(Autumn, three months after Corin left for battle)

I sat on my swing next to the koi fish pond in my private garden, a history book in my laps with older scrolls littering the floor. I was expected to remember the Nightshade family's history after all. My velvet dark green dress was full of ink stains and mud streaks across the folds of the fabric. My governess, Madam Arvastan, and my ladies-in-waiting, Lady Deranthil and Lady Lowdenhall, would surely gasp and faint over the stains. I giggled softly, picturing their horrified face. I hummed a small lullaby that my mother used to sing to me, while flipping through the book. My boots were also dirty: the tips were caked with mud. I guess this is what happens when you run around the park to warm up for archery training.

Suddenly a page came over, carrying a letter: it was my personal page Farren, a boy barely eight years old. His peasant parents died in an accident six years ago; the mill where they worked caught fire and when they attempted to rescue everyone, they both perished amidst the flames. I saw his alarmed face, sweat beading his brow. I looked at him, curious and slightly worried.

"Princess," he panted. "A man from the army came over to give you this. He said its from a certain Amari."

"Amari? You mean Avery?" I took the letter, suddenly not feeling to well. Something felt off; it was as if danger was looming overhead.

"Yes, that's it. Avery."

I opened it; the letter was sealed with wax, but their was no seal. It was just hastily pressed with a circular object. The message was short.

Princess Amelia,

Corin is injured. We do not know if it is very sever, but he lost a lot of blood. Fallen into a coma. So I guess it's sever. I thought you needed to know that. We lost many men, casualties high. The Bavira Kingdom is fierce. Corin keeps shouting your name.

General Avery

I froze, my eyes wide as I looked at the scrap of paper with a horrified expression. Every word were written quickly. The hasty scrawl was barely visible as I suddenly tilted sideways. My vision swam. The paper slipped from my hands and fell on the ground with a soft flutter. I was vaguely aware that I hit the ground with a thud, not feeling the pain. The last thing I remembered was Farren screaming "Princess!" as I slid into the darkness.

❈❈❈

I woke up, the light temporarily blinding me. Everything was blurry. I sat up, dazed, my head throbbing, until I remembered the message. My fingers scrabbled at the blankets and silken bedsheets; I needed to get out of bed, take a horse and ride to the battlefield right now. Hands pressed me down. I looked up, my eyes wide, breathing hard. Lady Deranthil was holding me, her slender hands surprisingly strong.

"Get off me!" I shrieked and fighting back, despite the pain in my head. "I need to go!"

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere," said Madam Arvastan, coming towards my bed, a damp cloth in her hands. "You fell from your swing. It was Farren that came to us."

I pushed Lady Deranthil away.

"Madam, you don't understand! Corin is in danger!" I made another attempt at getting off the bed, and this time, I succeeded.

I was in a nightdress, and the sun was still shining brightly through the windows. That means I was out cold for at least an hour or so, if the maids had time to change me. I rushed to the wardrobe, despite Madam and the ladies' cries and locked the door. That should by me sometime for a discreet exit. Luckily, one of my maids Srilith was there, collecting the dirty clothes.

"Srilith, please, dress me quickly in travelling clothes! I'm going riding, and it is very urgent!" I glanced back at the big doors as the women in the other room pummeled the door. "Please, hurry!"

Srilith was used to my escapes and weird antics, so she said nothing as she dressed me in my silverlined black leathers and high laced boots. I gave her a wave, threw on my black velvet cloak, attached my weapon belt that I stashed in my chest, slid a few daggers and hunting knives in the concealed pockets of my outfit, took my bow and quiver full of arrows, grabbed my satchel full of food and clothes in case I needed to escape snobby nobles, and ran to the window. I opened it and jumped it. When I was outside in the royal gardens, guards saw me, and unfortunately, so did Madam from my bedroom window.

"Catch her, guards! Don't let her get away! She must rest!" Madam Arvastan screamed.

The guards immediately came running after me. Crud. They were bigger, and faster than me, I would not outrun them here. I need to go in the palace so I can hide among the nobles and visitors. I veered left, towards the big doors leading for the Big Hall. I pushed past nobles and advisors as they headed towards the throne room for a big meeting with my mother. They were going to talk about the treaty with Bavira Kingdom, so the war on the borders could cease. I turned, and saw that the guards were still on my tail, a dozen of meters away, their boots thundering on the marble floor. I hissed. Then I collided against a muscled chest. I cursed and looked up, ready to apologize. Then I let out a sigh of relief when I saw a familiar face.

"Amelia?"

"Yebänn! Thank the Skies you're here!" I spoke, out of breath. "Get me to the stables, now! The guards are after me!" I turned again.

They were closing in.

Ten meters.

Five meters.

Three...

Yebänn yanked me back when the closest guard lunged. The poor man only managed to grab the air. The prince then dragged me into a run again, and I struggled to catch up, already tired. When we reached the Western Courtyard where the stables of the best horses were, one guard finally grabbed me and pinned my arms against my back. I fought and stomped onto his foot hard, but the other guards were now all around me. Yebänn saw my panicked face and sighed. He was the Crown Prince of Bavira Kingdom, and supposed to be in the throne room with his father, but he still jumped into action and attacked the guards. Which you shouldn't be doing if your royal parents were signing a treaty. But whatever. I needed to get out of here. Corin could be dying right now, I wouldn't be beside him. I let a trickle of my horrifying power freeze the man holding me, while Yebänn kicked and punched nearby guards.

We finally managed to break free and saddled on our horses immediately. I rode my black stallion Mislith while Yebänn rode his amber coated stallion called Gundrë. We burst through the gates as guards were closing them as a carriage passed through for the meeting. Our horses whinnied and charged, faster than the sound. Yes!

We were now through the main gates of the palace. The Western Gate led to vast green plains of daisies and marigold surrounded by distant mountains, but it was also the quickest route to the border. We rode through the plains, the wind caressing our face and ruffling our hair. After the palace was just a speck in the distance, he finally spoke up.

"What was all that about?"

"Well...I was supposed to be resting because I apparently fainted and bumped my head pretty hard."

"You-what? Faint?" He snorted with laughter. "I've never seen you faint before like those weak damsels in distress."

"Hey! It was because one of my friends suffered a critical wound! I panicked and..." My voice faded.

"Well, where are we going now?" He asked, his eyebrows raised. "I'm going to miss the meeting to come with you, I also might ruin the treaty by attacking your guards and suffer a beating from my father, so I need a good reason to go through all that."

"It is General Corin, he suffered a wound and is in a coma. I worry, so we're going to the battlefields."

He paused. Then he started laughing uncontrollably.

"Oh gods I'm going to be in so much more trouble," he said, chuckling, calming down.

"Why?" I asked him.

"I'm going to the Ardwanian side of the battlefield." He sighed as I stared at him blankly. "For Skies' sake Amelia! Open your eyes! I'm a Baviran prince, and the Crown Prince no less! We can cause a massive war! The Ardwanian soldiers would think it is an invasion!"

"Oh."

"And I can't leave you alone, because it is dangerous!" He quickly glanced at me as I opened my mouth to protest. "I also know you can fend for yourself, but I would worry!" 

Author's note:

Sorry guys, this chapter was a bit short. I have big exams coming, so I won't have time to write much. Fingers crossed that I get a good grade. I hope you guys are having a better week than me. Revisions, homework, exams, classes; my life in a nutshell.

Aira N.