The Kingdom of Lima was the center of the Ohio where the Berry family lived and ruled the land. The Berry dynasty had reigned for over 100 years and through this time had fought to keep their kingdom safe from rebels who wished the kingdom be returned to the tyrannical Akron Family who had once ruled Lima with an iron fist. Throughout the time of the Akron rule the people of Lima lived in fear and poverty. Since the Berry Family overthrew the Akron Family the people of the Kingdom of Lima had lived well and flourished. At this current time the head of the family and the king of the land, Hiram Berry, was a great leader, revered by all. He was a stern man with a rough exterior; only his daughter and partner could crack through this tough facade.

His partner and second in charge was Leroy; he had helped Hiram rule the land for over 20 years. He was much softer than Hiram and was known to be a man of great empathy. Together they balanced each other out to create a successful leadership. Together they had also raised a child and heir to the throne. This child they named Rachel and she was known as one of the great beauties of the land.

In Rachel's 17 years she had been groomed with the best education and environment to become the next ruler of the land. However, this meant she had been sheltered for most of her life and rarely went outside the palace walls. Her best friend and closest confidant was her cousin Kurt.

She would also spend time with one of Hiram's young soldiers Finn Hudson when he was in the city walls. Finn was also of noble blood and it had been decided long ago that Finn would marry Rachel once she turned 18 and was a woman of marrying age. He too had been groomed to help Rachel take the throne. Rachel didn't mind Finns company and she knew he was an attractive man, admired by many women in the kingdom. She loved him like a brother but didn't feel as though they shared the passionate overwhelming love she had read about in books. She longed for that kind of love.

But Rachel knew it was her great responsibility to marry Finn and to be ready to step into the role her father occupied whenever the time came, her want for love was secondary to her duty. Still sometimes late at night when she looked out her window onto the town that surrounded the palace walls she longed for freedom from her birthright.

Rachel was pondering these thoughts on this particular night when her father's came into her room with some urgency.

"Father? Papa? What's wrong?" Rachel knew her father's would always knock before they entered but the fact that they hadn't indicated something was amiss.

"Baby girl sit down, we need to talk with you" Leroy softly led his daughter to the bench at the end of her canopy bed as Hiram paced across the room.

"Your father and I have grave concerns for your safety, we have just received word that direct threats have been made by the rebels against you…I don't mean to scare you honey but they seem to have you in their crosshairs and we don't know if its…"

"Papa, they have made threats against us before and it has always been fine" Rachel rationed

Now was Hiram's time to speak and he did not have the gentle tone of his husband "Rachel, this is serious! It is not safe for you here anymore. Not until we find the people making these threats and stop them!"

"Hiram lower your voice." Leroy said trying to calm Hiram; he knew he was only scared for his beautiful daughter.

Hiram took a deep breath and began again "Rachel this threat is more serious than others. It is a tumultuous time and it is too risky to have you here where you are a sitting duck. This palace is too high profile for you right now"

"But father where would I go? How would I leave you and Papa? I won't go just because those rebels are making threats, then they have won!"

Hiram could see his daughter was frightened but she was like him and could never back down from a fight. He walked over to where her and Leroy sat and crouched down, placing his hands on her knees.

"Rachel you are the future of this land, you are the one who will carry on our legacy and make sure the kingdom never returns to the hands of those monsters. That is why we must hide you…just for a little while, somewhere where they won't think to look…"

"But where father?"

Hiram looked at his husband; they both had decided on a place earlier that day but didn't know how their daughter would take it. Leroy, always the mediator decided to take over for Hiram "Rachel, we have a carriage to take you to the Forrest tonight. We have a good strong relationship with the women of the Forrest and we know they can take care of you and we can trust them..."

Rachel stood up sternly at this news, shaking her father's hands off her.

"That tribe of women who live in the forest like Amazons? I don't think that is going to work so well for me. I have seen how they live, they are warriors who live off the land and I am a princess who has no place with them…they will eat me alive"

Rachel had once met the women on the forest when her father's took her on a royal tour. They had visited the women to thank them for their loyalty to the Berry family throughout their reign. The women were a tribe of strong warrior women who had their own hierarchy and traditions and lived independently in the depths of the kingdoms forest past the city walls. They were known for being secretive of their ways and ferocious when attacked. They lived with no men and often took in runaways from other parts of the land. The leader of this tribe was Judy Fabray, whose mother had ruled before her and whose daughter Quinn would one day take over.

"Rachel, don't be silly, Hiram and I know these women can protect you, they have protected the forest outside this land for generations. Furthermore we can trust they will not reveal your location to anyone. It is only temporary…you will be back here with us before you know it"

"Do I even have a choice" Rachel sighed looking defeated.

Hiram walked up to his daughter and put his hands on her shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes

"No"