thieves of dawn

chapter 1: betrayed

Year 25 of king edward's reign.
27th day of the 2nd moon.

I was standing in the throne room, waiting for my father's lecture to end. The room really was beautiful, but it was dampened by the words being flung at me. Father seemed to have endless amounts of ways to insult me. How I wasn't as well behaved as I should have been, how I was careless and reckless, how I could've ended the whole kingdom with that one display.

I had taken to examining the kingdom's crest as Father droned on. When I was smaller, I had once found another, more elaborate, more colorful crest. it was divided into six pieces, each easily as beautiful as our current symbol. From what I gathered, each section was associated with an element.

They were the core elements: fire, water, earth, air, light, and darkness. Each swirled around itself and each other, forming beautiful eddies of color made of many different materials. I pictured it hung where our crest was now. It looked like it belonged there, unlike our dull grey, maroon, and brown one. Slowly, I drifted back into reality.

"You betrayed your kingdom, Rosaline!" My father shouted. "There is a price to pay for that!" He had a gleam of malice in his eyes. Walking to the edge of the throne room, he pulled something from the same crest I was admiring. It shone in the sunlight that streamed through the window, the way light glints off of metal. I gasped when I realized what was in his hand. No.

"Please, father, no! It won't happen again, I promise! I'll be well behaved! No more outbursts, I swear!"

"Too late."

He swung. I screamed. Time seemed to slow as the silver dagger traveled toward my face. I broke from the frozen shocked state long enough to turn my head, avoiding death, but the dagger still cut over my eye in a straight, clean line. I fell to my knees. Shock numbed the unbearable, excruciating pain. Blood mixed with my tears and dripped down onto my knees in fat, warm drops.

My mother had seen all of it. She started shouting at father. 

"What have you done?! You could've killed her! Our own daughter! Why?! What right do you have?!"

"I am the king. I have the right to do anything. And I'll do it again if anything else happens."

She started crying, pleading, and bending to his will as her copper hair flung wildly. The only thing I registered was that the light was making her hair look like fire.

His words echoed in my mind. Why would he do this?  I've broken the rules before. I never thought he would actually go through with any of his once thought empty threats, much less hurt me unwarned. Thoughts like this churned and threatened to drown me. As much as I hated to admit it, it hurt me. He was my father, and no matter how much I denied it, I loved him. I even thought he loved me too. I guess I was wrong.

The ride to the village doctor was full of numbness and tears. I barely remember any of it. The elixir they gave me tasted awful and did nothing. They ended up having to use a needle and thread. I didn't feel that either.

I barely remember my mother whispering to me with as much intensity as she could without drawing too much unwanted attention.

"Rosaline, darling, you need to leave. Go to the woods. You'll be safe in there. No time for crying. Go!"

She hoisted me onto the saddle and placed the reins in my hands. Her pack was fitted onto my back and her imperial topaz bracelet slipped onto my wrist.

I choked on my tears. She embraced me, smoothing my hair as  I silently wished that I didn't have to leave. I looked at her and saw tears falling down her porcelain cheeks.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

I rode away on the horse, my head against its mane. The hair was coarse and stringy from my tears. I steered into the forest, knowing the route well enough to be able to afford being lost in thought. the forest closed around me. It should feel like it was suffocating, trying to trap me, but it made me feel free. I don't think I would be able to survive life trying to pretend as though nothing happened. The forest had always made me feel like I could do anything; like I could be anything. Like I didn't have to become the perfect little princess who did everything anyone told her to without question or second thought
I'm not going back. I could live in the forest; I know how to take care of myself. It wouldn't be hard to make a bow and arrow. My treehouse would shelter me for a while.
I pulled the horse to a stop in front of the highest tree. Tying the reins to a low branch, I started to climb. I grabbed the branch and lifted myself. I stepped onto the lowest branch. Arms, legs. Arms, legs. The rhythm helped soothe the panic that was building inside.  I reached the treehouse soon enough. I set Mother's satchel down and looked through the contents.
It held some rations, gold, a thick blanket, an extra cloak, and the dagger. I guess I wouldn't be needing to make a bow and arrows after all. Silently thanking my mother for being prepared, I spread the blanket out on the ground. I would need food soon, but now, I needed sleep more than anything.

-oOo-

I startled awake to the sound of footsteps. They were quiet, but they were definitely there. They sounded far away, but they were steadily coming closer. Panic threatened to run wild in my heart. I sat as still as possible. No one should be able to see me up here, right? I had made this for just that reason, so hopefully, I was concealed. After about five minutes, curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the corner and peeked out of the window.

There was a boy. All I could see from my perch was a mess of black hair and a dark cloak hastily wrapped around his broad shoulders. he paused, yet the footsteps continued. They were not his.

Military boots scuffed the ground as the boy's pursuer neared. Nothing looked out of the ordinary. That is until I noticed the soldier was unarmed. No sword graced his side. That meant only one thing. Assassins.

I scoured the trees for the hooded figure that was sure to be here. I found it crouched on a low branch, dagger concealed, but ready. Whoever that boy was, he was going to die today. I studied the assassin as it silently made its way to its unknowing victim. Something I had found out from a young age, is that you can learn a lot from things that aren't supposed to be seen.

It was almost there. It was crouched like a cat about to pounce. Then it was gone. If I blinked, I would've missed it. My eyes snapped to the boy. The figure was gliding towards him, dagger out for the kill. The boy's head whipped in the direction of the attacker. Too late, I thought. Keyword: thought.

Just before the blade touched his skin, the assassin's arm from the tip of the weapon to past its shoulder was encased in ice. Steam curled out of the boy's hand as if it was cold. I stared in shock. My mind went silent as one thought overrode all others.

I'm not the only one.