A/N:

Aha! I bet you expected to wait longer, huh? Welp, I'm doing my best with this. See, I'm really motivated for this story right now. I have my reasons. Anyways, I know I always keep the plot rolling, but we're gonna see a few more perspectives in this chapter, that might just get you a bit more interested. Now, time for some R&R, ENJOY! Word Count (1450)

The group came to rest at a fort merely a few days from the capital by foot. The guards accepted them, unknowing of their princess' home arrest. Thankfully for her, there didn't seem to be anyone giving chase… yet.

Within the palace walls, the queen herself was irate.

"I told you to keep an eye on her!"

A simple guard quivered with fear. "I… We did our best!"

Aveline let out a light growl, "Well clearly your best wasn't good enough." She then sighed, adjusting her glasses before they fell off her nose. "Why did you let her through?" The implication of her being for the royal guard, Diana.

"Well, she's my captain. How could I know she wasn't supposed to see the princess?"

The queen rested a hand against her forehead. Some of these men clearly were not listening when the orders were given. "Find them." She commanded. "All of them. I want word spread to every corner of the continent: Bring the princess home."

Iris watched the rain fall outside. At least it wasn't cold. These forts were always uncomfortable when the weather turned foul. On the wall before her, she could make out a familiar figure. Those robes gave everything away. "So, Celeste, you came to watch the rain too?"

The dark mage shuffled up next to the princess, briefly looking out the window before them. "Not really. Just taking a walk." She explained. "Clear my mind."

"Of what?" Iris asked, looking concerned for the young woman she considered a new friend. "Remember, you can tell me anything."

"I didn't think we'd be heading back to Khadein." She rushed to say.

"Well we can't just sit around and do nothing about my brother," Iris chuckled nervously.

Celeste bit her lip, flinching away. "I'm sorry about your brother, Iris. I am, but… I went to Pales for a reason. I… I thought I could blend in with the magic academy there, but then the attack, and…" She stopped, noting the concerned look on Iris' face. "I'm sorry, just… I'll go back to my cot."

Iris wanted to speak up to stop the girl, but she just couldn't. There was something about the way she spoke. Like the uprising in Khadein wasn't the only thing they had to worry about. As reckless as the princess was sometimes, she wasn't stupid. She knew how to read people and that's exactly what her instincts were screaming at her.

"Iris." She heard Diana shout from down the passageway.

"Huh?"

The woman looked back, concerned for whomever might be following. "Our friends here aren't so friendly anymore." The woman said.

"What?" Iris exclaimed in shock. "What happened?"

Diana seemed to calm down back to her usual self. "Seems word spreads fast. And your mother's ordered a nation-wide search for you."

Iris stood silent. Her mother didn't understand. Why couldn't she just let her go and get him back? "Blast."

"My lady?"

"Where are the others? We need to leave."

The woman nodded. "I'll get them right away. We'll be out of here within the hour," and she rushed off to retrieve the group.

Iris knew that was too long. They already needed to be out. Sometimes I really hate her… Iris thought. Her mother did always put a damper on her plans.

The princess ran as fast as her legs could carry her, to her quarters. Picking up the swords she could find stored within. Even borrowing what was not already in her possession. Hey, this was an emergency. On her way towards her team's quarters, a wall had obscured her path. No, not a wall, but a knight.

The man looked upon the girl with his deep brown eyes. Dark hair, going grey, covered his face in a bushy beard, though his head itself was shaven. "Not that way." The man whispered in a deep, gravelly voice.

"Huh?" Iris was quite confused at the situation before her. This man clearly had no intention of capturing her.

"The other guards." He said. "They are looking for you, little one."

Iris carefully removed a heavy gauntlet from her shoulder, brushing off the blue armor. "I… already know that."

"That way is not safe." He mentioned once more. "I can take you to your friends a safe way."

The princess was still a little confused, but she trusted this man. She gave a nod, agreeing to follow along.

True to his word, the strange knight showed Iris an alternative path to her friends, and lucky for them, there was no opposition on the way. However, Diana gave a scowl when she noticed the stranger approach.

"Who might this be?" She asked, pointing a spear towards the man.

"Drogo." He replied. "I'm one of the summer guards here. Been doing it since I first picked up the lance." He looked over the group, studying their reactions to his words. "I don't understand how the little one has earned the queen's wrath, and I don't agree with forcing people to do things they don't want. So I'd like to help. If you'll accept?"

Iris was grinning ear to ear, ignoring the way Diana shook her head. "We'd love to have you, Drogo."

Diana sighed. That princess could pick up the most mangled stray dog and get others to agree to let her keep it.

"Thank you very much, little one." The knight said. "But there's one other thing. My nephew is also stationed here, and his mother would be upset if I left him alone. Let me talk to him."

"Very well, Sir… Drogo." Diana said with a wave of her hand. "But know I'll be keeping an eye on you." And keep close, she did. Not giving the poor man much space as they tried to make their way out of the fort.

Of course, many of the guards were quite conflicted about fighting their own princess. Sure, they had orders to send her back to the capital, but what if they seriously hurt her? It wasn't a chance many of them were willing to take, so most of them stayed on their normal patrol routes, only ever attacking if they were threatened.

Keeping the chaos to a minimum, Drogo was able to find his nephew. The lad held his lance tight as his eyes rapidly searched his surroundings. "Merit!" Drogo shouted from practically next to the boy, ruffling the short hair which matched his teal eyes.

"Uncle, I'm right here. Why are you yelling?" Merit complained, trying to rub away the ringing in his ears.

"Kid," Drogo started.

"I'm in my twenties…"

"I'm saving myself from your mother's wrath. So come along."

Now Merit would have objected, but when his eyes settled on the women fending off guards from behind, he lost his train of thought. "Wait, with them?"

It was then that Drogo laughed, slapping one of his heavy gauntlets against the back of his nephew's silver armor. "See something you like?"

"What? No. I'll go, Uncle… Didn't even say please…" The soldier grumbled, following the knight onto the field.

When the last of them made it to safety, Iris looked back, unable to speak. She sighed, turning to face her comrades. "So that's it then…" The princess scanned over the others, every one of them as exhausted as the next. "Home is no longer a haven."

"Princess, we must move on if you wish to continue your quest." Diana spoke.

"Right." Iris agreed. "Well, everyone. Get used to the ground, those might be our last beds for quite some time. So let's hurry. Can't have Mother dragging me back to the capital now." She chuckled with her last statement.

A grim man looked out from his balcony to the desert stretching endlessly before him. His crimson cape, matching his slicked back hair, caught the wind as his ebon gauntlets folded to fists. "I still have trouble keeping trust in you." He said, charcoal eyes, turning back to the twisted ones behind.

"Oh, Abram, of course I'll keep my end of the bargain." The hooded figure spoke, earning a grin from the sorcerer by his side. "That is, as long as you keep providing your dracoknights to our cause."

The Macedonian king grunted, much to the amusement of the others.

The sorcerer, garbed in robes of purple and black, advanced on the veteran dragon lord. He brushed a hand through his greasy, black hair, pointing a finger at the man's chest. "My mages continue to do their jobs, and what have your forces done? Sit around in the rear, too afraid to spill a little blood? Now if I was their-"

"Peace, Aled." Their superior spoke. "He will do just as commanded."

A/N:

Aha! (I keep saying that a lot, don't I...)

We finally get some names to our baddies. And an armor knight and soldier. Ay! Diana can't be the only soldier class in the group (yes, I know she's a halberdier, but that's the promotion of the soldier, so :P ). I mean, every Jeigan gets a replacement eventually, though most of them are horseback units so that's like... the first chapter, but hey. I have my own pacing to the story, I know what's going down in all of them. Not really. But I do have the plot skeleton, so don't worry.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Be sure to leave a review/follow/favorite. Gimme da support! C B A, with all of you!

Have a delightful morning/day/evening, from your lovely Squish :D