Happily Ever After?

Chapter 4: The Quest

Princess Scarlet knocked on her sister's door. She noticed that Aubrey had not come out since she talked with her father. "Aubrey, are you okay? Open the door." Seconds later, Aubrey finally decided to open the door; she grabbed Scarlet's wrist and pulled her in quick then shut the door. Scarlet looked at Aubrey up and down; she was wearing her forest green, huntress outfit that she wore whenever she practiced her archery skills and had her hair up in a messy ponytail. She looked over at Aubrey's bed which had a bag full of food and some money. "Aubrey-" "Please don't tell father!" Aubrey screamed cutting her sister off.
"Aubrey, what are you doing?"
"I'm heading to the Kingdom of Dakon."
"Why on Earth would you want to go there?"
"To see if mother, Rosella, and our brother are alive or dead."
Scarlet had a confused look on her face, 'Mother, Rosella, our brother! She finally lost it, they are dead! No question about it.' Aubrey sighed, sat on the bed, then said, "You must think I'm crazy but I saw them in my dreams and I saw the Queen of Dakon. I believe that somehow they might be there or maybe they were killed. Either way, I won't know until I go see for myself meaning I have to break father's law." Scarlet sighed and sat down next to her sister. She grabbed her hand and looked straight into her sister's eyes. She thought it was crazy of her sister going after a dream thinking there was a chance that after eight years there was still a chance of them being alive. A dream that was just a figment of imagination could not be proof of it being true, but her eyes; there was something about her eyes that made Scarlet almost believe in her. "Scarlet, I have to know whether you are with me or not. I'm certain that this dream was more than just a dream, like a vision." Aubrey said. Scarlet had tighten her grip and after a few minutes of silence and just staring, she finally said, "Well, if I can't talk you out of this than no one can." Aubrey squealed and gave her sister a big hug. "Just promise me one thing," Scarlet said, "don't get yourself killed." Aubrey laughed as if anyone could, "You haven't seen me with my bow then."
"I'm serious, that Queen has crazy powers with that staff of hers. Your basically walking into a death trap. Promise me."
"I promise...What am I going to do about father?"
"I'll cover for you, you better go tonight so it's easier to hide from the guards."
Aubrey nodded and gave her sister one last hug and left the castle later with her food and money at hand.

Aubrey had passed every guard in sight and climbed the tall, long wall that surrounded her kingdom. It had taken up valuable time but she finally made it over. She ran into the Dark Forest as far as she could until her legs had gave in. It was the middle of the night and Aubrey could not go any farther; she lit a fire to keep herself warm and passed out. All she kept thinking about was her sister and her father and how furious he would be at her for going against his orders. The Sun had rose a couple hours later but that didn't wake her, what woke her was someone kicking her hip. She woke up to see someone unfamiliar...a boy. A dirty-blonde haired, clear blue eyes, and a dirty brown caped boy. Aubrey was startled and backed away still on the ground until she hit a tree. "Please sir, I don't mean any harm."
"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you or anything. Who are you and what are you doing this deep in the forest?"
"I'm...I'm Aubrey and I'm on my way to the Dakon Kingdom."
"That's not your name," the Princess looked confused for she knew her own name, "I'm sorry, but I think I know my own name better than a stranger like you."
"Your name is Princess Aubrey ll, named after your grandmother on your father's side, of the Ethaerien Kingdom. Your mother, sister, and future brother have been supposedly dead for the past eight years. You are on your way to the Kingdom of Dakon to see if Queen Selena is the death of your missing family members."
Aubrey stood there in shock, no one had known this much information about her unless they were Scarlet. She was ready to call the guards except...she wasn't in her kingdom anymore. "H-How on Earth do you know me? I told you who I am, so tell me, who are you and what do you want or I will go get the royal guards to come after you?!" The boy grinned at her and picked her up off of the ground, "My name is Roland Woods, I'm a Sorcerer. I know a lot of things about a lot of people and I so happen to know you. I'm here to warn you: don't go to the Dakon Kingdom."
"Why?"
"Queen Selena will kill you if you step foot in her kingdom."
"I don't care; you know what I'm after and I'm not going to let anything get in my way especially you!"
Princess Aubrey picked up her money and food and started walking away until Roland had grabbed her wrist. "If I can't stop you, then let me join you on your quest." Roland insisted. Aubrey turned around to face him and said, "Why would you want to join me?"
"You never know when you could use a Sorcerer. Besides, I know what it's like to lose a family member and do whatever it took to get them back."
Aubrey stared at him for a while then let out a sigh, "Fine, just don't slow me down." He carried her food and money for her and they both headed out on their Quest.

They had been walking till noon until they stopped to get a drink from a nearby river. Aubrey knelt down and took a drink and washed her face; she heard something rustling in the bush on the right of her. She slowly reached for her bow, took out an arrow and aimed it at the bush. Roland looked over at what Aubrey was doing and slowly walked over to her and knelt down. Aubrey aimed her bow higher above the bush and shot it to scare whatever was behind the bush out of hiding. The figure did come out of hiding as planned but it was not who she expected it to be, it was Scarlet. "Scarlet? What on Earth are you doing here?" Scarlet nervously laughed then walked closer to her sister, "I couldn't exactly live with myself knowing that I let you go into the Dark Forest alone not knowing what could be out here; for example: who exactly is he?" Roland stepped in front of Aubrey and bowed to Princess Scarlet then said, "I am Roland Woods, Sorcerer of the Dark Forest. I am here to help Princess Aubrey ll on her quest to the Kingdom of Dakon."
"Her quest? Listen, I'm grateful that you decided to keep an eye on my little sister while she journeyed to the Kingdom of Dakon but I can take it from here."
"Your majesty, the journey there is very dangerous, you may need my assistance."
"Again, thank you, but I am soon to be future Queen so I believe I can take care of myself."
"Scarlet, we know nothing about the Dark Forest. Roland is right, we need him." Aubrey said.
"I do not need this 'peasant' to protect me, the royal guards have trained me in situations like this so his service is no longer needed."
Scarlet grabbed Aubrey's wrist to take her away but Roland had grabbed her other wrist. "Please listen to me, Queen Selena kills anyone who is not willing to give her their payment, imagine what she'll do to you two."
Scarlet looked at Aubrey's eyes which were now in fear; Aubrey was being tugged to both sides not knowing which way to go. She believed her sister was right since he was just a stranger she just met but the danger that lie ahead were as real as the sky above them. She looked over at Roland and walked over to him pulling away from her sister. "I want Roland to help me, Scarlet. He's a Sorcerer and he knows this woods better than us. This is my quest and I'm deciding who joins it, whether you like it or not."
"Ugh, why do you have to be so stubborn, Aubrey? You are just like father!" Scarlet yelled. Aubrey went quiet at the sound of hearing 'father'. "Scarlet, if you're here, who's covering for us back at the castle?"
"Quinn and the other maids will be covering for us for however long we are gone since they owe me, but that's another story that we don't have time for. Come on, let's go to the Dakon Kingdom."
So the princesses and Sorcerer set out on their long journey to find Queen Selena and finally get some answers of the past.