I'm back. Sorry if I took too long, I have a lot on my plate.

Kim

I sighed as the last of my things were packed into the carriage.

Kelsey rubbed my shoulders comfortingly. "It's alright," she murmursZ.

It wasn't. Julie had decided to stay behind so she could stay with Milton. I had been upset, but... I can't force Julie to do anything she shouldn't. I want people not to realize my ranking, even as the bride of a popular prince.

Donna was behind me, smiling sadly. "I know it's hard to leave, but it's for your wedding. I hope you can be here for our wedding when the time comes. Teril is going through a difficult time," she said.

It was true. Magical influences were spreading through our nonmagical kingdom, so Teril is suffering under the power of trolls, goblins, and ogres. Thankfully, the elves from Gregori Kingdom were coming to save my kingdom.

My kingdom. Not anymore. I choked out a sob, and my brother, John, whispered in my ear, "I swear by the grave of our mother that I will try my best to save Teril." Our mother, Queen Theresa, died from a poisoned wine two years ago, back when I was a proper princess. Since then, I have refused to be a normal princess due to the danger it makes.

"Goodbye, my daughter," King Marcus kissed my cheek, and Lisette and Grace helped me into the carriage. I made sure not to rip that beautiful purple dress Julie had made for me when I met Jack.

"We love you!" A ensemble of people choroused as Lisette and Grace started the horses, and we drove off.

Prince Jackson, my forced fiance, I'm coming.

One day into the Journey...

I was just eating my lunch while Kelsey embroidered a new doily when the carriage suddenly stopped. "What's going on?" I asked as I poked my head outside. What I saw shocked me.

There were twenty bandits surrounding the carriage. We were outnumbered, until I saw several arrows bury themselves in the bandits' arms. Although an arrow in the arm shouldn't be fatal, the bandits dropped. I stared at our rescuers. They were elves.

Their thin frames, pointed ears, and slanted cat eyes were what defined elves, but it was their mesmerizing voices and musical abilities that captured the hearts of whoever listened that made them... exotic.

"Hello," I smiled. They smiled back, their grins warm. They were all dark-haired, and they blended in with the forests. One of them stepped forward.

"We were on our way to Teril to assist your kingdom. The rest of our army is ahead of us, and they will accept it if we escort you to your kingdom. What is your destination?" The female elf asked gracefully.

"Birari," Grace replied.

The elf frowned and tilted her head. "We will escort you there, but please do not coerce us to enter that wretched kingdom," she growled.

"Why?" I asked curiously. The elf's frown seemed permanantly etched onto her face.

"Their Prince, Prince Jackson, is liable for danger and prone to unfaithfulness," she muttered angrily, tossing her hair aside. I felt like I couldn't breathe. Jack? Evil? Dully good, yes, but unfaithful?

"I-I am his fiancee," I stammer. The elf's eyes bulged.

"Are you now? That complicates things. Our oracles look over the royalty of all kingdoms, and Prince Jackson is too naive to become King," she told me.

"Naive? How?" I inquired politely.

"This is what is proclaimed of his near future:

To the prince with a youthful soul,

Who takes marriage as a goal,

Will lose the love of his life through a stupid mistake,

The bride and his heirs will be what Fate will take," the elf frowned.

I gasped.

"That's not all. His stupid mistake is a girl," A male elf huffed unhappily.

His stupid mistake is a girl? Then... he will cheat on me? What a disgrace!

I did what I should've done in the first place: I leapt out of the carriage and ran away.

I could hear the faint calls of Grace, Lisette, and Kelsey behind me. I let my tears run loose and ran away.

Why did I care so much for a fiance I hate?

I was reading about the law when I decided to take break and take a walk. When I walked through the halls of my home, I noticed that no one was here. All the servants were gone. Then I passed my father's study. I heard whispering and I stopped to listen.

"Where did they go?" King William hissed.

"I don't know. They had heard the... news, and they were off on their horses," a servant's voice whispered back.

Unsure, I walked to Brianna's room, which was connected to Lianna's and Alexa's. It was empty. The rocking chair she loved was unoccupied, and her bed was made. When I checked Alexa's and Lianna's room, it was empty as well. I was sickened. What happened? Alexa barely spent time outside of the castle. She couldn't ride horseback by herself, and she always played with the little girls from Eaglemure Town in the courtyard. Then I saw the note addressed to me. I opened it to see Alexa's handwriting.

Jack,

I'm sorry to burden you with this, brother, but Princess Kimberly is gone. The news just came today, by one of her guards, Lisette. As we all know you adore her, Brianna, Lianna and I are going to find her. We know we're young, but we have to do this alone. I'm sorry.

I know you don't want us to leave, dear brother but... it's necessary. You of all people have no backbone. You never go out to war, although it's required for one of your status, you always prance around like a fairytale prince, and you never take five steps away from a mirror without combing it first. Especially when it's messy.

Your sister, Alexa

What? Kim's missing? I suddenly can't take it. I'm out of the castle, and on a horse in a minute, and I'm off.

I'm going to find you Kim, and I'm going to find out why you left me all alone.

Sorry for any mistakes. I was a little rushed. I tried to make sure it sounded all... royally and stuff.