Disclaimer – I don't own anything, unfortunately.
For the last time ten years, in the castle of Ventrec, the four kidnapped princesses had been growing up from young girls into young women. They lived together at the top of the tallest tower. And, according to their kidnapper's knowledge, they had no memory of their former lives, family or friends. But they did and so the four prayed that one day they would return to the place their happy memories came from.
A pair of oak doors opened and two blonde young women walked through escorted by two men. "Well, Vilandra, Ava it was wonderful spending time with you." The taller of the two men spoke while the other just nodded.
"We enjoyed ourselves as well." Vilandra replied while Ava smiled. Both men smiled.
"Then, may we do it again another night?"
"We shall see." Vilandra replied before curtsying with Ava. This was a signal to the men to leave so they both bowed then left. After the oak doors were closed both girls heard the 'click' of the lock being locked.
"Leandra! Hansha!" Vilandra called as Ava sat down. They were in a round room with eight doors leading off of it. One of the doors opened to reveal another blonde. She joined the other two, quickly followed by a brunette.
"What was your evening like?"
"Oh Leandra, it was amazing!" Ava replied while Vilandra tapped Hansha on the shoulder and pointed to the door. She nodded, closed her eyes and a look of concentration crossed her face. Leandra and Ava kept the conversation going, with Vilandra adding details until Hansha opened her blue eyes and nodded.
"They're gone." She declared.
"Oh thank God. I was going to scream if somebody called me Vilandra again!"
"Isabel, calm done. You know why we have to put up with it."
"Maria's right, Iz."
"I know Tess but don't you hate being called a name that isn't yours?"
"Of course I do but we only have to put up with it until we escape."
"Or be rescued." The brunette said dreamily.
"Liz?" Maria asked. "Are you okay?"
"What on earth made you say that?" Isabel demanded. All three blondes gathered round the brunette.
"It's just a, uh...dream I keep, um having." Liz answered shyly. Maria squealed, Tess laughed and Isabel smiled.
"Your knight in shining armour, huh?" Liz's face flushed. "Oooh, what does he look like?" Maria gushed and Liz's face reddened even more.
"It's not one of the men here is it?" I sable asked, concerned. Liz shook her head.
"I've never seen him before...and he's absolutely gorgeous!" This time both Maria and Tess squealed.
"Hey, could what you're dreaming become true?"
"It's just a dream Maria." Tess shook her head.
"No, you're power of foresight could be showing you this man. You're dream could come true."
"Then why don't we go into your dream to see what he looks like." Isabel suggested.
"Uh uh, no way are you three going into my dream." Liz replied firmly.
"Why not? Does something happen that you wouldn't want us to see?"
"Maria!" The blonde laughed then ducked as Liz threw a cushion at her. "Nothing happens! He just appears, says that he'll be back then disappears."
"Then I really think we should go into your dream."
"Isabel-"
"What if he turns up and one of us meets him? We have to know what he looks like so we know who he is."
"And while we're there Maria can check on whether he's good or bad." Tess added. After a moment of silence Liz nodded her consent.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Maria cried as Tess laughed and Liz's doubts built, as well as the colour in her cheeks.
*
Later that night, all four assembled in Liz's bedroom. In silence the three blondes waited for Liz to fall asleep then joined hands and let Isabel guide them into Liz's dream. When they joined Liz she held her finger to her lips, indicating that she wanted silence. Isabel brought them to the edge of the connection to give Liz as much privacy as possible. After a while the three blondes noticed colours and shapes flying around the edge of the room, around the dream itself. Liz walked into the centre of the room and looked round. Suddenly a young man appeared out of thin air in front of her. Liz looked up and their eyes locked into each others. Her dark brown to his warm yet mysterious amber. Slowly he moved closer to Liz and raised a hand to trace Liz's cheek. Isabel suddenly gasped and brought Tess, Maria, and even Liz out of the dream.
"Izzy!" Maria protested. "It was just getting interesting!"
"Maria!" Liz and Tess exclaimed.
"Funny, you never mentioned that before Liz." Maria teased. "That's because it hasn't happened before!"
"Yeah right!" Maria scoffed but as she opened her mouth to respond further Tess lay a hand on her arm and nodded towards Isabel. Their friend sat in a daze, her eyes unfocused and starring off onto space.
"Isabel?" Liz asked softly. Isabel jerked and looked towards her friend. "Are you okay?"
"Liz, do you know who that man is?" Liz shook her head and Isabel's eyes unfocused again. The other three shared a look between themselves – this wasn't like their friend.
"He's my brother." Isabel suddenly blurted out.
"WHAT?"
"He's my brother." She repeated more gently. "I have all these memories of him and as soon as I saw him I knew. Plus he has the ring."
"The ring?" Tess asked as Liz sat in a daze.
"I remember my mother showing it to us. She said that we would each get one when we were old enough. To signal that we're part of the royal family." Tess nodded her understanding.
"S I've been dreaming about you're brother?" Liz clarified. Isabel nodded.
"Well that explains some of the love I was feeling." Maria stated.
"Some?" Isabel questioned.
"There are two types of love. Family love and uh, soul mate love. I felt both. The family love must be for Isabel but I don't know who the soul mate love could be for." Maria explained, looking at Liz as she finished. Tess gasped.
"Liz and Isabel's brother? How sweet would that be?"
"Hey!" Isabel and Liz exclaimed at the same time. Maria and Tess grinned.
"Oooh, imagine what their kids would look like! His hair with her eyes?"
"Or her hair with his eyes? They'd be the cutest kids ever!"
"Would you please stop talking about my brother and one of my best friends like that?" Isabel asked, clearly annoyed. She pulled her dressing gown around her and left Liz's bedroom. Maria and Tess instantly followed with Liz behind them as soon as she had her own robe on.
"Izzy, we didn't mean it like that." Maria called as they entered the kitchen.
"Then why say it?"
"Look, I can sense emotions, you know that. And what I sensed in there was no joke. Whether they want to or not, Liz and your brother are going to fall in love." Maria spoke softly, looking from Isabel to Liz. "And I think it was a premonition, Liz. You know that you see flying shapes and colours before a vision?" Liz nodded. "Well we saw them before Isabel's brother appeared." Both Maria and Isabel nodded, backing up Tess' statement.
"So...Liz and my brother?" Isabel asked after a long moment of silence. Tess and Maria nodded.
"You better not take him away from me." Isabel warned Liz.
"I won't."
"Well, since that's all cleared up, hadn't we three let Liz get back to her prince charming?"
"Maria!"
***
Many miles away from the four princesses, their other halves were sleeping in a small room. Two of them were on beds, another on the sofa and the fourth on the floor. Suddenly the young man on the floor sat up with a sharp intake of breath. For unbeknown to him, or the princesses, when his sister broke the connection and woke her friend, the prince had been woken too. Max frowned. He'd been so close, he'd actually touched her. This girl that had been haunting his dreams for so many nights. Casting a look around him he noticed that none of his companions had woken and, judging by the dark sky outside, it was still night. The young prince pulled on some clothes and silently left the room. Outside he was greeted by a full moon that cast shadows into the night, making it even creepier than it should have been. Max's thought drifted from his parents, to his new friends, to his sister before finally settling on the mystery dream girl. She was so beautiful; with dark intense eyes and hair that was only just a lighter brown than her eyes. Max sighed in frustration, if only he knew who she was!
A sound behind him snapped him out of his thoughts and Max looked round. His surroundings were unfamiliar to him, as they were in a part of Kalette that he'd never been to before. As his eyes swept round his setting he noticed two figures almost concealed in the shadows. Slowly and silently, the young prince crept closer to the pair and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Strangers you say?"
"Yes, three men traveling with Lord Kyle."
"Do you know who they are, where they're from?"
"No, shall I find out?"
"Yes, but don't be too obvious. And try to get a picture of them so we can send it to Coran."
"I will. Any news from our ruler?"
"Coran hasn't contacted me in a few days but he will soon."
"I shall report tomorrow night."
"I will see you then, good luck my friend and stay safe."
"You too, my friend." The two parted and left their unknown eavesdropper to his thoughts. After several long moments the prince went back to his room, and to his friends. Max was debating with himself whether to wake the other now or wait until the morning as he entered their small rented room. Finally he decided and shut the door quietly. Then, after a minute of silence, he turned on all the lights, using his powers to make them brighter.
All three of his companions were woken instantly and Max raised his shield just in time as Michael let loose a ball of energy, much bigger than Alex's or Kyle's and much more accurate in aim.
"Michael it's me, Max." The young prince whispered, still keeping his shield up but dimming the lights to their usual brightness.
"Max, don't do that again! I could have killed you!"
"Yeah right!" Max replied but he knew the truth in Michael's words. He let his shield down and crossed the room to get some food and drink.
"It's the middle of the night, why'd you wake us?" Kyle exclaimed as he looked out the window.
"We need to leave, there are people in the town who are investigating us."
"Who?" Michael responded as he rose from his bed and started to dress.
"I don't know. He was meeting with someone else and both of them mentioned Coran, they even called him their 'ruler'. "
"Then we need to leave, if Coran finds out who we are and how close we are to Ventrec..." Alex trialed off and the four men shared a look. Almost silently they packed and left the room as they had found it. Keeping their horses quiet was a much harder task but all four managed to keep them from making too much noise. They had each chosen their own horse and they all seemed to match personalities. Max's thoroughbred was ebony black all over except a white star on his forehead that was often hidden by it's fringe. Michael's was a reddy brown with four dark brown socks. Kyle's was a light brown with three white socks. And Alex's was a mix of grey, brown and black; from a distance he almost seemed multicoloured.
About an hour after sunrise, and after a fast canter, the four decided to stop and rest. They quickly found a clearing in the forest they'd been traveling through which had a small brook so they stopped there. The scent of the sea wafted in the breeze and they all agreed that they weren't far from the coast, so they couldn't be far from Ventrec.
"I have a question." Kyle started, breaking the silence as the four gently tritted towards the coastline. "If we get to Ventrec, where are we going to look? None of us have been there before."
"Actually, I have." Max spoke up from the front of the group.
"What?"
"I was sent there when I was ten to be taught how to behave when visiting neighbouring countries." He explained.
"That makes sense, you being the only royal out of us. What was it like?"
"Well...weird. I can't really describe it. Everywhere had the same aura, and it wasn't a nice one."
"Did you go to the royal palace?" Alex asked as he and Kyle caught up with the prince to hear him better.
"Yeah, it look amazing. Made of turrets and towers. Inside was just as beautiful. Apart from the weird aura I would probably have loved it there."
"Sounds cool, not evil." Kyle commented "When did you go exactly?"
"Just before the first major attack our country made."
"Wait a minute, wasn't that the reason you father ordered the attack? I remember hearing some of his speech, didn't something happen to you while you were there?" Max shot Michael a warning look before speeding up his horse. Alex and Kyle look at each other before speeding up to catch up with the prince. They over took Max and blocked his path so he had to stop.
"Tell us." Kyle ordered. Max shot another look at Michael. He shorten his reigns but Michael grabbed them. Looking round there was no way out and Max finally gave in.
"Alright, but I don't remember all of what happened." The young prince sighed before continuing.
"The truth is that I was the reason behind the first major attack. While staying at Ventrec I went somewhere I shouldn't have. I was only ten and I was curious, their palace was so different from my home. Anyway, a guard caught me and there was a bit of trouble. I was sent to their superiors and they got angry. Someone...hit me. When I got home Michael noticed instantly but I made him swear not to tell anyone but then my tutor found out. He told my mother and father. Both of them were furious. Ventrec said it had been a spy from Mercany so my father ordered the attack."
"I remember that." Alex's voice was full of sadness and Max's gaze became fixed on the road in front of him.
"If I remember correctly you weren't just hit, you were beaten black and blue." "Michael." Max warned but his friend just grunted.
"So you don't remember who did it?" Kyle asked as Alex opened his mouth to say the same thing.
"Not clearly enough to start another attack. I don't want more people getting hurt because of me."
"It wasn't you fault!" Alex responded faster than Michael. "You were only ten!"
"But still-"
"Don't go there." Kyle stated. All three friends smiled at the prince and, after a minute, a small smile appeared on his face.
"Thanks." Kyle and Alex nodded as Michael patted Max on the back. As they moved for ward and round a corner they were greeted by the sparkling blue of the Ventrille sea, the water separating Kalette with Ventrec. Just in eyesight was the island of Ventrec. The four young men followed Max's lead as they cantered towards the port. Once there they followed Kyle as he led them to a small stable owned by a friend's uncle. After exchanging a quick greeting and introduction, the four horses were settled in and their owners headed towards the boats which would take them across the sea to the place where all their hopes were pinned.
They got tickets on a boat called 'The Lady Savior', which all four had a good joke about until the seriousness of the situation really hit them. If the princesses were there, not only did they have to find them but they had to get them out of their holding place, get back across the sea and then get to the safety of Nadarn, which all of them had agreed would be the best place to take the princesses after rescuing them. It was the biggest and most powerful out of the four nations. But first they had to rescue the princesses and each of the young men were starting to feel the pressure and nervousness as the time passed. And each of them found a different way of relaxing.
"Come on Max, join us!" The prince turned at Alex's call. Alex had been watching Kyle and Michael play some hockey game but now all three were sitting in a small booth, playing cards at the ready. Max had been watching the birds fly alongside the boat as it moved through the water. At Alex's call he realized how cold it was outside and decided to join hid friends inside.
"So, blonde or brunette?"
"What?"
"Blonde or brunette?" Kyle repeated. "We're talking about the type of girl we like."
"Sorry to spoil the mood but aren't we all betrothed?"
"Your point?" Michael asked and Max grinned.
"Brunette." He answered as he sat down.
"Ooh, we all like blondes. Okay, blue or brown eyes?"
"Brown." As he answered an image of the girl from his dreams flashed into his mind and Max unconsciously smiled. Michael noticed this but didn't bring it into the conversation. The four continued to talk until the Captain of the boat announced that they were docking and the four decided to go out side to watch.
Not much of a cliffhanger, I know but I promise that the action happens in the next chapter. Sorry about changing the format but it's easier for me this way.
Hope you're enjoying yourselves and stay tuned folks!
For the last time ten years, in the castle of Ventrec, the four kidnapped princesses had been growing up from young girls into young women. They lived together at the top of the tallest tower. And, according to their kidnapper's knowledge, they had no memory of their former lives, family or friends. But they did and so the four prayed that one day they would return to the place their happy memories came from.
A pair of oak doors opened and two blonde young women walked through escorted by two men. "Well, Vilandra, Ava it was wonderful spending time with you." The taller of the two men spoke while the other just nodded.
"We enjoyed ourselves as well." Vilandra replied while Ava smiled. Both men smiled.
"Then, may we do it again another night?"
"We shall see." Vilandra replied before curtsying with Ava. This was a signal to the men to leave so they both bowed then left. After the oak doors were closed both girls heard the 'click' of the lock being locked.
"Leandra! Hansha!" Vilandra called as Ava sat down. They were in a round room with eight doors leading off of it. One of the doors opened to reveal another blonde. She joined the other two, quickly followed by a brunette.
"What was your evening like?"
"Oh Leandra, it was amazing!" Ava replied while Vilandra tapped Hansha on the shoulder and pointed to the door. She nodded, closed her eyes and a look of concentration crossed her face. Leandra and Ava kept the conversation going, with Vilandra adding details until Hansha opened her blue eyes and nodded.
"They're gone." She declared.
"Oh thank God. I was going to scream if somebody called me Vilandra again!"
"Isabel, calm done. You know why we have to put up with it."
"Maria's right, Iz."
"I know Tess but don't you hate being called a name that isn't yours?"
"Of course I do but we only have to put up with it until we escape."
"Or be rescued." The brunette said dreamily.
"Liz?" Maria asked. "Are you okay?"
"What on earth made you say that?" Isabel demanded. All three blondes gathered round the brunette.
"It's just a, uh...dream I keep, um having." Liz answered shyly. Maria squealed, Tess laughed and Isabel smiled.
"Your knight in shining armour, huh?" Liz's face flushed. "Oooh, what does he look like?" Maria gushed and Liz's face reddened even more.
"It's not one of the men here is it?" I sable asked, concerned. Liz shook her head.
"I've never seen him before...and he's absolutely gorgeous!" This time both Maria and Tess squealed.
"Hey, could what you're dreaming become true?"
"It's just a dream Maria." Tess shook her head.
"No, you're power of foresight could be showing you this man. You're dream could come true."
"Then why don't we go into your dream to see what he looks like." Isabel suggested.
"Uh uh, no way are you three going into my dream." Liz replied firmly.
"Why not? Does something happen that you wouldn't want us to see?"
"Maria!" The blonde laughed then ducked as Liz threw a cushion at her. "Nothing happens! He just appears, says that he'll be back then disappears."
"Then I really think we should go into your dream."
"Isabel-"
"What if he turns up and one of us meets him? We have to know what he looks like so we know who he is."
"And while we're there Maria can check on whether he's good or bad." Tess added. After a moment of silence Liz nodded her consent.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Maria cried as Tess laughed and Liz's doubts built, as well as the colour in her cheeks.
*
Later that night, all four assembled in Liz's bedroom. In silence the three blondes waited for Liz to fall asleep then joined hands and let Isabel guide them into Liz's dream. When they joined Liz she held her finger to her lips, indicating that she wanted silence. Isabel brought them to the edge of the connection to give Liz as much privacy as possible. After a while the three blondes noticed colours and shapes flying around the edge of the room, around the dream itself. Liz walked into the centre of the room and looked round. Suddenly a young man appeared out of thin air in front of her. Liz looked up and their eyes locked into each others. Her dark brown to his warm yet mysterious amber. Slowly he moved closer to Liz and raised a hand to trace Liz's cheek. Isabel suddenly gasped and brought Tess, Maria, and even Liz out of the dream.
"Izzy!" Maria protested. "It was just getting interesting!"
"Maria!" Liz and Tess exclaimed.
"Funny, you never mentioned that before Liz." Maria teased. "That's because it hasn't happened before!"
"Yeah right!" Maria scoffed but as she opened her mouth to respond further Tess lay a hand on her arm and nodded towards Isabel. Their friend sat in a daze, her eyes unfocused and starring off onto space.
"Isabel?" Liz asked softly. Isabel jerked and looked towards her friend. "Are you okay?"
"Liz, do you know who that man is?" Liz shook her head and Isabel's eyes unfocused again. The other three shared a look between themselves – this wasn't like their friend.
"He's my brother." Isabel suddenly blurted out.
"WHAT?"
"He's my brother." She repeated more gently. "I have all these memories of him and as soon as I saw him I knew. Plus he has the ring."
"The ring?" Tess asked as Liz sat in a daze.
"I remember my mother showing it to us. She said that we would each get one when we were old enough. To signal that we're part of the royal family." Tess nodded her understanding.
"S I've been dreaming about you're brother?" Liz clarified. Isabel nodded.
"Well that explains some of the love I was feeling." Maria stated.
"Some?" Isabel questioned.
"There are two types of love. Family love and uh, soul mate love. I felt both. The family love must be for Isabel but I don't know who the soul mate love could be for." Maria explained, looking at Liz as she finished. Tess gasped.
"Liz and Isabel's brother? How sweet would that be?"
"Hey!" Isabel and Liz exclaimed at the same time. Maria and Tess grinned.
"Oooh, imagine what their kids would look like! His hair with her eyes?"
"Or her hair with his eyes? They'd be the cutest kids ever!"
"Would you please stop talking about my brother and one of my best friends like that?" Isabel asked, clearly annoyed. She pulled her dressing gown around her and left Liz's bedroom. Maria and Tess instantly followed with Liz behind them as soon as she had her own robe on.
"Izzy, we didn't mean it like that." Maria called as they entered the kitchen.
"Then why say it?"
"Look, I can sense emotions, you know that. And what I sensed in there was no joke. Whether they want to or not, Liz and your brother are going to fall in love." Maria spoke softly, looking from Isabel to Liz. "And I think it was a premonition, Liz. You know that you see flying shapes and colours before a vision?" Liz nodded. "Well we saw them before Isabel's brother appeared." Both Maria and Isabel nodded, backing up Tess' statement.
"So...Liz and my brother?" Isabel asked after a long moment of silence. Tess and Maria nodded.
"You better not take him away from me." Isabel warned Liz.
"I won't."
"Well, since that's all cleared up, hadn't we three let Liz get back to her prince charming?"
"Maria!"
***
Many miles away from the four princesses, their other halves were sleeping in a small room. Two of them were on beds, another on the sofa and the fourth on the floor. Suddenly the young man on the floor sat up with a sharp intake of breath. For unbeknown to him, or the princesses, when his sister broke the connection and woke her friend, the prince had been woken too. Max frowned. He'd been so close, he'd actually touched her. This girl that had been haunting his dreams for so many nights. Casting a look around him he noticed that none of his companions had woken and, judging by the dark sky outside, it was still night. The young prince pulled on some clothes and silently left the room. Outside he was greeted by a full moon that cast shadows into the night, making it even creepier than it should have been. Max's thought drifted from his parents, to his new friends, to his sister before finally settling on the mystery dream girl. She was so beautiful; with dark intense eyes and hair that was only just a lighter brown than her eyes. Max sighed in frustration, if only he knew who she was!
A sound behind him snapped him out of his thoughts and Max looked round. His surroundings were unfamiliar to him, as they were in a part of Kalette that he'd never been to before. As his eyes swept round his setting he noticed two figures almost concealed in the shadows. Slowly and silently, the young prince crept closer to the pair and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Strangers you say?"
"Yes, three men traveling with Lord Kyle."
"Do you know who they are, where they're from?"
"No, shall I find out?"
"Yes, but don't be too obvious. And try to get a picture of them so we can send it to Coran."
"I will. Any news from our ruler?"
"Coran hasn't contacted me in a few days but he will soon."
"I shall report tomorrow night."
"I will see you then, good luck my friend and stay safe."
"You too, my friend." The two parted and left their unknown eavesdropper to his thoughts. After several long moments the prince went back to his room, and to his friends. Max was debating with himself whether to wake the other now or wait until the morning as he entered their small rented room. Finally he decided and shut the door quietly. Then, after a minute of silence, he turned on all the lights, using his powers to make them brighter.
All three of his companions were woken instantly and Max raised his shield just in time as Michael let loose a ball of energy, much bigger than Alex's or Kyle's and much more accurate in aim.
"Michael it's me, Max." The young prince whispered, still keeping his shield up but dimming the lights to their usual brightness.
"Max, don't do that again! I could have killed you!"
"Yeah right!" Max replied but he knew the truth in Michael's words. He let his shield down and crossed the room to get some food and drink.
"It's the middle of the night, why'd you wake us?" Kyle exclaimed as he looked out the window.
"We need to leave, there are people in the town who are investigating us."
"Who?" Michael responded as he rose from his bed and started to dress.
"I don't know. He was meeting with someone else and both of them mentioned Coran, they even called him their 'ruler'. "
"Then we need to leave, if Coran finds out who we are and how close we are to Ventrec..." Alex trialed off and the four men shared a look. Almost silently they packed and left the room as they had found it. Keeping their horses quiet was a much harder task but all four managed to keep them from making too much noise. They had each chosen their own horse and they all seemed to match personalities. Max's thoroughbred was ebony black all over except a white star on his forehead that was often hidden by it's fringe. Michael's was a reddy brown with four dark brown socks. Kyle's was a light brown with three white socks. And Alex's was a mix of grey, brown and black; from a distance he almost seemed multicoloured.
About an hour after sunrise, and after a fast canter, the four decided to stop and rest. They quickly found a clearing in the forest they'd been traveling through which had a small brook so they stopped there. The scent of the sea wafted in the breeze and they all agreed that they weren't far from the coast, so they couldn't be far from Ventrec.
"I have a question." Kyle started, breaking the silence as the four gently tritted towards the coastline. "If we get to Ventrec, where are we going to look? None of us have been there before."
"Actually, I have." Max spoke up from the front of the group.
"What?"
"I was sent there when I was ten to be taught how to behave when visiting neighbouring countries." He explained.
"That makes sense, you being the only royal out of us. What was it like?"
"Well...weird. I can't really describe it. Everywhere had the same aura, and it wasn't a nice one."
"Did you go to the royal palace?" Alex asked as he and Kyle caught up with the prince to hear him better.
"Yeah, it look amazing. Made of turrets and towers. Inside was just as beautiful. Apart from the weird aura I would probably have loved it there."
"Sounds cool, not evil." Kyle commented "When did you go exactly?"
"Just before the first major attack our country made."
"Wait a minute, wasn't that the reason you father ordered the attack? I remember hearing some of his speech, didn't something happen to you while you were there?" Max shot Michael a warning look before speeding up his horse. Alex and Kyle look at each other before speeding up to catch up with the prince. They over took Max and blocked his path so he had to stop.
"Tell us." Kyle ordered. Max shot another look at Michael. He shorten his reigns but Michael grabbed them. Looking round there was no way out and Max finally gave in.
"Alright, but I don't remember all of what happened." The young prince sighed before continuing.
"The truth is that I was the reason behind the first major attack. While staying at Ventrec I went somewhere I shouldn't have. I was only ten and I was curious, their palace was so different from my home. Anyway, a guard caught me and there was a bit of trouble. I was sent to their superiors and they got angry. Someone...hit me. When I got home Michael noticed instantly but I made him swear not to tell anyone but then my tutor found out. He told my mother and father. Both of them were furious. Ventrec said it had been a spy from Mercany so my father ordered the attack."
"I remember that." Alex's voice was full of sadness and Max's gaze became fixed on the road in front of him.
"If I remember correctly you weren't just hit, you were beaten black and blue." "Michael." Max warned but his friend just grunted.
"So you don't remember who did it?" Kyle asked as Alex opened his mouth to say the same thing.
"Not clearly enough to start another attack. I don't want more people getting hurt because of me."
"It wasn't you fault!" Alex responded faster than Michael. "You were only ten!"
"But still-"
"Don't go there." Kyle stated. All three friends smiled at the prince and, after a minute, a small smile appeared on his face.
"Thanks." Kyle and Alex nodded as Michael patted Max on the back. As they moved for ward and round a corner they were greeted by the sparkling blue of the Ventrille sea, the water separating Kalette with Ventrec. Just in eyesight was the island of Ventrec. The four young men followed Max's lead as they cantered towards the port. Once there they followed Kyle as he led them to a small stable owned by a friend's uncle. After exchanging a quick greeting and introduction, the four horses were settled in and their owners headed towards the boats which would take them across the sea to the place where all their hopes were pinned.
They got tickets on a boat called 'The Lady Savior', which all four had a good joke about until the seriousness of the situation really hit them. If the princesses were there, not only did they have to find them but they had to get them out of their holding place, get back across the sea and then get to the safety of Nadarn, which all of them had agreed would be the best place to take the princesses after rescuing them. It was the biggest and most powerful out of the four nations. But first they had to rescue the princesses and each of the young men were starting to feel the pressure and nervousness as the time passed. And each of them found a different way of relaxing.
"Come on Max, join us!" The prince turned at Alex's call. Alex had been watching Kyle and Michael play some hockey game but now all three were sitting in a small booth, playing cards at the ready. Max had been watching the birds fly alongside the boat as it moved through the water. At Alex's call he realized how cold it was outside and decided to join hid friends inside.
"So, blonde or brunette?"
"What?"
"Blonde or brunette?" Kyle repeated. "We're talking about the type of girl we like."
"Sorry to spoil the mood but aren't we all betrothed?"
"Your point?" Michael asked and Max grinned.
"Brunette." He answered as he sat down.
"Ooh, we all like blondes. Okay, blue or brown eyes?"
"Brown." As he answered an image of the girl from his dreams flashed into his mind and Max unconsciously smiled. Michael noticed this but didn't bring it into the conversation. The four continued to talk until the Captain of the boat announced that they were docking and the four decided to go out side to watch.
Not much of a cliffhanger, I know but I promise that the action happens in the next chapter. Sorry about changing the format but it's easier for me this way.
Hope you're enjoying yourselves and stay tuned folks!