1 Chapter 1

Let me just start by saying this isn't your average fairy tale, there is no Prince trying to save the frightened and scared Princess, more like a Princess trying to keep her best friend from getting himself killed. So don't think this is a book about some pampered little Princess who needs to be saved, I've changed, I may have been like that but that was before... well, I better start from the beginning if you're going to stick around. This is my story, and the best place to start, is a few days after my eighteenth birthday. I quietly paced around my room looking for something to wear, I finally settled on a dark violet dress with long sleeves and white lace across the neck line. I then grabbed my golden tiara with a ruby embedded in the center, and thin strands of gold encircling it. I took some of my midnight blue hair and tied it back with a black satin ribbon.. I walked downstairs and sat down in my chair at the long wooden feast table. My mother was busy telling the chef to cook more vegetarian options because she claimed to be one. I looked down at my plate and with ferocity ate an entire chicken leg in less than a minute. I looked at my parents' shocked faces. Confused by their remarks I glanced at them, "what? I asked them with confusion. My mother sat up straight in her chair and gave me a disapproving look, "One should not use such dreadful manners Adara." She said, raising her voice at me a little. I excused myself from the table and briskly ran upstairs and into my room as quickly as I could and shut the door behind me. I made a mad dash to my mirror and I saw a pair of bright orangish yellow eyes staring back at me.. I didn't think twice before I ran out to the stables where I knew James would be. James is my best and only friend. We've known each other practically our entire lives and are almost inseparable. James is tall and lean with shaggy brown hair and deep blue eyes that sparkle like the ocean. I must have startled him because he threw up a stack of hay and landed on his bottom with a thud, " what's the rush? Couldn't wait to see me?" He asked with a half smirk. "Haha very funny, but this is actually serious." His face suddenly hardened and he sat down on a bench and patted the spot next to him, I sat down. "So what's the problem?" He asked me. "James, do you notice anything different about me? Especially my eyes?" I asked. James stared at me for a long time before answering. "well your eyes aren't their usual brown color. They look almost like the color of amber now." he paused for a while as if pondering a thought, "Dara this isn't about..." he paused awaiting my response, I slowly nodded. "You haven't told anyone about it have you?" He asked suspiciously. "No, just you." I replied, which seemed to calm him down a bit. We sat in silence for a while until James stood up and walked away. I was sitting there for a minute when I saw his head pop up from behind the barn door and he motioned with his hand for me to follow him. I stood up and walked to where he was standing, just a couple paces beyond the stables. He led me to a trapdoor I had never seen before, and I usually spent all my time in the stables. I gave him a questioning look but he just smiled which kind of reassured me, but I was still curious, and had so many questions. I suddenly became frantic when I felt something forcing its way out of my head and back. "Hurry James we're running out of time!" I shouted in a panicked voice, that seemed to make James come to his senses because he hurriedly opened the trap door and beckoned me to go inside. I walked down the steep stairs leading down to a dark room. I heard James's footsteps come to a stop a few feet behind me and all of a sudden four torches lit up the room. I looked back at James who was grinning ear to ear. "What is this place?" I asked in astonishment. James looked at me and said, "It's a safe place you can stay when, you know." "Yeah... I get it." I said as we walked further into the tunneled out room. The room was full of armour, shields, weapons, and every so often I'd spot a book or two. On the ceiling there was a small skylight showing that the moon was almost upon us. I looked at James gravely and told him to stand back. "If anything happens." I started to say. James walked toward me and took my hands in his and stared into my eyes, "Hey, nothing is going to happen you'll be fine." He reassured me with a warm smile and I smiled back at him. "Meet back at the usual spot in the morning?" I nodded, but what we both didn't know is that I wouldn't be meeting him in the morning.