1 Chapter One

Chapter One

Zion's "office" is small, shabby but, has a beautiful view of the sunset. Sitting down on his bed, I prop my head up with my hand. Focusing on what he is doing, I strain my neck forward, gazing at the paper he is writing on. "What're you doing?" Zion sighs - he hates being interrupted when he is busy- and dips his feathered pen towards the ink jar. "It's the papers confirming the new trade spots with the Southern regions." Interested, for once, in the politics of the northern region's oldest kingdom, The briar rose, I start to lean forward.

There's a rapping sound on the door, scaring me and almost causing me to fall off the bed. Glancing over to Zion, I head to the door and open it. Peeking outside, Cadence, my father butler, is standing outside.

Cadence has been working with us for almost five years now. We found him working for someone else, so we offered him higher pay, and he came. He is a good butler and is always watching out for me and Zion. I learned a few months after we met him that his fiance died at the lost creeks. She was a fairy.

Smiling, I pull him inside, throwing him towards the bed. I bounce down next to him. Zion doesn't bother to look up from his document and continues scribbling away.

Getting their attention, I tell them my unplanned plan. "I am sneaking out tonight!" At that, Both Cadence and Zion snap their heads to me, their bewilderment evident on their faces.

Grinning broadly, I stand up and pace around.

"I have it all planned out! I am going to sneak out and head over to the creek, ride through the woods maybe." Zion lets out a humorless laugh and turns to his paper. "Doesn't sound planned to me." Groaning at his bluntness, I crumple down on the cushioned chair in the corner and mess with my hair.

Cadence still hasn't said anything but, I know he wants to by the way his eyes are darting around the room. All three of us have weird things we do in different situations. When Cadence has something to say, he can't sit still.

"What is it Cadence?" He glances over to me.

"Well, your majesty... How do I put this... Sneaking out after a fight with your father is one of the most absurd ideas you've ever had." Dropping my mouth open, I let my hair fall from my fingers and I stare at him.

"You are just like Zion! You blunt devils!" This time, Zion can't keep in his laugh.

Snapping my gaze to Zion, it is my turn to be bewildered. Zion never laughs. He covers his mouth as his face starts to go red. Turning to Cadence who is slightly laughing, I stand up. Brushing off my dress, I bow.

"You're welcome for this such hilarious conversation." Sarcasm is dipping off my lips as I start to walk off, a content smile on my lips.

Back in Zion's cubiculum.....

Cadence falls back on my bed, holding his stomach.

"We are blunt devils. That has to be the worst thing anyone has ever called me."

"I've been called worse." I stop laughing and once again turn back to the paper in front of me. "Can you leave? I have a lot of work to do." Cadence stands up and frowns at me.

He stands up, walks to me, and wraps me into a giant bear hug. "Don't think about that." Tensing up at his touch, I push him away from me. Cadence frowns and lets out a heavy sigh. "Whatever. Have fun you blunt demon." Laughing at the last part, Cadence shuts the door behind him as he leaves chuckling.

Shaking my head, I put my pen down and think about Lilac. I am like her advice-giver even though Lilac doesn't listen to me because she's a stubborn demon. That is what she is. A stubborn and audacious demon and she gets it from her father.

"No then," I pull a list from my drawer. "Time to figure out a way to keep Lilac from sneaking out." Before shutting the drawer, I look at the opal pendant that is inside.

"You are not supposed to be there." Slamming the drawer shut, I work on the list.

In Lilacs rooms....

This is the time I wish I had agreed on the big, opulence bed. My back hurts from having to sit up straight for two hours after my talk with Zion and Cadence.

My father decided that I should learn about poisons and antidotes. So, he had the physician come and give a lecture about it. It was even more boring than the history play that the villages put on every two weekends, every month, and I have to attend every, single, one.

I didn't pay attention to much to what he was saying. Thinking about how to sneak out is hard, even though I already knew how to sneak out, I just didn't want to listen to him.

Deciding to sneak out after dinner, I start to pack my bag. I know I should listen to what Cadence said, but I don't. Stuffing my golden knife into my bag, I head down to the dining hall when I hear a knock on my door.

Dinner came and went fast. Cadence was worried the whole time because Zion didn't come down to eat. I know they are close and Cadence thinks of Zion as a younger brother but, I think he is fine. Or maybe, that is just the adrenaline talking. Either way, I don't care to think about it right now.

Frowning at how arrogant that sounded, I grab my bag and lock my door. Heading to the window, I throw it open and smile at the risk of falling to my death.

"Hm. Guess I do smile in the face of death."

Turning around and laughing at my statement, I start to slowly scramble down the side of the castle, making sure I don't grab loose holds.

And back to Zion's cubiculum....

Laying down on the hard bed in my cubiculum, I stare at the wall next to me, curled up into a ball.

Knowing Cadence is probably worried about me, I don't care and stay in my bed past dinner. He thinks of me as a little brother and worries about me, but, I don't need him to worry about me. I needed him to worry about me when I lived with my father.

A few weeks ago, my father got up and left to a different region, claiming that I was never going to be his real son. So, I moved into the castle. It's a lot easier, to be honest. Being able to give Lilac advice any time of day and having a violin at all times is wonderful.

Thinking about the list, I figure I should've talked to Lilac about sneaking out but I decide I am not strong enough -mentally or physically- to do so. Soreness is finally sinking into my arms from all those years of lifting bricks and heavy metals.

Feeling bad about Cadence, I sit up and look over to my violin. I grab it and pluck at the strings before laying it back down, my arms hurting just from barely playing it.

A knock sounds at my door. Going to open it, Cadence pushes in before I even manage to get to it. He has a plate full of food in his hand and a goblet in his other.

"Uh... What're you doing?"

On the castles courtyard floor.......

Yes, I did fall. Did it hurt? Kind of. Am I injured? No. Are the guards coming back? Absolutely. Did I lie about one of the four questions? One-hundred percent.

lifting myself, I run behind a tree as the guards do their rounds. Putting my feet down carefully, I make my way to the stables at a leisure pace.

Getting to the stables, I open my deer's door quickly So it doesn't squeak. Bringing my deer out, I hop onto it and go into a trot towards the woods.

Once I break into the woods, I hit my heels into my deer and pull on the reigns slightly and it goes into a fast gallop. Turning my horse to the left, We go off-trail and I relish in the feeling of wind going through my hair, tangling it up but making it look beautiful in the light of the moon lanterns.

The solstice, the charming, underground looking place. Solstice, the place that doesn't have natural light. My home.

Seeing the Iris creek shine in front of me, I bring m deer to a halt and jump off of it, landing next to the creek. Staring down at the water, a crack forms in the water.

Jumping away from the creek, I look around me. A crack means death. Glancing over to my deer, It seems to be acting normally so sheathe my dagger I took out a moment ago and crawl back to the creek.

Looking down at it, there is nothing there. Just the flow of water that leads out to the Windhell lake. Shaking my head, I take out the tart that I wrapped in a velvet napkin earlier at dinner and take a small bite out of it.

The next thing I know, I am soaking wet and sitting in the creek, my beautiful tart gone. Glancing around, I turn behind me and see nothing but pitch blackness. Deciding that I have two signs to leave, I hurriedly get on my deer and ride away. Too late do I realize I left my bag with my dagger and royal pendant in it.

Meanwhile...

"Lilac left." Nodding at Cadence's statement, I take a small bite out of the sandwich he brought before setting the rest of it down on the plate and curling into a ball next to Cadence on my bed.

"Zion? Are you okay?" Sighing, I nod and try to push him off the bed using my feet. "Fine. Now let me sleep will ya?" Knowing for well that Cadence is frowning right now, he gets up anyway and I hear the click of the door as it shuts.

Making sure he left, I open the drawer in my desk and take out the pendant, examining it. Thinking about where I found it, I wonder if the person who had it before knew its properties.

Soaking wet at the side gate...

"Let me in for the older god's sake!" The two guards at the side gate leading to the garden shake their heads. "No can do princess. You know our orders full well." Pulling at my hair, I point an angry finger at them. "Let me in now. As the princess of this kingdom-"

"You are not yet considered the princess. Please stand back or we will have to call the king." Bringing my hand back, I think about my choices.

If I go in through the main gate, my father will catch me. But, If I take down the guards I will still get in trouble. Giving them money is an option but, I don't have any on me. So, I will try to sweet-talk them.

"Look.. Aldor, Cideron, I've had a rough day and would appreciate it if you let me through. Please?" Both of them look at each other and my hopes go up. Then, they are crushed when they say in unison, "No."

Taking my only other option, I stomp to the main gate, leaving pools of water everywhere I go

Later on...

"Lilac! Sit down for god's sake! I said you're not going out to the villages! It just won't happen." Sitting back down calmly, I put my hands on the table and clench them. "Father. I am sixteen! I will be authorized as the crown princess next year on the 24 of the first month! I am old enough to visit the villages!" My father sets down his spoon in a frighteningly calm way; He always eats when I get in trouble. "If you continue I will send you to your room. And for the god's sake, stop twirling your hair! It is annoying and ruining your hair!" Glaring at him I continue twirling my hair. "Oh, the gods are not with me today. GUARDS! Please to the princess Lilac to her rooms." Standing up as the guards come towards me, I wiggle, trying to get out of their grip once they grab onto my arms, tightly.

My father looks at me. "It's for the best, Lilac. You need to calm down, stop being reckless and stubborn."

"I wonder who I got it from!" Yelling back at him as the guards drag me off to my room.

That's how I got here, trapped in my room for the rest of the week.

Though, I am not totally stuck.