Princess Turned Barter

Chapter Ten

Elena

I wince in pain when my bum lands, yet again, on the thin pillow of the carriage as the wheels roll over uneven ground.

Hours have passed in this horribly embellished carriage. After seeing the luxury of Izivell decorations, the ocean blues and the sandy brows, I am saddened to be thrown into the horrid reds of Maidell's furnishing once more. The frills above the carriage window bob every time a stone travels under the wooden wheel, and stones have been occurring for the past several hours.

The trip from Izivell to the continent is a day's boat ride, and then from the port to my kingdom is a two day carriage ride. My back and bottom is just about finished with the abuse from the constant pounding upon the seat, and my stomach has had enough of being swished around.

"How long am I to sit here?" I groan in exhaustion.

I feel as though I have been sent to hell. I'm sure that torturous experience is quite similar.

"Not long, your Highness," My hand-maiden says to me as her fingers remain intertwined in her lap.

"You said that when the sun began to rise, Mary. The sun is now in the middle of the sky!" I complain, peering out of the small window of the carriage.

"But now I say it honestly," Mary argues with a small, motherly smile.

I continue looking outside, watching as we pass through small hills covered with a beautiful blanket of white snow. I'm sure it's incredibly cold outside, but I am warm and as cosy as I can be on a hard bench. Nevertheless, no amount of fields, nor the embrace of snow, can make this ride any less miserable.

It must be so beautiful living in the hills, during spring especially. Wild flowers are known to grow in these parts of the land, beautiful ones of vibrant colours. We often order them in for special occasions, like our Spring ball or royal weddings. I'm sure in the summer it becomes especially warm and pleasant, the sun beating down on the habitants and warming up their homes. It's always cold in the Castle, regardless of the season. During autumn, I imagine the crisping brown leaves crunching under their working boots, sounding like a magical tune as they walk. I sometimes wonder, too, what it would be like living with the snow during winter. Being able to throw balls of the white ice and laughing with each other while the crops lay to rest for the season. I would give so much to experience the different seasons in somewhere other than a stone walled castle.

I am about to pull the curtain back over to cover the window, tired of wishing for a life I could have, but before I do I spot two figures running towards the carriage. They're swift, as though they are shadows and the air bends to their will. Heavy weapons are strapped to every surface of their agile bodies, leather wrapped around their skin.

I want to scream, to warn my Knights, but they have already started their attack before the air in my lungs can make it to my throat.

The carriage comes to an abrupt halt, causing me to fly into Mary's lap. Dress flies over my head, rendering me sightless. One knight after another, I hear them go down. The sound of swords clanging together fills my ears, men yelling and screaming and this disgusting wet, squelching noise that makes me cringe under the ruffles of my skirts. The noise, I soon realise as one of my guards smacks against my door the moment Mary pulls my skirt off of my head, is from blood oozing out of gaping holes as swords are removed from bodies.

My eyes are stuck wide from horror as I watch one of the attackers, a female, skillfully knock a sword out of a knight's hand, grabbing him by the shoulder and simultaneously driving her sword into his chainmail-free shoulder. I gawk as it comes out the other side, blood coating the blade like decorative shiny rubies. My guard cries out in agony before collapsing to the ground on his knees. With the bandits left hand, she grabs a small dagger from her thigh and slices his throat as if he were sacrificial livestock. Blood drains from him, pouring all over the clean snow in an organised spray.