Chapter One: The Princess of Irridel

"Amara! Amara! If I must call your name one more time, so help me Elidor, I shall rip this door off its hinges and-"

"Just a moment! Just a moment!" Amara called just as she climbed back into her bedroom through her window. She frantically ripped off her riding pants, and cloak, shoving them under the bed, and slipped on a night dress. She let down her hair from a tangled bun and rushed to the basin to splash some water on her face. Light purple shadow lay under her eyes, indicating her lack of a decent night's sleep. She hoped her mother wouldn't notice. If she had known she had been out all night, or even that, heaven forbid, she had been wearing pants like a man, her mother might die of distress on the spot. She ran over to the door where the woman was still pounding and opened it.

"Yes?" Amara said sweetly. The queen's mouth drew taut and her eyebrows creased as her eyes studied Amara carefully. From her tousled light brown hair, to the wrinkled socks she had used to conceal her dirty feet.

"Hmm," was all the older woman had to say, her steely blue eyes seeming as though they could stare right into her soul. Amara had her father's eyes, a soft green, mossy color that glistened hints of gold in the sun. The queen brushed past her and entered the room, her hawk-like eyes sweeping once again. "I see you've made your bed," her mother said. Amara's eyes widen slightly, and then she nodded. She had in fact not slept in her bed so there had been no need to make it. "Nice of you to show some initiative," she muttered, "for once." She walked over to stand in the middle of the room, her hands clasped in front of her. Amara inwardly sighed, knowing that a dragging speech was about to ensue. Bracing herself for the boredom, she collapsed on her bed and sat cross-legged to stare back at her mother. "Please, that is most unladylike," her mother scolded her. Amara rolled her eyes. Even in the comfort of her own bedroom...

She positioned her legs to the side and dramatically smoothed out her nightgown. "Now," her mother began. "As you are aware, the Scarth family will be arriving tonight, and we will be holding a feast in their honor. Along with King Hiezen, and his son, Prince Arian. I've heard many great things about him, many indeed. He is an excellent hunter, a perfect gentleman, wonderful with children, the women of the court say he is strikingly handsome, and-"

"Motheeerrrrrr!" Amara moaned, flopping back on the bed. The queen had tried to set her up with nobles before, and all of her speeches tended to start of the same with her ranting on and on about the new boy's looks, or character, or charm and ending with her nearly on her knees begging Amara to at the very least be civil upon meeting them. The setups usually failed miserably with Amara leaving the young men in tears or blushing with embarrassment.

Amara propped herself up with a smirk on her face, but her mother was not smiling, and her face looked much more serious than it usually was during these talks. "Amara, listen to me," her mother said quietly, sitting down on her vanity chair. "You're nearly eighteen. By the time I was your age, I was wed and had already birthed both your brothers. I've tried in the past to set you up with smart matches, and they have never gone well, but this time I need you to promise me you will do everything in your power to make this work." Amara sat up fully, her chest feeling very tight. "The Scarths have been our greatest allies for the past hundred years. Caltora separates us from Dremora, and it has taken the efforts of both our armies to keep the Dremorian's reach at bay. Dremora has already taken much land away from Kher; it will not be long before they focus their energy more west. The Blue Bloods have been pushing farther and farther into Northern territory, taking over cities and enslaving their occupants. Joining our armies together has been unsettling enough, and the people are resistant to have Caltorian soldiers walking among ours so freely. But your father and I, as well as King Hiezen, feel that if our kingdoms were tied more closely together, that perhaps it would make everyone feel more supportive of our joined forces. Now is the time for the Red Bloods to aline against the Blue Bloods more intimately."

Amara swallowed. Blood was a defining feature in her world. The northern kingdoms all bled red, while the southerners, the only country left being Dremora, for it had swallowed up and consolidated all the others, bled blue. She was a Red Blood and quite proud of it. As far as she knew, the Blue Bloods were filthy, monstrous people who devoured all in sight and sat like a snake ready to strike at any sign of weakness. War had been waged for decades, but the borders were, for now at least, somewhat stable. It was her father's job to ensure they stayed that way.

Her mother sighed. "What better symbol of peace and unity could there be than between the two most powerful red bleeding countries? Between the Prince of Caltora and the Princess of Irridel?" her mother finished, a nervous look in her eye.

Amara did not speak at first. While she did not know what she should say, she knew what she wanted to say. That she would not be wed off to some prince or lord like a gambling chip in a card game. That she had no desire to be married or raising heirs while sitting around all day talking with the ladies of the court over tea. Anger enthralled her at the thought of this life. But then she remembered who she was: the Princess of Irridel, a Red Blood, a royal of the northern land. That as a part of her privileged life came the duty and responsibilities of a princess. That she was expected to best use her position to serve her country and her king. But that did not change the fact that she did not want to marry some stranger, and then be tied to them for the rest of her life.

"Amara," the queen said. Amara looked up at her mother. The queen looked tired and sad. "I'm afraid I am not asking. If the prince expresses an interest in marriage, you are to say yes, is that understood? This is, simply put, a matter of state, but I do believe that he will be a good fit for you, truly."

Amara took a fiery breath. Not asking. The phrase made her skin crawl. If she at least knew she had a choice, then perhaps she could go into it willingly, but the idea that this marriage was now being forced upon her made her want to revolt. She licked her lips, trying to think of her options. She realized she had two. She thought them over for a moment and then decided on the second one. She gave her mother the same sweet smile she had feigned when she opened the door. "Of course."

"Amara-" her mother began warily.

"I said of course! I'm going to marry the prince!" she said, giving her a wide grin. Her mother's face broke into a smile, and she quickly raced to her side and wrapped her arms around her.

"Oh, darling! Oh, I'm so happy for you! And glad that you haven't bitten my head off. Your father was worried about that!"

"Why would I do that?" Amara said, gingerly taking her mother's hands in her own. "You and father have given so much to me. The least I can do to try and repay you is spend the rest of my life happily married to the prince of our greatest ally. And besides, perhaps one day I will even be queen!"

Her mother laughed and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "And a marvelous queen you shall be! Oh, I must get ready, and you as well. I'll have your ladies sent in shortly, and they can get you all cleaned up and ready for the celebration tonight!" Her mother kissed her forehead again and then hurried to the door.

"Oh, and I nearly forgot!" the queen said. "As a part of the festivities, the kitchen is preparing a magnificent cake to present our honored guests with. I thought that like on your birthday all those years ago, when we hide one of your presents in a box within the cake, we could have the same surprise for the prince. So would you please think of something to gift him with?" Amara nodded happily. Her mother gave her a radiant smile. "Wonderful. I'll see you soon darling. Don't give your maids too hard of a time now!" Amara dropped her smile the second the queen left the room, her hands curling into fists, and rage pulsing through her. She collapsed back on her bed face first and groaned.

The first of her two option was that she throw a tantrum and demand that she not be wed off to some prince. The second and far less dramatic option was that she wait until she met this prince to decide. She prided herself in being a fairly quick judge of character and would need no more than a few minutes with him to know if she could stand being tied to him for the rest of her life. Then she would either marry him, beg her parents to reconsider, or run away. Where she would go, she was not sure, but if she stayed in the castle her mother would surely box her up and send her to Caltora, she was certain of that. She wondered if the prince felt the same way as her. If he was struggling right now with the same decision she was. Surely he would have no more say in this than her? At least she already knew they had one thing in common: they were both being forced to marry each other by their parents.

A quick knock sounded on her door before a second visitor entered her room. "Amara?" A brown headed boy only two years older than herself popped his head into her room.

"Theo!" Amara greeted her brother. Theo quickly slipped inside, checking behind him before closing the door. "You just missed mother."

"Oh thank heavens," Theo muttered. "The woman's more riled up this morning than a pent up badger."

Amara grinned. "Oh, and I'm sure you had nothing to do with that?"

He smiled mischievously. "I see nothing indecent about having a few mugs of ale, singing folk, and running naked through the forest in the full moon with my dear villagers."

"Trying to catch the attention of a certain village girl?" she asked, raising an eyebrow knowingly.

He mocked a shocked expression and placed his hand over his heart. "I was bonding with the people. How dare you accuse me of such foolery for such a trivial matter. Besides, you know mother would die if she caught any of us with a non-royal."

"Hm, well maybe you can marry Prince Arian for me then?" she teased.

"Hmm," Theo hummed. "Not quite my type, though I have heard he's very attractive."

She rolled her eyes. "So I've been told."

The prince chuckled. "Well, you best get all your childish mischief out now while you can. You know, before you have to become a boring adult and discuss nothing but politics and gossips with the ladies of the court and rant about how your seamstress did not put enough lace and jewels on your new dress," he said making a pinched face and pretending to sip a cup of tea.

Amara laughed and then sighed heavily. "I suppose you're right."

Theo huffed. "Of course I'm right!" He inspected her more closely. "And you should also try to sleep some between now and then. Where exactly did you ride off to last night?"

Amara smirked. "Not too far." Theo raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Just to Moonshadow Lake."

"Moonsh- Amara!" Theo cried. "That's nearly thirty leagues away! And in the dark? Alone?"

"I wasn't alone! Marie went with me!"

"Oh, Marie went with you! Well, I shouldn't be worried at all," Theo said sarcastically. "Why, if anyone tried to attack or kidnap you, Marie would just talk their ears off until they ran away screaming for her to stop!"

"Oh hush!" Amara swatted him.

"Honesty Amara," Theo sighed. "That's incredibly dense, especially for you." He tapped on her temple. "You've heard about the Dremorian sightings, the scouts that patrol our borders disappearing, even villagers who journey too far out in the woods aren't returning back home..."

Amara rolled her eyes. "Yes, but I know these woods better than anyone. I've spent nearly every night of my life playing in them, exploring them! So have you! If anyone wanted to catch me, they'd have a hard time trying!"

Theo shook his head. "Maybe in the past, but we can't do that anymore. Especially not thirty leagues out! I don't even go out that far anymore! What were you doing there?"

She shrugged. "I heard that the stars look most beautiful when reflected on the lake. I wanted to see it for myself."

"She wanted to see the stars," Theo muttered to himself rubbing his forehead. "Just promise me you won't go out anymore. It's too dangerous." Amara sighed. "Amara?" Theo pressed, looking at her intently. "Promise me?"

"Fine," she relented. "I promise." Satisfied, Theo straightened his jacket and headed over to her window to leap to the tree limb that hung far too temptingly close to her window.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some hiding to do. That is if I'm to live long enough to see this grand feast we have tonight," Theo said.

Amara smiled. "Good luck! Mother's gone to get ready though, so you shouldn't run into her."

"Even still," Theo muttered. "I swear the woman has eyes everywhere." He scurried down the tree to the castle grounds below, and Amara lost sight of him around the side of the castle.

She frowned, trying to decide what to do with herself. Sooner or later she would have to actually get ready for tonight, but she did not plan on starting that process a moment before she had to. She also needed to come up with a gift for the prince. Smiling suddenly, she thought of exactly what she wanted to do with her last few hours of freedom. She ran over to her basin and washed her face thoroughly, trying to help wake herself up a little more. She did not bother trying to tame her hair and used a simple ribbon to pull it out of her face. She changed into a plain blue dress, tugged on a pair of short boots, and grabbed a tattered leather satchel that she threw across her body. Quickly slipping out of her room, she trotted down the hall and made her way across the castle. The royal family lived at the top of the east wing, and a few of the other nobles lived on the west wing. Amara hurried over to the west side and knocked on the bedroom door of her best friend. Marie was the daughter of one of the King's closest council members, and as a result, they had been best friends since birth. Marie enjoyed the finer thing in life a bit more than Amara, and she loved all the gossip, jewels, and dresses that came with being a noble member, but she could still hike up her skirt, trump through a puddle of mud if need be and for that Amara loved her.

"Coming!" Amara huffed and waited until the door opened revealing a blonde girl with bright blue eyes. She had a small turned up nose, rosy cheeks, and dark circles under her eyes.

"Good morning, Marie!" Amara said.

"Oh, it's you!" Marie said looking relieved and then annoyed. "I can't believe I let you talk me into that!" She grabbed Amara's arm and dragged her into her room. "Honestly, if my mother ever finds out, or if your mother- Oh! Your mother would-"

"She would string me up by my boots and beat me to death I'm sure," Amara laughed. "But it's a good thing we went when we did. I'm not sure when I'll ever have the chance to go again."

"What do you mean?" Marie asked as she sat down in front of a mirror to re-do her two messy braids.

"Because soon I'll be in Caltora... married to the prince..."

"The Prince of Caltora!" Marie gasped, turning to face her with wide eyes. "Prince Arian?" Amara nodded. "Oh, Amara! You're so lucky! I've heard he's-"

"Gorgeous, I know," Amara muttered, crossing her arms.

"And so are you!" Marie said. "Oh, you two would make a perfect couple! Why don't you look happier?"

Amara rolled her eyes. "I just don't like the idea of being wed of out of convenience. If I'm going to marry someone, I want it to be my decision."

Marie laughed. "You're a princess, Amara. Who you marry was never going to be your decision." Amara glared at the floor. The words stung, but she knew Marie had not meant them to. She was only speaking the truth. Marie sighed, reached out, and took her hand. "Hey, I'm sorry. But, look. There are far worse husbands you could have ended up with, right? Remember Prince Herreth? Or Sir Geldor? Oh, or Commander Terk?"

Amara smiled. "Yes, I suppose you are right." She shook her head. "Let's not talk about it anymore. Today I want to do something fun."

"Ugh," Marie moaned. "Didn't we already have fun last night?" She looked longingly to her bed. Unfortunately, Marie was not as good without sleep as Amara who was certain she could go days without it. Amara hated sleeping. It took her forever to fall asleep, and when she finally did, it was usually filled with horrible nightmares that made her wake up screaming and drenched in sweat.

"I thought we could get out of the castle for a little bit and go down to the river."

"And what, catch frogs like we did when we were six?" Marie asked. Amara nodded eagerly. Marie let out a long sigh and then rolled her eyes. "Oh, alright. Let me just change into something more suitable."

Amara jumped up and down excitedly as Marie finished fixing her braids and changed into her least fancy dress and riding boots. Both girls quickly raced out of the room and through the castle, giggling childishly and warranting a few disapproving looks from the nobles they passed. They finally stepped out into fresh sunlight, and Amara took a deep breath of the thick summer air, and then skipped off to the stables. She walked into the tall wooden barn and stroked the nose of each horse as she passed their stall until she found Cara, her dappled grey mare, resting with her head dropped. She whistled and the horse's eyes fluttered open. The large animal slunk forward to nuzzle Amara's hair, and Amara smiled and scratched under its chin. When Amara was five, her father let her have her pick of any horse in the stables. He had lined up a series of tall, sleek horses, but Amara had run off and pointed to a stocky filly in one of the pastures. Cara was certainly not built like the rest of the King's horses, but Amara preferred a shorter horse so she could easily mount bareback.

"Don't worry, I'll let you rest. After last night's ride, you deserve it," she said, planting a kiss on the horse's cheek.

"Princess Amara. Lady Marie."

Amara turned to see a tall young man with wavy brown hair and sky blue eyes approaching her.

"Sir Landen," Marie said with a slight curtsey as she came to stand next to Amara.

The knight gave them each a formal bow. "How may I be of service?"

"We'd like to go riding today," Amara said.

Landen frowned. "I'm afraid the queen would not approve of me letting you leave the castle grounds under any circumstance. The forests are no longer safe, and any place that is not safe is no place for a princess."

"But I only want to go to the river!" Amara pleaded. "It's barely even outside the castle. I'm sure you could still see the city walls from the bank."

Landen shook his head, placing his hands firmly on his hips. "Your mother is not someone I wish to cross, Princess."

Amara bit her lip in frustration. "Then what if you came with us? As an escort? Then you could make sure we are safe."

Landen looked hesitant, his eyebrows still knit down, but his mouth no longer refusing. "Please?" Amara asked, stepping closer to him and watching his pupils dilate in the slightest. She felt a smug smile tug the edges of her lips, but she licked them to soothe it. "For me? I may not be in Irridel for much longer, and I want to make the most of my last days here." She gently touched the side of his arm and he nearly jumped, his cheeks flushing.

"I'll have your horses saddled and bridled," he muttered. Amara gave him a flashing smile, but he missed it because he had already turned to walk quickly away. She turned on her heels to face Marie who was only shaking her head.

"You act half as flirtatious at this feast tonight and you'll be the princess of Caltora by morning," Marie said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Amara said indignantly, holding her chin high in the air. "The Princess of Irridel would never stoop so low as to charm a man into getting what she wants."

"Please," Marie huffed. "You know Landen's been in love with you since we were children. Nothing ever happened because you were a princess and he could only ever be a knight. And a good one at that. He's risen through the ranks faster than any I've heard of. Perhaps anxious to gain the attention of a certain noble lady?" Marie's eyes sparkled. She was drawn towards any sort of gossip or drama like a moth to a flame.

Amara frowned. "Well, he certainly didn't seem to be too hung up on it last night when he was far too busy sticking his tongue down Klea Ferlin's throat to notice his beloved princess sneaking out of the castle on horseback."

Marie shrugged. "Perhaps it's his way of coping. Imagine, the love of your life, but footsteps away from you, and yet you can never be together because she's a royal." Marie put the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to faint of distress.

Amara smacked Marie lightly. "Would you stop." Marie burst into a fit of giggles. "You dramatize everything."

Marie smiled. "Only because you provide such great material for me to work with. Honestly Amara, it's like every man within in a ten-step radius falls instantly in love with you, and you don't even seem to notice."

"Falls in love with me, or falls in love with the idea of a princess?" Amara asked.

"You," Marie said, rolling her eyes. "You have this strange, overaggressive, slightly terrorizing, indifferent, stubborn charm about you."

Amara snorted. "Thanks."

"Ladies," Landen called, leading two tacked horses, one chestnut and the other white as snow. Amara headed towards the chestnut. A side saddle had been thrown over the horse, which irritated her, but she knew better than to pitch a fit about it now. She swung herself into the saddle before Landen had the chance to offer her a hand. He turned to Marie who happily accepted his help. He then handed each of them a cloak muttering, "If you're going to venture outside the castle then at least conceal yourselves. If any of the other guards find out..."

"They won't! I promise," Amara swore.

Shaking his head, Landen quickly retrieved his own black horse and mounted, trotting out of the stables. Amara slipped a rough green cloak over her shoulders and pulled down the large hood so it hide most of her face. She kissed for her horse to go and followed their escort out past the open pastures and through a long gravel trail that bypassed the bustling city surrounding the castle. The trail led through the tall stone wall that fortified the estate. The two guards stationed at the wall's iron gate nodded at Landen in acknowledgment and let him pass. Amara used a different, unguarded gap in the castle wall when she needed to escape her suffocating royal life. She kept her face shadowed, and the guards paid them no attention, for there would have been no reason to question anyone exiting the palace. Landen let out a deep breath once they passed under the gate and where out in the lush green woods.

"Now," Landen began, "You both will stay right by me at all times and..."

Amara swung her cramped leg over the saddle so she could sit properly, causing her dress to slid up and show an improper amount of leg. She gave her horse a swift kick with her heels and kissed, and the mount lept into a gallop, racing down the forest trail. Marie began clicking for her horse to run as well, and soon she was just behind Amara.

"Princess Amara! Lady Marie!" Landen whisper yelled behind them as he was forced to chase after them. Laughing freely, Amara leaned her head back to let the dappled sunlight sprinkle on her face through the scattered leaves above.

The birds fluttered disruptively from their branches at the sound of the horses hooves, and a soft breeze brushed the wisps of hair not held back in her ribbon into her face. She took a deep breath of the freedom, relishing the smell of wet greens and warm air. The steady flow of water greeted her ears and soon the river bank came into site. It was only a few strokes across in length and at its deepest point,she could just touch her toes to the bottom. Tree roots reached out towards the water and the pebbly bank soon turned into a carpet of velvet moss. Amara pulled her horse to stop and slid off, immediately yanking off her boots and socks, and running to dip her toes in the water. Landen appeared a moment later, his face very pale and a hand on his sword. His worried expression lessened slightly when Amara gave him a playful grin. Marie soon appeared and dismounted her horse, walking over to the bank and finding a nice flat rock to spread herself out on, letting the sun warm her.

Amara wandered farther down the bank to hop on one of the rocks that protruded from the river's edge, jumping from rock to rock with her arms spread out to balance herself. She landed on a fallen tree and ran across it to leap onto the farthest bolder that sat in the center of the river.

"Princess, please. Are you trying to torture me?" Landen called from the shore. Amara raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Every time you jump, my heart skips a beat. One slip and then the Princess of Irridel is gone and my head's on a spike."

Amara rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I never slip. And you don't have to call me princess anymore. We aren't back at the castle. Just Amara is fine."

He shook his head and held out his hand. "Princess Amara," he said definitely. "Will you please come back to safety?"

Smirking Amara teetered on the edge the rock with one foot, pretending to be losing her balance and making Landen's jaw clench and eyes go wide. "Princess, please?" Laughing, Amara lazily lept to the log making Landen flinch.

"Ha! You should have seen your face! You looked as if-" Amara gasped suddenly, her foot slipping on the wet log causing her to slid right into the cool river water.

"AMARA!" she heard Landen cry just before her head went under. The current tugged her below the surface, and for a moment the world spun around her. But rather than fear, she felt thoroughly amused. She let herself float freely for a moment until her body reoriented itself and then popped her head up above the surface, half laughing, half choking on river water, while digging her toes into the soft silt floor to try to keep herself from drifting too far. A second later Landon appeared at her side, his hands around her waist to hold her steady and keep her from floating off. Being taller than her, he could stand firmly on the ground with his chin still above water. Amara let him hold her so she could keep her mouth above the river as well. "Are you okay?" he asked nervously.

Amara finished coughing and then smiled. "Yes," she croaked. "I'm quite alright. How are you?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "A bit wet." He smiled. "I thought you said you never slip."

Amara frowned. "Yes, that would be a first. I suppose I got a bit too cocky." She bit her lip to fight a full smile. An excited energy pulsed through her veins. Something about being in the water with this boy when she knew she was not supposed to thrilled her. Maybe it was because she was meeting the prince tonight and would never get the chance to be so carefree or foolish again, or because she just wanted to feel like a normal girl doting over another normal boy, but she loved this moment and did not want it to end. "You called me Amara. Just Amara."

His cheeks warmed slightly. "Yes, well. I wasn't thinking. It must have just slipped my tongue."

She rested her hands on his shoulders. "I like it when your tongue slips."

He drew a shaky breath his eyes focusing on her and nothing but her. She felt him pull her slightly closer to him in the water.

"Everyone alive?" Marie called from the shore. The both of them startled, and Marie laughed, flipping over to lay on her back so she could watch them.

"Come on," Landen muttered. "We should try to dry off a bit before heading back." Amara nodded, swimming like a dog back to the shore, sputtering to prevent more water from flooding into her mouth. Landen swam much more gracefully, and she could tell he was trying hard not to laugh at her. She reached the shore and rung out her hair and dress and then collapsed on a rock next to Marie. Landen pulled off his boots, setting them out to dry, and sat on a patch of moss a few feet away from them, his hand returning to rest on the handle of his sword. They spent the rest of the morning at the river, basking in the hot summer sun, the girls laughing, spreading rumors, and catching frogs, and Landen pretending he was not listening. Finally Marie announced that she was starving, and they all threw on their cloaks, remounted their horses, and headed back to the castle. The guards nodded to them at the gate, and a stable boy took their horses from them when they arrived back in the barn. Landen walked them back to the castle tower they had come from and held the door open for them when they re-entered the cool stone building at a spiraled stairwell that led to the upper levels. Amara waited at the bottom of the steps while Marie headed on up to the next floor.

"I'm going to begin getting ready. Amara, you should do the same," Marie called, giving her a gleeful face with eyebrows raised, and Amara knew she wanted her to stay and talk to Landen. She glanced at the young knight who stood leaning against the wall watching her carefully, his hair still slightly dampened from their swim. She waited until she heard the door shut firmly, perhaps a little too firmly, above her indicating that Marie had left the stairwell. Amara took a step towards Landen.

"Thank you for letting us go riding today," Amara said. "I know you weren't really supposed to, and I appreciate. I think I needed that. I just wanted a few more hours of freedom before my entire life is no longer under my control at all."

"You mean with the Prince of Caltora?" Landen asked. She nodded. "You're going to marry him?"

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" Amara asked. "Caltora is our greatest ally against Dremora. And we need that alliance to stay strong, now more than ever. If he asks, I have to say yes." She hated herself for sounding so much like her mother.

"He'll ask. He'd be crazy not to." His mouth quivered as if he regretted the words right after he said them. He pushed himself off the wall and went to the door to leave. "Princess," he said quietly, bowing slightly.

"Landen, wait!" Amara said. He turned to look at her, his eyes full of hope. She took a few steps toward him.

"C-can I ask you something completely insane?" Amara cleared her throat and squared her shoulders, clasping her hands behind her back and trying her best to look as serious as possible, for what she was about to ask was quite ridiculous. He nodded once. She took a short breath. "Would you kiss me?" His mouth nearly dropped, and his face paled. "I mean... Let me explain," she rushed. "It's just... Well... You've kissed lots of girls, I'm certain. And I...I've never kissed anyone before. And if I am to marry Prince Arian and he was to kiss me, I'm slightly afraid because I've never done it before, and I don't want to be bad at it because it's very important- diplomatically speaking- that he likes me, and I just thought that maybe, if you wouldn't mind, I could kiss you first so I... so I would know how." She swallowed hard. The knight's expression had not changed. Nor did it look like he had breathed once while she was speaking. "You don't have to, of course. I understand it's a very strange request."

"Amara," he finally breathed. "A-are you sure? Don't you want your first kiss to be with someone who... who you would actually want to be with?"

She frowned. "Why wouldn't I want to be with you?"

He laughed dryly. "Amara, I'm not a prince. I'm a knight. A fairly good one, but no amount of training or won battles will make me a royal."

"I didn't ask why I couldn't," she said, stepping closer to him so they were only inches apart. "I just asked why wouldn't I want to."

He swallowed hard, and his hand gently brushed her cheek and came to rest on the side of her neck. "Would you?" His voice was a raspy whisper now. "Would you want me? If things were different?"

She licked her lips, but her mouth had seemed to grow dry. Her heart fluttered in her chest. Would she have wanted him? Wanted him like this, in this way? It was perhaps a ridiculous question, and one she never need answer because it would not happen, but still a part of her was screaming yes. The corners of her mouth twitched in a smile. "I would have wanted you to kiss me by now," she answered.

Landen gave a light laugh and then slowly bent down, his face so close to hers she could feel his breath on her skin. Not having the patience to wait, she pushed herself up on her toes and pressed her lips against his. He sucked in a quick breath of surprise, and then his mouth moved gently against hers, softer than her finest silk dresses. Excitement tingled through her veins as she kissed him back. His other hand came to rest ever so delicately on her back, and she spread her fingers across his chest. Having never kissed someone before, she could not have been able to tell a good kiss from a bad kiss, but she felt certain this had to be a good one. Then their lips parted, and he held his head against the side of her face, breathing unevenly.

"Was that- was that okay?" Amara whispered.

He laughed. "It was a lot more than okay." He leaned back to face her, his thumb trailing the edge of her jaw. "As I said, the prince would have to be crazy not to ask you." She forced a smile, her throat feeling too tight to speak.

"Thank you," she said quietly. She tied to think of something else to say, but her mind did not seem to be working right. "I should go get ready."

He nodded, only momentarily looking saddened. He took her hand and bowed, gracefully kissing her knuckles. "Princess," he said. And then he turned and left.

Amara spun around in a circle and then ran up the stairs, feeling dizzy and breathless. When she stepped back into her bedroom, a bath had already been drawn for her, but her maids were nowhere in sight, likely scouring the castle trying to hunt her down. She quickly washed up, scrubbing off the last of the river mud that clung to her, and changed into a silk robe. She was just beginning to attack her tangled mop of hair when the door opened.

"Ah, Nadine, how are you?" Amara asked.

The maid sighed in relief. "Oh, your grace! I've been looking all over for you!"

Amara smiled. "Ha! And I looking for you! We surely must have past each other!"

"Well, best be starting now. We haven't a moment to waste. Jalyn should be here soon with your dress soon." The maid picked up a brush and began to comb out the ends of Amara's hair. "You look awful happy today? What's got you in such a cheery mood? Is it the prince?" Amara glanced in the mirror. Her cheeks were in fact glowing, and she looked more awake than ever.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, that's it. The prince."

The maid finally finished with her hair and then moved onto lightly rub and dust her face with a few oils and powders, while Amara snacked on some lunch. Jalyn then arrived with a large lump of fabric. She took off the cover of the dress, revealing a floor-length, forest green gown. It was impossible to tell the shape of it from all the loose straps, but Amara smiled brightly at Jalyn who was watching her with a nervous face, clearly checking for the princess's approval.

"Its beautiful, Jalyn! As always! Thank you," Amara said. The maid smiled happily and then began to help her change into it. It took all three of them to figure out the configuration of the piece, but soon it was fitted to her small frame, and she was adorned with a delicate gold necklace with a small green stone. Her maids left her to have a few moments to herself before she would need to head down and greet the guests. She wandered towards her ffull lengthmirror to inspect herself. The dress had deep V in the front and connected behind her neck where it crossed back and forth all the way down to her lower back. The necklace formed the shape of a Y, and connected in the gap between her collar bones with a simple gold star that held a short chain that ended in the green stone that rest over her sternum. Her hair was pulled loosely up in a mix of curls, waves, loops, and braids, and she stood on leather heels.

With a smirk, she went and grabbed the small sack from her satchel that she had taken down to the river, and hurried out of her room. She worked her way through the castle corridors until she reached the kitchen which was bustling with activity. Weaving past cooks and servants she reached an older, heavier woman who was touching up the icing on a glorious five-tier cake with yellow and green frosting representing the colors of Irridel. The final tier had not yet been put on and there was a square hole in the fourth layer.

"Hello, Mrs. Darsey," Amara said.

"Ah, lovely to see you dear," the cook replied. "Have you a gift for the prince?" Amara nodded, holding up her small sack. "Alright then, if you'll just put that in here," she handed her a small wooden box, "while I go dye this last bit of icing, and then I'll place it in the cake."

The cook left and Amara quickly dumped the contents of her sack into the box, and snapped it closed. "No peeking, now!" Amara called, swiping off a pinky full of icing and licking her finger clean.

"Wouldn't dream of it, miss! You know I love a surprise."

Amara smiled. Hopefully the prince would too. She headed out of the kitchen and entered the adjoining Great Hall where the celebrations were being held. The feast had been an open invitation in hopes that if more of the people saw the Scarths, they would become more trusted faces. Many of the city dwellers had already arrived and the hall was filled with men wearing their finest armor, women in their grandest dresses, and children racing through the crowd. A jester stood in one corner, attracting a large audience as he made butterflies appear from behind girl's ears and fascinated the boys by sparking flames from his hands.

"Oh darling, you look absolutely lovely!" Amara turned to see her mother approaching her, arms out to pull her into a gentle hug. "Remember, best behavior," her mother muttered against her ear. She pulled back with a wide smile and went to greet a count that had just arrived. Amara searched the crowd for another familiar face. She knew most of the nobles here, but they were old and boring. Finally she saw a fresh young one.

"Marie!" Amara called. The other girl looked over and quickly trotted to Amara. She was wearing a light pink dress that complimented the rosy color of her cheeks.

"Amara, you look beautiful!" Marie gasped.

"Thanks! You too!"

"Now tell me," Marie said, her face grew very serious. "I want every exact detail of everything that happened the moment I left you alone in the stairwell with Sir Landen of Wilernon."

Amara rolled her eyes. "Well, if you must know-"

"Ladies and gentlemen of Irridel," a grand voice cut her off. "I present to you our most honored guests of the night and our cause for celebration, the King and Prince of our greatest ally, Caltora!"

Cheers erupted, and Amara stood on her toes to try to see the prince through the crowd of people, but had no luck.

"Ah, King Hiezen! A pleasure as always. You remember my wife, Queen Ashta, and my sons, Theodus and Clark. And of course my littlest, Kyra, has already been put to bed, but my other daughter, oh, where is she?"

Following the sound of her father's voice, Amara quickly dodged around the observers, who were trying hard to pretend they were not watching, and finally found her family not too far from the main entrance to the hall. Her father's green eyes gleamed happily when he saw her and he took her hand when she approached, drawing her to his side. "Ah, there she is. My beautiful Amara. Amara has proved to be quite the little diplomate, I must say. She has taken quite an interest in-"

The king continued doting on his daughter, but Amara had stopped listening, her attention fully consumed with studying the newcomers. King Hiezen she had seen a few times before. He was a tall man with a hawk-like nose and thick blonde eyebrows that matched his shoulder length hair. A crown rested on his head and a sword was fastened to his belt which tightened around his deep red tunic. But far more interesting was the prince. Like his father, he had light blonde hair that curled slightly at its ends which nearly fell into his light blue eyes. A faint trace of a beard trailed along his sharp jaw, and his nose was far more attractive than his father's, yet still strong. The moment she had come into sight, his eyes had wandered up and down her body, but if he found her interesting to look at, his face showed no sign of it. He seemed bored if anything. Amara tried not to show her disappointment. The prince may have been pretty, but he seemed to lack any sort of personality.

"Wouldn't you agree?"

Amara looked up in confusion, realizing her father had asked her a question. "Oh, yes!" she said.

He father laughed. "Oh, let us not discuss politics anymore. After all, you haven't traveled through those treacherous woods only to speak of that which could be written in a letter. No, let us go ahead and eat. I'm sure the children will want some time of their own to discuss other matters." Her father gave her hand a squeeze, and then wrapped an arm around her mother and went to take a seat at the long dining table that wrapped around the edge of the room.

Theo gave her a sorry look as Prince Arian guided her to the table. "Boring," he mouthed. She tried her hardest not to laugh. Arian pulled a chair out for her, and she sat down. He took the seat to her left, his eyes wandering aimlessly out into the space in front of them.

"How was your journey?" Amara asked, trying to catch his attention.

He looked at her as if he had suddenly just realized she existed. "Fine. Three days. Not too bad." He took a sip of his wine. "And you?"

Amara stared at him dumbfounded. "I-I live here. I'm the Princess of Irridel."

"Oh yes, of course," Arian mumbled. He did not say a word to her for the rest of dinner nor did he laugh at the jester's dance or his act of releasing a beautiful green bird from under a flat sheet on a stand. Finally the cake was brought out, and the prince was given the knife to make the first cut. It was not until then that Amara realized her mistake.

"A gift, for our prince, lies under the top tier," the King of Irridel told Arian. The prince's lips drew upward, but Amara could see no true joy in the smile. His eyes fluttering the prince removed the top of the cake and begrudgingly pulled out the wooden box. Amara buried her face in her hands, already dreading how the disaster would unfold. The prince undid the latch and pulled the lid open, and out jumped about twenty or so small purple frogs. The prince jerked back in horror, and the frogs raced across the table tops. The people shrieked in delight, and King Heizen and her father let out bellowing laughs. Smirking, Amara looked up at her mother, but her glee faded immediately at the sight of the queen. Her cheeks red and her lips pursed, the woman looked as if she was about to leap over the table to come and strangle her. Amara quickly averted her eyes and looked at her brothers who were clutching their stomachs laughing, and then at the prince who had put the box to the side and sat back down, wiping at his shirt with a disgusted look on his face.

"What sort of sick person would put frogs inside a cake," Arian muttered.

"I thought it might amuse you," Amara said, biting her lip.

"This was your idea?" Arian asked, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Amara flashed her teeth. "I caught them myself."

The prince scoffed and refused to look at her. "I'm sorry, have I done something to offend

you?" Amara asked pointedly.

Arian gave her a cold glare. "You mean besides put frogs in my cake? I used to enjoy cake. Now I don't think I'll ever be able to eat it again."

Amara creased her eyebrows. "I meant before that. Since we've met, you've barely looked at me, and you seem as if you'd rather be anywhere but here. Why? Am I that unattractive to you? Can you truly just not stand to be next to me?"

The prince looked as if he was about to hold his tongue, but then spoke anyways. "I had heard stories of you before I arrived in Irridel. Stories of the wild princess who could argue with walls and bath in mud holes. I would have never imagined that a person could be so childish, especially a young woman of your title. But alas, here she sits. The frog catcher who knows not when to keep her mouth shut. I am prepared to marry you, if I wasn't I wouldn't have come, but do not expect any love or tenderness from me. I need you only to ensure my country a military alliance and me of heirs. That is all."

Amara could feel her face grow hot, salty tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she blinked to hold them back. A furious rage rose up in her, and before she had the better sense to control herself, she let her fist fly, punching the prince in the face. Her mother shrieked and the hall fell quiet. With a look of pure shock on his face, the prince brought a hand to his nose and brought it back to see blood.

Amara leaned close against his ear. "You may be the Prince of Caltora," she hissed, "but I am the Princess of Irridel, and I will not be treated as anything less, you filthy pig."

Standing with as much grace as she could muster, she gave a short curtsy and turned to leave the hall, cradling her trembling hand against herself. A scream pierced the room and for a moment she was afraid the prince was chasing after her, but she turned just in time to see a hooded man bring a blade across the throat of the Caltorian King. More cries broke out as suddenly cloaked intruders appeared all around them as if summoned from thin air. The Irridelian soldiers immediately drew their swords in defense, but the enemy had already begun stabbing and slicing at the disorganized crowd. A set of soldiers immediately surrounded her father, protecting him, while King Heizen's lifeless body slumped to the floor. More bodies fell all around her, blood spraying through the air and eear-splittingcries ringing in her ears. A knight lashed out at one of the attacking hood men, and the cut splattered blood against the wall. Blue blood.

"Blue Bloods! They're Blue Bloods! It's Dremora!" Someone cried. Panic spread through the hall as the people tried to make their way to the exit which had now been taken over by more of the invaders. Amara was pushed to the floor by the wave of madness and fell atop a frozen, blood-soaked body. Shaking, she fought her way to stand back up, pushing against the crowd to try to get to her father. Someone grabbed her by the arm, and she whirled around to throw another punch, but dropped her fist when she recognized Theo.

"Follow me!" he yelled above the fighting. Not waiting for her to answer, he dragged her through the chaos and behind a tapestry hanging on the far wall leading to a thin space between the walls of the castle. He kept pulling her through the maze-like passageway, the screams from the Great Hall fading behind them and being replaced by the sounds of their rapid breathing and the shuffling of feet across the stone floor. Finally they reached an exit, but it led to a part of the castle Amara was not familiar with. The hallway was lit by a single torch, leaving them mostly enveloped in shadow. Theo opened a creaky wooden door that led to a small hovel and yanked her inside, shutting the door behind them and peering out its small window.

"There's a set of packs in the corner," he said. "The green one is yours. Go ahead and change into the clothes. They're servants which should help you blend better, and make you harder to recognize." Theo leaned against the door with his eyes set on the window while Amara quickly slipped off her dress and on the clothes in the pack: a plain grey dress, tan cloak, and high socks with boots. She yanked the pins out of her hair so it hung in a mess around her shoulders, and pulled the hood over her head. "Ready?" her brother asked.

"Yes," Amara answered, pulling the pack onto her shoulders. "But where are we going?"

"You, not we," he said, opening the door and jogging down the hallway. Amara caught up to his side. "You need to go somewhere safe, and right now the castle is the most dangerous place you could be. There's Blue Bloods everywhere. I don't know how so many got in; we should have been watching our guests more carefully. Two northern kings in the same room, we might as well have sent the Dremorian King a letter inviting him to come kill us all himself. Father was worried about the risk, and so we came up with a plan to get you out in case of such a scenario."

"But why me?" Amara asked, running to keep up with her brother's long stride. "What about mother and father and Clark and- Oh! Kyra! Who is with Kyra?"

"We've planned for this I promise you. But in order to keep us all safe, you have to follow the plan. Promise me, Amara?"

Trembling, she nodded her head. "Okay, I trust you." They reached the end of the hallway, and Theo pushed the doors open to reveal the night sky lit by a full moon. Theo raced across the castle grounds toward the towering city wall. He ran up to a statue of a rearing lion that stood upon a large block of stone that was built into the wall and grabbed the beast's outstretched paw and pushed it to the side. Stone slid against stone as the side of the block beneath them slid down underneath the grass to reveal an opening. The both of them ran inside and dashed through the darkness of the hollow barrier which was large enough to fit a very brave horse through. Amara knew this from previous experience, though she dared not mention it now. They scurried out through a wall of tangled ivy that hid the passage from the outside and found themselves at the edge of the forest. Amara looked up to see a knight waiting for them, holding two saddled horses, his face just as surprised as hers.

Theo glanced around them to ensure they were alone. "Amara, this is-"

"Sir Landen," Amara said.

"Good, you know him," Theo said. "He will be escorting you to Adikan's Manor, a property not but 10 leagues from here. They have a small band of men waiting, and you should be safe there. I can't go with you; I must go back and check on the rest of our family, but I feel certain I leave you in good hands. The Blue Bloods are likely all in the castle, but should there be any scouts in the woods, having only two riders will attract less attention." He wrapped his arms around her. "Please be safe. Don't do anything stupid. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Amara nodded against his shoulder. "I'll be fine. I promise."

He chuckled. "Now that I've seen your right hook, I think I may just believe you." He kissed her atop her head and raced back into the tangle of ivy.

"Are you alright?" Landen asked, quickly walking up to her and slipping his hand around the back of her neck to look her face over carefully, his eyes full of worry.

She nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's just go." He took her hand for a moment, his thumb flickering over her split red knuckles, a flare of anger spreading over his face. He swallowed hard, and then led her to her horse. Amara swiftly mounted Cara, rubbing her grey neck and combing her fingers nervously through her mane. The horse looked back at her and nickered, her feet shifting on the ground and tail swishing from side to side. The second Landen was in the saddle, Amara clicked for Cara to go, and soon both horses were racing through the moonlit forest, towards Adikan's Manor. They came to the river they had basked at earlier that morning and galloped across the bank until they found a narrower, shallower point for the horses to cross so their boots were only slightly soaked. Finally,she saw the light of a torch being emitted from a watchtower above the treeline.

"Landen, we're almost there!" Amara cried, giving Cara a nudge with her heels. The horse heaved and then pumped her legs harder.

"Yes!" Landen called, the moonlight splintering across his face through the trees. "Just another league or so, and we should-"

His voice was cut off by a whizz of air. He looked down at the arrow protruding from his chest and then up at Amara, blood trickling out of his mouth.

"LANDEN!" Amara shrieked. The boy slid from his horse and fell to the ground. Amara yanked back on the reins, and Cara slid to a stop. She threw herself off her horse and went to race to Landen, but someone else had beaten her there. She froze in her tracks. A hooded figure stood over him, a sword in their hand. "No, no please!" Amara choked.

"Run!" Landen heaved from the ground. "Run, Am... Amar..."

The man's sword thrust through the air and into Landen's back. Amara screamed. The man calmly walked towards her. Her whole body trembling, she turned to run, but three more men were approaching her from behind. She bolted to the side, blindly running through the trees, away from the manor, away from the men. But they were faster. An arm grabbed her waist, and a hand clamped over her mouth. She screamed as loud as she could, but the sound was muffled. The man dragged her back to where Landen's killer stood.

"I'll remove my hand from your mouth if you promise to stop screaming," the man hissed in her ear. "It wouldn't do you any good out here anyway. These forests are empty."

He dropped his hand from her mouth, but kept a firm hold of her waist. Still shaking, she held her chin high, looking at the man who now stood in front of her. The figure slowly pulled off the hood of their cloak, revealing a man with a scraggly black beard stuck to a tan skinned face with many black markings inked onto it. He looked at her curiously, then lifted her chin with his hand as if to inspect her.

"Do you have a name?" the Blue Blood asked. She did not want to answer, but the man seemed to have no problem waiting until she did. It was not until this moment that she remembered she was dressed in servant's clothes. The only reason he had not killed her yet was because he did not think she was a royal. Her mind racing she tried to think of a name to give. She certainly could not say Amara Valator. She thought of Marie, who was back at the castle. Amara prayed she was alright. She could pretend to be Marie. No, Marie was still a noble. There could be a chance the man had heard the name. Her eyes drifted to her grey mare that one of the Blue Bloods had calmed and brought to stand beside them and four other dark horses.

"Cara," she said suddenly. "My name is Cara."

"Cara. A beautiful name," the man said. "Fitting." His eyes looked her over, and then he took his hand back. "My name is Sedaun, and these are my friends. You are a Red Blood, no?" There was no use denying it. If she lied, he could easily slit her palm to find the truth. She nodded. "Do not worry." He smiled, his white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "No one will harm you, I assure you of that. No," he tilted his head and squinted at her. "I think I may have a much better use for you yet, Cara." Sedaun turned to the man next to him. "Release the horse and bind the girl's hands." He turned back to her. "A formality really. Not that I don't trust you to not try to escape, I just don't trust you to not try to escape."

One of the men, seeming to be in his early twenties with only a slight scruff along his jaw and dark wavy hair that parted far to the side and nearly hide his eyes, came up to her with a few feet of rope.

"Hands," he muttered in a rough voice, refusing to look her in the eyes. Swallowing hard, Amara held out her trembling fists, wrists held together. The man wrapped the rope around her wrists and then crossed the rope over a few times before knotting it. Then he waved his hand over hers and muttered a quick phrase that was so soft Amara barely even heard it. "Bind right, bind tight. Never slip, hold grip." Amara's eyes widened as the ropes binding her wrists tightened on their own and a few of the strands flashed a bright gold color which soon faded.

Sedaun chuckled at Amara's surprise. "Your first time witnessing magic, I presume?"

"Sorcery is outlawed in the northern realms," Amara said carefully. The use of such magical means was another distinguishing feature between the bloods. While the Blue Bloods embraced enchantments, sourcery, and the magical creatures of their world, the Red Bloods forbade any form of relation with spirits or evils and hunted down and chased out any creature with the slightest magical trace from their territory.

Sedaun smiled. "If a simple spell cast can strike such awe, you will be in for quite the surprise once we cross the border back into the world of old. The world of magic."

"You mean Dremora?" Amara questioned.

"I mean everywhere, but your small Red Blooded lands," Sedaun said. "You think the extent of the world is enclosed within the borders of the forest you believe you have tamed, but I assure you there is a world outside far great and far more interesting than you could ever begin to imagine."

A twinge of curiosity sparked in the back of her mind, but Amara smothered it instantly. "What do you want from me?" she growled.

He let out a deep laugh. "You're a fiery one, aren't you?" He took a step closer to her, his eyes flickering over her face. "I see an opportunity in you. One that I've missed too many time before to pass up on now. I think you and I are going to become very good friends, Cara. And if you help me, I promise I can make this friendship very beneficial for you."

Sedaun quickly mounted his horse and the Blue Blood still holding her pushed her towards him. Sedaun held out a hand to her, and she realized she had no choice, but to accept. Using the stirrup and his hand, she was lifted off the ground to sit behind him on his horse.

"Iree von de vaas, ik ren urth," Sedaun said. One of the men answered in a series of clicks, and soon all the Blue Bloods were mounted and turned to Sedaun who appeared to be their leader. He kissed, and his horse broke into a lope. Amara held onto the back of Sedaun's quilted armor, hot tears rolling down her cheeks as she was carried further and further away from home, into the dark of night.