Chapter 4
Emily's blonde hair fell around her shoulders. She heard everyone gasp around her, and turned to see a look of shock on Amos' face. She grinned at him. "Surprised?" Amos had a look of blankness on his face, before he started speaking. "P-p-p-princess? What are you doing?" He started sputtering, and then a look of anger came on his face. "I'm going to go speak with my father about this matter. Hmph, he wants to become allies with a country that not only trains girls, but trains the princess herself. Well, we shall see!"
With that he turned and ran off. Emily turned to see that the other people were still quiet. Some people muttered to their neighbors. Emily did not want to stay any longer so she quickly ran back to the castle. She sat in her room, feeling both triumphant and worried at the same time. She hoped that Amos would be too scared to admit his defeat to reveal her identity. What would her father do if he found out? Emily shuddered at the thought and pushed it to the side. She heard a commotion outside and looked out the window. The king of Leiland was heading back, with Amos strutting at his side.
"Good riddance." She said. She saw Amos turn back and look at the castle with a frown on his face. Emily was glad that she had done what she did. If Amos had told her father then he would have rushed up to her room already, so Emily knew that he didn't.
The next night, Emily snuck out again. She took her usual route and walked into the house of her uncle. "Uncle! I'm here!" Her uncle looked out from his bedroom and put his finger to his lips. "Shh!! Do you want to wake up the whole village? Give me a minute." He went back into his room, and returned wearing his armor and holding his sword. By the time he came out, Emily was dressed as well. "Ok, ready?" Emily nodded. Right as they were about to fight, they heard a "tsk tsk" from behind them. "I'm extremely disappointed in you, Emily."
Emily turned to see her father standing in the doorway, with two guards. He looked at Emily with a frown on his face. "I knew that you had been training, but I didn't expect it to be from my own brother. What do you have to say for yourself, Cid?" Cid laughed. "I have nothing to say, little brother. I thought that you would be pleased."
"Pleased? Why would I be pleased that my daughter is learning to become a warrior?" Cid looked at him. "If we were attacked, wouldn't you rather have extra troops instead of having them running away from battle? Emily wishes to learn how to fight so I will show her how to fight."
The king smiled. "No you wont, Cid. You wont be teaching my daughter any longer. Guards, take this man away. Have him beheaded for treachery against the kingdom." The guards looked at him wildly. "But, sir…" He looked at them. "Do you want to be beheaded for going against my command?" The soldiers shook their heads and grabbed Cid. They pulled him away, but Cid was smiling the whole time. "Goodbye, little brother."
Emily ran up to him. "No! Don't take him!" The king put his hand in the way of her path. "Move your hand! Would you really allow your brother to be killed?" The king didn't say a word but instead turned to Emily. "Emily, what in the deep depths of hell would make you fight Amos? I told you that they were coming and to treat them with respect, but you go and mess everything up. Because of that little mishap, I almost lost our treaty with Leiland!"
Emily crossed her arms. "That Amos is a fool, he was trying to make our entire kingdom look weak, someone had to put him in his place." The king glared at her. "By fighting him? Emily, do you even think before you do these things? Not only that but you are learning how to fight behind your fathers back!?"
"I want to fight father, I want to be able to protect my country when the time comes for battle." said Emily. "Emily, enough of this. Women will never enter the battlefield as warriors. You are 18 years of age now. Women at your age should be looking for a husband, not learning how to fight. As punishment, you will stay in your room until the preparations are complete."
"Preparations? Preparations for what." The king looked at her. "I told you that I almost lost our treaty with Leiland. There was one condition." he said. "What condition?" The king looked away. "Emily, you will marry Amos."
Emily's eyes opened wide. "What!" The king still looked away. "It is as I said. You will be wed to Amos." Emily shook her head. "No. No. I refuse." she said. "Emily you have no say in this, your lucky that your not going to be executed as well! You will marry him."
Emily shook her head. "No, no I won't!" She brushed past him, out of the house and down the road, heading the opposite direction of the castle. She heard her father calling her name but she didn't turn back. She would never turn back.
She made her way to the main gate of the village. The gate was open because they were bringing in supplies. Emily hid behind a crate, waiting for the men to turn their back. When they did, she ran out of the gate and into the forest.
Im never going back there. Never!