The Golden Princess

Explosion

Later that night there was a loud bang and the palace shook. I sat up in bed and frowned. What the heck? What's going on? My bedroom door was flung open and Cole was standing there. "Princess, you have to get out of here," he said.

"What's going on?" I asked tiredly as I got to my feet.

"The palace is under attack."

I followed him to the throne room. "Rumi?" I said.

"Y/n!" She ran over to me. "Are you hurt?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm tired and confused. But not hurt."

"The Son of Garmadon is attacking the palace, princess," Hutchens said. Then he lifted Father's chair. "Here is an escape tunnel. Green Ninja, take the princesses and go."

Lloyd handed Harumi the mask and pushed us through the tunnel. We came out and Lloyd stole a motorcycle. "There's only room for two on that," I said.

Lloyd frowned. "Cole!"

Cole landed in front of us. "Yes?"

"Take Princess Y/n on the other motorcycle."

"Okay." Cole got onto one and I got on behind him. He made sure I had the helmet on before we headed off.

I held on. "Where are we going?" I asked Cole.

"Somewhere safe," he replied.

We use a tow truck as a jump. When we landed I saw, to my surprise, Harumi drop the mask. On purpose! The people following us stopped and so did we. Lloyd drove toward the mask and made a grab for it. But he missed and the crazy girl in purple got it. "No!" I cried.

We set off again and then we arrived at a boat. "Do you think they're just going to let us sail out of here?" Rumi said.

"Who said anything about sailing?" Lloyd said pulling levers and pushing buttons. Soon the whole thing was in the air.

"Wow," I said softly. "So this is the Destiny Bounty."

"Do you like her?" Cole asked.

I nodded. "She's beautiful." I turned to Harumi. "Rumi, can I talk to you for a second? Alone?"

"Sure," she said and we moved a little distance away. "What's wrong?"

"Why did you drop the mask?" I asked her angrily. "Do you want Ninjago to be destroyed?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harumi said. "The mask slipped from my hands during the jump."

"Liar," I hissed. "I saw you let go on purpose. I'm not blind."

"It slipped," she insisted. When she saw my expression she sighed. "Oh, alright. I dropped it."

"Why?!?"

"Because I knew it would delay them from getting to us."

"They could care less about us," I snapped. "They wanted that mask and you gave it to them!"

"They still chased us after they got it!"

"They weren't after us. They were after the two Ninja. they want them out of the way!"

"Are you two okay?" Cole asked.

"We're fine," Harumi said giving him a reassuring smile.

I glared at her. "Idiot," I said in a voice only she could hear. Then I turned to Cole. "Yeah, we're fine. Thank you for saving us."

"It's what we're supposed to do."

"So what are we going to do now?" Harumi asked.

"We have to wait for the others," Lloyd said. "Then we'll get away from Ninjago for a while to keep you two safe."

"I hope the other manages to save our parents," I murmured.

"Me too," Harumi said softly.

Cole and Lloyd exchanged a look. "You two should both be prepared for the worst," Cole said. 

I nodded. "We know they might not have made it but it's always better to hope than be unhappy."

"Huh, I never thought to do that."

I smiled. "You have two princesses who do it. I'm sure you'll pick it up."

He smiled too. "Maybe we will."

I looked over the railing. "Ninjago is beautiful from this height," I said softly.

Cole came and stood beside me. "Really? Have you never left the palace?"

I shook my head. "Never. Harumi always snuck out to feed the poor but I was always watched closely because I'm the youngest." I sighed. "I've always wanted to help people."

"How would you help them?"

I thought about telling him for a few minutes and then decided the people who are protecting us should know everything. "I'm the Master of Spirits. I can summon them or send them away." I paused. "I can also heal people. My ability to heal comes from this necklace." I showed him.

"Can you use them to help you fight?"

"I wouldn't do that," I told him.

"But could you?"

"I don't know. I've never tried and I don't want to."

"Can it bring people back from the dead?"

"I can summon them from the departed realm, yes."

He glanced at Lloyd who was talking to Harumi. "Can you bring his father back?" Cole said in a low voice. "The non-four-armed version of him?"

I thought for a minute. "Maybe. But I think it's best that I don't. He's had years to get over his father's death. I don't want to reopen old wounds."

"But the Sons of Garmadon are already planning to bring him back."

"They're planning to bring the evil him back," I reminded him. "That might reopen the wounds too but there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"If they bring him back, can you send him away?"

"I don't know."

"Okay."

"Is there someone you've lost, Cole?"

"My mom," he muttered.

"What was her name?"

"Lily."

"That's a pretty name."

"Yeah, but I don't want you to summon her because that would open old wounds too."

"I wasn't going to. I'm not mean," I said grumpily. I had just been curious. Jeez. 

He winced. "Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

I sighed. "You didn't. I don't get offended easily. It just bothered me a little that you'd think I'd do that."

"Well, I do barely know you," he reminded me.

"Maybe you'll get to know me better now."

"I hope so."

"Really?"

"Yes."

The other Ninja landed around us. "They're back!" I said. 

Harumi came and stood beside me. "Did you manage to save our parents?" Harumi asked.

They all looked at the deck. Nya was the one who shook her head. My eyes filled with tears. "They're dead?" I whispered.

"I'm so sorry, princess. We tried to save them," Zane said.

Harumi hugged me. "It will be okay."

I broke out of her arms and glared at her angrily. "Will it? They're dead and the one thing that we were told to protect is gone. I don't see how it will be okay, Harumi." I stormed away.