As they left the cave they were not met with the bright light of the sun like Princess Talana was hoping, instead it was pitch black out, the moon only giving off enough light to barely see.

She looked back at her mentor Sir Walter. "Yes this is Mourning Wood alright. Now just to find some friends of mine... if their still alive." Walter said grimly.

Talana gave Walter a questing look, "Why wouldn't they be?"

The ex-soldier sighed, "Mourning Wood can be a dangerous place this time at night." He said "They have been stationed out here for a few months now. Truthfully, no one has heard from them about three weeks." looking around trying to find the right path to the fortress. The old soldier couldn't find anything he recognized. His eyes were old and it was hard for him to adjust to the darkness that surrounded them.

The last thing Sir Walter wanted was to have to spend the night in one place waiting for the sun. These woods weren't exactly the safest place in Albion. From what he remembered the fortress was to the west, so trusting his gut instinct, "It's this way." walking into the thick woods, Talana's dog, Lupus followed not far behind. "I think I'm starting to get a rash." Walter said beginning to scratch at his arms.

Talana looked suspicious who could have any sense of direction in this light, but she has trusted Walter with her life since birth and followed without question.

It had been a week since Her, Walter and her personal butler, Jasper, had fled the castle and her tyrant brother Logan. Talana has finally seen the conditions of some of the realm, poverty, sickness, homelessness, and violence. Children went hungry and men fought for simple necessities for their families. The conditions disgusted her, but more than that they made her sad. While she had been living in the Castle, these people... her people, had been living in hell under her brother's rule. The worst thing, the thing that made her feel worse about herself was that these thoughts were not the ones that pledged her mind at night.

Her last memory of her brother was in the throne room earlier in the day before they'd left. When she had finally seen the monster her brother had become. When he made her choose between the life of her people and the love of her life, Elliot. She was haunted by the sounds of the begging of the people and of Elliot. Elliot, sweet Elliot, he begged her to spare the lives of the people. Chose him for execution.

An obnoxious whale brought the princess out of her thoughts as her and Walter were surrounded by Hobbes. Taking out their swords they began to fight the creatures. Though it was a pretty easy fight the lighting situation did make it a little difficult.

After a few minutes Talana's strength began to fade they just kept coming Hobbes everywhere. After cutting ones head clean off the princess turned around quick ready to take out the next but instead was met with an armored skeleton.

"Hallow men? Dammit! Talana watch out!" yelled Walter, but he was too late several hallow men were already upon her. The princess tried to fend them off with her sword and her hero gun but nether were doing enough damage to keep them away long enough. Talana looked quickly over to Walter who wasn't having much luck either. When Talana turned back a hallow man was standing in front of her axe raised high. She rolled out of the way barely missing the deadly blow. Before she had a chance to stand hallow men surrounded her.

Several loud shots rang through the clearing turning the hallow men into useless piles of bones. Princess Talana looked up at her savor. From the royal court to random nobles, the Princess was no stranger to beauty, but this woman's looks could make a queen cry with jealousy.

Looking at the women from toe to head, the first thing to be noticed was the clothes, obviously that of someone who liked to be seen. Black lace up boot coming up to her knees, then to her form fitting black trousers that looked as if taken from a female mercenary but fittingly showed off her long legs. A white shirt laced at the tip of the bust like, the bright red tassels used for tying hung loosely near her middle showing off a good amount of cleavage with the help of a under-bust black corset, which was holding another gun in one of its many tight belts. The short cut dark red coat she was warring was undone, the princess could easily tell that is was not the coat of any common villager by the expensive looking gold-embroidered designs on either side.

Looking higher she saw the women's face. Her heart-shaped face was framed by curly dark brown hair that fell just below her bust. Her skin held an ivory tone. Piercing icy blue eyes that could read your very soul. Last was her full natural pale pink full lips that were pursed together as she blow the smoke from the tip of her gun. From what Talana has seen this women was probably two or three years older than herself.

Twirling the gun around and pointed it at Walter giving his undead attackers the same treatment as she had hers. The women looked down at Talana and smirked.

"Well, this is not what I expected when I left this morning." She laughed sliding the gun in her hand through a belt in her corset using it as a holster. "Princess Talana, I must say I'm surprised. You don't seem like the type to leave your cushy castle for a stroll through Mourning Wood. You could have broken a nail." The women smirked. Her words sounded like honey, but her voice was husky and mocking.

Talana sat looking up at the women in shock. Never had any dared speak to the princess of Albion like that. Snapping out of it she stud up quickly. "Who do you think you are?"

"My name is Sage and I am pretty sure I just saved your life. Now being the generous person I am I won't ask for a reward. Besides you don't look like your exactly in the situation to pay me." She assessed the Princesses dirt covered clothes and skin.

Walter walked closer to the women examining her before glaring. He may be old but he hadn't lost his common sense. It wasn't just a coincidence to meet such a skilled marksmen, especially a female one that looked like her in a place like Mourning Wood.

Deciding to voice his suspicions, "Well, Miss Sage what is someone like you doing walking around Mourning Wood at this time of night?"

Sage turned to Walter, "Someone like me? You mean a woman. How very sexist of you soldier. But I have my reasons. What about you? What's a retired old man and the princess doing out here? Don't you know it's dangerous in these woods?" She asked in a mocking tone.

Walter continued to glare at Sage, "We are here to see some friends of mine, but it's not really any of you-"

Sage clicked her tongue and walked around Talana and Walter, "You must mean that damned old fortress lurking with Logan's soldiers. Hmmm, then what kind of women would I be if I didn't assist my dear, lost Princess in her time of need."

Talana looked at the women and frowned not many would be so straight forward with something like this, it was quite brave. Walter seemed to have a different opinion on their savor, "No thank you, I know the way."

"Aw, what's wrong you don't trust me? Well I don't really blame you I could be anyone a murder, bounty hunter," She walked over to Talana and throws her arm over the princess's shoulder pulling her close, "Maybe even a rapist." Talana tensed at her words, but quickly overcame it looking the women dead in the eyes. Walter had every right not to trust Sage, but Talana couldn't help it. Sage seemed to have a certain glamor to her. Something that made you want to believe everything she had to say. "You may be sad to hear, I am none of those things. Tell me old timer, what do you see?" She asked Walter gesturing to their surroundings with her free hand.

Walter rolled his eyes at the women but did as she said. Looking around the dark forest, nothing, he replied in his mind, but as he went to tell her that he stopped realizing what she had meant. He really couldn't make out anything in these woods, especially at this time of night.

Sage smirked again almost as if reading his mind. "See, you need me. If you'd rather stay here and wait for the Hallow men to come, be my guest. I'm not complaining." She said taking her arm off Talana and beginning to walk away.

Talana then turned to Walter, "She's right you know." She then turned back to Sage's retreating form, "Wait! You have to show us the way to the fortress it is extremely important that we reach it."

The gunslinger turned around her icy blue eyes piercing into the both of them. "I don't have to do anything, Princess. Besides from what I heard your brother is seems really angry about you disappearance. Why would you want to go to a fortress full with his soldiers? Better yet.. why don't I just take you to him and then he can pay me for returning his lovely little sister." She asked generally curious, her hand resting gently on a black and gold gun that was resting in the buckle of her corset.

"I need their help to overthrow my brother." Talana said strongly not breaking eye contact with the women for a second.

Sage's eyes lit up, "Going to overthrow Logan? Your own brother? That is certainly interesting. Fine, I'll take you to the fortress... on one condition."

Walter put his hand on Talana's shoulder and whispered to her, "We can find the way on our own. We don't know anything about her, we can't trust her."

"You also can't whisper." Sage's husky voice remarked.

Ignoring the women's comment Talana looked up at her mentor, "We do need her. What's your condition?" She asked turning back

"I get to join this little revolution of yours. Uprisings are always so much fun." The brunette remarked tilting her head waiting for the princess' answer.

"Absolutely not!" "Yes." Talana and Walter replied at the same time, before turning to each other having a slight stare down.

Finally Walter gave up, "Fine. She can come, but any funny business from you and you're gone." He said brushing past Sage.

Sage clapped her hands together, "Alright, let's get moving then." She said "Hey! Old timer, it's this way!" She yelled walking in the opposite direction of what Walter had.

Stopping for a second Sage reached to the gun she had recently set in her corset belt and handed it to Talana, "A Bonesmasher. The only thing really useful against those undead bastards." Then continued to lead the way.

Suddenly the world around Talana froze and turned black and white. Her mother's seal stood in front of her and she walked into it quickly already knowing it was leading to the Seer.

Then the gate became clear, on either side were the followers she had collected on the right stood Walter, the representative of Brightwall, and the leader of the mercenaries she had spared, Captain Saker. On the left was Jasper, Sabine with his bodyguard Boulder, and standing in front of the towering figure of Boulder was Sage. Even this depiction of the gun-slinger shared her condescending smirk she wore so well, one hand clutching a black and gold gun that Talana had seen holstered in her corset.

Then Theresa appeared, "Congratulations, young hero. You have gained another follower. Though Sage does not seem like it, she will be a great help to you along your journey. With her help you can continue on the road to rule." Theresa said, and then disappearing as quickly as she had come.

The gate in front of Talana opened and in a flash of light she was back in Albion. Sage walking in front of her whistling some distantly familiar tune as if the darkness around her hiding Avo knows what didn't bother her at all and Walter slightly behind grumbling under his breath.

Talana sighed, Well, at least we can trust her, I think.

A little mary-sue I know, I a lot of the reason for it comes in a backstory and points that follow. Sage won't be stealing the games main plot from the Princess, though she will have her own plots and backstory that will be carried out, involving both the Princess and Reaver. This will possibly be a Reaver/Oc story. Anyway I first put this story up about a year ago and going back over it I hated the way it was written, plus I felt so bad at leaving this at only one chapter, so Desert Fury has been re-advised in many parts and since this will follow a good portion of the game it shouldn't be as long as some of the other stories I have started. Anyway please review and tell me what you think.