Courage Comes From Lies

Chapter 40: Tara/Amanda (Part 2)

| The same night, outside the palace |

"Alright Princess", Riley said to me as we stayed hidden crouching by the castle wall. "Are you ready?" I looked up at the castle and felt my heart drop slightly. "This place.. I lost everything here. My sister, my father, even my husband and daughter." He looked at me and held my hand.
"I understand if you need a minute My Lady." I looked at him and was met with a calming and sweet expression as he held my hand. I sighed softly and smiled a little at him.
"No. I'm okay Riley. Let's go. I know somewhere we can get in without being spotted."
"Oh really?" He tilted his head looking at me curiously. I nodded making sure there were no guards around.
"I used to sneak out using that spot into the city with Devin when she was a baby to show her her new future kingdom. Up until she was three."
"Oh I see. Are you sure we won't be seen?"
"I'm positive. Mother and Father never found out where it was no matter how hard they looked."
"Understood. I'll allow you to lead the way then Princess." He stood up, helping me up with him, then led me along the wall to a secret entrance through the wall he knows about. We walked in silence for about four minutes and the entire time all I could think about was Devin and this Tara girl. I looked up at Riley. "Hey Riley?"
"Hm?" He glanced back at me. "Yes, Princess?"
"You told me this Tara person is here to be killed by Mother right?"
"Yes that is correct Princess."
"You never told me why though. She's fifteen from another galaxy that had their own king. Why would Mother want to bring her all the way here to be killed rather than kill her with the rest of her family?" He looked at me.
"Well from what I heard, Tara was chosen at birth by the past Kings and Queens of the Koldem family to carry the power of the Ancient Star Guardian. The only power that could swiftly and effectively end the Yolaris bloodline once and for all." I blinked listening to him.
"She's royalty?"
"That's the thing. I believe somewhere along the lines, the Koldem family gave up being royalty after they realized how powerful the Ancient Star Guardian really was. And so the Guardian was forced to lie dormant with no birthright Koldem to carry its power."
"So... why Tara? What's so special about her?"
"The Guardian has a knack for choosing a Koldem it knows will live up to its power." He stopped at the entrance and pulled back the willow branches covering it. "A Koldem whose future will prove to be full of courage, wit and mercy." He looked around the palace grounds then led me through the hole in the wall and along the wall in the shadows. I followed close by.
"I see. The Star Guardian believes Tara is that Koldem bloodborn."
"I believe so Princess." He stopped and crouched down behind some bushes. "Wait. I see some guards. I'll distract them. Wait here." I nodded staying low and watched him walk over to them. I tried my best to listen to what they were saying.
"You two", Riley said as he got to them. They immediately stood at attention looking at him.
"General Riley, sir."
"At ease", he said firmly. "I need you two to check out a noise I heard by the docks."
"Sir, yes sir." I watched them run off with their weapons in hand then looked at Riley who was waving me over. I hurried over to him and led him to the spot I mentioned. "Here it is." A small wooden door covering a hole in the ground big enough for us to fit down. I opened it and carefully climbed down the ladder into the dug out tunnel I had made when I was an adolescent. Riley followed and I led him down the tunnel. I noticed him admiring the handiwork and looked at him. "Everything okay?"
"Yes Princess. I'm just amazed at how well this tunnel was dug out. When did you make this?" I smiled as we walked. "I started when I was twelve and finished on my thirteenth birthday. Once Devin was a couple months old I would sneak her out when our parents were busy and show her either around the palace grounds and introduce her to the staff, or around the docks and introduce her to the citizens. Either way she enjoyed every moment." He smiled. "It sounds very wonderful My Lady." We got to the end of the tunnel as he said this and I looked up at the ladder leading up to a hatch door. "Here we are Riley. This will get us into my old bedroom. Then we can start looking for Tara."
"Understood Your Majesty." Riley climbed up first and opened the door pulling himself out through a hole in my closet floor. I followed after him and once we both were in my bedroom, I felt a wave of both nausea and nostalgia hit me like a brick. I lost my balance as I got lightheaded when I pulled myself out, which caused Riley to lead me to my bed and sit me down.
"Princess are you alright?", he asked, knelt down in front of me on the floor. I held my head trying to clear my dizziness and nodded slightly. "I just need a minute."
"I'd offer to get you water but then someone will know you're here. I apologize My Lady. Please take all the time you need."
"No", I protested with a soft sigh. "We can't waste any time tonight. We need to find this girl and continue with the plan. I know she can lead me to Devin. I know she can help reunite me with my sister."
"But Princess-"
I ignored him and pushed myself up slowly before looking down at him with a tired smile. "I promise I'm okay Riley. You don't have to worry. Please just help me find Tara so we can talk to her." He sighed softly and stood up taking my hand and kissing the back of it in a bowing stance.
"Yes, My Princess." My smile grew as he stood straight again and led me out of my bedroom and down the hall. I spoke softly to him.
"Everyone should be in their quarters right now so we should be okay with not being seen."
He responded to me. "Yes Princess. Now where do you think your mother would keep-" I blinked as he bumped into someone and knocked them back.
"I'm so sorry Miss- are you okay?" He asked as he held his hand down to the person.
I looked down at them and my eyes widened. "It's you..." Both she and Riley looked at me as I stared down at her. "Tara Koldem.. It's really you." She tilted her head looking at me then blinked.
"Amanda?!"