A/N: Okay, I think it's obvious that I'm a really bad updater. I'm sorry I took so long, will you all forgive me? I really didn't mean to. But I have a good excuse! The... umm... the aliens kidnapped me! Well... okay, I have no real excuse. But stuff happens, right? Well again, I'm sorry. This chapter is longer than the rest to try and make up for the lack of updates. I just hope it doesn't bore you all to death...

Disclaimer: If Deltora Quest actually belonged to me, there would have at least been an 'I love you' scene between Lief and Jasmine. :)

The Beginning Of Something New

"Jasmine," my father said gravely. "There is something that you need to do."

I saw my father exchange a glance with my mother, who was looking upset, which baffled me. What was there to be upset about? I sat and waited for around a minute while my parents seemed to be having one of those staring competitions where your staring partner can seemingly read you thoughts. Never worked for me, but back to the point.

"Yes, father?" I said, trying not to sound too impatient, but failing dismally.

"Sweetheart, I do not want you to feel pressured into this. They can always find someone else," my mother said gently.

"Father just said that I needed to do it!" I pointed out.

Father nodded slightly, telling me, "I know that once you hear what I have to say, you will want to go through with it. And I do not trust anyone else to do the job as well as you."

I felt a surge of pride at his words, and waited for him to go on. Two minutes later and I was still waiting. Yes, my parents had engaged in another one of their gazing conversations. I know people say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but I really disagree. If you just look at the eyes, without looking at skin or eyebrows or anything around them, what do you see? Eyes. That is all. No emotions or pain or undying love, just eyes. And right then, I was getting really sick of eyes.

"Yes, father?" I prompted again, beginning to frown. If it was such an important matter, why were they not telling me?

"Jasmine, there have been rumours that Grey Guards have set up a camp somewhere around the Forests of Silence. As you know, the Shadow Lord attempted to invade before you were born, but Endon had the Belt on during that time, after feeling the sudden need to wear it. The chief advisor was killed, having been proven a traitor, and the tradition of having advisors do most of the work was broken, hopefully never to return again. Now, there is a possibility that the Belt will not be able to stop an attack from the Shadow Lord. The Lord cannot enter Deltora himself, but his minions are able to. And he may be able to turn some of our people," father said.

"What does all this have to do with me? What am I supposed to do?" I asked. A feeling of dread had settled in the pit of my stomach at the mere mention of the Shadow Lord.

"Endon needs some people that we know can be trusted to investigate the rumour of Grey Guards. I would go, but I am getting too old, and I am far more likely to be captured as a result. This mission is extremely dangerous, however. If you were caught, you would be killed," father said gravely. I felt mother's hand on squeeze my shoulder, as though reminding herself that I was still with her.

I was asked go on a quest to potentially save Deltora from the Shadow Lord. At the thought of that foul being, I felt dread again, but it was overpowered by hatred. A deep hatred that made me truly want to destroy it and all its minions. If a camp was found, our people could annihilate it before they had a chance to strike, with the right information. The quest was very important, and I was going to see that it was completed successfully, or die trying.

"I will go," I said firmly. My father nodded gravely again, and my mother looked so fearful and broken-hearted that I felt terrible, but I had to go on the quest. It was now my duty.

"We will go to the palace in the morning. You will be leaving tomorrow afternoon, just after lunch if all goes well," father said, looking grim, but accepting of my choice. He had known that I would go.

"But for now, you must eat and sleep. You will have a hard journey ahead of you," my mother said sadly, squeezing my shoulder once again.

- - - - - - - -

I have always been an early riser, and the next morning was no exception. I woke up and got dressed even earlier than normal; so early that only a tiny amount of the sun could be seen. Mother fussed over me while I ate breakfast and packed the belongings I would take. I could only take what was absolutely necessary, as I would have to carry it all. Father just followed us around, still with that grim expression in place. He really needs to smile more… But then again, I am his only child. If it were my child going on a life-threatening mission, I would feel the same.

Finally, after managing to decide which items were necessary for survival and packing them into a bag, my parents and I left the house, my mother clinging to me. I appreciated the comfort, though I tried not to let my nervousness show. That would just make the situation worse.

Walking up the hill, we reached the palace. The palace is… well… a palace, for lack of a better description. Massive walls of stone, towers, gardens, nobles, servants, guards, arguing royal family… wait, arguing royal family?

My family and I hurried forward, only to hear the yelling and cursing that happens when Prince Lief gets into an argument. Why he was behaving like that with his parents is beyond me, he is normally well behaved around them. And strangely, they were yelling right back.

"I cannot believe you! How useless do you think I am?" I heard the prince yell.

"Do not even think of disobeying me again! You are staying," the queen yelled back. For a normally calm, gentle woman, she can be really scary. I would hate to be the one arguing with her.

"Do not even try to order me around!" Lief shouted. He really needs to work on his temper in my opinion. I have a bad temper too, but he is a prince, he is supposed to be elegant and refined.

"It is in your best interests, Lief! You are being ridiculous!" Sharn cried.

"Bit rich coming from you!" Lief shot back.

"Do not talk to your mother that way," Endon growled. I would hate to be related to Lief, he makes even the calmest people's blood boil.

"Maybe if she was not such a controlling rampallion then I would not feel the need to!" Lief snarled. I could see the king go red in the face with anger after that insult. Calling his mother controlling is one thing, but going on to call her a scoundrel is not the wisest idea the prince ever had. But then again, when were any of his ideas wise?

"Stop this at once, Lief! Your mother and I only have your best interests at heart. We are the ones that have taken care of you for all of these years. Show some respect, boy! Learn your place. You are a prince, and you should start acting like one," Endon snapped.

"Oh, well I am sorry if I am not the son you wanted. You want me to change? Well it was you that made me like this in the first place! I am not a possession, so stop treating me like one!"

I pity his parents. I do not blame them for getting angry; the prince is infuriating. I dislike him more each day. I am sure that the king and queen are just trying to protect him, though I am not sure why they bother. He would make a terrible king, I believe. But I wonder what they are arguing about in the first place… does he want to come on the journey with me? If that is the case, I swear I will throttle him myself. Such an arrogant ass…

"Lief, you are not leaving. Get inside now, before you get into even more trouble," Sharn snapped.

"No! I hate you both! I wish you were out of my life!" the prince shouted, and by the expression on his face, it seemed that he meant it.

Sharn's eyes welled with tears and she turned and ran back into the palace, sobbing into her hands. I sent a glare at Lief, though he did not seem to notice. He was too busy scowling at his father.

"I expect to see you at dinner, Lief. You will apologise to your mother then. Go to your room," Endon said quietly, before turning on his heel and following his crying queen.

I looked at my parents, and saw that my mother looked shocked, but my father seemed relatively unaffected. It seems that the royal family argue more than I thought. But I guess I should not be all that surprised; Prince Lief is too arrogant and annoying for anyone to be able to spend long periods of time around him without snapping.

The captain of the guards walked towards the prince carrying two bags. What is his name again? I always forget it. I really should pay more attention. Well, he is the guard that the princeling was with at my father's party.

"Are you ready?" the guard asked Lief, handing him one of the bags. That had better not mean what I think it means…

"Yes, Barda. Thank you," Lief said, hoisting the bag over his shoulder. Then, to my utter horror, the two came over to me.

"I was aware that Barda would be accompanying Jasmine on this journey, but not you, Lief," my father said. Oh, so he was aware of that? How kind of him to actually tell me that I would have a travelling companion.

"I am going too, and do not even think of trying to stop me," Lief snapped. All he seems to do is snap and yell at people. He really needs to get his act together; he is a prince.

Wait a minute; he is coming with me as well? Does he not realise how much danger he would be in? The danger of me chocking him to death, I mean, not the danger of Grey Guards.

"No way, princeling, you are far too delicate to come on a journey like this," I snapped. Oh no, he seems to be rubbing off on me. Why did I have to snap at him?

"Quiet, Jasmine. I am coming no matter what any of you say," he growled. Good grief, aggressive much? But I found that he was not as intimidating as he was before. Was it just me, or was he actually shorter?

"Have you shrunk?" I asked bluntly. He glared at me from a height a bit smaller than the height I was used to him being. Now he is only half a head taller than me…

"No, of course not. I am wearing travelling shoes instead of the palace shoes my parents make me wear," he muttered.

He really is a strange boy. One minute he is yelling his head off, the next he is bashful and quiet. And he wears high-heeled shoes? But I suppose that the palace fashion is a little strange. They all dress in very weird clothing. I am happy to say that he is not as tall as I thought he was. He is only around average height, if not slightly shorter. But then again, I am vertically challenged myself, so of course he would seem tall to me when wearing high-heeled shoes. Hah! I will never let him live that down. It completely ruins the 'tall, dark and handsome' image that he has going on, not that I ever thought that he is good looking.

"We had better get going," Barda said gruffly.

"Goodbye father and mother. We will be back as soon as we can," I said, embracing them both.

"Take care, sweetheart. We love you," my mother wept. I felt bad for her but I could not turn back now.

"Be brave, Jasmine. And take this," my father said. To my surprise he handed me his dagger. "Keep it under your clothing, and never let it out of your sight," he continued.

"Thank you," I said. I hid it under my jacket, above the dagger that I already had sheathed at my waist. With that, we finally said goodbye and walked away from my parents. I looked back and waved at them, unable to resist the temptation of doing so. Once they waved back, I returned my gaze to the road.

When we were out of Del, I accidentally met the prince's eyes, before we both hurriedly looked away. I am not entirely sure why, but I felt something towards him. I was not sure what it was I had felt for him, and I was not willing to delve deeper, but I did know one thing. It was going to be a long journey.

A/N: So, any comments? Suggestions? Things you want to throw at my head? You can do all that and more by just pressing that lovely little button!