Ember paced the tree house.
"I hate being left behind!" She ranted "I survived ten years on my own. I managed to get all of them out of the city and now they leave me behind whilst they go find something important! It's not like I helped them get out or anything. Oh wait, Yes. I. Did. If it wasn't for me they'd all be captured. You'd think that deserves a little respect but oh no. They leave me behind."
"Ember calm down." Lloyd tried to calm his sister down. "They'll be back soon than you can have a go at them all you want. Until then we do as we were told and wait."
"Easy for you to say. You've spent most of your life following orders."
"Yeah well, I'm not proud of it. But you have to learn to do as you're told. If you can't follow orders they're less likely to take you with them"
"I'm going for a walk"
"What of someone sees you. You could get caught"
"Relax. No one knows these woods better than I do. I'll be fine"
"Famous last words"
"Uh, I think you'll find the famous last words are 'what could go wrong'" Ember laughed
"Just stay safe. The others will kill me if something happens to you."
"I highly doubt they'd commit treason."
"Yeah just be careful"
"Will do" Ember climbed down from the tree house. Moving swiftly through the forest she headed towards the river. The peace and quiet was something she had missed. Sitting down by the river Ember started singing softly to herself. She couldn't remember who taught her the song, but she sang it all the same.
Deep in the meadow, under the willow
A bed of grass, a soft green pillow
Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes
And when you awake, the sun will rise.
Ember let her hand trail in the water. The song made her think of a warm fire, a loving family, a peaceful home. Something she couldn't remember.
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.
A smile lit her face. The words echoed round the woods, the birds singing along with her.
Deep in the meadow, hidden far away
A cloak of leaves, A moonbeam ray,
Forget your woes and let your troubles lay
And when again it's morning, they'll wash away.
The bushes rustled. Ember didn't hear it though. She was so wrapped up in the song. Oblivious to the fact that the birds had stopped singing she sung on.
Here it's safe, here it's warm
Here the daisies guard you from every harm
Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true
Here is the place where I love you.
As the last notes died away Ember heard the rustling. She jumped up, muscles tensed ready to race. In between all the rustling Ember could hear footsteps. Human footsteps. Ember dived to one side as someone came out of the bushes. The pair started fighting, moving with such skill and speed that it looked like a dance. Through the fight Ember used every skill she had, yet the other person matched her skills. Blow to blow, kick to kick, block to block. Neither gaining the upper hand. At one point Ember faced the other person. Icy blue eyes met emerald green ones. Redhead faced platinum blond.
"You are skilled." Zane commented "Not many can match me in a fight"
"Not many can sneak up on me in this forest." Ember retorted. "Truce?"
"Truce" Both fighters stepped backwards. "Zane" Zane held out his hand
"Ember" Ember shook hands.
"So the princess survived the night. The prince?"
"Safe"
"You both survived the night?"
"Yes, we did. I managed to survive out here. My brother, suffered a different fate" Zane looked around
"We must move. The castle guards are moving about the forest. It is not safe in the open"
"Come with me. I know somewhere safe" Ember started moving through the woods.
"Where is safe from the guards. They search every inch of ground for hideouts."
"Who said anything about it being on the ground?" Ember grinned as she started climbing the tree.
"EMBER! WHERE WERE YOU?" Lloyd shouted down
"IN THE WOODS! WHERE ELSE WOULD I BE YOU IDIOT!" Ember yelled back as she climbed up the tree.
"Who is that?" Lloyd asked as Zane climbed into the treehouse
"My name is Zane your majesty" Lloyd rubbed the back of his head
"Yikes. No one's called me that in ten years"
"Yeah well at least you remember who you are" Ember commented
"What do you mean?"
"I can't remember a thing from before Pythor took over. The farthest back I can remember is the day after he took over. I have no idea how I survived 'the night'. All I remember is waking up alone in this place. I had on a tattered party dress and I was barefoot. There was enough food to last me a week. A few days later Wu showed up. He taught me to survive. Yet he didn't tell me my past. I could only remember one thing."
"Your name" Lloyd interrupted
"How did you know that?"
"Same thing happened to me. Well the memory bit. I woke up the day after he took over with one of the palace servants. She was shocked when I couldn't remember anything but my name. She told me all about what happened, who I was. Yet all she ever said about you was you were my sister" Ember turned to face Zane
"What happened that night?"