Chapter One:  

   The cold wind bites at my face as I stare out over the village watching for any incoming people. Our king sent a messenger saying that he was sending a small army to come take care of the rebels that are destroying everything we have that we send off to the castle. I am just about to go tell the village that no one is coming when I see a flag off in the distance. Smiling I watch as it the flag gets closer, before I run down to the town hall. I try to yell but it comes out as a whisper because I am trying to catch my breath from running, "They are coming."

   â€‹Everyone jumps for joy and my mom says with a smile on her face, "Everyone calm down. Layla go out and greet them. I will be out there shortly."

   I nod my head as I catch my breath and head back out into the cold. While I wait, I hear my mother talking to the village people saying that she will make sure that they do what they can. Smiling with excitement I wait and wait for the incoming men to arrive . After what seems like hours in the blistering cold, the small army shows up and halts next to me. A strong male voice asks, "Who is in charge here?"

   "My mother. She knows you are here and will be out in just a minute to tell you what she knows," I answer as a man gets down from his horse in full body armor that bears the royal crest of the prince. Immediately I kneel in his presence.

   "You may stand up. No need to bow in this weather. I am not cruel like my father," Prince Matt tells me as my mother walks up.

   My mom must have heard what Prince Matt said because she just cortices. "Thank you for coming your majesty. There have been rebels that keep destroying our carts, mills, and supplies we need to make the stuff we send you at the castle. The men of the village have tried getting them to stop and have even fought them a few times, but it has been no good."

   The prince looks around and asks, "Where are the men that are in this village?"

   Sighs my mother informs the prince, " They are out watching the Rebels trying to keep them from coming back. However there are groups that break through somehow and terrorize us and break things. My daughter can tell you where they are at and I will soon follow. There is something I must take care of first."

   The prince nods and I get onto a horse that my friend Erica brought over to us while words was being exchanged. I climb on the horse effortlessly and look back at the prince and the small army."If you follow me, I will show you the way," I say to everyone that is actually listening to me. A lot of men don't like to listen to any of us women here. They will only listen to the men or the second incommand which is Ethan. It has taken years for my mother to be taken seriously as a leader of our community. My father died a couple years ago in a battle that we called the Death Battle. Everyone of our people that fought in it died but a few of them that was able to escape.

   Effortlessly I lead the group off to where the rest of our living men and men that decided to move to our town when they heard about the loss we suffered those years ago. None of those men decided to stand up and try to lead us. They left it to my mother who was doing the best that she could and she was actually doing okay at it. My mother was keeping us all alive and functioning. A few of the men helped her by giving her advice and information on how keep her head level. No one wants to cross my mother because she knows things that people don't want her to know.

   Upon reaching the men from the village, one steps forward and bows to the prince. Prince Matt pulls a little forward in front of everyone to state his rank and asks him, "Are you the one in charge out here?"

   The man I know as Ethan states, "Yes sir. My name is Ethan.I am incharge of the men here and second in command for the village.  My fellow men and I are at your disposal. We have isolated the rebels to be on the bottom side of this hill."

   "Okay. My men should be able to take care of it no problem. Mark, please take you troops down to the rebels and do whatever you deem necessary," the prince orders his Captain.

   The captain leads his troops down the hill. I watch them leave and say, "Thank you Prince Matt sir."  

   "It's the least we can do. This town sends a lot to the castle and we need everything you guys send us. What you'll do here helps us keep the castle running," the prince informs me. "Let's go tell your mother it's being taken care of. Ethan, tell my men I went back into town to talk to the mayor."

   "Yes sir," Ethan says as he bows.  

   I lead the prince back to our town only to see it being ran sacked by some of the rebels. Muttering to myself I stop my horse, jump down and land on my feet steadily. I tie my horse to a post, grab my sword that stays hidden under my cloak and ask the prince nicely, "Please go back to the men and tell them we need help here."

   The prince nods and takes off in the direction we came. Quickly and quietly I make my way to the town hall. Only I am stopped by one of the rebels. Sighing I bring up my sword and spread my feet shoulder width apart getting into my fight stance. The rebel snickers as he asks me through gritted teeth, "What do you plan on doing with that little girl?"

   Smirking I remark, "I am not a little girl. As to what I am going to do with the sword, stay and find out."

   The rebel snickers at me again and rolls his eyes. He in turn raises his blade and spreads his feet shoulder width apart and watches me for a second or two. Then he lunges at me and I parry effortlessly and take a step back trying to get a better stance over him. Only it makes me falter and his sword cuts my left wrist. I see blood trickling down my arm and know that if I don’t step up my game, this rebel will kill me.

   So I do the only thing that I can do even though I am not the best at it. I quickly go on the attack side and lunge at the rebel, making swift but uneven strikes at him. He blocks all of them which only makes me even more determined. Taking a deep breath, I relax myself and center myself. The next strike I make against the rebel is precise and accurate cutting the rebels chest from one side to the other. The rebel looks at me with surprise before he falls to the ground dead. Carefully I walk the few feet to him and check for a pulse. There is none. I shake my head, and close the rebels eyes.  

   Taking a deep breath to try and calm my breathing. I then stand up and look out for any other rebels that could be in the area. Seeing no more in the immediate vicinity, I make my way over to the town hall where I hear a few screams come from the building. Quickly but quietly I flattened myself against the town hall building and make my way to the back door. Seeing no one around, I silently open the door and close it. My luck is with me because no one is in the kitchen that is in the back of the town hall. I let out the breath I was holding and start my way to the front of the building where we have our huge open court room.   

   Only when I am almost there a figure steps out in front of me in the hallway. Quickly I  raise my sword and spread get into my fight stance. However before I am fully in my stance, I notice it's my mother. She motions me to follow her into out hidden passageway and into tunnels that lead to the basement. It's a passage that has a few twists and turns that actually connects with other passages that lead under the town. So unless you know where you are going, you will easily get lost.  Once we reach the basement portion, I ask my mom, "Who all is still out there? I know there is till a few people in the courtroom in the town hall,"

   "Erica, Jessica, Lisa, and Clare. Everyone else is accounted for in the tunnels," my mom informs me. "Please stay down here away from those rebels. The Prince and his army should notice soon that the rebels are not there and come back here."

   "Yes, but that could mean the loss of Erica, Jessica, Lisa, and Clare. I will not have that. My brother taught me how to fight for a reason, and I plan on using what he taught me," I tell my mother as I take off back to the town hall. At one of the turns I almost go right when I need to go left. I need to go back to where I entered the tunnels at, not the entrance to the town hall which is where a right turn would take me. By going back inside I should be able to have the element of surprise. Upon reaching the secret door, I hear two voices talking. I catch someone mid-sentence saying, " Is no where to be found."

   "Well keep looking. We must find her. Our boss wants her head on a stick for killing his son and he won't settle for less until we find her," a second voice states a little rattled.  

   I know immediately they are talking about me but I try to keep my calm anyways as I hear footprints go away from the door. Carefully I nudge the door open and look around. Seeing no one, I start to make my way to the courtroom. I see a shadow move and jump a little, but quickly I realize it's just my own shadow. Taking a deep slow breath, I try calm myself and keep walking to the courtroom. Once I reach the outcove that can conceal where I am at, I look around the room to see all four of the ladies surrounded by seven rebels.  

   Gulping I step out of the shadows and sneak up behind the first rebel I come across and slit his throat. Miraculously no one sees me or hears me coming. That is until the body drops to the floor. The other six guards then turn to me and one of them yells, "Aller la chercher."  

   I may not know what the rebel said, but I know it was along the lines of get me because three of the rebels run towards me. Chuckling I raise my sword and get in my fight stance. As the rebels try to position themself around me in a circle, shuffle around them. They mimic my movements till one of the lunges at me and I parry. Quickly I attack the lunging rebel, lashing his stomach. He falls to the ground and tries to get up, but I stab him in the heart. It takes me a minute to recover. So one of the rebels takes the opening I created and slashes out at me with their sword,. However I move my body just in time to barely miss the sword.  

   After I am able recover, the other two rebels decided to attack me at once. I parry the first blow with my sword and drop to the ground below the other blow. Quickly I jump back up on my feet, only to have to dodge another attack by the first rebel. I gulp and take a few steps back, trying to get my boundaries and reset my fighting stance. The two rebels share a look, which to me means they are both going to do something but the question is what. I watch them carefully and see that they are both going to rush at me. Quickly I jump up onto the railing to evade them and lash out at the closest rebel, cutting his throat. The rebel gurgles and drops to the ground.  

   The last rebel that was sent after me has a look of pure fear and hatred on his face. His face is red as an tomato and wrinkles cover his forehead. The rebel smirks at me and takes his fight stance. I jump off the railing and take mine. We shuffle around each other trying to get a opening when I hear Erica squeal. I glance at her to see a knife held to her throat by the one that gave the orders. In English with a French accent he says to me, "Put the sword down or she dies." Reluctantly I put my sword on the ground and he orders to the rebel by me, "Attachez la main ensemble et faire elle n'a pas plus d'armes."

   The rebel yanks my hands together and begins to tie them together when the doors are busted open and a arrow flies in the rebels neck that was giving the orders. However that doesn’t stop the rebel that was tying my hands from holding a knife to my neck and ordering, "Don't come any closer or she dies."

   Whoever is in the doorway stops where they are at making their identity obscured from me. I feel the knife the rebel holds against my neck prick my skin and that’s when I  hear a thud of the other rebel falling to the ground for no reason apparent to me. I take that time to use my foot to hit my rebel in his groin and run for the door. As I get closer to the door, I see the mysterious man is none other than the Prince Matt himself. He raises his bow and shoots the last remaining rebel. "Go tell my mom it is all clear," I order one of the girls as I see that are now near the prince.

   "That was some impressive fighting," the prince tells me but I barely hear him. With all of the excitement I forgot about the cut on my wrist and fall to the ground and hit my head on one of the door props.

   When I start to come too, I hear voices talking but can’t make them out. Slowly I open my eyes and look around. I see Prince Matt, my mother and a few of the soldiers the prince brought. One of them looks like my brother who we haven't heard from in a long time. My mom looks over at me and informs everyone, "She is awake."

   Someone comes over to me and asks me, "How are you feeling? Any headaches? Light headedness? Or anything?"

   "My head is killing me," I state as I slowly sit up. "What happened?"

   "You fainted from blood loss. Your wrist is cut deeply and had to be stitched up. Also you have a slight gash on your ribs," the doctor tells me. "Drink some water and stay hydrated and you should be okay being your family history with healing of most injuries. Lastly get lots of rest."`

   "Yeah may not happen. I don't listen well," I state as he leaves the room.  

   My mom does well to remind me, "You will listen to him because of what happened last time when you didn't listen and you got it infected. Don't you remember you nearly died?  

   "Yes I remember," I huff as my mom hands me a glass of water. I drink the glass in a few gulps and ask my mother, "Who was the man that looked like my brother?"

   The man comes over and stares at me for a few minutes before he smirks and remarks, "You haven't changed one bit sis!"

   "Mark?" I yelp in confusion not sure it is really him or I am just seeing things.  

   I go to get up to hug him but he places a hand on my shoulder and orders me, "Rest. We can hug and catch up later. The comma..., I mean prince wants to ask you a few questions before he leaves to go back to the castle."

   "Okay. Well I am awake. Just can't bow is all," I state as he disappears and comes back in the room with the prince.

   Everyone but me and my brother bow and the prince dismisses them. He looks at me and smiles. It's almost like he sees the real me and actually doesn't mind who I am. Most guys never talk to me again when they find out I can fight much less wield a sword better than they can. However that is only because my brother taught me how before he left for the army. "How are you feeling? You gave everyone quite a scare there," he asks me with concern written on his face with wrinkles and a frown.  

   "I'm feeling okay considering. I've been through worse though. It's in my blood to recover fast from certain things. Why are you so worried about me?" I ask a little shocked he seems to cares so much that I am hurt.

   "I'm glad," the prince tells me with a half smile. "Because your brother is the highest in command when it comes to people that lead my small armies. He would be in charge of a large army but that is a longer story. He is always worried about you and your mother. I would like you two to come live with me in the castle so that way he knows y'all are safe and so that I can keep him happy. I hate forcing people to do stuff they don’t want to do. If I can keep him happy by keeping you two safe, well I'll do what I have to do. I've seen him at his worse and when he doesn't want to do something. He doesn't and he will refuse to do anything till his needs or wants are met no matter what the consequences are to him. I've lost too many people to lose him too."

   "What about everyone here? Who will lead them?" I ask to the prince. I look around expecting to hear my mom answer, but it's just me and the prince here alone. No wonder he is bearing his soul. If I tell anyone about our conversation or threaten to he can kill me or say I am a liar.  

   "Your mother and I have discussed that. Her second in command Ethan will take over. Your mother will still have a huge say on what happens, but you'll will be safer at the castle with me. Your mother agrees for the time being that is a good idea. I will leave a few soldiers here to look after the village to make sure no more rebels come back," the prince answers me as the door is opened.  

   It is my mother who looks happy for once. Seeing how she has always wanted to go to the castle and to see my brother again to know he is okay, I say the only thing that I can even though I would rather stay here. "When do we leave?"  

   "As soon as you are well enough to travel you and your mother will come to the castle. I must leave now. I've been away far too long. My father hates me leaving during the cold months because anything can happen and no one would ever know."

   I nod my head in understanding and the prince leaves. My mom bows and comes to sit by me. She strokes my head moving the hair out of my face. Her smile radiates throughout the room and I can't help but smile in return. "I know you do not want to leave, but it is what is best for us right now. No one knows about our magic that runs through our blood. I fear that if we stay here, it will come out and we will not be safe. As long as we do not practice out in the open at the castle we will be fine. I think the prince knows this and doesn’t want us out of his sight. If it wasn't for the fact you need to rest, I fear we would already be on our way with them."

   "I will do whatever is necessary mother. If the prince knows, he doesn’t seem to mind. We are just lucky that Mark didn’t inherit magic too or then we would be in trouble. He wouldn't want to hid the markings that come with being a witch in our family," I remark as I stifle a yawn.   

   "Agreed. Get some rest and we will leave in a few days or so," my mother tells me. "I will pack our clothes and the essentials that we will need." I thank my mom and fall into a deep dreamless sleep.  

   Over the next couple of days, I sleep as much as possible. And tell my mother want I have to have with me and what I want to leave behind. It isn’t till the third day that my mother tells me to stand up and try to walk without her help. To my surprise I am able to walk just fine and do not get light headed or anything. My mom beams with joy, "Good. Make sure I am not forgetting anything you want to bring with you and we will leave in a couple of hours. I left a few things out that you might want to wear to the castle. The stuff you don't want to wear you can put in your silvery trunk with your sword."

   "Yes ma'am," I sigh as I understand I will not be able to have my sword with me. Luckily my mom left my favorite boots out which I can hide a dagger in each one. The hilt looks like a decoration, so it is not noticeable. However the harder decision is what to wear to the castle. My mom left out my black and white lace dress and my silvery blue dress with my black cloak out for me to wear. So I pick my silvery blue dress, so that way I am not wearing all black. Carefully I change, avoiding messing up the bandage that I was told to keep on my rib cage and wrist. Granted the bandage on my wrist more or less covers my forearm. Never the less I change, not snag the bandages.  

   After I have packed my clothes my mom forgot, and the things I keep hidden from my mom. Like my other sword, five diggers, and my bow and arrows, I go get Ethan and ask him to take my trunk out to the carriage that awaits my mother and me. My mother asks me if I am ready already or if I need more time. I tell her I am as ready as I ever will be.  

   My mom takes on last look around and tells Ethan, "I am only a half days ride away if you ever need anything. Don't hesitate at all. It may seem like nothing to you, but may in fact be a problem if not dealt with properly."

   "Yes ma'am. Have a safe journey and visit as often as you can. We really will miss you two being here to give us your wisdom," Ethan informs us as my mom gets in the carriage.  

    Smiling my mom blushes and tells him, “We will miss you too and the company of the village. Just don’t forget we are a halfs days journey away.”

   Once we are on our way, my mother asks me, "Did you say bye to the girls?"

   "They said their goodbyes yesterday mother. You know I hate saying bye even if it isn't for long," I remind her as I watch our home disappear in the distance.

   "I know sweaty, but it can be very hard leaving a place that you have known for twenty years. And quite frankly I am just surprised I haven't made you marry anyone yet. There was many bachelors that would have taken your hand gladly and will probably be even more at the castle."

   "Enough with the small talk mother. It never gets us anywhere when I don’t feel like talking," I tell her with a hint of bitterness in my voice. "You know why I haven't married yet and you said you are fine with it. If you don't mind, I would just like to rest as we still have a long journey ahead of us." My mother smiles at me and looks out the window.

 

**Thank you for reading. Please leave me a comment to know what I should add or change and to let me know how I am doing. This is a time period I am not good at writing in.I have a harder time with the language. So let me know what you think whether it is good it bad, it is very appreciated!  Thanks again, K.D.**

2: Chapter Two (so far)

Chapter Two:

    Upon reaching the castle we are suggested to look out are windows to see the true beauty of the castle during the winter. Taking the suggestion and look out my window I am shocked by what I see. The castle is so big and covered in a light layer of snow. It looks like something out of as fairytale.  The castle is a bright silver almost compared to the white snow that is now quickly covering the ground.  Which only makes the castle seem that much more vast and beautiful. The castle to me is more beautiful than a rose a bright summer day, The closer we get the more details I see that a have been carved into the walls over time. Whether by grand design or not, the design is almost like a ton of wines that have been carved but not as neat as a carving would be. I smile and lean back in the carriage.

    “It’s been way too long since I’ve been here. I know I have told you, I have never been to the castle, but I have before you were born. It’s a story for another day,” my mother says with a beaming smile on her face.

    “You have to tell me then at some point mother,” I inform her because she has struck my curiosity.  My mom just smiles at me and looks back out the window.

    By the time we finally stop, I am dying to get out of the carriage and look around. I have a very adventurous mind when it comes to new places. I want to discover everything that there is to be discovered; like hidden passageways, tunnels, hidden rooms, etc. That’s actually how we found about the hidden tunnels underneath the town. I was snooping around a old abandoned house out in the woods and discovered a hidden passageway. There was several directions to go, but i figure the best thing for me to do would be to stay straight. Less to remember that day.

    As I had walked down the passageway, I noticed that it spanned for miles upon miles. The farther straight I went, the colder it actually got. Less places for air to escape. Which isn’t that strange if you think about it. It makes perfect logical sense. But anyways, i ended up coming on a set of stairs. As I smiled up the short staircase, I notice it got warmed. When i started to feel around, i noticed there was a door, I had pushed it open and heard a scream. To my luck it was my mother and she had told me, You are quite the wanderer. We had a good laugh once I told her how I discovered it. That isn’t the only thing that I have discovered.

    A couple of young guards meet our carriage once we are fully stopped. One of them opens the door, while the other stands at attention. My mom steps out of the palace first and she tells me with pride and joy of a little kid, “You will love it here. It is so much better than when I was here years ago.”

    Smiling, I have a feeling that I would actually love it here as long as I can have as much freedom as I want. I strive on freedom and being able to do whatever I want to do and when I want it to do. People in this time don’t like what women have to say most of the time, limiting the freedom. So being able to have as much freedom, that I have in our village is a luxury for some. It helps that I have my magic, but I am not aloud to use it when other people are around. My brother thought this was crazy because  we was the ones that run the town. For years, him and my mother argued about the use of our magic. However he finally gave in and realized what trouble it can cause in some nations.

    My brother being the loving protecting brother he is, wanted me to be able to defend myself no matter what. It was late one night when he woke me up and told me to follow him. I was so scared that i was shaking uncontrollably because I thought something was happening to our village.I was worried we was being raided or even the village people rebelling. However once I noticed that he wasn’t leading me to the tunnels but out of the village through the path from out house. I start to calm down a little by taking deep breaths, slowing my heart beat to a normal pace.  My face starts to cool down from being heated from being so scared and worried. He was leading out towards the woods. Once we arrived at the edge he told me, keep close to me till we get to the clearing. It’s there I am going to teach you how to fight.

    I had thought he was joking at the time till we had reached the clearing. It was then that he explained everything to me and how he believed i need to be able to defend myself.  Still he seemed a little crazy to me, but our family is by no means normal. We all think that women need to be able to defend like men but it hasn’t been practiced out in the open very much. That is till my mother. She stepped up and began leading our village.

    The guards lead us inside and told that servants would bring are things in shortly. My mom and I are lead up to the entrance that is enormous and made of what looks like marble which is different that what everything else which is made of  stone. I try take it in more, but I fear I will get left behind. So I sigh and try to keep up with my mother and taken things in.

    Colors of black, white, silver, red, blue and more explode out of the first room we come to. Everything is one or more colors, making everything seem so fairytale like to me. I’ve never seen anything so colorful in my life. It’s always been basic colors and the rare colors like the silvery blue that I love. Hallway after hallway, I am left speechless at how beautiful.

    By the time we stop any my mother and my living quarters, I am going stir crazy. I want to go explore everything and stop to admire all of the colors and designs that are here. But what is completely new to me is when the guards tell us, “ Gwen, your quarters are on the left, and Layla your quarters are on the left.”

    In my head I am like, freaking out. I basically have my own house to do whatever I want to do. My mother can’t nag on me for how it looks, and get mad at me for it. But still a whole living space for myself, that is so surprising. I don’t know if I should jump for joy, or to run around with excitement However I have to keep someone of my manners and try to be ladylike. “Thank you for your guidance,” I thank the guards as polity as I can without exploding with joy.

    The guards don’t say anything leave me and my mother to ourselves. My mom’s smile is still beaming on her face as she watches me with curiosity. “Go have a look. I know you are dying inside to look around,” my mother says with amusement in her voice.

    Nearly jumping with joy, I open the door to my new living quarters. I see bright light blues everywhere. Almost like the silvery blue, but just as beautiful. The blues mixed with the blacks makes me just want to collapse on my bed and never get up. OH and the bed is a canopy bed that has what looks like vines and leaves carved on it. But as I approach my bed, I notice that the leaves are actually roses. Roses of all kinds of sizes and all appearing to be wild in a since. Something untamed in this tamed world that I am forced to live in. If I have my say, things would be a lot different. Women would have more of a say anythings and me more respected than they are now. That is only my first step. Sigh for things to actually change, my voice has to actually mean something first. All in time, I can only hope.

    Feeling exhausted, I lay on my bed and am shocked at how comfortable it is compared to the one I had at the village. I breath slowly trying to calm myself before my mom says, “Are stuff has arrived. Tell them where you want it and get some rest.”

    Reluctantly I get off my bed to tell the servants where I want my things. There is two guards carrying my trunk that I have my swords in and I tell them, "The black trunk goes by the desk. The blue one goes by the window please.  The silvery blue one can be left at the end of my bed. Thank you for your help."

    The guards leave and the two of the four servants stay. "Do you need anything my lady?" One of them asks with a half smile on her face. She is about average height, black short hair, and wearing a old raged servants dress. The other one has on the same dress, appearing to be younger, with blonde long hair and the same color eyes as the other girl.

    “No thank you. I don’t need anything. You are dismissed,” I tell them as I lay down on my bed. It feels like I am laying on a cloud. It’s so soft and comfortable, I want to fall asleep. However my adventure part of me wants me to get up and go explore. So I get up after a few minutes and go to my door where i see what is a cracked panel. I poke at it with a dagger from my boots and see that it opens a little more. So I keep poking at it till I can fit my dagger in the crack and try to pry the door open. After a couple of tries, it opens easily. ‘Note to self, try to find a easier way to open that’ I think to myself.

    I grab a torch that is next to my door on the wall and light it with a guck and easy fire spell. The torch blazes hot near my skin, The warm the from the fire makes me smile and think of all of the times that I have went exploring in the cold. Good times, and so much trouble. I disappeared for days at those times. Stories for another day.

    My torch lights up a dark tunnel that seems to led down into the earth. I’m not sure however because the torch light can only go so far and there is no steps. If the tunnel leads downward, it is by a slope. Which isn’t bad to me, I’m used to being out in the woods and running around all kinds of terrain. So this tunnel doesn’t bother me the at all.