A Wish is a Dream

Chapter 10

| RAVENMOOR |

The ancient stone walls of Ravenmoor Castle loomed overhead days later, casting long shadows in the fading light of dusk. Inside the encampment hidden in the woods, Princess Fallon stood among her loyal soldiers, their faces grim with determination. The weight of her parents' fate hung heavy in the air as she prepared to confront the truth about Queen Snow and King David's treachery.

Clad in armor adorned with the crest of her family—a silver dragon coiled around a sword—Fallon surveyed the assembled warriors. Their eyes mirrored her own mix of grief and fury, reflecting the emotional storm that had brewed within her since the news of her parents' disappearance. She knew they awaited her command, but first, she needed answers.

"Tell me," she demanded, her voice steady yet tinged with emotion, "what do you know of my parents? What has happened to them?"

Sir Philip, her most trusted advisor and knight, stepped forward, his weathered face etched with lines of concern and weariness.

"Princess Fallon," he began solemnly, "there are rumors—whispers carried on the winds of discontent. Your father, the King, was rumored to have been slain in battle against the forces of Queen Snow and King David. It is said that his valiant defense of our kingdom was met with treachery."

A collective murmur of anger rippled through the ranks of soldiers. Fallon clenched her fists, her heart aching at the thought of her father's heroic sacrifice. Memories flooded her mind—her father's laughter, his wise counsel, the strength he instilled in her. Each moment felt like a stab in her heart, amplifying her sorrow and rage.

"And my mother, the queen?" she pressed, her voice trembling slightly, searching Sir Philip's eyes for any hint of hope.

Sir Philip hesitated, his gaze flickering with regret, as if weighing the words that could shatter her fragile resolve. "There are darker whispers, Princess," he admitted gravely. "It is said that Queen Snow, consumed by envy and ambition, ordered your mother's banishment from the realm. Banishment... that quickly turned to whispers of assassination."

The chamber grew deathly silent. Fallon felt as though the very air had been sucked from her lungs. Banishment she could almost bear, but the thought of her mother—kind, compassionate Queen Regina—facing such a fate sent a wave of anguish through her soul. "No," Fallon breathed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I refuse to believe it. My parents... they are alive. They must be."

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, torn between their loyalty to Fallon and the harsh realities they had heard. Yet, in their eyes, she saw unwavering support and determination. They believed in her, believed in their cause to reclaim their kingdom from the clutches of tyranny. Rising to her full height, Fallon's resolve hardened like steel.

"Queen Snow and King David," she declared, her voice ringing with authority, "have caused immeasurable pain and suffering. They have torn apart families, shattered lives—including my own. If my parents are indeed dead," she continued, her voice trembling with suppressed rage, "I swear upon their memory that I will make their deaths long and miserable. They will pay dearly for every drop of blood they have spilled."

A fierce cheer erupted from the soldiers, their voices echoing off the stone walls of the chamber. They raised their swords and shields in solidarity, their determination mirrored in the gleam of their eyes.

"We stand with you, Princess Fallon!" shouted one of the soldiers, his voice ringing out with conviction. "For the King! For the Queen! For Ravenmoor!"

Fallon nodded, her heart swelling with pride and determination. "Prepare our forces," she commanded, her voice steady. "We march at first light."