(Zane x reader) The Divine Chronicles Book 1: Change

Chapter 10: Who are You?

It had been about two years since I fled v/n. I never stayed in one place,   moved around alot, I came across several villages where I stayed for a short time before leaving.
I had recently left a village, that I didn't even remember the name of, and was sitting in a small clearing, a large rock to my back, a forest in front of me and an ocean peaking through a few trees to my right. I had started a fire, I was going to cook some fish I had bought at a market in the village I just left. I had begun to rummage through my bag when the next thing I knew there was a sword being pointed at my throat. I slowly lifted my gaze and fixed it upon the sword, then to the man holding it, there were two men on either side of him. One with blue hair the other, I wasnt able to tell, he was wearing a helmet. Luckily I had my hood up and my scarf pulled up around my face so if they were looking for me, they hopefully didn't recognize me. The one who's sword was pointed at my throat wore a stern expression, "What are you doing here?" He said coldly. I stayed silent, "are you a thief? Come here to steal from our village?" He said louder this time, but still I gave no reply. The man narrowed his eyes at me, I saw something in them flicker and disapear. The two men on either side of him began towards me, but I didn't move. "You're coming with us for further questioning." The blue haired one said as they each grabbed one of my arms and hauled me to my feet. I had remembered somthing my mother would tell me when I was younger. "Some hills aren't worth dying on" she would say, and so today I don't take up my swoard, I didn't fight I just relaxed and let them take me back to their village I assumed they were gaurds of. Why I didn't feel the need to fight I didn't know, all I knew was that somthing in me said that today was not the day.

The men had taken me to a stone building and locked me up in a cell after confiscating my weaponry and satchel. I sat on the thin cot in the corner of the cell and waited. The man who before had his sworn pointed at me was now standing guard at the buildings entrance. He watched me  his light brown hair falling into his eyes, somthing about him seamed familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I had been in the cell for a while before a shorter woman with thick black hair entered the room followed by the two men from before. She approached my cell slowly, brows furrowing. "What is it that you were doing in those woods?" She asked calmly. Her amber eyes, though kind, were piercing. I could tell she was strong just from the way she carried herself. She may have been short but her presence made me forget her small hight, she seamed so powerful. Somthing about her seamed familiar but I didn't know why, I had never met her from what I could recall. After a moment of silence she spoke again, "What's your name?" I still didn't answer instead my gaze shifted to the gaurd who was standing by a table on the other side of the cell. I watched as he removed his helmet, long blond hair piled on top of his head, the moment I saw him my heart stopped, Garroth. I didn't know why he was here or how but I was so happy to see him. Garroth may have been an annoying brat when we were young but over the years as we grew older we became great friends. I wasn't sure if I could trust these people but if Garroth did, than I did, there was a time when I trusted the Ro'maeves with my life, and for the most part, thay statement still holds true. "Garroth!" I yelled as I hurried over to the side of the cell. His head snapped towards me and his eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Who are you?! How do you know Garroth?!" The brown haired guard yelled stepping closer to me, his hand reaching for his swoard. I pulled down my scarf so Garroth could see my face. His face brightened and ran to the side of the cell. "Y/n!? Is it really you?!" He said gripping the iron bars. I smiled nodding my head. Garroth turned to the side "let her out!" He yelled, and the blue haired man did as directed. As soon at the cell door was open I ran to Garroth embracing him in a hug. "I thought you were dead" he whispered in my ear "don't worry I'm ok" I whispered back. "Garroth do you mind explaining who this is?" The black haired woman asked sounding quite confused. We broke apart and I stepped closer to the woman, I pulled down my hood revealing the rest of my face. "Hello. My name is Y/n l/n (original last name). I am the princess of v/n" the woman's eyes widened. "But the princess has been missing for years." She said. I nodded my head slowly in agreement. "Why did you leave? Or were you taken?" She asked I sighed "It's a long story, but I'll tell it to you if you want." I said "thank you. My name is Aphmau by the way. I'm the Lord of this village, Phoenix drop." She said extending her hand, I shook it. "Hello, nice to meet you," I turned towards Garroth. "You might want to hear this." I said to him. Garroth nodded his head and we followed the Lord to her house.

"I understand why you left" Garroth said quietly when I finished telling the story of the day I left. I nodded my head "I would appreciate it if you all kept my being here a secret. In fact I've chosen a new name for myself, y/n nl/n."
"Doesn't keeping your first name defeat the purpose of having a new name?" The browned hair man l, who's name I now knew was Laurence, said. I rolled my eyes "well I couldn't think of anything. When ever people asked me about it I would tell them that I'm from a different region and that I had no relation to the missing princess and the only thing I knew about her was that we shared a name." I said giving him the same explanation I gave Hyria two years ago. "Well any way I would be happy to have you as part of our village y/n." Aphmau said with a warm smile. "Why thank you I feel like I can be a great help. If you are short hand on guards I would be happy to lend my assistance." I said "that would be fantastic! Thank you!" Aphmau beamed. "Well of course we can't just let her in! How do we know if her combat skills are any good?!" Laurence protested "I agree." The blue haired man who's name of was told was Dante said. "Oh please I could beat any one of you, any day." I said taunting them. Laurence fumed. You could practically see the smoke coming out of his ears. "Fine! If you're so cokey then I chalenge you to a dule." Laurence yelled across the table. I smirked standing and taking up my swoard. I followed Laurence out of Aphmau's house. The other two guards and loard close behind.

Laurence pivoted on his left heal and faced me. He took up a fighting stance, holding his emerald swoard in front of him. I did the same. "Don't hurt you're self too bad Laurence" Garroth called from the side lines. "Oh please I can handle this." Laurence called back smirking. He clearly underestimated me and that was going to lead tl his enavitable downfall. "Just don't kill eachother!" Aphmau yelled. "Don't worry Aph, I'll try not to hurt her to bad" I narrowed my eyes at the man in front of me. "Ready!?" Dante began. "Go!" The second Dante said go Laurence launched himself at me, but I easily avoided his atack, wich sent Laurence stumbling forward. He turned around to fave me, he looked mad. He came at me again and in one swift motion I sent his swoard flying from his hand and had him lying on his back with my swoard pointing at his chest. I asked away from the defeated gaurd as garroth went to help his friend up. "Don't feel bad, she's been beating me since we were twelve. You seam to forget, most royalty are trained in combat and y/n happens to come from the l/n family. Don't you know that they are verry skilled in combat? They're family Crest us a dragon circling two crossed swords, the dragon. Symbolizes power and strength where the swoards are a symbol of battle." Garroth explained to Laurence. "Well she's goo. We need someone like her. What weapons do you prefer to use?" Dante asked me. I shrugged my shoulders "any one you put in front of me." Dante smiled at that. "Well then you can start right now. We have some armour for you back at the gaurd to wet for you." Dante said with a smile. "Thank you" I said. "Here I'll show you" Garroth offered. "Ok. Ya." I said following him back down the path to where the guard tower was.