Fallen Ashes

Chapter 6

I got up quietly and quickly and opened up my closet the one I hadn't looked at in a long time, as I looked at all the dresses I sighed grabbing the one I used to use when I walked around the palace as a commender a year or so ago little did I know that I would be one soon. I quickly grabbed the red dress and slipped it on looking at myself in the mirror and sighed. "I can't be there with you to see you with someone else I'm so sorry Queen Victoria." I whispered quickly grabbing the plate of food that was supposed to be for supper and tossed it in to the along with a few more simple dress and sighed tying the bag up and throwing it on my back grabbing my note and leaving it on my pillow as I walked over to the window and opened it slowly hopping on to the branch of the tree next to my window. "Hey Paullina." I jumped losing my balance and falling off the tree Gene quietly catching me. "Damn you." I whispered as he sat me down. "I can't believe you." I said walking pass him. "Hold up if you don't want to be noticed by night guards then come on." I turned around seeing him holding out his hand I hesitated then grabbed his hand gently. He pulled me behind the castle through a small gate way in the back and waiting on the other side was horse tied up. "Why?" I asked making raise and eyebrow at me. "I'm allowed to help out a good friend?" He asked back with a smile. "Yeah but I thought you did-" "I don't but I know this is what you want and well, at least someone should support your decision to leave." His eyes met mine. "Are you sure you want to leave not saying anything to her?" He asked his smile disappearing. "Yes." He sighed and untied the horse from the tree handing the rope to me. "I wish you luck." I grabbed the rope and as I did Gene quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him kissing me. "I had to get one off you before you left."I watched him shocked as he walked away. "Thank you Gene." I said as he walked away. "Bye." I heard him say as I hopped on the back of the horse.

I yawned sitting up hearing a knock on the door. "Enter." Maxilla walked in slowly and closed the door softly. "Are you alright?" I asked seeing the look of anger on her face. "Here." She held up a small piece of paper, I grabbed it and opened it reading slowly tears about to fall.
"Dear Victoria
I know you wanted me to stay but because you need to move on to lead your powerful kingdom I had to leave so you could get used to me being gone. Please Victoria don't cry and you better not blame yourself for me leaving because I left for my own good. Now I'm sorry I broke that promise that we made to one another and I want you to know that I truly love you and will always love you forever."
"What does it say?" Maxilla asked as I looked up at her. "She not coming back, so now Maxilla you will take her place." Her eyes widened at my words with shock. "That means I'm in charge of helping protect you from outside forces" I nodded getting out of bed slowly. "Get used to Cole bossing you around now if you will excuse me." She quickly bowed and left the room.
I walked down the hall in my simple black dress towards the main guard's tower, and as I opened the doors to the tower guards watched confused as the captain quickly stood up bowing to me. "Queen Victoria." I sighed. "Rise." He quickly stood straight. "Paullina has left the kingdom." His eyes widened with frustration. "What? I-I thought-" "She changed her mind, but now that she is gone I want you to let Maxilla be her replacement." He looked at me odd. "Maxilla?" He asked making me smile. "Yes I want her to be the new top female guard." He sighed. "Yes your majesty." I quickly turned around and walked out of the tower down the stairs to the next hallway walking toward Cole's office. "Q-Queen Victoria?" I stopped and looked back seeing Gene. "Yes my guard Gene?" I asked as he walked up next to me. "Where are you heading?" I eyed him. "Cole's office." He sighed. "Can I walk with you?" I nodded and started walking with him next to me. "Your Paullina's good friend right?" I asked feeling him stiffen next to me. "Yeah she left." I stopped looking at him confused. "How did you know? I know word travels quickly but not that quickly." He sighed looking down. "I'm sorry my queen but she's my friend and I knew I couldn't do anything to make her change her mind so being her friend I decided that the lest I could do is be the only one to support her." I stared at him trying not to be upset at him. "So you helped her leave last night?" I asked as he nodded his head. "You know me and Maxilla are the only ones who really know how she cared for you and well you should know she does still love you and whatever she said to you to think otherwise was a lie because I know why she left early." Our eyes met as he looked up. "If she were to have stayed any longer she would be the first to say she rejects at the wedding and you know how she feels about the kingdom and she would never put it in danger of a war." I sighed looking down. "Cole is going to kill you." He laughed. "Yeah I know and I won't be surprised if he yells at me." He paused a moment well shale we be going to his office then. "Yes." I said following him down the hall turning the corner as we walked to the large doors he quickly opened the door for me. "Good morning your majesty." Cole said as he studied the large map and Gene closed the door. "What do I owe for this early morning check up?" He asked looking up narrowing his eyes on Gene. "He's here with you what's wrong?" He asked his eyes meeting mine. "Paullina left the kingdom last night." His eyes widened. "What?! Did any night guards see her?" I slowly shook my head. "How I mean she would need help if she needed to get by unnoticed and I don't k-" "I helped her leave last night I got her a horse and some gold that should get her by for a while." Cole glared at him with anger. "I will need to yell at you some other time but until then, please leave my office." I heard the door quickly open and close leaving just me and Cole. "Do you want me to-" "Cole it's fine." He looked at me gently. "Are you okay?" I sighed and smiled. "I will be I just need time and I need pay attention to my kingdom and move on from Paullina for a while." He sighed. "Who's going to replace her?" He asked changing the subject. "Maxilla." He nodded. "Alright then tell Gene out there to go grab her and Queen Victoria" He paused and walked from behind his desk to me putting his hand on my shoulder. "I believe that Paullina can take care of herself perfectly fine but if you ever want to see her don't forget we have Hagen." I smiled. "I know Logan." His eyes widened making me laugh. "I can't believe you forgot I know your real first name unlike everyone else around here." He shook his head. "Now I have a wedding rehearsal to get ready for so I'll see you soon." I quickly turned around walking out the door.

"Your highness?" Henry asked as Marcuse fix up my tunic. "Yes?" I asked putting on the long fancy purple jacket. "Are you sure you want to go through with this? Are you really going to stand by the Queen while she rules the kingdom, I mean once you marry this who-" "Henry this is her kingdom and I don't want to be in control of a woman how many times do I have to say that I love the fact that a woman is free to do whatever they want in this kingdom." He sighed and shook his head. "Woman are weak a-" "Don't even try to speak about women who were like mother in a disrespectful way Henry." The room went quiet as Henry sighed and left the room. "You know that a woman is weak even if-" "Don't." I quickly cut Grode off the room falling silent again.

I laid down next to the fire staring at the stars in the clear dark sky and slowly closed my eyes drifting into memories.
"Paullina." Madison said walking into the enmity room. "Yes?" I asked quietly as I played with dust on the window. "The King and Queen are here looking for a child. Why don't you go into the main room and walk around or something?" I slowly turned from the window and walked past her silently into the main room and over to the chair in the real far corner and curled up on it scratching the arm of it. "Hello." I looked up seeing a woman wearing a royal purple dress and a crown on her head, her was a grayish brown and her eyes were filled with hope and care. I quickly stood up and bowed making her giggle. "You don't need to bow to me." I slowly lifted up her eyes meeting mine. "What's your name sweetheart?" I stared at her a moment trying to catch the tone of her voice. "Paullina." I said quietly. "What?" I sighed and talked a bit louder. "Paullina." She smiled and crouched down holding out a hand. "My name is Jasmine." I stared at her hand and slowly shook it. "Do you think you would like to live in a castle as big as the kingdom?" I slowly looked down. "I don't think a kid like me deserves to be in a castle like that." I said looking up and seeing the King standing next to her I quickly bowed again. "Why do you say that?" The sound of his voice was somehow soothing to the ear as I leaned back up. "Because I'm not ladylike and I like things that a princess could never do."
I sat up quickly seeing a man holding a knife to my neck. "Don't move we just want your money." I laughed at him a moment grabbing his arm quickly twisting it snapping a bone making him cry out in pain as he fell on the ground as I stood up turning around seeing a man near my horse, he quickly turned around pulling out a sword. "What did you do to him?" The mans voice was gruff as he walked closer. "Broke his wrist." I said hearing the man trying to stand up. "Your stupid girl." The man said swinging his sword, I quickly dogged it and grabbed his arm taking his sword and slicing a gash in his left should making him fall to the ground in pain. "That's a warning now give me back whatever you took." He rolled over and I quickly put the sword to his throat and as I did I heard the sounds of an arrow being released I quickly turned around and put up my hand catching the arrow as it grazed my cheek. "Nice aim." I said turning the arrow around and throwing it back in the way it came turning back to the man on the ground. "Leave." I said throwing the sword on the ground and ran over to my horse quickly hopping on his back. "Who the hell do you think you are?" The man with the broken wrist. "I'm just a girl on horseback who doesn't want to deal with your shit bandit."