Chapter 1
A young girl was in a forest, nearby a castle. She had brown hair that went to the middle of her back and her eyes were an earthy brown. She wore leather boots of a traveler, trousers that were preferred by men, a loose shirt that fit nicely, but didn't hinder her movements, and a grey cloak that was favoured by the people of Riva, where the Overlord of the West lived on. Her boots were black, her trousers were brown, her shirt and cloak were both forest green. Over all, her clothing made her look like a traveler, or a woods guide but if you were to take in her stance, her shape and her face, you would say that she looked like that she was a beautiful, warrior princess. You might think that this would make the clothing, that she wore, look strange on her. Instead it made her look like she was a wild princess or exotic princess, someone who belonged in the forest.
In the castle, not far from the forest, its occupants were going crazy and looking like chickens with their heads cut off. The reason for this is that a very important prince was, supposedly, coming to ask the youngest princess for her hand in marriage. They were looking for her because if she accepted the proposal, then it would create a great alliance for their country. They were, also, looking for the princess because she had a habit of disappearing before anyone can notice where she went or in which direction she went to. To put it quite plain, she was stubborn and wild but very kind. She would also face anyone who tried to hurt her or her family and friends. She also disliked to be yelled at or hurt, so if someone yelled she would look sad, hurt and closed herself off from everyone. If someone hurt her, she retaliated with anger. All of the servants liked her for she was very kind to them, and knew that some royal families could be extremely cruel and that they were fortunate to serve this royal family, where they were treated very nicely.
"Darion, have you seen Gabrielle?" Ce'Nedra asked her son. Darion looked much like his father when Ce'Nedra had first meet Garion. Darion had sandy blond hair with hazel/brown eyes. He was 6'1" and was rather muscular from his training with the guards, Silk, Barak, his Uncle Durnik and his father.
"Sorry, mother, but I haven't. Do you want me to look for her?"
"No, that's alright. Most of the castle is looking for her and you have to get ready for the ceremony. Remember, wear the blue outfit. Not the red one, Beldaran is wearing that one. Oh, and-"
"Alright, mother I get it. But you do know that Gabby won't be found until she wants to be found. She learnt quite well from Silk, Velvet and Ash. Secretes of their trade and all." Darion stated laughingly
"He, ha. I sometimes regret letting you children play with Ash."
"Ah! But you love us all the same and no matter what."
"That I do, that I do." She said as she pulled Darion into a hug.
"You know that I can go, find her and bring her back faster and more convenient than having half the castle search for her."
"No, you will not go and search for her. I told you once and I'm not changing my mind." The little queen in her coming out and ordering her son to do as she wants. Suddenly her face changed from the mask of the queen to a playful mother with a slight smile on her lips. "I will not allow you to get out of the ceremony. I know how much you dislike going through your father and me renewing our vows, but I feel like torturing you and your sisters, so you all most go. And I also know how much Gabby likes her solitude. She'll be back in time. Let's leave the rest of the castle panicking, while we go and get ready for this prince and the ceremony. Let's hope that the prince arrives after she does though. Plus, if she's not back and ready in time for the ceremony, she'll be in more trouble then the time when you and Ash went missing for three days."
Darion flinched and a shiver went up his spine at the memory of this punishment. As he bid his mother goodbye and went to get ready, there was a slight smile playing on his lips at the memory of why they were gone for three days. No one knows where he and Ash went other than himself, Ash and his sister Gabrielle.
Ce'Nedra watched her oldest child and her only son walked away. 'He looks so much like his father. Probably will be just as great a ruler as well. I wonder how many young ladies hearts he has broken. He definitely doesn't talk to me about that sort of thing. Gabby will probably know. Those two are extremely close. Note to Self: ask Gabby about Darion's love life. Heh, it's unlikely that she's going to answer.'
She turned her head towards the doors that lead to the entrance hallway that she was in. She noticed that there was a man who looked rather snobby, was crowded around by a bunch of the servants that should be doing something other than crowding around someone. She caught snippets of conversations from the servants as she walked towards the new comer.
"Is that him?'
"He's much too early. She ain't even ready yet!"
"'Ain't even ready yet!' She ain't even here yet. You know she's still missing, eh?"
'Oh, great! A snob is asking for Gabby's hand. He's going to get a shocker when she turns him down flat. And if she doesn't, I'll make up some excuse for them not to get married.' Upon a closer look of the so called 'prince', she realized that he was wearing extremely expensive clothing that looked ugly, that looked ridiculous on him as well as his hair was cut very badly and there was a bad smell coming from him. 'Hope it never becomes the style to wear that ugly type of clothing and the clothing is enough to make an Angarak flinch at its ugliness. Of all the colours he could chose from, why salmon and olive?!' As Ce'Nedra neared the 'prince', she placed a smile as well as her queen mask on her face and went to greet him.
"Hello."
"Oh... Hello..." came the short reply that seemed rather rude but Ce'Nedra couldn't figure out why.
"What would you like?" she asked, trying to sound polite.
"How rude! You are the fourth person to ask me that question and I have yet to have a reply to my answer." He stated extremely rudely. There were a few gasps from the people that surround them.
'How dare him! Does he realize who I am? Obviously not, if he talks to me in that tone.'
"You are obviously a very rude person, who shouldn't even be in this castle if you speak to a queen that way. Did you, just maybe, consider that you couldn't have a reply to your answer that they didn't have a reply to give? And who in their right mind would wear that outfit. It's horrendous. Those colours together are just ugly. Your hair is awful. And-" the one that spoke took a step closer and sniffed him. "You smell awful to! Yuk! You're what I've smelled since I got to the castle. I think that I'm going to go somewhere where your stench can't reach."
And with that the one who replied started to turn around and walk away. Before she could walk away though the 'prince' grabbed her arm, and spun her around to look at him. He had a horrible look on his face, as if she was a very disobedient servant that he was going to whip within an inch of her life.
"How dare you? Do you even know who I am? I am Prince Zar. Show some respect to your betters."
"Oh, really! How dare I? Well, how dare you?" and with that she raised her hand and 'slap!' right on his cheek, glared at him and walked off furious. There was an angry red make on Prince Zar's cheek as he glared daggers into the girls back.
"Who is she? I demand she be punished! Immediately! No excuses! I- 'slap!' "He was cut off by another slap, this time to his other cheek and given by the queen.
"She will not be punished! You on the other hand might be!" replied an extremely pissed off queen. Then with a slight smile on her lips "That was the one that, I assume, you came to see. It was my youngest daughter... Gabrielle."
