Brothers....

"LEAVE US NOW"

There we were alone. For once in my life I couldn't tell if it was my father who was angry or my king.

"HOW DARE YOU!!"

"Father, I'm..."

"SILENCE, YOU DO NOT SPEAK"

I wanted so badly to stare straight into his eyes, tell him why, explain, tell him that I was sorry, but I knew keeping my eyes down to floor was better. He breathed, and I could feel his angry slowly fall, but sadness, disappointment, shame, replaced the anger in full force.

"Why? What on Glavin's Earth would make you disobey me once again, Cata? And in front of our people! In front of Nighten!"

"I wanted to fight, I was tired of watching, I wanted some fun, I wanted my shot. I wanted to be normal, I wanted my own path."

I could feel his anger start to come back.

"Father... I'm"

"LEAVE, NOW"

"Father..."

"LEAVE, WHILE I DECIDE YOUR FATE"

With out a word, I bowed my head and walked to the doors. The two guards on the other side opened them. I walked up the stairs down the hall to my room. My two guards Dan and Lea nodded and opened my double doors. If they knew what had happened they made no mention of it. Inside my chambers, theirs the main room with two big couches, my work desk facing the wall and a bed next to the desk, where Sunset, my lioness, sleeps. She must still be out hunting, because she was not in the room. Straight in front of me there are two more doors, I walk inside and went to my bed, I laid down on it. Tears start falling down my face.

**********

"Princesses do not cry, child"

"I know, Papa, but it really hurts"

"And, what have I told you about sword fighting with your brothers"

"That I'm too small"

"Yes. One day child, one day you will be big enough, and I have no doubt, it will be your brothers, who end up hurt; and come crying to me" he said with the biggest smile on his face.

"Haha yeah! I'll show them!"

"Yes, you will, one day. Now let's go get that arm cleaned up"

"Ok, papa!"

*******

Oh papa what have I done. Tap tap tap. I turned to the window, and their on the balcony, was my Phoenix, the symbol of my family. I got up and opened the door.

"Good afternoon, Firewing!"

-Good afternoon, my Lady. I heard about the tournament.-

-Oh Firewing. I've made a big mistake.-

-I know.-

-What brings you here?-

-I wanted to see you, my Lady. I'm not sure I will be able to catch you during my night flight.-

-Do you know what father is going to do?-

-I do. But it is not my place to say. I will leave you with this: "Be wise. Be brave. And there is a reason for everything"

And with that he flew off.

"My Lady?"

I turned and their stood my handmaid, Helen.

"What is it Helen?"

"We should get you changed into proper clothes."

I looked down I was still wearing my run down, green cloak, with old armor and chainmail.

"Yes let's."

Soon I was dressed in a bright red dress. With my golden cloak and royal symbol down the back of it. I was standing in the mirror. Under my hood, you could see my blue eyes and my brown swirl tattoos. The tattoos run down my face and all across my body. Marking me as an Azurian. All Azurain's have them, know matter their class. I buckled the three clasps, while Helen grabbed my belt holding two golden swords on each side. The three clasp symbolize that I am a noble. Helen has two clasp on her cloak making her a commoner. The two swords that dangle from my belt symbolize that I am of Royalty. Only royals can weld two swords.

"There we go, that must be better"

"Thank you Helen, I don't know what I would do with out you."

"You would never look like a lady, that's for sure"

I smiled. She was probably right about that.

"Well, I must go. If I may, my Lady, keep your chin up, smile, and hold yourself proud, remember that my Lady, always stand proud"

"Thank you, Helen"

And with that she bowed and left. I looked down on my right arm, the royal sigma burned into my arm. It was a golden Phoenix flying over a lion. With the words "light will always guide the way" around the Phoenix and the lion. My thoughts were interrupted by the voices outside in the hall. It was Dan, my guard, he was talking to my brother Jameson.

-Let him in Dan. Tell him I will be right out in the main room-

I heard him tell my brother. And the door open. I turned from the mirror and open the door from my bedroom. My brother Jameson was tallest of them, he was about father's height, standing at 6'8. He looked so much like father and acted like him too. He had father's blue eyes, well we all did. He pulled his hood down, showing his short black hair, making him look more like father. Around our family we were allowed to have our hoods down. Except for the King, he was always allowed to wear his down. I removed mine. I didn't need to look at his face to tell he was angry. Through our sibling bond I already knew.

"HOW COULD YOU BE SO CHILDISH?" he yelled. "YOU ARE TO BE THE FUTURE QUEEN OF NIGHTEN! AND YOUR STILL GOING AROUND DISOBEYING FATHER LIKE YOUR 13!"

"Will you at least calm down, and stop yelling at me."

"I'LL STOP YELLING WHEN YOU START ACTING LIKE A FUTURE RULER SHOULD"

"WELL, WE ALL CAN'T ACT LIKE PERFECTLY OBEDIENT FUTURE RULERS NOW CAN WE!!"

"I AM THE CROWN PRINCE OF SUNDEN HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

"And if I recall she is also your sister."

We both stopped our yelling, and turned to see standing in the doorway was Andrew, our brother. "Everyone can hear you from across the 12 kingdoms of Azuria" as he smiled. His smile, could always light up the room.

"What do you want" said Jameson.

"I thought I should get in on the yelling, or well at least the talking too"

"I get it, I was childish and foolish." I sat down about ready to burst in to tears. "Just go ahead and say how disappointed and ashamed you are of me. Just get it out of your system"

Both Jameson and Andrew stared at each other, I'm sure having a conversation with each other. That was typical of them.

"Cata" says Jameson. "Yes, you were childish and foolish, and well reckless with thinking father would just brush it off, that you disobeyed him in from of all of Sunden and Nighten"

"Oh thanks for making me feel better"

"What James is trying to say, but so clearly failing at is. You could never disappoint or shame us. We are your brothers. We just wish sometimes you'd think things through just a little bit more, firecracker."

Laughing at the nickname he gave me years and years ago, I couldn't help but smile. But the way he said, it was like he was saying it for the last time. I couldn't help but...

"There's the smile we love so much" said James, interrupting my thoughts. "Now, let's go father wants us in the throne room. He's ready to talk."