Stone Throne (beta)

Part 1

     I sketched the entrance to the palace where two giant stone warriors stood at either side of the central doors. They were there to guard the king. Somehow they had always made me feel safe. That is until they came to life and tried to kill me. That night still haunts me... being awakened by a scream, my mother's blood stained hands. What she had told me to do.

    I tried to push the thoughts aside as tears began to fill my eyes. My father was dead. I had seen his body. He had been stabbed to death in his sleep, and yet now there was another man wearing his face. How had nobody noticed that the king was a completely different person? I suppose people reasoned that he was acting different because his daughter had run away.

     The whole kingdom was looking for the missing princess, for me. It had been nearly two weeks since that dreadful night. I'd managed to keep a low profile as I trekked across the kingdom. I was able to "borrow" some common clothes off a clothes line. I felt guilty about it, but it had to be done. Thankfully it was Fpring and the land was bountiful in fruiting trees and the streams over flowing with fish. That is how I'd maintained myself thus far. Today would be dangerous. I would have to take a risk. I needed a map.

     So far, I was working by memory and moving towards the mountains. But now I should hopefully be in the general area of the King's Rest. I closed my sketch book and headed toward the small village I had seen yesterday.

     Soon I stood atop a grassy hill overlooking the fishing village. Strands of my hair blew with the sea breeze. The wind carried with it the smell of blooming flowers and dead fish. Below, a fishing boat was bringing in its catch. Workers and merchants prepared for its arrival on the dock. The village, which clung to the side of the coastline, was quite small, a few dozen buildings in all.

     I scanned the streets. People were going to and fro going about the day's work. I saw no sign of the stone men who had been pursuing me across the kingdom. The statues were sent with the king's ring, which gives who ever wears it the ability to bring statues to life to do their bidding. Back at the castle my father has a secret garden filled with particularly cunning statues. I could only hope that the imposter had not yet found it. I took a deep breath and started walking down the hill side.

     First, I would have to find some sort of disguise. I, the missing princess, am one of the most recognizable people in the kingdom, and I was being searched for.

      On the outskirts of town, I was able to find an old tattered cloth. I pulled it over my head like a bonnet trying to hide my signature golden hair. My face was already gritty from the two weeks trek I'd been on to get there. Along the way I had purposely laid out in the sun until I had gotten a deep tan. Maybe somewhere in the village I could pick up a brick of dye and color my hair, but the bonnet would have to do for now.

     I stood in the shadows of an alleyway, unsure of where to go. I'd rarely been away from the capital city of Sedile. I had no idea where I might find a map. I just had to see one long enough to sketch it in my sketch book.

I approached the out skirts of town with caution. Here the streets were mainly lined with homes, squat wooden structures with strong beams, I supposed to protect them from the coastal storms. Dirty children played in the streets laughing and chasing one another. I smiled keeping close to the buildings trying not to draw to much attention to myself. As I walked deeper into the city, I saw more business establishments there were two taverns a blacksmith shop, a fish market, and a general goods store. The streets were busy with older people coming and going. I sighed with relief when I realized that the people were not paying any attention to me. My heart still pounded in my chest, I took a beep breath and told myself All I had to do was look and act like I belong here. The general goods store would probably be my best option for finding a map. I walked up the wooden steps and pushed the door open. The air inside was dusty. Light streamed through cracks in the wooden walls thick beams held up the roof there were rows of shelfs with goods stacked neatly. There were a few people shopping, and the plump man behind the counter was currently occupied. I stepped in-between two rows of shelfs and started my search, the first few shelfs I looked threw contained mostly dried food and house hold goods. There had to be a map around here somewhere. I heard a sound behind me and jumped. The plump merchant from behind the counter was standing at the end of the alley's way. "Looking for anything in particular little lady?" The man wore a handle bar mush, and his arms was thick. I wanted to scream my mind was launching into full on panic mode. What if he recognized me? No, Smarara! say something. "I, am looking for a map." I managed to squeak out.