A/N: READ THIS, IT'S IMPORTANT!!! Hi, I'm not gonna beat around the bush,
don't expect updates very often on this. Here's the situation: my parents
are divorced, and I keep my usual fanfics on my mom's computer. This fic is
on my dad's. I don't like splitting up my chapters, so I only write this
fic at my dad's house, and the usual fic at my mom's. Also, a principle of
mine is that I only write one fic at a time, that way I don't forget any of
them. I am bending this principle because I really like this fic and I
think it'll be a good challenge for me to write. Finally, the reason you
shouldn't expect constant updates is that I'm only over my dad's house
every other weekend and Thursday. But, all conditions aside, enjoy, I think
this fic is gonna be a good experience for you all and me alike.
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The golden sun shone down on the gargantuan collection of people as the royal procession made its way down the roads of the kingdom. Flags of all types flew proudly in the wind, displaying the colors of the Kingdom, purple and silver. The great and elaborate chariot was festooned with ribbons and flowers of all colors; the team of white horses shook the garlands of flowers around their necks as the pulled the chariot. This all made a beautiful kaleidoscope of color for the people of the Kingdom to behold.
Unfortunately, the one for whom this spectacle was conceived could not enjoy it. Her infant eyes were hardly able to make out the faces of her own parents, King Paris and Queen Sunyoo. The Queen held Princess Linnet close, out of the noise and heat of the procession.
"This can't be healthy for a newborn child," grumbled the king, peeking out from under the awning over the chariot at the harsh sun.
"I know, darling," replied the queen, "But Chancellor Crane said that it was right for the kingdom to see its new princess and future ruler. And look how happy it makes them to see us. They can't accuse the Royal House of not caring for the citizens now." Queen Sunyoo gently lifted a ruffle of cloth from her daughter's face.
"I suppose that's true," King Paris consented, "But I still think it is ridiculous to be parading about the land."
"I agree," said the queen, "Especially while that young new captain Prince Burke is in the middle of the uprising trouble in the West. He may not be of the Kingdom, but he cares for it as much as if he was born here. At least, that's what I've been told. We should be back at the castle, planning supplies to send and overseeing the training of new troops." All the monarchs could do was sigh and continue waving to the throngs of subjects below them. Linnet began to cry.
The princess lifted her bow, the arrow knocked in one fluid motion. She narrowed her dark brown eyes along the shaft, taking careful aim of the target thirty feet away. Pulling back the string with her fore and middle finger, she took a sharp inward breath, and released the arrow. It sliced through the air and neatly slammed into the target, two inches left from the center.
"Whew," cried Taren, standing to the right of Linnet, "I swear, you're taking to the bow like a fish to water!" She smiled at his praise and cocked her head at the target. Her black braid fell over her shoulder.
"Not really," she replied, "I'm still shooting crooked. If that was an enemy, I would've only nicked his ear." She pursed her lips and shook her head as she walked toward the target to grab the arrow. Taren followed her. The girl's foot caught on the edge of her linen gown as she walked, and she dropped to her knees. Taren dashed to her side and helped her up.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his green eyes filled with worry.
"Yes, yes, Taren. Fine," she replied as she climbed back up to her feet, "Oh, to have a good pair of trousers like you to wear when I'm shooting, not this damned dress- Oh no!" she lifted the front of the skirt up, "Perfect, grass stains. And mud to top it off, Father's going to be furious if he finds out that I was in the woods. He's far too protective of me as it is. He'd think a leaf would attack me if it got the chance!"
"We'd better get you back inside then, and fast. Don't you fret however, my dear," he smiled happily at Linnet, "I happen to know the perfect way to get back into the castle without a soul to know except the servants, who I don't think truly mind if some dirt covered girl uses the way." Linnet beamed back and threw her arms around Taren's neck.
"Yes, thank you, Taren. That would be perfect," she released her friend, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the green trees.
They burst out into a small clearing and Taren led Linnet to a large oak in a corner of it. He then reached his hand into the aged bark of the tree and pulled on some invisible hatch hidden within. He gave it a swift yank and with a sullen creak, the bark pulled apart into a door. Linnet's eyes widened as she moved to enter the murky darkness of the passage.
"Wait a second, Princess," he said, "You can't just waltz into the servant's passage looking like a clumsy royal too busy worrying about her hair to notice where her feet were going." Linnet raised her eyebrows at the tall boy.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry then. You certainly can't be seen with any suitor-crazed royal. Of course." She turned her head away from Taren and crossed her arms over her chest, nose in the air indignantly. While she made her speech, Taren had leaned down and collected a handful of dirt and grass from around the tree's roots. This he then heaved onto Linnet's stainless back.
"Hey!" she cried angrily, and commenced attempting to brush off the dirt. She only succeeded in smearing it down her entire backside, "Why in the name of Hell itself did you do that?! Father will have my head for this and you know it! Are you purposefully trying to get me killed? I would certainly like to know! For all the times-"
"Linnet, please, shut up. I already told you that you couldn't just waltz in there looking like the princess. Now, take your hair out of that gilded thing and cover your face. I was hoping that maybe no one would recognize you if you kept your face out of view and were wearing something a little less royal. But, of course, you fly off the handle every time I try to help y-" Linnet covered his mouth with her hand and gave him a hard look.
"Taren, please, shut up. I see your plan, and you can spare me the lecture for once." She picked up the end of her braid and slipped off the jewel encrusted cylinder the held it together at the end. She handed it to Taren, who slipped it into the sack he wore around his waist, and unraveled her hair from the tight braid her maid, Tulsa, had done that morning. The black waves hid her face well; anyone would have to face her directly to see what she looked like. Taren leaned back to get a look at Linnet.
"Yes, yes," he said, walking around her to observe their work, "All right, this will work. Good." Linnet lifted her face to glare at him.
"Can we just go now? I'll be late, which will seem even more suspicious than being dirty to Father. Being late means I could have been ANYWHERE."
"Put your head down, I can see your face," was his reply, which only deepened Linnet's frown, "Come on, Princess," he threw his arm around the sullied sovereign and led her to the dark passage in the tree.
They were plunged into darkness as they entered the passage, and the old, organic smell of the oak filled their nostrils.
"What is this place exactly?" asked Linnet as she stumbled along the steep, over-used steps as Taren led her down into the earth.
"I already told you, Linn," he replied, "The servants use it. Especially when they take a little break at night. It's superb to use when you come back from one of the villages and prefer the knowledge that you were gone not to be made public, if you know what I mean."
"I always know what you mean, Taren." She said matter-of-factly.
"True, hmm."
"Do you ever use it for that purpose?" she pried mischievously.
"On occasions, which have nothing to do with you, Princess." She scowled. She hated it when he called her by rank, as she hated every tiny etiquette-involved detail of her life. Her only pleasure came from being out of the castle, usually without permission, wandering around with Taren.
"We're here," he said as he led Linnet down the last few steps of the passage.
In front of them was a worn, plain door that all but disappeared against the brown of the dirt wall around it. Taren turned the handle on the door and opened it. Linnet was surprised to see how easily the door turned on its hinges, she had expected a horrible squeal from it as it opened. On the other side of the door was a storeroom. Piles of canvas bags of preserved fruit and grains lay bunched against the dirt walls.
"This is an emergency storeroom. In case of drought or war or some other crisis at the castle. These will keep you fed for however long it lasts." They walked to the end of the room where another door stood. This one was more elaborate, the honey-colored wood polished and the hinges and handle oiled. Taren turned the handle and pulled on the door. He muttered something and pulled again. It didn't move.
"What's wrong?" asked Linnet, leaning over to watch his struggle.
"Stuck or something." he grunted. Linnet just rolled her eyes at him and pushed him out of the way.
"This is something I'm good at," she said as she readied herself to boot the door open.
"No!" cried Taren as she lifted her leg and delivered a resounding kick to the door. A splintering snap of wood rang out and the door swung open, revealing the empty halls of the castle. Linnet smiled happily and sauntered out the door.
"You idiot!" shouted Taren.
"What was that, Taren?" replied Linnet with an innocent look on her face, she began to walk down the hall. Taren dashed after her.
"What if someone was here? What do you think they'd have done if they saw you and I come bashing through the emergency EMERGENCY storeroom? That room is forbidden! I'll tell you what would happen: I would be kicked out of the castle, and you would be locked into your room until you didn't have your own teeth to chew that emergency food with!"
"But, you forget, my dear friend," retorted Linnet serenely, "No one was there. So, it is pointless to argue something that's already happened, yes? Now, let us hasten back to my rooms and get me outta this awful dress before Father finds us." She broke into a run that left Taren with a broad scowl on his face and his sandy hair hanging over his green eyes.
"You know you sound more like him HIM everyday!" he shouted at her retreating, mud-streaked back.
Linnet raced down the different corridors of the complex castle. She passed the elegant murals of her parents and her and of the gods. She abruptly stopped at one of them. It portrayed two girls, a little younger than Linnet, standing in front of two goddesses. The girls were exactly alike, except that one of them was wearing a strange, purple shirt that wasthat's sleeves were cut only a few inches from her shoulder. She was also wearing strange trousers made of some rough, blue material, her white shoes were made of some kind of rubber and decorated with strips of red and black. The other girl wore a lovely gown of rosy pink, embroidered with gems. Around the strangely dressed girl was an aura of purple magic with silver sparkles, while the other's was pink with golden sparkles. These auras reflected those of the goddesses behind the two girls. They were the goddesses Malena and Adainea. Malena stood behind the oddly dressed girl, and Adainea behind the other. Both goddesses looked alike, and were dressed alike, except that Malena's dress was all the colors of a night sky, while Adainea's was that of a beautiful sunrise. Both goddesses had a delicate hand draped over the shoulder of their protected girl. All appeared happy and triumphant, which made Linnet smile. This was the portrait of the heroes, Toria and Vic, just after their victory against the Darkness. Linnet knew the story well. She remembered her mother reading it to her as a young child. However, she knew she couldn't stop too long and admire it, so she continued her mad dash down the castle halls.
Finally reaching the large dark-colored wooden doors of her quarters she yanked them open and shot into the room. Her father had left her to write poetry for the morning, and she knew that two hours of complete silence from her would be too suspicious for comfort for her father. She scribbled something about the rising sun's glorious beauty, and then leaned back in her chair, faking reflective relaxation to the best of her slightly breathless ability.
"Linnet, you've been quiet as a mouse," said her father from the doorway. Linnet turned and smiled sweetly at the elderly king. He was in good shape for his age; he strode across his daughter's room with his head held high, blue eyes flashing.
"Simply pondering all of the beauty of the Kingdom, Father," Linnet replied. King Paris leaned against the carved wood desk and scanned the sheet of Linnet's poetry.
"Well, darling, I would have expected better from a creative soul such as yourself." He gave a disappointed sigh that he assumed made Linnet feel guilty. It didn't.
"Oh, Father," was all she replied. He stood up from the desk abruptly.
"No matter, my love, I have something for you," he took her hand and led her out of her chambers. Linnet groaned inwardly, knowing having a fair guess as to what lay ahead.
"Turn," said the royal tailor flatly. Linnet sullenly shifted to her left in the tower of pink silk and lace that was supposed to be her new evening dress. Her mind cried Why me, oh god of gods!? She had either been standing on the small, upraised platform while the tailor stuck pins in the horrible dress, or turning when instructed, for over an hour.
"Your Majesty," the tailor sighed, "This dress is not fit for your daughter. You and I both can plainly see that this dress is. - well, to be truthful, in rather dire taste. Not that a person of your esteemed status has bad taste, but I'm sure that while going about your highly significant duties, you haven't been able to keep up with the latest stylesfashions. Please, your Highness, if you would allow me to try out some of my more simple styles, I'm sure your lovely daughter would be simply stunning tonight." Linnet smiled at the tailor's handsome attempt to have his own way with the dress. She looked at her father imploringly.
"No, I don't believe so, sir tailor," replied the king with a regal wave of his hand, "This is a very special banquet that deserves a very special dress. And might I add that I know for certain that there are an uncountable number of other tailors who would be more than happy to complete this dress for their king's only child and the heir apparent to the esteemed throne." King Paris folded his arms across his muscular chest and looked down at the crestfallen young tailor.
"Yes, your Highness," he said, sounding more depressed than ever, "This dress will be done for the banquet this evening, no trouble." Linnet lowered her head in sorrow. Not only because of the fact that she would have to wear the horrendous gown, but she could feel sharply the disappointment of the youthful tailor, so full of dreams and ideas. She was disgusted by her father's lordly behavior. She promised herself that when she ruled, she would never pull rank like that on anyone. She would be compassionate and never force her most talented subjects to ignore their gifts. Yes, Linnet had made many such promises to herself in her sheltered life.
"I must leave you, precious," said the king to Linnet, abruptly hoisting himself out of his reclined position against the doorframe upon which he'd been leaning. He kissed her on the cheek and left the room. Linnet sighed, her voice heavy with melancholy.
"I'm sorry about my father," Linnet said to the tailor, who was sitting on the floor, scribbling out numbers on a sheet of parchment, "He hardly ever acts like that. I want you to know that." The tailor just looked at her with dark green eyes.
"Really? He could have fooled me," he said before returning to his notes.
"You know," said Linnet, squinting at the tailor, "You look familiar. Do you have any family in the palace?" She lowered herself to a sitting position on the platform, no easy task in the dangerously confining dress.
"No one you would know."
"Ha," she replied, "You'd be surprised how far a princess can get around without one of these damned dresses suffocating her." The tailor looked up in surprise.
"I have a brother in the stables, Taren," he settled into a sitting position on the floor of the dressing room.
"Oh, of course, I know Taren. He's a dear friend of mine," the tailor gave Linnet a hard look.
"Why would you know my brother?" he said suspiciously. Linnet rolled her eyes at him.
"You don't seriously think I enjoy standing around in ugly gowns or knitting in my quarters, do you?"
"No," he saidanswered, somewhat bewildered, "apparently not."
"What is your name, tailor?" she arranged the fabric around her feet.
"Alexandro is my name, and I never thought I'd end up sticking pins into the princess for some betrothing banquet."
Linnet felt her throat spasm in shock, "Be-betrothingBe-BETROTHING banquet? Please, Alexandro, tell me I'm not the one being betrothed!" He cocked his head at the wide-eyed princess.
"No one told you?" he said, "How odd. I'm sorry, but yes, you are being betrothed." Linnet grabbed the tailor's shoulders in distress.
"To whoWHO?!"
"Prince Burke, who else? He's only the richest bachelor in all the land. He'd be perfect to beas king, he's already got our kingdom under his thumb the way they, or we, I should say, drool over him. Really, you ought to have been expecting this. Why, we haven't had a solitary queen as monarch for decades."
"He isn't going to be BE there, is he?" Linnet groaned audibly, "The rest of the kingdom may love him, but I could do far better without that ridiculous windbagif I never saw that ridiculous windbag again for the rest of my LIFE, it'd be too soon.! This is awful, Alexandro. No, more than that, terrible!"
"Calm down, Princess, he can't be that bad. I've heard all sorts of tales from the village about how brave his is and all of his great deeds."
"Those stories are all forged by creative storytellers who are bored with the Darkness legends," Linnet growled indignantly, "He's nothing but more than a figurehead to put on top of a white horse and ride into battle, he barely makes up his own battle plans. My horse HORSE could fight better than him!"
"Oh, I.. . . I didn't know," was all Alexandro replied. Linnet nodded.
"Of course you didn't know. You're what he's designed to fool, the people of the kingdomKingdom: trusting of anything and looking for a hero." Both oppressed young people bent their heads in despair. Linnet dwelt on her impending doom, and Alexandro on the fact that the great and courageous Prince Burke was nothing but a handsome face.
"I'd better finish that dress, so you can at least meet your doom looking reasonably good." He got to his feet, as did Linnet, and promptly began threading a new needle for the hems of the repulsive dress.
After much difficulty with the dress/cage, Linnet found herself sitting on yet another raised dais in a gilded throne next to her beaming father. To the right of him stood another empty throne, obviously for the prince. She envied her father; he looked extremely comfortable in a green velvet doublet and hose. She fidgeted in the pink dress. Her father leaned his head close to her.
"Oh, yes, before I forget," he said to her quietly, "This banquet is for your engagement to Prince Burke."
"ReallyREALLY," she replied, feigning surprise, "And why did you think you didn't need to ask my opinion on the rest of my life?"
"Oh, not right now, precious treasure, the festivities are beginning. I can't imagine what could be keeping Prince Burke for his own betrothing banquet." Linnet seethed at her father. Well, she thought, if he thinks I'm just going to go along with this cattle trade, he's dead wrong. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest tightly and scanned the banquet for escape routes. No, she was surrounded on all sides by the multitude of courtiers in their best, and most ridiculous in Linnet's opinion, clothes. They were mingling and gorging on the palace food laid out on a table that ran the length of the banquet hall. Colorful pennants fluttered in the slight breeze in the rafters of the open ceiling. Linnet wished whole- heartedly she could become the bird she was named after and shoot out through that ceiling, away from the awful fate that faced her.
"Linn," whispered a voice behind her. She turned quickly but covertly to find Taren in his servant uniform of purple and silver holding a serving tray of fruit.
"What are you doing here?" she cried as she snatched a strawberry.
"Better question: why didn't you tell me you were betrothed?" he glared at her. She glared right back.
"I didn't know myself, else wise don't you think I would've found a way out of it by now!?"
"Shhh, look, don't worry," he looked around nervously to see if anyone had spotted him conversing with the princess, "Prince Burke is," he paused, "Damn, I have to go or else I'll look suspicious." He turned to go.
"No, Taren, you can't leave me alone up here!" Linnet said frantically as the courtiers scrambled out of the way of the grand procession of chancellors, the political heads of the kingdom.
"I have to, Linnet. Don't worry, everything will be fine," she turned to ask Taren what on earth he was babbling about, but he had disappeared into the crowd, leaving her to face her fate. She gripped the carved arms of the throne and waited for the dreaded announcement.
The line of imperial men was dressed in full, chancellorhood regalia, the long robes embroidered with the insignias of the royal house and their prestigious rank. All were old men; some had been in office since before Linnet's birth, their faces wrinkled into impressive scowls. The man at the head of the line was Chancellor Crane, the most senior of all. Small, beady eyes stared down his long, straight nose at Linnet. His limp hair was pulled back. He held shakily a large scroll in front of him that Linnet was sure held her doom. Crane stopped before the dais and unrolled the scroll, holding it facing himself. He squinted at the scroll as if unable to read it. He cleared his throat to begin the announcement anyway.
"Prince Burke has been kidnapped," he said hesitantly. Linnet's heart flew, her mouth dropped in disbelief.
"What?!" cried the king, leaning forward in his throne while Linnet slumped against her throne in relief.
"I told you not to worry," Taren whispered behind her throne. Chancellor Crane cleared his throat again and continued to read.
"During a battle in the North, Prince Burke was seen driving a horde of stragglers into the trees of a wooded valley. After a short time, a scout was sent to search for our beloved prince, only to find." Crane swallowed, "Only to find our prince to have been carried off by the perpetrators." He lowered the scroll and looked sheepishly at the king, as if expecting punishment for reading the astounding announcement.
King Paris only slumped into his throne and placed his head in his hand, rubbing his temples and sighing.
Linnet could only concentrate on her breathing, trying to order her thoughts that had been blown apart and now whipped around her mind in frenzy. I'm free! her mind cried happily, but then, Who could have captured Prince Burke? These thoughts were Followed followed by, Who would want to? All Linnets' memories of past meetings with the renowned Prince Burke had been bad ones, ending in both parties insulted and furious. When Linnet looked at Burke's chiseled and handsome face, she saw a haughty and grievously spoiled royal who belonged courting other spoiled royal ladies, not parading as some noble war genius. And on the other hand, when Burke looked at Linnet's dark and keenintense features, he saw an over- opinionated tomboy, who was in desperate need of some manners and class. Overall, they both disgusted each the other equally, and hated the sight of each other.
"Well then," said her father finally, "we must send out a search party to scour the kingdom for Prince Burke." He took a regal pose on his throne, back straight against the hard throne and face solemn. Linnet tried to contain her elated laughter under a concerned mask. She impatiently waited for her dismissal from the great hall so she could celebrate her freedom with Taren.
She had a while to wait. By the time she reached her chamber door, she was limping and wheezing from the prison of a dress around her midsection. She weakly opened the door, it seemed much heavier than that morning, and shuffled to the center of her large bedchamber.
"Tulsa!" she cried feebly, "Help."
As if waiting for her mistress's howlmoan, the middle-aged maid appeared promptly from seemingly thin air and began to dismantle the evening gown.
"My, mistress," she said, her voice a mix of cheer and concern for Linnet, "Did your father pick this out?" Linnet's face crumpled in less thannot entirely faked half fake sobs.
"Ye-ye-yes. Get it off me!" Linnet sucked in an impressive amount of air as Tulsa finally slipped off the dress/cage, leaving the girl with her arms stuck not quite touching the sides of her silk under dress.
"There you are, miss," said Tulsa happily, dropping the horrific dress in disgust on a chair.
"Thank you," Linnet replied. She whipped around as the door creaked open.
"Linnet? You in here?" Taren called, his head searching turning owl-like to find his friend. That head flushed red when he caught sight of Linnet, standing in her under dress, waiting expectantly.
"Yeah, Taren," she said.
"Oh," he started, ducking out of the door. Linnet cocked her head and shoulders to see if he had left again, "I, uh, didn't now you weren't, uh, decent. I'll.I'll come back later."
Tulsa handed Linnet a linen sleeping dress with a knowing smile, which Linnet returned and slipped garment over her head. She walked to the door and looked outside to find Taren leaning against the wall, eyes looking toward the ceiling and face bright red. Linnet couldn't contain her amused smile.
"I'm, uh, decent," she said in a fake low voice.
"Don't you say a word," Taren replied grimly and followed her into her rooms.
"I met your brother today, Taren," she remarked as she walked into her room, "Why didn't you mention he was a tailor, or mention him at all?" She dropped into her desk chair and put her arm around its back in a relaxed posture, brown eyes searching Taren's face.
"Oh, I dunno," he replied, leaning against her bed, "Just didn't seem important, I guess." He suddenly slipped and fell to the stone floor, banging his head on the wooden foot of the bed. This sent Linnet into a torrent of giggles.
"Taren, you are a never ending source of amusement!" she cried as she helped him to his feet, Tulsa also chuckled from her place near the bed, mending a skirt, "Are you all right?" His face had gone ontranscended to a new plateau of red.
"Yeah, fine. However, I'm pretty sure my pride today had been shrunk to the size of a peanut. I think I'd better get to someplace where I can't injure others, especially you or myself. Good night, Tulsa," she waved him good nightthe same, "And good night, Princess." He dropped into a gallant bow and gave her hand a quick kiss before grandly sweeping out of the room. Linnet stood a moment, letting the strange tingling sensation leave her arm and feeling to return to her hand. She turned to Tulsa with a smile and dropped onto her bed with a sigh.
But she couldn't sleep. She thought she would pass out the moment she lay down, it had been such an eventful day, but she couldn't stop thinking about Prince Burke's kidnapping. She remembered the look of absolute despair that had glanced across Alexandro's face when she told him the truth about Burke. In her sheltered life at the castle, she never knew just how much the populace of the kingdom Kingdom looked up to him, as theretheir champion. What will happen now that he's gone, she wondered. Burke had led the King's Army against rebellious pockets in the northern mountains. Plotters against the crown enjoyed holing up in the many valleys and caves that made the northern mountains very treacherous to a large army. Many deaths could be explained away to hidden crevasses or angry bears, instead of enemy snipers picking off their numbers. Prince Burke, though it was really one of his sub-generals, devised a strategy to limit the stealthy attacks by breaking up a large contingent into smaller groups and sending them over the mountains. Now he's gone and got himself kidnapped, Linnet's mind griped, Though I don't quite understand why it hadn't happened earlier, I mean, he is a perfect candidate. She smiled in the dark at her joke. But the look on Alexandro's face again invaded her mind, sending a stab of guilt to her stomach. Arrogant dullard or not, he was still very important to the people of the Kingdom. Hell, he was NEEDED here, for morale in every city, village, or backwater grouping of mud huts in the region. Again her mind begged the question: What will happen now that he's gone?
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A/N: Don't expect the next chapters to be anywhere NEAR as long as this one. I started this fic a really long time ago, before I was even aware of ff.net's existence, just for fun. Anyway, I have to go eat dinner, so read and review please and just be patient on updates, okay?
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The golden sun shone down on the gargantuan collection of people as the royal procession made its way down the roads of the kingdom. Flags of all types flew proudly in the wind, displaying the colors of the Kingdom, purple and silver. The great and elaborate chariot was festooned with ribbons and flowers of all colors; the team of white horses shook the garlands of flowers around their necks as the pulled the chariot. This all made a beautiful kaleidoscope of color for the people of the Kingdom to behold.
Unfortunately, the one for whom this spectacle was conceived could not enjoy it. Her infant eyes were hardly able to make out the faces of her own parents, King Paris and Queen Sunyoo. The Queen held Princess Linnet close, out of the noise and heat of the procession.
"This can't be healthy for a newborn child," grumbled the king, peeking out from under the awning over the chariot at the harsh sun.
"I know, darling," replied the queen, "But Chancellor Crane said that it was right for the kingdom to see its new princess and future ruler. And look how happy it makes them to see us. They can't accuse the Royal House of not caring for the citizens now." Queen Sunyoo gently lifted a ruffle of cloth from her daughter's face.
"I suppose that's true," King Paris consented, "But I still think it is ridiculous to be parading about the land."
"I agree," said the queen, "Especially while that young new captain Prince Burke is in the middle of the uprising trouble in the West. He may not be of the Kingdom, but he cares for it as much as if he was born here. At least, that's what I've been told. We should be back at the castle, planning supplies to send and overseeing the training of new troops." All the monarchs could do was sigh and continue waving to the throngs of subjects below them. Linnet began to cry.
The princess lifted her bow, the arrow knocked in one fluid motion. She narrowed her dark brown eyes along the shaft, taking careful aim of the target thirty feet away. Pulling back the string with her fore and middle finger, she took a sharp inward breath, and released the arrow. It sliced through the air and neatly slammed into the target, two inches left from the center.
"Whew," cried Taren, standing to the right of Linnet, "I swear, you're taking to the bow like a fish to water!" She smiled at his praise and cocked her head at the target. Her black braid fell over her shoulder.
"Not really," she replied, "I'm still shooting crooked. If that was an enemy, I would've only nicked his ear." She pursed her lips and shook her head as she walked toward the target to grab the arrow. Taren followed her. The girl's foot caught on the edge of her linen gown as she walked, and she dropped to her knees. Taren dashed to her side and helped her up.
"Are you all right?" he asked, his green eyes filled with worry.
"Yes, yes, Taren. Fine," she replied as she climbed back up to her feet, "Oh, to have a good pair of trousers like you to wear when I'm shooting, not this damned dress- Oh no!" she lifted the front of the skirt up, "Perfect, grass stains. And mud to top it off, Father's going to be furious if he finds out that I was in the woods. He's far too protective of me as it is. He'd think a leaf would attack me if it got the chance!"
"We'd better get you back inside then, and fast. Don't you fret however, my dear," he smiled happily at Linnet, "I happen to know the perfect way to get back into the castle without a soul to know except the servants, who I don't think truly mind if some dirt covered girl uses the way." Linnet beamed back and threw her arms around Taren's neck.
"Yes, thank you, Taren. That would be perfect," she released her friend, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the green trees.
They burst out into a small clearing and Taren led Linnet to a large oak in a corner of it. He then reached his hand into the aged bark of the tree and pulled on some invisible hatch hidden within. He gave it a swift yank and with a sullen creak, the bark pulled apart into a door. Linnet's eyes widened as she moved to enter the murky darkness of the passage.
"Wait a second, Princess," he said, "You can't just waltz into the servant's passage looking like a clumsy royal too busy worrying about her hair to notice where her feet were going." Linnet raised her eyebrows at the tall boy.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry then. You certainly can't be seen with any suitor-crazed royal. Of course." She turned her head away from Taren and crossed her arms over her chest, nose in the air indignantly. While she made her speech, Taren had leaned down and collected a handful of dirt and grass from around the tree's roots. This he then heaved onto Linnet's stainless back.
"Hey!" she cried angrily, and commenced attempting to brush off the dirt. She only succeeded in smearing it down her entire backside, "Why in the name of Hell itself did you do that?! Father will have my head for this and you know it! Are you purposefully trying to get me killed? I would certainly like to know! For all the times-"
"Linnet, please, shut up. I already told you that you couldn't just waltz in there looking like the princess. Now, take your hair out of that gilded thing and cover your face. I was hoping that maybe no one would recognize you if you kept your face out of view and were wearing something a little less royal. But, of course, you fly off the handle every time I try to help y-" Linnet covered his mouth with her hand and gave him a hard look.
"Taren, please, shut up. I see your plan, and you can spare me the lecture for once." She picked up the end of her braid and slipped off the jewel encrusted cylinder the held it together at the end. She handed it to Taren, who slipped it into the sack he wore around his waist, and unraveled her hair from the tight braid her maid, Tulsa, had done that morning. The black waves hid her face well; anyone would have to face her directly to see what she looked like. Taren leaned back to get a look at Linnet.
"Yes, yes," he said, walking around her to observe their work, "All right, this will work. Good." Linnet lifted her face to glare at him.
"Can we just go now? I'll be late, which will seem even more suspicious than being dirty to Father. Being late means I could have been ANYWHERE."
"Put your head down, I can see your face," was his reply, which only deepened Linnet's frown, "Come on, Princess," he threw his arm around the sullied sovereign and led her to the dark passage in the tree.
They were plunged into darkness as they entered the passage, and the old, organic smell of the oak filled their nostrils.
"What is this place exactly?" asked Linnet as she stumbled along the steep, over-used steps as Taren led her down into the earth.
"I already told you, Linn," he replied, "The servants use it. Especially when they take a little break at night. It's superb to use when you come back from one of the villages and prefer the knowledge that you were gone not to be made public, if you know what I mean."
"I always know what you mean, Taren." She said matter-of-factly.
"True, hmm."
"Do you ever use it for that purpose?" she pried mischievously.
"On occasions, which have nothing to do with you, Princess." She scowled. She hated it when he called her by rank, as she hated every tiny etiquette-involved detail of her life. Her only pleasure came from being out of the castle, usually without permission, wandering around with Taren.
"We're here," he said as he led Linnet down the last few steps of the passage.
In front of them was a worn, plain door that all but disappeared against the brown of the dirt wall around it. Taren turned the handle on the door and opened it. Linnet was surprised to see how easily the door turned on its hinges, she had expected a horrible squeal from it as it opened. On the other side of the door was a storeroom. Piles of canvas bags of preserved fruit and grains lay bunched against the dirt walls.
"This is an emergency storeroom. In case of drought or war or some other crisis at the castle. These will keep you fed for however long it lasts." They walked to the end of the room where another door stood. This one was more elaborate, the honey-colored wood polished and the hinges and handle oiled. Taren turned the handle and pulled on the door. He muttered something and pulled again. It didn't move.
"What's wrong?" asked Linnet, leaning over to watch his struggle.
"Stuck or something." he grunted. Linnet just rolled her eyes at him and pushed him out of the way.
"This is something I'm good at," she said as she readied herself to boot the door open.
"No!" cried Taren as she lifted her leg and delivered a resounding kick to the door. A splintering snap of wood rang out and the door swung open, revealing the empty halls of the castle. Linnet smiled happily and sauntered out the door.
"You idiot!" shouted Taren.
"What was that, Taren?" replied Linnet with an innocent look on her face, she began to walk down the hall. Taren dashed after her.
"What if someone was here? What do you think they'd have done if they saw you and I come bashing through the emergency EMERGENCY storeroom? That room is forbidden! I'll tell you what would happen: I would be kicked out of the castle, and you would be locked into your room until you didn't have your own teeth to chew that emergency food with!"
"But, you forget, my dear friend," retorted Linnet serenely, "No one was there. So, it is pointless to argue something that's already happened, yes? Now, let us hasten back to my rooms and get me outta this awful dress before Father finds us." She broke into a run that left Taren with a broad scowl on his face and his sandy hair hanging over his green eyes.
"You know you sound more like him HIM everyday!" he shouted at her retreating, mud-streaked back.
Linnet raced down the different corridors of the complex castle. She passed the elegant murals of her parents and her and of the gods. She abruptly stopped at one of them. It portrayed two girls, a little younger than Linnet, standing in front of two goddesses. The girls were exactly alike, except that one of them was wearing a strange, purple shirt that wasthat's sleeves were cut only a few inches from her shoulder. She was also wearing strange trousers made of some rough, blue material, her white shoes were made of some kind of rubber and decorated with strips of red and black. The other girl wore a lovely gown of rosy pink, embroidered with gems. Around the strangely dressed girl was an aura of purple magic with silver sparkles, while the other's was pink with golden sparkles. These auras reflected those of the goddesses behind the two girls. They were the goddesses Malena and Adainea. Malena stood behind the oddly dressed girl, and Adainea behind the other. Both goddesses looked alike, and were dressed alike, except that Malena's dress was all the colors of a night sky, while Adainea's was that of a beautiful sunrise. Both goddesses had a delicate hand draped over the shoulder of their protected girl. All appeared happy and triumphant, which made Linnet smile. This was the portrait of the heroes, Toria and Vic, just after their victory against the Darkness. Linnet knew the story well. She remembered her mother reading it to her as a young child. However, she knew she couldn't stop too long and admire it, so she continued her mad dash down the castle halls.
Finally reaching the large dark-colored wooden doors of her quarters she yanked them open and shot into the room. Her father had left her to write poetry for the morning, and she knew that two hours of complete silence from her would be too suspicious for comfort for her father. She scribbled something about the rising sun's glorious beauty, and then leaned back in her chair, faking reflective relaxation to the best of her slightly breathless ability.
"Linnet, you've been quiet as a mouse," said her father from the doorway. Linnet turned and smiled sweetly at the elderly king. He was in good shape for his age; he strode across his daughter's room with his head held high, blue eyes flashing.
"Simply pondering all of the beauty of the Kingdom, Father," Linnet replied. King Paris leaned against the carved wood desk and scanned the sheet of Linnet's poetry.
"Well, darling, I would have expected better from a creative soul such as yourself." He gave a disappointed sigh that he assumed made Linnet feel guilty. It didn't.
"Oh, Father," was all she replied. He stood up from the desk abruptly.
"No matter, my love, I have something for you," he took her hand and led her out of her chambers. Linnet groaned inwardly, knowing having a fair guess as to what lay ahead.
"Turn," said the royal tailor flatly. Linnet sullenly shifted to her left in the tower of pink silk and lace that was supposed to be her new evening dress. Her mind cried Why me, oh god of gods!? She had either been standing on the small, upraised platform while the tailor stuck pins in the horrible dress, or turning when instructed, for over an hour.
"Your Majesty," the tailor sighed, "This dress is not fit for your daughter. You and I both can plainly see that this dress is. - well, to be truthful, in rather dire taste. Not that a person of your esteemed status has bad taste, but I'm sure that while going about your highly significant duties, you haven't been able to keep up with the latest stylesfashions. Please, your Highness, if you would allow me to try out some of my more simple styles, I'm sure your lovely daughter would be simply stunning tonight." Linnet smiled at the tailor's handsome attempt to have his own way with the dress. She looked at her father imploringly.
"No, I don't believe so, sir tailor," replied the king with a regal wave of his hand, "This is a very special banquet that deserves a very special dress. And might I add that I know for certain that there are an uncountable number of other tailors who would be more than happy to complete this dress for their king's only child and the heir apparent to the esteemed throne." King Paris folded his arms across his muscular chest and looked down at the crestfallen young tailor.
"Yes, your Highness," he said, sounding more depressed than ever, "This dress will be done for the banquet this evening, no trouble." Linnet lowered her head in sorrow. Not only because of the fact that she would have to wear the horrendous gown, but she could feel sharply the disappointment of the youthful tailor, so full of dreams and ideas. She was disgusted by her father's lordly behavior. She promised herself that when she ruled, she would never pull rank like that on anyone. She would be compassionate and never force her most talented subjects to ignore their gifts. Yes, Linnet had made many such promises to herself in her sheltered life.
"I must leave you, precious," said the king to Linnet, abruptly hoisting himself out of his reclined position against the doorframe upon which he'd been leaning. He kissed her on the cheek and left the room. Linnet sighed, her voice heavy with melancholy.
"I'm sorry about my father," Linnet said to the tailor, who was sitting on the floor, scribbling out numbers on a sheet of parchment, "He hardly ever acts like that. I want you to know that." The tailor just looked at her with dark green eyes.
"Really? He could have fooled me," he said before returning to his notes.
"You know," said Linnet, squinting at the tailor, "You look familiar. Do you have any family in the palace?" She lowered herself to a sitting position on the platform, no easy task in the dangerously confining dress.
"No one you would know."
"Ha," she replied, "You'd be surprised how far a princess can get around without one of these damned dresses suffocating her." The tailor looked up in surprise.
"I have a brother in the stables, Taren," he settled into a sitting position on the floor of the dressing room.
"Oh, of course, I know Taren. He's a dear friend of mine," the tailor gave Linnet a hard look.
"Why would you know my brother?" he said suspiciously. Linnet rolled her eyes at him.
"You don't seriously think I enjoy standing around in ugly gowns or knitting in my quarters, do you?"
"No," he saidanswered, somewhat bewildered, "apparently not."
"What is your name, tailor?" she arranged the fabric around her feet.
"Alexandro is my name, and I never thought I'd end up sticking pins into the princess for some betrothing banquet."
Linnet felt her throat spasm in shock, "Be-betrothingBe-BETROTHING banquet? Please, Alexandro, tell me I'm not the one being betrothed!" He cocked his head at the wide-eyed princess.
"No one told you?" he said, "How odd. I'm sorry, but yes, you are being betrothed." Linnet grabbed the tailor's shoulders in distress.
"To whoWHO?!"
"Prince Burke, who else? He's only the richest bachelor in all the land. He'd be perfect to beas king, he's already got our kingdom under his thumb the way they, or we, I should say, drool over him. Really, you ought to have been expecting this. Why, we haven't had a solitary queen as monarch for decades."
"He isn't going to be BE there, is he?" Linnet groaned audibly, "The rest of the kingdom may love him, but I could do far better without that ridiculous windbagif I never saw that ridiculous windbag again for the rest of my LIFE, it'd be too soon.! This is awful, Alexandro. No, more than that, terrible!"
"Calm down, Princess, he can't be that bad. I've heard all sorts of tales from the village about how brave his is and all of his great deeds."
"Those stories are all forged by creative storytellers who are bored with the Darkness legends," Linnet growled indignantly, "He's nothing but more than a figurehead to put on top of a white horse and ride into battle, he barely makes up his own battle plans. My horse HORSE could fight better than him!"
"Oh, I.. . . I didn't know," was all Alexandro replied. Linnet nodded.
"Of course you didn't know. You're what he's designed to fool, the people of the kingdomKingdom: trusting of anything and looking for a hero." Both oppressed young people bent their heads in despair. Linnet dwelt on her impending doom, and Alexandro on the fact that the great and courageous Prince Burke was nothing but a handsome face.
"I'd better finish that dress, so you can at least meet your doom looking reasonably good." He got to his feet, as did Linnet, and promptly began threading a new needle for the hems of the repulsive dress.
After much difficulty with the dress/cage, Linnet found herself sitting on yet another raised dais in a gilded throne next to her beaming father. To the right of him stood another empty throne, obviously for the prince. She envied her father; he looked extremely comfortable in a green velvet doublet and hose. She fidgeted in the pink dress. Her father leaned his head close to her.
"Oh, yes, before I forget," he said to her quietly, "This banquet is for your engagement to Prince Burke."
"ReallyREALLY," she replied, feigning surprise, "And why did you think you didn't need to ask my opinion on the rest of my life?"
"Oh, not right now, precious treasure, the festivities are beginning. I can't imagine what could be keeping Prince Burke for his own betrothing banquet." Linnet seethed at her father. Well, she thought, if he thinks I'm just going to go along with this cattle trade, he's dead wrong. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest tightly and scanned the banquet for escape routes. No, she was surrounded on all sides by the multitude of courtiers in their best, and most ridiculous in Linnet's opinion, clothes. They were mingling and gorging on the palace food laid out on a table that ran the length of the banquet hall. Colorful pennants fluttered in the slight breeze in the rafters of the open ceiling. Linnet wished whole- heartedly she could become the bird she was named after and shoot out through that ceiling, away from the awful fate that faced her.
"Linn," whispered a voice behind her. She turned quickly but covertly to find Taren in his servant uniform of purple and silver holding a serving tray of fruit.
"What are you doing here?" she cried as she snatched a strawberry.
"Better question: why didn't you tell me you were betrothed?" he glared at her. She glared right back.
"I didn't know myself, else wise don't you think I would've found a way out of it by now!?"
"Shhh, look, don't worry," he looked around nervously to see if anyone had spotted him conversing with the princess, "Prince Burke is," he paused, "Damn, I have to go or else I'll look suspicious." He turned to go.
"No, Taren, you can't leave me alone up here!" Linnet said frantically as the courtiers scrambled out of the way of the grand procession of chancellors, the political heads of the kingdom.
"I have to, Linnet. Don't worry, everything will be fine," she turned to ask Taren what on earth he was babbling about, but he had disappeared into the crowd, leaving her to face her fate. She gripped the carved arms of the throne and waited for the dreaded announcement.
The line of imperial men was dressed in full, chancellorhood regalia, the long robes embroidered with the insignias of the royal house and their prestigious rank. All were old men; some had been in office since before Linnet's birth, their faces wrinkled into impressive scowls. The man at the head of the line was Chancellor Crane, the most senior of all. Small, beady eyes stared down his long, straight nose at Linnet. His limp hair was pulled back. He held shakily a large scroll in front of him that Linnet was sure held her doom. Crane stopped before the dais and unrolled the scroll, holding it facing himself. He squinted at the scroll as if unable to read it. He cleared his throat to begin the announcement anyway.
"Prince Burke has been kidnapped," he said hesitantly. Linnet's heart flew, her mouth dropped in disbelief.
"What?!" cried the king, leaning forward in his throne while Linnet slumped against her throne in relief.
"I told you not to worry," Taren whispered behind her throne. Chancellor Crane cleared his throat again and continued to read.
"During a battle in the North, Prince Burke was seen driving a horde of stragglers into the trees of a wooded valley. After a short time, a scout was sent to search for our beloved prince, only to find." Crane swallowed, "Only to find our prince to have been carried off by the perpetrators." He lowered the scroll and looked sheepishly at the king, as if expecting punishment for reading the astounding announcement.
King Paris only slumped into his throne and placed his head in his hand, rubbing his temples and sighing.
Linnet could only concentrate on her breathing, trying to order her thoughts that had been blown apart and now whipped around her mind in frenzy. I'm free! her mind cried happily, but then, Who could have captured Prince Burke? These thoughts were Followed followed by, Who would want to? All Linnets' memories of past meetings with the renowned Prince Burke had been bad ones, ending in both parties insulted and furious. When Linnet looked at Burke's chiseled and handsome face, she saw a haughty and grievously spoiled royal who belonged courting other spoiled royal ladies, not parading as some noble war genius. And on the other hand, when Burke looked at Linnet's dark and keenintense features, he saw an over- opinionated tomboy, who was in desperate need of some manners and class. Overall, they both disgusted each the other equally, and hated the sight of each other.
"Well then," said her father finally, "we must send out a search party to scour the kingdom for Prince Burke." He took a regal pose on his throne, back straight against the hard throne and face solemn. Linnet tried to contain her elated laughter under a concerned mask. She impatiently waited for her dismissal from the great hall so she could celebrate her freedom with Taren.
She had a while to wait. By the time she reached her chamber door, she was limping and wheezing from the prison of a dress around her midsection. She weakly opened the door, it seemed much heavier than that morning, and shuffled to the center of her large bedchamber.
"Tulsa!" she cried feebly, "Help."
As if waiting for her mistress's howlmoan, the middle-aged maid appeared promptly from seemingly thin air and began to dismantle the evening gown.
"My, mistress," she said, her voice a mix of cheer and concern for Linnet, "Did your father pick this out?" Linnet's face crumpled in less thannot entirely faked half fake sobs.
"Ye-ye-yes. Get it off me!" Linnet sucked in an impressive amount of air as Tulsa finally slipped off the dress/cage, leaving the girl with her arms stuck not quite touching the sides of her silk under dress.
"There you are, miss," said Tulsa happily, dropping the horrific dress in disgust on a chair.
"Thank you," Linnet replied. She whipped around as the door creaked open.
"Linnet? You in here?" Taren called, his head searching turning owl-like to find his friend. That head flushed red when he caught sight of Linnet, standing in her under dress, waiting expectantly.
"Yeah, Taren," she said.
"Oh," he started, ducking out of the door. Linnet cocked her head and shoulders to see if he had left again, "I, uh, didn't now you weren't, uh, decent. I'll.I'll come back later."
Tulsa handed Linnet a linen sleeping dress with a knowing smile, which Linnet returned and slipped garment over her head. She walked to the door and looked outside to find Taren leaning against the wall, eyes looking toward the ceiling and face bright red. Linnet couldn't contain her amused smile.
"I'm, uh, decent," she said in a fake low voice.
"Don't you say a word," Taren replied grimly and followed her into her rooms.
"I met your brother today, Taren," she remarked as she walked into her room, "Why didn't you mention he was a tailor, or mention him at all?" She dropped into her desk chair and put her arm around its back in a relaxed posture, brown eyes searching Taren's face.
"Oh, I dunno," he replied, leaning against her bed, "Just didn't seem important, I guess." He suddenly slipped and fell to the stone floor, banging his head on the wooden foot of the bed. This sent Linnet into a torrent of giggles.
"Taren, you are a never ending source of amusement!" she cried as she helped him to his feet, Tulsa also chuckled from her place near the bed, mending a skirt, "Are you all right?" His face had gone ontranscended to a new plateau of red.
"Yeah, fine. However, I'm pretty sure my pride today had been shrunk to the size of a peanut. I think I'd better get to someplace where I can't injure others, especially you or myself. Good night, Tulsa," she waved him good nightthe same, "And good night, Princess." He dropped into a gallant bow and gave her hand a quick kiss before grandly sweeping out of the room. Linnet stood a moment, letting the strange tingling sensation leave her arm and feeling to return to her hand. She turned to Tulsa with a smile and dropped onto her bed with a sigh.
But she couldn't sleep. She thought she would pass out the moment she lay down, it had been such an eventful day, but she couldn't stop thinking about Prince Burke's kidnapping. She remembered the look of absolute despair that had glanced across Alexandro's face when she told him the truth about Burke. In her sheltered life at the castle, she never knew just how much the populace of the kingdom Kingdom looked up to him, as theretheir champion. What will happen now that he's gone, she wondered. Burke had led the King's Army against rebellious pockets in the northern mountains. Plotters against the crown enjoyed holing up in the many valleys and caves that made the northern mountains very treacherous to a large army. Many deaths could be explained away to hidden crevasses or angry bears, instead of enemy snipers picking off their numbers. Prince Burke, though it was really one of his sub-generals, devised a strategy to limit the stealthy attacks by breaking up a large contingent into smaller groups and sending them over the mountains. Now he's gone and got himself kidnapped, Linnet's mind griped, Though I don't quite understand why it hadn't happened earlier, I mean, he is a perfect candidate. She smiled in the dark at her joke. But the look on Alexandro's face again invaded her mind, sending a stab of guilt to her stomach. Arrogant dullard or not, he was still very important to the people of the Kingdom. Hell, he was NEEDED here, for morale in every city, village, or backwater grouping of mud huts in the region. Again her mind begged the question: What will happen now that he's gone?
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A/N: Don't expect the next chapters to be anywhere NEAR as long as this one. I started this fic a really long time ago, before I was even aware of ff.net's existence, just for fun. Anyway, I have to go eat dinner, so read and review please and just be patient on updates, okay?