 
Layla

By Lacie Perry Parker

Copyright 2004, 2014

Smashwords Edition

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chatper 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7
Chapter 8

Chatper 9
Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 1

She stepped into the room. Lengthy gown with a tight fitting bodice, hair twirled into perfect spirals. My latest governess. I didn't even know her name. She had been instructing me for the past three hours, and even in that little time she had left the room crying.

What had I done wrong?

She was reentering, all composed and stable– for the moment. I knew she was too whimsical to last very long, and my point surfaced when went ballistic over my cross-stitching. It wasn't my fault I was no good; she was the first to ever force me to attempt this dreadful domestic trade on this level.

"Now," she said, her pronunciation faultless, even in such a tiny word. "You're going to try this until you get it perfect."

We'd be here for the next ten years.

"Let me show you again," she enthused. I let her take it from me, and watched as she looped the needle in and out.

"My fingers won't do that," I told her, and it was meant to be more of a confession than a blaspheme. But, of course, being the ninny I could see her to be, she took it the wrong way.

Jerking it from me, she yelped. "Oh," she wailed melodramatically.

I pushed the fabric away to see what had caused her to cry out like a gander. "My, my, a broken nail. What a complete tragedy. I'll tell father to send for the herbal magician, who is very skilled in strengthening–" I quit rambling when I noticed she was staring at me, straight in the face.

"Forgive me for, uh– not measuring up to your health standards, your highness, but where I come from some matters are strictly personal." Her eyes were as big as the buttons on her sixteen-inch shoes.

"Where are you from?" I asked.

I must have triggered something. She went absolutely crazy.

"You are the most absolute insolent, audacious and stupid girl I have ever seen in my life–" Her hair was flying around wildly. It was quite entertaining.

"If I were you, I'd quit after saying that." I wasn't talking threateningly, it was more like egging her on.

"I quit," she said, first calmly, but then she screamed it.

I braced myself by grasping the arms of the chair I was sitting on with both hands. I watched silently as she left in a huff.

And what a familiar exercise this was.

No one ever understood me. That was the way I had always felt. Sometimes I considered that maybe I was cursed. Every moment of my life seemed as though God Himself had forsaken me. I love to fence and swordplay; I also love being loud and getting dirty. Unfortunately, those activities were obviously not princess-like behavior.

As heir to the Tentaleighen throne, I was always expected to be dainty, skilled at embroidery and handiwork, and capable of running the household. I was also expected to know how to cook, at least on a limited basis. My cooking was acceptable, but my embroidery left a lot to be desired. I was always jabbing myself with the tiny needle, leaving red stains all over the delicate fabric.

My fencing skills were a different matter. I had always believed that I could prevail over even the highest ranking knights in father's kingdom. If I were ever to say that to Father, he would just frown at me. And, if my faithful servant and devoted nanny, LaShebah, ever heard me say that, she would call for smelling salts! There was no doubt my mother would have smirked at the thought, but unfortunately she died when I was only two years old. But because of the way the people still talked about her around here, one would think she was still alive and living in the castle!

When I was four, I sneaked into one of the trunks of our scullery maids' son and took out a pair of dark maroon breaches. I had never worn breaches before, but I had always longed for my legs to be free to stretch. I slid the breaches on and found them to be a tad too big. I dug out a green sash and tied it on like a belt. I wandered out of the room, looking for LaShebah, who had taken care of me since my mother's death. I will never forget the way that woman screeched when she saw me!

"For heavens sake, child! Get those horrid things off at once!" she demanded, about to keel over.

Perfect, the women of the court were. None of them would ever dream of doing such a thing as putting on men's clothes.

Wanting to obey, I dropped those breaches right where I stood. With me, still being in my innocence, she couldn't punish me. She just grabbed me, hollering and screeching, and ran all the way down the long corridor with me bouncing on her shoulder. From that point on, everyone knew the truth about me: I was a tomboy, destined for something far different from the life of a normal princess.

There had never been anyone within the castle in whom I could confide, so I had always looked forward to the visits of Prince Brydon of Dreideth. He had been my friend since I could remember, the only friend I'd ever had. We were a year and a half apart in age. He was sixteen, and I was fifteen.

Although he was from a different kingdom, with different traditions and laws, we had always been able to relate to each other quite easily. And we could always depend on each other. He had a playful spirit, as well as I, which helped us through hard times. Like when my father would restrict me from the things I loved because I had done something terribly unladylike... which happened fairly often. Or when Brye's parents exiled him to Tentaleigh for not speaking enough to them. During those times we immensely enjoyed each others company, running through flower sprinkled fields or joking about royal life. He was due another visit in a few days; sometimes I wonder if he doesn't talk to his parents on purpose.

Brye had always been aware of my restlessness and my disgruntlement with my treatment here at the castle. He often asked if there were anything he could do to help me. I had never accepted his offer. Not yet, anyway.

We were exact opposites in appearance. He had tawny hair and a dark complexion; I was a brunette with fair skin. But I could not help my fairness! I wasn't allowed outdoors enough to darken my skin.

I stared at a red and white tapestry, a futuristic vision of the kingdom. Everybody – all the foreigners – were fleeing the land because they didn't belong. The kingdom had become too set in its ways, too perfect it seemed, to let anyone new in. The picture lead my thoughts over to something that had always taunted me, running away. A vision of freedom that only existed in my dreams. I had always searched for the bravery to do a thing such as that, but I knew it would take time, or a certain incident that would trigger my actions. So I waited.

If I ever did run away, I would go to a place called Medalia. They spoke another language, Barranadigen. I knew how to speak the language... slowly. I had to rack my brain for every single word, but I knew it.

The idea occurred to me one night while I was mourning my seemingly worthless existence, that I could ask Brye. He had once described Medalia as "Sandal Terrain," for all the grounds within the city gates were hot, dry and dusty. But, if one would go anywhere outside the city, one would find it to be nothing but green, lush forest. It was, of course, apart from the forest of despondency, which was where all the Colies lived. Colies were winged creatures with one glass eye, and a taunting look about them. I had never seen one in real life, but I had seen pictures of them in story books when I was younger.

Medalia was fairly far away, so I was completely confident that no one there would recognize me, at least not the most recent generation. I knew I would have to learn their ways, but it would be just like learning anything else new for the first time.

"I would have to ride Jedni," I decided out loud. Jedni was my horse, a pure thoroughbred, gorgeous in every way.

In the palace everyone ate overwhelming portions of food, even me. In Medalia I would not be able to eat as much as I do now. I would have to cut down on the amount of food I ate. The thought of such a silly thing made me laugh.

"Layla? Are you talking to yourself again?" LaShebah asked. "You know proper ladies never do such brainless things!"

"I guess I'm not a proper lady then," I muttered, praying she didn't hear.

"Honey!" LaShebah called out from the dining hall. I searched for the source of her voice.

"Over here," I answered. I found the fragile woman standing at a large table. Lying on the table were at least six different patterned materials, along with four solid colored fabric choices.

She looked up at me. "I need you to pick out the material for your new gown." She shifted from side to side, waiting for a response.

"Is it any special occasion?" I asked, taking a bite from an apple.

"Prince Brydon comes in three days, love," she reminded me.

How could I have forgotten? Every time Brye came, she made me a new gown. It had been so long since he had visited, centuries to me, that I had forgotten almost everything we did in preparation for him.

I walked closer to the table, the apple still in hand.

"Oh, Layla darling, please! Have Aola cut it up for you so you can eat properly," she pleaded.

I ignored her suggestion and kept rummaging through my choices. Yellow did not look good on me, nor did peach. And I despised flower prints!

"Ah! That baby blue," I thought as I reached out my hand to stroke the fabric. It was the softest velour I had ever felt.

"This one," I said pointing to the luxurious blue material.

"No pattern this time?" LaShebah asked, sounding almost disappointed. But my mind was made up.

"Wouldn't it look divine with beige cuffs?" I asked persuasively. She reluctantly agreed, gathered the fabric in her arms and crossed the kitchen to the sewing table.

As she turned to measure me, she said, "Besides the prince's coming, you could use a new gown anyway."

She was right, of course. The dress I had on was a dark maroon, hardly a spring color. It was actually a winter gown, and it showed that it was from last year. The small flowers across the waist had faded, and even peeled in some places. One would think Father would keep me better dressed, but I always insisted that I didn't care. And I truly didn't!

The table in the corner of the kitchen was where LaShebah always worked. It had been there as long as I could remember. The table had been carved by elves, and it was very beautiful, although it was very old. But, as my last governess had said, "The older, the better!"

Chapter 2

"Layla!" Father called. He didn't do that very often, not on his own. It meant only one thing: Brye was here! I rushed to the window, and sure enough, there was his carriage crossing over the moat.

I had my baby blue gown on. Baby Blue! "What an odd name for a color," I thought. I could just imagine me, curtsying to Brye and saying, "Do you like my new Baby Blue gown? I had Father name the gown after Rishard!"

Rishard was the scullery maid's wimpy son whom I had borrowed the breaches all those years ago.

"Why, yes, but I daresay it would look a mite better on him!" He would say. I chuckled to myself. We would both crumple to the ground in laughter, causing grief to all those who strived each and everyday to help me become a lady.

I bounced hurriedly down the spiral staircase, jolting myself from my thoughts. I ran out to greet him, happy as anything. But as he emerged from the carriage, I immediately grew shy.

"Is this the Brye I knew last year?" I thought to myself. He was at least six inches taller and brawnier.

He strolled over to where I was, me with my eyes squinted and my mouth half opened, trying to recognize him.

"Princess?" he said, as he extended his arm for me to take.

This was our normal exercise! So why did it seem so foreign? Normally I would reply, "Prince," and we would link arms and stroll inside, mocking a formal greeting.

"Prince?" I asked, suddenly unsure of myself. We linked arms, but despite my natural grace, I tripped and nearly brought us both to the ground.

"What poise," he teased. I managed a smile. "My, Layla, you seem rather shy. If my parents had known you had stopped talking, they would have sent me elsewhere!" His eyes sparkled.

"That's a shame!" I joked back, "For I have taken on a vow of silence." I clapped my hand over my mouth, as if I weren't supposed to have said anything. He laughed.

After we were inside, he bowed, and I clumsily curtsied. He laughed again.

Smiling, he said, "For a second there, I was afraid you had forgotten me."

I just shook my head, although in earnest, I felt I had. "Did you bring Rebel?" I asked. Rebel was his horse, a black stallion, with a perfect moon on the exact center of his forehead.

He nodded.

"Well, then, can I braid his mane? You know I love his moon," I paused. "On his forehead!" Yet again, he laughed.

"Of course you may," he said.

He had led me to the dining hall, where he pulled out a chair, motioning for me to sit.

"Thank you," I said meekly. I was warming up to him now, this perfect stranger. Fortunately, I was sure I would be capable of asking him for help. After all, I hadn't completely forgotten him.

After dinner, he asked about my embroidery. When I shrugged, he knew it hadn't improved. I took him to the room where I did the torturous task everyday, where tangles of strings that were supposed to be beautiful scenes or objects hung from the walls.

LaShebah fluttered behind him while he observed my handiwork.

"If you ignore the red tint, sire, it is actually quite lovely!" LaShebah offered. Actually, it wasn't lovely at all; it looked more like a knotted yarn ball than an embroidered flower.

Brye winked at me and said, "Oh, I always thought the redness gave it a certain special something."

I was afraid I nearly blushed. As if a perfect stranger were criticising my work. Surely I wasn't offended, but it just felt so... I wasn't sure how I felt.

Brye must have sensed something the matter. "Is anything wrong Layla?" He asked anxiously.

I just shook my head.

"But you have been acting strangely quiet. You usually don't shut up, especially on my first day here." he said curiously.

I stared at him like a dumb horse. "You've changed a lot," I blurted out. This was one of my faults: I rarely thought before I spoke. I turned towards him, expecting him to be upset by my accusation, but he was smiling. Like I had just complimented him. His shoulders shrugged a little, like he was chuckling.

"I've got something for you, Layla," he said excitedly.

He led me to his sleeping quarters and closed the door, shutting out nosy LaShebah.

He rummaged through a trunk and pulled out a beautiful silver scabbard decked in diamonds. When he handed it to me, I gasped. He meant for me to have it! My heart jostled around in my chest; I felt like running in circles from excitement.

"I thought you would like this," he said warmly.

I took the sword out and ran my fingers along the blade. Not for long, though. I jerked them back, finding the blade very sharp. I scolded myself for my stupidity.

"Oh! Careful!" he warned me. Brye took my hand and examined the cut.

"I'm fine," I assured him, as I drew it away.

Then he pulled out a silver necklace, bedecked in as many precious jewels as the scabbard.

"You probably won't like this one as much," he admitted, as I slipped it over my head. Yet as he watched me, he smiled.

I stood up, pulled out the sword, and started to pierce the air. "Shall we hunt down a dragon tomorrow? But, I have heard that Colies are better for beginners." I felt I was talking to myself, even though Brye was listening intently.

"But, am I just a beginner?" I asked. I stopped and turned to the prince sitting on the bed. "Of course I am!" He grinned as he watched me sword fight an invisible beast. But LaShebah interrupted my wonderful brawl. The door creaked open, and the annoying, impatient, always-in-others'- business LaShebah walked in.

"My goodness!" she gasped. My nanny rambled, blathering on about how improper I was. I didn't, wouldn't listen. When she tried to take the sword from me, I held it over her head. I was already taller than she was.

"Ladies...don't...play...ugh!.. with...such..."

"I am not playing with it! You don't play with things like this....and I know!" LaShebah, who was practically climbing on me, stopped trying to retrieve the sword.

This was what I couldn't stand! I couldn't do anything without being completely rebuked!

"Are you going to tell your father?" LaShebah asked irritably.

"No! And neither shall YOU!" I said firmly.

She gave up and left the room. "I can't stand this!" I protested. "I have to do something! Don't you see, Brye?" I flailed my arms helplessly.

The prince nodded slowly and sympathetically. He didn't seem to mind being the victim on whom I thrusted all of my complaints.

I left Brye and I walked into my bedchamber. LaShebah was there. She scowled disapprovingly when she saw that I still had the sword.

"Don't say anything!" I said between clenched teeth. I didn't even look at her while I talked. I felt her nod solemnly. Then I left, satisfied with her consent, and went to find Brye.

I had to ask him to help me run away.

A childish notion, to be sure. But I was certain it was the only way. A quick, foolhearty decision, one that could either end in total triumph, embarrassment...or death. But there was, however, only one way to find out.

We both sat down on his bed with a loud plop. "Brye?"

"Yeah?"

He had always seemed to be a good person to confide in before. Why was it so hard to talk to him now, when I needed to the most?

"Can I tell you a secret, such a secret, that if you were to tell anybody I would die of grief and devastation?"

Brye got down on his left knee and crossed his heart with his pointer finger. "I swear."

My vocal cords froze. I tried to look at him and remember our old times, but all I could see was this new prince. I had to tell him, though. I knew that out of everyone in the world he was the only one who would even come close to understanding.

"I am thinking about running away, to Medalia. I have to escape...all of this." I waved my hand in the air, generalizing. "They just don't realize that some things aren't possible for me. Not ever princess is born to primp and preen." I gazed out the window. "Tell me you understand," I begged.

He nodded gravely. The second he nodded, it all poured out, like my life bucket had been turned upside down. All the way from adjusting to eating less, to riding Jedni.

After I was done pouring out my whole plan Brye said, "That would make you so happy... and change everything, everything that is hard for you. But in a good way. It would give you your freedom." He stretched the word 'freedom' longingly.

I nodded vigorously.

"All right," he said slowly. "I'll help you." He didn't seem to like the idea, yet he was willing to help. I felt guilty when I told him I wanted to leave the next night. He said that wasn't practical, that we needed more time to prepare. So we settled on three days hence as my departure date.

"Don't worry, I am sure Rishard will be glad to talk your ears off," I said in an attempt to make him laugh. But in return, he only gave me a broken smile.

The next day we started to collect items that would be necessary for my trip. I had gotten reacquainted with Brye, although he was pretty much a different person. I didn't look at him much, and I avoided his devoted looks. His eyes looked too confused, and his confusion puzzled me. I didn't understand the strange new look about him, and I didn't ask. I just went on as normally as I could. Wanting more than ever to cheer him up by presenting a problem, hoping it would have a humorous solution, I asked him how I was supposed to get over the palace walls.

"Well, I imagine you will have to climb over them like some criminal." His own joke brought a brief, faint grin to his lips.

The only one who noticed a difference in our behavior was LaShebah. The others didn't give a care either way; much less notice any dramatic changes in us.

"What is wrong with you, my sweet? Why have you suddenly lost your appetite?"

The truth was my stomach felt as if it were eating itself. When it growled where everybody could hear it (and frown at it), an extra heap of tomato-fish was added onto my plate. I grimaced at the sight of all the extra food. I nearly refused to eat it; the defiant words on the tip of my tongue trying to escape.

But I held them in. Instead, I pushed my plate away, shoved my chair into the table, and left the room. I hadn't said anything disrespectful. But I could still hear what LaShebah would say to me tonight, and the scornful scowl she would have on her face.

"Ladies eat what is placed in front of them. Ladies don't leave a meal without being excused." Ladies don't do anything. Ladies don't live. That is what she might as well have said. It was the truth, and "Ladies don't lie."

My time to take leave came too suddenly. There were no tearful good-byes, and I felt out of place. But what else was I to do?

Brye simply said, "Bye. And, oh yeah... write me only if you are coming back." He climbed back into his window where I began my escape, without another word and without a second look.

His words stung like a hornet, piercing down into the depths of my soul. And the feeling stayed there, as I scurried over the wall, then rode off. I almost turned back, knowing that I should. Knowing that it would make everybody happy. Knowing that I would have to grow up positively miserable. That's what kept me going, my own wants. Thinking of myself way too highly. Selfish, greedy, arrogant me.

Chapter 3

The first morning of my trip, I wrote a letter to Brye. I told him I would come back, but what I didn't tell him was that it would probably be for only a visit, or perhaps it was all a lie and I would never return at all. But I couldn't leave our friendship at that lonely night when Brye practically shunned me and climbed back in his window.

I asked him what Father had done when he found out I was gone. I had absolutely no idea what he would do! He was such a quiet, gentle, but impatient man, so he always kept me guessing. I knew he wouldn't have roared, "WHAT!?!?" like most King-fathers would have done. He was too slow to harsh words. I also told Brye that I had to cover my face with a black veil the first time I went through town, imitating a person in mourning! I was hoping to make him laugh. Or at least, make him smile.

After a bumpy ride, I finally reached the beautiful, breathtaking forest that surrounded Medalia. It was just as the pictures had shown. The trees were taller than the tallest castle and seemed to reach the too-blue-to-be-true sky. The clouds seemed so happy; it was almost as if laughter filled the air.

"Haven't you heard?" A man's voice startled me. Cautiously I slid off Jedni and tied her to a tree. I wanted to listen to their conversation. They were two soldiers from Aduhlajh. They were dressed clearly as Aduhlajhen soldiers. I climbed into a bush. To my dismay, it was quite prickly. I had to bite my tongue to keep from crying out.

The soldiers were spitting into a nearby creek. A beautiful, crystal green creek. They were ruining it!

"Princess ran away. Seems as though they were too hard on her," one said between spits.

"Well, then maybe she won't mind as much when we attack! Heck, we might even persuade her to help!" The other joked, poking the first man in the ribs.

So they knew about me! I hoped that word wouldn't pass so quickly to Medalia. Quietly I got up out of my bush and pulled off all the leaves and burrs that had rudely implanted themselves into my shift. I silently mounted Jedni, not heeding the soldiers' joking threats as anything dangerous.

"That was nice eavesdropping, Jedni!" I told her after we were far away from the crude soldiers. "No LaShebah saying, 'Ladies aren't busybodies!'' I giggled at my own joke. The new life I had started was going to be just fine.

It took me nine more days to get into Medalia. Each day made me feel more confused than I was the day I left. My head throbbed with unanswerable questions with every hoof beat. But as I approached the city gates, I began to feel more confident each second. Maybe I had done something right for a change.

"What's your business here?" A guard asked, looking as if he were about to prod Jedni or me with the long stick he was holding.

"I am a nomad," I answered proudly, but untruthfully. "I wish to become part of your humble city." As my mind started to wander, I peered inside the gates. I was definitely right when I had said "humble."

"What is your name, nomad?" He asked me mockingly. But... what was my name? I couldn't give my real name. I had given that no thought whatsoever.

"Uh... Play." Play? I had just given myself a dumb name, although it was the first letter of "princess" and the first three letters of "Layla." Great. I would have to go though the rest of my life being called the pastime of bored children.

"Where did you get that?" The guard eyed my scabbard suspiciously. I should have hidden it!

"A gift from Br- Prince Brydon of Dreideth." I wasn't going to lie to him again.

I held my breath as the guard lifted an eyebrow at me. He probably thought I had stolen it, but because no theft had been reported, he couldn't accuse me. But let him think whatever he wanted to.

I let out my nervous breath as he slowly opened the gate the rest of the way for me. As I entered, I saw people hustling in every way possible. There were elderly woman selling homemade goods, others buying homemade goods, lonely old men shopping, and mothers with babies on their hips. They all spoke Barranadigen faster than I could translate! I should have brushed up a bit.

I bounced off so I could walk beside Jedni to keep her from being spooked. People were jostling her carelessly. When I tried to calm her down, using my own language, Alieghn, a frightful-looking old lady gave me a hard, cold stare. She seemed to be talking with her eyes, saying, "You don't belong here, especially if you speak Alieghn." I tried to ignore her while I headed to the only tree around, a shady oak with arms that reached to the ground.

I pulled out my pen, paper and ink. As I reached into my bag, I noticed how dreadfully rough, yellow and calloused my hands were. They really needed more moisture. But, I had no balm with me, not here. So I just spat on them, and rubbed them together. Hopefully it would moisturize them, although it was likely to make them worse.

Not being able to go to the cabinet for hand balm made me a little homesick. But why...how could I be homesick for a place I hated? A placed I never enjoyed? I had obviously taken all my luxuries for granted. But I could get use to this lifestyle, these customs. I hoped.

"You're homeless?" I looked up, and an older lady was hovering above me with a scowl lingering on her swarthy face. Her skin and her facial expression both seemed tough as leather.

"No- well, yes. I guess I am." The truth hit me hard. I was homeless. I had come here without thinking about where I was to live. Her question was hard to answer. The lady studied me a second, then said, "I'm Mrs. Pelgre. You can stay with us, I guess. But you ain't gettin' room and board for free, mind you, no sir. You'll have to work, just like the rest of my children. If they can do it, so can you."

I accepted her offer. When I got to her old shanty, I discovered that all children were grown, eighteen and up, and were working in the fields. I asked her to start me out easy, confessing that I wasn't accustomed to hard work.

"Bah!!" she snorted. But after she saw my first candle dipping, slinging the strings from the pot of melted wax to the pail of cold water and getting it all over her loose floorboards, she began to believe me. And those were the candles I had to use at night. It was really a tough situation I had gotten myself into.

I had to do the dishes every night, except for Mondays, when I worked in the fields with her two oldest sons, Heeny and Tolup, twenty-one and thirty-two. I was not good at carrying sheaths of hay, as one might imagine.

"Want me to get the whip?" Heeny hooted one day when I collapsed in the middle of the field. I knew he was joking, but I filled up with fear.

"And I'll get the nails so we can keep her from sliding down the wall of the barn while she's flogged!" Tolup whooped back at his brother.

I gulped hard and forced myself to continue my work.

At night I collapsed on my straw mat, completely exhausted. I had no time to think of my dreams that I had come out here to fulfill, and it was a good thing, because it would have made me sink even further in the pits of despair.

One day I danced with myself. I was longing for real companionship, someone to have fun with. No sooner than I had started, I felt a hand tugging at my faded, torn, dirty shift. I looked down and saw a little lass, about three or four. Her other grimy hand was in her mouth, up to her knuckles.

"We don't play, we work," she said, her hand muffling her speech.

Being my old self, I wanted to say "But Play is my name!" Which it was, in Medalia anyway.

After that, I never got another chance to dance. I was kept busy, so busy that sometimes I thought that my arms and legs would fall off.

"Play? Are you dawdling again, child? I swear, if you daydream one more time, I'm going to throw you out. Go get me some water. It's wash day."

With a groan and a grumble, I took the wooden bucket from her cruel hands. I trudged out the door, letting it slam as loudly as it pleased.

Out of Mrs. Pelgre's sight, I started swinging the bucket and whistling. For years I hadn't been able to whistle, not until my eleventh birthday. While I opened my presents, Brye had whistled amusedly at each of them. Whistling was a new thing for me, so I tried to copy him, but I couldn't. Finally I talked him into giving me his secret. Looking back at sweet memories like that always made me feel better.

I walked up to the well, dropped the bucket in and I slowly pulled it up, savoring the little time I had to myself. Humming now, I circled my fingers in the cool water.

"Look at those perfect hands." I heard a sarcastic voice behind me.

"Perfect or not, they can still throw you in the well," I retorted without bothering to look to see who it was.

"Right. I would love to see you try."

I turned so that for a few seconds I could study my prey. A boy, about twelve, stood with his hands placidly on his hips. His eyes had an astonished disbelief that had dug its way into their deep blueness.

Then I attacked.

He obviously hadn't been expecting anything, probably didn't think I was anything like that. I had had plenty of wrestling matches with Brye when he occasionally got irritated.

I tugged on the young boy, he struggled. I pushed, he grunted. He dropped down into the well, and I dusted my hands off on my shift. Then I threw down the rope for him. Luckily it wasn't a well deep enough for him to get hurt.

Pleased with myself, I started to skip. As I pranced off, I heard the boy sputtering from within the well. I smiled jubilantly.

When I arrived at the shanty, I found an angry Mrs. Pelgre standing with her hands on her hips, but not so placidly. Flames were ablaze in her hazy orange eyes.

"Oh, please, no. She cannot know about it so soon!" I whispered under my breath. "I..." I started to apologize, but realized that there was no need. She had a letter in her hand, obviously addressed to me. I had told her I had no one in the world.

"Child, you told me that you were an orphan. A friendless orphan."

I grabbed the letter and ripped it open. I couldn't help but grin. "I lied," I said without even looking up. When I got the letter out, I realized that it wasn't from Brye, as I had first suspected. It was from Father.

"What is your fathers name, child?" she asked.

I was almost too excited to tell her. But would she be overjoyed to have had the princess... worked to death, by her own hands? Maybe not.

"Duryea Abbel." I smiled without looking at her again. I was almost afraid.

She stood there in front of me, wide-eyed, and droopy-jawed. But then she seemed to have reconsidered. She closed her mouth, for I was known for playing impractical practical jokes on everybody.

"Do you want to see?" I laughed, shoving the letter in her face. When she saw who had signed it, she stumbled back as if someone had pushed her. She regained her balance and started to fan her face. Then, realizing what had just taken place, she bowed her head reverently.

"It's okay," I laughed again. I was giddy and excited. Excited about Father. What in the world did he have to say? Did he miss me so much that he was going to come while bowing humbly at my feet to bring me home? Probably not.

All the same, I started on the letter.

"My beloved daughter Layla,"

"I do hope you are in good health. I don't know what I would do if you have fallen ill. I am very sorry you ran away, darling. Everyone in the castle feels the same way. The reason I am writing you is that I want to admit that we have not been fair with you. We all have realized that you are no ordinary princess, but not in the sense that you need extra care. You are a very independent young woman with much strength in both body and mind.

That brings us to realize that you have your heart set on becoming a knight. Brydon has come up with an idea, one he assures me you will like, and I have consented. If you can prove yourself worthy of the sword that rests at your hip, we will accept you as you are. It is going to be hard getting used to having you in active military! For your first quest, bring back proof of your bravery. It may be a small token, or large, it makes no difference. We will still be proud of you, love.

Your adoring father,

King Duryea Abbel, III"

It was as if the letter grew fists that reached out and punched me. It struck me with the facts: I was trusted enough to be given a chance to prove myself and show who I really was! The letter flew out of my hands as I rushed up the rickety ladder leading up stairs to the loft where I slept. I bounced up the steps so hard that I nearly fell off. My eyes bugged with exhilaration as my brain bloated my skull. This kind of excitement had never consumed my soul before.

"I promise to return to you in one piece, Father!" I retrieved the letter and hugged it close, standing over my straw mat. The straw mat that I would never have to sleep on again. Not the princess!

I came back to reality and changed my clothes. I never thought I would have to wear one of the frilly gowns I had brought along for an emergency: And I decided that now was the right time. It had been ages since I had last worn anything so lavish. I silently slipped into the red gown, lined in silver. The perfect attire. I stuffed my few belongings into my carpet bag, except for my sword and my necklace. I braided my hair into six long braids, put my scabbard at my waist, and slipped the necklace over my head. Once again I noticed something very unattractive about my hands: they were filthy dirty! An hour ago it didn't matter, but now I was a princess. I was no longer Play. I was Layla again. And it mattered.

Princesses didn't have dirty hands, and I had to make sure they believed that I was truly Layla of Tentaleigh, and not some imp playing a practical joke. Although, that was who Play was.

"Active military," I whispered as I hurried out to Jedni. What strange words for me! I wasn't even sure if I had ever said them aloud before!

My braids swung every which way as I mounted Jedni, who was standing ready for me. There were people crowding me in the stables, poking to see if I was real. Mrs. Pelgre had told everyone in the village by now. But it didn't matter now that everyone knew. It almost felt good to be treated as a royal again!

I hopped on my horse, surprising everybody by not riding side-saddle. "Subjects of Medalia!" I called out. "Thank you for your...er, hospitality. I hope someday I can return the favor." I galloped through the gate. But before I was completely gone, I turned back to them. "And please, try to have a little more fun. Enjoy your lives. You have only one!"

Then I dashed from their sight with a whoop of glee. I was on my first quest! A real quest! I had to get accustomed to that word. Quest.

Wow.

Less than a mile out of the city, I thought I heard a peddler's bell. I was not sure if it was a peddler, though; so many things could make the sound of a bell. Quickly and cautiously, I spun around to authenticate the noise. I had been right the first time. Could the peddler have directions to the Forest of Despondency? I had no idea how to get there. That was, of course, the place I was to find a Colie. And, if I were really unlucky, I might run into an Ogre, or a Faash on the way.

The Colies greatest power was the noiselessness of their woodlands. During the reign of King Lebui II, the ruling fairy had put a curse on the forest: complete and total silence and complete darkness. The fairy had hoped to drive the Colies to insanity, but the creatures had been delighted. Some say a smile had crept across their faces that was so evil it glowed. Even in the absolute darkness of the forest. The Colies had gained yet another advantage, the ability to sneak up on every other living creature: Humans, fairies, Beatiez, etc. Beatiez were miniature people who lived inside a ring of toxic mushrooms. They were immune to the mushrooms' poison and thus were safe from other living creatures. They lived tucked away, as safely as it gets. The mushroom circles were scattered through the kingdom, often mere measure of miles from each other.

"What a great way to start out on my first quest, not even knowing how to get to my destination!" I said sarcastically to myself. My voice caused the peddler to look up. He stopped in front of me and yanked the moth eaten black cloth from the top of his cart. "Might I interest ye in a pair of eye-lookers?" A husky voice emerged from within the tenuous little man. He had a huge variety of different goods, everything from silver wine goblets to gold framed spectacles. And he looked ancient. He had mountains of wrinkles, each piled atop another. His robe looked as if it were made of the same material as the cloth that had covered his goods. Black, dusty and moth eaten.

"Sir, I have no need... I mean, I can see fine. But do you-"

The man interrupted me. The crowned princess! Did he even know who I was? One would think I would be used to this treatment after my stay in Medalia.

"These are no ordinary bifocals, excellency." Maybe he did know who I was after all.

"I really don't," I started. But the man stared at me intently, and I stalled.

"Colies are pretty hard to spot in pure darkness. Humans and Beatiez are visible, but Colies have always been a different story."

Humans and Beatiez were visible in the forest? I had been taught, all the fifteen and a half years of my life, that one could see nothing. But what did any of that have to do with spectacles?

"They would come in handy, thee bets." He kept his hot stare vibrant towards my defiant eyes.

How did he know where I was going? It was almost as if he had read my mind. "But you said eye-lookers, and bifocals," I argued.

"If ye had stopped to think, highness, ye might have caught on."

I looked him in the eye, trying to dig my hot blood's boldness into his mind. There was nothing I was afraid to say to him. "Sir, you have horrid manners."

He just chuckled. "However, I am the only one with the Colie spotters. And ye may not be able to come back after them either. I have only two pairs left."

I knew that I would end up needing them. And I was sure that he would charge me an exorbitant price considering who I was. But, I knew that I would sorely regret not pouncing on the opportunity, for I would need to know what was going on in the rest of the forest.

"Oh, all right." I tossed the man a gray, fuzzy purse full of Swowths, the money of Tentaleigh.

When I saw the satisfied look on the man's weathered face, I began to wonder if the spotters even worked. I slipped them over my nose as the man made his way down the path, and then he was gone.

"Well," I bemoaned hesitantly. I had no idea if they would work or not. There was a red background, but it could be a deceiving feature to fool those who tried them on before purchasing. I turned around to scold the man for being so persistent, but then remembered that he was gone. I also remembered that I hadn't acquired directions! Aggravated with myself, I started to discard the paper that had wrapped the spotters but then I noticed that it was also a map.

A wave of relief washed over me. There might not have been another person to question within miles! The paper also gave directions on how to use the spotters. According to the instructions, when one puts them on, the background appears red, and living creatures show up as green dots. As the Colies grew closer, the eye lookers were supposed to blink.

"Wonderful," I sighed contently.

Then I searched for where we were on the map. And where the forest was. A rush of glee flowed through me when I saw where it was!

"It's right in front of us!" I giggled, patting Jedni's side. "Pure luck!"

Chapter 4

I knew we were nearing the forest, for as far as I could see beyond a line of tall trees, it was pitch black. A blob of nothingness. At first I wasn't sure if I should bring Jedni into the forest with me, but I decided I might need her to get out fast. One could never be too sure of those things.

The horse stalled when I nudged her to enter, so I clapped my heels to her sides. She didn't start off lightning fast, of course. It wasn't her nature. She just slowly trotted into the wall of blackness. As soon as we were completely in, everything went dark... and silent.

It was as if I had leapt into death. It almost pulled the breath from my lungs. I whimpered in terror, but my voice seemed to be broken. I heard nothing. It reminded me of drowning with my eyes closed. I could feel around, I could thrash and squeal. But I became disoriented, and my head started throbbing. It was painless, yet agonizing.

I fumbled to find the spotters, and tried to regain myself. This was not the time to lose all sense of being. I put them on, and a flashing dot appeared in the corner of my left eye. I let out a shaky breath, realizing that the spotters really worked. I could have easily committed suicide by marching into the forest without them, expecting to be triumphant just because of who I was. I was not prepared enough, for facts kept jumping out of the sky, and landing hard in my head. They all seemed to have the same message: I was not invincible.

What was that flashing dot? Questions flooded my mind, but no answers bothered to push them away. My whole body trembled in horror. My eyes darted randomly, trying to find aid. But nobody was there. I was on my own. Then I realized that I knew what it was.

"Oh, please... no." I talked, even though I knew I couldn't be heard. I couldn't even hear myself. Hot breath made hairs on the back of my neck stand up. And I knew that my beliefs had been confirmed.

It was a Colie.

Frantically I took the sword from my scabbard. It slipped between my sweaty fingers and landed without a thud. I dropped to the ground, hysterical now, and sifted through the dirt trying to find it. My hands flung dust into my eyes. Everything seemed to go white. My eyes felt like they were being sucked into my head. My hands came across a sharp cold metal, and clumsily I retrieved it. I wasn't ready to die! Not yet. Not with this wonderful prospect ahead of me.

When I first left Medalia, I felt as though nothing in the world could stop me. But I was wrong. I had a giant Colie breathing down my spine! And I was shaking to the bone. I could faintly make out its eyes, the only part that ever showed. And the only part I needed. Blaring green, one would almost rather perish than look upon them for too long.

I mustered what little courage I had and sucked up my chest, taking a deep breath. I tried not to close my eyes, but to no avail. I forced myself to reopen them again, and became conscious that I was not ready enough for this. I needed advice, professional advice.

With a noiseless scream, I turned from the beast and ran as fast as I could. Then, smack. I fell to the ground. I had hit something, something that smelled of sweet sweat. It was Jedni. I picked myself up off the soil and felt around until I found her again. Panic stricken, I almost jumped all the way over her. My thoughts were rattled as I swung my leg back into place. What if I didn't make it out? What if forty seconds wasn't time enough to escape?

As I was sucked back into daylight, my heart felt at ease, however, my mind did not. I fell off the horse, blinded by the sudden burst of light. I cried out in anguish; my mind was on the verge of bursting open. The sun made my head throb with pain. Perhaps it had to do with the fear, also. But it hurt. Then I screamed at the top of my lungs. I had to actually hear my voice to comfort me. It startled Jedni, and she almost stepped on me, for I was still on the ground.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to frighten you. It is just that..." my voice cracked as it trailed. I looked up at the sky, the wonderful sky. I did not wish to leave its presence so unprepared ever again.

Then I started talking to myself. "I am going to need something to distract the Colie. I cannot have it completely focused on me. It won't work like that. I am going to need, well... help." It was hard to admit something like that, even though it was the truth. I couldn't do everything on my own.

I took out the map, deciding to ask the Beatiez for help. The nearest mushroom circle was a mere two miles away!

"How pleasant," I sighed as I tried to make myself sound pleased. I folded the map back up and stuffed it into my carpetbag. It sure was a good thing that talking out loud to yourself wasn't a crime, for I would be a repeating offender!

I tied on my veil to keep the toxic air from my lungs. All I needed was to fall into a coma, or worse, die. As we approached the mushrooms, I began talking to Jedni.

"Up ahead, see the mushrooms? They look like beige umbrellas. And unbelievably large." I rolled my eyes, despite the inspirational site in front of me. I just wasn't in a good mood, and that was definitely not the best way to greet the little people, especially not when I wanted their advice.

A lass about my age was busy stringing clothes on a line strung between two mushroom stems. Slowly, she turned when she heard my horse. When she saw my sword, her expression changed. I couldn't tell if she had gotten nervous or excited.

"Hello," my muffled greeting struggled out from beneath my veil. "I am Princess Layla of Tentaleigh. I was wondering if-" I stopped short when the girl Beatiez ran off behind the mushroom.

"Am I not welcome?" I asked, deciding she was probably nervous.

Then, as quickly as she had left, she returned and led Jedni and me, still atop her, behind the mushrooms. When we got to the other side, she introduced herself.

"I am Sweenlah, bravest among the Beatiez." It was not till then did I notice the wooden sword that swung at her hip. Maybe she was brave among her people, but could she endure the Forest of Despondency? Could she endure what I had gone through?

"She got excited when she saw your sword." Another voice seemed to emerge from the ground. When I looked down, I saw that it wasn't just the grass speaking. It was an older Beatiez, probably Sweenlah's mother.

"She wants to be the first female warrior. Her dream!" The lady affirmed emphatically. I nodded as they hurried off into the crowd.

"What is your name? Announce it to everybody." Yet another voice arose. This time it appeared to be a lady ruler. She spoke gently, but with great authority.

She shook me from my wandering thoughts. "Oh! I am Layla of Tentaleigh, daughter of King Duryea the third." I felt stupid for forgetting my manners, and completely ignoring everything. But weren't those some of the things I was looking to escape from? I began hoping I could give a speech to make up for it.

"I hope I am welcome among you, for I am seeking your advice." It was not very impressive so far. But that is usually how it went. "Madam, please, your advice if I may."

"Please, go on." She encouraged me to continue.

"I am to slay a Colie, for a very important, very personal incentive. As I entered the forest on my first attempt, I found the beasts to be much larger than I expected." I took a deep breath. "So I fled the forest as fast as I could," I said it so fast that I was hoping they hadn't understood. They were all bound to think me foolish, anyway.

"Yes, my child, they are rather large, so caution you must take," She replied. I sighed at her comment.

"Do you have any further advice?"

"I am sorely afraid that any further advice I have to give would be utterly useless to a brave lass such as yourself," her smiled beamed at me. "All I have to say is to be careful."

As she smiled at me, I looked into the crowd and saw Sweenlah and her mother discussing something. Her mother had a grave look about her, but the girl glowed with anticipation. Then she stepped forward.

"Lady," she bobbed in respect. "I was wondering, if I may say so, Your Highness... could I accompany you on your quest? I mean, I could be of some use. I could help you, really I could. And I am brave," She stated plainly. "I am aware of the danger we would encounter, but I am no coward, Majesty." She curtsied again.

She did seem prepared, but looks don't tell all. If they did, however, her mild smile lingering on her excitement-flushed cheeks, her loved sword at her side, and her fearless, glassy green eyes would surely state that she was a good companion to be had. And besides her lack of height, she looked as fierce and almost as determined as I was.

"Well," I sighed again. When she saw my air, her smiled drooped. It made me want to trust her. "Since you understand that you may not even make it home alive," I continued a little livelier. "Then I would be honored if you would accompany me."

When my speech was done, I was surprised to hear everybody cheer. But hey, wouldn't any village be happy if the crowned princess chose one of them to accompany her? It was obvious.

Then the exultant young Sweenlah stepped forward. She made her routine curtsy, and then opened her mouth ready for her grateful words to pour out.

"As you can probably already tell, I am absolutely filled with joy, and I thank you. But I have some advice." So, a Beatiez had stepped forward to advise the princess?

"Shoot," I offered.

"There are two ways to enter the forest. The way you do not want to enter is the east side, closest to the village of Medalia."

I rolled my eyes at my lack of knowledge.

"That is where the largest, most stubborn Colies live. After so many years of life, they migrate there. It is nearly impossible to get anything accomplished by going in that way. In fact, out of those who were unwise enough to go that way, many have never returned."

I gazed at her in warm disbelief. I felt nauseous, and my head started to swim. I had almost killed myself! But how did she know all of that?

"I studied on this matter for two years, milady." As if she had read my mind.

"Maybe that is what I should have done," I thought out loud.

"Pardon?" A couple voices arose to me. I just shook my head.

"I should enter the west side? Across the mountains?" I asked Sweenlah.

She nodded, so I continued.

"I should have thought a little more, but–" While I was trying to make myself look less stupid, Jedni fell over onto her side.

Her left rib cage was carelessly smashing my leg. It was crushing it, making my mind race. What was wrong? What had happened? Trillions of questions boggled my thoughts, and it hurt like a million tons of horse had rested itself on my leg. Her side was so unusually still, until it started to heave up and down. Heaving hard. Heaving in a life threatening way.

Then I gasped.

I was aware of what I had done, or more like what I hadn't done. I hadn't covered her nose or her mouth! She had been breathing the toxic air the whole time. It was a blessing she stayed up as long as she did. What a fool I had been! Not even thinking of her. Now she was gone, and I knew what had happened. But I didn't realize it yet. I was still trying to make myself realize she was dying.

"Milady, your horse!" Sweenlah said sickly. She pointed to Jedni's muzzle. It had thick white liquid gushing out, the result of the poison gasses.

I had killed my own horse. The realization hit me like a blow to the chest. I became aware of the fact she wasn't going to make it. My greatest companion was leaving me on the greatest adventure of my life. I wished I had never come on this trip! But no, I couldn't think like that. It was true that she would still be alive, but what else was I to do? It wasn't as if I could have stayed, even though it would have saved Jedni's life.

Some tiny Beatiez men started pulling on me, trying to free me. But I was the one who ended up freeing my self from her wheezing side; I threw myself upon her course hair and wept.

"I'm sorry," I said as I stood up. I tried to keep strong, but looking at my poor, dying horse made me break down into a million tiny pieces of despair. "Oh, Jedni! I'm sorry. You must know how I feel!" So much emotion was put into those words, I couldn't go on. I once again threw myself up against her side, but this time I matted her dark, course hair with my salty tears.

"I am sorry, really," I explained to the people after I had let my grief flow freely.

"No need to apologize, dear," she said as she wiped a dirty tear from my face. "If you love something, it is good to mourn over its death."

She put her hand on my back as far as she could reach, and rubbed it soothingly.

"We all make mistakes," she smiled again.

The lady ruler was leading me (as well as the whole village) out to the stables. She said she felt responsible for Jedni's death because it was her mushrooms that had killed her, and also consequently felt obligated to equip me with another. I gladly agreed. A horse was a necessary item on my list.

In the stables, there were seven different horses, all with masks on. All of them were black, save the one on the end. He was blonde. And, something drew me to him. There was something about the way he tossed his head at me.

"What is his name?" I asked Sweenlah, as I stroked his head gently.

"Clupintisaur."

"What?" I giggled in astonishment.

"Clupint for short," she explained.

"Clupint," I whispered to him as I ran my fingers through his mane. I stared at his color; an almost sun-bleached white-blonde. A stunning color.

"Try him?" The lady ruler asked me. I nodded my head eagerly.

He was led out of the stall and saddled for me. I hopped on his back and sped around the ring, amazed at his smoothness.

"You're a wonder," I told him.

After that, the lady ruler had him groomed, saddled and stocked for our trip the next morning. They insisted I stay overnight. When Sweenlah gave me the invitation, she kept on calling me 'milady.' Irritated, I bade her call me just Layla. For a few seconds she gawked at me.

"Yes, mil– Layla." She smiled shyly at her mistake.

I laughed at the way she ran them together. "Milayla!" I giggled helplessly, and after a while she joined in too. Her laughter was soft and sweet. Everything about her was sweet. One could easily call her gentle, kind or friendly. But the best and most accurate description of her was 'sweet.'

Chapter 5

After a night of joyful merriment, dancing, laughing and singing, Sweenlah and I were ready to begin our adventure. We grabbed our bags and headed outside to the carriage that would take us through the mountains. After the mountains, we would continue our trek on horseback.

I held my carpetbag with two hands; the Beatiez had made sure it was full of everything I could possibly need. It was lighter than Sweenlah's, though. Her mother had packed hers.

"Here we are. Clupint will be one of the horses pulling the carriage, so when we are dropped off on the other side of the mountain you will have something to ride." Sweenlah looked at the carriage, smiling. "Isn't it lovely?"

It was so small. Despite the picturesque paintings and engravings along the sides of the doors, it could not be considered beautiful. It was doubtful that I could even manage to sit up in it!

"Um, yes, well... is there by any chance," I stalled, nervous. I didn't want to hurt her feelings.

Sweenlah shook her little head. "No, Layla, I am afraid that is the biggest we have." Her smile was full of unsympathetic mischief.

I sighed and climbed in. This was sure to be one unforgettable, uncomfortable ride. But a mysterious thing happened that made me reconsider. As I sat down, the ceiling rose high above my head! Sweenlah smiled proudly as I pointed in astonishment.

"But, what?" I stuttered, happy but confused. Then I realized that it hadn't risen above Sweenlah's head, just mine!

"Fairies," she whispered. I questioned her no further.

Even though I had plenty of headroom, after a while sitting became boring. I shoved my legs up on the seat beside me and laid my head down on my arms. Sitting across from me, Sweenlah looked on with amazement. Why would a princess sit like that? Because she wanted to! Finally Sweenlah gave up and lay down, too.

Sweenlah was the sweetest partner one could wish for. She always obeyed me. She always agreed to my plans. But of course, I was still the princess. That probably had a lot to do with it. It wasn't like I was going to behead every person who disagreed with me, though! It was easy and tough at the same time. I had a hard time trying to figure out if she obeyed out of adoration or from the excitement of getting to go on the quest.

"Did you know that you are allowed to diverge your opinion from mine?" I asked as we jostled along the bumpy road. It was only a friendly tease, but her eyes told that she didn't understand. I reached over and patted her arm. "I was just playing, but you know–" I stopped when the coach tipped over. Something had knocked us completely sideways!

I was knocked back to my senses when Sweenlah started kicking, and I realized I was on top of her.

"You all right?" I asked her. She nodded. My hand started for the carriage doorknob to see what was going on, but Sweenlah stopped me.

"Look first." Her voice quiet and gentle, she pulled back the curtain.

I gasped.

A Faash, over eight feet tall was outside the door. He was Orange all over, scaly ochre skin, with thin tan hair that looked like wire sprouting from his head and ears. His teeth were white as sea foam, and his leather vest hung at his shoulders like a burlap sack. He sat defiantly, watching over the shoulder of a younger one. The shorter Faash had wrenched off the coachman's right leg, and the taller one was working on the footman. Called a footman for a reason. The Faash was sitting there chewing off his feet!

I squinted my eyes, wanting to shut them, but unsure of what to do.

The Faash then took the footman's head and held it between its two hands and crushed it, spewing blood inside the small window opening. I went pale with horror, and Sweenlah stood up, panicking.

"No!" I whispered, pulling her down. "We don't want them to know we're in here!" But it was too late. I squeezed her hand as she started to snivel and sob. First quietly, then more loudly.

"You have to be quiet! You don't want them to squish your head, do you?" My scolding was quieter than her moaning. But I began to scold myself as I heard a polite rap at the door. I pinched myself to make sure I was awake. Dared I touch the doorknob? Faashes don't knock. Or do they? I had most certainly never met one before. I looked to Sweenlah for counsel, but she looked already dead with fear. So much for her being prepared. I opened the tiny door, and braced myself for a whack in the head. But instead, I received a polite, but bloodstained, hairy orange hand held out for me.

Uneasy, I took it. I did not want to make the creature mad. It led me out and did the utterly expectable. It jerked me this way and that, searching for the perfect position for devouring my arm. Reflexively, I jerked myself free and stood there wondering how I had just accomplished such a thing. So did the Faash. In fact, everybody stood there, doing nothing but sitting there in awe, trying to remember what we were doing when something amazing happened. A fly buzzed in one ear of the Faashes and out the other. We all stood there, taken aback by what had just happened, trying to remember what we were doing. And the Faash remembered first.

"Go!" I shouted to Sweenlah as I was being yanked nearly in circles. "Meet me at the huge wild oak near the entrance of the forest! Take Clupint and tie him somewhere I can find him!"

I wasn't able to watch her, but I could picture her jumping on her horse, grabbing mine and trotting off at an uneasy pace, looking back at me every two seconds.

I struggled, and he struggled. I tugged at his grimy ears, and he tugged at my tender arms. It felt as if he were trying to pull them off. Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity of thrashing, he jabbed me in the stomach with his knee. I crumpled to the ground with yelps of exasperated pain bounding from the depths of my throat. Then something poked at my sore stomach. My sword!

"Kneel before royalty, you impossible imbecile!" I sunk my sword into his chest with what strength I had left, and then pulled it back out. He stooped dumbly before me, clutching his wound in pain.

"Ha! Not bad for my first try, huh?" I swung my sword around, and then slid it back into the scabbard. I stood with my hands on my hips, my head high, proud of myself.

Then I heard more Faashes.

"Time to go!" I ran off through the woods, arms around my stomach.

Once safely by myself, I examined my injury. It wasn't bad, just bruised. Then I began wishing that I had acquired something that had belonged to a Faash to prove that I had encountered them.

"Maybe I should go to their camp tonight," I thought aloud as I wrung my shaking hands. "Then I will have more to show father, Brye and LaShebah."

Suddenly something nudged me from the back, and I jumped up with a start and a stick in my hand.

"Clupint!" I exclaimed. Sweenlah had left him in the perfect spot. I nuzzled his nose, and then sat back down, fingering my necklace in deep concentration. I knew that if I went to the camp, I would endanger myself and might not be able to meet worried Sweenlah. But, if I didn't go, I knew that I would regret it later. Besides, what is being a warrior all about? Is it not about taking chances and being impetuous?

"I'm going," I decided. "And I had better not stop myself."

After tying Clupint securely to a tree by my makeshift camp, I headed out walking as tranquilly and serenely as I could, being careful not to step on twigs and scare myself. Every time I made a noise, I stopped and looked around as if I thought someone were following me. What a comical fool I was! I wanted to be a lady-knight, yet snapping twigs scared me! I laughed out loud, then clapped my hand over my mouth. Had I been heard? I had no clue how close I was to the Faash camp. It could be miles or a mere fifty feet. I held my breath and kept moving, keeping my hand on my scabbard all the while. It gave me a feeling of safety.

"There," I pointed towards a campfire. I was showing myself where to go.

I didn't know why I talked to myself so much; I thought that it was because I could easily become insane. But if that was the case, then I would have gone insane long ago, when I was still living in the castle. I almost laughed aloud again, just at the thought, but I stopped myself by biting my tongue. As I approached their camp I kept biting it from fear. Harder and harder. Finally blood filled my mouth, sending the chilling taste of metal to my spine.

I didn't want to swallow it, but I knew that if I spit it out, the Faashes would smell it. It was torture keeping the red bile in my mouth for so long. Then, from behind me came a noise. Hatred started boiling on my tongue.

"Let... me go!" I cried as huge arms surrounded my neck.

Couldn't they let me live with one accomplishment? They should make it easier. But, no. I couldn't think like that. It was bound to get me nowhere but into the belly of a Faash. Nothing was easy. Especially not this.

I spit the blood into the Faash's face. It smiled, and licked it off with its green scaly tongue. Its eyes were a buttery white. The blood had no negative effect on him whatsoever.

In an attempt to control my flailing arms, it smashed my mouth up against its ear cartilage, reeking of foul sweat. The blood from my mouth rubbed over it, mixing the orange and red. It looked like fire. I screamed directly into its ear, causing it to stumble backwards, its hands clasped to the temporary throbbing damage I had done.

I ran for the camp without a second look. I ran so fast that I didn't notice a tent until I went past it. I stopped and skidded, then ran into it. I threw the lid off a trunk and frantically started rummaging through it, throwing smelly items out until I found what I needed. I pulled a shoe, a wonderful living, and smelly proof that I had defeated a particular Faash that once had eyes to eat me.

My first sweet victory. I could taste it. The triumph swelled in my veins, until a looming shadow appeared in the tent's doorway. Why were they so angry? Then I remembered. I was stealing from them, not only their shoe, but a dinner, too! But I did have a right to keep myself. Just no regarding the shoe. Oh well.

I dodged past the creature without a thought. And to my surprise, it didn't run after me. Laughing like a lunatic, I rounded the bend to my hide out, where I fell asleep as soon as I hit the ground.

When I woke the next morning, I had the taste of grimy cartilage in my mouth. I ran to the river and rinsed it out as well as I could.

"Never have I tasted anything so foul!" I leaned farther over the river and almost fell in. I caught myself by plunging my arms into the water, resting my hands on the filthy, muddy bottom. I brought them back up and scowled at the grubbiness. "How much of a princess am I?" I resolved by wiping my hands off on my dress, which later I regretted.

I hopped onto Clupint, who shook his mane wildly, flinging dried dirt into my eyes. "Oh! Clupint, stop it," I soothed him by running my fingers of equal filth through his course, sun-bleached hair.

"Ah!" I huffed a recognition of realization. "I shall braid your mane, to keep it out of your way!" I waved a hand in front of my face. "Hopefully it will hold in the stench. You need a bath as much as I do!"

With his mane braided, she almost looked like a war horse. Like Rebel did whenever I braided his mane, exposing his birthmark. Clupint had no birthmark, but it didn't bother me. Although, it did make me think of Brye.

"I wonder what he is doing right now? Probably thinking of me." I chuckled. "Or eating. Well, Clupint, we had better go find Sweenlah. I do hope the monsters didn't horrify her too badly." I patted his side, and off we went, into the horizon where the resplendent mountains lay.

Chapter 6

I stood in front of Sweenlah, who was weeping over a pile of bones. Then I realized... they were her horse's bones.

"What ate it?" I asked her.

"A Faash," she whimpered. "And... and it had only one shoe."

I looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then burst out in an uncontrollable giggle. I had to clutch my sides to keep them from aching. Tears of laughter sought for me to wipe them off by dripping down my wrinkled nose. "One shoe, huh?" I pulled the other shoe out of the bag. "Did the other one happen to look like this?" She just gasped, and put her hand to her mouth.

"So... my Faash ate your horse. But... why didn't he eat you, too?" I inquired.

She pointed to the tree.

"You hid? Up there?" She wouldn't talk. It was an irritating game of guessing.

She just nodded.

"Did you sleep up there?" I asked. Again she bobbed her stone face up and down.

"TALK!!!" I lost my temper. Her face filled with fear, all the way up her short forehead and over her hairline. "I'm sorry," I apologized. "Please forgive my horrid temper." I cracked a playful smile. "It's okay, Sweenlah. Would you go get some firewood, some kindling? We'll be needing a fire soon." I rubbed my chilled arms. She nodded, and made a strenuous attempt to travel five feet from the tree. I sighed, shook my head, and gathered some rocks to make boundaries for a fire pit.

That night we ate what was left of the horse. It made Sweenlah gag and me wonder. Was I right to have let her come? She definitely was not cut out for this kind of work. I told her my thoughts, and she explained.

"None of the Beatiez are very brave. All of my friends would have passed out at the sight of a Faash! I am considered a heroine among my circle."

I gnawed at the bone, trying to get every last bit of meat off. "So your just staying conscious was a wonderfully brave thing?" She nodded.

On our trip to the edge of the forest, we were both jittery. "What was that?" A fly would buzz in our ears. Then we would realize how silly we were being, and laugh.

"Whoa," Sweenlah and I stopped short. We had made it, to the forest. "Take a deep breath, Sweenlah. It may be your last chance." We both inhaled deeply, and I struggled to control myself. My ankles started to shake, and it traveled all the way to my mouth. I already knew what it was like in there. And in one word, it was nothing!

"I am going to leave Clupint out here." Sweenlah nodded in agreement.

With our hands on our scabbards, we entered total darkness. Then I remembered what the Peddler had said about Beatiez and humans being visible to each other! I looked at her, but all I saw was a blur of fear: a mass of weak knees and a pounding heart. I gave a weak smirk to try and encourage her, but her eyes seemed to be focused somewhere else. A delirious stare. I wanted to talk to her, to tell her that she couldn't freeze up. Not now. I laid my hand on her, in a gesture of comfort, but she jumped a foot in the air. I decided to let her be.

My eye twitched nervously as I rummaged through my bag, trying to find the spotters, but I felt no cold, hard metal.

They weren't in there!

I screamed, for no one could hear me. But I vibrated in fear, and Sweenlah noticed. She started to run the other way, but I grabbed hold of her arm. I shook my head violently, for neither of us knew what lay ahead that way. It could be the way out; yet it could be a nesting ground full of Colies. And that made me remember... Without my spotters, we couldn't know what was there! Sweenlah sensed my nervousness and started panicking even more. I knew if she kept on like that, she was bound to get eaten!

Then something brushed the top of my head. All my thoughts melted away, and my chest started rising and falling rigidly. Could it be Sweenlah? I tried hard to make myself think it was, but I looked over and saw her huddled on the ground with her hands over her head. I hoped she would stay like that.

The Colie started to breathe on my head. Its slowly flitting wings made a breeze that brushed all the hair from my face, revealing my truthfully horrified appearance. My eyes were as big as the Colie's, and my dry, cracked lips stood out in terror. They couldn't even tremble. I was frozen in fear. I tried to get my sword out of the scabbard, but I knocked it out. I lifted it up and dusted it off. As my trembling hands felt along the edges of the small, cold object, I got as excited as my nerves would let me. They were my spotters! I shoved them on my face, but in the process I bent my nose backwards. It started to throb, but I pushed the pain aside. I had more important things to think about.

But pain decided otherwise. The spotters quickly revealed a flashing green dot, which bashed me to the ground. I was lying on my back, head throbbing. I tried to sit up, but I settled myself back on the dirt in agony. My left shoulder had been slashed open. I clamped my teeth together in anguish. The nothingness of hell overwhelmed me as I lay there, wondering if this were the end for me. In peril I waited for another strike from the creature, but he left me in suspense. Terrifying suspense. Not one inch of my shaken body wasn't trembling.

I struggled to take the sword from Sweenlah's scabbard and handed it to her. She was about to put it back, but I took her hand and laid it on my wound. She slowly drew it back; I felt a teardrop land on my hand. She was crying. Hurriedly, and with a covetous look in her eyes, she balled herself up on the ground.

I stood and turned back around, readying myself to face the creature. I felt soft wings on my face, and it sent a shiver down my spine. It was trying to torment me. The pain from my shoulder was throbbing. And despite the noiselessness, I could almost hear it. Then out of nowhere, the dot knocked me down again. I fell sideways in the dirt, and looked for Sweenlah. But she was gone!

I hopped to my feet. It hurt like words could not describe, but I had to look for her. I tore a strip of skirt off my shift and pressed it to my wound. I tripped over a piece of skirt that had been left hanging, and I fell again. I spit the dirt from my mouth and rolled over just in time to see a Colie hovering over my head. I dropped the bloodied cloth and pulled out my sword. My lips shaped words of agony, yet no sound emerged from my quaking body. Nonetheless I pushed my sword into its belly. I cried, terrified. Angry tears streamed down my face. Another Colie appeared, and I jabbed it in just the same way. Then at least twenty more came into view. I stood up, still crying my heart out. But I hadn't as much fear as before.

My back began to bleed. I was thrust against a tree, and it scraped me in torment. I was being dashed against the tree, again and again, by an invisible Colie. My spotters were knocked from my face. I gave up, and my body was limply crushed between the tree and a round furry body.

But was this the time to give up? Certainly not. I had to take revenge for Sweenlah. Sweet Sweenlah. I grabbed my sword and swung it violently. I thrashed the Colies, killing each one with burning passion. When I presumed there were no more, I reached down for my spotters. I shoved them on, avoiding my nose, and slowly turned. A flashing dot! Nervousness took over. I dropped my sword. I had no time to find it, so I braced my self to fight with my fists.

But when I looked again, I saw what the flashing dot was! It wasn't a Colie at all. It was... Brye! But how did he know where to find me?

I was overjoyed to see him. I wrapped him in a hug. I tried to motion to him what had happened to Sweenlah, my Beatiez companion, and he sent his men to search for her. But nothing was found. Sadly I was led to the exit of the forest, where we braced ourselves for the blinding light. Something I hadn't done before. I closed my hands over my head, in hopes of it decreasing the headache I was about to get.

We all stepped through the wall of nothingness and into the light. The blinding sun. We all stumbled backwards, even the horses, yet my headache was not as bad as last time, when it hurt so bad I thought I would never recover.

My wounds pounded a little more fiercely than they had in the cold dreariness of the forest, but I was glad to be out all the same. My knees wobbled as the sun beat fast upon my aching back. I hadn't thought I would have had to endure these awful feelings so soon. Then I thought of Sweenlah. I bit my lip to keep from crying, but my head began to spin and my steps were swerving noticeably. Everybody looked down at me.

"Are you all right?" Brye grabbed my arm, just in time, and kept me from falling over.

The tears that had welled up in my eyes could stay put no longer. Our two months of friendship poured out from my miserable eyes. With Brye still holding my arm, I couldn't run away. But I wanted to. I wanted to run off and cry until my insides felt as if they needed to be heaved and thrown overboard on a ship, to be eaten by the creatures of the deep and mysterious.

I looked up at Brye, trying to speak to him without words. It worked. He pulled me up, completely to my feet, and led me by the hand away from everybody. He calmly told them that we would be right back.

"What's wrong?" he asked after we were alone, away from all the scrutinizing eyes.

I looked up at him, but the only thing I could get out was a waterfall of tears. More tears. When one thinks she has cried all her poor heart will let her, she always has an ocean left.

Brye lifted my chin, and our eyes met. Then I felt I could tell my story. At the end of my tale, I choked on wails of sorrow.

"So far I've killed–" sniffle, "–two..." I trailed off.

Quickly Brye stopped my thoughts. "No, no you haven't," he forced a laugh. "You just happened to be around."

I shook my head and squeezed his hand. "Thanks for being such a good friend." The look in his eyes changed.

"I think we can go back now," I stood up and dusted myself off. I waited for Brye to get up, but he just sat there, gazing. Then he nodded.

Chapter 7

I sat in front of the blazing fire. Red, yellow and orange flames danced everywhere, and even threatened to jump onto my dress. I reached into my pocket, to keep my hands warm. I playfully stirred up the insides, and I felt something abnormal, out of place; soft, smooth, and long. I pulled it out, and instantly a white toothed smile flashed at everyone. Feathers! The Colies feathers had fallen into my pocket! I hadn't even given a thought to what I was to bring home to father, but maybe it was best that I hadn't. I would have worried myself to death. Although a step down from a glass eye, feathers would do the job perfectly.

Finding the feathers prompted me to tell the knights my story, although the version for them was a bit altered. But not much, for it was a great adventure. Something worth putting into words, to tell children before bedtime. At least I thought so.

When I showed them the feathers, some of them shuddered. Brye explained in my ear that previous experiences with Colies caused some of the men to heave a sigh. I nodded and returned the feathers to my pocket. After they were out of sight, a handful of them gave me a relieved and thankful look. Something made me smile, and I turned to Brye. His jaw was set, but his eyes were all glittery.

"Have you enjoyed yourself?" He asked. "Fighting off Colies and losing dear friends can be very pleasurable." Sarcasm bit his tone.

"Oh yes," I replied with equal sarcasm. My eyes glazed over as they zoned in on the stars. "I've thought about coming back next week." I tried not to let the sadness of my situation drown out in my words.

Then a real question arose in my throat. "How long do you suppose it will take me to reach the castle? I have surprised myself at how eager I am to get home."

I watched Brye as he thought a bit. His fingers were clasped firmly around his half-full chrome goblet, his eyes fixed on me. Then words emerged from his mouth.

"Nine or ten days. Depends on how fast you push yourself. You could make it there in half the time if you came with us," a sly grin perforated itself into his lips.

I shook my head. "I would rather arrive there alone, alone and triumphant. I imagine that would be the most impressive thing for me to do," I said wearily. Tiredness had won the battle. "That's what I had thought. Nine or ten days. Give or take."

Brye grinned again as his eyes silently said, "Oh, sure." He stood up and stretched. He yawned, which made me yawn. "Why don't you get some rest? I expect you to push yourself hard enough to get there in two days!" He smiled playfully, but sleepily.

I nodded and headed off for my bedroll. Despite how tired I was, sleep would not come easily. Not for someone who had just lost a dear, true friend.

The next morning, I stood ready for our departure. Even though I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, I felt as though I had energy enough to get me home in two days!

I was running my fingers through Clupint's mane when Brye walked up to me. I turned to him, and he pulled out a little gilded box. I didn't recognize it, did not know where it had come from.

"Here," he handed it to me. "Put the feathers in here before you present them to your father. It will make it even more marvelous."

Obediently, I took the feathers out of my pocket and gently set them in it. Inside of the little box was lined in velvet. I ran my fingers over it, for I had not felt anything so soft in over three months.

"Thank you," I said, surprising myself at how meek I sounded.

Brye nodded beamingly, then he brushed past me and headed towards his horse. I stood there, holding the box, watching everybody. Civilization was so wonderful, although this wasn't the most civilized place. It felt magnificent to have people bustling about again. I didn't have to search far for a friendly face to talk to, nor did I feel alone. That was probably why I had such a longing feeling to get back home.

"Pri–" I stuck my hand up in the knight's face that had begun to address me as 'Princess'. I just wanted to be Layla.

The man smiled in apology and helped me to my horse. Clupint started to get excited; he knew we were setting off again. The horse loved adventure.

After I was situated, I placed the box of Colie feathers in the saddlebag. "Now, don't you be rough, Clupint. It is very important that you don't jostle these out!"

"You be careful, too, Layla. You've made it this far, now don't mess things up!" Brye winked.

I shook my head. "Don't worry, but also, don't be surprised if I come home with a new companion. Things have a habit of finding me!"

Then they waved good-bye, and we were off. Everybody looked down as we ascended, for it was thought bad luck to watch someone out of sight. But before I was truly out of sight, the Prince of Dreideth looked up. I smiled.

The ride was lonely without Sweenlah! Not that she talked much, but at least before I wasn't the only being around. A horse wasn't a very interesting conversationalist. And to think of why Sweenlah was here– because she was, well... eaten, or so we thought. But the idea of her being in the belly of a Colie made me sick!

As the sun began to set, I heard cries, high-pitched wails. It sounded like a mother mourning for her lost child. Screaming in vain for the loss. It was among the trees, and it scared me.

"Oh, Clupint! How I wish I knew what made those horrible sounds!" I conversed with the horse the next morning.

Then the sound came from directly above us, so I stopped. I didn't hear it again, which relieved me a bit.

"Well," I sighed. "I suppose it's gone now–" something jumped on my back, knocking the words from my mouth!

I screamed, piercing the air with the sound it had been waiting for. I grabbed at the thing, and it grabbed back. I pulled and pinched, but I could tell the thing wasn't about to give up without a good fight.

Finally I was able to pull it in front of me, to discover what I had had such a silly clash with. Everything in me stopped almost instantly, when I saw what it was. Silently I gazed at the small thing's face.

"Ha!" I giggled at myself. "You are nothing but a spider monkey! How foolish it was to be so frightened." I touched his head, his soft head. "And you're nothing but a baby!"

I sat him on my lap, pleased to live up to my word. I would be bringing home another companion! But this one was so much more darling than I had hoped. And this thing seemed to enjoy listening to my silly blathering! Anytime I said a word, it would stop and cock its head. Like it was listening intently. Anyone would agree that talking to a monkey that listened was far better than talking to oneself!

The sweet thing seemed happy, and had a manner that was hardly surly. It had dark, misty-brown fur. The color of cocoa. That would make a good name, a practical one, but it would not be original enough for this creature.

"Coca," I decided aloud. Minus the extra 'O' at the end, it was original. Coca. My monkey.

I tickled Coca's belly. Brye would get a kick out of a spider monkey living at the palace! And I just might get a kick too, for there would be many people there who would be against the idea of inside pets. But let them argue! I wouldn't listen. I was my own, true to myself to make my own decisions.

Coca picked at my hair as we trekked down what seemed like a never–ending path. Sometimes it got so dusty that dirty smoke rose above Clupint's head and we had to stop until it cleared. Whenever the dust settled, Coca would go crazy, jumping up and down on my head.

"Gosh! What do you think I am, a bed?" He was giving me a headache.

Later on, my head began to itch. Reluctantly, I let Coca on my head to ease the prickle. But then I wondered– did I itch because of him? Had he given me fleas?

Then the monkey got down and started to sing. Like a bird! I started laughing, till tears came. A monkey with a bird's voice!

"What a talented monkey I have," I said as I began to scratch his belly. He fluttered his eyelids in satisfaction.

It started to rain. Hard drops pelted the top of my sore head. Coca hid underneath my dress, in my skirts. It felt slightly odd having a monkey within my skirts. After a short period of time I was completely drenched, soaked to the bone. Even Coca, who had taken cover amidst my dress, was awash. I pulled him out and hugged him close, hoping he was a tad warmer than I.

It didn't take long to tire of the rain. I stopped Clupint and we took shelter under a tree, where I wrung my skirts out. Clupint shook out his mane, completely drenching me again. I felt that it was out of spite; the horse was jealous that he couldn't ring out his skin. But I knew how silly that would sound if I told anybody.

I sat down and pulled out the gilded box. I wanted to inspect my feathers. I had nine of them, each as beautiful as the next. How could such beautiful things come from such vile creatures?

Two were long, graceful, and were a pale gray. Five were short and fat, light lavender with a darker shade of purple mixed in. The last two were plain white, and seemed to have no special feature. Actually, they were the ones without defect, the perfect ones, washed over with snow.

Seeing the feathers reminded me of Sweenlah, and tears welled up in the corners of my bloodshot eyes. Quickly I pushed them away and scooped Coca up in my arms.

"When is this rain going to stop?" I asked him. "Here," I said, placing him atop my head. "Let us see if you have balance enough to make this your perch, as I can tell it is your wish."

I walked balanced for the first few steps, then started to sway back and forth. He wasn't easily bothered, so I jumped, startling him. He grabbed my hair and yanked hard to stay on. I yelped, but didn't scold him.

I gazed out into the rain, and suddenly it had a voice. It was calling, "Dance with me!" How many chances does a person get to dance in the rain? Slowly I made my way out from under my precious tree, the only dry spot around. But my nerves overcame me. I began to dance, slowly at first, but I sped up without thinking.

I twirled and spun, swayed and skipped until I was dizzy. But it wasn't enough. I took Coca from my head, and nuzzled him against my nose. We twirled around, hand in hand, while my loose hair slung water everywhere.

Exhausted from dancing, I collapsed under the tree, laughing giddily. I had to force myself to get up to get my bedroll. It wasn't worth the effort, though, for it was soaked through! I couldn't sleep on something so wet; I would surely catch cold. There had to be a tavern somewhere within the next few miles. This was a busy road for travelers, a good place for an inn.

I hopped on my horse and headed back out into the clouded sky. The rain had stalled itself, but it wasn't but a minute after I had left the safety of the tree that it started to pour. I hurried along until I saw a building in the distance, and then fled in its direction. I was quite ready to be indoors again.

As I approached, a young girl emerged from the doorway. My eyes wandered from her to the banner hanging over the door, which said, "Lyssen Inn". What an odd name. It was probably the last name of the owners.

The girl shaded her eyes from the rain, and a smile crept across her full lips as she spotted me. She called to someone who was obviously indoors, using hand motions excitedly. When I got to the door she hurriedly took Clupint and tied him up for me.

"We have been expecting you," she murmured shyly as I followed her into the building.

Chapter 8

She led me to a table with half wilted flowers and a steaming bowl of shrimp soup. The smell flooded my nostrils and soothed me a bit. It was calming to smell fresh, hot food again. I sat down and immediately started eating. I stirred my soup, over and over and over.

"Is there anything wrong, Excellency?" The girl asked, loudly, excitedly.

"Oh, oh no. It's delicious!" I conceived a breath of weariness.

"You just..." She made me think of Sweenlah.

The girls face was lined with worry. "Yes, Princess?"

"Oh, nothing. You just remind me of someone. What is your name, please?"

"Adda, ma'am."

"Adda– such a pretty name– please call me Layla, just Layla. Although I have royal blood, I am not any better than you!"

At first Adda just stared at me in awe, then her round mouth turned moon shape. A smile. "Yes, Layla!" She said eagerly.

I liked being called by my given name because I didn't want to become arrogant and didn't want to act presumptuous. Also, since I hadn't been called major titles in such a long time, I was afraid that I would forget they were talking to me. That would be embarrassing.

I finished the soup and pushed away the bowl. "I was hungry as a bear!" I exclaimed.

"Oh... would you like some more?" Adda questioned.

I nodded keenly and explained how I hadn't eaten much the past three days. She blinked her eyes mildly, showing sympathy for me. Then she hurried off into the kitchen just as two other people came out.

"So pleased to have you with us!" The lady dropped an extravagant curtsy.

"We thought we might be seeing you," the man's eyes glittered. The lady jabbed him in the side with her elbow. "I'm Davy Heartha, and this is my wife, Lindy."

"So glad to make your acquaintance," I rose and took his hand, then hers.

"We do hope you will enjoy your stay here. If there is anything we can do, please let us know!" Lindy Heartha declared.

"Oh, I am sure I will enjoy my stay. It is rather pleasant already!" I gave a wink to Adda, who was secretly watching from behind the kitchen door. When she saw me she giggled, then hurried out with my second course. Porridge, loaded with sugar.

"Shh!" Adda pressed her finger to her lips. "Momma doesn't usually let us put sugar in anything but cookies."

I nodded, giving her confidence that I could keep her secret safe. I dug my spoon in the thick, steamy liquid and stirred it just as I had done the soup.

"Adda, darling, why don't we give the Princess time to eat? Besides, there are dirty dishes waiting for you." Lindy attempted to drag away her mesmerized child.

Thank you! I thought. I had been hovered over enough at the castle. Not that she would be watching my manners with eagle eyes, but I couldn't eat well with people watching me. At least not people I didn't know very well. What they gave was such a simple meal, yet so satisfying! Never before had I savored something so unadorned.

After gobbling down all of their food, I promised to send them twenty of our finest chickens from the castle. "No! No!" They said, frantically waving their arms. They said they were honored for me to eat their food. But that didn't change my plans a twit.

Adda was quite the curious one. She hovered around as much as her mother would let her. In the morning when I came down in purple and silver gown, she gasped. I asked her if anything was wrong before I realized she was gaping at my dress.

"No, nothing is wrong, Miss Layla... It is just your gown. It is so... pretty," Adda confessed, trying not to sound foolish.

"Ah," I understood. I ran back up the stairs and dug out my smallest gown. A winter gown, pale gold with flowers that only grew during the frosty months. I brought it downstairs to her.

"Do you think this one is pretty?" I asked.

She nodded her head passionately, gazing at the gown and running her fingers along the trim. "You are so lucky," she sighed. That made me smile.

Then her mother came and started pulling her away. "Adda let the princess..."

"No! Leave her." I issued a command. Immediately Lindy's arm dropped.

"Here, go see if it fits. Try it on." I handed the gown to the still-delirious-with-amazement Adda.

The girl's eyes lit up as she examined the garment in her own hands. Bright-eyed, she thanked me and ran off. It wasn't too long before she came back out, presenting herself to me. "It fits perfectly!" She declared.

"Good." I beamed. "Then it's yours."

Mrs. Heartha nearly dropped the dishes she was collecting.

"Surely, no, Adda..."

"You must know that I have enough! Please accept it," I begged.

Adda looked as if she hadn't yet realized what was going on. Then her lavender eyes went ablaze with joy. Her lip began to tremble, searching for words of gratitude. But none would come. Instead she threw her arms around me, squeezing hard. I squeezed back. I hadn't had a hug in what seemed like forever!

After that, Adda and I were good friends, along with her older brother Wade, who had eyes like the sky and hair like the sun. We had a good time watching the people that came into the inn. Most of them were very pleasant. And that made my visit very pleasant, which I prolonged for the sake of Adda, Wade and me.

A fat lady walked in; very nice, despite her four chins and bloated ankles. Then a man with a stack of papers. "Gaday, Princess!"

Then a lady with a frilly dress and a parasol walked in. She obviously had a corset on underneath all of her frills. Her tight white boots made scratches on the floor. Every time she took a step, Mr. Heartha winced. The lady's eyes seemed to be searching for something, for someone. Then her eyes landed on me. She took the tiniest steps I had ever known was possible. When she finally landed at my feet, she embraced me. Then she held me back, and took a look. I was surprised; no one else had attempted to hug me.

"Your father said you need training. You look wonderful to me!"

My arms fell limp. My eyelids drooped and my heart stopped. Another governess! I couldn't let her come with me; she would ruin everything. I was to come home unannounced, and alone! I couldn't be very alone with a primped-up beside me. And what if she forced me into some of those boots? I grimaced at the thought.

"Won't our ride be absolutely splendid?" she fluttered her eyelashes.

I began to cough, on purpose. I needed time away from her to figure out how to ditch her.

"Splendid?...Right. I must..." I daintily, and mockingly, held my hand over my mouth.

The governess made an abrupt sharp sound with her tongue then said. "Oh! You must get some rest now. I do not want to ride home with someone who is too sick to talk!"

She wouldn't have to worry about that, unless her horse got sick. I nodded my head and pretended to run to the stairs. When she looked away, I darted into the kitchen.

"Adda! Wade! I need your help. Desperately."

They gathered around me. "My father has sent a governess to escort me home! I don't want her! I mean, why would I? For heavens sakes, she would scare even Clupint!"

Wade rushed to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid. "Fairies' sleeping potion. Lasts forty-eight hours."

I nodded my head eagerly, understanding what he was getting at.

"So I can bake them into something, and–"

"My, Layla, you recovered quickly!"

I spun around to see the governess snooping the kitchen. When had I given her permission to call me without my title? She was too straightforward. She needed a governess herself.

"When I realized you had complimented so sweetly on my... appearance, I decided to make you a little something. Sick or not, I must not forsake my manners!" The words I had just uttered were making me queasy.

"Oh, I am dreadfully sorry dear. You just continue whatever you were doing."

After she made her leave, I blurted out my plan. "She seemed to be really interested in food so I am going to bake the potion into some...uh, corn cakes. The problems is..." I creased my brow. "I am not sure how to cook them."

Adda's mouth flew wide with anticipation. She obviously did. Quickly the little girl scurried to a cabinet and pulled out a worn book. "As long as you promise not to use the recipe elsewhere," she smiled gleefully. "I will help you."

There was no question that I wouldn't use their secret recipe. Besides, it may very well be the last recipe I would use! Adda gathered all the ingredients and set them on the counter in front of me.

"Ready for a cooking lesson?" she asked.

I had had some cooking lessons while I was at home. But never anything so simple. Simpler foods were not easier to make, though that is what one would think. But more love was put into it. I could tell by the look of passion in young Adda's eyes; the batter was combined with her care and devotion. It made me want to keep the corn cakes from the evil governess. They should go to someone who would appreciate and savor them more thoughtfully than her. But, unfortunately, it was necessary for them to go to the governess. Wicked governess. Wicked because she wasn't supposed to be here.

After the corn cakes were done baking, and had turned a scrumptious golden brown, I coated them with a clear and sugary frosting. It also was laden with sleeping potion.

When they were cool, Adda and I crossed our fingers. "I hope this works," I pushed open the kitchen door with a fake smile pasted on my face. I held the cakes out to the side of me and gently and gracefully swooped down beside the governess. "Here you are, Miss..." I didn't know her name.

"Oh! How silly." she giggled stupidly. "My name is Missy." Missy didn't waste time trying the cakes. Watching her, I was amazed at how well she fit into her snug dress having such an appetite.

After three of the glossy cakes were demolished, I drew the tray nearer to me. "I think I shall take these and–"

Missy attempted to snatch them from me. But I was much too quick.

"Let me finish my sentence!" I said irritably. There was certainly no way I could stand riding home with this woman. "I will put them in a bag for you so I don't have to stand here with the tray in my hands all day!"

Missy shifted in her chair. "Oh."

I rolled my eyes and strolled back into the kitchen. I stuffed the cakes in a sack and slung them carelessly over my shoulder. When I exited the kitchen, I found Missy yawning helplessly already.

"Sweet victory," I whispered.

Missy rose from her seat and took the bag from me. "Thank you." Another yawn. "I think I shall go rest. Do not want to be too tired to converse tomorrow!" She patted my shoulder. I shook her off. She turned up her nose and headed upstairs.

I ran back into the kitchen, nearly knocking Adda and Wade over. They were waiting from behind the door, watching everything.

"Feeling good?" Wade asked with a smile.

I tucked the loose strands of hair behind my ear. "Let's just hope she wakes up someday." I stuck the dirtied dishes into the sink and dried my hands. "Well! I think I am going to get some rest. I don't want to be too tired to converse!" We all sniggered at the mock. It was irresistible. "Oh... Wade, if you could have anything in the world, what would it be?" I had given Adda something. I had promised Mr. and Mrs. Heartha something. It was his turn.

"Definitely my own horse. But I don't take charity, if that's what you're getting at," the blonde boy told me.

It wouldn't be charity. He had helped enough to have earned fifty horses.

Chapter 9

Not even a yawn crept from my mouth when I woke up. The burly light of a new day spilled into my lap as I sat up in the tiny bed. I lifted my arms to stretch, but one of them fell. It felt heavy and limp. Then I realized: I had slept on it all night. My arm was asleep! I shook and squeezed it as I dressed with one hand. Though difficult, buttoning a dress with merely five fingers was not impossible. I flung it every which way as I jostled down the stairs. As soon as I hit the landing, someone grabbed my arm, and woke it up. I was dragged into the kitchen, and found Wade's face hovering above me, with a thwarted look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I kept my voice low, not knowing what the problem was.

Adda motioned me to the door. I walked over and looked over her head, out the door. The sight that met my eyes startled me completely. There was Missy, sitting nonchalantly with her hands set placidly in her lap! The look on her face showed she had a good nights rest and was ready for a full day of conversation.

I drew my head back sickly and backed up into the wall. Feeling conquered, I slid down onto the floor. "Now what am I supposed to do?" I whined. Then it struck me... An idea so brilliant that not even the devil himself could have thought of it! Well, maybe.

I huddled Wade and Adda around me and started the debate.

"Why don't you ride with me? It will be much quicker." I had to make sure we were both on the same horse, the only horse accompanying us.

Missy shrugged and allowed Mr. Heartha to help her onto Clupint. I kicked the horse hard, meaning for the jolt Clupint would make to start us off and take her by surprise. And it did. Missy yelped and clutched her handbag tighter, making her knuckles turn white.

Adda thought Missy's little bark was very funny. I looked back to see her little shoulders heaving, clutching her sides, and her face turning scarlet with laughter. She was over-dramatic.

Wade followed along in the woods where Missy wouldn't notice him; all part of the plan.

The governess gripped my stomach so hard that I thought my rib cage would burst into a million pieces. She was obviously afraid of falling off. Although Clupint was bouncy, he wasn't going to throw her off!

Finally I got fed up with madwoman crushing my abdomen.

"Oh, I lost my necklace," I lied. "Why don't you get down there and look for it?" I tossed my head with a haughty air, something a normal princess would do often. I bit my tongue to keep from birthing mirth.

"I would never make my elders do such things when I was your age!" Missy was obviously upset, and she acted as though she didn't care if she made me angry.

"That was so long ago!" I wasn't scared of making her angry, either. "Things are different now." My guts jiggled as my insides laughed. I heard a small giggle from the woods. I winked at the ever-so-patient-Wade. Then I directed my attention to Missy, who was searching for my 'lost' necklace. "You are taking much too long. Farewell!" I kicked Clupint and we sped past Missy, her jaw suspended in mid-air.

My plan was to isolate Missy, with Wade there to carry her safely back to the tavern. And it worked! My mouth flew wide with the smile of true triumph, once again. Then I thought of my new friends: Adda and Wade. Would I see them again? Of course I would! I would make sure of it. You do not come across many true friends.

Then I recollected everything humorous that had just happened: The look on Missy's face when I made it clear that I was higher ranked than her, how she yelped when Clupint had startled her, and the way she clutched me so tightly that I wanted to back-hand her. I burst out into a fit of giggles. I couldn't wait to recount my experiences to Brye! I looked forward too laughing all over again.

I gazed over the horizon at the peach-colored sunset. It made me sleepy, the beauty of the colors all mixed together. I decided to stop for camp early tonight. After all, I wasn't quite back into the swing of things. It had been nearly a week since I had slept outside. By the time my bedroll was laid out, the stars shone bright against the night sky. It brought to mind something LaShebah had made me memorize:

If you travel beyond the atmosphere,

You'll find enormous stars glittering here.

Glitzy, gleaming, glowing above,

The tiny, radiant, far flung bubbles are

Way too easy to love.

Back to earth: look out your window,

The once colossal burning orbs

Are now tiny and stunted,

And how big they are you don't really know.

My voice rang clear in the dark air. It was refreshing to have an audience once again, even if it was only Coca and Clupint.

Never ever take a star for granted,

Despite how minute and outlying they may seem.

Say a little prayer to God, to thank him for the brilliant gleam.

It didn't take long for Coca to get back onto my head after I had finished my connotation. The screeching monkey bounced up and down, making my head ache. I tore him away from my hair and snuggled him down beside me on the bedroll.

I tried to sleep, but all I could do was toss and turn. My head pounded and my stomach churned. Then I started to get chilled, and I hugged my arms. My fingers came across a gooey patch of skin that hurt so terribly, my hand bounced off as if were attached to a bow. Then I realized what it was: a cut from the Colies tail!

I started panicking. I thought the Colies cuts had all healed! I was positive! The only way a cut could re-expose itself like that was if... I had eaten rye bread within a month of the wounds. I knew that of all the grains, only rye could mix with the poison of the Colies tail. If that happened, the results could be fatal. I was in trouble!

Frantically I went over what I had eaten in the past week. Mostly porridge and chicken... I had tasted the corn cakes... which were made with... "Rye." I had to do something to get it out of my stomach! Recklessly I tore through my carpetbag until I came across a jar of pink lemonade.

"Thank you, Adda!" I cried. I slung off the lid and gulped it down till the last drop.

Then I sat down, ready to cry. What if that hadn't worked? Would I die because of my own stupidity? Tears brimmed my eyes. Then my stomach started churning like crazy, mixing everything up and down. Up and down. Then I realized that the poison wasn't going to let me keep the lemonade down.

Despite myself, I started hiccupping. I had drunk the lemonade too fast. And to make things more appalling, my stomach heaved. Out came the lemonade. I threw up until I felt as if my insides were coming out.

I tried to regain serenity, but the bile within me would not allow it. I burst into tears, tears of agony, of shame. Not even my mother could have calmed me down. I hugged my knees and bit my lip while tears flowed onto my dirty gown. Then I hiccupped. It certainly did nothing to soothe my strife. Then again it came. And again.

Scaring the hiccups out of people was a widely known remedy. But if it truly worked, I would not have been hiccupping, for thinking you are about to die is certainly bloodcurdling.

I decided to go out of my way to visit the Fairy Ocean. I knew there was not going to be any fairies around, but it had the healing power of any fairy, thus the name, Fairy Ocean. Luckily it was only a few miles out of the way.

Suddenly, a familiar voice filled the air. Two, in fact. I stopped Clupint and tied him to a tree. Hiding myself about fifty feet away from the horse and the monkey, I tried to decipher whose the voices were. After I was safely tucked away, I realized who it was as soon as they came into view.

The two soldiers.

This time, the soldiers weren't talking about me. Ten other men followed them all dressed the same. Their black steeds tossed their heads and stomped their feet impatiently. The tallest soldier had signaled everyone to stop.

"Someone did. I know it!" The commander exclaimed angrily. Someone did what? "If we are being followed, it will be one of your heads." The men stroked their necks protectively.

Had they heard me? Was that what he was angry about? Luckily I wasn't in a bush with thorns this time. But leaves were easy to rustle; the most tender touch could make a noise that would give me away. I sucked in my breath. But I couldn't hold my breath forever! I felt myself turn purple as I watched the angry man.

"We will not move on until the culprit is found." The commander was clearly determined.

Then what I feared happened. I let my breath go, panting loudly. Of course I was heard. I had no doubt that I was going to be pulled harshly out of my resting place.

Please let my dress be really dirty! I prayed. They can't know who I am!!!

I drew my hands close to my mouth and started whimpering as I was held half off the ground by my arm. I made my eyes bulge out of my face.

"What have we here?" The commander sniggered.

I made my voice stammer. "P-p-lease, I d-didn't mean, I wasn't doin' nothin', t-truly!"

The robust men burst out laughing. I had fooled them. Pride swelled up into my throat, but I swallowed it. I couldn't give myself away after duping them so quickly.

I started to chew on my tongue. I watched the commander as his laughter turned into a shriek of disgust. "Get out!" He took me by surprise. But the fierceness in his voice left me no choice but to scurry off, leaving my carpet bag in the leaves.

I ran off about half a mile before jumping into the safety of the trees. But I had to get back to my carpetbag! I wasn't worried about my animals; the soldiers had already passed them. But if they found the carpetbag I was done for.

My hands caught spider webs as I dug my way through the trees. The leaves crackled loudly. Nervous, I stopped. I couldn't make a scene. I didn't want them to know I was coming back, that I had left something. They would most certainly hold me captive and find the carpetbag. They would find the spotters, and my sword and scabbard that were packed into the bag. Then they would most certainly know who I was.

A bee buzzed past my ear. It left a trail of thoughts for my mind to catch, thoughts of hurrying so I could get the bag and be on my way to the waters. Thinking about my wound caused it to start pounding. I brushed my hand over it to feel how it fared, clenching my teeth in anguish. It was doing no better.

Finally I spotted the place where I had left my bag. It was about sixty feet from where I stood. The soldiers were even closer. One soldier started nearing the carpetbag's hiding spot! "Hey, sir, look!" My stomach tossed itself over, leaving my face green as he pulled it out of the leaves. Waves of doom washed over me.

"Must be the girl's. Stick it on the back of my horse," the commander replied.

"Can't I see what's inside it?" he begged. I shook my head back and forth, violently, until it ached with all the powers of darkness.

"No! We don't have time, you dimwit. Now do as I say!" He kicked at his horse impatiently.

So they had the bag, but had not yet looked inside. Fate was working neither my way nor their way. I held my breath and followed the pack which was headed in the opposite direction of the waters, of course. Fast, too. It did not take long for my feet to start aching. Huffing and puffing, I jogged after them in the woods as quietly as I could. The soles on my boots started flapping, and rubbish started filling my shoes. I could feel blisters forming, but I could not stop to mourn. I had to get my carpetbag. If they found out it was me, it could endanger all of Tentaleigh! I could be held for ransom or something worse. But my head was too drained to think of anything worse. I just knew that I had to get it back.

A root stuck itself out rudely right in front of me, knocking me to the ground. My ankle twisted all the way around, but I didn't hear it snap. But it hurt like it had. For a second I thought I saw my life flashing before my eyes, but then I realized it was just helpless tears streaming down liberally. And it was just a sprained ankle. Thoughts of dread and anguish tried to push away the pain with little success. I looked at my ankle, trapped under the root, and twisted all the way around. It was swelling noticeably, and the circulation was sure to be cut off if I didn't get it out from under the root.

If I tugged, I would scream from torment. But if I didn't, I wasn't sure what would happen. I was on my own. I had to make my own life or limb-saving decisions. My ankle was already the size of an orange. I winced every time I looked at it. But nonetheless, I had to look at it as I pulled the root from the ground to free my ankle.

Remembering that I was on a mission, I looked up to see how far the soldiers had gotten. They were grapes in the distance. Why was I thinking about food?

"No! We are late already." I heard them shouting in the distance. "We have a whole day to make up. We won't stop. Not tonight!"

My heart fell to my feet. I would have to run to catch up! My ankle throbbed as I forced it to move. I tried walking on one foot, but I nearly fell over. I grabbed a vine to keep my balance, and regrettably it was full of thorns. My hand slid down, still with a firm grip on it. The pain tingled in my hand.

I stumbled as fast as I could, rushing one leg and letting the other go as sluggish as it pleased. My good leg caught under a vine that rested snugly in the ground and tripped. Not wanting to twist the other ankle, I slammed my bad leg down to keep myself from falling. A surge of unbearable pain shot up my leg and knocked me to the ground. I put my fingers in my mouth and bit as hard as I could. My head started throbbing, and my stomach whipped around in circles inside my body. Distant voices started up, but I could barely make them out. Everything started fading.

"Fine!...double time in the morning. Tomorrow then... fast... now go..."

And I drifted into an agonizing swoon.

Chapter 10

When I woke up, I had forgotten all about everything. Until I moved.

"Ouch!" I shrieked. I shot up and looked around. Wiping sweaty hair from my face, I looked at my ankle. It hadn't gotten any bigger, but it hadn't gotten any smaller. I gently rubbed my finger over the black and blueness.

Then I remembered the carpet bag, and the soldiers! They were bound to be more than miles away. I forced myself to stand up. Another blast of pain ran up my leg. I grabbed the nearest tree branch and pulled myself up. Then, with a surprised gasp of relief I dropped myself again. The soldiers were camped right in front of me!

Silently I plummeted to the ground and started to arrange a strategy. It was still dark, and they were snoring loudly. If I could crawl over the sleeping men, I could get to the horse on which my carpetbag had been kidnapped from its resting place in the leaves. I stood up again and tried to steady my shaking legs. The quivering wasn't from nervousness, it was from pain. I just bit my lip and tried to ignore it.

On one foot I climbed from my hiding spot. The leaves crackled. I hushed them and tried to be gentler. Now out of the woods, I hunched over a bit. They were snoring very loudly. I sucked in my breath and stepped over a sleeping soldier. He didn't move, but I found it was easier to keep my balance if I was upright. Anyway, they were all asleep. They weren't going to see me.

One man after another I crept over. I had one leg over a man, striding over him. He let out a few words, and I was ready to run. But he was just talking in his sleep. I was about to lift my leg to crawl over him the rest of the way, when he shot a hand up in the air. His fingers clamped and unclamped, searching for something. I scooted from his suspended hand and lifted my leg. Then he moved his arm, and grabbed my ankle. My marred ankle. He squeezed my ankle, which was swollen and full of fluid. My eye balls threatened to pop from their sockets. I held my throat and screamed with my mouth closed, resolving that out of all the pain I had endured so far this was the worst.

My pounding head was screaming, "Let it go you daft combatant!!" I started getting woozy and swayed. Finally he let go, and I caught myself on the ground with one hand and one leg. Bit by bit I eased myself up to an upright position. Inches away from the horse that had my bag in cache, I bounced on one foot. I almost fell over, catching myself on the horse.

"It's okay girl," I whispered. I was worried about the horse waking someone up. But it was I who ended up doing the waking.

"Hey!" A sleepy groan startled me, thrusting a nervous feeling into my stomach. I spun around, and saw the commander pulling on his pants and pointing at me. "You..." My eyes darted anxiously from the commander to the horse. Commander to horse. The horse.

With all the strength I had in my good foot I pulled myself onto the horse. "Yah!" I kicked the horse, with both feet. And oh, did it hurt. My body throbbed in agony.

Quickly we kicked up dust. I looked back at the commander, who was yelling something. I read his lips. "I know who you are!"

I turned back around to force down the lump in my throat. He knew who I was. And I still had to go back and get Clupint and Coca! My head spun. I was in a whole lot of trouble.

After two miles I made a U-turn and started trekking through the woods. Mosquitoes threatened to bite and add to my misery, but my mood clearly threatened them in return. Pain had made me angry.

I ran into a spider web. While I wiped it from my hair, my carelessness let a branch slap me in the face. A horsefly used my indolence to sting me on my arm. Life was becoming intolerable.

I hung my head as the horse trotted along. Then I smelled something... like a fire. I took my carpetbag off the back of the horse and hooked my arm through the handle.

"Get up!" the commander was rousing his men. I could see their fire in the far distance. The smoke reached my nose, climbed to my eyes and made them tear. I wiped the crusty blood from my face with a tattered sleeve.

I urged the horse to be quiet as we approached them. The only thing separating us was a thin line of trees. Then the horse decided to get an attitude. It started beating the ground with its hooves, drawing attention to us.

Suddenly a pair of beady eyes was laid upon me. "You ain't gettin' away this time!" The commander pushed through his soldiers as fast as he could, trying to get to me.

My hand trembled as I tried to urge the horse on. It wouldn't budge. It knew its master! The commander clacked his tongue and made hand gestures telling the horse to stay put. It did. So did I. My head spun, knowing that I could not in a million years jump off and run. Not with my hurt ankle. My bottom lip started trembling.

Then something started coming towards me, but it looked like a dream. My mind was hallucinating, seeing miracles. I thought I saw Clupint with Coca on his back, urging him faster. Impossible. I nearly laughed aloud. Then I could feel the ground beating beneath me. The mirage was now so close I could make out the flared nostrils on the horse. As it drew closer, and my eyes sought after the miracle, I started to believe! It was a real horse, and mine! As it flew by I took a leap of faith and fell off the commander's horse and onto my own. I lay across real sweet smelling, course hair that was so blonde it nearly blinded me. My Clupintisaur. I jumped off the commander's horse and threw my carpetbag onto Clupint along with myself.

"How did you know? My sweet, smart..." My eyes drifted to Coca, and so did my hands. I gave him his share of praise and he leapt to my head. My heart leapt with him; my spirits began to soar.

I did not wait long to turn around and head for the waters that would heal my ankle. It would be unfit for me to come home cripple.

When the long awaited sparkling of healing waters came into view, I let out a sigh. I figured with all my recent bad luck, somehow the ocean would have dried up. But it hadn't. I fell off the horse.

Now on the ground, I had to think of what mode of transportation to get to the shore. I could not use the horse because I was already off of him and had no intentions of pulling myself back up there, and I certainly could not run. The only thing I could think of was to roll. So I crossed my hands over my chest, and smiled somewhere deep inside.

I was not sure how I did it, but I rolled all the way to the shoreline without my injured foot once touching the ground. I blew air out of my nostrils as I completely submerged my whole body. The water felt so perfect, so clean and crisp. I waded out far enough to where my weight had shifted to something lighter, and I could hold myself up easily on one foot. I grabbed a handful of sand from the water and started scrubbing, exfoliating all the filthy, dead skin away. After I was done, I thought it safe to put down my injured ankle– or actually, my previously injured ankle. It was completely healed. My head swam dreamily, and I felt better than I ever had before. I tugged my drenched body away from the water and back onto shore. The land felt good under my newly restored foot.

After throwing the animals in to restore them for the rest of our journey, I curled up in a ball under a big tree right next to the water. Tomorrow I was going home.

All the force in the world couldn't have kept me from smiling. I pursed my lips, bit them, turned them upside down, but no matter how I tried, they would just flip back into a big grin. My heart raced, and my blood pounded. Any moment I was to see the castle of Tentaleigh rising over the hilltops. I forced Clupint to speed on, and I paid Coca hardly any attention.

Then it came! The glorious towers arose from the ground and pierced the sky. It looked magical. I gave out a long hoot for victory.

I sped Clupint up again. "Coca, get here. I don't want anything to happen to you. You could easily get lost!" I put the monkey on my head as I approached the gates. Then realizing my joy, I kicked the horse's sides even harder. Not trying to be cruel, of course, but I had to hurry him. The wind blew through my stiff brown hair, blowing the un-brushed mess behind me. I smiled into the sun. I heard cries from the guards at the gates, telling that the princess was back, and they needed to prepare to let me in. They seemed so excited! About me! I sighed, for the thought made me feel needed.

I zoomed up to them and stopped Clupint so hard he almost skidded. "Hi!" I squeaked excitedly.

"Hello, Princess!" The guards gave cheers for my return.

"Please open the gate for me. I am so..." I couldn't find the words for how I felt. Excited. Nervous. Everything you could feel wrapped up into one emotion.

Slowly the door inched down, finally thudding on the earthen floor. "Yah!" I whacked Clupint's flanks and we started with a jolt.

I was greeted by a servant who took my horse. He bowed stylishly, exposing a bald spot on the middle of his head. "We are deeply honored to have you back with us, your highness." I handed him the reins after I plopped off. He reached for the monkey atop my head.

I stopped him. "Do you think it's a good idea? He hasn't been around anyone in his life but me," I asked him.

"Maybe you are right," He smiled. I grinned back and brushed by him. I was eager to see Father!

I ran into the palace and tore through the halls. A manservant caught up with me and told me he was to escort me to the throne room. As we walked, I stole a side glance at myself in the mirror. When I saw what a sight I was, I stayed for a longer look. I was too thin and had straggly, wiry hair strewn about my head, and my complexion was freckly and sunburned. But one could tell what person lay behind the mess, and she was actually someone worth something, a person worth knowing. The freckles caught my eyes again. LaShebah was going to have a time with lemon juice, scrubbing them from my fair complexion!

When the doorway came into sight, I could spot father sitting on his throne, looking rather bored. His head was tilted onto his hand, and he was talking to his counselors. I broke from the manservant's grasp and blazed across the way into fathers arms. I took him completely by surprise!

"Oh, Father!" Despite myself, I started weeping. "I'm so glad I'm home."

My words came out in a hoarse whisper. I wept and kissed his neck. Then I stepped back, remembering my duty. I pulled out the box Byre had given me. I knelt before him and held it over my head. "I have brought you these as proof that I killed a Colie. And this," I pulled out the Faash's shoe. "This is proof that I fought off some Faashes on my way." Father took them in awe. I felt important as I stooped down before him. I felt like I had found where my destiny lay.

When I stood up and turned around, I found an embarrassing, yet astonishing site. The whole court was now in the throne room watching me. Like a wave they dropped to their knees. I felt Father rise behind me. He put his hand firmly on my shoulder, and ushered me down the long red carpet. Everyone surrounding me was in as much awe of me as I was of them. So many people at once.

"Princess?" I spun my head to the front and found Brye, kneeling in front of me. Then he stood, and held out his arm.

"Oh, Prince!" I threw my arms around him, ignoring his awaiting arm. I was tired of being escorted. And what a relief to see him again! As I hugged him, he seemed to melt into me. Then he lifted me up and spun me around a few times. He set me down, giving me a clear view of his sparkling eyes.

"Can you believe it?" I whispered to him as I took his arm. Thus we strolled inside, mocking a formal greeting.

"You did it! You really did it, Layla." His smile grew wide.

"I know!" Giggles of glee gurgled happily in my throat. "If it weren't for you, none of this would have happened!"

Brye protested. "It was completely your own idea to run away."

"Yes, but you came up with the idea to give me a chance! Stop trying to give me credit," I slipped him a sly grin.

But my grin wasn't returned; only an uneasy smile was offered. Brye pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down. As we began to eat, all the frowns were lost in merry chatter.

Chapter 11

I raised my arms out to the side while LaShebah was pinning my dress. I had lost so much weight that my old gowns no longer fit. But the one she was pinning to make snug was one she had prepared for me in anticipation of my return. Pale lavender, tapered at the waist, and a very full skirt. The sleeves bloomed far over my hands, but there was a slit exposing my elegant fingers. I was smothered in aromatic oils, making me feeling more like a princess again.

I bunched the skirt in my hand as I skipped down the stone, spiral staircase. Once again happy-go-lucky, and nonchalant. I was a princess again.

The chandeliers from above shimmered candlelight from their perches. I slowed my skip to a graceful stride. Firmly I grasped the marble railing, clacking my neatly trimmed nails on the dense surface. My smile was warm and friendly to the guest that waited below. Happily I swung the curls that had escaped from LaShebah's strange hair-do, carefully complementing my face. I bit my lips and let my hand clasp the skirt lightly, holding the delicate purple fabric between two fingers.

I stopped at the landing before continuing all the way down. People were dressed finer than I had seen in a long time. I spotted Brye. When he turned and saw me, his eyes brightened. He set down his goblet on a table and winked at me. As he started for the bottom of the staircase, I spotted two very welcome, very unexpected guests. My face grew wide with a smile. Adda and Wade! I waved at them, feeling animated. When they saw me they started in Brye's trail.

When Adda made it to the stairs I flew into her arms.

"Oh Adda! I had no idea you would be here!" I drew myself back from a warm embrace and held her hands.

"And I never realized you were so pretty," she sighed.

I chuckled, trying to ignore the comment. I didn't want things like that to overcome me; warriors were never vain. "Well, I am glad you are here."

Adda stepped out of the way and Wade took my hand.

"So glad to have you here! How did Miss Missy make out?" I smiled warmly.

Wade grinned. "Oh, you know. I guess she did fine. But I do not think you will be seeing much of her anymore!"

I laughed accordingly, and motioned Brye to step closer into our circle. "Brye, this is Wade and Adda. They were so kind to let me stay at their tavern and to offer gracious friendship during my lonely struggle." I turned to the two. "And this is my ever-long friend, Prince Brydon of Dreideth."

Brye turned to Adda, took her hand and smiled. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Adda." He winked. "And you can call me Brye."

"The pleasure's all mine!" she said in between giggles.

When Brye turned to Wade, he surprised me by being quite the opposite of the way he was with Adda. His eyes frosted over, and he leaned over in what seemed to be an attempt to bow. It was more like a resentful nod of his head. Luckily Wade was feeling more sociable, and he stuck out his hand. The handshake was far from hearty on Brye's side. It reminded me of something called jealousy.

"Well," I said stepping between them. "Shall we eat? I do believe that I am still famished!" Playing hostess was tough. Brye took my arm and led me to my seat as always. As we walked, I twisted a fugitive curl around my finger.

"You can tell your mother that I sent out twenty chickens yesterday," I told Wade. Adda clapped her hands. It was then I realized she was wearing the gown I had given her. The thought arose that I should go through my sideboard that night, and give her the ones I did not want anymore. My exploits on the road made me even more discreet with my clothing.

"Adda, would it be okay if you and Wade stayed the night at the castle? Tomorrow we could all go visit Snowy Falls. It would be a mellow, relaxing experience."

Brye opened his mouth in protest, but I cut him off and gave him a shushing look. "And... I have something for you, Adda."

Adda looked up with bright interest. "For me?"

I nodded, but then realized that Wade was probably the one I should have been asking if they could stay the night. "Do you think your parents would mind? I could send word to them."

He shrugged, but I could sense excitement in his spirit. "I suppose that would be fine. After all, you did stay with us for a week. I am sure it would be better than trekking back in the dark after all."

I hadn't thought of them alone in the woods at night. I knew how frightening those kinds of encounters could be. It would most likely be best for them to stay the night even if they did not want to, which they did. So no problem was presented... save Brye.

He pulled the chair out for me, and then took his place across from me.

"Wade, you and your sister may sit with us. You at Brye's right. Adda, sit beside me." So the two got the honor of being seated at the royal table. I saw Adda beaming with pride; only the royal, the Duke, the Earl, the Baron, their wives and royal guests usually sat at our table. Adda must have felt extremely important. Wade on the other hand, was lost somewhere. A look I had seen on Brye many times before.

I turned to my food, thinking no more of the boys' rivalry. My thoughts turned instead to the tranquil, peaceful little trip we were to take the next day. Snowy falls was a place high on Mount Verru. The temperature there can stay as warm as forty degrees Fahrenheit, or as cold as forty below zero. It was a magical sight, though. A waterfall, taller than the highest tower; a lake, deeper than the deepest cavern. The waterfall dropped not water, but snow. The vision of it was more astounding than anything else a person would ever see. But we would have to bundle up.

A hand came from behind me and took my empty plate. It was swapped with a bowl of frozen cake. Not my favorite dessert. Nevertheless, I shoved my fork into the crustiness of the wintry platter and held it to my mouth. I looked over at Adda, who was digging in with eagerness. Wade was doing the same. But Brye was feeling my thoughts- that they could have picked something a little more appetizing. He gave me a sympathetic shrug and shoveled some into his mouth.

I sighed and gently pushed the plate away. Just then the music started to play. I could hear the melodious harp. So majestic; my favorite. Then it got livelier, so I stood up and pushed in my chair. This was the time I was supposed to dance with people who would usually never get a chance to dance with a princess, because the royal table was still busy feasting. I strolled over to the ballroom floor. There was no door separating the two. It was one big room, so the people who did not wish to rise and re-buckle their belts could simply sit and relax, watching the dancers glide. Of course I did not wait long for a tap on the shoulder.

I was getting tired after four dances. The music changed on my account. The next tap was a familiar face. Brye.

After a dance with him, I politely retired. For once I wanted to rest before departing from the castle. I left behind many unhappy subjects. But what did I care? I was not your average princess!

"LaShebah, can you watch Coca for me?" I hollered while rushing down my much loved spiral staircase.

"Would that happen to be the thing that is... ugh! Trying to get on my head?" Her irritated screech floated down into my ears.

I took a second to give a hurried laugh. "Yeah, that would be Coca. He'll eat just about any fruit you put in front of him." Quickly I scurried down the rest of the way. I did not want to keep anybody waiting, and I was eager to get to Snowy Falls.

My stretched olive green dress rested flippantly at my ankles, and the sleeves were scrunched up to my elbows. My hair was knotted into seven different buns, each with its own unique design, but a few wisps were left forsaken, plastered against my damp forehead.

"Brye, do you have Clupint, Rebel and Dido ready?" I queried, checking off things from a list in my head.

"I've got it all, princess. Stop worrying," he grinned. Brye seemed a little more excited today about our trip than yesterday. He had wiped off his look of detestation.

"I cannot help it! And," I made a face at him. "Don't call me princess."

"Whatever you say," Brye looked down with a smile, and quietly added, "princess."

Adda gave a peal of laughter. Naturally, though. Everything made her laugh. I ignored his taunt and headed to the kitchen.

"Here, miss." Aola held out two baskets. She smiled painfully, as if her lips were pinned in a beam. Warily, I smiled back and took the four lunches. They were heavy. A good sign! Aola was quite a good cook, although her skills were getting weaker as she grew older. And her memory was leaving her. Last year for my birthday she made a mutton pie in place of a birthday cake.

"Oooo," Brye lifted up the white cloth and peeked inside.

"Leave it alone!" I scolded, pulling the basket away. "You can see it later, at lunch time."

The four of us left the castle and found the horses. They were readied and waiting, with our cloaks, scarves and shawls in bags on the back. We all got on, Adda and I on one because she didn't know how to ride well enough to go all the way up the mountain by herself, Brye and Wade each with their own. There was no way I would force those two to ride together.

After we were out of the safety of the castle walls, I could tell everyone was getting bored, and so could Brye. Afraid of what he might do, I started up a conversation.

"You like Dido, Wade?" I nodded at the speckled horse he was riding.

"Sure," he smiled. He ran his fingers through the classical white mane.

"You may have him. I have so many horses. And I really only want one. Plus, you said you would like to have your own." He opened his mouth in protest, so I cut him off. I knew what he was going to say. "Don't think of it as charity! It is a gift. Like Adda's gown."

Wade gave a warm look of thanks. I nodded.

And Brye seemed to be getting agitated. He reached his hand over, and slapped Clupint's flanks. Life stalled to slow-motion once more. The horse took off with a jolt that could have caused a whiplash, sending the reins flying to the ground. I closed my eyes and held on tight, screaming at Brye.

"Why did you do that?" My words were stretched long and loud.

Adda's eyes were shut, her forehead was wrinkled up, and her mouth was wide opened with an excited shrill. I closed my eyes but my mouth opened, sending out a laughing-scream. Then everything sped up again. I turned back and looked at the boys who were laughing. But Brye's laugh looked more amused, rolling up from his stomach and out his mouth. Wade looked as if he were half amused, half worried about us. I shook my head at his uneasiness and turned back around.

We rounded a bend, splashing through puddles. Clupint took a wrong trail, darting through stagnant water. Tree branches started whacking our faces. I pushed Adda's head down so she would not get hurt.

We could not stop the horse ourselves. I looked up to see where we were heading, and I got smacked across the side of my chin. Blood began to trickle down my neck. Keeping my head down, I looked behind us. I saw Brye, with Wade close behind him. They weren't laughing anymore.

"Stop us," I mouthed. He nodded solemnly, full of confidence. For once I was counting on that confidence.

I could feel the hoof beats of the two horses gaining ground behind us. I breathed deep and hard. But my breath was stopped short when I looked up to see why the branches had stopped clouting us. We were in a clearing, and at the edge of the clearing there was literally an edge. A cliff. A drop. I could see the valley below, and it looked two hundred feet down. If they couldn't stop Clupint, we were going to die!

My heart began thumping up and down. The border of land was approaching rapidly. My muscles tightened in fear. Every step, we got closer. And closer. I could now see down straight, the view from the edge. Then I saw two hands fly from behind. They each grabbed a rein, and jerked the horse. Clupint's front legs flew up, and he reared, bucking up both Adda me into a puddle of muddy water.

I wrenched my body, searching for breath. My hands dug through the mud, frantically searching for something to grip. Then Brye tugged me up off the ground, saying, "I'm– I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

Barely acknowledging his apology, I released myself from his grasp and turned to Adda.

"Are you all right?" I panted.

She nodded, seeming perfectly fine. Not even frightened, just dazed.

"You aren't," Wade said gesturing to the cut on my neck.

I shook my head. "Just a scratch. Believe me, I've endured much worse." I touched the blood with my fingers. "Let's keep going!" I trudged past them, leading the horse away from the cliff.

Brye, Wade and Adda followed. Adda was now scared of Clupint, and insisted in riding with her brother. I was way ahead of them, tromping through dirty puddles and moving waving branches from the midst of my trail. I felt important for some reason. I pushed my sleeves back up and wiped the beads of sweat from my brow. I could hear their voices, although I could tell they were purposely being kept low. I could make out the topic of their conversation. And it was about me.

"So determined, so fresh. I do not think anyone would be able to control her," Wade alleged.

"Well, she is determined. I will give her that. And there is only one person that can control her," Brye said. That was probably true. But who was he thinking of that could control me? I smiled stiffly at their comments.

I got back to the path, stopped walking and started twisting the bridle around my fingers. Who would have thought my mellow and peaceful experience would have turned out so... wild? At least no one got hurt. And I didn't cry, did I? I had a feeling that it would be awhile before I had a reason to cry again. I watched the three tramping in the woods. Wade and Adda looked like they had just had the most exciting adventure of their lives. But they probably hadn't ever done anything like that; Adda had probably never stepped on death's doorstep, lucky to fall back off again.

I pulled my hands out of the reins. I looked back at Brye, Wade and Adda, still walking. Rather slowly. "Hurry up! At this rate Snowy Falls will be melted by the time we get there!"

They quickened to a jog. When we were finally all back on the horses, I urged everyone to speed up.

Our horses trekked up the mountain. It usually got colder by the second. But for some reason, not one of us reached back for a cloak or shawl.

"Right over this hill," I exclaimed. "It should be!"

We raced over the hill eager to see the falling snow. But immediately our mouths dropped open with shock. The only sound heard was the trickling of... water. Snowy Falls had melted!

"Um, where's the snow?" Adda was the first one to speak. To no surprise, as soon as she saw all of us speechless, she started giggling.

I closed my mouth and made an effort to speak. "See? I told you to hurry up! Now all the snow is gone!" I joined Adda in a storm of laughter.

We jumped off our horses and went to investigate. The water was so clear you could see right to the bottom of the lake, which had once been a snow pit. The snowfall was now a crystal-clear water fall, with a rainbow streaking through it. The place looked like a piece of heaven. You could see behind the water fall, a platform that jutted out of the mountainside. It looked like a cave, barred in by walls of water.

"Hey, look up there!" Adda had spotted it too. She had already started climbing the rock wall that ran up beside the waterfall, and surprisingly she was making progress. But she was about to tear her dress.

I ran over to her and grabbed her off the wall. She wasn't heavy. "Hold on!" I laughed. "You are about to rip your gown. Why don't we shed these heavy carpets?" I suggested, all ready stripping down to my camisole. There was no one there to see us! But still, Adda's mouth was broad with horror.

"It's okay, silly! I am sure they would understand."

"Everyone but LaShebah," Brye said, walking up behind us.

"Well, you don't have to tell her," I reprimanded him, as they started climbing ahead. "Wait for us up there. We might need your help!" I grinned mischievously. I didn't really need help; there were not many things I need assistance with. All the same, I was the princess, and I felt like making them work.

Free of our heavy skirts Adda and I found foot and hand holes and started our way up. After a few steps up, I reached my hand skyward, grasping for a handle. But I did not find one. "If someone does not help me, I shall fall and perish!" The water looked mystical. "Help me," I whispered, trying very hard not to grin. I held my hand up to Brye, who took it of course. I could see that he had a good hold, so I made myself dead weight. I saw his eyes bulge and his muscles tighten. He was only holding on to me with one hand. He lifted me a bit, then panted, "Find a foot hole or I'm going to drop you."

I found a foot hole just in case he was going to let go, and grabbed on with my other hand. "You would never do such a thing!"

"You really don't think so?" He let my fingers go one by one, until he had let go of my hand. After I was on my own, he chuckled and kept climbing up.

I started climbing up again, and I continued to climb. The wall was much taller than it seemed, and it seemed as if it were built for climbing: full of handles and gaps, not very steep. There were even some resting places. Huffing and puffing, I realized that I needed one of those places.

"Hey, guys? I need to rest. I am getting tired... and dizzy." The heat and humidity were making me woozy.

"Well, hold on! Lean up against the wall, but don't let go." The two boys started down towards me, almost racing.

"I am not going to fall, if that's what you're thinking!" I laughed. But as I swayed, I began to have second thoughts.

"Nope, you just hold on." Brye jumped onto a ledge and stretched his arm down. "Come on," He urged.

It was then I realized how much I needed a rest. I looked up, but things were starting to get blurry. "Uh-huh." I reached my hand up, meaning to meet his, but I grabbed at a double.

Through the haziness I could tell Brye's jaw was set. I watched him catch my arm and pull me up onto the outcrop. When I was sitting down, I fanned myself with my hand. It was not like me to have such a weakness! For a second I was quite ashamed, but then understood that it was merely the heat that had caused me to lose myself.

"It's not far. See?" Brye pointed up at the cliff protruding from the side of the waterfall. Wade was already up there now, and Adda was being elevated up by the two strong arms of her brother.

I nodded. "I can make it now." I stood up and grabbed for a visible handle, but I missed and began to rock. I lost my footing and almost fell off.

Brye caught me, "No you can't."

I pushed his hands off of me, determined to get up there myself.

"I'm almost sixteen now," I pushed my foot into a gap in the rock.

"I think I can do this myself."

Brye pushed me up anyway. Wade grabbed my hands and pulled me into the cave. I sat down, and scooted myself closer to the waterfall. I took some water and splashed it in my face. Somewhat revived, I looked around. It took my breath away.

The sky was nearly violet through the transparent falling curtain of water: a rainbow tied a ribbon of color to the dense cavern. Drops of water fell from the ceiling creating tiny splashes on the stone floor. It smelled like it does after it rains, and the air comfortable. I hugged myself in awe. The air glittered with vigor. I spun around, looking everything over again and again.

"This is... is glorious!" I smiled in amazement.

Brye climbed in and took a look also. "Wow," he breathed. Then he started tapping his foot. I looked at him with uncertainty. But then I knew. He took my hand and started twirling me around and around. Adda grabbed Wade, forcing him to do the same. The world passed me in a whirl. We started getting close to the edge of the cave, near the waterfall, and I started getting nervous. I was spinning, swirling and twisting towards the edge! Then all of the sudden I stopped, leaning half way over the edge. Brye held me with my face in the water, tauntingly. Then he pulled me back out of it, and away from the edge, still spinning.

When we finally stopped, I was so dizzy I couldn't stand. "What a wonderful friend I have! Spinning me sick without even a hint! How thoughtful," I battered sarcastically and grinned.

He gave me a weird smile, crooked and half-lost in another world. I massaged my temples trying to make the world stop whirling. "Oh, my. Can you imagine what LaShebah would say or do, if she saw us now?" I laughed.

Brye sat with his knees up, tapping the damp stone floor with his fingers. "She'd call us a disgrace," he looked up.

I glanced at Wade, who was obviously lost. "Who is LaShebah?" He asked.

"My nanny. She has– or was supposed to –ensure my transformation into a lady after my mother's death." I looked away half wistfully. "She did not succeed."

"Oh, your mother? I do not know what I would do if my mama died!" Adda exclaimed, and then wandered off without anyone noticing.

Chapter 12

The three of us began to talk. We talked of food, horses, and why I didn't bring Coca. Lost in conversation, we didn't notice that Adda was nowhere in sight. "My, Adda is quiet!" I was actually talking to her, but not directly. When she didn't say anything, my heart leapt with fear.

"Adda?" I got up, and looked around the tiny cavern. She wasn't anywhere to be seen! "Adda?" I called again. If she wasn't up here, could she have fallen? But certainly we would have heard her. "Guys," I whimpered. "Adda's gone!"

I saw alarm rise in Wade's chest and his brow crease. He looked like Adda when he did that. She always had a silly serious look about her. Oh! We had to find her!

I lay on my belly and peered over the cliff. All I saw was a shimmering mist.

"Hey, look!" Brye waved his hand for us to come. There was a small slit in the back wall rock, just big enough to fit a small body through.

"Is she in there?" I asked frantically, rushing over to inspect it. I peeked inside, and sure enough there was a small body in there, not alarmed a twit. In her hand she held a small shimmering object.

"Look! It's a crystal." Adda shifted it in her hand, turning it over to observe. It sparkled so brightly that I could see little glows of light on Adda's face that had reflected off the stone.

Wade took the precious rock from his sister. From his pocket emerged some twine, damp as the rest of us. Then he entwined the two, making a necklace.

"Wow," I breathed.

"Here," he said giving it to me. "You can have it."

I took it and slipped it over my moist head. It rested just below my neckline. "It's beautiful," I said.

"Yeah, almost as beautiful as the diamond studded one I gave you," Brye replied defensively.

"Oh, Brye! You just ruined this beautiful moment." I tried to shut Brye up for Wade's sake. Not everybody got to give a present to a princess and receive thanks for it. Even if it were made merely with twine and cavern crystal.

"Every moment is beautiful with you," Wade said with a strange reflection in his eyes.

"Um... right." I brushed past him quickly. When I glanced through the curtain of water, I saw the setting sun. "Oh!" I gasped. "It is so majestic."

Adda came and stood by me. "Yes! I love the pink clouds. I do not care a whole lot for the orange or purple, though," she stated thoughtfully.

"Oh, I like it all! It is so magical," I declared.

"No matter how beautiful, we will have to be leaving soon. It will get dark shortly, and we might not know the way back," Wade declared.

"You may not know the way back, but I certainly do. If I didn't, we would have left hours ago! We will stay until the princess gets tired and decides it is time to leave," Brye huffed defensively.

I shook my head. I would rather him not refer to me as 'the princess'. I watched Wade reproachfully walk off and sit on a lonely rock. "Well I have gotten tired and decided it was time to leave." I concealed a yawn in vain. There was a real reason I wanted to go, even though I was not really getting tired: I did not want to get too sleepy to climb by myself.

Wade carried Adda over to where she was to climb down, protesting all the way. "I can walk by myself!" But he carried her against her will all the same. I watched her disappear from sight. Reluctantly I pulled myself from my comfortable rock seat at Brye's bidding. Brye's bidding? Surely I wasn't submitting to him. Could he be the one that was able to tell me what to do, to be able to control me? No. Definitely not. I quickly pushed the thought from my mind.

The whole way down the cliff I was nearly sliding. Luckily getting down was easier than climbing up. I was even more tired than had I thought. I glided off the rock and onto Clupint. The air had started to get chillier, and I rubbed my arms. We started off slowly. Very slowly. It seemed that the animals were sleepier than we were. I looked back for my last glimpse of the magnificent sight. But what really caught my eyes were... two gowns, two pairs of boots, and two pairs of stockings!

"Adda!" I shrieked. "Our clothes!"

Her mouth turned into an oval shape, her top lip brought as far down as it could go. We both jumped off the horse and rushed back to the wall. Our things were hanging, waiting for us. And the boys weren't going to say anything, either! Just like Brye and Wade, I looked back, and I could tell by their hysterics that they would have let us go home wearing nothing but our camisoles. Everyone would fall over when they saw us, white with shock.

We quickly started throwing things on. The whole time I kept my eyes on the boys, who were bound to run off and leave us. Then as if they had read my mind, they took off like an arrow! We had almost finished putting our things back on, except for our shoes. We started scurrying, falling over from trying to put a shoe on and running at the same time. They were going to get it when we caught up!

After dropping Adda and Wade off at their tavern, Brye and I were approaching the looming castle. In the dark, it looked haunted. The towers rested in the distance like dragons, and the orange flags looked like fires emerging from their mouths. But I was too tired to let the sight frighten me.

The guards let down the drawbridge. The thunk of the wood hitting the earth did not wake me up as I had hoped it would. One eye closed, one open, I entered the castle and climbed up the stairs to my room. I stripped off everything but my boots, completely forgetting about them. I plopped onto my bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. It was a good thing Brye had offered to go tell my father that we were back home.

"Did you have a good time yesterday?" LaShebah fluffed my pillows as I got dressed. "You didn't get cold, did you?"

I chuckled lightly as I pulled on my stockings. "Not exactly."

"Oh, good. Then I sent enough extras." She finished and set the pillows in a neat row.

"Actually," I started. "We didn't use the extras."

She looked at me, baffled.

"Snowy Falls had melted."

I watched her brow crease and her arms sling to her hips. Her smile slowly faded. "Oh. It must have been this appalling summer we had. And with all the rain!" She clacked her tongue thoughtfully. "I wish I had known. You could have worn something lighter!"

I stifled a giggle. "We were fine." I kept my mouth half closed.

"I will tell your father to have Surianna freeze it up again," LaShebah said. Surianna controlled the weather in Tentaleigh.

"No!" I said frantically. "It will freeze up on its own. And anyway, it is so perfect the way it is. Oh, LaShebah! We watched the sun set from behind the waterfall."

She folded a blanket and placed it at the end of the bed. "Behind it? How did you manage to climb with your heavy skirts?" She looked surprised.

"Oh, you know... I am accustomed to hard work now, and I, uh..." I trailed off, not wanting to give the fact away that we took off our heavy skirts.

A manservant entered the room. "Princess Layla, your father, his Excellency King Duryea III awaits your presence in his study." So formal. Could he not have just simply said, "Princess, your father wants you. He's in his office"? Even excluding the 'princess' part would be nice. The servants' way of speech made absolutely no sense to me.

I slipped out of the room. Hopefully LaShebah would forget her curiosity before she saw me again. I did not want to see the kind of fit she would throw if she only knew the truth!

I skipped flippantly down the hall. What did he want? Maybe a special request. Uh-oh. What had I done? Maybe it wasn't something I did, but something he wanted to give me. Most likely not. I held my breath and knocked on the door to the study.

"Come in." His gruff voice boomed from inside.

Timidly I pushed open the door and let myself in. The old floor boards creaked under my feet. "You wanted to see me?" I tried not to sound nervous.

He looked up, and for a second his eyes seemed far away, out of focus. "Oh. Yes, I did." He pushed his chair from his desk. "As becoming your present age, I have arranged a new bedroom for you. The nursery you live in now..."

I shut out his words. I did not want a new room! I loved my present one! "It's not a nursery!" I fumed, clenching my fists and biting my lip.

He didn't look the least bit concerned. "No matter. You still need a new one. Sixteen is a year of change."

His words were so meaningless! They almost seemed rehearsed!

"Do not defy me, daughter. It is about privacy. You need to be farther away from the stairs, where traffic is common."

Not the staircase! Oh, my beloved spiral staircase. I squeezed my eyes shut. Why? My only guess was that when we had visitors, guests, he did not want them anywhere near me. My head threatened an angry outburst.

"Rolphene!" Father stopped a passing manservant.

The manservant bowed deeply, but said nothing.

"Would you please show the princess to her new room?"

The servant got a far-away look in his eyes, then nodded. As I followed him, his eyes purposely avoided mine. He was a young manservant, probably in his twenties, with light brown hair and thin stubble. His eyes were such a pale blue that it was haunting.

"Is there something I do not know?" I asked subtly.

He turned and stared bluntly. "No your highness."

Fake drama bit at my earlobes. There was something I did not know. And I had to find out. I followed the manservant very closely, almost at his heels. We ventured far from the staircase, the opposite direction of my real room. Up another set of stairs, although hardly like the grand, gilded, marbled ones I cherished all my life. My new flights of steps were gray and disturbing, and the corridor surrounding was so cold and narrow that I could hardly breathe. When we reached the top, a dirty man with a black, metal box hurried past us with a brief tip his hat. A locksmith.

"Gaday, princess." A short-lived, curt, and meaningless greeting. His eyes also avoided mine.

Then we stepped into an even colder room. It was lifeless, colorless, and numb. Not a cranny of cheeriness was hidden anywhere.

"Your father wishes you to move in tonight, and he also wants you to know there is to be a ball held in your honor, tonight also." The manservant jerkily walked backward out of the room, then vanished from sight.

It was then I decided I would spend one night in the new dungeon, but no more. In the morning I would renegotiate and return to my old room. Tonight I would let everyone believe I had surrendered to Fathers wishes, yielded to his cruelty. I needed a night to plan.

I fled to my old room, where I found LaShebah laying out my gown for tonight. There was a noticeably vast emptiness in her eyes.

"There you are, love." Her words were limp. "I have been waiting for you!" She walked towards me with a strange smile. "I made you another new gown!"

Lying on the bed was a silver dress with a scoop neck and a tapered waist. The sleeves looked as if they fit snugly, and then would dip down past my fingers in a flare. It was magnificent, but it reminded me of cold, gray stone.

"It's beautiful, though," I sighed. My fingers grazed over the diamonds that ran across the top. Then I noticed that a slit ran all the way down the sleeves, sewn together in places with light leather, exposing skin when worn. Interesting. Most definitely something I would wear.

Chapter 13

I tugged the new gown over my head. It was hard to get my arms through the sleeves without my fingers getting caught on the other openings. I entwined my tiara into my mass of braid and coils that LaShebah styled my hair with. I stood looking in the mirror. I looked like a princess. I bit my lips, giving them color. Why did I look like someone I wasn't? I slumped for a second, and made myself look fierce. That did not look like me. I stood up, back straight as a board, chin titled up ever so slightly, with an important air. That was me. Princess Layla. No, not princess. Just Layla. The lone princess of Tentaleigh.

I looped my middle fingers through the holes made for my fingers in the skirt and started downstairs. I relished the last time my fingers would browse over the marble so freely. The hand railing was cold, but it had an inner warmth. Something that the other staircase did not have. But it would not be the last time! I had forgotten that I was to make a deal with father, and get my room back. I needed to shove all worries away and enjoy myself tonight!

I looked around for Brye standing on my tiptoes at the foot of the landing. Finally I saw his ocher head above the crowd. He certainly was tall. When he got to me, he took my arm without a word.

"Don't tell me you're not going to look at me, either!" I exclaimed above the chaos.

"What?" He forced a fake laugh. Play-acting. He glanced at me.

Then everybody moved from our path, and I realized I was standing on a red, velvet carpet. "Um," I whispered. What was going on? I hadn't had this kind of treatment since I was christened.

"Make way, for her majesty, Layla Abbel, Princess of Tentaleigh!" A voice boomed from somewhere I could not see. Trumpets blasted way too loudly inside a building. Everyone turned and smiled. Everyone. Suddenly, I was nervous. I swallowed panic that had formed in my throat. One trembling foot after the other, I followed Brye's lead down the center of the walkway. I couldn't look anywhere but straight in front of me, so I did not see the rumple in the carpet. I looked down right as I stepped on it, but I didn't trip. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground! Why had I fallen? I was splat on the ground for no apparent reason. Then I realized that an old man had straightened out the wrinkle, just as I stepped on it. I did not dare look anybody in the face now. I got up and dusted off. I could feel my face the color of a plum. I heard a muffled laugh from beside me.

"Brye!" I whispered.

He gave me an innocent look and shrugged his shoulders. He had embarrassed us both. But why be embarrassed? Me? Warriors were not nervous, never embarrassed. Were they? I lifted up my chin and walked tall. I was important. Not embarrassed.

As soon as I regained my composure, I stumbled. Luckily I did not fall on my face this time. But Brye laughed out loud! And it was his turn to look embarrassed. He turned red! He had never done that before.

After eating, I arose to dance. This time Brye was done eating early. Everyone seemed extra pleasant and polite tonight. After a few dances with Brye, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I could tell by the look in Brye's eyes who it was.

"Wade!" I spun around. His mood seemed extra happy. I watched Brye reluctantly retire.

"I have something to tell you!" Wade exclaimed after one dance. His expression worried me somewhat. I crossed my fingers, praying he wasn't going to ask to marry me. It was common for commoners to do something like that, even if they were not eligible. He led me to a bench. I quickly pulled my hands away.

"Yes?"

"Layla, I am joining your father's militia!"

Inside, I wiped the sweat from my brow. That was a relief. Now at ease, I remembered to smile. "That's wonderful, Wade!"

He nodded with vigor. "Now I can be closer to you and your family!"

I chuckled inside. Wouldn't Brye be happy!

"Yes, um, well, isn't that dandy!" I rose from the bench. I looked over, and Brye was motioning for me to follow him outside. I started after him into the garden, where we sat on a stone bench.

"Tell me, Layla, would you ever turn against me? Become my enemy, for any reason?" he asked carefully.

"No, of course not. But... why?" I furrowed my temple and cocked my head, in deep confusion.

He smiled and laughed nervously. "Oh, you know! I see you with Wade, and I want to make sure you two aren't going to run away or something!" I could tell that was not really what he was trying to tell me. He wouldn't worry about something like that. What wasn't he telling me? Was it the same thing no one else would?

Brye opened his mouth like he was about to say something, then closed it and sighed. "Well, enjoy yourself tonight." He patted my shoulder and left me alone amidst the greenery.

Whatever it was, I would have to find out in the morning. I left the garden and entered the ballroom. Adda grabbed my arm.

"Come do the Optyloue with me!" She tugged at me.

The Optyloue was a dance one usually did alone, but a partner was optional. It was more of a little kids' dance. Should I be caught doing something like that?

"Sure," I said.

And that ended up being the last dance before I went to bed.

Sunlight peeped through my window. My new window. Even though I hated this new room with a passion, I knew I was about to get rid of it, and that made me cheery. I opened my eyes to the glaring sun, then closed them again. Reluctantly I threw the covers off, and sat up on the side of my bed. I slipped my feet into my warm, woolen slippers. I stood up and slipped my silk robe on. I started for the door, but first I went over to my window and threw open the curtains. No matter whose room it was, it needn't be so dreary!

Satisfied, I headed towards the door again. I stuck my hand in my sleeve, to keep the cold stone knob from freezing my hand. I twisted it, but it didn't turn. I stood there for a second, dumbfounded. But then I realized that it was probably my silk sleeve, and it didn't have enough grip to turn such a knob. Bracing myself for an icy jolt, I grabbed it again and turned. Really hard. But it didn't turn.

It was locked.

Eyes wide, I stumbled back on the cold stone floor and fell onto my bed. I sat, heart jumping in my chest, trying to grasp what was going on. Then I figured it out. Father. He had locked me up, something like Rapunzel. Only I was different. I needed to be free! Like a bird in the sky. I was not meant for heavy chains. I was not meant for merely one room. I needed to roam! Roam and be free! But all of my dreams had been shattered at once, leaving me a barely breathing heap atop my bed.

I should have known something like this would happen. Everybody acting strange yesterday. The only bedroom in the castle with a lock on it. Brye's making me promise never to turn against him. Brye. It was him! My mind flashed back, remembering father's letter: "Brydon has come up with the idea, and I have now consented." It was his own idea to get me home! And to keep me here! And I thought I was the selfish one!

I jumped up and crossed over to the window. I examined my choices carefully. I was over the moat, so plan A would be to jump out and drown. Maybe at least they would feel bad. Plan B was to stay locked up forever.

My heart dropped to my feet in dismay. There had to be another alternative! I couldn't figure out which one was worse. Dying fast by falling into waters of doom, or dying slow by being driven into forlorn insanity. I was still dumbstruck at the idea that father had been so devious as to lock me in my room, and... take Coca! Where was he? I had him in bed with me last night! But now he was gone!

I ran over to the door and started banging on it with my fists. If I was going to be kept imprisoned, they at least had to give me my monkey! With all my might my balled hands drove into the door. Finally someone came and opened the door. The man did not say anything, just loomed over me in silence.

"Where is Coca? Give him to me now, or I'll..." I started shoving demands in his face. "If I am imprisoned like a criminal I have a right to my pets! Where is he?" I broke off, panting. The man stepped aside. Brye came into view, holding Coca in his arms. His warm gaze met my cold gaze.

"Here, I took care of him last night."

My eyes did not shift as I retrieved the monkey.

He sighed. "Listen, I know what you're thinking. It wasn't my–" He stalled, startled by my hateful look.

"Brydon, I cannot talk to you right now." I turned and faced the window.

I had just called him Brydon. I was really angry.

He came over and stood by me. I kept my eyes focused on the glass. I was so angry at the world, angry at father for locking me in, angry at Brye for bringing me home.

"Now listen–"

"No you listen!" I cut him off. "You don't understand anything! You don't know! My whole life has been ruined, shattered, because of you!" My hand flew to my mouth. I had accused him too quickly, by the look of Brye's expression. I began to reconsider whether he really had been part of this. I had just blamed him falsely for ruining everything, and now he looked as if he could have died that second. Like his eyes were ready to brim with tears. But they didn't. Mine did.

"I'm sorry!" I let him put his arms around me, comforting me. Then I drew back. "I just don't know who to believe," I bit my quivering lip. He tilted my chin up with his square finger. I stepped back. Shaking my head inside, I said, "Thanks for taking care of Coca." He understood I was hinting for him to leave. He nodded and headed out of the room. I slumped onto my bed. How could words describe my misery, my despair?

I didn't know what father planned to accomplish. If he wanted to keep me confined, he could at least let me roam the castle. My spirit was breaking. I felt so unloved. I tore in rage at pictures of everybody that had fooled me in my mind. I had to get out. But how? I could not ask Brye. Last time I asked him for help, it got me brigged in a dreary tower. Imagine! Locked up in a room with only a monkey for company.

And the room– oh, the room! It was gloomy as could be! They didn't even bother to hang my favorite tapestries. What a major lack of color. Maybe if I requested a livelier room, a more satisfying place... maybe if I made everybody think I was absolutely content here, they would see their plan was not going to work and I would be released! That was my plan C. More like my plan X.

LaShebah walked in, eyes all red and puffy. "Is there anything I can do for you princess?" she asked with a quivering voice.

The thought that ran through my head was, "Yes! First, don't call me princess, second, GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" But I controlled myself. Screaming would mess up my plan.

"Yes. This place is nice, but it needs more color." I waved my hands about, as if I were planning the whole décor. "Some tapestries would do nicely. And- oh, could you bring in some flowers? They might help overcome the musty smell." I slapped a content look on my face.

LaShebah looked shocked. "I shall... get on that right away."

Chapter 14

It all worked out fairly well. LaShebah brought me my favorite flowers and my tapestries from my old room. All of them strongly believed I was content. I gritted my teeth at the thought. What a lie. I was in midst of bitter pain from a torturous life. One day whilst I was pitying myself, I heard a quick rap at my door. Knowing it must be important, I opened the door as slowly as I could. I had become the most irritating person in the castle.

LaShebah poured in like a waterfall. "Quick, Layla! Get into your finest clothes!"

I stared numbly at her.

She rolled her eyes impatiently and whispered, "You have a visitor."

Who would want to visit me, with my present moodiness? I put on my lavender gown, full of ruffles and detestable frills. After I was dressed, she put a silver band around my head, with a V that dipped down my brow. Sort of like a last minute crown. The second we had finished, I heard father knock on the door. I knew it was Father, accompanying my visitor. I sat down, as un-ladylike as possible, legs extended and ankles crossed, hips jutted out and arms crossed.

My eyes felt as if they were growing in my head as Father entered the room... with my guest. I immediately knew what the guest was. A suitor.

"Daughter Layla, this is Prince Easton of Drywood–" Dry brain! "–who wishes to seek your hand in marriage." Father announced.

I got that "look at me and I'll slap you" look on my face as I stood up. I burned with anger. I stood with my fists clenched, and made certain I did not smile. Feeling seditious, I decided to get loud.

"Father!" I exclaimed, arms flailing every which way. "I am not–"

LaShebah got a firm grasp on my wrist trying to shut me up. "I will not be quiet! Now let go!" I pushed her off. "I am not going to be married off to some brainless lout! Never!" I glanced over at Easton, a goofy smile resting on his face. "Now you might as well get out!" I shouted.

"You listen to me!" Father raised his voice. Something he never did. He started turning pink, then turned down his volume. "Prince Easton is seeking your hand to unite our two kingdoms."

"With a little encouragement from you?" I shouted back. This would not be happening if mother were still here. But she wasn't.

Then I got an idea.

"No thanks, but I thank you for coming, Easton. I am not doing anything until I am released." I began to act absolutely normal, and calm. I held in the wrath of hell that had built up within.

Father's face turned red again, and his mouth dropped open. No words came out. He just cleared his throat.

"Released?" Easton asked. He seemed to be completely oblivious of this whole situation.

"Yes. I am being held hostage."

Easton came forward and took my hand, and knelt before me on one knee. Oh please, I thought.

"Marry me, Princess Layla! I shall rescue you, from the claws of despair. Forget your life before you and come with me. You shall be free to do as you please, as we rule, hand in hand."

I stared deep into his empty green eyes, and saw nothing but rehearsed speeches and a bunch of play-acting. He had run his words together like he was reading them for the first time.

"I am sorry. But I fear I will not allow myself to do anything unless my rights, my privileges, my freedom, and my life are given back to me."

"We will return in a fortnight, so let this be on your mind," Father gave a few last words before leaving. Why couldn't I come to them instead? Then again, I was supposed to be making them think I was perfectly happy here as I was. But, I had probably just completely ruined that plan. But I had another one.

I watched as they closed the door. LaShebah pulled it to, but I stuck my finger in. She pulled tighter. I screamed inside. It would be black and blue later. I was ready for her to re-open the door and scold me for trying such a devious thing, but she left. She left me with an open door.

I was completely still for a second, until I realized... I was free! The door was open! But, what to do now? I thought with my hand firmly clasped around the knob. Then I silently slid out of the room. How nice a change of scenery was! I tiptoed to the stairway, and stopped. I looked to make sure nobody was coming from behind me. When I turned back around, Easton was in my face!

"Aaahh!" I stumbled back. Then I got scared. Fury and insanity were on his face. Maybe he wasn't as stupid as I had originally believed.

"Hold on!" Brye was at the foot of the stairs. "Don't say a word!" Oh, thank you Brye! He ran up the stairs silently. Suddenly my stomach leaped to my throat.

Brye put a firm hand on Easton's shoulder. "Now we are all royalty here, so no matter what we do or say, we won't be disrespectful." He breathed heavily, his gaze shifting from me to Easton. Two princes and one princess. Fascinating.

"But she was supposed to marry me!" he whined. "King Duryea promised! And now, since she isn't supposed to get out, I'm going to stop her." He grabbed my arm, but I jerked away.

Brye rolled his eyes. "She doesn't have to marry anyone. If Layla doesn't want to do something, she isn't going to do it. And she doesn't want to." He looked at me. "Do you?"

I responded with an insulted look. Only an equally idiotic maniac would marry him.

"Just making sure!" Brye almost laughed. "Now, you shut up, or–" He was cut off by soldiers running up from the rear and pinning my arms behind my back. I let out a wistful sigh.

"Well, farewell. I have to go back to the dungeon."

I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. Total boredom. Complete torture. I could come up with so many ways to describe my life. Desertion. Desolation. Bitter anguish. Dismal days. Hollow life.

My whole life seemed to be a failure. People tried and tried to explain why this was for my own good. But how could being locked up be good for a person?

Days dragged as never before. When father came in, I asked him if he could have a young chambermaid, like my age, stay in my room with me at all times. For a birthday present, since I did not even get a ball.

"That is not an option," He refused. Of course not. Not if it would make me happy. As he gallantly strode out of the room, tears grated through my eyelashes. The cruelest thoughts entered my mind. I pushed them out. I had to be strong, no matter what. This was a time of crisis in my life. But would it ever end?

Noises from outside awakened me with a start. Noises that sounded too harsh for an ordinary day. I heard the whinnies of horses and the clanking of armor. Armor? Oblivious, I quickly got up and flew to my window. I set my hands on the window sill and leaned over, looking out. Father's whole army was in a mob by the drawbridge. This early? What a time for a drill. Then I saw Sir Berthel fall off his horse. A stick was implanted in his chest. But it wasn't a stick.

It was an arrow.

I ran, got my robe, and tugged it on. Then I went back to the window. What was going on? Just then Brye burst in. His chest was rising and falling quickly from running hurriedly up the stairs.

"Layla," he said. "It's not a drill. We're under siege."

I brimmed with questions. Who? Who would attack us? Then my hand flew to my throat.

"What is it?" Brye asked.

I knew. The soldiers. The ones I had heard on the way to Medalia. The ones that I had outrun more than once with a twisted ankle. I explained it quickly to Brye.

"It's Aduhlajh," I whispered. "What do we do?"

"Nothing I guess." We both sighed heavily. There was nothing we could do.

At first I was angry at myself for not heeding the soldiers' jokes and not warning Father. But then my mind went elsewhere. "Wade!" I cried. "Wade had just joined father's militia the night of my last ball!" I choked on fear. "Oh, no." I could see from the window that soldiers were moving out. But I didn't see Wade.

Brye didn't seem too worried. That irritated me to no end. "You have to help me! I have to go see him one last time! He's my friend, just as you are. A friend. Wouldn't you want to see me one last time if you were in his situation?"

My last words startled him.

"Wade would let me come see you one last time," I said, determined.

"Oh, all right." His hands fell to his sides. "We'll go."

I got a mischievous smile. I was ready for some long anticipated action. "I'll be right out!" I shooed him so I could get dressed. Right before he was about to leave, a manservant knocked on the door.

"What," I droned wearily. The man handed me a letter tied with a dark green ribbon. I pulled the ribbon off and unfurled the letter. Tears pricked my eyelids. It was from Wade.

It told me not to worry about him, and that he would come back. It also told me to wear the ribbon in my hair. I sniffled, but I wouldn't let tears fall. There was no time for that.

I hastily shooed Brye for the second time and pulled a brown shift over my head. I wished I had had it on my quest, instead of my frivolous gowns. Then I tied the dark green ribbon in my hair on the highest braid.

I knocked on the door so that Brye would open it.

"Come on!" I said.

"Hold on a second!" He chuckled, grabbing my arm. "That way and you'll get put back in the dungeon." He pointed down the stairs. "This way and you'll be free." He pulled me towards a stone wall.

I looked at him, slightly confused, slightly amused. He wanted us to go through a stone wall!

"Look," he said letting go of my arm. He pulled out one of the stones. Through the hole flooded sunshine. But through a grating.

"I'm not that skinny," I said.

"No, keep watching." He got up in the hole, that lead down inside the wall. I leaned over and looked down inside. It was a slide! A trap slide!

"Whoa," I breathed. Brye got back out and helped me in.

"I'll be along shortly. Meet me at the stables." He took a kerchief, put it over my head and tied it under my chin. "So they don't know who you are."

He winked at me, then shoved me down into the hole. I bit my tongue so I didn't scream. The tunnel was dark. Moldy dampness rubbed all over me. I closed my eyes. I did not desire to see what I was passing through. I jostled up and down. But I was accustomed to fear. I could endure this. But it wasn't as if I had a choice. I couldn't climb back up. That would be even worse.

Suddenly, a dot of light appeared. It got bigger and bigger. Finally I shot right through it. I landed in a horses' trough. My nostrils filled with water. I sputtered for breath. I coughed as I got out of the manger. Several servants tending the horses stared at me.

"Sometimes I just get the urge to get wet, since I don't get no baths or nothin'," I said. I rung out my skirts and ran through the dirt to the stables.

I found Brye with our two horses. He had some armor, bits and pieces.

"Here!" He handed me a breastplate, a dark leather belt and my sword. "I'll take the helmet. You wouldn't want to cover up your pretty face," he smiled.

I blinked. Right. I put on the breastplate and stuck the scabbard on the belt around my waist. When I mounted Clupint, I felt like a real-life warrior again. And it felt good.

"Yah!" We started at a gallop, not even bothering to start slowly. This was war!

"Layla, I need to tell you something."

I didn't say anything. I kept my eyes in front of me.

"My parents are coming down tomorrow."

That jolted me. "Don't they know we are at war?"

He shook his head. "And they wouldn't get a letter in time."

For a second, I was solemn. Then I busted with laughter. "Won't they be surprised? And they only visit every four years!"

"Let's hope this isn't their last visit."

I caught his meaning. They could easily get killed trying to cross the border right now.

"We'll stop this. I know we will."

Brye smirked. "I believe you can do anything you set your mind to." His face expression didn't seem to share the same beliefs as his voice.

I changed the subject from me. "Who's in command?"

"Sir Perkrite."

"What happened to father?"

"He's sitting in his office right now. After the first arrow, he fled."

That didn't surprise me. "Where is the militia at now?"

"Just south of Bellow Hill." He leaned over and spat. "It isn't that far. We should be there soon."

As soon as I saw a mound of earth rising in the distance, I sped up.

"Probably a mile past here–" Brye stopped. I stopped.

Time stopped.

On and over the hill, men and horses were strewn in a horrifyingly bloody and lifeless mess. A lump rose in my throat. I could hear the cries of delirious soldiers, and could see helpless hands rising in the air only to fall again. The darkness of death loomed.

I jumped off Clupint. Frantically I leapt over dead bodies. The most horrifying part was seeing people I knew. When they reached out to me, I shuddered. I couldn't find Wade. Hysterically I turned over blonde haired bodies. One looked exactly like him from the back. I turned him over, and found cold, empty eyes staring back into mine. It wasn't Wade, but the soldier was dead. I helplessly started crying. Then I heard, "Princess?" I froze. It was Wade. I couldn't will my legs to move. I saw him, lying on the ground. An arrow punctured his stomach. Blood was pouring out. He was going to die.

I forced myself over to him, only to weep up a storm. But it wasn't just Wade that was making me cry. It was the whole scene, the whole setting: a male graveyard.

"It's... It's..." I wiped my face off with my wet sleeve. "It's okay, Wade. It's okay!"

He reached his hand up and fingered the ribbon in my hair. I winced as I watched him struggle.

"You wore it," He whispered hoarsely. Then he started coughing. I caught his hand in mid air. When he stopped, he looked at me with piercing blue eyes. It made me scared. And what about Adda? What would she do without a big brother?

"Of course I wore it. And..." I pulled out the crystal-twine necklace from beneath my shift. "And I wore this."

He laughed weakly. "Now you can remember me."

My lip started trembling. "I'll remember you... because you'll..."

He started breathing hard, too hard. He was almost vibrating.

"Hold on," I cried softly as I squeezed his hand. "Hold on..." I held on to his hand, unwilling to let go, as if he would die if I did. I leaned over him, getting his precious blood on my shift. Suddenly I heard war cries, whoops and hollers. We were being attacked again. I was in the middle of an active battle field. And I wasn't moving.

He continued gasping for air. "You know, you are so..." He coughed again. It sucked the last bit of life from him.

"No, just hold on!" I breathed, making barely a sound. He smiled, then his hand fell from mine. In slow motion. It hit the ground with a thud. And he was gone. I sat there, tears falling like shards of glass. I didn't know what to do!

Then I knew. I stood up. My jaw was set, making me look determined. And I was. I watched the enemy, who were practically on top of us now. I gave a cry back to them, screaming with all my might, my arms straight. I ran back, jumped on Clupint and rushed to the retreated soldiers.

"Don't you see all those dead men out there? They have just valiantly died for their country! And now all of you are hiding like cowards!" I cried. "Follow me! We will simply use determination to slaughter Aduhlajh!" Everybody's attention had turned towards me. "Who's with me?"

Swords were held up in the air, along with war cries. Everybody was ready to follow me into battle. Me. I nearly laughed with relief, and joy. We all got on our horses and ran off into the field, forming a line across from the Aduhlajhen soldiers. Words could not have explained my feelings. Here I was a sixteen year old princess, leading a battle against the enemy! We were out-numbered in people, but in spirit, we had already won. With thunderous screams, we charged full-force. The sounds of swords clashing filled my ears. I swung, not exactly sure what to do. I just followed my hands. Men fell off horses. Arrows buzzed past my head. Someone tossed me a rucksack of arrows.

I pulled back and let go forcefully. I watched as my arrows spun into the enemy's necks. When I turned back around, an arrow was spinning towards me. There was no time for me to think. It pierced my right shoulder, and I shrieked in anguish. I broke the arrow off close to my skin, but I did not pull it out, because it would have caused excessive blood flow. I threw down the arrow fragment in disgust. With a horrid temper I hurled many arrows. The smell of dirty bodies and blood inflamed my nose. Suddenly I fell off my horse. I looked up, dizzy. I saw horses galloping near me. Luckily I wasn't stepped on. Looking over to my left, I saw an arrow standing out of my shoulder. Both shoulders wounded, I was beginning to get weak. Would I die? I was not sure if I cared. When I got home I would go back in the dungeon. Or would I? Realizing that this whole experience was bound to change my life (actually, it already had), I jumped. But I fell back down. A little slower I eased myself up. Then someone grabbed me by my left arrow. I yelped, then screamed. The pain was so unbearable that it was blurring my vision. I looked up and saw who was dragging me.

It was Aduhlajh. Himself.

Terrified, I began to panic. Then I realized that someone like him wouldn't expect anything from a soldier like me– a girl like me. I struggled to pull out my sword, swung it and cut off his arm, releasing his grip on my shoulder. Before I dropped, I saw the expression on his face: Surprise, anger, and pain. Lots of pain.

Suddenly I was pulled up again. This time it wasn't the enemy. Sir Perkrite's younger brother, Conrad, was helping me onto his horse. He sat me backwards and I struggled to shoot arrows at whoever threatened from the rear. I was getting dizzy from loss of blood. Everything started going black. Then I was gone.

Chapter 15

When I woke up, LaShebah was fussing over my bandages. On both shoulders. Then I saw a familiar setting: my old room! I smiled and fell back onto my pillow. Was that a sign that I was free? Really free?

"Yes, Layla." LaShebah read my mind. "Get your hopes as high as you want. Everything has changed." She smiled, and I could tell she was happy.

I got dressed and went downstairs. Brye's parents were here.

"Look at you!" His mother crushed me in a hug. "And sporting white ribbons!" She thumped my bandages. I winced. I always thought she was odd.

I embraced his father less stiffly. He reminded me of Brye. After I greeted them, everybody rushed into the dining hall. I had really slept till supper?

Brye pulled me out a seat. I stood there, lost in thought. Poor Wade. Poor Adda. Poor Sweenlah. Poor Jedni. What a year this had been!

"Come on!" Brye brought me back to reality. I sat down.

Then without thinking, I stood again. I held my goblet high above my head. "A toast!" Everybody else followed. "To, Wade and Sweenlah." Nobody knew who they were, but they drank anyway. "For whom I am going to build memorial statues!" Father looked at me puzzled. I nodded at him.

"I need to talk to you after supper." Brye leaned over and whispered. I nodded once more.

There was no dancing after we ate. Everyone understood, because I was sore. And Brye was dragging me up the stairs.

"Hurry up!" He laughed.

"I am!" I puffed.

We went in my room. Brye shut the door. We both plopped onto my feather-bed.

"Now, listen. Your father is planning on locking you in again. This time in your own room."

I shut my eyes and threw my head back. Why couldn't I see these things coming? "So, what's the plan this time?"

He shook his head. "There is no plan. There's nothing you can do."

I was confused. Brye– Brye!– was telling me we couldn't do anything, just to let it go! Usually he would have had a plan, completely worked out! This wasn't like him. He wasn't a quitter. "W-what do you mean?" I stuttered.

He just shrugged.

"You can get me out!" I studied his face. "Can't you?"

"No." Every expression was wiped from his face. He was totally blank.

He just looked at me, stared at me. "But, I've got an idea."

That was a relief. I knew I could count on him. "So?" I wanted to hear it. "Your idea?" I hinted again. He seemed lost elsewhere.

"Well," He came back. "If you married me, you would be, well, free. And we could rule. Just think Layla! Your own army. No more boundaries." He took my hand. I pulled back. His hurried words startled me, took me by surprise.

"No," I blurted out. I sounded disgusted, but not on purpose. I was just surprised. The look on his face scared me, pierced me. Did I mean no? That was what I had just said. So yes, I meant it. Something felt forever changed. I was perplexed. I had just helped defeat an army that had our country besieged, lost a dear friend, and had a good meal. I thought everything was going to be perfect. Why did Brye have to ask me that question?

I looked up at him, his face a confused and puzzled mess. I knew he had expected me to agree. But what kind of life would that be, married to my best friend, my only friend still alive. I just hoped that I hadn't hurt him so much he would shun me and turn from us and our court. After all, this wasn't his country. He could leave and never return if he wanted to! But somehow I could feel that things had just changed, and that the change would be eternal. The road in our lives had just forked. But I couldn't marry him! Could I?

"What were you thinking?" I let my tongue slip. I bit it, wishing with all my soul that I could take back those words. A tear slipped down my cheek. Something inside me burned, but I couldn't place it where it needed to be. I let my head fall, and retrieved my hands from my lap. I stared at my dress. I had to avoid his eyes.

But I looked up, and saw something I had never seen before. Brye looked like a burning ball of anger and hurt. His jaw was set firm. A glassy, aching look was spread with a knife of torture across his face. How I wished to butter it over with a kind, forgiving word, but I was speechless. So quickly had it happened, that I was still in shock.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice cracking.

Brye said nothing, just standing up with a strong, prideful air. But I knew that he was hurt. He nodded at me, and made an effort to speak.

"We should go back downstairs. They will be wondering where we are." He sounded like he was talking to a stranger.

When we descended from the spiral staircase, the whole court stood waiting at our feet. Brye avoided my eyes and headed off into the crowd. Was I going to be able to live like this? I had to beg for mercy, grovel at his feet for forgiveness. My heart urged me forward. I ran through the crowd, weaving in and out of gasping people.

Finally I caught Brye by the arm, and he spun around. My tongue decided to tie itself in a knot, but I forced it to untwine.

"Please," I struggled not to cry. "You know me!" I begged.

"Yes." He stared beyond me. "I knew you." And then he was gone.

I ran after him, up the smaller stairs and onto the balcony. "Please listen to me!" I ran up beside him and placed my hands on the rail alongside his.

Then a horrifying scream pierced the air.

I looked away from Brye and his cold stare. Then a shriek leapt from my own throat. "Noooo!" A man, dressed in a brown cloak was behind Father. In my eyes, once again the horrid slow motion took place. Father was laughing, eyes glazed with excitement, his glass raised in toast. But before his goblet reached his mouth, a knifed grazed through his neck and knocked the goblet from his hands. But it wasn't like he was going to be able to drink to his daughter, not when his head lay on the table in front of his body.

Anger like no one else had known welled up inside me. I screamed, shrieked and yelled everything I could think of as I leapt from the balcony.

I fell, mouth open in shouts of revenge. I was falling, for what seemed like minutes, for life was still in slow motion. Pictures of how Brye used to grin and hang on every word I said drifted through my mind, as well as pictures of Father, shooing me away, and showing me my room. But then I landed. To my surprise, I was still alive. But then I realized I had fallen into a cake. Thank you, Aola, for making such a huge cake. Even if it was pink.

I was zapped back into reality as I stood up, and wiped pink frosting off my face. She knew I hated pink. But none of that mattered to me as the murderer zoomed by me, leaving gasping court ladies in his trail.

Without a thought I raced after him. I knew I was unarmed, and so did he. Of course he wasn't worried about a silly little princess following him. I knew that swords were kept up high. I began hoping I had grown an inch or two over the last year.

He ran out the door. I jumped as I left, managing to grasp one of the swords over the doorway. I hung there, using my body weight to pull the sword down.

I ran after him with all my might. I ran, and ran and ran. Finally I caught up with him. He had slowed down to mount his horse. I kicked the dust and dirt up around us, and screamed. It spooked his horse, just as I had hoped. The man jumped off the horse and rolled in the dirt. Then he realized I was there, and jumped to his feet like a flash of lightning. I noticed he was unusually short. Maybe I had an advantage over him. Literally over him. He looked up at me, and comprehended that I was a bit larger.

I raised my sword above my head as I charged. I was ready for my sweet revenge against my father's assassinator. The man took off running, so I followed. A shriek of anger still gurgled deep in my throat. He slid in the leaves, and I leapt on top of him and thrusted my sword into the heart of him. I started crying. Now I was the murderer.

I couldn't figure out what hurt worse, father dying, Brye shunning me, or what I found under the murderer's hood. "Sweenlah!" I screamed. Tears fell from my guilty eyes. "What... why, how did you..." I couldn't find any words for the second time today, as I helplessly brushed my hand over her face. But then I remembered she had killed father. "Why did you do it?" I found my voice.

"I was... jealous." Her glazed eyes scared me as she stared into my own.

"You are so brave, so beautiful." She ran her shaking hands through my hair.

"I'm sorry. I never thought it would end like this." A shaky smile crept across her lips. "Please forgive me, and..."

"Yes?" I cried uncontrollably, squeezing her hand in mine. Her voice just tittered, then her life tottered. And she was gone. Rain started to fall upon our faces, washing her blood away and washing my tears away. But my tears were gone only momentarily.

"Why me!?" I screamed. "What have I done to deserve this!?" I Shook with anger. I was angry at everyone: Father, Brye, Sweenlah, myself, and even God. The water falling from the sky should have been soothing, but instead it boiled on my skin. I felt like killing myself. Suddenly Brye appeared.

"You!" I pointed at him. He was to blame for one-third of my misery. I charged after him.

I chased him to the old terrace that had half-crumbled away. The walls were mere rubble that exposed the three-hundred-foot-high cliff we were standing on. I drew my sword and started fencing with him in a split second. Rage pushed with each of my vigorous blows. Although I was good, I knew that Brye was better. My theory was proved as I was knocked down, head hanging off the edge of the crumbling wall. I heard stones trickle through the air. I tried to remember why I was fighting him, but my cloudy mind was frantic. Brye pointed the sword at my neck, and I held my breath.

But then he started laughing, his old smile returning to his face. "You look good in pink," he said.

I couldn't help but grin. The rain had washed a lot of the frosting away, but my face was still coated. I gazed at his once-again-familiar face. My mind at ease, I came to my senses. I knew I hadn't gone insane. And... I knew I loved him. I did, I knew I did. Maybe I just didn't want to see it before, so it had taken a frenzied skirmish to make me realize it. I bit my lip, trying to think of someway to accept his proposal.

"You know," I said, pushing his sword out of my face. "They are going to need somebody to rule. A King and a Queen."

Brye threw his sword behind him and started to grin. Quickly he helped me up, and drew me close. It was then that I understood what had caused his stoniness earlier.

Our noses touched, getting stubborn frosting on Brye's face. I thought that something like this, between two good friends would seem awkward, but it wasn't. A sense of passion entered my world, like a pink cloud. Then we kissed. I melted into him as the rain washed over us. It washed over us as it had been sent from heaven to bring us back to our senses. And to rinse the frosting from our faces.

As we walked back to the castle, hand in hand, I could sense the beginning of something new. The sun was shining through the rain. My whole world seemed brightened... except for one very dark thing that left a dent in it.

"Brye, is there any way to lift the curse on the Forest of Despondency?"

###
