Chapter Five: The Princess and the Refugees
The steady turning of the carriage wheels over small rocks and tufts of uneven grass made the entire compartment vibrate uncomfortably as Alexandra looked out the window. A sudden jerk made her head smash against the carriage ceiling.
"Father, why can't we just use the road?" the nineteen year-old asked her father, a tall man with a pointed face and narrow features.
His long sandy-blonde ponytail swished with the rough rhythm of the carriage as he answered her from where he sat opposite her in the passenger cabin.
"Because there are bandits all over the country side and my knights and I haven't been able to completely round up all of them. Besides, the road to Seles is in repair anyway, remember silly?" he answered honestly.
Just like my father, Alexandra thought to herself, He always avoids confrontation when he can.
Alexandra's mother, Queen Emille, a very beautiful woman with sparkling blue eyes, a face similar to her father's, and long, strait platinum blonde hair, added her opinion from where she sat next to her husband.
"Besides, why risk any confrontation? I don't like to see people get hurt, bandits and knights alike. I know the road's a little rough, but hey, isn't the scenery much nicer through here?" she said softly.
King Albert of Serdio smiled softly in response to his wife's good humor before returning to reading his book as his reading glasses wobbled on and off the end of his nose. Alexandra giggled when a sudden bump sent his book flying out of his hands up into the air.
"Geez dad, how can you read when we're being tossed around like this?" she asked in perplexity.
King Albert held his glasses down with one hand and his book in the other and looked at his daughter with his usual, cheery smile.
"You'd be amazed what a little bit of dedication and focus allow for. Say Alex, why don't you read your book too? It might make the time fly faster. Oh, and you might want to watch your head too, kiddo. You wouldn't want a concussion now," he joked light-heartedly.
Princess Alexandra sighed and ducked to avoid another collision with the ceiling.
"Why? And pass up some of Mrs. Feld's apple pie? She always makes something sweet for you when you're sick or hurt. Remus said she made him a strawberry shortcake when he had the flu," the princess grinned. Wow, it's been a year since our last visit, Alexandra thought to herself. A memory occurred to her making her smile. "Hey dad, Mr. Dart and Mrs. Shana know we're coming to visit this time right?" she asked teasingly.
"Yes, of course they do. I wrote them and sent a knight, just in case," Albert assured.
"Good. You remember what happened last time don't you? You forgot to tell them we would be a day early and you walked into the house, there was nobody there, and then you accidentally walked in on Mrs. Shana in the shower," Alexandra teased.
King Albert's entire face turned beet-red at the memory.
"I'd never been so embarrassed in my whole life! Nor have I ever had such a headache! She hit me with a shoe before she realized it was me!" he said shamefully.
Alex and Emille laughed.
"I do admit, Shana's got wonderful aim," Emille giggled.
"Oh stop it! Now you're both just making fun of me," Albert protested good-naturedly in his defense.
"You know we love you dad," Alex laughed as she retrieved her book from underneath her seat cushion.
Emille began to eye the book her daughter had retrieved with a slight frown on her lips.
"The Book of Battle Strategies: 100 ways to win?" the queen asked slightly in disapproval.
Alexandra nodded in pride.
"Yes. I wanted to brush up on my strategies."
"That's all well and good, but I do wish you'd read poetry or romances, or books of etiquette instead. Something more, well, lady-like at least," Emille said while eyeing her daughter.
"I mean what good are battle tactics going to do you dear? Although I must say you and your father explore every option and both of you have a knack for reading though," Emille persisted.
"But I do have a need for strategy mother. What if I am attacked and need to defend myself? Which, by the way, my very well happen since I'm the princess of Serdio? I mean, just last week Sir Delvan said I was a fine fighter because of my strategies!" the teenage princess insisted.
"A fine fighter? How would he know unless you fought with him? Oh honestly Alex! When Albert taught you those spear-fighting moves, didn't we make it perfectly clear that they were only for self defense, and not some romp in the courtyard with one of the guards?" Emille asked disapprovingly.
"But mom, if I don't practice I'll never improve. How will I defend myself with shabby skills? I'm likely to forget what I learned if I don't practice."
Queen Emille shook her head.
"Yes, but what you're doing is training not practicing. There is a difference," Emille protested. "And while an interest in such things is healthy to a point, I feel that you take it overboard Alex, especially for a princess. You're more interested in sparing than you are in your lessons, which worries me. I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask Sir Delvan to stop teaching you those fighting techniques," she said sadly.
"But I-- I haven't been doing badly in my lessons! I've been doing very well. I just enjoy learning more by myself," the teenager insisted.
"I didn't say you were doing badly, Alex, I said it was your interest," Emille repeated.
"I--Dad, say something!" Albert looked to Alex.
"You both have a point. I agree with you Alex, in that knowing how to fight is useful, but knowing when to fight and especially why to fight must be something you know as well. But I also must agree with your mother. It is not responsible for a princess to act as a knight. Besides you can get hurt fighting or even killed and I don't want to see anything happen to you. I already lost two friends to death, and death because they fought, more specifically. Now don't misunderstand me, I know that sometimes to defend what is right or championing a cause is a reason for fighting, but these things should not the on the mind of a 19-year old girl. You should think about these things when and only if you are queen and war threatens your country," King Albert lectured.
Alexandra sighed. My father the diplomat, she thought to herself.
"But what if I have to use force to maintain peace?" she offered.
"I can't do that without martial prowess. No one will take me seriously if I'm not strong enough."
King Albert dropped the novel he was reading.
"Don't ever say that again!" The Serdian Monarch demanded gravely. Alexandra was taken aback by her father's sudden harshness.
"Do you have any idea who you sound like? My-" Emille placed a delicate hand on her husband's shoulder to silence him.
"Alex, did you really mean that?" She asked softly. Alex shook her head in defeat.
"No. I know no matter how bad things get, peace cannot be maintained by force. People have to be free to make their own choices…that alone will preserve true peace. You taught me that , dad," the princess answered truthfully.
Albert sighed.
"Okay, I believe you. Alex your Great Uncle Doel killed your grandfather Carlo because he didn't agree with the concept of free-will to maintain peace. Your great uncle Doel ruled this country with an iron fist; he believed in absolute power. And because of my Uncle Doel's belief in fighting, my father lost his life. To defend my life from yet another power-hungry man, my best friend Lavitz lost his life. An old friend of mine named Rose also gave her life to save everyone else. I've told you the story many times. Fighting serves only to hurt someone else, no matter for what cause. Do you understand why I don't want you to fight?" Albert asked in a fatherly tone.
Alexandra hung her head.
"Yes father. Although, I wish you'd reconsider," she mumbled.
Albert shook his head.
"Let's not have this discussion right now. I mean, we're going to visit friends! It won't do for us to have sour dispositions when we greet them," Albert said, effectively putting an end to the argument.
It was not long after Alexandra had returned to staring silently out the window when the carriage gave a wild jerk sideways and then came to a halt.
"Whoa! What was that?!?" Alex groaned as she picked herself up off the cabin floor.
"I don't know. We can't possibly be there yet. It's way to early. Alex, Emille, are you two alright?" Albert stated in concern.
"I'm fine," Emille replied as Alex grabbed her mother by the arm and helped her up.
"I'm okay," Alex assured. Albert nodded.
"I'm going to see why we stopped," the King answered and reached for the door handle of the cabin. Albert stepped out and then closed the door behind him, leaving Queen Emille and Princess Alexandra alone in the eerie, uneasy silence.
'Don't worry mom, we probably just encountered a road block that's all," the adolescent princess said in comfort to her worried mother. Emille nodded wordlessly. A moment later there was a shrill scream followed by a sound of clashing metal that made the two royal women jump in alarm. Indeed, the noise grew steadily louder until Alex's ears recognized the sounds of a full scale battle. She was immediately distracted by the sound of breaking glass and the swinging of the cabin door hinges.
As the princess turned around she was promptly grabbed around the waist and a small rondel dagger was shoved tightly against her throat. Alexandra heard her mother scream and saw she too had been seized and that her captor was an odd man wrapped from head to tow in a loose tan fabric with a hood and patch of fabric across his nose and mouth. He too pressed a dagger roughly against her own throat as yet another rogue walked into the cabin. This one, however held a presence of authority as well as a large, gleaming saber.
"And what have we here boys? My, such fine jewelry on such fine ladies. Undoubtedly they must be royalty," he said in a gruff voice while eyeing Queen Emille's solid gold tiara and Alex's emerald bracelet.
"Hmm. Take the jewels of course boys, and I think…" the bandit said in and amused voice as he lifted Queen Emille's head up to his own, " the women too. Such pretty things will fetch and equally beautiful price."
"Cretan! Take your filthy hands off of me!" Emille cried. Her bandit captor just laughed.
"Watch it madam. We wouldn't want to scar your pretty face now would we?" he mocked.
"Let her go!" Alexandra growled fiercely as she struggled as violently as she was able to against her captor.
"Feisty eh? Oh good, most of our customers prefer the ones with attitude for their brothels." Alex's stomach knotted at the thought and she spat at the bandit captain's feet.
"I'm no whore you blind dayfly! Or should I say stink pig? When's the last time you bathed anyway?" The fiery princess shot back. The bandit just laughed.
"Bold words for someone in your predicament tutz. Bring them boys," he mocked and left.
The bandit holding Emille forced her out the door first screaming, then Alex's captor began moving her. Alex growled, she was in no mood to put up with some maniac's sick fantasies of her mother and herself in a brothel. Just as her captor pushed her into the doorframe, Alexandra gave a shove with her entire body weight and pinned the bandit between the door frame and herself hard enough and quickly enough to knock him out. That's one move Sir Delvan, Leader of the ninth knighthood had taught her. As her hostage-taker fell limply to the floor she shook her head. Perhaps now her parents would see the benefits of her continued learning of fighting moves and techniques.
Alexandra swiftly raced out of the cabin and after her mother's captors. Just as she expected, a battle raged on all sides of the cabin between a horde of numerous bandits and her father's advance guard. They appeared to be standing on the top of a large cliff and from Alex's memory she perceived their location to be somewhere close to the Serdian Prairie. Another muffled shout from her mother brought the princess back to attention, and she raced towards the bandit dragging her mother to what appeared to be a busted wagon. Alex sprinted to catch up with the rogue bandit and upon catching him, swung her fist as hard as she could. Her aim was true as she caught her mother's kidnapper across the back of the head and knocked him out. As her victim sank to the floor Alex looked to her mother.
"Mother are you alright," she asked. Queen Emille stared at her daughter.
"Where did you learn to do that?" She asked in dismay.
The princess smiled but she never had a chance to answer. She heard the drawing of a sword from behind her as she stood, facing her mother. Alex tackled Queen Emille just in time to avoid the sharp blade that embedded itself in the ground behind her.
As she stood, she already knew who her attacker was before she turned. The bandit commander stood behind her with his long, glistening saber poised to swing again.
"You're going to wish you came along quietly. That was quite a dirty trick there muffin," he growled. Alex scowled in response, before spitting in his face.
The angry commander glowered at her, then swung. Alex jumped back and the sword sliced the air where her midsection was a moment ago. The bandit followed through with another swipe, this time targeting her head. The princess ducked and began backing up avoiding her aggressor's zealous swings, but barely. Alexandra had almost reached the edge of the cliff, and she could hear water thundering below. In the corner of her eye she saw her father, King Albert, surface from around the corner of a carriage, bruised , scratched, and wielding his spear.
The young lady suddenly became aware of the point of a sword at her nose. The bandit captain laughed.
"Looks like the end of the line girlie. I'm afraid there's a difference between spicy and too spicy though…pity, such fire is rare nowadays," He grinned in mockery and prepared to swing.
Alex looked away and saw the horrified expression on her father's face as he screamed her name. He was not going to be able to reach her in time…suddenly King Albert did something Alex would have never expected, he hurled his spear to her and instructed her to catch it. Alex felt a raging influence take over her body as she effortlessly gripped the spear, taking it out of the air. In one graceful movement, the princess parried the sword and deflected it away from her body. Alex quickly threw her spear above her head to block an incoming sword blow and then rolled on the ground to return behind her captor, away from the cliff.
Alex and the bandit chief exchanged blows continuously, each advancing and retreating as necessary. Alex actually smile during the battle. Finally she would prove herself. The bandit grinned again beneath his hood.
"You're actually quite good missy, however are you good enough to face my double sword skills?" he smirked and withdrew another razor sharp saber from the sheath on his back. Alex's smile faded and was replaced by a straight face and wide eyes as she did a diving roll, tucking the shaft of her spear into the pit of her stomach, to avoid and x-type swing from the bandit's double-blades.
Getting to her feet again, Alex found herself in an intense amount of burning pain both in her right leg and in her left cheek. She had been hit by a short of whirlwind attack. She began to fell wind whip against fluid on her skin and she glanced down to discover the skirt of her long green dress had been cut wide open and there was a gushing, deep slash on her leg. The injured princess grimaced and stumbled, finding that she could no longer support her own weight. The captain prepared once more to strike.
"Alex!" Emille cried in terror together and began racing toward her.
In a moment it would all be over, but Alex had an idea. With the last of her strength, Alex jumped to her feet, gritting her teeth in pain ad spun her spear around rapidly in a figure-eight catching the bandit commander by surprise. The motion of the spear combined with the bandit's shock-induced lack of tight gripping, effectively caught the twin blades in a whirlwind and sent them both flying through the air. Then sweeping her spear roughly behind her opponent's legs and taking him down she then twirled her gleaming spear head down so that it was pinned roughly against the bandit's Adam's apple.
"No, the question is are you good enough to face my Spinning Cane skill?" Alexandra managed to smirk through her pain.
"Now it is my turn to tell you that you will be a most precious commodity to Indels' dungeon," Alex growled. She heard her parents screaming out to her in warning just as they neared her. The last thing that she remembered before blacking out was something hard hitting her on the back of the head and falling, quickly falling, into oblivion.
Tohan awoke the next day with Martel tugging demandingly on his shirt.
"Mr. Tohan, Mr. Tohan! Wake up sleepy head!"
Tohan groaned and rolled onto his side. He was just now beginning to remember what sleeping in felt like. Tohan would have drifted back into his dreams, but a wet slobbery tongue running across his face served as a slimy wake-up call.
"Okay! I'm up! You can stop now Kamuy!" the teenager pleaded as he sprung upright.
Martel giggled and patted Kamuy on the top of the head with a flat palm.
"Good doggie! Mr. Tohan you promised that we could go swimming today!" Martel chimed.
"I did?" he asked groggily.
Martel swelled her lip out into a pouting face and nodded, while Tohan wiped the dust from his eyes.
"Oh please not the puppy face. Anything but that," Tohan said like a melting marshmallow.
Martel made her bottom lip begin to quiver, she knew Tohan's resolve was caving in.
"Oh, stop that! We can go now, let's go," he said as he sleepily got to his feet and grabbed his axe. "Just to be safe," he muttered.
Upon reaching the riverbank Martel squealed with delight and hopped off Kamuy's back from where she had been riding.
"Yipee! We're here! Come on Mr. Tohan, let's jump in!" she piped.
Tohan shook his head.
"Why don't you go ahead Martel? I'm going to play fetch with Kamuy a little first," he replied as he tossed the wooden ball that Kongol had made out to Kamuy, who caught it and brought it back to him. After several tosses, Tohan looked over and noticed that Martel had not yet entered the water. Instead, he watched her, as she put one toe in curiously and then jumped backwards in fright.
"What's wrong Martel? Why aren't you swimming? Is the water too cold?" he called to her as he threw Kamuy's ball again.
Martel shook her head.
"No, the water is okay," she insisted, "but Bobby Brewald told me that there's a monster in the water that eats little girls like me! He said that first the water turns really green and then a pale hand reaches out to grab you, then . . . ." Martel shuddered.
Tohan chuckled softly.
"Oh Martel, don't worry. There is no such thing. Those are just stories boys make up and tell girls so they can have the water all to themselves. Trust me, as a guy, I know these things," he explained.
Martel glanced at him.
"So you mean there is no monster? That Bobby Brewald just made that up to scare me?" she asked.
Tohan nodded affirming.
"Then Bobby's mean!" she said accusingly. She returned her gaze to the water and then glanced back at Tohan.
"You're really sure there is no monster Mr. Tohan?" she asked again in uncertainty.
Tohan nodded assuredly.
"I promise. Would I let anything happen to you, Martel?" he reassured gently.
"Well, as long as you promise," Martel said with a smile and jumped into the brook right beside the waterfall. As the minutes passed Martel seemed fine, but she gradually became more aware and more edgy for some reason. Suddenly the young child came shrieking out of the water as fast as she was able and tackled Tohan around the waist. She was crying and babbling hysterically.
"M…Mr. T…Tohan, m…monster!" she wailed as she pointed towards an odd green mass issuing out from underneath the waterfall and a pale object flopping in and out of the water like a grotesque fish.
Tohan grabbed his axe.
"What in blazes?" he asked in confusion and began walking up towards the strange mass.
"NO MR. TOHAN! IT'LL EAT YOU!" Martel yelled aloud in terror.
Tohan held one hand up, motioning for her to be quiet and still. He crouched low and prepared to strike before lunging behind the waterfall swinging his axe. They boy's eyes widened in shock as he stopped his attack, with his axe blade only inches away from the face of a teenage girl!
Tohan blinked at the image before him, but it did not change. Sure enough, there was a young lady who appeared to be no older than Tohan himself, laying there in a pool of water on her side. She was very beautiful and had a slender, pointed face, but narrow tapering features that rounded off perfectly at the ends. Her skin was very smooth-looking and fair from what Tohan could see, although most of her face and shoulders were masked by her long sandy-blonde hair which was damp and clingy. The woman was wearing a flowing evergreen evening gown that had nearly been torn in half in the front of the skirt and was missing patches of fabric in many places all over. Her long, ruffled sleeves had been torn open and the right sleeve was gone below her bloody, scratched elbow. Tohan also noticed a crimson trail flowing into the stream a drop at a time from a serious looking gash across her right thigh. Noting how pallid the girl was, Tohan quickly dropped to his knees and checked her pulse, fearing that she was dead.
To Tohan's relief, however, the young lady produced a weak, but constant pulse and was not dead, but merely unconscious. Tohan placed one arm under the lady's bloodstained knees and one under her shoulder blades, hoisting her up, pulling the tailings of her dress and her flopping hand out of the water.
Martel raced to Tohan when she began to see a shadow emerge from underneath the waterfall.
"Mr. Tohan! Mr. Tohan! Are you okay? Did you kill the monster?" she asked in fear and jumpy nervousness. She fell still when he surfaced into the light.
"It wasn't a monster Martel, it was a girl! She's hurt really badly! We need to take her to the tree house and get her some of those herbs Kongol showed me. What in Endiness?" Tohan asked suddenly, as a large spear was dragged onto the riverbank, caught in the many numerous folds of the lady's dress.
Martel shied towards the spear then picked it up, disentangling it from the lady's torn dress.
"Maybe this is what hurt her Mr. Tohan! Maybe the monster attacked her!" the little girl deduced with the logic of a six year-old.
Tohan shook his head and whistled for Kamuy, whom was sitting nearby on the riverbank watching intently.
"I don't know what happened Martel, but I promise that this was no water monster's doing," Tohan assured gently as Kamuy trotted over and picked up the spear in his mouth.
When they had reached the tree house Tohan first lowered the ramp he and Kongol had built for Kamuy and then walked in himself, strait to his room and laid the unconscious woman onto his straw-filled cot.
"Martel, I need you to do something for me," Tohan called to the child that was standing meekly in the wooden doorframe.
"Um . . . Okay," she said slowly,
"Good. Would you please go into the pantry and get that pitcher I carved yesterday? When you've got the pitcher go back to the stream and fill it with water, then get a cloth off of the shelf. When you've done that put the pitcher and the cloth in here. Do you understand?" he requested.
Martel nodded and after a brief thanks from Tohan, she went to fulfill his wishes.
Tohan scratched Kamuy's ears as the white wolf came in and dropped the spear at his master's feet.
"Oh yeah, thanks boy. I had forgotten about that," Tohan praised as he picked up and examined the weapon. How strange for it to have been caught up in the woman's dress, he thought to himself. The weapon had no blood upon it, but then again any stains that might have been on it would have washed clean in the brook. However, Tohan quickly became particularly entranced with the odd decorum lining the shaft of the spear. He had seen pictures of typical Serdian soldiers during his schooling and knew the design of the spears they carried, so this spear was especially unique. While it sported a common mold (the shaft and the spearhead had been slightly enhanced) the ornate engravings of whirling winds and tornadoes was highly unusual and Tohan had never heard of anything like it. Just as peculiar as the engravings, was the emerald green color of the shaft. The weapon was beautiful. Tohan could only remember one other that rivaled it in beauty and craftsmanship and that had been Kongol's axe.
Tohan heard the sloshing of water as Martel slowly and cautiously entered the room, trying to keep the contents of a wooden pitcher from spilling onto the floor. Tohan relieved her of the supplies before she went and plopped down on a small, wooden stool in the corner of Tohan's room.
"Do you think she'll be okay, Mr. Tohan?" Martel asked quietly as Tohan dipped the woven-grass cloth into the pitcher to dampen it.
"I think so. If we can get her conscious again. Although I'll definitely feel much better about things when I get these wounds clean. When I finish cleaning them, I'm going to go out and get a healing herb, so these wounds shouldn't open again," he answered with some confidence as he began to gingerly scrub the dirt and blood off of the lady's cheek bone. "These cuts are clean . . .they had to have been made by some kind of smooth blade," he mumbled to himself as he went about his work. It was a good thing. A clean cut would heal faster than a rough one.
"Mr. Tohan, do you think she's a princess?" Martel asked suddenly, out of the blue, as she eyed a sparkling emerald bracelet around one of the unconscious female's wrists.
"It's always possible, however there is only one Princess in Serdio and it would be unlike that this is her. Why do you ask?"
Martel shook her head and shrugged.
"I dunno, she just reminds me of one. My mommy used to tell me all sorts of stories about princesses."
"Hmm. Well this lady is undoubtedly a noble of some sort, that's for sure," Tohan observed as he parted a fold of evergreen fabric of the girl's thigh to reveal the raw flesh underneath.
He blushed slightly as he began to clean the gash there. He hoped the young lady wouldn't be upset with him for having to uncover an area that intimate. As stroke by stroke of the wash pad passed over the girl's wound she began to tense and sometimes twitch.
"She moved Mr. Tohan! May she'll wake up soon!" Martel exclaimed excitedly.
Tohan nodded and brought the cloth down for a final wipe. In the blink of an eye, Tohan was suddenly aware of a tapered, waterlogged boot colliding with his jaw. Having been crouched on his knees over her, Tohan teetered backwards off balance and over the water pitcher, clutching his aching jawbone. As he picked himself up from the now soaked floor, a powerful, but light feminine voice raged at him.
"BANDIT FILTH! I SWEAR THAT I WILL PERSONALLY SEE TO IT THAT----" she stopped mid-sentence as she looked around herself, her body having sprung upright to a sitting position. Her lively emerald eyes first surveyed Tohan, Martel, and then her surroundings in general. She was in a quaint little wooden room, with simplistic wooden furniture lining it's small interior. There was a small girl with busy blonde pigtails, a round face, and big blue eyes in the corner. There was also a young man with auburn-colored hair, a muscular but lean build, and two differently colored eyes. Neither one of them appeared to be dressed in the same manner as the thugs she had encountered, and he boy was holding what appeared to be a bloodstained wash pad in one of his hands. The teenage girl looked down to her leg, which had been wiped clean, and was renewed with fresh stinging.
Alexandra rubbed her aching head, and felt a large knot at the nape of her neck.
"Where am I? Who are you two? What do you want with me?" the Serdian princess asked in confusion.
Tohan looked up from the floor, still rubbing his jaw.
"Well, for one, I'll tell what I don't want you to do. I don't want you to ever do that again. By Soa, you kick hard!" he complained.
Alexandra looked him over again.
"I thought you were a bandit, my apologies. I had a rather . . .nasty encounter with a few yesterday. At least I think it was yesterday . . . .You don't look like bandits to me, so who are you people?" she asked again.
Tohan managed to sit upright.
"My name is Tohan Flanders and this is Martel Lynn. It is the 9th day of September my lady, and you are in our house on the Serdian Prairie. Martel and I found you under the waterfall this morning unconscious and bleeding. I carried you back here and was trying to clean your wounds," he explained.
"Soa . . .I've been out for two days!" Alexandra exclaimed in shock.
"Two days? Wow! What happened? You said something about bandits?" Martel asked curiously.
Tohan gave her a reprimanding look to tell her that she was being nosy.
Alexandra just smiled. For some reason she felt at ease here and trusted these people, although she had only just met them. She prided herself on her gut instincts, they were almost always right.
"It's alright. I don't mind explaining. I figure I at least owe you that much."
Tohan and Martel listened attentively as their tattered guest recounted her tale about her fight with the bandit captain and her travels. The whole time, Alexandra, while she did trust these people, did not want to mention the fact that she was a princess, for fear that they might treat her as what she was instead of who she was. If they didn't recognize her immediately, they obviously didn't know here true identity and she wished to keep it that way. So instead, she told them that her father was a knight captain of Basil. It was not really a lie after all, her father was technically captain of all the Serdian knighthoods combined. As she finished her story, she surveyed the condition of her attire. Her fine dress had been completely ruined, a pity seeing as it had been one of her favorites. It was torn half open and was half gone. Next, she gazed around the floor, and found, to her surprise, her father's spear next to the mattress she appeared to be situated on. Reaching over and picking the weapon up, despite her body's protest, she sighed.
"Ah. I thought I had lost this. I'm glad you found it after all. It's my father's and was given to him by a friend that is no longer among the living."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Tohan apologized gently, "May I ask his name?".
Alexandra merely nodded.
"I never got a chance to meet him, so naturally I don't feel as strongly about him as my father does. The story still moves me greatly though . . .his name was Sir Lavitz, head of the First Knighthood of Basil back in the war against Emperor Doel."
"Sir Lavitz? My mommy said she heard a story about him once from grandma when she went to Serdio. She said he was a good friend to King . . . .Almar?"
"Albert," Alex corrected softly. "What do you mean your grandmother visited Serdio? Don't you live here too?"
Tohan shook his head.
"It's a long story and you wouldn't believe it," he replied.
The princess grinned.
"Try me. I believe in Dragoons, so why wouldn't I believe you?" she asked.
Tohan just stared at the young lady.
"Really? Me too! I heard so many legends about them when I was little . . . .By the way, forgive me miss, but I didn't catch your name," he remarked politely.
The Serdian heir's eyes widened slightly and she blushed in realization.
"Oh please forgive me! I've forgotten my manners. My name is Alexandra, but if you'd like you can call me Alex," she said in sincere apology.
"Alexandra. That's a pretty name," Martel complimented.
"Why thank you Martel. Now, Mr. Flanders, I believe you were about to explain why you and this little angel are out here in the middle of the Serdian Prairie? I wasn't aware that anyone lived out here," she asked politely.
"Oh please, just call me Tohan, Alex. Well actually Martel and I live in Mille Seseau, in Furni, the Water City. It was . . . Attacked nearly a month ago, and we were "warped" if you will all the way out here to Serdio. . . ."
Alexandra listened carefully as Tohan related to her a rather intriguing tale about the destruction of the Water City, the appearance of Dark Elves, some type of weird gargantuan creatures that resembled walking trees, and how he had rescued Martel. Tohan laughed bitterly when he had finished.
"I bet you probably think I'm nuts."
Alexandra shook her head.
"No, I believe you. I also believe that you wouldn't have bothered telling me this story unless it was the truth. You don't seem like the type to play those around you for fools. Not to mention that I heard my father speak of some oddities in that region that might be explained by your story. For instance, like why no one with in Furni or around the Evergreen Forest has responded to messages sent to them. And as for Stardust, I've heard the legend before as well. I read a lot. I guess I'm a bit of a bookworm," the princess confessed.
"there's nothing wrong with a love for literature my lady. In fact, it's actually quite healthy for one's mind," Tohan replied.
"Even on battle and tactics? For a woman?" she asked hesitantly.
"And why not? A lady can be just as skilled in battle as a man. I also believe that everyone should know how to defend themselves," Tohan offered.
"Even if they are a noble?" Alexandra asked quietly and turned her head away.
Tohan nodded.
"Yes, everyone. Most especially nobles. Everyone should also be true to themselves and free to follow their own dreams, although still maintaining their responsibilities."
"Responsibilities . . . ." Alex muttered.
"Let me guess, you were having an argument about wanting to join one of the knighthoods with your parents," Tohan observed.
"Yes . . .they say that because I'm a noble woman they don't think it's proper. But I told you, I defeated three bandits on my own! I have the capability, just not the opportunity! My dream is to be a great knight and defend my country, just like Sir Lavitz. But of course, I have other duties to deal with. Ah, but look at me. Here I am having just barely meet you and already I'm burdening you with my troubles. Please forgive me," the princess apologized.
"It's no trouble at all. I'm glad to listen and help in any way I can," Tohan assured.
"Thank you, you're very kind," Alex answered in gratitude. As she went to bend her knee the teenager grimaced in pain.
"Is it your leg?" Tohan asked.
Alex nodded in reply.
"It really stings," she added.
Tohan returned to his feet.
"That reminds me, I was going out to get an herb for you before you kicked me. It'll stop the bleeding and take some of the sting out. If you wouldn't mind staying here with Martel, I'll go get it and be right back," Tohan informed her.
"I don't mind. Thank you again," she said as she smiled in gratitude.
Tohan nodded.
"KAMUY!" he called.
"Kamuy? Who's that?" Alex asked curiously.
"Oh that's right. You haven't seen Kamuy yet. I made him wait outside in the living room. Kamuy is my pet wolf," Tohan explained.
"You have a pet wolf? How cute," the princess exclaimed.
"I take it animals don't bother you then?" Tohan asked for reassurance.
"Of course not. I lobe animals! Why did you make him wait outside? For courtesy to me?" she asked politely.
"Uh . . .that, and the fact tha--"
At that exact moment Alexandra saw a fuzzy white wolf the size of a large horse put its huge head in the doorway. Tohan expected Alexandra to be afraid of Kamuy, but instead she smiled after the shock faded.
"Oh! It's because he's too big to fit in the room with all of us! Geez, he's a big boy, but still sweet I'll bet," she said with fondness.
"He is! Kamuy is the greatest! He takes me out to the field and plays with me and even gives me rides!" Martel piped happily, making Alexandra smile.
"Okay, I'll be back soon," Tohan announced as he left the room with Kamuy. He wasn't quite sure, but for some reason, he suspected that Martel's guess that Alexandra was a princess wasn't far off. Her manners were a big clue, but perhaps most curious of all was her resemblance to the Serdian King, Albert. He was pretty sure, but he wouldn't assume, just to be safe.
Tohan and Kamuy exited the tree house, walked a short distance, and found the ice leaf plant a short way into the prairie. Kongol had said it was called ice leaf due to its abilities to numb pain. He also said that it was found in fields all over Endiness. Tohan sighed with relief, at least this was one thing in his life he could retrieve without difficulty. After picking the plant, Tohan and Kamuy then walked back to the tree house, with Tohan giving Kamuy an affectionate rub behind the ears before returning to his room. He could hear giggling as soon as he entered the small hallway.
"Yep, my mommy says that boys are funny. She says that they don't think," Martel giggled.
"I would agree, but sometimes that makes them all the more lovable. Although I have to say, Tohan definitely seems to have a good head on his shoulders," Alexandra replied with a chuckle.
"Yeah! Mr. Tohan is really nice and really smart too! He built this tree house ya know," Martel said in amazement.
Tohan smiled to himself as he knocked on the door to announce his presence.
"Is it safe to enter? My male ears burn with girl talk," he joked.
"Come in, we were just talking about you," Alexandra called through the door. "Martel says you built this entire tree house," Alexandra informed as he walked into view.
"Well, I had a lot of help from a friend," Tohan admitted in modesty.
"A friend?" Alexandra asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Mr. Kongol!" Martel exclaimed happily.
"Kongol?" Alexandra asked in sudden interest, "Was he a Giganto by chance? I mean I know it's probably a stupid thing to ask, and probably not but all the same . . ."
Martel nodded in response to her before Tohan could reply.
"Yep! He was even bigger than Kamuy!" the young child chimed.
Tohan started fixedly at Alex.
"Do you know him, my lady? I would assume we are talking about the same person, the last of the Gigantos?" he asked.
Alex nodded.
"Well, I don't, but my father does," she said simply with a hint of secrecy in her voice. She appeared to have omitted something.
This in turn, made Tohan bold enough to purpose what had been on his mind.
"Your father traveled with him?" he asked, getting a nod from, her. "About thirty years ago?" She nodded again, seemingly a little surprised. "And would your father happen to be Serdio's King Albert, your highness?" he asked with a grin.
Alexandra nodded again, without thinking, but quickly covered her mouth in alarm as soon as she realized her mistake.
"I . . .I . . ." she stuttered, as Tohan crossed his arms and smiled.
"I knew she was a princess," Martel piped with an I-told-you-so glare.
Alex sighed and hung her head.
"It's true. My father is the King of Serdio."
Martel tilted her head sideways in an expression of curiosity.
"But miss Alex, why didn't you tell us?" she asked.
Alexandra sighed.
"Well, it's just that I am so used to being treated as what I am instead of who I am. Whenever I meet somebody new they always stand on occasion with me, instead of just treating me casually, like a person, or even a friend. I was debating whether or not to tell you, but I had to see more of what your intentions were. And more importantly, I was hoping to let you get to know me a little better first. Please forgive me, I didn't mean to deceive you," she explained apologetically.
"That must be hard on you, my lady. Don't worry about us. I know if I was in your shoes I would probably do the same thing. I guess that you could say I experienced something of a similar nature in Furni. I understand what you're going through," he replied.
The Serdian Princess gazed at the refugee in surprise.
"So you're not angry with me? You're indifferent that I'm the daughter of a king?" she asked uncertainly.
Tohan nodded.
"It's like I said, everyone should be free to be true to themselves. I see you as a person, my lady Alexandra, and will treat you the same as I treat anyone else, with respect. That is unless you wish me to treat you differently," he added.
Alex shook her head.
"Please, no. I get enough of that kind of treatment at home. I must thank you, no one has ever really treated me this desirably before, save one, and she is very old and wise. I would ask you two to come back to Bale with me. My father would probably be able to provide a way home for the three of you. If nothing else, I would like to have you two as my guests, or better yet, my friends," she said, as she hesitated on the word 'friends'.
"Miss Alex do you mean that? I've always wanted to see a castle! Do you live in a tower?" Martel asked in excitement.
The princess chuckled.
"Yes, I live in a tower. Indels is huge, I could arrange a tower for you too if you'd like."
Martel jumped and clapped her hands together.
"Please, can we go with miss Alex, Mr. Tohan? Please, Please, PLEASE?" she begged with big, blue eyes. "I really wanna! I've never been friends with a princess before!" Martel continued.
"You consider me a friend?" Alexandra asked quietly.
"And why wouldn't we?" Tohan asked with a big grin.
The Serdian princess beamed and hastily sprung from her knees into Tohan's arms to give him a large bear hug.
Tohan blushed and returned her embrace just in time to keep her from sinking to the floor when her leg gave out from underneath her.
The princess winced.
"Sorry, I guess I need to sit down again," she grinned as Tohan helped her back down.
"May I borrow this?" he asked her as picked up King Albert's spear.
She nodded in reply as the teenage boy knelt down and ran the blade of the spearhead across the palm of the ice plant leaf. A spongy, blue gel began to ooze forth as Tohan handed the leaf to the young princess.
"Here, put this on the cut," he instructed.
Alexandra placed the leaf to her thigh and felt a cool, numbing sensation begin to combat the sting in her wound.
"Thank you," she sighed in relief.
Tohan glanced out the window and noticed that the sun was already setting.
"It's late already. If you don't mind my lady Alex, I think we'll leave you know to rest. You can stay here in my room. We'll talk about how to get you back to Bale tomorrow morning, but it will probably take a few days more for your leg to heal enough to walk comfortably. Come on, Martel, let's let her sleep," Tohan said, ushering Martel out of the room. "Sleep well," Tohan said kindly, and with a returned smile from his royal guest, he closed the door.