permission.

The Castle comes up to view very soon after, and I continue to watch it grow nearer by the second. It was not my choice, Papa. Please be safe.

"Don't worry, the Princess is kind,"

Ophelia's words reach me suddenly and when I look up at her, she is slightly looking back at me. I realize I am shaking and she has noticed. I just look back at her and nod, still unsure of what to say.

"I—I hope so," I manage to say quietly, and she nods to me in return, giving me a soft smile.

Ophelia leads us over the entrance to the Castle and I get a bird's eye view briefly before we descend. The Castle is huge with 4 sections inside the courtyard in the center within the walls connected by 4 large watch towers with pointed red tops. All of the bricks are shiny black and the bricks that make the walkways on the ground are a light gray.

In all four sections of the courtyard, I see knights training. So many knights.

I feel something inside and for a short moment, I swiftly strain my eyes and search around the courtyard at each and every knight. Maybe Cain and Abel are down there.

Ophelia giggles at me slightly, "Those are the training grounds. Don't worry, we will show you around them soon,"

I hope very soon. I just hope the Princess will allow me to join. I have to find a way in there to look for them...

My view inside the Castle drops as we descend into another section where many Pegasus Knights are. Many of them turn and wave at us as we land gently nearby, "Welcome back, Captain,"

When their eyes land on me they look back in surprise, "O—Oh, who's the newcomer, Captain?"

Ophelia slides off the back of her Pegasus swiftly, "Where's the Princess,"

They gesture behind them towards the large mid-section between two of the towers and Ophelia nods before waving me to get down and follow her. Daph and Monika are already by her side and they are starting to head towards where the Princess is.

I awkwardly get down from the back of the Pegasus and almost slide off onto my face. The green-eyed Pegasus looks down at me gently and I smile back at it for a short moment, hesitating to reach up to pet her mane.

"Hurry,"

"O—Oh, uh, sorry!"

I turn away from the Pegasus and swiftly catch up to the three Knights, their black, green and blond hair contrasting well with the angle of the sun at this time of year.

The type of clothing I am wearing must look strange to everyone else as I stroll behind the three Knights in front of me. The Castle slowly looms above me as we enter the underpass where the courtyard turns into hallways and corridors that link to large open rooms.

As the beautiful lady who appears to be the Princess fades in before me, my stomach lumps in my throat as the Knights swiftly walk towards her. She has beautiful golden flowing hair that curls near the ends and gently falls around her waist. She wears a gown of ivory, a smooth velvet white color. A white-trimmed lance with a golden hilt rests near her throne.

She sees us approach and her eyes land on me. My breath catches in my throat and a battle between my stomach and my lungs as they both try to occupy that area at the same time. I feel suddenly nervous as she studies me gently.

All three Knights stop before her and each one bows. After a short moment, I notice and swiftly bow too right as they each rise again. When I raise myself back up and catch her gaze once again, her smile has increased a bit as she stands up from her throne.

"My Princess, we return with our report," Ophelia begins as she takes a step forward away from the rest of us.

The Princess nods and patiently waits for her to speak. This is when I look away from her for a moment and notice someone else sitting beside her in his own throne. Is there a Prince too?

"The southern Grasslands are clear and secure. Each fort is quiet and calm while all the villages are peaceful,"

I am sure she is getting to my village that was the opposite of that...

The Princess nods while keeping her gaze on Ophelia, but I am sure she is waiting for the part that says why I am here, "Good work, Captain,"

Ophelia bows slightly, "Thank you, your Majesty,"

She then turns slightly to me and waves for me to step forward, "After scanning further south in the Southern Grasslands, we came across Portia Village where we found... this girl,"

I assume that is my cue to step forward and stand tall before the Princess. She steps closer to me and I see the Prince stand as well beside her. This makes me nervous as I stand there, not moving my gaze away from hers.

She smiles gently at me as Ophelia continues, "Her village was being rampaged by Rhea ruffians and the village was destroyed when we arrived. No survivors were in sight except her and she begged us to come with us. We could not just leave her there, my Princess, so we brought her here to see you,"

The smile on the Princess's lips falls slightly as she studies me, "No survivors?"

My heart thrums in my chest as the Princess begins to glide towards me down the small set of stairs leading up to the thrones, gracefully and with perfection. This is when her eyes become clear to me. Her crystal clear green eyes watch me as she moves closer to me.

When she is a few steps away from me, she stops and studies me, "What is your name, young one?"

The way she looks at me makes me feel like she knows me already. But why is she asking me for my name?

"K—Katarina..."

She watches me carefully as she cocks her head slightly to the side, "Do you wish to become one of my Pegasus Knights, Katarina?"

The Prince steps forward behind her, "Sister dear! You have not even asked for her age yet! How do you know if she meets the qualifications?"

My hope falls as the Prince's words reach my ears. His voice is young, deep and stern. Does he not like me already?

The Princess's brows rise slightly, and her mouth opens a bit like the thought of asking for my age escaped her, "O—Oh, yes. But please be a bit more gentle, brother,"

She moves her gaze back to mine, something appearing in her eyes. Now I know the question is approaching and the moment of truth draws very near by each passing second forcing anxiety to take me over. Is this what my father meant when he said to me I am too young? Is this where Cain and Abel were going after all?

Before the Princess asks, she turns to her knights, "Did you not ask of her for her name and age before you brought her here?"

"O—Oh, no, no I did not, my Princess... my apologies," Ophelia seems a bit lost for words as I hear her stutter behind me.

The Princess just turns her gaze back to me, no judgment or annoyance in her eyes at all as she looks upon me, "Now please, young one, tell me your age,"

I stay silent for a moment, fighting the feelings emerging within as I try to find the courage to answer her. What if she rejects me when I tell her? What will I do then? I will then have to tell her I have no home to go to. I basically have to stay here and do something.

I just push aside the feelings and ignore everything rushing through my head, "I'm fifteen, your Majesty,"

To my surprise, the Princess does not respond angrily. I expect her to command her Knights to take me away. I expect to be banished to my home that no longer exists.

But she does not.

"Welcome to my Pegasus Knights, Katarina,"