9 New Dawn

When Princess Sam woke up, it was still early morning. She slowly made her way out limping, her leg still hurt. But what awaited her outside was the sight of a beautiful dawn. The tribal village was on top of a hill, and she could see from that height the sun rising from the mountains of east Hebelone. The sky changed its colors from red to orange to yellow before reaching a beautiful blue. And breathing in the morning air she could hear the hums of tribal women as they prepared breakfast for their children. Sam felt her fears and unhappiness, and her taste of defeat go away, and in its place, she felt fresh hope and love for her country. Prince Edgar who had come there by then also enjoyed the scene from the hill.

"Hebelone is beautiful." Sam remarked unconsciously

"Yes it is." the Prince agreed looking at the vast expanse of land from the forests of the west to the mountains in the east. The responsibility of the future ruler of Hebelone presented itself to him in its entirety.

Miles away another Princess had woken up to the same sun. Princess Nataliya looked out of her large windows into the same sky. She too felt that such a clear and beautiful day could not bring in bad news for her. As if nature itself was telling her that everything was alright and that her loved ones were safe somewhere out there.

Meanwhile, Sam and Edgar were busy collecting information from the tribesmen. Having fought the rebels a few times the tribal warriors had some useful Intel. They collected maps and such and made a request to the tribal chief to send one of their warriors to the Palace within a week's span.

Before they left the village Sam met the chief and made a promise in the name of the King to bring peace to his tribe. The chief was moved by her promise.

"If the king cannot protect his people, why would they still recognize him as king?" was the one thought that Sam had in mind.

Her gaze fell on Edgar as they moved out of the village on his horse

"Now what's our plan prince Edgar ?"

"We'll be going east to the province of Sythia." He did not have to explain that going back the way they came was risky.

They had to spend another half a day traveling before they could reach there.

On the way, they engage in idle chat.

"Do you know which is my sister's favorite flower?"

"No" he replies

"White roses, the ones without a scent that grow in bunches. She thinks there is a special simplicity and beauty about them."

Sam is thinking that she is doing him service by talking about his future queen and her tastes.

"My sister looks very good when she wears emerald" Sam is giving him gift ideas. She feels she owes him that much at least. He was the sort of person she could hand her sister over. Besides she always valued her sister's judgment when it came to people. Though Sam was the one who had spent her life in the sea, Nataliya was sharp when it came to reading people. Now Sam had seen for herself how responsible and wise the Prince was. She convinced herself that he was perfect for the position of the future king.

"What about you?" Edgar was asking and Sam was recalled from her thoughts

"What?" she asked him

"Do you not like any stones and jewels? Aren't you a pirate?" he was chuckling.

Sam did not know what was so funny.

"You must have a whole chest of them which you must have buried in some remote island?" he was saying.

"I do not have any such hobby!" she says a little irritated with his taunt.

"Do you have any younger sisters?" she asks him after some thought. As far as she remembered, Keirland's only princess, Edgar's elder sister, had married and gone away to a far away kingdom, but she wanted to make sure.

"No. Why? You have some shortage of pirate recruits ?" Edgar laughs.

"Do you know that you are very bad at joking?" Sam asks him.

"Sorry, did I hurt your pirate pride?" he turns around to look at what kind of face she is making.

"You'd better go faster," she says annoyed.

"Then please hold on tight." Edgar says before sending the horse galloping ahead towards East.