It's been two long years since I fled the gleaming, pristine capital city of my ancestors. War had been brewing for many years but none, not even my father, the appointed ruler of our country, believed there was a risk of it's downfall. We relied too much on the kindness of our "neighbours", to honour our peace agreement that should any one border country be attacked by a country with which there is no treaty, all countries signed to said document must obey the call to arms. How naive we were.
I grew up the the eldest and youngest child of my parents, queen and king of the land of Lorrea. My father never made me feel that I was a disappointment being born a girl - for I would be the natural heir to the throne regardless of my sex - should the people choose to elect me. My mother constantly fretted that I would not attract appropriate suitors owing to the fact that I spent most of my free time climbing trees, swimming in the lakes and hunting wild boar. More often than not she'd sigh as I'd come back from a hunt mud-smeared and scratched bloody, but my father would just chuckle and return to his advisors discussing the matters of the state.
I was 22 when my world crumbled around me. I was woken in the middle of the night by my father - at once I knew something was not right. There was screaming outside the windows of the castle and an odd light danced across the horizon. I realised that I was seeing flames! The city was aflame!
"Quickly Elena! dress in your darkest clothing, take your quiver and bow and meet your mother and I in the entrance hall in one minute."
"Father... what is happening? I don't-" i stammered before he cut me off.
"Don't argue! there is no time to explain- the Kravaolian soldiers are near the gate and our guards will not be able to hold them off for much longer, please dear, I beseech you - hurry".
I had never before heard the tone of desperation in his voice and it chilled me to my core. He left my room swiftly, leaving me to dart about, assembling things that I thought may assist me in my dark hour of need.
I descended the sweeping staircase, my footsteps muffled in the royal purple carpet. The entrance hall was eerily deserted but for the three figures huddled at the door. My mother, dressed in a bottle green velvet dress, a crown on her head and a jeweled dagger sheathed at her waist. She was conversing in urgent whispers with my father, who was decked out in full military dress and with my father's royal bodyguard, Malcolm, similarly in combat uniform but not as decorated.
"It is not safe my lord, I beg of you to reconsider!" pleaded Malcolm.
"There is no alternative captain. The back exit is engulfed in smoke and debris, this is the only way out." said the king.
"But sir, it is surely a trap, can't you see this?! you will be playing right into king Xander's hands if you do this." Malcolm said, his eyes wide and pleading.
"There is no other way. You and I both know Xander wants every one of us dead. If we do this, one of us may have a chance" he said with a great sigh, his eyes on his white-faced wife. Tears were flowing silently from her eyes. However she nodded at her husband, her hand fastening around the dagger. The king lifted his eyes to his daughter, calling her forward.
"Listen my darling Elena, we are surrounded and there is no other way out but through here. The castle is slowly burning so we can not stay inside and fight from within. We must therefore flee the grounds--- Do not interrupt me I beg of you darling!" the king raised his voice as it was obvious that Elena was about to say something. "Your mother and I will go to the right, Malcolm and you will go to the left, that way, maybe we will confuse the archers or whoever is lying in wait... but we only get one chance. Do you understand me?" he asked, looking down at his only daughter.
Tears welled in my eyes and I shook my head. My father grasped my arms and knelt down and said to me "You are the princess of Lorrea, you must honour your heritage, your country and yourself, no matter what happens..." he pulled off from around his neck a thin golden chain looped through a medallion of an intricate pattern of the family coat of arms "this is proof of your nobility - show it to our countrymen for safe passage but keep it hidden from our enemies for your own safety".
