Chapter 1

I felt the soft petals of a rose in one of those rose bushes in front of the castle. The castle was yellow and as far as one could see, dark green vines clung to the outside walls like snakes. I was careful not to prick my finger on the sharp thorns. I picked the flower and breathed in the delightful smell.

"Hello my princess," a male voice broke the much-wanted silence which I hoped would happen when I had escaped from my maids.

I whipped around to see a boy kneeling on one knee and smiling up at me. I dropped the flower, forgetting about it because of the surprise.

The boy had his blond hair brushed back his brass armor was discolored from the long time it had been worn and what it had been through. His name was Luke and he had been my best friend since I was three. If you would move back time, one would see us almost always side by side fighting imaginary foes and causing trouble by creating small, adventures to amuse ourselves but now that we were older; we were rarely seen together because of my harsh, training and his missions that he was sent on regularly to make the land safer. He had gone on what was supposed to be a three-week mission but painfully became three months. His goal was to find more information on our fiend, a sorceress who could wield black magic like no other and if he could, find ways to destroy her.

My face was wet as I let myself cry just this once when no one was around to scold me and tell me, "to be tougher." I ran to him, arms wide. He picked me up swinging me in the air. He gently set me down and hugged me tightly once more. I closed my eyes enjoying the sweet feeling of happiness for just one moment before; "Ahem," someone spoke from in front of me. I opened my eyes to find the one person, who I would rather not see.

Luke looked at me; following my gaze he turned his head to see the intruder. He dipped his head, respectably in a bow.

I bowed as well.

The man was named Lord George, he had his red hair tied in a ponytail, freckles marked his face and he wore a green tunic, with a white shirt underneath. He was favored by most of the nobles in my land, Askia and so was frequently allowed in the castle. I always disliked him as he gave me a sense that he was an imposter. He didn't belong here and he knew it. He was only here for the money and nothing else, and the only way he could get more money than his position already offered was if he married into the family by my father's only offspring: me. "I'm terribly sorry for my interruption my lady but-"he shot Luke a disgusted glance before continuing. "Your father has called for you."

"Thank you, Lord George. While I am away will you show Luke to his room?" I said bluntly, covering my dislike of him with a white smile.

The Lord moved his disgusted glare from Luke and looked back at me with a fake, smile. "My Lady, nothing is better than serving you and I will gratefully do as you ask of me." He said in a low bow.

I bowed once more before pulling my long, plain green dress from the ground and disappearing around the corner. As I entered the main door, two of the guards bowed then went back to their stances. "Excuse me," I yelled, making slow progress towards the King, pushing through a large crowd of commoners who stood in a line, waiting for the king to solve whatever problems they were most puzzled over. The room that I had entered was the throne room and my so-called "target" was sitting in front of me in a mahogany, red velvet throne with a gold frame showcasing beautiful carvings of past leaders. Four, marble pillars were built in all of the corners of the room with eloquent carvings of past battles that some of the parts were hidden by a green, snake-like vine that crawled up the piece until it was too high to be seen.

When I finally pushed through the crowd, panting, I bowed pettily and while waiting for my king to give me permission to speak, I stared at the marble floor.

"You may begin my daughter."

"Father," I said raising my gaze and then my body to a stand. "I ask your permission to visit my mentor." I looked straight into my father's blue eyes; his once black hair was turning grey with age and his skin once tan was paler from all of those hard, days inside. He was the symbol of power even in his state, his gold, jeweled crown proved that but every day a fit of coughing interrupted his work and proved that he was getting closer to the end of his days.

"Anna, you know that he lives closer to the sorceress' realm than anyone, as much as I would like to send you. It's too dangerous and I forbid it."

"But what if Luke or Rock and a group of guards come?"

The king shook his head, sadly. "Anna-"

"You still treat me like a child. I need to take a stand for myself...prove that I'm as strong as a mother." I snapped.

The king began in another fit of coughing.

"Masha," I yelled for the royal medicine man.

Masha, a man with long white hair, beard, robe, and bare feet ran in. He set a tray full of bottles filled with different colored liquids and set it next to the now fallen king. "Your majesty, please open up."

The king did as told and he poured a green liquid into his mouth.

I jumped, startled as a hand fell onto my shoulder. I turned my head to my left and sighed as Luke smiled a weak smile. I did the same and he quietly led me outside.

Once outside and I was sure we were away from anyone I put my head on his shoulder and began to cry. Luke still with his hand on my shoulder pulled me closer to him; found a white, marble bench facing away from the castle's entrance with the view of the green, grass that led up to a healthy, forest and sat both of us down on it. He put his chin on my head, gently and began to mumble words of optimism and encouragement, "It's going to be alright. He's going to get better I promise." He said removing his chin from on top of my head and put a finger under my chin and bringing it to meet his face. He smiled, encouragingly and I allowed myself a small grin.

"Remember the time we were playing around with wooden, swords than one of us…I think it was you fell, then the wooden sword accidentally slid and unlocked a cage full of geese that were supposed to be for the cook."

I nodded, smiling an even bigger smile. "Well, that was you."

"Well anyway, the cook got so mad; we thought we were going to have to duck for cover because his face was so red. Then after the king explained to the chief that we were to have no part of his wonderful geese as our punishment and we had to round up every one of those animals. Well, I caught your father, when I was going to tell him that we had finished, laughing so hard, I thought he was having a heart attack…"

I started to wipe the tears from my eyes, and he began again once more whispering, "I promise he will get better and everything is going to be alright. Now before everyone starts wondering where we went off to, that's start heading back." He said standing up and putting his hand out for me to take it. Smiling, I warmly took it and we began our slow progress back to the castle.

As we walked by the guards at the main entrance, they nodded a small nod in respect and then went back to their regular stances. I whispered, "Thanks," for their show of respect but if they heard me they didn't show it. We pushed our way through the crowd and guessed that the king was treated by Masha in his chamber, so I decided to go to bed early. "Will you take me to my room, please Luke? I am exhausted and would like to rest before the meeting at midnight."

He frowned, "What meeting?"

Confused, I stopped walking, turned towards him, and answered, "The one every full moon I thought Lord George told you or at least you somehow knew."

"No." He said and something flashed in his eyes.

"Well, we have a meeting every moon (month) to announce the contestants of the tournament. The only exception is if a leader has something very important to announce or he won't be able to make it because he or she is ill." I froze. "Oh, wait I won't be able to go I forgot. Since father's sick no one can go."

Luke looked at my face then his face lit up, cheerfully. "How about you sleep this off, I bet something good would happen to you in the morning. Trust me it always does." He said gently, nudging me to my now opened door that he was holding open for me as I walked past him, turned, and stopped in the entrance with a small smile expressing my gratitude for everything he did today.

"Good night," I whispered.

"Good night," he replied as he closed the door behind me.

I took a deep breath; the room was painted dark green and had pine wooden flooring. A green canopy bed with gold-trimmed covers with its head pushed up against a wall was to my left. To its right, two swords one with a gold blade and green hilt, the other had a silver blade and hilt hung above the bed. Two wooden bed tables were on either side of the head of the bed and hanging above the tables were two torches, lit, illuminating the room. Then to my right was a wooden bookcase filled with books old and new. Next to it, on its right was a closet, then in front of it across a white rug, was a wooden dresser. I breathed out slowly and walked over to the window. I pulled the velvet curtains shut and walked over to the wooden, door in between the bookcase and closet. I grabbed ahold of its cool, black knocker.

The room had green walls, marble floors, and a bathtub. I turned around and walked to my bed. I pulled a string that was used to call my maids.

I went into the bathroom and waited for the maids to appear. When they did the oldest of the three, Maria, a widow with pure white hair, brown eyes, and a brown dress spoke, "My princess what do you ask of us today?" She said bowing and the others followed suit.

Behind Maria, were two younger girls both twins except for one who had blond hair and the other black. They both had pale skin, but the blond named Henrietta, wore a yellow dress, while the other; Jen wore a black dress. Both had brown eyes.

"I would like a bath, please?"

All maids nodded and began their work.