You know what I like? I like strong, well-written female characters that depend on no one but themselves.

Now, I'm no chick flick writer. I'm not good with romance. I'm good at writing angsty and serious things. With this in mind, my girl Aideen is no Mary Sue and this story isn't what you'd call cheerful. I want to make Aideen as real as possible because what's the point in writing a story if the main character doesn't have flaws and make mistakes? Why write stories about a war if you don't make it gritty and dark?

I hope that this all seems realistic and well-written to you guys. I'm planning to put Aideen through hell and back, so hopefully you'll want to be along for the ride.

It has a good ending, I swear.

Anyway, this takes place roughly a year after The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. Please review, and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!

A shadowy form slipped out of one of Dun Kilty's many windows with the grace of a cat stalking its prey. It was a moonless night, so the shadow didn't have much light to see, but they knew that they had plenty of time to get down to the battlements. Their cloak, as gray as the stones around it, seemed to blend with the wall. The figure was invisible to the sentries passing below, silent as the dead. No one knew of their coming. The person murmured a curse as the hood of their cloak fell off due to the wind and the mass of curls underneath. A calloused hand pulled it back up, and the shadow continued its descent.

The sentry that stood below the eastern tower had no idea that he was being stalked. He shifted, ran a hand over his face, and halfheartedly peered down at the rocky ground below. He had to admit that it was indeed a good night for an attack, but there was simply no evidence of one, ane he just wanted to go to bed. It was cold and windy and he was wearing leather armor that did nothing against the autumn chill. Muttering to himself, he shifted his weight and rubbed his hands together.

Then, panic coursed through his blood as he felt the tip of a knife press against his back. He stiffened, at a complete loss of what he should do. He was armed with a simple half-rusted sword, that he was rubbish at using, for god's sake! What-

"It appears that if this castle ever goes under siege, I'm going to end up killed in my sleep with the likes of you watching me," a dry voice said behind him. The pressure on his back released and he turned, releasing a pent up breath.

"You scared the hell out of me!" Davin hissed. He was seventeen and, though he wouldn't admit it under pain of death, he was still a little afraid of the dark. Who knew what was out there in the woods, anyway? Faeries could get past guards easily, you know, and he wasn't fond of the idea of meeting one face-to-face. They loved the dark, the little demons. He was used to speaking with Aideen, though, and he could never get his head around why she loved slinking around in the dark so much. She could at least give him some warning before she ambushed him in the middle of the night!

Aideen, the Crown Princess of Clonmel, grinned. "Aye. It looks like you needed something to wake you up."

"So you put a knife in my back?"

She chuckled at that. "Now, that's a bit of an exaggeration."

The young sentry shook his head slowly. "I don't know what that means."

The brunette shrugged. "No matter." She pushed a lock of dark hair out of her face, uncovering the splash of freckles across her nose and cheeks.

He suddenly noticed that her smile didn't reach her dark brown eyes. "Are you okay?"

Aideen padded over to the railing and leaned against it, surveying the dim land below. He followed the girl. The duo had becomd friends several months ago, when Davin had gotten his current job. It had been quite the surprise to see the Crown Princess- who he'd only seen in parades and the like, wearing her fancy dresses that looked terribly uncomfortable- picking her way down the castle walls. Once his initial shock wore off, along with his clumsy bows and stuttering, he quickly realized that she had a good heart- along with an even better sense of humor. She wasn't in a good mood tonight, it seemed. But that was to be expected, given their country's political state.

"Father told me that he doesn't expect to live much longer," she murmured.

Confused, Davin responded quickly. "He's in perfect health!"

The princess nodded gravely. Her fingers traced a pebble that was embedded in the wall. "Another assassin was caught today, in the laundry area. The third one in the past four months."

Without meaning to, Davin's eyes flickered over to her bandaged hand and wrist. She'd narrowly avoided getting a pot of boiling water thrown on her several weeks ago, though a wave of the stuff had splashed her arm. The man that had sent it careening towards her turned out to be hired from another province, one that he didn't tell the name of, because the noble that had hired him hadn't wanted a girl on the throne. Precious few knew that Aideen despised the idea of ruling, and even less knew of her plans to run away before she had to do so. She was likley to get killed before it happened anyway, due to the amount of nobles in Clonmel alone that wanted her dead. The power hungry bastards, Davin thought.

"There are rumors of war as well," she said softly. "Between us and Araulen, though I don't know why. All I know is that we started it."

Davin was silent. He didn't know what to tell her. The situation wasn't going to get better.

The princess looked at him, her eyes wide and questioning. "Do you think that I'd make a good ruler, Davin?"

The young man hummed and looked down to the ground, gathering his thoughts. "You've a good heart, Aideen. You're more righteous than anyone else here, but I'm afraid that it'll get you killed. This place is too corrupt to fix by one person. Your father tried, at least," he said softly. "Everyone's against you."

"They'll kill me before I get a chance, you mean?"

"I do."

Aideen fell silent for a moment. "You're right. And, honestly, I say let them take the the throne from me." She smiled sadly. "It's only a matter of time before I get an arrow to the neck."

He looked at her curiously. "What can you do, though?"

She shook her head sadly. "Run away? I don't know. There's nowhere to go."

The two young adults stood quietly, drawing comfort from each other. It was an odd friendship, this one. A sentry and a princess. But they were bound to the same god-forsaken castle, and they both had little hope for the future. Aideen had half a mind to simply let them come for her, let them kill her. It wasn't as if she had anywhere else to go, and death would be easier anyhow. But her survival instincts always kicked in at the last second, as she deflected pots of boiling water and impulsively threw a knife at her would-be attacker. That damn Genovesan.

Davin, she knew, had a family to support. Two little brothers and a sickly mother. She helped as best as she could, but talking to peasants such as sentries was heavily frowned upon amongst the self-important nobility.

A humorless chuckle escaped Aideen's lips. "What if I really did run away?"

He turned to her, smiling thinly at his soon to be monarch. He understood her situation, and the stakes involved. "Tell me when and I'll make sure that there's a horse ready for you."

Aideen turned to him quickly, scrutinizing him. "Are you serious?"

He nodded empathatically. "Anything to help the damsel in distress."

She slapped his arm playfully. "Excuse me? I'm distressed, but I'm no damsel."

"Oh, no, m'lady," he joked. "Forgive me for saying such a thing!"

The girl smirked. "This lady could best you in a fight any day."

"With knives, yes," he said, nodding at the saxe on her hip. "But in plain, weaponless combat?"

She smiled thinly. "but I'm never without my knives."

Davin paused, trying to think of a time where she hadn't been armed. She always had a knife on her, he thought, no matter the situation. She was well-prepared, he had to give her that. But she was waiting for a response, and he had to give her one...

"You are not a lady."

She snorted.

Aideen's name is pronounced as ayy-dee-en, in case you were wondering.