The palace of Aldham was known for many things. It's magnificent gardens that bloomed like clockwork in the springtime and once more in the fall. The kitchens in the basement that were constantly in motion, cooking and preparing feasts for all occasions. The massive stables built for all of the royal family to enjoy leisurely riding on a cool afternoon. But the most impressive feature of the entire palace was of course the great hall.
It spanned the length of the first floor and directly connected to nearly every main area. And in the very front of it, sat the thrones.
The palace had three thrones in it's midst that had been used since the initial building of the palace years ago. The three were meant to represent the trilogy of self, spirit and earth to the citizens. But much less mythically, it was where the King chose to sit while attending to his royal duties. The other two thrones were intended for the queen and Isadora, but the kingdom had always ruled that women had no place in the middle of important affairs.
The kingdom who ruled this were of course only men, who were the only ones allowed to make those kinds of decisions.
Izzy didn't believe that she deserved anything less than the men of her kingdom, and in fact believed that she deserved so much more. She was a force to be reckoned with and she was far past angry. So when she stormed into the throne room, dagger flared at her side, she did not notice the startled gasps of the royal cabinet as they realized that the princess was alive. All that she noticed was the man wearing the crown at the head of the room, and how she wanted him to feel every ounce of pain that she felt right now. But everything inside of her stopped when his voice resonated above the crowds.
"My Gods." King Edwards sat on his throne proudly, but upon seeing his daughter walk into the room his eyes looked as if he had seen a ghost. His skin began to pale as he became aware of the commotion stirring up around him. Choosing his words carefully, he finally spoke.
"My cries have been answered!" The king practically threw himself out of his seat and towards his daughter, picking her up in his arms and holding her tightly. "Thank Gods you've made it home safely. I was sure that you had perished. I even received the word from my most trusted men that it was true. Oh darling, please forgive me?"
Izzy stood in silence. Unknowing of what to even say.
The king turned to the room of men around him, declaring, "Go! All of you! Let me have space to be with my daughter. And spread the world to all of the lands that the princess has returned home safely!"
The men began to disperse, mumbling amongst themselves the wonder of the return of the dead princess.
Kind Edwards placed his arm around his daughters shoulders, spinning her away from the crowd and beginning to walk her away into one of the smaller chambers off of the great hall. They entered and immediately she felt the loving fatherly embrace of her father turn into a shove to the back of the room.
Izzy stumbled as her hands caught her fall into the wall. She turned around in awe at her father in front of her, the last time they had even been in close proximity was the day that she was captured. And yet, despite it all, she couldn't quite place the change in his eyes from that day. Perhaps fear?
"What's wrong father, are you not happy to see me?" The asked, feeling the daggers weight in her hand grow.
The veins in the kings neck buldged as he slammed the small door closed behind him. "What in the hell do you think you're doing."
...
August watched as the carriages continued down the main path and into the dense forest ahead of them. Everything had gone according to plan. She had waited until the carriage had made it past the bridge's landing and swiftly tuck and rolled her way out onto land. It had only been a few days but crouching in the tree line of the forest, August couldn't help but feel like it had been years since she had been in the forest.
