A Knight's Princess

Roc-y Encounters

Chapter 1:

(James POV)

I rode off with Desmond leaving Amber back at the castle. It would be an easy monster to fight and I knew that I would be back home soon enough. I continued to ride until I was at the edge of the kingdom right on the border of Corinthia. I knew it was one of the reasons why Amber and Clio were such good friends as kids because they lived so close to one another. I let my mind wander to wondering how Clio was. I knew that she recently graduated and had done some concerts and musicals for her singing but, I wondered where she was now.

I had to refocus as I arrived. It was an enormous bird of prey swooping down and breaking homes, caravans, picking up the debris. It also had eaten some of the livestock around the area but, was not satisfied yet. I dismounted from my horse, "Des smoke." He understood what I meant and threw down a smoke screen of his own creation. I screamed, "EVERYONE PLEASE FIND SHELTER!" The crowds thinned until Desmond and I were left alone with the monster. I unsheathed my sword and carefully moved forward. I watched the bird's moment and tried to recall the information I was forced to study on monsters like this. I cursed myself for not paying more attention but I drew on the information I knew. Large bird. Mountain home. Good sight. "Des sight is strength" I quickly spout knowing he would understand my incoherent speech.

It wasn't much but, I fought worse with less. Desmond handed me some smoke screens and we surrounded the beast tossing the smoke screens until all of our sights were completely hindered. This put the monster at a larger disadvantage than I but, I knew this wouldn't last long. I lunged with my swords aiming for its wings. If it can't fly it can't get away. This rule applied to all arial monsters. I slashed at one of his wings and he came tumbling to the ground. As it let out a pain filled screech I tossed one of Desmond's sleeping elixirs into its beak and watched as it fell to the ground. I quickly tied him up and let out a breath of relief.

The smoke lifted and I looked around at the destruction the monster had caused. "Des can you survey the damage?" He nodded and began looking around. I then looked back at the monster. I had to get it far away from this village, I will take it back to its mountaintop home and trap it inside. Yeah that is what I was going to do. I heard a noise emerge from the rubble, "James there is someone trapped." Desmond shouted. I then saw a woman's hand reaching out amongst the debris of a beautiful caravan. I ran over, "Are you alright?" I asked as Desmond and I tore away layers of debris to reach the woman. As I removed the last layer the woman began to cough up the dust that had been caught in her throat. She looked over at me, "Thank you." She breathlessly said. I looked at her closer. She had brown hair that was beautifully curled, although dust and fragments of woods were now intertwined it with. Her skin was a lovely tan and her round face was adorned with two bright brown eyes. One look at them and I knew, "Clio?"

She looked up at me and smiled, "Hello Prince James or do I call you Sir James now?" She then looked over at Desmond, "And is that you Prince Desmond?" She continued to smile as I helped her stand up now more focused on making sure she wasn't injured. "Are you hurt? Did the monster hurt you?" She simply dusted her skirt off and briefly looked over herself, "A few scraps and bruises but nothing deadly." Hearing that she was hurt made me clench my fists. I quickly released them. I couldn't get angry and take it out on her. She was innocent and didn't deserve to feel my wrath.

I turned back to the Roc. This was the monster I could take my anger out on. I felt a hand on my shoulder, "I have missed you." I looked back at her and I felt a smile tug at my lips. "James, we have to go" Desmond said walking back over to the monster. I turned to Clio, "I have as well. I would love to speak with you longer but, I must attend to this monster." I was prepared to walk away but something stopped me. Those darn feelings that I thought I left behind at Royal Prep compelled me to do what came next, "Clio, would you like to spend time together soon." Wow I was really bad at this. My clumsy invitation was reciprocated with a small giggle and a blush. I liked that I had the ability to make her blush, "I would love to James. I am staying at my home castle at the moment. Please, write to me soon." I nodded "I will" I went into a bow, "Princess Clio." She smiled and bowed, "Prince James."

I walked back over to Desmond who was smirking at me, "So you and Clio?" I hit his arm, "You tell anybody about this I will not hesitate to tell Amber everything." His face went white. "Alright I won't say anything but, you are dealing with this thing. I am going back to the castle."

I groaned and watched as he rode off. I took the monster back to his mountain home towing it behind the horse. I then used one of the tools that Desmond created with the help of Cedric. A cuff around his right talon trapping the Roc to the confines of the mountain. I climbed down the mountain and went home thinking about the plans I now had to make. I caught myself smiling the more I thought about her and it didn't leave until I fell asleep that night.

(Clio POV)

I was just sitting in the caravan in between performances. This was going to be my last tour for a while and I wanted to go out on a high note. I then heard screaming from outside the caravan and went toward the window. I then realized that the caravan was no longer on the ground. The roof began to crack as large bird talons broke through. It then let go of the caravan and we came crashing to the ground. The roof collapsed on top of me and I began to breath in the dust and debris that surrounded me.

I don't know how long I laid on the ground but soon the screaming stopped and I hear two voices. It must be a knight I thought. I tried to move my arm around to bring attention to me. I think my hand broke the surface but I wasn't sure. I heard a voice, "James there is someone trapped." James? It couldn't be my James. Still I felt hop bubble in my chest. "Are you alright?" I heard but I still couldn't respond. Finally I was able to see the sky again and I began to cough up the debris that was stuck in my throat. I looked up and saw him. He was standing in his armor his blond hair all falling to one side due to his helmet and his brown eyes were filled with concern, "Thank you." My voice was breathless in part due to the dust but also because I had missed him. He was surveying and he met my eyes "Clio?"

He knew it was me, "Hello Prince James or do I call you Sir James now?" I then saw his alchemist and immediately knew it was Desmond, "And is that you Prince Desmond?" He gave me a small nod. I turned back to James who was helping me stand up, "Are you hurt? Did the monster hurt you?" The monster my mind quickly jumped. I looked myself over and didn't see or feel anything major, "A few scraps and bruises but nothing deadly" I said. James got quiet and turned toward the monster. I didn't want him to leave. Without thinking I put my hand on his shoulder, "I have missed you" I desperately spoke. He looked back at me but, Desmond called for him. James quickly refocused on me, "I have as well. I would love to speak with you longer but, I must attend to this monster." He walked out of my reach and I felt my hand fall back to my side. He took a few strides forward and stopped before turning back to me, "Clio, would you like to spend time together soon." He rushed out. It was so endearing and clumsy that I couldn't help but giggle but as reality settled in I blushed. James wanted to court me I thought to myself. "I would love to James. I am staying at my home castle at the moment. Please write to me soon." I didn't want to sound desperate as I shared this information as it came out in odd short sentences. He just nodded and bowed, "I will Princess Clio." I mocked his bow by copying it, "Prince James."

The guards soon arrived to take me home and the last performances were cancelled. That night I laid awake thinking about what was to come. Smiling to myself as I went to sleep.