The Varyan Princess

Valencia

It was close, maybe too close. The knights had barged into Avidya's stable and ransacked her home. Her father was not too impressed, to say the least. The last thing Valencia saw as they rode away from the stable was Avidya getting slapped by her father. It hurt her to see such a kind mage get punished for her sake. She didn't want anyone to get hurt but she knew she needed to persevere and move on. All she could say to soothe herself is that she will make it up to Avidya, somehow.

"Who do you think the crowned prince of Ivar is?" Yve asked as she rode the horse with the princess.

"I don't know, despite being a princess, I've never met him."

"Well, you didn't meet anyone,"

"Yes, but because I am a princess, it was crucial for me to learn about the other kingdoms as well. But for Ivar, I know about their queen, it's their crowned prince that no one knows about."

"Kind of like how no one knows about you?" Yve jokes, Valencia gave the knight a few chuckles.

"All I know is that he is a skilled swordsman and studies botanical influence. Oh, also that Commander Farwaters used to squire for the crowned prince before becoming a commander in Varya."

"Commander Farwaters? I thought he was a Varyan mage?" She said glancing behind.

"No, he's Ivargan, but he moved to Varya for some odd reason," Valencia answered.

"Anyways, the crowned prince, what's his name?"

"I believe it is prince Kit."

Yve raises an eyebrow as if waiting for the princess to say more, "Kit as in Kitten?"

The princess chuckles, "I believe that's what the commander called him."

"It's just such an odd name. I mean, queen Elecsia, king Horys, queen Kor'cel. King Kit just doesn't really fit, does it?"

Valencia laughed, "No it doesn't," she agreed.

Just as the princess began to fall asleep on Yve's back, their horse reared in protest which woke the princess by surprise. Valencia held the knight's waist tightly as she had almost fallen off the horse.

"What happened?" She asked. Yve looked towards Godart who's horse also began to protest Godart's commands.

"There's something among us." Godart answers.

"It's not preying shadows," Yve said as she knew what the presence of a preying shadow felt like.

"It's not. It's something else." Godart said, letting his horse look around. He stepped off his horse and slowly began to grip his sword. "Get behind me" He whispered.

Yve stepped off as well, taking her wand at the ready. Just as the princess began to do the same, Yve halted her.

"I'm not going to be a bystander." She said.

"I will not let you risk your life."

"Yve, we've had this conversation before," She said as she took an arrow from her quiver and nocked her bow.

"Alright, but stay behind me. Please."

Valencia nodded.

"I've felt this before... this aura... I know it." Godart remarks as he furrowed his brows. He began to unsheath his sword and as the sword rang against its sheath, a loud screech left the mages' to feel as though their ears were bleeding. They all collapsed to the ground as they perilously plugged their ears.

"What is this?!" Yve said desperately squishing her ears against her head.

"What?" The princess yelled. All she could hear was a never-ending ringing in her ears.