Amara's POV

The steps I took were a little smaller in stride than my Uncles...but still I kept up with him.

His caring hand led me to the stables where my emergency gear was alongside a sack with my armor peeking out.

The moon's soft rays now glowed amongst as in an almost dreary way.

I knew something was wrong once my Uncle looked at me with Sorrow.

"You must leave this place." His gruff chin hadn't been shaved for about a month now so he started to look more out of tune than usual.

And usually any news that could float around our kingdom and even overseas was known by him.

So if I had to guess, my uncle had most likely heard something amongst the land that had my name written on it.

"Is someone to kill me? If so I must stand alongside you General Thane." I kept my voice firm and without waver while he looked upon me with a sort of proud expression.

His look was only for a moment before arrows were shot at us with him immediately shielding me with his shield he had been carrying on his back.

I then realized that it was in my best interest to get suited up in my armor and swiftly.

———

Once I was completely fitted in my royal Knight attire I drew my blade.

"Asher remembered what I taught you." He warned as William and Seth appeared.

"General Thane! The front lines have been broken! What are your orders?!" Seth, who usually is the more composed of the two broke out in cold sweat with fear in his eyes.

"We must protect the Royal Family. You both know what to do."

After General Thane gave his commands both Seth and Justin ran toward the inner court of the kingdom where both my father and brother resided.

By now, I prayed with all I had that they were both safe.

"You must leave this place Asher. They are after you." He looked at me as if to look at me once last time with his heavy hand planted on my right shoulder as he stood in front of me.

"Trust no one and stay strong. I'll send word for you for when you can return and if anything were to happen to you, anything at all. Send Kairi, the white barn owl."

"How will she-"

"Don't worry so much, she'll know how to find me."

Having given me no time to process or speak he then hands me the reigns of my brown horse and a white barn owl that flapped its wings a few times before setting on my shoulder.

"Keep her safe. The both of you." And before I could say goodbye...before I knew it...I was heading to a place marked on a map my uncle had given me at full speed on my horse.

A whole day and a morning went by before I made it to the destination.

Or so I thought before I was ambushed.

Ambushed by a man in black and his three other men who lurked in the shadows just the same.

At this point I wanted a battle, I wanted a fight to prove I wasn't just royal baggage right now.

I didn't need protecting and I certainly didn't like the fact that I was practicing running away without a say.

"You. Hands up knight." Being a total of four men, one of the randoms came into view with a crossbow ready to fire.

With my hand to the hilt of my sword I raised my hand swiftly while drawing it out.

Hoping off my horse I struck the first in the heart and slammed him into the guy behind him.

I then swiftly pierced through the now dead man again to kabob the other to my sword killing him instantly.

The last of the three men came at me with a dagger but did little to injure me from my high end armor I wore.

After I killing the last man of the three after a few dodges and strikes I went after the man I was really wanting to fight.

"Face me coward!" I roared through my helmet as the man appeared from the shadows, black like dust followed behind him as his face was covered in a half mask that went to his nose.

The edges of black hair poked out his hood as he rose to full stand from crouching in the dark.

"You are no one to take lightly."

"What do you want." I demanded.

"That's not something you should be asking." His voice was like ice to my ear as he stepped closer, appearing fully in the moonlight.

His dark eyes looked at me with curiosity to kill, but it seemed he was holding back.

"What's a solitary knight doing out alone? Shouldn't you be protecting your princess?"

"She has all the protecting she needs." I stood on guard with one foot shifted in front of the other as he walked around me with a dagger twirling in his fingers.

"It's quite peculiar to see such a lonely knight roaming about, let alone a royal one. You may not know who I am, but know I am no fool."

"I never take to underestimating my opponent. That would be very foolish."

"Wise one you are. But none the wiser because your stature betrays you."

I said nothing as he gave me a low look as if to say I know your secret.

"Must I spell it out for you or has no one figured it out that you still choose to play ignorant?"

He stepped closer being at least six to seven inches taller than me.

"That fake deep voice of yours isn't fooling me. But it may fool the rest."

Before I could attack him he tipped my helmet up.

I was more concerned about concealing who I was that I dropped my sword, letting my guard down.

The one very important rule of being a knight and I screwed it up almost instantly with this snake.

My eyes went wide once I felt a cloth over my nose that he had somehow snuck underneath my helmet.

"You should never take your guard down."

———Character Mood Boards———

(Ian Xa)

(Kairi)