Sacred Guardians

VOL 1 Chapter 2 - Princess of Alas

Approaching the village of Silva, two horses rode, carrying their riders closer to their destination.

On the left, a white horse full of pride and fit for royalty advanced, its shiny coat showing how much care the owner gave to it. On the right, a jet black horse throttled forward, its face scarred. It too shined in its own way, looked after through its many years of service. Each rider upon their saddles wore cloaks of blue, hiding their appearance. From the way the fabrics clung to their slender bodies and their chests, it was clear they were both young ladies.

Throughout Avilion, it was not unusual to see people hiding their faces as they traveled. Most did it for privacy and safety, to keep their identities a secret from a world with prying eyes. Yet, these two gave the feeling of outsiders; guests in these lands.

The young lady atop the white horse looked beyond the darkness, her deep-blue eyes gazing across the grassland in front of them, anticipation shining in her irises. The other pair of red eyes drifted about, scouting for nearby dangers in their own ways, remaining on guard and ready to fulfill her duties at a moment's notice.

She removed the hood, revealing a beautiful face as her black hair entered the light. Then, she spoke to her left.

"Princess. That tree in the distance is the rendezvous point. Once we reach it, we can take a break while waiting," She respectfully explained.

With her knight's face visible, the princess removed her hood as well. Darkness, like a veil, vanished. What appeared was a beautiful girl, her long, sakura-colored hair flowing against the breezed and settling upon her thigh as her white skin seemed to shine in the sunlight.

She was an ideal lady. A last with beauty, but a kindness and physical appearance to watch. The crown jewel of the kingdom of Alas, and first in line to the royal throne, she was someone anyone would hope to marry.

"Shana," She spoke with a slight hint of annoyance, "Didn't I tell you that Hikari alone was fine? You don't have to call me princess out here."

Shana covered her face in embarrassment, realizing her mistake as a tint of pink took to her skin. How could she recover? Her lady had insisted, near-ordered, that she spoke informally when they were in private. They were childhood friends, she had chided, she didn't need to be looked up to by her own friend.

It was awkward for a moment.

After a brief pause, she removed her hand and corrected her mistake.

"I'll try harder to remember from now on, Hikari," She said as the pink complexion of her face soon subsided.

Hikari smiled as she nodded. "That's better."

Approaching the rendezvous point of the tree, the horses slowed then. Then to a steady stop. It was a tall, ancient, plant that gave a sense of peace and offered protection for the rays of the sun under its large shade.

Over three days had passes since their journey began, and they had only allowed little rest. Normally, it would have taken seven, but they had help. That person managed to shave off over fifty percent of the journey. Soon, it would be worth it. Soon, Hikari would meet Kira again for the second time in years.

The black horse stood still under the shade of the tree and Shana, with ease, jumped off and landed softly upon the ground below. The sound of her light armor, metallic, rang through the silence. She was, naturally, Hikari's personal knight—secret as their outing was—a job she took seriously under the orders of the king of Alas, who had sent them away in the first place towards Silva, and thus towards Avilion, permission already granted.

With a final scan of her surroundings, Shana made her way to Hikari who was still atop her horse, taking in the azure sky above her.

"Hikari, let me help you," Shana insisted, extending a silver-gloved hand out for support, "You must be tired."