Echoes of Thunder Part 1

(a week later)

The thunder was booming very loudly outside. In her room, Caroline couldn't sleep very well. So she sat at her desk doing her favourite hobby aside from reading: doodling. Felix curled up like a massive, cute cat on her lap and she stroked him. He always made her feel better whenever she felt done. Since that miserable trip to the market, she had been rather distant from everyone else, feeling like she embarrassing for anyone to socialise with. Even her family.

Suddenly she heard screaming. Willow. Felix woke up. He hopped off his person's lap as she stood up, stretching her arms. She quietly out of her room into the one next door. When she opened it, she saw Willow scared, petrified. Thunder was her worst fear. Even at ten years old.

"It's all right Willow," Carol, as her siblings called her, sat beside her. Willow hugged her tightly. "It's all right. It's all right,"

"I'm so sorry I woke you up," she apologised.

"It's okay. I couldn't sleep because of this thunder,"

"Hearing that boom, made me think of him," shuddered Willow.

The word 'him' made Carol's heart twist but she expressed no anger. Only pain. "He is not going to hurt anyone, Willow. I promise," she hugged her again. "Why don't I sing you mum's lullaby?"

"Carol!" Willow whined. "I'm not five anymore,"

"Come on. It'll make me feel better too,"

Willow actually smiled; she loved Carol singing.

"Mind if I join in?" they heard a door open and they saw Ezran enter the room, carrying Bait in his hands.

"Did you get scared too Ez?" teased Carol but in a playful way.

"I wasn't scared. Bait was scared," Ezran lifted his always-grumpy glow-toad who growled hearing him say that. "I love hearing you sing mum's lullaby Cary,"

"Okay. Let's all cuddle up together," Carol sat in the middle of Willow's bed with her siblings and their animal companions cuddling next to her. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

Sun goes down.

And we are here together.

Fireflies glow like a thousand charms

Stay with me and you can dream forever

Right here in my arms

Tonight

Ezran's eyes shut and so did Willow's. Even Bait found himself, falling asleep under the influence of her enchanting melody.

It's magic when you are here beside me
Close your eyes and let me hold you tight
Everything, that I could ever need is
Right here in my arms tonight

Felix's eyes closed and all Carol could feel was warmth all around her. All that anxiety she had felt over the week was beginning to fade away. She closed her eyes and she slept peacefully that night with her loved ones beside her.

With his hood over his head, Raylan followed Runaan as he led their party through the mountains towards the kingdom of Katolis. In the dark of the night, they would slip unnoticed into the borders under the pounding rain. They stopped inside a cave to rest and wait out the increasing intensity of the storm. Sipping on moon berry juice, the assassins prepared themselves for their important mission within two days. Runaan noticed his surrogate son leaning against the side of the entrance staring out at the full moon still visible in the night sky. He was rather silent.

He walked over to him. "You all right Ray?" That was his nickname for him.

Raylan sighed. "I've never been so far away from home before. Being here now just feels too much already. And I know tomorrow will require everything we've got,"

Runaan clasped his shoulder. "I know you can do this. I know you'll make your parents proud. Just as I already am,"

His touching words made Raylan's spirit lift. "I don't know how far I would have come without you and Ethari,"

The pair remained to stare at the moon as the rain passed hoping Ethari was thinking of them and doing the same thing as them.

As the rise rose the next day, Harrow walked through the hallways of his children's rooms. He noticed one was still slightly open. He pushed it open and to his delight saw all three with Bait and Felix sleeping together. Ezran was drooling a bit on Bait who had just woken up.

"Rise and shine!" he sang loudly.

The children jumped and he burst out laughing. "I expected to see you all still fast asleep. The thunder sure was loud last night,"

"Willow was scared," teased Ezran.

The infuriated Willow pillow-bashed him in annoyance. "Caroline sang us mum's lullaby last night,"

Carol coiled herself in embarrassment.

"Why are you nervous?" Harrow asked. "I would love to hear you sing. You used to sing all the time when you were younger,"

"I'm not sure I can do that anymore," she embarrassedly kept her face hidden. Her stepdad, more surrogate dad could tell how insecure she was feeling and quickly he decided to change the topic. "Time for breakfast. And no jelly tart stealing Ezran,"

Ezran grumbled in annoyance.

"I'm not that hungry," Caroline tried to excuse herself but her dad wouldn't let her.

"Please will you eat with us? We really miss having you at mealtimes," he implored.

Ezran and Willow and even Bait and Felix gave her puppy eyes.

"Okay," she said. "If it's not any issue…"

"Why would it be?" asked Ezran. "Now come on! I'm starving!"

They quickly got dressed out of their nightgowns and put on their royal outfits, Carol's original dress was made of royal velvet so she still wore it to at least try and feel close to her royal family even though she wasn't born but adopted into royalty. She helped Ezran with his royal red tunic and Willow with her nice short royal tunic of rich magenta. She then braided her hair into plaited dreadlocks. The family dined on tasty eggs and bacon at the table, and then on toast.

Carol was a little quiet. Harrow hated seeing her so introverted like this. He wished there was something he could do to make her feel better. "Hey, I thought maybe you'd like to do some actual spear-fighting lessons?"

He surprised. "Really? But I thought princesses…"

"I've seen how you've been teaching yourself," he said proudly. Carol coiled herself in embarrassment again; usually, princesses were not meant to be fighting. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I thought perhaps you might like to have some actual sessions,"

She sighed. "I don't feel like spear-fighting. Not without her spear,"

He sighed. In all his months of observing Carol training by herself against dummies with her mother's spear, it had been a relic of importance to her. But it had disappeared strangely four months ago and she hadn't felt like doing it. it wouldn't be the same without that inherited weapon. To her, it was almost like her mother was watching over him, beaming with pride at her skills.

"Come on Carol. Give it a go," Ezran motivated. "You'd be a wonderful warrior,"

Swallowing her anxiety, she nodded.

"When can I learn to fight?" asked Willow eagerly.

"When you're old enough. I thought you and Ezran could go out into town today with Claudia,"

"That would be lovely dad," said Ezran.

"And no stealing any jelly tarts," he warned.

Ezran growled again. So did Bait.

"Are you sure you don't me to go with them?" asked Caroline, eager to think of an excuse to delay the lesson.

"You need a good break," said Willow. "You've mothered us enough for a lifetime. You need to have time to learn things,"

"Your sister's right. Besides, you've always wanted to learn combat with a professional tutor," Harrow reminded her.

Caroline accepted. "Okay. I'll do it. Just please don't put me with Soren,"

"Don't worry. I'll put with the best instructor," he assured. "Now Claudia will be waiting for you two outside," he said to his biological kids.

"See you later Carol. We'll bring you back something," Ezran promised. Once they stood up from their tables, he and Willow hugged their half-sister and she hugged them back. She hid a smile. Felix and Bait watched it together. Felix was happy; Bait though remained in his grumpy state.

Ezran and Willow quietly left the room leaving their half-sister and dad alone. Caroline wanted to thank Harrow for giving her this opportunity but didn't know how to act around him occasionally. Felix nuzzled her legs, trying to motivate her. "Thanks," she said.

Harrow approached her. She felt nervous. "I know that this week hasn't been easy for you. And I'm sorry about all the awful things that people have said. But you don't have to be what they expect you to be. I love you just the way you are,"

"But it's so hard," she lamented. "I'm nothing like Ezran and Willow and I'm glad that you're my dad, even if you're not my birth one, but…I feel like I…like I…"

She couldn't repeat the same words that all those teens had said about her.

Harrow looked at her remorsefully. Since her mother, his wife's death, nearly ten years ago, she had felt so alone. Very few friends. Too many bullies. He was about to speak when he heard the doors open, revealing Viren, the High Mage, wearing noble garments. "Good morning your majesty!" Seeing the two interrupted, Viren felt irritably uncomfortable. "I'm sorry. Did I interrupt something?"

Harrow was about to answer when Caroline gently picked up Felix. "I'll leave you to your duties," her stepdad tried to reach out to her but she walked away quietly. He sighed, feeling he was letting her down.

"I thought I told you to knock before you enter," he criticised Viren.

"My apologies your majesty. I just wanted to talk,"

"Well, I can't talk right now. I've got to sort some things out,"

"Like what?"

"Like how I am gonna make Caroline feel accepted,"

"Harrow, I admire your love for your step-daughter but she…"

"Is just as my child as Ezran and Willow are. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm a bit preoccupied," Harrow walked away, much to Viren's annoyance.

Caroline walked into the royal library. She placed Felix down on the floor and sat in a comfy armchair in the reading section. She opened her history book from last week, revealing pictures and paintings of elves and magical creatures. Then she came to a page with the six primal magic symbols – sun, star, sky (her favourite), moon, earth, and ocean. She loved magic. She looked at all the amazing spells elves could do with those primal sources. She wondered if perhaps humans had the potential to learn it. For as long as she could remember, she had always been fascinated by magic.

She heard footsteps. Viren entered the library. "Lord Viren,"

"Your highness," he bowed slowly.

"No, please. Just Caroline," she insisted. As an adopted royal, she still felt unworthy of the table

"What are you reading?" he asked curiously. His posture looked a little scary so Felix jumped off Carol's lap to hide beside the chair.

"Just my favourite book from Caldor's bookstore," she answered. She stood up and held the open book in front of Katolis's high mage.

Viren peeped down at the pages and saw all the different elves. "Your highness, I would highly advise you to avoid reading stuff on Xadia,"

"Why? It's so interesting. This is history,"

"Xadia is full of nothing but selfish elves and cruel dragons,"

"With respect, Lord Viren, I don't think it's right to label every elf and dragon as evil," Caroline was not the one to hold grudges against an entire race of different people and creatures.

"They drove humanity and took all magic for themselves. They liked us when we were lesser beings,"

"Times have changed Lord Viren. You can't assume all elves and dragons are selfish,"

Viren seemed to turn dark as he began an unnecessary confrontation. "Then why have we been at war with them for years?" he challenged, starting to get arrogant with his opinions. "How come many of our people have lost their lives?"

"Maybe that's a sign the world needs to change,"

"You are foolish to think that." Viren hissed.

"There wouldn't be a war if we all saw past our hatred,"

"The King of the Dragons took your mother,"

"Don't say that," she pleaded, tearing up angrily.

"What? It's true! And I bet you, he could be sending elves to take the rest of us out. I suggest you stop reading these books and start focusing on what's real,"

"What is going on here?!" a loud voice boomed. The two turned around to see an angry Harrow entering the room.

"It's nothing," Afraid of ruining things between her stepdad and his most loyal servant, Caroline grabbed Felix and her book and dashed out of the library, ignoring Harrow's cries out for her name. Harrow glared at Viren.

"Why the glare? I have done nothing wrong, your majesty. I was merely trying to give Caroline some tips about reality,"

"I don't what it is that you said to her, but you had better not mistreat her the way your son does," the king warned. He left quietly leaving Viren silently fuming in annoyance.

Claudia had taken Ezran and Willow out for a nice walk in the kingdom. The subjects were moved to see their future king and his sister. They waved at them. All the teens wanted to come ad chat with them, but Ezran and Willow refused to talk to the people who bullied their dear sister.

Ezran flicked his head towards a shop near the market with a pastry sign hanging over it, he licked his lips. Willow noticed. She gently nudged and gave a hand signal. He gave the thumbs up and quickly he dashed off before Claudia could notice.

"I wish your sister was out with us guys," said Claudia.

"Maybe another time," Willow answered simply.

"Is she okay? I haven't seen her all week," she loved to hang out with Caroline.

"She's just been distant. I hate your brother treats her,"

"I do too. What do you think I could do to stop him bullying her, Ezran?" she didn't hear an answer. "Ezran?" she turned around and to her shock, he wasn't there. "Where did he go?"

"Just to look at something," what Willow was saying was half-true.

Claudia crossed her arms and smirked. "He's gone to get some jelly tarts, hasn't he?"

Willow sighed. "You got me. Please don't tell my dad,"

"Cross my heart," Claudia promised. "Whilst we're waiting for the little jelly tart thief to come back, why don't we get some flowers for Caroline?"

"She would love that. Red roses," Willow suggested. "She brought me and Ez our favourite treats. Then let's buy her, her favourite flowers. That should make her feel better,"

"Your sister is amazing," said Claudia. "I wouldn't have been friends with her since we were kids otherwise,"

"It's just not easy when you're not born royal," lamented the young princess. "She loves dad but…since he's not her birth one, she feels distant. I wish she knew how much he loves her as Ez and I do"

"She does," said Claudia. "Now come n. Let's get those flowers before the queues build up,"

Caroline sat in the courtyard under a tree, doodling her book. She drew Felix curled up near her feet. That awful confrontation she had with Viren felt so tense. He didn't care about her being the king's adoptive/stepdaughter. He didn't even care how the mention of her mother, the only birth parent she had ever known would make her cry. She raised her head and saw all the soldiers and servants walking around. Whenever they saw her and she waved, they ignored her, pretending like she didn't exist. She felt so alone.

Felix saw her loneliness and perched on the bench again. She hugged him tightly as he nuzzled her.

"Oh look who it is," Soren's mocking voice rang in her ears. "The step-princess about to go down,"

"Leave me alone Soren," she stood up, grabbing her stuff. "And you're not teaching me how to use a spear. Fergus is,"

"Actually, I saw him stalk off. Sent me to teach you instead. Said he didn't want to train a step-princess,"

Caroline fumed and marched on him. "I don't get why you like to bully me like this, but I have had quite enough," Soren ignored her warning and grabbed her book. "Hey! Give that back!"

"It's not right for a woman to read,"

"Uh, your sister's a woman. What's the matter with that?"

"That's different. She does magic. And you don't do anything but doddle, doodle, read, and read all day. Not suitable for a princess. Wait a minute, a step one," he suddenly tossed the book into a mud puddle.

"Hey!" She bent down and picked up the book, rubbing it with a cloth. "This was the only copy of its kind,"

Felix growled at Soren but he sneered back and he yelped and hid behind his person.

"If you wanna have this one mud-free," Soren snatched her sketchbook from her bag. "You're gonna have to fight me for it," he goaded.

Caroline growled. "I'm not fighting you, Soren,"

"Guess you're too scared to fight?" his mocking comment made some nearby soldiers laugh.

"Fine," Caroline growled. "If I beat you, you stay away from me. All right,"

"What's the point? You're just gonna loooossssseee!" he sang out mockingly with a terrible voice.

Caroline didn't say anything back. The challenge was set.

Claudia walked beside Willow who carried the bouquet of ravishing roses. Ezran came jogging over, breathing heavily.

"Let me guess. He caught you," Claudia correctly guessed.

"Yep. But he let me take a bag of them home for Caroline," Ezran said, holding up a sack of their favourite treats. He saw how upset she was last week, so he thought these might make him feel better,"

Caroline and Soren stood facing each other; she, borrowed spear, he a sword.

"Scared step-princess?" taunted the bully.

"You wish," she seethed back.

"Three. Two. One!" Soren jumped at her. She blocked it easily with the wooden staff of her spear but he struck again. "Parry. Parry!" Carol tried to stab him but he kicked her down in the chest. "Dead!" She growled. "You're so cute when you're mad!"

Carol had quite enough. She swiped her leg against his ankle and he slipped. He crashed on the ground, his armour clanging. "So not fair!" Caroline quickly got up and pocked her spear into his chest.

"I win!" she said.

"No way! I took you down!"

"You pushed me down! You didn't stab me! Now you leave me alone," she swiped her book from his free hand and tried to walk away, stabbing the spear into the ground. Felix blew a raspberry and kicked dirt in his face.

Soren growled. Suddenly he stood up and grabbed his real sword. Felix made an alarm bark, alerting his owner. Carol saw what Soren was about to do and quickly grabbed a nearby soldier's sword to defend herself. "What are you doing?!"

"You said you weren't scared. Well, I'm trying to test that," Soren swiped again. As he attacked her and she defended herself, a crowd was gathering around, enjoying the entertainment.

With every swipe, her childhood bully took at her, Carol became more and more petrified clashing with an actual weapon which felt so heavy it took all her strength to fight back with it. Spears were easy but a sword was a different story. He forced her against a wooden bar. She ducked and his sword struck the wood. "Can't you stop it already?!" she screamed.

"What's the matter? Are you getting scared?" Soren pulled his sword free and when he swiped he knocked the sword out of her hand. He swiped again and she ducked but the moment she did, Soren's metal foot kicked her in the abdomen and she fell into the puddle of mud.

The crowd laughed and jeered at her.

"And I win," Soren boasted. He poked the tip into his chest. "I win again. You see step-princess; this is exactly why girls like you don't belong in the castle. And look at you now, all scared and dirty…and oh…are you crying?"

Caroline couldn't hold back her tears of embarrassment. All the laughing and jeering from all the soldiers resounding around her in a hurricane of mockery made her cry. She wanted to close her eyes and pretend it was all a nightmare, but it was all real. She didn't want to be here anymore. She wanted to disappear forever.

"Enough!" a loud voice boomed, breaking the nasty hilarity.

The crowd turned to see a red-faced King Harrow enter the scene. He saw Caroline all dirty and despondent in the mud. He glared coldly at Soren. "What have you done Soren?"

Soren became scared seeing his cold temper. "Your majesty…I…"

"You are disbanded from the Crown Guard," he announced, shocking the boastful bully. "And you will spend the next three months, cleaning out the stables. Now leave, "Soren left the scene but not before giving a cold glare at Caroline. "Everyone else go!" the king had never been more disappointed with his selfish servants. They left the courtyard containing their chuckles at the poor girl whom Soren had pushed in. Harrow looked down at his poor adoptive daughter all heartbroken in the dirt with Felix licking her wet face to try and comfort her. He knelt before her. "Are you hurt?"

Unable to look at him, she shook her head.

"I'm so sorry," he apologised. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up," without her looking into his concerned eyes, he helped her stand up and gently led her away.

Claudia, Ezran, and Willow carrying Bait had just entered the scene when they saw Harrow with the poor-treated Caroline.

"Oh my gosh," breathed Claudia.

The shocked half-brother and sister rushed over.

"What happened?" Ezran asked.

Claudia already knew the answer. "Your majesty I am so sorry about my brother,"

"Will you help get Caroline washed?" requested Harrow.

"Of course," Feeling guilty for her brother's actions, Claudia was determined to do anything to make her feel better.

Harrow looked at Carol. "Hey," he held up her cheek. "It's going to be okay. Everything will get better,"

She didn't say anything but she felt comforted. Claudia gently led her away. Willow tried to follow her but Ezran gently pulled on her hand shaking her head. "I can't believe Soren would do this,"

"You were right Willow. I should have disbanded him from the Crown Guard before. I never knew he would go so far as to humiliate her like that. I can't believe Viren never thought to straighten his behaviour after everything he's done to her,"

"Will she be okay?" Ezran asked.

"She'll be fine,"

"We brought these for her," he showed him the roses and jelly tarts. "We thought they might make her feel better,"

"That was very decent of you both. We need to be there for her more than ever now. But for now, let's give her some time first,"

Caroline sat unhappily in front of her mirror as Claudia slowly brushed her wet hair. After washing herself and dressing up in some new clothes, her close friend insisted she'd brush her hair for her so she could have some silence. "There. All done,"

"Thanks," her close friend couldn't look at her.

Claudia sighed. "I wish I could have been there today to stop Soren. But I promise you he's never going to humiliate you like that ever again,"

Carol still couldn't say anything. "Can you tell the others that I'd like to be alone for the rest of the day?"

Claudia nodded. "Of course. It's going to be okay Carol. You'll see," she hugged Caroline tightly and she hugged her back a little weakly. Claudia left the room and Caroline just sat alone again with Felix. She had never felt more alone and lost in her life than ever before. Her family decided to respect her wishes and give her some space again. But Ezran and Willow still left their gifts outside her room, hoping that when she opened her door the next morning, she would feel less alone and more loved.

Atop the final peak before the realm of Katolis, Raylan saw the castle standing tall and strong in the far distance. They only had to cross a wide river to make it to the forest bordering the kingdom. The assassins were tempted to make their way now whilst they still had their chance but the moon wasn't full meaning their special abilities wouldn't work as effectively and armies were marching through the borders of the kingdom. They could not risk being spotted by anyone. As he stared toward their destination, Raylan had never felt more ambition than in his entire life. He just hoped that he wouldn't fail.

Carol, wrapped in her cloak, peaked through the bedroom doors at her brother and sister. She then tiptoed inside and walked over to their sleeping faces and kissed their cheeks. She then left behind a jelly tart for each of them and an extra one for Bait. She walked out of her room, carrying a large rucksack on her back whilst her hood was pulled over her head. She carried a scroll to Harrow's bedroom. She saw there were two guards so she gently placed it in a spot where he would find it.

Once that was done, she dashed down the hallway to the nearby window and dropped down a 100-meter rope down the stone bricks of the great tower. Unafraid of heights, she scaled down the castle with Felix and his wrapped paws around her neck. Once she reached the bottom, she landed gracefully on the ground floor without making a noise. Felix scouted ahead and saw no soldiers near the stables. But only Soren.

Hiding behind a barrel, she saw him yawning after he scooped up the final pile of dung, per his punishment for humiliating her. She sneaked inside and taking one of the horses, sneaked through a secret back gate which only she, Ezran and Willow knew about. They used to play hide-and-seek when they were kids by sneaking off to the forest without their dad noticing. She guided the horse away from the castle and into the forest, before mounting him. Felix leapt up and sat in front of her on the saddle. She took one last glance back at the castle, she was leaving behind and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry,"

Then yipping on the reins, she galloped into the night, leaving behind the world she thought she didn't belong in.

That's the first half of the first chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed this. Credit for the lullaby goes to Barbie as the Island Princess. I do not own this song. To fans of Soren, apologies for I've depicted him in this chapter but he is going to get better. I hope you all enjoyed reading Caroline and you all felt emotional hearing all the awful treatment she's been going through. And her running away? What a shocker. Will she meet Raylan? We'll have to wait and find out. See you all later.