The day had finally come, the royal tournament, a day when men from far and wide attended to show their skills. And for some to try and win the princess’ heart, though all had failed through the years. The grounds were bustling as the day was prepared, the royal grounds bright with life. The tournament grounds were adorned in colorful banners and ribbons, spectators already flooding in to find seating. Visitors from all over had begun to arrive late the night before as well as early this morning, settling in well inside the castle walls. It was one of her father’s favorite days, a day to show off the Kingdom he had created.

Adalia was busy preparing with her dressing maids as her father met with his guests, the men’s laughter booming through the stone walls. She truly despised these days, sitting and watching men fool around to impress the ladies and prove who had the bigger ego. It was bad enough none of them had any skill, but to have to sit and fake the enjoyment, she would rather be tortured. Adalia was quiet as she was dressed to the nines in fine attire, her body being adorned with the kingdom's red, black and gold colours, fine fabrics from across the seas used to make her dress. Her hair was braided intricately and her crown was added upon her head followed by other jewelry. Her dressing maids were quick with their work, trying to lighten the mood a bit with small chatter,

“Maybe you will find your knight in shining armour?”

“I think it is quite funny watching them parade around like jesters”

Everyone chipped in with chuckles and jokes as they finished helping the heir prepare for the day. Their jokes brought a smile to Adalia’s lips, she loved her girls and their conversations they had together. But soon it was over and Adalia was up and headed down the halls. This was the first year she would be initiating the games, her father giving her the honor as she learned more with her upcoming role. As Adalia made her way through the halls she began to think of the day, how could she excuse herself and sneak away so she did not have to endure the hours of torture?

As everyone made their way to the tournament grounds, men prepared for the games, horses on edge, eager to run, music played from mandolins and harps. Adalia met with her father and mother outside the castle doors, each of them mounting their horses for their entrances. Adalia swiftly mounted her stallion Enzo, a large necked, deep dapple gray Andalusian. The two were perfect companions, growing and learning together through the years. The royals made their way on horseback down to the tournament grounds, trumpets blaring a sharp pitch as they entered. Sunlight reflected off the princess’ hair like golden rays, her presence catching the eyes of those who attended. The competitors stood in the sandy arena with their escorts and royal companions, lining up out of the way, kneeling as the royals stopped their steeds, dismounting before escorts took them away.

Adalia kept a smile on her lips though she did not truly mean it, years of practice earned the ease of faking an expression for the crowd. She only wished to be off somewhere else than here. The royals made it to their balcony where their carved wooden seats were, standing at the bannister as everyone rose. The king looked to Adalia, giving her a soft smile and nod, a cue. The princess nodded in return before stepping forward before her father, looking out to everyone who had attended. There were hundreds, maybe thousands that stood packed together in the seating. She kept a calm and collected demeanor, waiting a moment for it to quiet down. She was quite nervous, this being one of her very first speeches to her people in true fashion, but she tucked it away, she could show no sign other than strength.

“On behalf of the Kingdom of Reyes, we welcome you to our annual tournament of the Kingdoms. We thank you for joining us here today, to show off all of our various skills and training, and most of all, to enjoy each other's company and have fun no matter what happens beyond these lands. We shall see many men test the limits of others, to prove who shall be the winner this year.”

The princess spoke, her voice strong, eloquent.

“Now, let the games begin”

She added, a bright smile on her pink lips, her hands raising up to commence the games.

As the games started, Adalia sat back into her seat, her eyes scanning over the crowds and everything else besides the game below, her mind wandering absentmindedly. Game after game began to pass, archery, jousting, little pitiful games in her mind still. This was all just a waste of time for everyone. Adalia had not paid nearly as much attention as her parents, her mother reaching over to pinch her arm from time to time, pulling her mind back so she would look proper. Finally as the sun began to fall past its highest point, it was time for sword fighting. Adalia sighed softly, holding the fake smile to her lips as the men adorned their armor and grabbed their weapons. Some began to twirl their swords and make a show, trying to gain a cheer or two from the crowd. She looked to her father and murmured,

“Father, it is a quite ridiculous practice”

She said quietly. Her father just shushed her, waving her off with his hand before looking back to the arena. Glancing briefly for just a moment to her escort, she could tell maybe he too shared the same feeling as she did for once. She knew the look of true boredom anywhere. Maybe there was a small hint of her old friend still hidden deep within.
Adalia was slowly becoming restless as time slowly dragged on, resting her chin on her fist that was propped on the armrest of her chair. Every man that entered the arena seemed as if they were taught by a blind man, no one showing true skill or witt. Her brows furrowed with each entry, quietly in her mind judging the moves and steps they took, what they should have done instead. It was becoming an embarrassment that this is what they had to offer.

Without giving them another moment the princess stood from her seat. She reached up and grabbed her crown, handing it to one of her maids that was there to assist the princess. Her father looked at her with pure confusion, his mouth agape with the inability to speak as he watched his daughter tuck her blond curls behind her ears, easily slipping past anyone in her way and down the stairs to the sand below.

“This is just a disgrace”

She mumbled to herself, moving further into the arena as the crowd beyond her gasped in unison. Stepping forward she extended her hand, taking a large bladed sword from the hands of an escort before moving towards the next competitor. The red haired man stood frozen, a look of fear in his eyes as he stood before the princess. What was she doing?

“I want to see a real fight, real talent, not some child’s play. Fight me”

She said to him, wielding the sword as she took a stance. The man stayed frozen as he looked to the royal family who now stood at the bannister. Adalia chuckled before speaking once more,

“I said fight me”

Her voice was stern, enough that the crowd beyond began to cheer. A change in action caused their applause and cheers to erupt. The man still hesitated at first before he too took a stance. The princess kept her ground, her eyes watching the man carefully. She was not to make the first move, it was deadly. She needed to know what her opponent had planned, to take those few extra seconds to spot any flaws. It worked like a charm as the man lunged forward, swinging his sword down only to be met swiftly by a block. Adalia was quick, precise. Each step and swing she made was calculated, she could not waste a single movement. Her opponent began to speed up, and for a moment she seemed to give him a small upper hand, but it was not long, it was only to have him let his guard down for a moment to think he was in the lead.

It was over quick, the crowd going silent as the battle came to an end. Adalia held the tip of her sword against the man’s throat, the cold metal kissing his skin as a smile pulled to her lips. He sat on his knees frozen for a moment, his eyes wide before Adalia pulled the sword away with a swift swing, sticking the blade into the sand beside her.

“Good Try”

She said quietly to the man before her, extending her hand to lift him from the ground. The crowd once again erupted in cheers, chanting her name. She smiled and gave a few small waves and nods before she stepped away to ascend the stairs once more. Slipping past her parents and to Hadeon she stopped by his side. Not looking at him before she spoke in a hushed voice.

“I need no man”

With that she excused herself from the balcony, her maid following as she started her walk back to the castle, the sounds of the crowds chanting now fading behind her. She knew her father would be right behind her in no time, once inside the castle heading straight to his study to await the stern speech she knew was coming. And she was right, after her father closed the games and finished any ceremonies, she could hear his heavy steps down the halls. The door opened and soon slammed closed with a brute force behind him, his booming voice filling the room. It was just as expected, her father disgusted by her actions and barely giving her a chance to speak or defend herself. She just let him have at it, knowing no matter what she would say would have no matter to him. It infuriated her though, as if her father was so proud to name her heir but to let her have no say besides a little game?

When her father had finally ended his bicker and banter, Adalia left without a word, leaving the study and heading to her chambers. She ignored the form of Hadeon who had waited at the end of the hall, honestly at that moment having not noticed him. Her steps were quick as she held her hands in a fist tightly, holding in the anger that swelled inside. Closing herself in her room she dismissed her dressing maids, needing just some time to herself to settle. It was already late and she needed space. Adalia slipped all the jewelry off from her body, setting it on the vanity before she began to struggle with the corset that bound her torso. With a few groans and failed attempts she finally was able to slip out of the horrid dress and into a simple velvet day dress, able to breathe once more. All while doing this her mind spun, reeling over thoughts of the future. Was this all worth it?

The tournament had proved to be even more ridiculous than Hadeon Alchys could have ever had imagined, the entire display unfolding before him as if he were watching toddlers wielding swords without any awareness of the strength of the weapon they held. He was standing off to the side in the company of the King, the Queen, and the Princess Adalia, all of them seemingly conveying a diversity of emotions as they spectated in silence. Hadeon was more than disgusted by the participants that were darting to and fro across the open space in front of them, their movements sloppy and pathetic; it took all of his willpower to refrain from voicing every single one of their pathetic mistakes aloud. Truth be told, he was incredibly tempted to test them further by requesting the onyx-hued serpent that he knew was hovering miles above them in the clouds to plummet downwards and land in the throes of the sparring individuals, perhaps managing to scare them into admitting they were all inexperienced fools. A real man, in his opinion, was one that could stare a dragon in the eye without feeling an ounce of fear, instead wanting to somehow earn the beast`s respect and the power they held. Besides, there was quite literally no way these staggering men even know how to slay a dragon, a neccessity back at the Dragon`s Roost; everyone knew how to kill one of The Ferals.

Hadeon Alchys` thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he saw the Princess Adralia stand from her seat and grab a sword, his entire anatomy stiffening when he started putting pieces together. His teeth clenched within his mouth as he watched her openly challenge the man that was standing before her, shock and a smidge of pride rushing through his body. Was she truly trying to prove her previous point about her not requiring a man? It was laughable and mockable, yet he was curious to see what she would do in this precise location. Perhaps, she would manage to impress him, if only just a little. His brows furrowed as he analyzed and calculated every single swing and block of the sword she wielded, the revalation that she genuinely was talented and skilled at this dawning upon him; it would have been a little challenging for him to defeat her if it had come down to a sword fight between them, even if he did not want to acknowledge it. His eyes narrowed into slits when the Princess Adalia delivered the final blow, causing the crowd to erupt in cheers. Although he knew he should probably do the same, his hands remained firm against his sides, including when she strode back over and paused before him.

``You know nothing about how dark the real world is.``

Hadeon Alchys had practically hissed quietly in response beneath his breath, his body tense as his gaze shifted to meet that of the King`s briefly. When she turned and excused herself, he mentally cursed before he followed suit by excusing himself and leaving the platform the royals were still in. He was frustrated and, truth be told, a little concerned as he reached an open clearing and tilted his chin upwards to look up into the sky; there was no doubt that the King would be very, very upset with her and he wondered how she would react to it. Would she apologize profusely or remain true to what she had said?

Sensing Hadeon`s emotions and sudden distance from the games, Algernon released an eerie, shrill roar as he tilted downwards to land with a colossal thud onto the earth a few feet away from his rider. The dragon observed quietly as the human approached him and climbed up onto his back, plumes of smoke escaping his nostrils in evident disturbance and preparation; he would have burned down the games if it bothered Hadeon enough, but, of course, the main reason he would do so was for the sake of entertainment. Algernon whipped his tail sharply before he launched back into the afternoon air, wings fluctuating up and down and sending gusts of wind in opposite directions. His body shook as he huffed heavily, eventually landing on the familiar metallic platform with the sound of screeching metal revebrating throughout the air.

``Be more mindful of that godforsaken noise, Aleron.``

Hadeon Alchys grumbled beneath his breath before he dismounted Algernon and rushed into the castle, leaving the dragon feeling annoyed and aggravated; that combination was not the best to depart him with. Hadeon rushed towards the Princess Adalia`s room, pausing when he heard the shouting match between her and the King in the study. Even if it was amusing, he felt irritated and the faintest bit offended by the manner of which the King was speaking to her. Why did he care? God, he had no idea and he did not have the time to fret or ponder over it, especially when it was fleeting. When he heard her approaching, he skidded backwards and hid around a nearby corner to avoid being spotted immediately, a frown temporarily gracing his features as he watched her rush into her room and slam the door behind her. Hadeon was no fool and he could easily tell she was keeping all of her emotions inside, something he knew the dangers of all too well.

``Princess.``

Hadeon Alchys began once he had given her approximately twenty minutes to herself, gently knocking on the door to her room. He knew there was an incredibly high chance that he would be ignored, especially when the tension and loathing between them had felt like it had been at its climax for years. Briefly, he bit his inner cheek hard enough to draw blood before he knocked one more time. He groaned softly as he turned and leaned against the wall directly outside of her wall, the sound coming from the conflict deep within him; he knew he should leave her alone to cope with whatever she was feeling alone, yet he knew that when he had felt similarily that he had desperately wished for someone- anyone- to sit down and hear him as he ranted for as long as he desired to. He tried to fabricate a proposal of some kind, his voice devoid of its usual mocking and snarky tone for once.

``If it pleases you, we could go on a walk and I will remain silent for its entire duration. It may help clear your mind.``

Adalia sat herself on the edge of her bed, sitting quietly with her hands folded over one another as she looked out the window across the room, the moonlight streaming through faintly. It was silent, seeming as if the whole castle had heard the argument and now hid in the shadows. The only sound in her vicinity was the crackle of the fire that had been made for her in the hearth of her room. Tears had begun to well in the corner of her eyes before they trickled down her skin, her emotions and frustration seeming to boil within. Her whole life she had learned to keep her feelings to herself. That her internal thoughts meant nothing and to only focus on the good for her people. But how could she do that when inside she was in pain, her heart and mind clawing at her insides to just find someone to listen. It was improper for a royal.

Adalia continued to sit and think in her silence before a gentle knock sounded at her door. She knew instantly who it was, no one ever came to check on her. No one but Hadeon who as a child would sneak past the guards and through the maze of corridors after witnessing an argument of the princess with one of her parents. Even though it had been years, and the friend she once had was gone, it felt so familiar. Another knock had sounded as she realized she had still been just sitting there. Sighing softly she stood, standing for a moment and she thought. Did she want to go? Did she want to walk with the shell of her once friend?

Everything was silent for a few more minutes, the time seeming to drag on forever. With his back to the wall, finally her bed chamber door creaked open, the dim light from the fire inside shining on the floor to illuminate just a bit of the hall. Adalia soon stepped out, closing the door softly behind her. She kept her eyes averted from Hadeon, standing for a moment before the two began to walk. The princess kept her hands clasped in front of herself, playing with her fingers, a nervous habit she seemed to have never quit.

The walk from the halls to outside was long and silent, their footsteps the only sound to be heard. She did not want to speak inside for there were always ears. If anyone heard the opinion of Adalia, it would travel quickly back to her father. The two made their way outside and down the stone stairs where the paths split in different directions, the pair choosing to head towards the gardens. A secluded maze of trees, bushes, foliage from all over. There seemed to be no end to them, twists and turns hiding gazebos and fountains, some would say it seemed somewhat magical. The princess had still been silent as they each slowly walked, their steps almost in unison as the pebbled pathway crumbled under their feet.

“My father wishes I was a son”
Adalia finally spoke, her voice quiet, calm, a play she put on to hide her true feelings.

“He tells me every time there is an argument. Anytime I do something wrong, he is there to tell me he wishes it was different. ‘I wish I had a strong son who will rule as heir’”

Adalia added, mocking her fathers voice a bit at the end. They continued to walk, Hadeon doing as he had proposed and staying silent. Adalia did not know why she was telling him all of this. She never spoke to anyone. But it felt...nice.

“I don’t understand the issue, I am capable of everything just as if I was born a son. But no, I must sit inside the confines of those castle walls. Tell me, how is needlepoint going to prepare me for the throne? Art? Learning what soups can be served on certain occasions? It makes no sense to me”

She added, her gaze glancing over to Hadeon, her brows furrowed in confusion. She stopped in her tracks, her hands falling to her sides as she looked around. Shaking her head she scoffed slightly.

“He has me commence a stupid set of games, but I am not able to learn anything about truly ruling. I cannot attend any large meetings that have to do with war or with our people, only silly little ones about games and how we need to expand the castle. I have tried to learn but I have given up."

She said, running her hand across her cheek as she let out a soft sigh, continuing to walk again. It was not long before they had winded down some paths, a muscle memory it had seemed as they stumbled upon the small pond they used to sit at. Adalia sat down on one of the stone benches, watching the reflection of the moon ripple in the pond before her.

"I know I am not the easiest person to deal with, but I am tired of everyone dictating how my life will be. Locking me away so I remain inside for years to rot. I will not just be some woman on display to bare children while others rule around me."

Adalia’s eyes stayed locked onto her reflection in the ripples, her mirrored gaze staring back at her. As Hadeon stood, the ruffled sound of his cloak brought her back to, her eyes lifting to watch as he rose to his feet. She sat her frame up a bit as he knelt before her, the princess quick to wipe a fallen tear that cascaded down her cheek. It had been so long since she had last spoken her mind, to release all the emotions that she had to bottle up inside and keep to herself. To not burden anyone with her feelings. She did not want to admit that it felt nice, to have someone there to finally listen.

As Hadeon knelt before her, his words left his lips with an honesty not many had the luck to receive. Their eyes remained connected, both of their expressions seeming to soften in each other’s presence. His eyes held so much, so much he kept hidden to himself as well. The pain, exhaustion, everything he must have gone through to get to this moment. While the princess’ eyes held her loneliness, innocence. She knew Hadeon was right, she must experience life if she was to rule properly, that giving up now would only lead her down a path of failure, to regret when she fails her people.

Adalia had glanced away from his gaze for a moment as she thought quietly to herself, her hands placing themselves beside her legs. Her expression still held a bit of uncertainty until Hadeon spoke once more, offering to show her what the true world held. Just this possible mention brought Adalia to look back to him, her brows raising. The corners of her lips curled into a smile, the light in her eyes seeming to come back at the thought of knowing what was outside the castle walls. Adalia had never ventured farther than the city, besides the lake they would swim at when they were children. But she had not even been there in years.

Adalia was now at the edge of her seat, the world around her seeming to go silent as she looked down upon Hadeon. Maybe her friend was still there. Maybe Adalia still had a grip on his heart and mind just as he had with her own.

“Show me the real world, teach me what I must know dear friend”

The princess said, reaching forward as her own hands slipped around his, clasping them between each other as her bright orbs looked to him with hope. He was her guide to this world, her last chance that there was hope she could rise. When he had stood himself back up, her hands were still absentmindedly on his own. She still held the same look as she did when they were children, that bright expression that could light anyone's day. And now in that moment she seemed to glow under the streams of moonlight that reflected off of her golden hair and velvety dress. She had found her hope and her friend.

After some time the two began their way back towards the castle, walking side by side and enjoying the last few minutes of the cool night breeze. It was quiet between them, enjoying the singing of crickets and songs of the wind. A smile still stayed upon Adalia’s pink lips, her mind now reminiscing on the past, how the two were always running through here. That is when another thought came to mind, Hadeon’s voice only ever regarding her as Princess since he came back. She had always hated it, seeming to be a tease when they were younger. She knew it was just a formality, but it just felt so odd.

“You know you don't have to call me Princess all the time.”

Adalia began, glancing up towards Hadeon as they walked.

“A mere habit I wish you would shed”

She said with a small chuckle as they walked side by side down the pebble pathways.

“The formality I hear enough through my days.”

She added, glancing at Hadeon. Princess this, Princess that. Every single person besides her mother and father called her that tiring word. It made her feel as if she wasn’t truly a person. Everyone was terrified to slip and be told on.

“You would not be punished if I was the one telling you to do so, you are simply following a command from the royal you escort. A way around the rules”
Adalia said with a sly smile and chuckled, if anyone knew how to get around the rules, it was the princess herself. Always finding a loophole. She may be naive and innocent but she had brains, she knew how to use it as well. When it came to a situation she was one who would win with her words and then with strength, her mind holding strategic strength. If only her father would let her apply it.

As Hadeon paused his long strides just before the stairs of the castle, Adalia followed his gaze as he looked to the night sky, the stars and moon shifting as the beast’s form above blocked the light. A smile pulled at Adalia’s lips as she just envisioned the magnificent creature that was free to the sky.

“You know what the council’s secret nickname is for me? They don’t think I know but I can find out anything….The Dragon. The temper, fight and loyalty just like those amazing beasts”

Adalia said, and it was true. She was the little dragon of the Kingdom, her fiery attitude but loyalty to her people earned her the name that was once used behind closed doors. Until one of her nightly strolls had her stumble upon a meeting where they referred to her.
“I do not mind, I quite like it”

Adalia looked at Hadeon as he began to explain the outside world, how once they left the safety of the fortress created by her family, there was no one to protect them. That at any moment one of the feral beasts could ambush an attack on any living thing it saw, just because it wanted to. She looked back up to the sky, continuing to watch the stars and moonlight flicker above.

“Father said I don’t need to worry about learning anything about them, other than their riders control them and keep the ferals at bay. But I do not believe it. We do not control them, we merely accept each other, work together. To fully control a dragon would be to take away its whole meaning of life, as if it was too a puppet. Even inside these walls, even the riders themselves, we are all at the mercy of them.”
Adalia spoke, the way her words slipped from her tongue as if she was in a poetic trance. For the first time it seemed a royal had truly understood the bond that was held with the creatures, how they were not just a tool to rein. They were their own heart and soul that was to be respected.

“When you left, I almost ran off to try and find my own, hoping I could learn to fly above and maybe find you. Mother was not too pleased when I returned with a muddy and ripped dress”
Adalia spoke with a chuckle, her soft expression looking back up at Hadeon.

“I was so sure I could do it with ease, that I would be the best rider there ever was.”
She shook her head softly as a scoffed laugh escaped, looking back to the sky as a pitched roar could be heard in the air above.

“I envied them when I was younger as well, I still do. To be free to soar wherever they please, to not have anyone or anything control them if they don’t choose to.”

Adalia shook her head and sighed softly, her eyes catching a slight torchlight in the windows above. Their freedom was coming to an end, the changing of the shift guards coming soon.

“I should head to my chambers before someone alerts the whole Kingdom”
Adalia said with a playful smile, turning to Hadeon.

“Thank you for this”

Her bright orbs looked deep into his for a moment before she turned to begin up the stairs, pausing just for a moment to look down at him,

“Do not worry, I won’t run off tonight”

She teased playfully before continuing up the stone stairs, her frame soon leaving his view. She did as she promised, going straight to her chambers and avoiding anyone who may tattle. As she began to get ready for slumber, a smile stayed plastered to her lips, enjoying the peaceful night she could now have, the weight of her emotions free from her chest.

As Adalia slipped into a nightgown and crawled into the vast best amid many blankets and pillows, the world around her grew quiet. Hadeon’s final words replayed in her mind, causing her to become curious. She would not be satisfied with the man you see, even now. What had he meant by that? What had changed within him to see himself that way. He was older now, structured and precise, but had he truly changed within? Only time would tell. She was curious to hear what all he had been through, his struggles, his achievements, anything about his journey to where he was now. He got to live the life she had thought she wanted as a child. Shaking her head softly she laid her form down, pulling the covers over her body and resting into the pillows. She could not dwell on her thoughts, it was late and she needed to rest, and for the first time in many years she slipped into slumber with ease. Her built up emotions gone into the night breeze from their walk, her mind at ease.

Timeskip to Approximately Two Weeks Later

All had been well inside the castle walls for the most part during the last few weeks. It was quiet, not too much going on besides small little meetings and gatherings. Adalia was busy with studies as normal, trying to learn what she could since her talk with Hadeon. She had requested for higher reading materials, old war plans, anything besides the basic readings she had been stuck with. Some nights the two would stroll the garden paths together, and even though Hadeon was quiet for most of it, it brought peace to the princess, to have someone there to listen.

But just as everything seemed to be brightening, a dark cloud must rain down to block the sun. It was very early in the morning when shouting could be heard from the King’s study. Adalia and her father in the midst of a heated argument. The words were muffled through the stone walls and wooden door but their voices still echoed with anger and frustration. Adalia could not reason with him, the two having flared tempers and a hard head, clashing with each other in these heated moments. This all was happening before Hadeon’s shift had even started, the current guard watching over the princess standing at the end of the hall.

Adalia had given up, storming out of the study and into the halls. The guard quickened his pace to try and keep up with her, calling out to have her stop but she would not. Her brows furrowed harshly, fire burning in her eyes as she continued her planned path. Maids and servants stepped out of the way, curtseying and bowing quickly as she stormed through. Whispers began amongst them, watching as the heir made her way outside of the castle and onto the paths headed towards the stables.

“Get me Enzo”

Adalia commanded, her voice harsh as she entered through the stable doors. The young stable hand stood frozen and stared at her, holding a brush in his hands.

“I said, get me Enzo”

She repeated herself, the boy quickly moving towards the stallions stall, setting the brush to the side as he opened the stall door. Adalia grabbed the black leather bridle that sat on a hook outside his stall, quickly taking over as the boy walked the dappled stallion out. She calmed just for a moment as she slid the bridle onto Enzo, her movements soft and steady to her steed. She moved him towards a straw bale, using it to help mount onto his back. The stallion played with the bit, his feet quickly moving with excitement as she settled onto him. He could feel the tension and emotion as she gave him a quick pat, the stallion shaking his thick neck and swishing his tail as he awaited her command.

With just a small cluck and a squeeze of her legs, Enzo exploded, his strong hind legs launching him forward into a gallop. Adalia held on with the help of his long mane, guiding him out the gates and through the streets. She was careful of anyone nearby, slowing him just a bit until they were outside the city and onto the dirt paths of the countryside. She needed to get away, to be alone. If she saw her father she might as well just explode from anger. She knew where to go, a place no one knew but her, her little paradise from the castle walls. Enzo seemed to know the exact plan as they followed the dirt paths, knowing the way as she softened her grip, letting him choose the speed. Instantly the freedom already calmed her racing heart. The smell of dew on the grasses and the sounds of the birds chirping filled her senses. Her red skirt of her dress rustled behind her like flames, her golden curls flowing and shifting in the morning sun.

Enzo slowed to a steady, extended canter once they were a good distance from the city, unable to see it on the horizon. Not long after they arrived at the wooded treelines, a sign they were approaching the destination. Tucked away in a secluded section was a large pond, large and deep enough to swim in but not too big you could not walk around. Adalia always thought this hideaway was built by magic, for the trees hugged tightly together to somewhat keep it a secret, as if it had built walls to protect it from being found.

Enzo slowed to a walk as they entered the trees, stopping right inside as the walls opened up to a shaded grass field. Flowers of all types bloomed in the lush grasses, an array of colors for the eye to see. Adalia slipped off the side of Enzo, patting his thick neck before slipping his bridle off so he could graze.

Instantly she felt the tension melt off her shoulders as she walked through the grasses, streams of sunlight peeking through the canopy of trees. As Enzo trotted off to graze, Adalia found her spot in a pool of sunlight, sitting down in the grass and letting the warmth meet her skin. Her eyes gazed out over the water, the soft ripples seeming to dance. She was quiet for some time, just enjoying the nature around her, letting all her worries and doubts sink away. With each passing minute, freedom felt as if it was taking over, pulling the true Adalia out, and soon she began to hum a tune softly, and moments later her voice began to sing as her fingers played with a flower she had picked from beside her.

“There will come a soldier

Who carries a mighty sword

He will tear your city down, oh lei- oh lai- oh Lord”