The Princess and The Bandit

TWENTY TWO

* * *

Lucy had the gift of foresight. She has the ability to see in her mind the events that will occur in the nearest foreseeable future.

Several days ago, she had seen three subsequent events. Three deaths to be exact. The death of Princess Lauren, the death of Commander Austin, and the death of her own father.

It was a difficult matter to deal with, it gave her anxiety worse than she had ever experienced. In the past, she simply let the things she see unfold. That's because none of them involved death, neither did she really care. Never before had she made attempts at intervening fate.

She just simply let it all pass.

However this time around, it's different. Not only because for the first time she saw a gruesome premonition in vivid colors and precise motions. It was sickening, and none of the three people deserves such fate.

Lucy knew she had to do something. And she had to do it soon.

Her first instinct was to save her dad before anyone else. Her dad was her everything. But then she's well aware that should the princess die, then all of the world will fall into chaos. Conflicts will rise and spread faster than hives on skin should the princess follow her parents in the afterlife so soon. Things are already starting to get tense around her people since many other races are prejudiced when it comes to their religious practices. Only Arcadia has the power to support and provide them with equality and justice.

As for Austin Mahone, he's a good man. He deserves to live life as much as anyone should.

Her father noticed the slight change in her demeanor. Of course he'll notice anything about her even the most minuscule of things. And she's not one to lie to her father either. So she told him what bothers her.

What he told her didn't help to set her mind at ease at all.

"Should you decide to intervene, save me last my dear child. I am an old elf, I have lived long enough and I do not fear facing death any time soon. But more deaths will come for sure should the princess die or that noble knight who travels with us. You ought to know that,"

Lucy went to argue.

She spoke her thoughts about the issue. She cried and for the first time she felt cheated by her own father. The last of her family. Of course she knew what he says is true, she should've known he'd say something like that, but she can't just abandon him. But her father simply hugged her and told her how much he loves her and to go save the princess first. That he'll stay out of trouble to the best of his abilities until she returns to him.

"And should you meet the princess, tell her that a legion of centaurs in Clifden and the kingdom of Oakridge are at her immediate and absolute disposal. She must head out far north before she proceeds to face that Bunloaf traitor for he had assassins sent after her. We will all rally to Arcade City with such great force. And no matter what you do, you be careful my dear child. I love you so much my sweet Lucy,"

Those were the parting words her father left her before she took off to the sky in the dead of the night with an immaculate white griffin, leaving her father behind with her people and commander Austin as they traversed the path towards the northernmost territories of Arcadia.

And that was a day ago before she managed to track down the blue eyed man whom she saw in her vision. He was the assassin Lucy saw take away the princess' life with a small silver dagger, burying it right where the princess' heart should be in her sleep. Pretty much in the same manner in which her parents were killed.

The she-elf followed the man all day, who in turn tracked down the princess in the bustling city of Taurea. Lucy followed him as he ran and jumped over buildings, chasing the princess on the street below. She noticed that the princess was not alone. She was running along with someone and from what she had gathered so far, they were both running from Taurean authorities.