Nier woke up, looking around dazed with somewhat of a headache. Maybe it was all the drinking.

Rolf Knocked on the tent post. "It's time to go. You ride out with Sephtis and Ogden. You have the middle wagon. I hope you are up for this," he said.

Moonbeam stood waiting by her brother's side.

Rolf mounted his black horse, "Let's move out."

Nier followed. "Aye."

Sephtis fell in line, "Yes sir!" He followed.

Moonbeam rode behind her brother on her own horse.

Nier felt a cold chill go up his spine, but chose to ignore it. "Hmmm..."

"Everyone has their orders, when we cross the bridge, we prepare for the ambush." Rolf barked.

Nier waited patiently, his finger twitching from excitement.

Seph crouched and felt the ground, hoping he could hear the caravan before the others and muttered to himself, "Please let us be safe."

Roux looked at Seph on the ground and rolled her eyes. "Let's do this," she said grinning.

"Don't roll your eyes at hope," Sephtis moaned. "We might die. At least I am hopeful we won't." \

"Can't live your life on mights boy. We all will die one day. Best do it having fun," Rolf scowled.

Moonbeam laughed, "Right, I will go down fighting."

"I know that sir," Sephtis answered, "Doesn't mean I cannot hope for a good outcome."

The bandits traveled through the woods making as little noise as possible.

Rolf held up his hand bringing the bandits to a stop behind him. "Alright, here is where I expect them to be. Fan out into the woods and wait for Fox's signal. Fox find a high spot and let us know when you see the lead wagon."

Ryker asked, "Are we attacking as soon as they come into view? Or are we waiting?"

"As soon as they are in range we will rush them. They should be confused and easy pickings." Rolf grinned.

"Understood," Ryker acknowledged and rode off with his sister.

Ogden grumbled, "C'mon, let's get into position." He looked between Seph and Nier,

"Always left in charge of the greenhorns," he groaned.

Sephtis made a confused face, "What are greenhorns and why am I one?" he asked.

Ogden smacked his palm to his forehead, "Nothing. Just get moving."

Sephtis thought about it for a minute, "Are you sure it is nothing because it seems like something..."

Ogden growled through his teeth and walked away.

"I.. I didn't mean to annoy him," Sephtis said looking slightly defeated.

Arctic Fox climbed into a tree and watched the horizon awaiting the target.

Rolf turned to Moonbeam. "Stay close sis. Don't worry. It won't be long now."

Moonbeam smiled, "I'm not worried. The only thing that scares me is losing my brother."

A half hour had passed when Arctic Fox saw the target approaching. She whistled to the bandits below

Roux looked at Ryker, "That's the signal!"

With the wagons in range, Rolf lit the cloth around the tip of his arrow that had been soaked in lamp oil and fired at the grass in front of the lead wagon.

"Now," he screamed and charged his horse forward.

Ogden kicked his horse's flanks and charged at the center of the line.

Roux screamed a war cry and galloped forward along with Ryker.

Rolf fired another arrow and the driver of the lead wagon slumped in his seat. The caravan horses reared at as the flames grew around them.

Ryker had reached the rear of the caravan, slashed the throats of the guards near him, and then jumped off his horse.

Roux threw her daggers at some of the guards.

The guards around the wagons scrambled into action. Falling left and right amidst the attack. Rolf drew his sword and thrust it through the chest of a young man.

Sephtis grabbed a fallen soldiers' sword, "Haha!" he let out a victorious cry and followed Ogden into battle.

Ryker ducked as one of the soldiers swiped for him and slashed with a dagger spilling his guts while he kicked another soldier away.

Arctic Fox, still high above in the tree began shooting arrows. Two soldiers now wore her prized arrows.

Moonbeam saw a guard trying to run away, she chased him down and stabbed him through the heart.

Roux threw a dagger at a guard behind her brother and then jumped off of her horse, where she encountered three more soldiers whom soon lay dead at her feet.

Sephtis had sliced through one guard, when another surprised him from behind, cutting his left arm, "Gaa, you will pay for that soldier! He said wheeling to face the guard. The two traded blows, both gaining new cuts. Until finally Sephtis cut the guard down.

Roux jumped as one of the guards swiped his sword low and twirled slashing the throat of the other guard behind her,

Ogden whirled around planting daggers into soldiers ignoring the pain in his side.

Arctic Fox shot an arrow into the soldier behind Ogden.

Ogden nodded to Fox in the tree as he reached the center wagon.

"Moonbeam behind you! Rolf shouted as more soldiers poured out of the wagons."

Sephtis stabbed another soldier in the heart, "Where are they all coming from!?"

Roux plunged her sword at a soldier lying on the ground, "No idea!"

Moonbeam heard her brother's warning taking one soldier down with a kick to the leg. She screamed as another soldier stabbed her in the arm.

Arctic Fox slid down from her high tree and pulled out a dagger, cutting the throat of an unaware soldier.

Rolf rushed to his sister's side, "How bad is it?"

"I'll live for now, I'm going to need stitches though," She said tying off the wound with a bit of cloth.

Surrounded by four soldiers, Sephtis ducked and cut the legs of one taking a cut to his own leg in return.

Astraea swore, "Damn it I'm late." She sighed looking for tree with a good vantage point and climbed it quickly but carefully. After making sure she wouldn't fall, she frantically searched for Sephtis below. "Where are you?" She hissed as she found him surrounded. "I knew this would happen," she said as she nocked an arrow and fired it.

Sephtis tried to get off the ground when an arrow went through one of the soldiers, "D-did I do that?"

Arctic Fox plunged her dagger into two soldiers that were trying to sneak up on Roux and Ryker "You kids need to watch out!" she warned.

Ryker yelled, "Roux! Behind you!!"

Arctic Fox, glowered at him, "A bit slow Ryker."

Roux chuckled as she throws another knife at the guard behind Fox.

Arctic Fox smiled at her, "Good shot." She stabbed a guard behind Ryker, "You though, need to not just stand there looking pretty."

"Oh fuck off," Ryker spat pushing Fox out of the way. He plunged his sword into a soldier coming for her. "You're welcome." He quipped.

"Thanks pretty boy," she smirked. "Rolf! We need to retreat!" Fox screamed across the field.

"Yes we do!" Roux agreed. "I'm going to kill the bastard who told me there were only going to be nine guards."

"I will help you!" Fox snickered.

Ryker winked at Fox.

Ogden opened the cover of the wagon, It was loaded with chest and barrels. He lurched forward as an arrow struck him in the back.

Astraea smiled as one her arrows pierced a bandit.

Sephtis stood up and punctured two soldiers in the heart, one after another.

Astraea kept the guards away from Sephtis as she rained arrows around him. Until her quiver was empty. She scaled down the tree and ran into the fray.

Sephtis, finished with his soldiers, glanced and saw Ogden sprawled face down in the wagon.

Moonbeam hurled a dragger, hitting a soldier in the face getting him in the eye.

Without warning a small group of royal soldiers appeared from the trees.

"Shit! Fall back!" Rolf roared.

"Sir!" Sephtis cried when he saw the guards and rushed to Ogden, but he was too far gone, so Seph ran into the woods as the royal guards chased after him.

Astraea looked at the guards funneling from the trees in surprise, "How in hell...?"

"Royal guards?!" Roux stood frozen.

"Fuck, Roux we need to get out of here." Ryker said tugging on her sleeve.

"Alright pretty boy we will continue this later, help me grab a chest!" Fox ordered, "Roux you too."

Roux looked at Fox confused for a second, "What?!"

"Help me grab a chest!" Fox said again. "We are not leaving empty handed!"

"No, we are not." Ryker agreed

"Okay." Roux said reluctantly.

Arctic Fox grabbed a decorated chest from the rear wagon."

"I'll help," Roux said, taking a side of the chest.

"This has to have something good in it!" Fox said grunting from the weight.

"You just love shiny things don't you?" Ryker teased.

"Ryker, not right now." Roux snapped.

"Maybe, but I like other things too," she winked, "Now come on! Let's get back to the camp!"

"Is she hitting on me?" he whispered to his sister, "Did she hit her head?"

Roux laughed at her brother's alarm.

Moonbeam continued to fight, taking more and more wounds. Her leg was torn up.

"Rolf!" She yelled for her brother.

She pushed herself up, limped around. Getting dizzy she fell to ground. "Rolf!" she yelled one more time before blacking out.

Rolf looked around for his sister, but could not see her through the smoke.

"Moonbeam? Where are you?" He called, but no answer. Rolf frantically looked for his sister in the fray, but could not find her. "Please be alright."

Astraea crept around the wagons, grabbed Rolf from behind, putting a knife on his neck. "I'd be careful if I were you."

Startled Rolf spun around slowly.

Astraea kept the knife aimed at him, "Hello Rolf."

"I'm sorry do I...know...you? He stammered.

Astraea laughed, "No, you don't, at least not yet." She purred, "I'm the one who killed those bandits of yours."

"You little bitch. You have some nerve coming around here. I ought to kill you after what you did to my men." Rolf scowled.

Astraea gave a coy smile, "I'd like to see you try."

"Such bravado for a little girl." Rolf spat.

"Keep talking and I'll slash your throat"

That voice, Rolf had heard it before. He stepped closer to the girl brushing the blade aside. He stopped when he got a good look at her. "Why did I ever trust you?"

"I don't know," she quipped, "I dont even trust myself."

She dropped her knife and unsheathed her sword.

"One more step and I will impale you," she warned. She aimed it at his throat.

"Tsk Tsk, is that anyway to treat an old friend." Rolf scolded.

He dropped to the ground and swept for her legs.

Astraea jumped and back flipped away from Rolf.

"I see you remember the training I gave you." Rolf grinned.

"How can I forget when it's been engraved into my being?!" She shot back.

"Then you also remember who took you in when you when you had nothing," Rolf said snidely.

"I have to thank you for that," she admitted. "For what you did. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am today and I wouldn't be ready to kill you."

Rolf growled, "I gave you everything food, shelter, training. Anything you asked for was yours. I even gave you your leave when you asked it."

"You gave me leave?" she scoffed. "You had me stabbed and the building I was living in burned."

A look of astonishment filled Rolf's face. "You think I had something to do with that? I thought you were smarter than that. Why would I want to harm you? You were my best weapon. My prized student."

"There was only ever one rule. No one leaves. Ever." Astraea spat.

Rolf looked her in the eyes and softened a bit, "As much as I hated it, I let you go."

Astraea eyes burned through him. "You don't expect me to believe that do you? You spin lies better than Arachne spins her webs."

"I swear to you on my life. On the life of my sister. I had nothing to do with it!" Rolf held firm.

Astraea paused a moment. "You say you had nothing to do with it? Then why was your signature mark there?!"

Rolf's shoulders sank. "It's obvious that someone wanted to frame me for it. To break the trust between us. If you honestly believe that, it was me. Then do it take my life." Rolf placed both hands behind his back, exposing his neck and chest

Astraea was shocked but hid it and aimed her sword at his neck again, but realized she couldn't do it. She sheathed her sword.

"I believe you. For now."

"I understand your hesitation." Rolf breathed a sigh of relief.

Astraea huffed, "Sure you do."

"I still remember that day. The day I found you in the woods. Dirty, ragged, and starving." Rolf's eyes glazed as the memories came flooding back.

Astraea let out a chuckle, "Don't remind me."

"You were still clutching close to the body. If I hadn't come along who knows where you would have wound up."

"What? I don't remember that," she listened as he went on.

"Not surprising, you were only four at the time. I'm sure those memories are best left forgotten."

Astraea frowned, "I guess you are right. I remember how frustrated you used to get when I used to run off into the woods, she laughed.

"You were always a wild child, but so bright. Your talents were beyond anything I had seen." Rolf exhaled, "There is something I wanted to tell you when you left, I just never knew how." Tears rolled down Rolf's cheek as he pulled a gold pendant from his back pocket. "Here this belongs to you. I found it with you the day I took you in. I always knew you were special."

Astraea starred at the necklace. "What-What is this?" she asked.

"It took me some time to find out, but it is the royal signet of the Irorose Icelands. You are the rightful heir to their kingdom." He said.

A small, unexpected laugh escaped her. "You are kidding me," she recoiled. "This has to be one of your mind games. That is obviously a lie"

"No games," Rolf said shaking his head. "You are the lost Princess of Wynborough."

Astraea gaped at him, "Oh hell. You're serious."

Rolf bowed his head and looked away.

Astraea fell to the ground. "I'm a what? I cant even... How- What?" She tried to process the news. Then her anger returned. "Why would you tell me this now?! Why would you keep this from me?!"

She handed Rolf the pendant, "I want nothing to do with this."

Rolf refused to take it back. "When I found out, I was just as shocked as you are now. I wanted to tell you, but the time was never right... and then you left." He wiped his eyes. "You have every right to be upset with me... your majesty."

"Dont call me that!" She scream "I-you- ugh Just dont call me that." She ran a hand through her hair frustratedly as she looks at the pendant.

"It's your secret. Do with it what you will." Rolf said getting to his feet."

"I-I dont know." She was dumbfounded.

"Goodbye Astraea," Rolf said placing a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for sparing me."

"No need to thank me yet, she said distractedly but then her eyes widened, "You're leaving?!"

"I need to find Moonbeam." Rolf turned and ran off into the woods. "Goodbye Princess," he whispered.

Astraea stood there trying to collect herself "Why did I think he'd help me?" she muttered as she puts the pendant around her neck and made sure it was hidden. She picked up her knife and the bow and quiver took off towards The Aviary.