No Ordinary Princess

Raven

Raven

Oliver and I were making our way down the hall when I heard it again, The black knight will rise. The terrible prophet will burn. The palace of the north is invaded by the traitor of evil. A time of serenity will begin...., it was that damned voice from my dreams. What the hell did it mean? Was I supposed to meet a black knight? Those didn't even exist anymore and I definitely didn't believe in them if they were real.

We had just made it to the sitting room when I got the strange feeling that someone was following me. I could sense it.

"Are you okay Raven? You seem tense. Should I just go and we can continue this adventure of yours tommorrow?" My head snapped up to meet his easy smile. Man, why did it seem so familiar? I mentally shook myself. I needed to stop being so weird.

"No!," I said a bit too quickly, at which he laughed and then I amended my statement, "No, we can continue, but if you're too scared to follow me the rest of the way then that's on you."

He puffed out his chest in a macho way and tried to look manly. "I couldn't possibly leave a small, innocent girl like you all alone in this castle with no one to take care of you."

I frowned. " Uh, I can take care of myself. Thank you very much." And with that I walked away from him. Why? I have no idea, but I can't stand a guy who thinks that a girl needs his protection. Ugh. Men.

I was halfway down the hall when I heard it again,The black knight will rise. I was starting to get annoyed with this and I swear it was hard to annoy me. Who the hell was this oh-so-important black knight supposed to be? I felt warm all over and for a second I wanted to punch something. Hard. I could feel my hands heat up and the feeling, that feeling took over. I ran outside to the closest door and looked around frantically for a fountain, but all I found was the bird pond. Oh damn it all. I can't use that i'll cook the birds alive. I had no choice for it. I ran directly to it and without thinking sunk my hands into the water. It cascaded over my hand and I sighed in relief, but that didn't make it any better.

The water gravitated upward on my arms and surrounded the like a second skin. It felt exhilarating but there was no way that I could go back inside with this on me. I should have listened to myself and not gone off with Oliver or at least I should have kept James around. The water began to recede and go back into the pool of water. "Am I doing this?," I wondered aloud.

There was a chuckle behind me. "Actually it was me who did that." My body went stiff and I almost screamed in frustration. No one was supposed to know what I could do. Did I look like a princess? I glanced down at my outfit and was relieved to see that I didn't. I was wearing a gray gown that wasn't made of a fine material and I wasn't wearing any fancy shoes. Okay, Okay maybe he wouldn't know I was the princess. At least not yet.

"You know I'm pretty sure a servant with powers is a forbidden thing, is it not?" I could hear him coming closer and his hand slid down my forearm. He was close to me and for some reason I didn't move. "But maybe a sweet servant girl like you could help me understand why I shouldn't say anything. I mean that is," he pulled away from me and turned me around by pulling on my shoulder, "if you were a servant girl."

My breath caught in my throat and for some reason it wasn't because he had been in such a close proximity. It was because he was...gorgeous. His hair was the color of onyx and his eyes were the color of the sky on a cloudy day. He was lean and tan skinned. He had on a crisp blue and black suit and I almost thought he was unarmed if it weren't for the sword that he was pointing at my face.

"Who are you?," he demanded, his eyes narrowed. "It is not possible for you to be allowed here if you have magickal abilities." I just stared at him. I didn't know whether to laugh or freak out. "Answer me, or else." He took a step closer.

Putting my hands up in surrender I looked him in the eye and couldn't help grinning. He was just so darn serious looking! He charged then and I let instinct kick in, I ducked low and , in a move that would break a normal man's arm, I twisted his wrist and threw it up so that he was midair and slammed him on the ground. Thank you heightened strength.

That didn't keep him down. He jumped into the air and extended large black wings the same color as his hair. He lunged at me from the sky and I hurled a gust of wind into his direction. Sure I couldn't control water or fire or earth, but air was always with me.

"It seems I have underestimated you. You seem to be more powerful than other creatures of your species, but don't worry, I will make your death as painful as possible."

"Air venit ad me.," i whispered to the whirlwind around me.

"You will not have access to the princess and you will not harm her, creature." He was lunging at me, sword drawn, and I could see that he wanted me dead. He had no idea who he was messing with. Screw it that I was a princess, I could handle myself, but where were the guards? Shouldn't they be stopping this? And the best part was that I could get away without being too badly hurt but he was going to die if I didn't leave soon and I didn't want that for him. It was a good thing that I'd studied escape spells,

"Look, I will not fight you anymore."

"Why not?," he spat, "Scared your magick will run out and you'll have to fight a fair fight?"

I shook my head at him. I was going to have quite the laugh with Margie when I got back to my room. I sat on my knees and looked at him. He looked absolutely magnificent in the sky. Powerful and free. Like a bird. He even cocked his head at me and his brow furrowed. He descended to the ground and walked toward me until he was looming over me.

"Why won't you fight me?"

"Because it would be unlady-like, and I am a lady." I bowed my head to him. " If you wish to kill me then go ahead, but just know that it will not work in your favor if you are here to marry the princess."

He considered what I said, while I was scared to death he would take me up on the offer of killing me, when he stuck his hand out to me. "Get up. A woman shouldn't be on her knees unless romantically inclined." I grabbed his arm and pulled myself up. I noticed that he wasn't much taller then me.

"So I shall be going, but remember, you never ever saw me." I said to him letting go of his forearm. He nodded and I smiled at him. "Glad we're in agreement." I turned to leave, " Well then I suppose it-"

"You fight very well."

I turned back to him and raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

He nodded again. "For a witch." He whispered under his breath. I smirked at him then and considered a witty reply when I heard the bell sound for lunch. "Well looks like I have to go." Raising my arms I whispered to the air, " Invisibilia nudus oculus ad me, et per auditum in aure. invisibilis me oculis et auribus" and with that I disappeared with my skin going transparent and my footsteps silenced.

I walked until I was a great distance away and then turning the corner I let the magick slide off of my skin. "Visibilia, et dissipate me." I walked to the dining hall and fixed my outfit by straightening the dress I was wearing. Walking into the dining hall I was almost struck with a pie to the face by the cook, who was clearly trying to get by me and to the table to finish setting up lunch.

"I am sorry your highness." He said bowing and then running off as quickly as possible. People, him in particular, cracked me up and I almost laughed. I took my seat at the left of my father and across from Prince James who was reading a book called Shatter Me I was about to ask him what it was about but he looked so into it so I decided not to. Instead I looked down the length of the table and saw that my mother was at the other end. She was probably the most admirable woman I had ever known. She looked regal without looked scary and she looked older without looking old. She was a wise woman for her age, that was something I had known for a long time. She was a brunette with waves that seemed to carry you into the ocean color of her eyes.

Moving my eyes from her I looked at the rest of the table. Oliver was engaging in conversation with a prince I had yet to meet. Huh, seems like everyone is here. Boy, did I say that too soon.