Our story goes on.

The accident with Darius was ten years ago. The castle, and it's in habitants had moved on, for he and his father weren't the only ones gone missing in the past years. Thought it had been one of the more notable disappearings. The baker would travel between the two villages bringing fresh baked bread every morning to the people who wished for it. And so every morning, the village main street would smell of fresh made cookies and pastry. Now it only smelled of flowers from the florist or like coal from the smith.

The upbeat mood was gone and the feeling of absent was felt even more due the lack of a certain princess that would make every cleaners life hell. Before she used to run around playing hopscotch over the newly cut hedge or play hide and seek with anyone that had time to spear. This day, the streets were empty, a few children playing in the corner with their dolls or a stand of two of the locale shop keepers, but not the festive ambiance that would cover the region like before.

Even princess Eleanor herself would wonder why, but every time she did the memory of the guard telling her Darius was gone, came back. Instead she tried to focus on her studies like her mother wanted. Working from sun rise till sun set. Talking only breaks for eating. But every so often her eyes would dwell from her book to the forest tree line and further. Bringing with it an array of day dreams she used to play out. In one of such, she was a gallant knight saving a dog from a tiger, in the other she would travel the land and become friends with a magical space squid.

Her mind would sometimes be so lost, that it took a strong shout from her tutor to bring her mind back to his lessons. The boring never got away, no matter how much you want to distract yourself in work. And after a while even her favourite dance class wouldn't keep her focused. That's when she had asked the second lieutenant to start teaching her some more exiting classes, well, more exciting than dancing anyway.

At first her mother, like with everything, was against it, but after seeing her smile for the first time in a while made her rethink her schedule and class subjects. However, the princess hadn't counted on her mother going overboard on. Well maybe she did, after al it was the same woman who could plan the trip for the ambassador all in one day.

The classes had started small, mostly given by the lieutenant himself. Focusing on self-defence or basic manoeuvres. By the time it was the fifth lesson, she was asking for something more challenging. Knowing her mother, she had suggested to stop and stay with how the lessens were. The Lieutenant however liked the idea and after some discussion with the King himself he was given permission to turn it up a notch.

Bringing us to today.

One arrow has already hit its mark; the audience is holding its breath while the princess biases her next one. With a smooth motion it is released, and flies through the air like bird diving for its prey. Time seemed to stop, waiting for the result of her shot. One moment the arrow was in her hand and the other, it is being pinned in the hay, hitting her mark of by two centimetres. The onlookers all clapped their hands. The princess made a small bow to her fans before aiming again for a following shot. Before she released, she cast a glance side way to her friend and study companion, and with a cocky voice she said, "Hey Huebert, what will you do if I hit an even harder mark than the last one?"

"Then at our next meeting I will wear a jesters' uniform. That is, if you can aim that good." He said smug, in his tick Irish accent, pointing at the head of one of the plant sculpture's a few dozen meter further. She followed his glace and aimed again, this time releasing the arrow in a more upward position. The audience that had presented itself in the garden held its breath with anticipation. Some were maids on a break, another the gardener himself, even her other teachers had come to view what the fuss was about.

A loud "It's a hit!" could be heard from one of the gardeners' assistants. The crowd let a loud felicitation towards the princess, as if they were at a high end horse race. She made small bow and turned around to look at a baffled Huebert, with a pat on the shoulder she whispered, "Don't forget the jesters costume next time."

When she walked back to her stand point she noticed that she was smiling. It had been awhile since she had last let a decent laugh and the promise of the old fool dressed as an actual fool made her fill up with joy. Her teacher, the lieutenant, interrupted her laughter with some of his own, "If you can hit that far, then I guess you really are getting better, and here I thought I was a horrible teacher."

"Oh no, you were a wonderful teacher, I cannot be happier to have a teacher such as yourself." His eyes shone bright and even began to tear up, at the words of the princess, "Thank you my lady! That is so kind of you." He made a small bow to her as a sign of appreciation. She blushed at his sudden formality and glanced around to hide her embarrassment.

The man got upright and whispered a next target in her ear. A grin of mischief appeared on her face as she pulled a new arrow from the holder. The lieutenant gestured to the people to quiet down as the princess slowly biased her arrow with the thin string. The onlookers had once again gone silent. Everyone waited in anticipation for what her new target would be. She leaned far back and pointed the arrow head to the stick of a flag mast. Like before the arrow launched itself as soon as she let go of the cord. It made its way to the post, but missed. Barely scratching the surface before flying over and landing in a bush behind.

"So close your majesty." Her teacher said, "Better luck next try- "

He was interrupted by the clatter of heals on stone. In the opening of the inner wall stood the Queen, her shoulders were laid back but her eyes burned with intensity, and anger. The lieutenant, as well as the rest of the personnel watching made a bow in her direction and went to work, some gave the princess a small signal of "good luck" before leaving her and Huebert standing alone on the grass field. The Queen was about to storm towards her daughter before a clicking sound was heard. She looked up and her gaze was met by a falling cloth. She tumbled down on the ground under the weight of the flag. Eleanor and Huebert ran towards her to help but it wasn't longer needed. The queen had gotten up on her own and somehow the earlier look in her eyes had grown even more intense.

Huebert nudged Eleanors arm slowly. He whispered his leave in her ear and with a bow to the Queen, walked away. Now it was only her and her mother. She gulped nervously as she met the older woman's brown eyes Seconds felt like minutes to her. When she finally gathered enough courage to open her mouth and speak, was she interrupted by her mother's sharp voice, "At first I was only going to be mad about your tardiness. But now..." she eyed the flag post above her and continued in a disappointed tone, "Do you wish that the entire castle gets demolished?" Eleanor looked down at her feet. She tried to apologise and say she didn't mean to, but was interrupted by her mother speaking for her. This time in a calmer, more soft way, "Of course you don't." she gave a sigh and tried to fold up the flag at her feet.

"I only came to say that there I a visitor that wanted to see you. So I'll let you go this once, but make sure you hurry. It seemed important and with the time you've been waiting here…" Her voice had changed to a mere mumble when she noticed that her daughter was already on her way. she slowly chook her head at the thought What am I going to do with you…