Chapter 2

Ruen smiled happily to herself as she skipped along the path leading away from the palace. She was finally being allowed by her strict father to leave the palace.

Her long, golden curls swayed in the breeze as she danced along the path, without a care in the world. She came to a fenced-in meadow with cows lumbering around. Her sparkling blue eyes widened at the sight of them. She had never seen a cow before in her life. Just then, a frisky lamb trotted up behind her and butted her legs. She jumped in surprise.

A laughing shepherd came up to her and gathered the lamb in his arms. "Ain't you ever seen one 'o these before, miss?" he asked cheerfully. "Judging from yer clothes, ye'll be one of them fancy palace folk. Here, how would ye like ta hold her?" He held the squirming lamb out to Ruen.

She hesitantly took it from him. The lamb looked pleased to see her and licked her face. She giggled and smiled at the kindly shepherd.

As she left, the shepherd called after her, "You be sure to come back one 'o these days, miss, and I'll show you me whole flock. Good day!"

Inside, Ruen seethed with anger at her father. How could he have kept her captive inside the boundaries of the castle for so long? When there were such wonderful sights to see outside? She promised herself to have a word with him when she got back.

"Stop."

The single word, spoken with such dark power, had such an effect on Ruen that she froze completely. Quaking, she looked up at the – creature—that had spoken.

There was only one word to describe it. Terrifying. The dark fairy – for that was what it was – towered over Ruen. She was almost ten feet tall. She wore a robe of black silk that shimmered with magic. Her eyes were a flashing purple, her mouth a straight, angry line etched into her hard face. Skin wings stretched out behind her back, only adding to her fearsome appearance.

"Your father let you out?" she whispered, a thunderous sound that left ringing in Ruen's ears.

Ruen nodded, too terrified to speak.

"As I thought. Your father always was a fool, putting so much faith in his intuition… it only made you an easier target for me. Now go. You should not have left the palace." She took off into the air, wings beating against the sky, the force of the wind nearly knocking Ruen over.

Ruen stood still, not moving a muscle, for a few minutes after the fairy left. She felt as if she were frozen in place by some unseen force. Something coursed through her veins, giving her fear and strength at the same time. She shivered, turned, and fled to the palace.