Chapter 2 Escape

Sabrina -

As they walked the magician gave a very brief report of spies on the walls around the city. The barbarians had come from the north. Since before she could remember, the cities to the south of Greymoore woods had been safe from invaders.

None risked travel through the forest that separated this half of the continent with the northern half. When someone traveled too deeply into the forest from her city, they would return with wild tales of never before heard of magics and nightmarish creatures that surely could not be real.

But the rumors still found their way to them- The bruising brutality of the people locked in war north of the forest. Rumor was the land was filled with all kinds of horrifying creatures and was led by demons of all things. It seemed like such a contrast to the peace loving societies that Sabrina had visited at different times in her youth.

"Barbarians from the north coming all the way down here?" She murmured, surprise evident in her voice. She squeezed her hands in front of her chest. How many times had she told her father of those nightmares? He had said not to worry - that they were just her mind playing with her while she slept.

"Yes, Princess Sabrina." He said seriously. "But your father's men are holding them beyond the walls." She shuddered. Her nightmares from tonight flashed before her eyes.

Bloody flags with her land's insignia laid in a giant fire. Bodies, torn and broken, strewn across the courtyard.

From the carnage, a man dressed fully in steel armor stepped forward, he seemed to tower over her. His arms and legs flexed with huge muscles, as he moved. Areas gashed in the armor revealed the underlying rippling muscles.

A metal helm adorned his head, decorated with blood as diamonds decorated her father's crown. Although shadows hid his face, through that helm, glowing red eyes had met hers, filling her with dread. And that is when the thunder had awakened her.

"I need my father." Sabrina said, panic grabbing her painfully through the chest. "I need to tell him..."

"No, your father's orders were very specific. Take you to the lodge and away from here and he would catch up with you in the morning."

She understood the attempt to calm her nerves. But this was not the time for calm. She needed to warn her father about her dreams. If this much of them had come true, could the rest?

"You interrupted me." She said in a matter of fact tone. He lowered his head in shame and mumbled an apology. She nodded, trying to swallow the panic and continue through the fear that twisted within her. "No matter. Please send someone to him. Tell him this battle will end badly. He needs to get away while he still can."

The magician smiled at her. She detested this attempts to soothe her. She was no little girl prone to hysterics! "No need to panic. Your father's men are experienced, well armed and twice as strong as any enemy." She resisted the urge to roll her eyes before turning to the guards. She had stopped in her tracks, causing one of them to almost walk right into her. She was facing him before he had a chance to turn around.

"I am your Princess, am I not?" The guard nodded quietly. "You will do as I order?" He nodded again. "Deliver the King my message. Tell him I had a dream. This battle will not end well. He must get out. His men must eliminate the red eyed man!" She smiled at him and pointed down the hall opposite the way they were going. "Hurry!"

The guard turned around and hurried the direction she had pointed. Filling herself with resolve, she lifted her skirts and nodded at the light magician. "Let's hurry." She said firmly before stepping in the direction of the stables, not waiting for him to take the lead.

When they had arrived at the stables, five of the King's men were awaiting her. She recognized 3 of them. They had escorted her before and had earned that post through glorious battles in the arena as well as on the battlefield. It was obvious her father had given her the best protection that he could afford in this moment of need.

"Your highness..." Zayne had bowed deeply, his languid movements seemed so awkward on a man his size. But Sabrina knew he was not only strong but swift. Many a man had underestimated one or the other aspect of him and had, when lucky, lived to regret it.

He was tall with shoulder length brown hair. His green eyes had been rumored to pierce souls. His slim athletic body kept him nimble in a sword fight.

"Princess..." Jethro was shorter and plumper than Zayne but was not to be underestimated either. His round belly and face did nothing to slow him down in battle. His brown eyes were always so kind.

Although his most useful quality on their journeys together had been his humor. But now was no time for jokes, she respected his serious look. "These two are Lancelot and Jerome." The last two to stand from their bow, smiled in her direction afraid to make eye contact.

Quentin had not paused in saddling the horses, as everyone else had done to bow. Sabrina's eyes went to him, after she acknowledged the others.

While the other guards were quite a bit older than her, Quentin and Sabrina were within a year difference. He was slightly taller than her and had large muscles that he was proud of. He liked to keep his brown hair shaved.

Quentin's brown eyes always sparkled with mischief. His lack of following customs had gotten him in the stocks a time or two. Where the King saw disrespect, Sabrina had always seen a rare kind of stubborn courage.

They had taken classes together and fenced in their free time. Their time together had brought them closer until she began to think of him as the brother she never had.

"No time for addressing your princess..." She teased, the intensity of the situation making it sound harsher than she intended.

He flinched at the words before turning towards her. "We must... go." His words were strained and she saw the war of emotions behind his eyes.

She could tell he wanted to stay, to do his part in the fighting. He did not want to run away. But the set of his jaw and determination on his features said that he was doing the job he felt most important - keeping her safe.

She shivered. Nodding her understanding, she jumped into the saddle of her own horse, which had been gifted to her on her last birthday.

The wild stallion had fought being tamed by the handlers. They had probably thought it a funny joke giving her a creature that did not want to listen, probably not having thought it through.

If in her attempts to come to an agreement with the creature, she had been injured in a way the King had taken notice of, the men surely would have paid. But she had been delighted with the gift. The horse and she had come to an unspoken agreement. She wanted to call it friend.

Leaning forward in the saddle, she patted his neck. "Ride swift, my sweet. There is blood in the air." As she spoke, Jerome opened the stable doors.

The area of the court where they were was buried in shadows, nothing moved. They burst forth taking the west exit out of the castle gates. They rode fast.

The sound of horseshoes against cobble rang through the air, as the sound of the clashing metal got louder. She hoped to catch sight of the battle. But they turned from the wall away from the fight before she could judge what damage had already been done to her home.

As the horses ran, the sound of the fighting grew quieter. She prayed to whatever Gods or Goddesses would hear her that this battle was not the end of her family and her father would return to her as he had said.