The song in this chapter is a real one. It is called Battle Dawn and was written by Mercedes Lackey and needless to say I don't own it. You can find it on youtube.

For those wondering about the setting. It is set in it's own fantasy world that borrows from various time periods on earth.


Aaron and Gabrielle galloped at full speed on the horse as they made their way into the main town. They could hear noise and voices coming from the center of the town. They ran into view people on their way, but they all seemed to be headed in the same direction; the town square. Aaron made the horse gallop faster to it and they were greeted to a large crowd, that had an empty middle. In the center were guards and a large canopy, and a few other people that were hard to make out from a distance.

Aaron immediately dismounted without bothering to tie the horse and he disappeared into the crowd. Gabrielle dismounted and quickly tied the horse to the nearby post. She then made her way into the crowd. She didn't need to look for Aaron. The blonde knew exactly where he was going. Gabrielle shouted many apologies and excuse me as she made her way through the crowd. She was usually on her best behavior, but this was an emergency. When she was halfway through the crowd, that's when she saw him; John.

He was on his knees with his hands chained behind his back. He looked awful. He was dirty, haggard looking, with his clothes torn and bloody. Oh, Gods ,John, what has that prince done to you. She tried harder to push herself through, not exactly sure what her plan was, or even if she had a plan to start with. However, before she could think of any plan or goal. A brown blur emerged from the crowd; Aaron. His small size made it faster for him to through the crowds. Aaron ran in the direction of his brother, but before he could reach him he was seized by the guards; kicking and screaming.

At this sight, Gabrielle made her way faster into the crowd; not bothering with apologies as she called out,

"Aaron, Aaron, Aaron!" She finally emerged from the crowd and into the center where the two brothers were. She felt all eyes had turned on her. She stepped forward.

"Please, wait. That little boy is the brother of the man set to die today. He came her to plead for him."

She felt so nervous; all the eyes were on her. She never liked being the center of attention. For the last few years of her life whenever it was it meant she was in trouble. Perhaps right now she was in the greatest trouble of her life, but she was risking everything for a friend. So it had to be worth it; didn't it?.

A guard approached her, and she automatically bowed her head in respect. He walked up till he was about two feet away.

"This man is condemned by the prince to die. If you or that child have an issue with that; take it up with Prince Adrian." He pointed to the canopy and she looked in that direction. The sight she saw made her heart stop. There sat a young man. His hair was snow white; a mark of a curse...and his eyes a soft blue. If she had not been so scared, she would have thought he was one of the most handsomest men she had ever seen in her life, but she was so frightened. She immediately went to her knees and prostrated herself before him.

Aaron on the other hand was not willing to show such respect. While still in the guards hold, he turned his face toward the prince.

"Release my brother! He has done nothing wrong!" Aaron still kicked wildly at the guards. Gabrielle felt sick at her stomach. He was only making the situation worse.

The prince's blue eyes showed no emotion. He rested his head on his hand and actually looked rather bored at the whole affair before him.

"I see no reason your coward brother should be spared; he deserted and I have never spared a deserter before."

"But-but-but he is my brother!" Aaron was nearing tears again. Gabrielle wanted nothing more than to take the boy into her arms. However, she could see the prince was unaffected by this display of emotion. Even if the curse wasn't true; she still would not be moved by emotions. She had to think of something and think of it fast. Then an idea came. She slowly raised up from her position,, but still on her knees.

"Your highness," She spoke softly, but clearly enough. The prince turned his emotionless gazed toward her.

"Queen Hesper, your Great-Great Grandmother on occasion showed mercy for deserters. If they or someone else showed something to please her or something she found more worthwhile." Of all the royalties in the past Queen Hesper was the one she was the most familiar with. One of the four books she had was a history of her reign and she almost knew that book by heart.

"And what do any of you have to offer me to spare this man's life?" He asked, clearly not believing this girl who looked like a peasant had anything to offer.

"I have not much to me." She admitted, "But Queen Hesper didn't always ask for physical things.; sometimes a laugh, a dance, or a song." Gabrielle's voice was meek at this.

The prince gave her a look, and then a smirk; one that was full of cruel intent and sent shivers own her body.

"Do you have a dance to perform for this man's life?" When Prince Adrian asked this the whole crowd began to last and Gabrielle's cheeks went red. She slowly got to her feet and when the laughter died down again,

"No my lord, I can't give you a dance." Lady Isodara had ended her lessons after her father's death,
"But, I can...-" She hesitated to say this, "A song, I can sing." Singing was the only art she had been able to do. She often sang while working and even for her step family when they bored.

"Well, then." Said, the prince, he leaned back, "Let's here it then a song to save this man's life." She blocked out all the whispers from the crowd, as she focused. She knew which song to sing. The song a man of war would enjoy...she began...

I must contain my anger, or I won't control my power-

She began a little too low, she would add more power to the next line.

But Gods! How long I've waited just to see this very hour!

It's just as well I'm not the one who calls the storm of fire

or I would turn this battle plain into your funeral pyre

By the time she hit the last words of that verse, she began to get more in the tone of the song. It was about a queen who was in rage, but trying to control it. To still keep her head wise, despite it.

The Priests all say I must not hate—but I will not pretend.

I saw the wreck you made of her, my Herald and my friend.

The scars you left in flesh and soul will be so slow to fade.

Oh, would I had your coward heart on my naked blade.

Gabrielle did her best to show, both the queen's grief, anger, and sorrow into the song. She put her heart into it as she continued the verses.

I must control my rage, or lose my ability to plan,

I must direct the fight from here, not charging in the van.

As you will likewise do, no doubt, for all that you are cruel.

And revel in shed blood and pain, I think you are no fool

But in the name of all the Gods, you're all that I despise,

Who planned to take by treachery my kingdom as your prize.

My throne, my child, my people. All you plotted to despoil-

By tricks that only miracles enabled us to foil.

The blonde was lost in the song at this point, as she always did. How she often survived the day was slipping into the singers mindset and living through them. So for a moment she just wasn't an unwanted stepdaughter, but a girl in love or a powerful queen.

I must control my fury or lit slip all that I've sought-

But vengeance would not be enough for all the grief you've wrought

Gods grant this day you fall beneath the steel of me and mine-

And drink full deeply of defeat, that cold and bitter wine.

She was coming to the last part of the song and soon the spell of music would be broken and she would have to come back to reality and face the prince's judgment.

My crown is on my brow, my naked blade is within my hand.

My army like an eager hound lies waiting at my command.

With how you tortured killed and lied revealed to them this day-

By all the stars that ever shown,

By all the Gods known and unknown

For Herald Kris and my Queen's own

I swear that you will pay.

That was it and the end of her song. The crowd was silent and she wasn't sure what that meant, but it made her heart sink. She looked around to Aaron and John. Aaron's mouth was open, but John had a strange stare in his eyes. Then that's where she heard it; a single long and slow clap. She looked up to see the prince with his hands clasps to together with a wild smile on his face.

"Very, well done, very well." To her surprise her arose from his seat and walked up to her. Her heart beat faster. She couldn't run even if she wanted too. Her legs were stuck in place and her eyes were trained on Prince Adrian.

"Very well, done girl." He said, when he reached her. "What is your name?" He asked her.

She stuttered for a moment, "Gabrielle." She finally said. He then turned from her and walked past her and a still captive Aaron. He stopped in front of John, and then knelt till he was on eye level with him.

"You are lucky this day, deserter." He said the last word with contempt, "Next time a beautiful songstress will not come to your rescue and even if she does, it will take more than a song for your rescue." He then stood up, and called to his guards.

"Release this man." The guards immediately obeyed this order, and unlocked the chain man. Gabrielle and Aaron ran quickly to his side to help him to his feet. Gabrielle put herself under his left arm. She looked at the prince. His light blue eyes meeting her deeper ones.

"Thank you, your highness, I will never forget your mercy for this day."

"Likewise, I don't think I will forget about this day for a long either." The prince then turned around and walked up, giving orders for the guards to pack everything up.

Aaron and Gabrielle carefully moved John through the crowd, who this time made a way for them, and helped him onto the horse. It was clear from the sounds that John was making that he needed a healer and fast. She wished she had money she could offer or at least see him to a healer's office, but the sun was setting and she knew that a punishment was awaiting her back at home.

Aaron and her walked to the crossroads, while John stayed on the horse. Aaron and John must have thanked her a thousand times and told her repeatedly what a beautiful voice she had. However, she just blushed and told them there was no need to thank her. Doing the right thing was a reward within itself. They parted with goodbyes at the crossroads and Gabrielle hurried home.

When she opened the door, she could sense the tension in the room itself. Her stepsisters were seated. Rosella smirked at her when she entered. Rosella always liked it when something bad was about to happen to her. Her stepmother had been pacing and when she heard the door open. She looked at Gabrielle; her face full of fury.

"Where have you been! I sent you to do one damn thing and you are back at almost nightfall."

"I-I-I had to help a friend." She couldn't tell Isodara the whole truth. She would never believe it.

"Excuses, excuses, excuses- that's all I hear from you!" She screeched at her, "You should have been here hours ago; fixing our supper. Thanks to you we got nothing, but stale bread."

That's exactly what I eat most every night, thought Gabrielle, but she dare not voice it.

"And don't think I forgot about you washing the second floor. I want it done tonight and since we got a bad supper because of you; you will get no supper."

Gabrielle gulped at that. She hadn't eaten since this morning and was already feeling the pangs of hunger and sleepiness for her exertion this afternoon. Now she had to go more without food or sleep. It was not fair.

"When we go to the Earth Temple in the morning-" Continued her stepmother, "I want extra work done around the house, so no sleeping in for a lazy girl like you. I will post a list on the dining room table of all I want to be done."

Gabrielle looked down sadly, she usually loved days when they went to the temple. It meant she could sleep in and read her books. However, she didn't give a word of protest. Isodara would just punish her more. She meekly bowed,

"Yes, Lady Isodara, I shall do all as you say."

"You know if you were more obedient and less spoiled this would not happen." With that her stepmother left and her stepsisters followed her up the stairs, leaving Gabrielle all alone. The blonde gave a sigh and went to the broom closet to pull out a bucket and rags. She went outside into the now night air to fill the bucket from the well and dragged it back inside and up the stairs. She got onto her knees and began to the scrubbing. In truth the floors didn't really need scrubbing, but she doubted her stepmother had even noticed that.

In a way it was a good thing, since she didn't have to expend energy working our dirt spots. She was mostly just shinning the floor. She continued to scrub, trying to deny the protests from her body. She was hungry and tried and her body definitely didn't want to do anymore work. However, she pushed against her stomach and arms protests and continued to scrub. She went back outside to the even colder night air. She filled the bucket again and again. She went back to scrubbing and nearly dozed off a few times.

However, she immediately came back, not wanting to imagine what Isodara would do to her if she found her sleeping. She continued to scrub without much thought of anything else, until she came to a certain painting. It was a simple painting to a woman doing work. However, Gabrielle knew what was originally there. A picture of her mother. She could hardly now remembered what she looked like. She had died when she was a little girl and Isodara had every image of her removed from the manor. The blonde girl had no idea what had become of the paintings of her mother. She imagined they had been sold like the books in the library.

There was only one image of her father in the house as well. It was a family portrait that they hard made soon after Isodara had married her father. It was also the only image of her in the house. The rest of the paintings were stylish art pieces or pictures of Isodara and her daughters.

Isodara had began renovations to the house, before her father had even got a chance to lay cold in the ground. So much had changed and her favorite room; the library was gone before she knew it. This place resembled so little of the childhood home with it's warm tones and bright colors. Now it was full of stylish neutrals and dark tones. In the gardens had changed. It was once open with plenty of trees and space to play in, but Isodara had went to overcrowd it with flower beds and expensive mosaics.

Everything had changed since her father's death, even her.

After several hours of work and many trips to the well, she had finally done it and completed it. She threw the rag into the bucket in bitter triumph. Before she got to her feet, feeling all the aches and sores from the being on her knees for so long. She went to the broom closet and put back her cleaning supplies.

As she walked back to the kitchen; she put her hands in her pockets to warm them from the cold well water, but she felt something. Gabrielle blinked and pulled out a letter. Oh, Gods! How could she forget that letter the ginger girl had asked her to give Estelle. Estelle would likely be asleep at this time, but she could slide it under her door. She was tempted to wait till the morning, but a strong part of her wanted to get it over with. She made her way upstairs to the third floor and walked as quietly as possible to Estelle's room.

To her surprise there were lights under the door of Estelle's room. Was she still awake? Gabrielle thought for a moment, before she decided to knock on Estelle's door and she had a rustling from within and slowly the door cracked open and she could see Estelle's green eye peering out.

"What do you want at this hour?" She asked, a bit annoyed. Was she in the middle of something, wondered, Gabrielle. She pulled out the letter from her apron pocket.

"A girl from the bakery asked me to give this to you." At this Estelle's eyes widened and she opened the door a bit more.

"Have you told anyone about this?" Asked, Estelle.

Gabrielle shook her head, "No, she told me not too."

Estelle took the letter from her hand. "Thank you and good night." She quickly shut the door in her face. What was that about, she wondered? But alas she felt too tired and sore to wonder. She made her way back downstairs to the kitchens. Never had a straw bed felt so good and ,despite her hunger pains, she was soon asleep.

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