CHAPTER ONE

Mabel walked down the hallway looking tensed and worried, her heels made clicking sounds on the floor and it gave rhythmic notes matching the way she walked. Where could her troublesome daughter be? Was this a punishment for how disobedient she was when she was younger? Is this what it feels to be a mother? Mabel thought disregarding the environment and how her mood caught the attention of the servants trooping in and out of the place. She sighed as she entered a big room, a man sat on his bed with cigar between his fingers and smoke forming rings from his mouth. He turned sharply towards her and he furrowed his brows causing a stern look. " Modrick dear, have you seen our little devil?" she said as she sat close to him with fear visible in her eyes. "Come on Mabel, she's seventeen. She doesn't need to be caged." He said as he put the cigar on the ash tray. A smirk appeared on his pale lips, " besides she's just like you when you were younger. Your dad had to send search parties every time you disappear to meet your Shield boyfriend." "I was young and stupid, I don't want our devil turning out the way I did which is why we need to protect her. You have to help me find her, she's closer to you than she is to me." Mabel stood trying to show Modrick how serious she was. "Mabel my viper, let the young girl breath. She'll be back in no time. You're getting worried over nothing my dear.". The door went open and they both turned to the door. A sigh of disappointed escaped her lips as she was expecting her daughter to enter the room. Instead it was Charlotte; the oldest woman in the Hoods. She's seen as the wisest of all, legend has it that she never ages and she'll die only when the silver tree chooses another priest. "Was I interrupting anything?" She said with grin. "No, not at all Lotte. Have you found her?" Mabel said turning her attention to Charlotte. "No but I've sent the ravens to search for her. You shouldn't worry yourself my dear, she'll be fine plus she has her mother's spirit." Charlotte walked up to Modrick and collected his cigar, she lighted it and took a deep sip letting out rows of smoke in the air. "You know Mabel, she wouldn't stop worrying till she sets her eyes on her little devil. I tried talking to her." Modrick said as he stretched his hands towards Charlotte and she placed the cigar on his hand. He took a deep sip too and puffed out smoke. "You lots are disgusting," she said as she made her way to 5he door. "I won't rest till she's found, her opening is in few weeks and in few months she'll I eighteen and be crowned queen regent. She hasn't even attended the reformation classes and I can't afford to put our people in trouble." Mabel you're making it hard on yourself, you were also like her when you were younger. Plus, she's smarter than you are." Charlotte said and Modrick laughed stumping his feet on the floor. "Nice joke Lotte but it wasn't funny at all. Have fun you miserable lot." She said and left the room, the duo continued laughing. Mabel whistled and crow came flying towards her. "My lovely, mummy has an assignment for you," she placed a cube of frozen blood in it's mouth. "Find my daughter will you?" The crow gave a loud caw and flew away.

"Allegra! Allegra!!" The young boy yelled trying to find his friend who was obviously playing wild pranks on him. His pale white hair danced with the wind as he swung from tree to tree. "Alle…." He was cut short as Allegra jumped on his back from behind making him fall from the tree and hitting his back on the floor. "Boo!!" She yelled and let out a hearty laughter. Elliott grunted as he fought to stand on his feet, "not funny Allegra. Your pranks are too dangerous." He said dusting himself. "Come on Ellie , you loved it, let's do it again." She said excited as a child receiving it's first gift. "You know your mum will be worried about you out here, I'm sure she must have sent Rod to find you." Rod is her mum's crow who was known for its swiftness is spotting targets. "Don't worry about Rod, I've got everything under control." She said as she giggled covering her lips in a mischievous way. "I don't really know about this but I have a bad feeling, let's go to the square; it's safer." He said trying to convince her. "Look Ellie, you're a Hood, and Hoods don't get scared. We're the bad guys remember? Now let's do this little experiment and I promise we'll leave in no time." She said as she let down the bag she was carrying on her shoulder. Elliott sighed helplessly, "okay but you've got to keep your promise." "Promise my dearest evil pawn." She said then brought out a huge box like machine from her bag. " I've been working on this for a while, it'd be the best project ever to make us powerful. Let's try it." She bent down, meticulously arranging her project and paying attention to the fixings. She brought out an arrow from her bag. It had silver head and was no doubt from the silver tree. "Allegra, you got this from the silver tree, didn't you?" "What matters if I did? I wasn't caught plus I'm well protected." She said with indifference. "But you know it's dangerous, if the priestess finds out…." "Too bad she wouldn't . Why are you always scared, you're a Hood and we don't get scared over cheap feats like this. Donna isn't here cause she's always scared, don't make me exile you from the friendship, it's the best feat you've ever achieved. Now, would you stop whining and help me." Elliott nodded and helped her tighten the nuts. They placed the arrow in the box, "this machine can drain life out of anything it touches when fired the right way. Let's test it." She drew back as Ellie set the machine. "In one ...two …..three...". The arrow flew dragging her pendant with it. This pendant was a gift she acquired from the priestess; Charlotte. It was made from fragments of the silver tree and a tooth from Charlotte and her parents' blood. It was one asset she couldn't loose . "My pendant, it launched with it." She panicked as she packed the machine inside her bag. "I need to go get it, I can't loose it." "Let me help you, we'll find it together."

"No, Rod and the Ravens would be here soon and seeing you here is dangerous. You need to go home, I'll I fine.". She said handing the bag over to him. "Are you sure you'll be fine, I don't want you to get hurt." "I'm a Hood, I can't get hurt. Run as fast as you can." She said with a smirk. Ellie nodded and ran without looking back. Allegra breathed down then started running towards the direction she predicted the arrow went. She covered her face with a veil leaving only her eyes to be seen. It was important to protect her identity to avoid word spreading. Looking through her binoculars as she ran she noticed her pendant was lying close to the boundary. She had to avoid touching the line evincing the boundary between the Shields and the Hoods. Getting to the boundary, she noticed that there was no way she'd reach her arrow and pendant without touching the line thereby causing trouble for herself and her people. The only way to avoid it was using the technique her father taught her. The technique he called no weight technique which involved making her whole body weightless and placing a minute weight on her finger, that way she wouldn't fall even if she stood on her finger. She had not mastered it but left with no choice, she had to try. Taking a deep breath, she placed her finger on the floor. With her legs up she reached out to the arrow which was stuck with her pendant with her other hand. On holding it, she felt another hand on hers. She looked up and was struck with the image of a mysterious guy. His flowing black hair glowed from the reflection of the sun and his grin was tempting. Looking at his hand, she noticed the Shield sign on it. They both were trying hard not to cross the boundary. Instincts kicked on and she kicked him off and taking a stunt, stood on both feet carefully avoiding the boundary. She grimaced not hiding her disgust. "You must be a Hood," he said as he accessed her with his eyes. His eyes went from her face to her neck, down to her clothes, legs and back to her face. "And you're clearly one of the dickheads. What were you thinking trying to steal my pendant?" She said as she wore it on her neck. "You attacked us, I only saved my people and I demand to know why." She scoffed, "your people? Your deaths would be doing the world justice. I didn't attack anyone, I was trying out my project." "Well your project almost killed me and my friends." He was frowning. "Wow, it's so sad it didn't achieve that. I wish you all got burnt. You should be happy you survived it. Now, I have no time to waste on you.* She turned to leave. "Wait, you should be grateful I didn't lodge a report on your people. A thank you would do at least." She turned to him and gave him her middle finger and smirked. She hopped on a tree and with the vine swung to the next then disappeared from his sight. "Roberto," a young boy ran towards him. "Who were you talking to?" "It's nobody," he replied and mounted his horse galloping towards the town.

Allegra climbed her window and searched the room with her eyes. Fully convinced that there was no one there, she jumped down. "Ouch!!" She screamed as she elevated. She had calculated wrong and her mum was there waiting to punish her. Mabel held out her staff as the current from it struck Allegra causing her to scream. When Mabel was satisfied, she let go of Allegra. Where have you been?" She asked giving her a stern look. "At the square," Allegra replied weakly. "You should know better than lying," Mabel struck her again. Allegra screamed writhing in pain. "Okay, okay, okay. I'll tell you," she coughed as Mabel released her. She coughed and got on her feet. "I was at the woods," she looked up to her mum pleading. "Here was boring and I wanted fun." "You missed your reformation classes because of fun!? Allegra you're I a child, you'll be eighteen soon. You know nothing about our history, nothing about your duties as the successor of the throne and nothing about being a royalty!" Mabel couldn't help but yell. "My viper, take it easy on her." Modrick said as he appeared from the ground. "That's all you say Modrick but we've got no time and she'll ruin everything with her fun. You're grounded; no friends, no pets and no chocolates. And not even Charlotte's pleas can save you. Now clean up and go for your classes." Allegra was scared, she hasn't seen her mother react that way before. Mabel noticed she went overboard. She breathed down and hugged her daughter. "Allegra, my little devil. I love you so much and I want the best for you but if you play most of the time you'll never get to be queen of the Hoods. We have to live up to expectations and never let our people down. Your cousin Matilda will keep you company and help you get accustomed to our ways." She patted her hair and smiled. "I trust you my dear, you'll make mama proud." Mabel left the room but not without giving Allegra a kiss on her hair. Modrick held her hand, "your mother means well for you. Please don't take her punishments to heart and don't hate her. I'll take you to play Archery tonight when mother would be busy at the council." He winked at her and she smiled. "Thank you papa, I love you." She hugged him and he pecked her cheeks.

Rod flew with a paper in it's beak. It dropped the paper on the table and Mabel picked it up. She glanced through it and smiled. "Your sister agreed to let her daughter stay with us?" Modrick asked as he took the letter from her. "Yes of course, finally we'll teach her that being a spoilt brat doesn't pay. She has grown to be disrespectful and stubborn. She's nothing like me. If she continues this way the silver tree might reject her and appoint someone else as queen. I'll become a laughing stock and the story will go from generations. They'll mock me for being unable to tame my daughter. You Modrick wouldn't want that." "In whatever you do, please don't cross boundaries. She's still your daughter." "The people need her more than I do, she was chosen for this right from when she was in my womb. She shouldn't shy away from what makes her the heir to the throne. You always spoil her, it's your fault she turned out this way. You should help fix her up." She said and left the room. Modrick shook his head, "alas the damage I had done. Allegra, make papa proud. We don't want to loose this throne."

Faye combed her daughter's hair with a bright smile. "Finally we'll have access to the palace, I miss home but I can't be there with you. I have stay outside and take care of things from here. And you need to be careful not to get caught. I'm sure you can take care of Allegra, she wouldn't cause much hassle." She dropped the comb on the stool. The house was old and husky with smell of wild bush and flowers. "I'll do whatever you want mother. I still wish you could come with me." Faye coughed, "I don't have much time my love. You have to go without me and complete the mission. So sad I wouldn't be able to see you win." "But mother, the palace can provide medications for you, you don't need to die." Tears started building up and she held her in a tight embrace. "Now listen Matilda, I'm destined to end this way but never forget home. I've packed everything you need, promise me you'll become victorious." "I promise mother."