The Lost Princess

They rode though the village likes thunder knocking over things and people as they passed. Fifteen men rode in upon black horses dressed entirely in black armor from the neck down: it seemed they did not care to hide their faces and wore the crest of the royal family proudly above their hearts; a small symbol that let everyone know they were from the queen's personal guards. The red heart with the fire crown trimmed beautifully in gold was a symbol of death, destruction, and misery to all who laid eyes upon it.

A man moved his horse forward as his men stayed cl.u.s.tered behind him sneering and laugh at the surrounding villagers. His skin was paler than his men, he had a beard that held three braids in it each neatly tied off with a black band. His eyes were a dark brown, they were so dark in color most often thought he had black eyes. He held a dark and eeriness about him and the villagers kept clear of him as he held his hand firmly on the hilt of his sword ready to pull it from it's sheath at any given moment.

"We have come looking for only one thing that belongs to the queen of Serenity." He said.

The villagers looked at each other faces blank with fear for they knew for sure no answer would save them from their fates.

"We wish for you to hand over a woman by the name of Velaira,"he bellowed,"Fair on the eyes, ebony hair, she may have aged a bit, but a thorn-full rose none the less."

The soldiers nasally voice reached the ears of Vestin who was on his way to check on Loraz's mother when he heard them enter the village. Vestin watched on as the men blew kisses at the younger woman and glared at the men. He clenched his fist firmly and heaved a sigh. His brows frowned and his stare burning holes into the soldiers.

"Give her to us and we shall leave this retched place you call a home alone. If not I will let my men have their fun. The choice is yours." The Man chuckled.

The village folk whispered among themselves. Vestin rushed through the crowd, that stood in a confused panic, towards Loraz's house to warn her mother. As he headed for the house he heard the voice of the village drunk, Jin, speaking to the soldier.

"Velaira," Jin slurred in a mid day drunken stupor, "There is no lady by that name here, I should know all the beauties of this village."

The man lead his horse slowly over to Jin, who could barely stand up properly on his own. Lifting up his leg he kicked Jin down to the ground from upon his horse and looked at the people who gasped behind him.

"Are you trying to hide her in this run down village of yours?" the soldier said a slight chuckle in his tone. "We can force you to hand her over; it would make no difference to us if this village were to cease to exist."

"No please, we are not trying to deceive you, I give you my word. That name is new to us, perhaps if you could tell us what she looks like?"Another villager answered.

"If she is not using her birth name then perhaps a false one is being used she would have come here about twelve years ago caring a small female babe ..."

Vestin raced faster as the conversation went on. He had to get to Loraz's mother and get her out of harm's way before anything happened.

The darkly dressed soldiers didn't care if the villagers cooperated or not; they had the look of blood thirsty demons upon their faces. The village was as good as dead once they arrived.

When he reached the door he saw it was slightly opened,

"Who could be visiting her today? She doesn't have a doctor visit scheduled today." He whispered to himself.

He opened the door slightly peeking his head in first and taking a look around the living room. He saw four men sitting down a painful stare on all of their faces. They were not from his village and he had never seen them before.

"Umm...you guys can't be here..." He said pushing the door completely open.

The men all looked up at him each one ready to pull their blades.

"Who might you be?" A rasp of a voice hissed.

Vestin walked further into the house. He looked at the one who spoke to him and placed his fists firmly on his h.i.p.s. The man had a cloth covering his lower face and his red eyes peered thorough like shining rubies.

"I am Vestin; I came to see my friend's mother. Who might you be?"

"If you came to see the missus you are too late, boy. The Ancestors have called for her to return to them. Their goddess of death has come and claimed her soul." Another whispered.

Vestin's eyes grew wide and he stumbled slightly backward. Looking over to the gentle voice who spoke he saw a man in a cloak with fair skin and a tan complexion. His eyes were like emeralds sparkling from under the hood of the gentleman's cloak and they seemed to have a bit of eye color tracing them.

"She has passed on...no when? Why..." Vestin said

"She was already dead boy," Another stated his ton harsh. "She only breathed on for the sack of the princess." A rough looking figure said from up against the living room wall.

"Oh cut that nonsense. She loved the princess as her own, yes, but it was her time to go." the fourth man, a short and stout gentleman, huffed as he fumbled with his cloak trying to hide his blade.

"Loraz..." Vestin muttered. The very thought of her made his c.h.e.s.t hurt and he clutched at it."I have to find her...it was her mother's last request for me to find her."

"Then you must be the one she spoke of in her letter...the one she left her mission to..." The raspy voice hissed.

"I don't know anything about a mission. I only know that she asked me to go find her one day and give her a message. Now i hate to be rude and my parents would probably knock me silly for my words, who are you guys and how do you know about Loraz.

The four men looked down at the young boy who stood before them and they each made their own observations.

"We, boy, the ones who helped the princess escape that night her father was killed. Didn't take that bitch of queen long to do the old sap in either. He was too soft on that woman if you ask me. It's the king's fault the princess has to run for her life now. Could've had that miss beheaded after she gave birth, but no they get married instead." The rough one said.

"Stop that. We shouldn't talk ill of the king or the dead. He only did what was suggested to him by the counsel."

"Bah! That counsel is just as corrupt as that bloody viper you all call queen now. My loyalty will only ever lie with the princess. It was my word to the real queen before she pasted." The rough one said.

"Gotte, Sav, stop all this bickering. It does us no good, now, to point finger and what not. The boy asked a simple question." The raspy voice said.

"Oh can it Ditt. You old ninny. Let the two bicker it might liven this place up a bit now that the missus is gone." The short one said with a wave of his hand.

"Oh ninny? I'll give you old ninny, Kibs, hop down off that chair and say it to my face." Ditt said.

Vestin watch as the men conversed between themselves.

"Would all shut up. I didn't come here to watch you all act like fools. The queen's guards are here and they're looking for Loraz. I don't think they plan on leaving peacefully either...even if they find what they came for the people here are going to die." Vestin said.

The four men stopped bickering and looked at Vestin. Their faces grim as the processed his words.

Suddenly they heard screams outside; Vestin peeked out the door and saw a horrible sight.

The village people were being massacred like sacrificial livestock. Soldiers trampled over the farmer's harvest and smashed merchant booths. Some broke into houses and were killing off the animals.

"I told you it didn't matter if this village disappeared!" The man with the braided beard shouted.

Vestin turned to the four men his brows frowned,fist clenched, as he bit at his bottom lip. His body shook like a tree in a violent wind.

The men jumping up to there feet hand on their swords looked each other in the eyes.

"We must escape with the missus. If they find her body here they will dishonor her remains." Ditt said.

"Should we take the boy," Gotte said.

"It was the missus last request, he must come with us." Sav said.

"I cannot leave without at least trying to save some of my village..." Vestin exclaimed.

The men looked at him and each smiled slightly at the boys determination.

"Very well, we will help who we can, but we will make no promises to save them all. Let us be off." Ditt said.

Vestin clenched his fist tighter as he promised himself that if he made it out of there alive he would set a course for Mossca to take his place as a knight and protect his princess.