HOME | DD

Description
The Golden Maiden
Chapter One
   Run.
   My mother told me, run. Leave her and my kingdom behind? How could I do that? But it seemed my only choice, other than die. My feet kept going, ignoring whatever thoughts entered my mind about stopping for rest or food or water. I looked back and saw the towering spires of the castle in the distance. My castle. My steps faltered, and I paused for a second. Then my feet were pounding on the ground once more.
   I am Princess Cassidy of Arthrinia. Or, I should say, of Farn now.
   Just a few days ago our kingdom was still the same, peaceful, little slab of land. The king and queen, my parents, knew that for years our neighboring kingdom from the East wanted to take our land for themselves, but they would not actually attempt. Why? I was never sure, but parents had a keen idea. "The Golden Maiden", they would say, "They are afraid of her."
   Who was this Golden Maiden, I would ask. My mother would only grin and tell me that I would know in time. My father would laugh and-
   I stumbled, but continued on.
   I would never hear my father laugh again. Never again would I see his shining blue eyes, or his rough graying beard, or his dazzling smile that won over my mother. None of it. I would never see Father again. He was murdered by the over taker of Arthrinia: Farn of Bolerian from the island to the East.
   That evil man charged our castle only hours ago it seems. He didn't harm anyone, only those who tried to stop him, which was probably all of the villagers outside of the castle walls. Our people loved us. They sacrificed themselves for us. The royal family, us. He slaughtered them all.
   Farn marched right into the throne room, where my parents and I were waiting. The royal army surrounded us, and the captain stepped forward, his face hard and angry.
   "Who are you to barge into our kingdom and kill our innocents?" The captain demanded, his sword drawn and pointed at Farn's throat.
   The Bolerian smiled, and I felt my face turn red. As evil and mad as he was, I was still captivated by his handsome looks. Farn's skin was tan and very dark, almost black. And his red eyes flicked to my face, and I looked away, down, up, wherever his eyes weren't.
   "I am Prince Farn of Bolerian." Farn answered finally, still gazing at me. "And I came only to...negotiate."
   My father stood abruptly from his throne, his face red with rage. My mother reached up to him in an attempt to sit him back down, but Father ignored her touch. I was afraid of where this was going, indeed, but I could only stand behind my father's throne and watch. My fingers twitched on my yellow dress, wanting so badly to just rip it to shreds, but my mind was taken back to reality by Father's words.
   "Negotiate?!" He repeated. "You Bolerians negotiate by slaughtering my people? I have no need to negotiate with you."
   Farn blinked, and laughed. We all stared at him like he was some insane man. Which he was. Once he recovered, Farn smiled, but his smile was different this time. It was full of horrible intentions.
   "I came on my own accord, Highness." Farn mocked. "My brothers have nothing to do with this. I have come for your kingdom. I am, honestly, jealous of your beautiful trade goods that come into Bolerian." His gaze fell on me again. "And your beautiful women."
   My face flushed, and I was suddenly grabbed from behind and taken from the room. I struggled, not wanting to leave my parents' side. The grand door closed, but I heard the uproar of Farn's remark. I caught a glimpse of my father running down the dais, and the guards shoving him back.
   "Princess, you must leave."
   I looked up into a man's pale, grey eyes. Rylen, my best friend. He was my teacher, my friend, and my sparring partner. He was just about my everything. And he never called me "princess". His hands were holding my shoulders much too roughly, and I didn't like it. I tried to shrug out of his grasp, but that only made Rylen hold me tighter. I leaned my face slightly back and to the side, staring at him with uncertainty.
   "You called me princess." I murmured vaguely.
   "Yes, I did." Rylen replied impatiently. "Come now, you aren't safe."
   I jerked my body away from him, angry. I poked his broad, muscular chest with my finger to make my point as I disagreed with him.
   "Not safe? We both know that I am quite capable of defending myself, Rylen." I said. "I-"
   My voice was cut off by a shrill cry. Rylen and I turned sharply at the grand door, where the noise came from. The door suddenly burst open and guards rushed out. A few grasped my arm, but I pulled away and pushed through into the throne room. I heard Rylen call my name, but the grand door was closed again. This time, I didn't see anyone close it, but I didn't think much of it at the moment. My mouth fell open, and my knees wobbled at what I saw.
   Father, dead and bleeding, on the dais. Farn was standing over him with a bloody blade, grinning wildly. My mother was kneeling near him, tears running down her cheeks. And the guards fled? I thought back to the door closing by itself, and I wondering if Farn was a gifted, but, again, my mind was too full of rage to wonder this.
   "You monster!" I screamed, rushing at Farn.
   The Bolerian easily evaded my move, and I fell down near my mother. She grabbed me and pulled her towards herself. Farn smiled and got down on a knee in front of us.
   "Ah, Princess Cassidy." Farn cooed, ignoring my scream from before. "You are as beautiful as they all say."
   I winced, looking away from him, suddenly not so captivated by his looks.
   "But, I'd have a bad reputation to have such a young bride." He continued, shifting his gaze to my mother. "Your mother, on the other hand, is not so old or too young."
   It seemed strange, since I thought that Farn was around my age of twenty, but maybe he thought I was younger than I looked. Or he was older than he looked.
   My mother opened her mouth to protest, but Farn's hand moved quickly, slapping her. I gasped and stood up. Farn looked up at me, amused.
   "How dare you-!"
   "Princess, I do not wish to harm you, since you will be my new daughter." Farn interrupted.
   "Never! My mother will never marry you!" I cried, although I knew I was wrong: Mother would marry this monster to save her kingdom.
   "Ah, I see the doubt in your eyes, princess." Farn murmured. "Come now, my queen."
   I snapped. My hand flew for his blade, but Farn, again, was too quick. Instead, I jumped back and fumbled with my skirts. I just had to wear a dress on today of all days. I finally found my boot and pulled out my dagger I always kept with me. Farn laughed again, dragging my mother up from the ground. My mind raced, and I jumped for him. But he pulled Mother in front of him, using her as a shield. I stopped myself just barely. Farn slapped the dagger out of my hand.
   "You coward." I spat as he took my wrist.
   "I also heard that you were such a warrior." He paused. "I see that those people were mistaken."
   My blood boiled with rage, but next thing I knew was darkness.

***
   I awoke in my bedroom, sore and still a bit sleepy. Was it all a dream...? One look around the room told me it wasn't. It was dank and dark, eerie. And when I tried to move my hands and feet, I found that I was bound. A tear escaped my eye and fell on my messy dress. Ugh, I had to get out of that thing.
   "Cassidy?" A soft voice whispered.
   "Mother?" I answered, looking to the side.
   My mother smiled, putting a hand on my shoulder. She was wearing a simple dress of white with a long, winding train, but I was looking at the blade in her hand, trying not to think of why she was wearing a dress like that. She nodded, glimpsed at the door, and then started to saw at my binds. It didn't take very long, and soon I was wearing a red tunic instead of my yellow dress, which I gave a good kick once it was off.
   "What happened?" I asked, taking my mother's shaking hands.
   And so my mother told me that Farn had taken over. He was king as of a few minutes ago when he married my mother. I shuddered at that part, knowing why she was wearing that dress. She continued by telling me that he changed the name of Arthrinia to Farn, and he really didn't want me dead but if I struggled any more, he would make sure I wouldn't breathe again.
   "Run, my dear." Mother finally murmured.
   "No! I-I can't." Then Rylen entered my mind. "What of Rylen? And the other guards?"
   Mother frowned.
   "Those unwilling to serve Farn were executed. I'm sorry, Cassidy."
   My world was falling apart, breaking at the seams. And it was revealing Farn and all of his wickedness.
   "Cassidy, listen." Mother said, pulling me closer. "The Golden Maiden must survive. You must leave, flee this place of darkness. Come back with the light. Run."
   My heart stopped as the Golden Maiden Prophecy popped into my head: The Golden Maiden will come when all of Arthrinia is covered in darkness. She will bring the light and silence all evils. It was a legend, myth. Or so I thought. And I was the Golden Maiden?! My fingers left Mother's hand and stroked my long, golden hair. My green eyes welled up with tears.
   "No, no!" I cried. "The Golden Maiden isn't real! Mother, I can't-"
   "You can and you must." Mother said gently, brushing my cheek with her fingertips. "Run."
   And I did. I jumped from the bed, grabbing my sword in the process. With one more look at Mother, I dashed for the door. It wasn't easy leaving the castle undetected, and I wasn't going to waste time sneaking out. I knew of secret doors, so I used those when I could. A few guards saw me, but they didn't move. They only nodded.
   Soon, I was out of the castle and in the surrounding village. It was dead, quiet, and full of gloom. I didn't want to look at the damage, so I ran as fast as I could till I was at the edge of the Thelve Woods. I dashed between the trees, running toward the mountains. My plan was to get to the mountains and to the seas, and-
   Well, that was it. Now was when I paused and gazed back longingly at my castle, its white towers turning pink and orange in the sunset. With a sob, I turned and continued running.
   Run.
***
   I had to stop sometime. The trail I was on, thankfully, was still somewhat civilized. There was a small inn along with a few stores and restaurants. None of the people looked worried or scared: The news must not have reached this far yet. I glanced down at my tunic and saw that it was dirty and torn a little. And I found myself embarrassed. Now, of all times, embarrassed.
   A sudden sense of despair washed over me, taking the embarrassment away. I almost fell to the ground when I was noticed.
   "Hey, whatcha doing, lady?" A young boy asked.
   He was across the path, staring at me.  He had to be around the age of fifteen. His blue eyes were narrowed with suspicion and his hair hidden by a cap. I stepped forward.
   "I got lost." I lied quickly. "Do you know where I can take a bath and get some food?"
   "Yeah, my parents' own the only inn for miles around here." He answered with a smile, all suspicion gone with the thought of a new customer.
   "Oh, good!" I said with excitement.
   The boy hopped off the rock he was leaning against and stood in front of me. He offered me his arm with a smirk. I laughed, rolling my eyes, forgetting everything that happened. My laugh was cut short, and I cleared my throat. I looped my arm through his, and he led me into his parents' inn.
   It was very homey and warm. It was pretty empty except for a few travelers sitting by the bar. There were four round tables with four seats each. A fireplace was blazing in the far right wall, filling the room with warmth. A stairway was near the fireplace, leading up the rooms, I presumed. The boy pulled me along past the bar into the kitchen.
   "Hey ma!" He called, dropping my arm. "Gotcha a new customer!"
   The sounds that followed were mostly the clanging of pots and pans that were probably dropped or bumped against. There were some mutters and curses when a woman finally appeared. She was smaller, a nice thin waist with a red apron tied around it. Her face, though, was rather round and red, with smears of flour on her cheeks. Her eyes were large and brown, her smile big and friendly. The woman's dress was also covered with flour and other kitchen ingredients.
   "Well! Aren't you a pretty young thing?" The woman said at seeing me.
   "Oh, you are too kind." I responded with a blush.
   "I only speak the truth, darlin'. What can I do for you?"
   "I'm in need of a room, along with a meal and a bath." I paused, feeling my tunic's pockets. Empty. "Oh, I'm afraid I have no money…"
   The woman waved her hand dismissively. She took my arm, much like her son did, and led me back out into the dining room.
   "Think nothing of it, dearie!" The woman said with a smile.
   "But Ma-!" The boy started to argue.
   "Nelop, don't worry about it. Now go do your chores, get going!" His mother snapped.
   With a look of disappointment, the boy, Nelop, stomped away and back into the kitchen. The woman looked back at me happily. She took me up the stairs. The hall was lined with doors, three on each side, and a door at the end of the hall.
   "Where are my manners?" The woman said as she took me to the end of the hall. "The name's Sorah, and my husband, Oplen, is around here somewhere. Hm, well, anyways, we run this little inn of ours. And you already met my son, Nelop." Sorah rolled her eyes as she opened the door. "Only cares about getting money in his pocket, that boy does. But, whadda gonna do? Well, miss, here's the washroom."
   The washroom was bigger than I expected with a wooden tub in the middle. A pumping faucet and a bucket were nearby, and I saw that the tub was already full of warm water. Sorah released my arm and went to a closet, pulling out a few towels and bristled hair brush. She placed them on the stool by the tub and turned to me warmly.
   "Let me know if you need anything else, hon." And she left me.
   I wished she didn't. I felt so alone. Staring at the tub, I slowly made my way towards it. Gingerly, I stripped off my red tunic and brown undergarments. I kicked off my boots and submerged myself in the water. It felt fantastic and soothing. The water smelled of lavenders, so this had to be water of the Lavender Sea. It was the perfect temperature, warm and nice. I went all the way under, thinking for a moment if I should just stay under the water. Gasping, I came back up and put a hand on my face. I couldn't do that to myself, to my kingdom. They needed me.
   Shuddering at the feeling that lingered, I reached over and took the hair brush in my hand. I ran it through my long hair, getting it caught by huge tangles and pieces of trees. I glanced down and saw that the clear water was now a sickly brown. I released a small laugh, wondering how I could've gotten so dirty so fast. It was beyond me, but once I finally brushed through my hair, I pulled myself, reluctantly, out of the tub. The air was chilly, so I quickly wrapped the towel about me and rung out my hair over the brown water that still had a hint of lavenders. I stared at my reflection in the water for a second, and I was surprised to see how scared I was.
   Here I was, a "brave warrior", and I was scared. Maybe Farn was right. Maybe I was just a weak little princess that had big talk.
   No, no. I am a great warrior, I thought to myself as I turned away from the dirty water. After all, I was the Golden Maiden…Right?
   Pushing Farn and his vile words from my head, as well as my own doubts, I picked up my red tunic. With a sigh, I saw that it, too, was as dirty as I was. Maybe even more. I put my dirty clothes on the stool, and then grabbed the bucket and went over to the faucet. I placed the bucket under the faucet, keeping a firm hold with one hand on my towel, and pumped the water into the bucket. Once that was done, I dragged the rather heavy bucket back to the stool and shoved my clothes into it. The water instantly turned brown. It was a bit disgusting as I dipped my hands in and started rubbing the dirt and stains out of my tunic and undergarments, but worse things have happened.
   Like having your father killed and your kingdom taken over by a hot maniac from the East.
   Finally, after literally beating my clothes dry (which took a lot longer than I wanted), I pulled my tan undergarment on, then my tunic over that. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the fresh smell of lavenders still lingering on my clothes. Since my hair was so long and thick, it took a very long time to dry. Instead of walking around with waist-length hair that was damp, I managed to twist all of my golden hair into a rather messy bun resting on the top of my head. With a glance in the floor-length mirror, I approved of my look, pulled the plug in the tub and watched the brown water with bits of bark and leaves swirl down the drain that led to who-knows-where.
   I went to open the door when someone knocked. I heard Sorah's gentle voice ask how I was doing. I opened the door to find Sorah standing there, a smile on her face at the sight of me.
   "You look much better now that you're all clean!" She said. "I was just checkin' on you, darlin'. You were in there for quite some time."
   "I wasn't that long, was I?" I questioned, worried if news had reached here.
   "Well, it's almost half past six-"
   "In the evening!?" I exclaimed. "My goodness, I didn't mean to-"
   "Hon, don't worry your pretty little head about it." Sorah interrupted. "Why don't you come down and get some dinner? You must be pretty hungry."
   As if to answer her, my stomach released a very loud, ravenous moan. With a blush, I quickly hugged my stomach, but Sorah only laughed.
   "What did I tell you? Come on, now, dear." Sorah took my arm again, and the gesture felt even better than it did the first time. "Now that I think of it, I do not believe I know your name!"
   "Oh, it's um-" My mind drew a blank. I couldn't tell her my real name; My people may have never seen my face, but they darn well knew my name. I quickly said the first name that popped into my head. "Larissa."
   "Oh, just like the queen!" exclaimed Sorah as we came down the steps back into the main room of her inn. "I always thought that was a lovely name, probably would've named Nelop that if he was a girl. Some days I wish he was,"
   Sorah went on about my mother's name and how beautiful it was while she sat me down at the table closest to the blazing fire, which now filled the whole room with light. I glanced out the window next to the fireplace and saw the waning moon with a dust of stars around it. My, it did get late. How could they not know of the awful doings in the city? I looked around and saw that no one looked fearful or nervous. Everyone was calm and enjoying life. It took me a second to realize that Sorah was asking me what I wanted to eat.
   "I'm sorry; I'll eat just about anything, Sorah." I murmured, only looking at her briefly to answer.
   With a smile, Sorah seemed to dance away into the kitchen. I grinned when I heard her voice ring through out the whole inn, yelling at Nelop for being "a lazy, good-for-nothing slob." He started to retaliate verbally, but not before I heard the sound of a pot-to-head. I couldn't help but giggle as Nelop stormed out of the kitchen, rubbing his head and still wearing his cap, and out of the inn. My eyes roved back to those sitting around me.
   There was a group of men with rugged beards and large blades a few tables away, conversing very loudly and I was pretty sure that I could smell the whisky from my seat. Sitting at the bar, there was a lone woman with short black hair. She wore clothes like those of a mage, or a magical being. I wondered if she was a gifted, but I didn't have much time to ask let alone wonder.
   Just as Sorah brought me my food, someone burst into the inn. It looked like a messenger from my castle. I quickly looked away, thanking Sorah for the food before shoving it into my face. I'm sure it was delicious, but I spit it out when I heard what the messenger screamed, reading from a rolled up piece of parchment.
   "Arthrinia has been overruled by Prince Farn of Bolerian. He has killed the king-" My heart quavered and many of the rabble cried out, but the messenger spoke over them. "Arthrinia is no longer going by that name. It is now Farn, and the new king has married Queen Larissa. His Royal Majesty, Farn, announces a bounty of the Princess Cassidy who escaped. He wants her back, dead or alive, and great reward is in store for the one who brings he back."
   I felt like everyone turned and looked at me when the messenger finished before running back outside, screaming his message again to any of those who would listen. But, of course, no one did. Only, the woman sitting at the bar turned and looked right at me, her purple eyes meeting my own green ones.
  And a knowing gleam passed over her face.

Description
The Golden Maiden
Chapter One
   Run.
   My mother told me, run. Leave her and my kingdom behind? How could I do that? But it seemed my only choice, other than die. My feet kept going, ignoring whatever thoughts entered my mind about stopping for rest or food or water. I looked back and saw the towering spires of the castle in the distance. My castle. My steps faltered, and I paused for a second. Then my feet were pounding on the ground once more.
   I am Princess Cassidy of Arthrinia. Or, I should say, of Farn now.
   Just a few days ago our kingdom was still the same, peaceful, little slab of land. The king and queen, my parents, knew that for years our neighboring kingdom from the East wanted to take our land for themselves, but they would not actually attempt. Why? I was never sure, but parents had a keen idea. "The Golden Maiden", they would say, "They are afraid of her."
   Who was this Golden Maiden, I would ask. My mother would only grin and tell me that I would know in time. My father would laugh and-
   I stumbled, but continued on.
   I would never hear my father laugh again. Never again would I see his shining blue eyes, or his rough graying beard, or his dazzling smile that won over my mother. None of it. I would never see Father again. He was murdered by the over taker of Arthrinia: Farn of Bolerian from the island to the East.
   That evil man charged our castle only hours ago it seems. He didn't harm anyone, only those who tried to stop him, which was probably all of the villagers outside of the castle walls. Our people loved us. They sacrificed themselves for us. The royal family, us. He slaughtered them all.
   Farn marched right into the throne room, where my parents and I were waiting. The royal army surrounded us, and the captain stepped forward, his face hard and angry.
   "Who are you to barge into our kingdom and kill our innocents?" The captain demanded, his sword drawn and pointed at Farn's throat.
   The Bolerian smiled, and I felt my face turn red. As evil and mad as he was, I was still captivated by his handsome looks. Farn's skin was tan and very dark, almost black. And his red eyes flicked to my face, and I looked away, down, up, wherever his eyes weren't.
   "I am Prince Farn of Bolerian." Farn answered finally, still gazing at me. "And I came only to...negotiate."
   My father stood abruptly from his throne, his face red with rage. My mother reached up to him in an attempt to sit him back down, but Father ignored her touch. I was afraid of where this was going, indeed, but I could only stand behind my father's throne and watch. My fingers twitched on my yellow dress, wanting so badly to just rip it to shreds, but my mind was taken back to reality by Father's words.
   "Negotiate?!" He repeated. "You Bolerians negotiate by slaughtering my people? I have no need to negotiate with you."
   Farn blinked, and laughed. We all stared at him like he was some insane man. Which he was. Once he recovered, Farn smiled, but his smile was different this time. It was full of horrible intentions.
   "I came on my own accord, Highness." Farn mocked. "My brothers have nothing to do with this. I have come for your kingdom. I am, honestly, jealous of your beautiful trade goods that come into Bolerian." His gaze fell on me again. "And your beautiful women."
   My face flushed, and I was suddenly grabbed from behind and taken from the room. I struggled, not wanting to leave my parents' side. The grand door closed, but I heard the uproar of Farn's remark. I caught a glimpse of my father running down the dais, and the guards shoving him back.
   "Princess, you must leave."
   I looked up into a man's pale, grey eyes. Rylen, my best friend. He was my teacher, my friend, and my sparring partner. He was just about my everything. And he never called me "princess". His hands were holding my shoulders much too roughly, and I didn't like it. I tried to shrug out of his grasp, but that only made Rylen hold me tighter. I leaned my face slightly back and to the side, staring at him with uncertainty.
   "You called me princess." I murmured vaguely.
   "Yes, I did." Rylen replied impatiently. "Come now, you aren't safe."
   I jerked my body away from him, angry. I poked his broad, muscular chest with my finger to make my point as I disagreed with him.
   "Not safe? We both know that I am quite capable of defending myself, Rylen." I said. "I-"
   My voice was cut off by a shrill cry. Rylen and I turned sharply at the grand door, where the noise came from. The door suddenly burst open and guards rushed out. A few grasped my arm, but I pulled away and pushed through into the throne room. I heard Rylen call my name, but the grand door was closed again. This time, I didn't see anyone close it, but I didn't think much of it at the moment. My mouth fell open, and my knees wobbled at what I saw.
   Father, dead and bleeding, on the dais. Farn was standing over him with a bloody blade, grinning wildly. My mother was kneeling near him, tears running down her cheeks. And the guards fled? I thought back to the door closing by itself, and I wondering if Farn was a gifted, but, again, my mind was too full of rage to wonder this.
   "You monster!" I screamed, rushing at Farn.
   The Bolerian easily evaded my move, and I fell down near my mother. She grabbed me and pulled her towards herself. Farn smiled and got down on a knee in front of us.
   "Ah, Princess Cassidy." Farn cooed, ignoring my scream from before. "You are as beautiful as they all say."
   I winced, looking away from him, suddenly not so captivated by his looks.
   "But, I'd have a bad reputation to have such a young bride." He continued, shifting his gaze to my mother. "Your mother, on the other hand, is not so old or too young."
   It seemed strange, since I thought that Farn was around my age of twenty, but maybe he thought I was younger than I looked. Or he was older than he looked.
   My mother opened her mouth to protest, but Farn's hand moved quickly, slapping her. I gasped and stood up. Farn looked up at me, amused.
   "How dare you-!"
   "Princess, I do not wish to harm you, since you will be my new daughter." Farn interrupted.
   "Never! My mother will never marry you!" I cried, although I knew I was wrong: Mother would marry this monster to save her kingdom.
   "Ah, I see the doubt in your eyes, princess." Farn murmured. "Come now, my queen."
   I snapped. My hand flew for his blade, but Farn, again, was too quick. Instead, I jumped back and fumbled with my skirts. I just had to wear a dress on today of all days. I finally found my boot and pulled out my dagger I always kept with me. Farn laughed again, dragging my mother up from the ground. My mind raced, and I jumped for him. But he pulled Mother in front of him, using her as a shield. I stopped myself just barely. Farn slapped the dagger out of my hand.
   "You coward." I spat as he took my wrist.
   "I also heard that you were such a warrior." He paused. "I see that those people were mistaken."
   My blood boiled with rage, but next thing I knew was darkness.

***
   I awoke in my bedroom, sore and still a bit sleepy. Was it all a dream...? One look around the room told me it wasn't. It was dank and dark, eerie. And when I tried to move my hands and feet, I found that I was bound. A tear escaped my eye and fell on my messy dress. Ugh, I had to get out of that thing.
   "Cassidy?" A soft voice whispered.
   "Mother?" I answered, looking to the side.
   My mother smiled, putting a hand on my shoulder. She was wearing a simple dress of white with a long, winding train, but I was looking at the blade in her hand, trying not to think of why she was wearing a dress like that. She nodded, glimpsed at the door, and then started to saw at my binds. It didn't take very long, and soon I was wearing a red tunic instead of my yellow dress, which I gave a good kick once it was off.
   "What happened?" I asked, taking my mother's shaking hands.
   And so my mother told me that Farn had taken over. He was king as of a few minutes ago when he married my mother. I shuddered at that part, knowing why she was wearing that dress. She continued by telling me that he changed the name of Arthrinia to Farn, and he really didn't want me dead but if I struggled any more, he would make sure I wouldn't breathe again.
   "Run, my dear." Mother finally murmured.
   "No! I-I can't." Then Rylen entered my mind. "What of Rylen? And the other guards?"
   Mother frowned.
   "Those unwilling to serve Farn were executed. I'm sorry, Cassidy."
   My world was falling apart, breaking at the seams. And it was revealing Farn and all of his wickedness.
   "Cassidy, listen." Mother said, pulling me closer. "The Golden Maiden must survive. You must leave, flee this place of darkness. Come back with the light. Run."
   My heart stopped as the Golden Maiden Prophecy popped into my head: The Golden Maiden will come when all of Arthrinia is covered in darkness. She will bring the light and silence all evils. It was a legend, myth. Or so I thought. And I was the Golden Maiden?! My fingers left Mother's hand and stroked my long, golden hair. My green eyes welled up with tears.
   "No, no!" I cried. "The Golden Maiden isn't real! Mother, I can't-"
   "You can and you must." Mother said gently, brushing my cheek with her fingertips. "Run."
   And I did. I jumped from the bed, grabbing my sword in the process. With one more look at Mother, I dashed for the door. It wasn't easy leaving the castle undetected, and I wasn't going to waste time sneaking out. I knew of secret doors, so I used those when I could. A few guards saw me, but they didn't move. They only nodded.
   Soon, I was out of the castle and in the surrounding village. It was dead, quiet, and full of gloom. I didn't want to look at the damage, so I ran as fast as I could till I was at the edge of the Thelve Woods. I dashed between the trees, running toward the mountains. My plan was to get to the mountains and to the seas, and-
   Well, that was it. Now was when I paused and gazed back longingly at my castle, its white towers turning pink and orange in the sunset. With a sob, I turned and continued running.
   Run.
***
   I had to stop sometime. The trail I was on, thankfully, was still somewhat civilized. There was a small inn along with a few stores and restaurants. None of the people looked worried or scared: The news must not have reached this far yet. I glanced down at my tunic and saw that it was dirty and torn a little. And I found myself embarrassed. Now, of all times, embarrassed.
   A sudden sense of despair washed over me, taking the embarrassment away. I almost fell to the ground when I was noticed.
   "Hey, whatcha doing, lady?" A young boy asked.
   He was across the path, staring at me.  He had to be around the age of fifteen. His blue eyes were narrowed with suspicion and his hair hidden by a cap. I stepped forward.
   "I got lost." I lied quickly. "Do you know where I can take a bath and get some food?"
   "Yeah, my parents' own the only inn for miles around here." He answered with a smile, all suspicion gone with the thought of a new customer.
   "Oh, good!" I said with excitement.
   The boy hopped off the rock he was leaning against and stood in front of me. He offered me his arm with a smirk. I laughed, rolling my eyes, forgetting everything that happened. My laugh was cut short, and I cleared my throat. I looped my arm through his, and he led me into his parents' inn.
   It was very homey and warm. It was pretty empty except for a few travelers sitting by the bar. There were four round tables with four seats each. A fireplace was blazing in the far right wall, filling the room with warmth. A stairway was near the fireplace, leading up the rooms, I presumed. The boy pulled me along past the bar into the kitchen.
   "Hey ma!" He called, dropping my arm. "Gotcha a new customer!"
   The sounds that followed were mostly the clanging of pots and pans that were probably dropped or bumped against. There were some mutters and curses when a woman finally appeared. She was smaller, a nice thin waist with a red apron tied around it. Her face, though, was rather round and red, with smears of flour on her cheeks. Her eyes were large and brown, her smile big and friendly. The woman's dress was also covered with flour and other kitchen ingredients.
   "Well! Aren't you a pretty young thing?" The woman said at seeing me.
   "Oh, you are too kind." I responded with a blush.
   "I only speak the truth, darlin'. What can I do for you?"
   "I'm in need of a room, along with a meal and a bath." I paused, feeling my tunic's pockets. Empty. "Oh, I'm afraid I have no money…"
   The woman waved her hand dismissively. She took my arm, much like her son did, and led me back out into the dining room.
   "Think nothing of it, dearie!" The woman said with a smile.
   "But Ma-!" The boy started to argue.
   "Nelop, don't worry about it. Now go do your chores, get going!" His mother snapped.
   With a look of disappointment, the boy, Nelop, stomped away and back into the kitchen. The woman looked back at me happily. She took me up the stairs. The hall was lined with doors, three on each side, and a door at the end of the hall.
   "Where are my manners?" The woman said as she took me to the end of the hall. "The name's Sorah, and my husband, Oplen, is around here somewhere. Hm, well, anyways, we run this little inn of ours. And you already met my son, Nelop." Sorah rolled her eyes as she opened the door. "Only cares about getting money in his pocket, that boy does. But, whadda gonna do? Well, miss, here's the washroom."
   The washroom was bigger than I expected with a wooden tub in the middle. A pumping faucet and a bucket were nearby, and I saw that the tub was already full of warm water. Sorah released my arm and went to a closet, pulling out a few towels and bristled hair brush. She placed them on the stool by the tub and turned to me warmly.
   "Let me know if you need anything else, hon." And she left me.
   I wished she didn't. I felt so alone. Staring at the tub, I slowly made my way towards it. Gingerly, I stripped off my red tunic and brown undergarments. I kicked off my boots and submerged myself in the water. It felt fantastic and soothing. The water smelled of lavenders, so this had to be water of the Lavender Sea. It was the perfect temperature, warm and nice. I went all the way under, thinking for a moment if I should just stay under the water. Gasping, I came back up and put a hand on my face. I couldn't do that to myself, to my kingdom. They needed me.
   Shuddering at the feeling that lingered, I reached over and took the hair brush in my hand. I ran it through my long hair, getting it caught by huge tangles and pieces of trees. I glanced down and saw that the clear water was now a sickly brown. I released a small laugh, wondering how I could've gotten so dirty so fast. It was beyond me, but once I finally brushed through my hair, I pulled myself, reluctantly, out of the tub. The air was chilly, so I quickly wrapped the towel about me and rung out my hair over the brown water that still had a hint of lavenders. I stared at my reflection in the water for a second, and I was surprised to see how scared I was.
   Here I was, a "brave warrior", and I was scared. Maybe Farn was right. Maybe I was just a weak little princess that had big talk.
   No, no. I am a great warrior, I thought to myself as I turned away from the dirty water. After all, I was the Golden Maiden…Right?
   Pushing Farn and his vile words from my head, as well as my own doubts, I picked up my red tunic. With a sigh, I saw that it, too, was as dirty as I was. Maybe even more. I put my dirty clothes on the stool, and then grabbed the bucket and went over to the faucet. I placed the bucket under the faucet, keeping a firm hold with one hand on my towel, and pumped the water into the bucket. Once that was done, I dragged the rather heavy bucket back to the stool and shoved my clothes into it. The water instantly turned brown. It was a bit disgusting as I dipped my hands in and started rubbing the dirt and stains out of my tunic and undergarments, but worse things have happened.
   Like having your father killed and your kingdom taken over by a hot maniac from the East.
   Finally, after literally beating my clothes dry (which took a lot longer than I wanted), I pulled my tan undergarment on, then my tunic over that. Closing my eyes, I inhaled the fresh smell of lavenders still lingering on my clothes. Since my hair was so long and thick, it took a very long time to dry. Instead of walking around with waist-length hair that was damp, I managed to twist all of my golden hair into a rather messy bun resting on the top of my head. With a glance in the floor-length mirror, I approved of my look, pulled the plug in the tub and watched the brown water with bits of bark and leaves swirl down the drain that led to who-knows-where.
   I went to open the door when someone knocked. I heard Sorah's gentle voice ask how I was doing. I opened the door to find Sorah standing there, a smile on her face at the sight of me.
   "You look much better now that you're all clean!" She said. "I was just checkin' on you, darlin'. You were in there for quite some time."
   "I wasn't that long, was I?" I questioned, worried if news had reached here.
   "Well, it's almost half past six-"
   "In the evening!?" I exclaimed. "My goodness, I didn't mean to-"
   "Hon, don't worry your pretty little head about it." Sorah interrupted. "Why don't you come down and get some dinner? You must be pretty hungry."
   As if to answer her, my stomach released a very loud, ravenous moan. With a blush, I quickly hugged my stomach, but Sorah only laughed.
   "What did I tell you? Come on, now, dear." Sorah took my arm again, and the gesture felt even better than it did the first time. "Now that I think of it, I do not believe I know your name!"
   "Oh, it's um-" My mind drew a blank. I couldn't tell her my real name; My people may have never seen my face, but they darn well knew my name. I quickly said the first name that popped into my head. "Larissa."
   "Oh, just like the queen!" exclaimed Sorah as we came down the steps back into the main room of her inn. "I always thought that was a lovely name, probably would've named Nelop that if he was a girl. Some days I wish he was,"
   Sorah went on about my mother's name and how beautiful it was while she sat me down at the table closest to the blazing fire, which now filled the whole room with light. I glanced out the window next to the fireplace and saw the waning moon with a dust of stars around it. My, it did get late. How could they not know of the awful doings in the city? I looked around and saw that no one looked fearful or nervous. Everyone was calm and enjoying life. It took me a second to realize that Sorah was asking me what I wanted to eat.
   "I'm sorry; I'll eat just about anything, Sorah." I murmured, only looking at her briefly to answer.
   With a smile, Sorah seemed to dance away into the kitchen. I grinned when I heard her voice ring through out the whole inn, yelling at Nelop for being "a lazy, good-for-nothing slob." He started to retaliate verbally, but not before I heard the sound of a pot-to-head. I couldn't help but giggle as Nelop stormed out of the kitchen, rubbing his head and still wearing his cap, and out of the inn. My eyes roved back to those sitting around me.
   There was a group of men with rugged beards and large blades a few tables away, conversing very loudly and I was pretty sure that I could smell the whisky from my seat. Sitting at the bar, there was a lone woman with short black hair. She wore clothes like those of a mage, or a magical being. I wondered if she was a gifted, but I didn't have much time to ask let alone wonder.
   Just as Sorah brought me my food, someone burst into the inn. It looked like a messenger from my castle. I quickly looked away, thanking Sorah for the food before shoving it into my face. I'm sure it was delicious, but I spit it out when I heard what the messenger screamed, reading from a rolled up piece of parchment.
   "Arthrinia has been overruled by Prince Farn of Bolerian. He has killed the king-" My heart quavered and many of the rabble cried out, but the messenger spoke over them. "Arthrinia is no longer going by that name. It is now Farn, and the new king has married Queen Larissa. His Royal Majesty, Farn, announces a bounty of the Princess Cassidy who escaped. He wants her back, dead or alive, and great reward is in store for the one who brings he back."
   I felt like everyone turned and looked at me when the messenger finished before running back outside, screaming his message again to any of those who would listen. But, of course, no one did. Only, the woman sitting at the bar turned and looked right at me, her purple eyes meeting my own green ones.
  And a knowing gleam passed over her face.