The Runaway Queen

Chapter 8

In my kingdom, the sky is blue and the warm spring wind gently blow's through the square. It must be May Day, one of the many celebrations in Faiyria. The square is full of laughing, dancing people, and everything feels perfect. But then everything changes. A dark black cloud sweeps across the sun, and the wind takes on a bitter chill. Rain is pouring down, and people are running for cover. A group of people dressed in black stalk through the now deserted streets, setting fire to buildings. I'm still standing in shock, when I feel the sharp cold of a blade at my neck.

"Faiyria will burn and you with it!" A disembodied voice hisses in my ear. Then the blade slides across my throat and I black out.

I jolt awake. For a second I don't remember where I am and I start to panic. Then everything comes back. I'm at a a man named Ivo Roth's house. I rescued his granddaughter Arlen when foreign thieves attacked his son and his son's wife. I'm on my way to Echidinare. The sun streams through the window, and I remember that I shouldn't be here. Every second counts when I'm trying to evade Mufar. I should be far into Echidninare-a faceless person among the crowd. But I've made myself stand out here. People will talk about this ragged girl who saved a child's life. Mufar will hear about it.

I need to go. Now.

I jump out of bed and wince at the sharp pain in my leg. Looking down, I can see a long bandage wrapped tightly around my calf. I remember now-I was cut while I was fighting last night. I brush it off and continue down the stairs where I find Ivo.

"Ahh-your awake. Please sit down." He says, gesturing to a comfortable chair to his right. To my sore back from riding hard all night, that chair looks like heaven. But I really need to go. Ivo notices my hesitation and laughs.

"Just sit!" He smiles kindly. I give in and sink into the chair. It doesn't just look like heaven-it feels like heaven too. Arlen runs into the room with flowers.

"Thank you." She whispers, handing them to me. I am touched by this simple gesture and lean down to give her a warm hug.

Ivo and I talk for a long while. I find out that he is a noblemen in the kings court. Noblemen represent their towns in the court. I refrain from talking too much about myself, letting Ivo carry most of the conversation. I am thoroughly enjoying myself. But by late afternoon I know I need to go.

"Thank you for hospitality, but I really need to go." I say. Ivo nods.

"Thank you for saving Arlen. Anything you ever need you know where I am." He says sombrely. I smile at him and start towards the door when I remember one thing.

"Sir? If anybody asks, please tell them I was never here." I say in a strange voice. Ivo frowns and begins to say something else, but I'm gone.

I ride hard to the border to Echidninare. Theres not much of a border-just a sign saying

'You are now leaving Faiyria'

But I ride Silver hard anyway until I reach the first big city in Echidninare. Morford is about a half hours ride from the border and is the polar opposite of any city in Faiyria. Faiyria's city's are clean. I'm not saying Morford is dirty...well thats exactly what I'm saying I guess. Many people wouldn't be caught dead here. In other words, its the perfect place to disappear.

I let Silver go in the outskirts of Morford. She knows her way home. And if I brought her in the city and left her for even a minute unattended, she would be stolen. She's safer this way. I'll find another way home.

I wander through the streets of Morford, looking like the homeless orphan I'm pretending to be. I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do now. Find somebody to take me to the Amazons I guess. But until then I'm just going to find a nice corner to fall asleep on.

I find myself at the church, looking fondly at the old building. Memories flood me as I smile.

It was just after I left the ship. As a scared little 11 year old girl, I wasn't sure what to do. It was pouring rain and I was shivering with the biting cold. I saw a light in the distance, and ran towards it. A kindly old priest stood on the doorstep of the church.

"Come inside little one." He called. I sprinted into the church and collapsed on the pew. For the next couple days he sheltered and fed me as I figured out what to do. My mother came and told me that I couldn't return to the castle. The priest didn't know I was the lost princess. Ever since I left, I've wanted to thank him somehow. Maybe tonight, I can.

A young girl-perhaps 11 stands outside the church. Maybe the priest took her in and sheltered her like he did for me.

"Do you know if the priest still lives here?" I walk up to her. She turns around and stares at me with clear grey eyes. She frowns at me.

"What will you give me if I tell you?" She asks suspiciously. Frustration shoots through me. I toss her a gold coin then grab her before she can take off.

"Tell me now." I say angrily. The girl looks at the coin and then smiles slyly at me.

"Father Wood died four years ago. He took a girl in that looked like the lost princess of Faiyria. It wasn't her, but Electra killed him because he didn't report the girl." She tells me.

Wordless I drop the girl and take off running. He died because of me. The priest died because he didn't turn me into the Amazons. I run blindly down the streets, not caring where I go. I find myself stopped in a small alleyway off the main road. Then and there, I swear that I would get revenge. I know good people are supposed to forgive and forget, but when some stranger takes you in and is killed for it later, that must call for some payback. I'm numb. Angrily I take out my knife and start chopping off my long blonde hair at my shoulders. I don't know why I did it. Maybe so nobody will recognize me. Maybe to distance myself from the girl I used to be.

Locks of my hair fall to the muddy ground. I shake the remainder of my hair out, feeling free. I've never cut my hair in my life before, and I like the feeling of air on my neck.

"Hey you!" I turn to see the girl with the strange grey eyes again.

"What do you want?" I snarl. She just plants a fake smile on her face and steps closer. She looks at the pile of hair at my feet.

"What did you do to your hair?" She looks daunted. I smirk. She takes a step back.

"Anyway I was just wondering if you needed any more information? I know a lot. My names Branwen by the way." Branwen says. She's fishing for more money. Good for me I know her tricks. I've been a street thief before.

"Sorry Branwen, I know enough." I say flatly. She shrugs.

"Ok. Boys?" She says. I turn around to see several boys advancing on me, all armed.

"Crap!" I murmur. Then I swing into action. I am quickly outnumbered and pinned to the ground.

"Fine. You've got me. Take me to your leader." I spit.