Warrior Princess

Chapter Six

I could barely open my eyes the next morning. I'd spent most of the night thinking about our mission in the South Kingdom. I hardly had a good sleep.

Why couldn't life be simple? After stranded all those years in the forest, I finally found my family. And now, the fate of the North Kingdom rested on my shoulders. Not to add, the whole problem with being "the princess who was lost in a forest for 15 times." The gossip in the Northern Kingdom was uncontrollable sometimes!

I yawn as a get up from the bed and change into a hunting tunic Amara gave me. If only I was back in the forest, where I had no pressure, where I always felt relaxed, even though I was always fighting for my life.

Stop thinking like that! I mentally snap. I was extremely lucky to have a roof over my head and a meal three times a day. But still...

No! I have to get to the citadel. I quickly grab a bow and arrow from the weaponry and rush to the edge of the kingdom.

Even though I was at the citadel tower, it was still barely dawn. Another yawn escapes from my lips. I mentally slap myself. WAKE UP!

I found Adam in a crowd of soldiers at the edge of the citadel tower. "There are a lot of people here," I told him.

He nods. "Believe it or not, we're still expecting people."

My jaw drops. There were already at least 1000 soldiers standing outside the kingdom's walls. "Who's coming?"

Adam thinks for a moment. "Only a few more archers and Joshua Michaels."

I blank out for a second. "He's the guide who's coming with us, right?"

"Right."

"He has a daughter named Amelia."

Adam looks confused. "He does?"

We were saved from an awkward moment as a soldier chose that moment to interrupt us.

"Your majesty, General Carter has asked you to do in the inventory on the Green Squadron's weapons."

"Of course." Adam says. Then, he leaves and I am alone again. I listen to the silent hum of the soldiers talking. I catch someone talking about his family while another talked about how the food in the army didn't taste good. I disagree. I thought the food in the army tasted excellent compared to wild dog or deer. But, that's off topic.

Then, all of a sudden, every soldier in the area stopped talking. Even the mocking jays stopped chirping. I turn around in confusion.

Standing at the edge of the field, dressed in soldier's uniform was Amelia Michaels. I had to blink twice before I realized it was her. She wasn't the little, innocent I'd seen in the citadel tower. She wore a thick armor( possibly her father's) over a cream dress along with large black boots. The only thing feminine about her was her long, auburn hair, which she had tied back with a silver ribbon.

"Miss. Michaels, whatever are you doing here?" General Carter asks her, breaking the odd silence.

"I am here as a guide for the Northern Army, sir."

"I wasn't aware that you were our guide," General Carter answers, "Or that you could speak such perfect English."

Every man in the field broke into laughter. But Amelia didn't come here for a joke. She quickly grabs a knife from her pocket and throws it at General Carter. It nicked his ear before it hit a tree behind him.

"I didn't come here for laugh, General Carter. People are dying in the Southern Kingdom and I can't just sit down, doing nothing about it." She snaps, " My father is too old for this journey. And, as I recall, the soldier asked for a member of the Michaels family for this journey. Well then, General Carter, you have a member of the Michaels family standing right in front of you."

Amelia's tone scared me, but it still inspired me. I had to be braver, especially for all the poor people in the Southern Kingdom who had to suffer everyday at the hand of corrupt individuals.

General Carter looks flustered for a moment, but he quickly regains his composure. "Okay, Miss Michaels, you may join us."

Amelia cracked a smile. "Thank you, sir."

She walked right past General Carter and stepped to an opening beside me. She held out her hand as a greeting. "Hello, I am Amelia."

I wasn't sure what to do, so I held out my hand in return, which Amelia prompts shook. It was strange that Amelia greeted me so openly. Most people I saw gasped and spook in whispered when ever they saw me.

"I think it's fascinating that we're going into the forest."

I shrug. "I'm not sure I agree with you. I mean, just got out of the forest, the place where I wasted eleven years of my life in."

"Yes, but because of that, it proved you were a natural surviver. Even most grown men can't survive in the woods, much less a four year old girl. Plus, I believe life is about facing your ghost. After all, I'm going back to the kingdom that has haunted my childhood. We aren't really different, you know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to retrieve my knife."

I nod and Amelia leaves. I shake my head. What was that all about. But on an unrelated note, at least I was going into the woods with a friend.

General Carter blow a horn and the soldiers hurry into a square-like formation. Then, they all start marching forward. I glance back at the Northern Kingdom for the last time before hurrying to my place next to Amelia. We were going into the forest. Our journey had started.