Broken Hope

Chapter 1

Isador Norwood draped a long evergreen cloak around her shoulders. She quickly braided her long strawberry-blonde hair and covered her head with her hood. She picked up an old leather-bound book and hid it under the flaps of her cloak. She stumbled out of the inn and into the busy street. The noisy chatter of village fold filled her ears, causing her senses to dim. "Remember Mother's teaching,"  she thought. She noticed the people walking in a quick fashion, towards the castle. Trying not to get caught, she followed them.

Half an hour later she reached the castle. The sound of hundreds of voices caused a ringing in her ears. She pulled her cloak tightly around her, and moved to the front of the crowd. She stopped. Something wasn't right. She wheeled around on her heel.

"Give that back," she demanded. Her hood flew off revealing her freckled tan skin, light hair, and piercing green eyes. The boy she spoke to gasped, as did a few people surrounding her. She rolled her eyes. "It's rude to stare at people," she said. People around her grumbled and went back into dull conversations. "Let me repeat that," she glared at the boy, "give that back, now." The boy walked toward her, tripped over a lose stone, and handed her her leather-bound book.

He gulped, "it says Ancient Spells and Potio..."

"I know what it says!" She snapped. "Now shush up or both of us will get caught, thief." The boy scratched his neck nervously. Isador hid the book and pulled the hood back up.

Suddenly trumpets played, alerting the people of the king's presence. The king stood before his kingdom, and looked over his people.

"Attention," he called. "As you know, there is a war." Muttering spread across the waves of people. The king sighed, "I am afraid we are without hope."

"Wait!" A voice cried from behind him. The king stepped aside, shocked, and the princess walked up.

"Azriel, what are you doing?" The king sighed.

"I have an idea," she said cheerfully. "Send me out as a spy, so I can retrieve our hope." The king stared at her. "Please, Father, send me off into the dangerous wild!" she bounced on her heel. The king looked at her for a few seconds.

"But what if you are taken or killed, I could not live with myself."

"So send people with me, not knights, those are too obvious." The king stepped away from the people and spoke with his advisors.

"Alright," he said at last. "Chose two people to go with you." The princess hugged her father tightly.

"Thank you, Father, you won't regret this. Oh, send normal people with me, people my age." The king grumbled turn spoke to the crowd.

"Those of seventeen years of age, please form a line." Isador backed up slowly, attempting to get away from the castle lest she be picked. She turned around and ran straight into the armor of a knight. She looked up at him then swerved past him, but he grabbed her shoulders.

"You look seventeen, don't you, girl," he sneered.

"I'm not, excuse me."

"Oh no, you're getting in line." He pushed her toward the line and stuffed the thief beside her. "And pull off your hood." He wrenched the hood off her head, just before the king and his daughter walked past.

"Her, she's pretty." The princess pointed at Isador. "Oh, and him, he's cute." She nodded at the thief. The king looked as if he wanted to protest, but he just decided not too.

"You two," The king said. "Into the castle, you are to be properly cared for until you leave tomorrow."