Disclaimer: Ragnarok Online is the intellectual property of Gravity and Myung-Jing-Lee. The aforementioned content is used here without permission, but with no intent of using it to promote or sell anything, including this document.

Author's Note: Hi everybody! I wrote this piece with my 11-year-old daughter, who originally came up with the story plot. This was a project she had to do in school. Because we had to keep this story within five chapters, we've had to scrimp a lot on story details and characterization. We hope you enjoy, nevertheless.

THE HEART OF CERRIDWEN

By Kathryn Michelle Ancheta

Chapter 1

The dark figure looked down from atop one of the many stone towers of Prontera Castle that dominated the otherwise spare skyline of Rune-Midgard's central city. His eyes scanned the surroundings. The night was his friend. He was a master of stealth. His senses were highly attuned to every sight, sound and scent. He was the best there was.

The mission objective was simple: capture the beautiful Princess Cerridwen, the only daughter of King Erondral. Although it was simple, its execution was nothing but. That was why he was chosen. With his skills under the cover of darkness, he would have little difficulty in gaining access to the castle. It was getting out equally undetected with the princess in tow that was going to be a bit tricky. Until now.

The mysterious figure raised his eyebrows as he watched with surprise his quarry walking out into the balcony that adjoined her chambers. It was a chilly night, rather unusual at this time of the year, and yet her only protection from the cold was the thin silk robe she wore that left bare much of her slim arms and thighs.

His eyes narrowed as he beheld the princess. He had seen her before in one of her many public appearances. But tonight, she looked different. She was indeed beautiful. She raised her hands, crossing her arms in front of her and began lightly rubbing the skin just below her shoulders as a light cool breeze swept past, causing her long red hair to flow. When in public, her hair was usually tightly braided into a pigtail. Tonight, it was loose, its long tresses softly cascading down her back, almost reaching her waist. The princess was slightly taller than the average maiden of Rune-Midgard. He estimated that she was just below his ear in height, which was especially noteworthy for someone as young as she. She was also quite fair, her skin without blemish.

There was something about her that he couldn't place though. His instincts told him that there was more to her than she let on. He did his research on her, of course. But there was nothing written or said about her that would cause him to be this concerned.

The princess moved closer to the edge of the balcony. His mission just got simpler. He would have to move soon. Surely there would be no other better opportunity than this...

---

Cerridwen looked out the balcony, her green eyes scanning the diminishing bustle of Prontera City. It would never really die down though. Being the central city of Rune-Midgard, there were always people about, no matter how late the hour, going about their businesses, conducting transactions. It was a soothing sight for the 16-year-old who was very rarely given the opportunity to mingle with these people that her father ruled over.

It was her tutor, the Lady Stephanie that instilled in her from a tender age that all life was precious. Lady Stephanie was a beautiful, kind-hearted woman who had a quiet grace and aura that was…compelling. It was she that taught her that every single individual was important. That every single one of these mortals she was watching over mattered. As a result, she had developed a truly deep love for the people.

Her curiosity and desire to be with the people became a problem for her father who became stricter with her as she grew older. It was a dangerous place outside the castle, he would tell her. Not all people were to be trusted, he admonished. She learned from the others, mostly her chambermaids and other servants who had become her dear friends, that her father had many enemies. Everywhere he or she went, they would always be surrounded by a numerous swordsmen and swordswomen. In the beginning, she could not understand why there would be some people who would want to dethrone the King. Such was her ignorance.

Again, it was Lady Stephanie who made her understand the nature of man. And then, it was, when she turned ten, that Lady Stephanie taught her the arts of Priesthood. Lady Stephanie, it turned out, was a Priestess herself. When she later married Lord Renthro, a Knight in the King's Court, she practiced the art less and less.

Because of her enthusiasm and diligence, it wasn't long before the princess had mastered many of the powers of the Priest. And because Lord Renthro decided to also teach her the martial arts of hand-to-hand combat, she became what was commonly known as a Battle Priestess. At first, Cerridwen objected fiercely, insisting that she would never need or want to use force. But Sir Renthro argued that it was for her own protection. Lady Stephanie thought so too. And that was simply that.

By the time Cerridwen was fourteen, she had learned enough to be adept and be considered a full-pledged Priestess. However, because of her young age and more importantly, her identity, the beautiful young princess could not and would not be pledged into the Priest caste.

Rune-Midgard was a land of castes. Every person had to register themselves to the caste that they belonged to. Even thieves had their own caste and every single one of them was registered. Lady Stephanie, in her wisdom, decided that Cerridwen would not be registered.

There were many benefits to being registered, of course. The most important of which was the support one received from caste-mates, all of them willing to share their wisdom, skills and experiences for the benefit of everyone else. Because she had an unquenchable thirst for more knowledge, the princess did her own research and with Lady Stephanie's and Lord Renthro's help, her powers did grow continuously.

This was all a secret though. Not even her father knew of the trainings she's had or the skills she now possessed. She detested having to keep things from her father. She loved him dearly and was very close to him.

She sighed as she took one last look down at the streets of Prontera. She was about to turn around and head back to her chambers when she felt the ominous presence of another. Immediately, her battle senses came alive as she whirled--and gasped!

It was an Assassin! There was no mistaking it! He was tall, lissome and clearly powerful. Cerridwen saw that he was surprised to have been discovered prematurely. It was clearly his intention to attack her before she would have been able to do anything about it. For a second there was a stand off as each one sized up the other.

Cerridwen had no actual battle experience. She wasn't sure she would be able to fend off the Assassin. She had no illusions about whether she would survive this encounter. Assassins were extremely fast and agile. He was also equipped with katars on both arms. A katar was a rectangular device attached to the forearm that housed a long, deadly double-edged blade. He merely had to press a button located at the center of the palm to instantly extend the blade two feet past each fist. Thus far, the Assassin had not yet extended his blades. But she could see that he was already poised to pounce on her.

She had subconsciously stepped backwards and she was surprised to feel the ledge that separated the balcony from the streets more than a hundred feet below. Her eyes widened. It took all of her self control to keep from panicking. Already, she could feel sweat trickling down her back. She swallowed the lump of fear that formed at her throat and faced her attacker.

"Please," she pleaded, "what do you want with me?"

The Assassin merely stared at her and took one step closer. He was less than fifty feet away.

"Don't do this," she said, her fists clenched tightly at her side. "What have I done to you?"

"I mean you no harm, Princess," the Assassin finally spoke. "I am merely following orders to take you back with me." His voice was even, with no trace of malice or malevolence. The red-haired princess clung to that fact desperately as a source of hope.

"Who is ordering you to do this?"

"Just come with me peacefully and quietly and no harm will come to you," he said calmly, walking slowly towards her.

Cerridwen stepped to the side in a feeble attempt to evade her attacker. But the Assassin instantly matched her move and took even one more step closer. "Please, you cannot take me away from here!"

The Assassin narrowed his eyes and made his move, lunging forward, two gloved hands seeking to grab hold of her. He was blindingly fast! But her training compensated and was miraculously able to dodge leaping up and slightly backwards to land lightly on the ledge. No sooner had her toes touched the surface of the ledge did she vault into the air again, executing a clean somersault, twisting and turning above the head of her attacker. She landed behind him, facing his back. In that split second Cerridwen decided that she would not be so lucky the next time the Assassin made his move. Running towards the now open path to her bedchambers and out the door was also out of the question. She would never be able to outrun him. There was only one thing to do. It was something she didn't often do because of the unpredictable results. But she didn't have a choice.

Cerridwen lowered her head and closed her eyes as she raised her hands, clasping them tightly together in front of her, just below the chin, and whispered the chant for the spell. She opened her eyes and looked up across the film of white light that now separated her from her attacker. The Assassin was now facing her, still poised for an attack but standing stock still, astonishment clearly registering in his eyes. And then she was gone.

---

"She's a priestess!" The Assassin wanted to scream in rage. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

He knew bits of information about the Priesthood. Although mostly clouded in secrecy, some of the skills of this caste were known to those outside of it. Like the Teleport spell. It was clear that this was the spell the girl used to evade him. She could be anywhere in the castle by now. Or if her powers were that great, she could be anywhere within the city!

Keep your focus, he told himself repeatedly, trying to push back his rage so that his mind could think of the next move. He should have listened to his instincts. He always listened to them. Why didn't he listen? There was something about that girl that just didn't fit and now he knew!

Focus! How great were her powers? She was only sixteen. Considerably younger than many of the priests he'd encounter. She was clearly also adept at the martial arts. To learn these skills would have taken up much time. There would not have been enough time to master any one skill. She could not be that good.

The Assassin narrowed his eyes. The girl had to be somewhere in the castle. And he was going to find her. She's not the only one with mystical powers.

---

There was a reason Cerridwen was loathed to use the Teleport spell. There was no telling where it could take her, especially since her spells weren't that powerful yet. It took no less than three attempts before she was able to teleport herself to an area in the castle where there actually were guards.

The two that were assigned to patrol the hallways in that particular area stood stock still as they witnessed none other than the King's daughter materialize in front of them in a burst of warm light. "Princess?" they chorused.

"Guards!" Cerridwen cried out as she rushed towards them. "Sound the alarm! There is an Assassin intent on abducting me!"

"Assassin?" The two guards looked at one another and then in silent agreement one of them rushed towards the bell tower to sound the alarm.

"Please follow me, Your Highness," said the guard that remained, "we should take you someplace safe."

Cerridwen nodded mutely and followed the guard. She swallowed nervously as she walked, her eyes darting here and there wondering whether the Assassin was just lurking in the shadows. She had read about the caste of Assassins. They had the ability to make themselves invisible. She wasn't sure whether this was from the use of magic or through some technique that made use of shadows. The only thing she knew for certain was that she wouldn't feel safe again until the Assassin was caught.

---

Locating Princess Cerridwen proved to not be difficult at all. One merely had to follow the guards running all over the place. This the Assassin did, darting behind pillar after pillar, sometimes running behind the heavy drapes that adorned every window in the castle.

The bells had already begun their tolling, waking and alerting everyone of the danger. The Assassin smiled inwardly. He was still confident that he'd be able to accomplish his mission. Now that he knew that the girl had the powers of a priest, he'd be able to deal with her.

After a few more seconds, the five guards he was following stopped running. The Assassin also stopped behind the closest pillar and peeked towards the corridor. There was the princess! She was already walking briskly, binding her long red hair in a makeshift braid as she did. The princess was now surrounded by eight guards, four of them armed with long swords and shields, the rest with arbalests.

The Assassin continued to stealthily follow them, watching closely, trying to assess the skills of the guards. He had to face tougher odds before and he succeeded where others failed primarily because he rarely took anything for granted. Well, he supposed he was slightly careless with Cerridwen earlier but upon reflection there was nothing he could have done to prepare him for what she really was.

Based on his extensive knowledge of the castle, he knew that the corridor they were traversing would spill into a great hallway. It was a perfect place to make his move.

---

Cerridwen hesitated at the threshold of the Great Hall. The Great Hall was a cavernous chamber used for balls and other special occasions. Something did not feel right about going through it. She swept her eyes across the alert faces of her armed escorts. She now had eighteen of them. She should be feeling safe. Would a single Assassin be able to prevail against eighteen seasoned warriors? That she couldn't provide a compelling answer to her own question only served to heighten her fear.

"Your Highness?" It was the Captain of the Guard.

The young Princess turned to face the man who addressed her. There was a look of concern on his face.

"We have to turn back, Captain," she said, already moving away from the threshold.

Cerridwen could see the scowl forming on the Captain's face. She didn't know what to do. On the one hand, it was important that he knew that to go through the Great Hall would be a mistake but on the other hand, it would only cause him to ask questions about her abilities she wasn't prepared to answer. The princess scanned the faces of the guards around her once more.

"Princess Cerridwen, you have to trust us," the Captain said, calmly. "Going through the Great Hall is the shortest route to the King's, your father's, Stronghold." The Stronghold was the most fortified area of the castle, a place where the royal family went in case of grave danger.

Her bright, green eyes bored into the Captain's, searching, wanting to trust. Just before the Captain began to fidget from the intense stare, she sighed and slowly closed her eyes. "Very well, Captain." I hope you know what you're doing, she didn't add.

She took two steps right up to the threshold and once more hesitated. She took one deep breath and stepped through. It was easy after that. Perhaps it was merely her imagination. Nevertheless, it hadn't stopped her from directing cautious glances at the shadows that filled the large room.

Her fear began to ease as they approached the center of the Great Hall. So far, so good. That was when pandemonium broke out!

Cerridwen sensed it first. She whirled around so suddenly and quickly, surprising the guards in her immediate proximity. She was just in time to see the two rear guards go down noisily, their shields and blades clattering uselessly on the white marble floor.

The Captain began barking orders, making sure that the guards stayed in formation effectively surrounding the princess. All they could see were the quick movement of shadows but even that was hard to track with the normal eye. First one, then another and then another. In quick succession a total of four guards went down, unconscious.

"Get down, Princess!" she heard the Captain yell. She immediately complied, going down on her knees, groaning inwardly as she made hard contact with the floor. She kept her head up though, wanting to see what would happen. She felt her face and skin flush with fear and adrenaline!

The archers were firing their arrows haphazardly and the swordsmen were swinging and wielding their blades and spears wildly at the shadows. One by one, they went down. They just couldn't see!

That was it! Cerridwen quickly stood up, brought her hands together and prayed for the Ruwach spell. It was the spell that would allow her, but only her to see. It was better than nothing. After she chanted the spell, a bright ball covered in cool blue flame began encircling her. It was a distraction that proved a mistake for the remaining six guards that were standing. They were surprised by the manifestation of the spell. In that one second, three guards went down. Only the Captain and two others remained standing.

But she could now see him! Still covered in shadows but now visible to her eyes. "Captain! He's right there in front of you!" She pointed a finger at the exact location of the Assassin.

The Captain, more seasoned in the ways of battle and more knowledgeable about the mystic ways of the world, reacted quickly. "Attack!" he beckoned the two other guards as they rushed forward.

Cerridwen's eyes widened as she saw the Assassin stand his ground, his fists at his side, the blades on his arms still hidden. The three defenders hacked and slashed but they hit nothing but air as the shadowed figure dodged and parried with lightning fast reflexes. In less than a second, the two guards flanking the Captain were unconscious before they even hit the floor. In two, the Captain finally also fell, his broadsword clanging against the floor and sliding against its smooth surface.

The princess watched, almost mesmerized, as the weapon traveled the distance towards her, rotating as it did, until its hilt bumped gently against her bare foot. She wasn't sure whether it was by design or mere coincidence that it happened. It didn't matter. She bent down and picked up the sword, grasping it expertly in her two hands, automatically going into combat position.

The sword was heavier than her own, which she hid inside her room. Only the Lady Stephanie and Lord Renthro were aware of its existence. It was a gift from the latter, especially forged for her.

She glanced at the Assassin. His dark eyes were locked onto her own. She could hear the wild pounding of her heart in her ears. There was no way she was going to be able to fend the man off. Should she run? She wouldn't able to outrun him. Should she teleport? He'd find her again and maybe cause more harm to the guards of the castle, many of whom she considered friends. She chanced a glance at the prone bodies of the guards. They didn't have any wounds that were visible. And as far as she could tell, they were all still breathing.

Why hadn't the Assassin kill any of them?

She tore her eyes away from her fallen defenders and focused on the Assassin. She felt the stirrings of anger in her. Anger was something she couldn't remember feeling. Especially anger towards another person. She immediately decided that she didn't care for this emotion. But one thing it did do: it empowered her. She narrowed her eyes at the dark figure in front of her. It had to end here and now.

---

She was magnificent! She stood before him, handling a sword that was too big for her like it was as natural as holding a hairbrush. And she was only sixteen! There was definitely more to this girl than met the eye.

That she could see him even despite his supposedly hidden state was a bit disconcerting. She was indeed a priestess. Had he not known about their ability to see with ethereal eyes, he would have been intimidated by the ball of blue flame revolving around her, just above her head.

He could detect no fear in her anymore. Instead...instead her eyes held anger and determination in them. So, she was ready to fight. It was time to give her a lesson in what true combat really meant.

The Assassin lunged forward. He saw the girl tense and immediately countered by doing a horizontal slash aimed at his chest. He bent backwards, causing the blade to pass harmlessly over him. The girl overdid the swing and now had trouble bringing the sword back. He straightened himself and moved forward once more, reaching out and grabbing her right wrist, pulling her towards him. The girl, obviously realizing that there was no way for her to bring the sword back to bear on the attacker, allowed herself to be pulled. Using just her left hand, she whirled counter-clockwise, her back now facing him, swinging the weapon again horizontally, this time aiming for his head.

The girl was fast! Not as fast as him but fast enough so that he still had to be careful. It was going to be too late to dodge the blade. He raised his left hand on front of his face. Using the middle finger, he depressed the button on his left palm, instantaneously extending his katar. With the ringing of metal against metal, his katar blocked the girl's blade. The princess must have been surprised at the contact her blade made with his weapon for she hesitated. It was going to be her undoing.

He grabbed her left wrist. He now had control over both her arms. He twisted both wrists slightly causing the girl to yelp in pain. She reflexively released her hold on the broadsword and for the second time that evening, it fell noisily to the floor. Despite her vigorous struggles and screams, he was quickly able to gather her wrists in his left hand, taking firm hold of them, as he pinched a nerve on the girl's neck with his right. The princess stiffened briefly and then slumped. She was unconscious.

The Assassin watched her face and chest closely as he quickly but gently laid her down on the floor, trying to see whether she was really unconscious or merely pretending. He could already hear the sound of soldiers coming his way. In some peculiar way, it reminded of the sound of an onrushing mob of Hi Orcs paving the way for the Orc Hero. He shuddered at the thought. He reached down and checked the princess' pulse. Steady. So was her breathing.

He lifted the girl and then hefted her over his right shoulder. The dark figure cast a glance one last time towards where the soldiers were going to come from. It was definitely time to leave.

Under the cover of darkness, the Assassin was gone.