Blaze

                                                                         Chapter 1

        

        Burning my eyes the sun rose above the horizon. A breeze whips through the open window, blurring my vision with tears. I sigh looking below towards my kingdom. There were buildings as far as the eye could see and people bustle through the busy streets. The courtyard shadowed by the castle holds a tournament for my hand in marriage. Swords clash and war cries echo, it may seem an interesting thing to see, but to me it was just a bunch of oafs wielding swords. It had been going on for 3 days, not one of them enjoyable. Women in the audiences fainted while the men cheered for friends and family.

        My name is Rhona Anson, the royal princess of the Kingdom Ezale. Ezale is a kingdom that has been for hundreds of centuries, in those years Ezale has been prosperous in it's economy, crops, wars, and rulers. Kingdoms around us have, since late, been sending letters to my mother and father telling of large beasts containing dark magic that hide in the mountains near the outskirts of their border. Apparently they've taken their princes and princesses captive. They've named these monsters dragons. Wanting our help they've sent a total of 47 messengers to our doorstep. My father has sent back half that.

        My father is the king of Ezale, my mother his queen. I have two brothers, each of them are younger than me yet they still manage to get more freedom. Ethan is the closest in age to me, only two years younger he's my best friend and partner in crime. Mason is the baby of the family at only three years old. Mason always seems to be smiling, the only exception is when Aunt Matilda visits. Ethan and I have had many adventures together, the time we switched our father's sword with a wooden one, and that time we put one of Mason's used diapers in Aunt Matilda's pillow. As you can imagine we are quite the trouble makers.

        "Rhona, are you listening," my mothers voice made me drift back to real time.

        "Hmm?" I respond still slightly tranced.

        "As I was saying, some one seems to be winning," She sighs, "I know you don't want this but we all wish for your happiness and safety."

        She is right, I don't want this. I never have wanted the safe life, the life planned out for you. Everything I've ever wanted was out of this castle, to learn to fight and learn to stand up for myself.

        I sigh and respond, "What is the gentlemen's name?"

        "Corbin Denson."

        Nodding I sit on the sill and swing my feet over the windows edge. My skirt lightly moves along with the wind, my hair playing with them. Underneath my feet the tournament continues. Two men battle as if their lives depend on it. For a moment the cheering pauses, but then it erupts louder than it was before.

        A man shouts above all of their voices, "Corbin Denson wins, and is rewarded a hand in marriage to Princess Rhona."

        Corbin strides across the courtyard both hands in the air, shouting along with the crowd. From the view of the window he looks like any other arrogant male. He looks up to the window I watch from and bows mockingly. My fiance looks more like a buffoon than a man, but I keep that thought to myself.

        Giving into the will of everyone around me my eyes close. Tears soundlessly slither down to my chin. Every rebellious act was for naught. Safe, protected life was now inevitable. There is now no escape. Hope begins to rot slowly and surely as each tear abandons it's cage. Tilting towards the blazing sun I creak my eyes open.