Entering The Forbidden

Apologies and Kingdom News

*Isadora*

"The tables have turned", Raziel said with a smirk as I rode up next to him.
"Don't be sour because you got too close to Prank", I snapped back.
"Why are you overprotective of a horse?" Will asked from behind.
I turned in my saddle to face him, "Would you trust any other horse to allow you to do what I do? And you haven't even seen me riding in a battle!" I replied.
"No I guess not. What do you do in battle?", Will questioned further.
"I can do a lot. If I wanted I could ride hanging off the horse. So I could touch the ground", I said. I shifted my weight and 'fell' off my horse while rotating. Pretty soon I was upside down hanging from the stirrups with my legs straddling Pranks's stomach. I heard a gasp from my three companions.
"You are so unpredictable Princess", Raziel said after the initial shock.
"Thanks", I said with a grin heaving my self to sit in the saddle ordinary like.
"So what's the stance on Skylar?" Jealousy asked.
"I was ready to forgive Sky before but now I'm not", I said loud enough so Sky could hear. I heard her sigh in response. She should have know better then to mention my planned future getting closer by the second. But I wouldn't agree to my father that easily.
"Well this argument is going to go in circles if only of you gives at a time", Peacekeeper said.
"Well she should have given when I was giving", I said.
"How have you two stayed friends for so long?" Will asked thinking out loud.

"Let's break for the night", Raziel called leading us to a small clearing.
I dismounted and hooked Prank's reins around the saddle horn to let him graze. Sky did the same with her horse, Fawn.
"Hey Iz"Sky said coming up to me. Switching to Elven.
"Good evening Skylar", I said without a glance towards her.
"Taking it you're still mad?" Sky asked shyly.
"You know I need no reminders of Father or his version of my future" I said settling by the fire Raziel built.
"I'm sorry. Ok? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have tried to be like your Dad. But you should be sorry to!" Sky said.
"For what? That's why I haven't apologized you tell me you love me and we are good friends then storm off mad! At least you know what to apologize for!" I said still annoyed.
"You didn't get my point of that conversation. But it doesn't matter.", Skylar said.
"If it doesn't matter why be mad?" I asked still in our native tongue.
"I...overreacted. I don't know why I was mad", she said eyes downcast.
"It's okay. Sorry for making you overreact" I replied with a chuckle.
"Did you guys make up?" Will questioned from across the fire earning glares from Raziel and Cat.
"Yes", I said switching to common tongue.
"That's a relief", Curiosity said.

"Viviana, Princess you're on first watch", Raziel said shortly later.
"Do I have to be with her", Rudepants whined.
"Tonight you do", Raziel replied. Soon the rest of our party fell asleep. Mute and I sat in silence for a few hours before I sensed something off. I waited and felt it again.
"Put out the fire", I spoke in a whisper breaking our silence.
"What no! Are you crazy?" She whisper-shouted back.
"People are coming. Put. Out. The. Fire. Then follow me", I said stringing my long bow and shouldering my quiver. We crept to the road and crouched in a group of young trees. From the road the camp was invisible so I knew we'd be safe.
"Your crazy!" Talks-A-Lot said.
"Thanks" I replied in a whisper. Then she sensed them to. Probably she could hear their thoughts as a Corporal rounded the corner with his quintuple in tow.
"Elves", Comrade breathed.
I knocked an arrow and drew my bow when the wind rustled the tree branches. The wind covered up the whisper of wood on wood.
"Sh", I exhaled. As I listened to their conversation.
"Why are we out this far and this late?", one of the quintuple asked in Elven.
"The High King is looking for a wizard, a Fallen, and two elves and it's our job to find them. Plus our king is looking for a similar sized party to bring us a prisoner", the Corporal responded. I glanced at Big Head and saw she was struggling trying to translate our fast paced language.
"What are they saying?" She whispered.
I simply glared in response.
"The Western Elven King is rumored to be missing his heir", a short soldier said. I sucked in a breath. Did my father know? Has he sent people after me?
"King Enzo is known to worry about his daughter he can barely control. Princess Isadora is visiting a potential bordering school even though the king would never let her go if she wanted. She is not one we are looking for if that's what your suggesting Chase", the Corporal said. I smiled. The kingdoms are in for a shock.
"Not at all Corporal Smith", Chase said quick to cover his error.
"Let's get a move on. Once we get back to the main road we should be able to find a pub" the Corporal said kneeing his horse to a trot to quickly round the corner. I waited a few minutes before releasing the tension on my bow.
"What did they say?"Questioner asked.
"They were looking for our group. Talked about my father being overprotective of me, a rebel. And they are on their way to a tavern", I translated sitting by our fire pit. Dawn was breaking so I started a new fire.
"Well we now know our status. Random question how did you hold your bow like that for so long? Aren't the draw weights on those things extremely high?" Expert asked.
"Yeah of course. It's what makes it fun. This one has a draw weight of about 150 pounds", I said with a smile. I loved the bow. Along with daggers it was the elves signature weapon.
"You say that like it's weighs the same as a pebble", Raziel said with a yawn.
"It is so easy", I said. Well for an elf. The Elves were the only ones who could handle the power of longbows. The other races all used crossbows or recurves.
"Can I try?" Ranger asked.
"Do you think you can handle the power", I asked raising an eyebrow.
"Of course."
Then your in for a surprise.
"How far away do you want your target?", I asked holding a red kite I found in a tree.
"How far do you recommend?" She asked.
"A lot farther then you will get it", I smiled. At most Archer will pull the bow back maybe halfway. That's if she's lucky.
"Fine. 100 yards", Easterner said.
I started counting and found a tree about 100 yards from the edge of the clearing. Coming back I stood and watched as she tried to string the long bow.
"Need assistance?" I asked raising an eyebrow.
"No!"
"You're doing it wrong", Sky correcteds,"try this. It's a stringer used when you first make a bow. Or for newbies."
"Show me first. Then if I can't get it I'll try your stringer", Student asked.
Skylar walked over and strung the bow. After carefully unstringing it Skylar handed the bow back. Then First-Timer used all of her wait to string the bow.
"That was harder then expected", she said afterward.
"A lot is", I replied.
Lady Lazy knocked an arrow and tried to draw the bow string back. She got a quarter of the way and then released. The arrow went only 5 yards away.
"Your form is way off", I said retrieving the arrow.
"Can you show me instead of telling me", she replied annoyed.
"Sure", Skylar replied before I could say anything.
"Sky, you're ruining the fun!" I complained.
Sky responded with sticking her tongue out at me and taking the longbow from Duchess Shortie. Sky walked through the steps and hit a bullseye sinking the arrow deep into the wood.
Then Sky handed the bow back to Dame Wings who was only a foot taller then it. She drew back this time with better form and got half way
"Its okay you can't pull it back all the way. Use the arrow to aim and release", Sky advised. I glared at her but she ignored me.
The arrow was released and went a little under 50 yards.
"That's hard. Now you should try the crossbow", Failure said returning my bow and moving to get hers. She handed it to me and stared at me expectingly.
"How do I string this?", I asked looking at the weird contraption.
"Pull the strong back and hook it on the hook" Raziel replied from behind me surprising me.
I followed my instructions and went to raise it into a two handed grip when I hit the trigger and dry fired.
"Really?" I asked the bow staring at it with disappointment. Horrible Weapons-master chuckled earning a glare from me.
I pulled the string back again and tried to hold it in the two handed grip I've seen the wizards do.
"This doesn't work. Show me how to hold it" I commanded Observer.
She huffed and took the bow from me to show a one handed grip. I nodded and took the bow back. I held it in the one handed grip.
"How do you aim?" I asked with a loaded bow.
"That litttle thing that sticks up. Put it on you target" Raziel told me like I was five.
I aimed and the arrow went off to the side. Because it takes no effort to draw back the arrow flew far enough. Everyone chuckled as I knocked a new arrow. This time it went into the dirt 10 yards from the tree. I handed the weapon to Skylar. When she went to hold it it dried fire and she dropped the weapon.
"Nope I'm done." She said. Then our group moved back to the fire.
"The longbow is definitely the superior weapon. It takes actual skill and training", I declared.
"That means the crossbow is better. Anyone can use it", Vix replied.
"Where's the fun in that?" I asked.
"Does she even know what fun is?" I mumbled.
We continued our argument until Raziel told us it was time to move out.