So, hope you readers enjoy this story!

I am Queen Alyss of Salvion, and this is my story...

We all sat around the small dinner table, just the four of us; my father-King Tirian of Kirell, my mother – Queen Isobel, my young brother-Prince Kieran, and myself, Princess Alyss. There were no courtiers, messengers or ambassadors, just the way I like it. We were able to be ourselves and spend time catching up with each other. Kieran reached over and stole a raspberry from my dessert.

'Mother, Kieran stole off my plate!'I whined

'Alyss' she reprimanded,' you're almost seventeen, Kieran's a growing boy' she laughed, patting his head. I pouted as Kieran stuck his tongue out at me.

'Alyss, I'll need you to deal with court tomorrow, I'm off to the ports to see off the Duke of Maltimor' he smiled, noticing my grumpy face; the court meant an early morning, and I definitely was not a morning person.

After dinner, I walked back to my chamber hoping for a good nights sleep before facing a full court of angry old men.

It seemed as though my perfect world was going to be crushed before my very eyes.

I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night to a long piercing scream of a voice I knew well. I put on my riding boots and hurried as swiftly as I could towards the sound of raised voices. I dared not come close too close to the entrance of the study door, but remained just behind the door.

'You traitor, how dare you! Don't you dare touch my children Maltimor!' I heard my mother say.

'That I cannot guarantee, I hear that Princess Alyss is quite a beauty'. My skin crawled at the sound of his voice.

'Don't you dare touch my daughter, you madman!' roared my father. I had never heard him sound so angry!

'I'm sorry you won't live to find out Tirian' Maltimor said. My blood turned cold as I heard the hiss of a blade being pulled from it's sheath, and the final gasp of my father as the sword found its mark.

'You vile despicable man! Pure evil! Don't ever touch my children!' my mother screamed with grief. I felt a mixture of amazement, fury and despair. I knew she loved father more than anyone or anything in the world.

'It's a shame Isobel, such beauty gone to waste'. Urgh, that sleazy evil man, I'll kill him with my own hands, it it's the last thing I ever do.

' You could have been mine' he said offhandedly, before plunging his sword into her heart. I will never forget her scream; the echoing wail of her last breath that would haunt me forever.

'Take what you want' Maltimor told his guards. I could almost hear them ripping of the jewels from my mother and fathers' crowns, mother's gold wrenched from around her neck and wrist, the diamonds ripped from her gown. I had an immediate rush of rage, at the thought, but I stopped myself before I did something idiotic, and then slipped from the doorway into the corridor, holding back tears. As soon as I was far away from that dreadful sight I began to run. When I reached Kieran's chamber, he wasn't there. I hoped he had already found out and escaped, he's almost fifteen, he could take care of himself, I told myself.

Tears were streaming down my face, as I fled from my own room, to the stables to find my mare, Silverwing. I didn't bother to saddle her, as there was no time and I was comfortable enough. I grabbed my bow and hunting knife, strapped my bag over y shoulder and hurried her through the gates. The guards were all dead, slumped against the outer wall, arrows in their backs; they hadn't even had a chance to cry out. I felt a heat on my back, and tuned around, noticing a flicker of fames in the west wing. Cooks, maids, soldiers and all the like poured out of the castle, fleeing from the spreading blaze. I felt a pang of sadness realising I may never see those who I had been brought up among; my maid Cynthia, who had almost become a sister to me, the stable boys; Max and Henry who were always willing to help, and the cooks who would always prepared to hand out a treat. I prayed that no more lives would be lost tonight. I steeled myself and galloped on. Rain began to fall by the bucket load, and I hoped that it would quench the flames for I couldn't bear the thought to my parent's bodies burning and engulfed by frames. It wasn't enough, I could still hears the panicked, and tortured screams of the many men, women and children still trapped inside the palace.

I rode on, and soon entered the woods bordering Kirell, I had now passed into Koredan land. The other border of the forest, the kingdom of Koredan shared with the kingdom of Salvion. I would have to be wary or else I'd find myself in Salvion, they were allies of Kirell, but who knew now. After all Maltimor did have good relations with the King of Salvion, Gauis.

Twigs and branches scratched at my bare arms. Tears now flowed freely, blurring my vision, and I was now sobbing uncontrollably. I don't know how long I rode on for, but I was eventually knocked off Silverwing's back by a low lying branch. I had no strength to pull myself up, to even move, to go anywhere. Blackness clouded my vision.

DustyPhoenix