Continuing, we take a step back, not as far as the mythical beasts, but only moments before the fateful meeting, in the dungeon. Juliana is sound asleep in her bedchambers when she is suddenly awoken by the sound of clanging metal and guards shouting.
"WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!" One guard shouts.
"Where are the guards that were stationed outside this door?" Another shouts angerly.
"I do not...."
"Stand by here, and guard the princess with your life!" The guard orders.
"Yes, Sir!" The sound of armor clattering gives the impression that this guard just took a saluting stance.
More sounds of clattering metal move away, down the hall, as a sigh comes from behind the door.
"I wish I could go with them." The guard says, unhappily.
Juliana gets out of bed and moves to the door, pressing her ear against it. But the guard is silent now. She silently moves back and gets dressed in a simple white robe then returns to the door. opening it slowly she peeks her head out.
"Sir guard, I heard a commotion, are we indeed under attack?" Juliana whispers.
"Yes, my princess, we are undoubtedly under attack from multiple neighboring nations." The guard responds.
He is a young man, standing at five foot, eleven inches, barely out of his twenties, flowing yet short blond hair, shaved face, dark brown eyes. He looks to be in good shape, although it is hard to tell from his armor. He speaks with the air of a commander, yet he is but a standard guard in rank.
As he peeks behind him at the princess, he also takes note of her appearance. She is a very attractive woman, thou all he can see is her face. Long, almost wild sand blond hair, crystal blue eyes, and a complexion that would make a mirror jealous. She is obviously not one for staying indoors, as her tan gives the impression of many long horse rides in the noon sun. As she steps further out the door, he can not help but query further. She is well built, standing at a mear five foot, four inches, twenty-three year old, not muscular, in any respect, but tone and sharp like a sword. She would never be able to fight off a group of well-trained soldiers, but a bandit or two might have some serious trouble with her. Her stance is one of purpose with an air of timidness as if to distract from her confidence. Her curves would make any man weak at the knees, and her eyes would see straight through any lie he would care to weave.
She steps forward quickly, as to grab his attention once more. "Sir guard, I would like you to escort me to my father so that I might see him before things get out of hand. Would you be so kind as to lead the way?" She asks in a startlingly direct tone.
"Yea... yes my princess." The guard bows and leads the way to the main hall.
Once entering, the room is a frenzy of orders being barked and reports being made. The King raises his eye and on sighting his daughter raises his hand for silence.
"Well done, my boy, thank you for bringing my daughter to us." The king praises the young guard.
The princess looks around and spots her older brother in full armor and her older sister tending to a wounded man nearby.
"Juliana, please be more careful, we are under attack, after all." Her brother barks.
"I am certain this young man would have protected my life sufficiently, brother." Juliana glares back at him.
"Enough!!" The King barks. "This is no time for sidling disputes on logic. My dear, you must go, find a safe place to hide until this event has passed. Go with your older sister....."
"No father, I will not abandon the wounded. Send her on, as a precaution." The older sister interrupts.
"Margaret...." Juliana sighs unhappily.
Margaret approaches Juliana and wraps her in tight embrace. "I apologize, dear sister, I did not mean to sound so cross, but you simply do not have training like Ehrlich and I do. I could not bear it if you were hurt, so please do as father asks."
Just as they release from their embrace a ball of fire crashes through a window to the room, catching the main hall ablaze. Margaret hurries Juliana out of the main hall and pushes her away.
"RUN, JULIANA!" She shouts as she turns to head back inside.
Juliana cannot help the fear she feels, her legs almost move on their own as she runs down staircase after staircase until, finally, she realizes she is lost within her own castle.
"I... I don't know where I am..... Is this our dungeon? Did we ever have a dungeon? Why did father hide this from me?" Juliana asks herself out loud.
"Who is there?" An old man's voice, frail and rough, echos through the hallway leading into a large dark room.
"Can you help us?" A woman's voice follows.
"Shut up! The guards might hear you." A younger gruff voice rebuts.
Crying can be heard from what seems to be a fourth person, but it is hard to tell what gender they could be.
"Now see what you did, you upset the monkey. There, there dear." The woman's voice echos again.
"Who is there?" Juliana asks gently.
"Young lady, could we have a moment of your time?" The old man asks gentler than before.
YOU ARE READING
CAGED
Fantasy[Completed] When the island nation of Egnor is attacked, the youngest Princess, Juliana Levante Fremur, is sent to hide from the threat. She soon finds herself lost, nearing a dungeon where seven people are locked in magical cages. But, is setting t...
