This will be the first time I have stepped foot outside of the Castle grounds, and it excites me--kind of, I mean, I may be a little scared because I don't know what I will face out there. 

Be strong Arianda, I told myself.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out.

The sun was high in the middle of the sky, shining its light directly down upon us. I looked up, squinting I saw birds flying above the towers and Keep. Birds are not the only animals that fly up there, oh no, the creatures that bring fear with them also occupy the skies. They come swiftly, riding on the winds, they bring death wherever they go — the same creatures who took my mother from me. I will avenge her death and bring peace to our lands, I need to become a Knight first.

"Your Royal Highness," I tore my eyes from the sky and towards the voice's owner, a Guard bowed to me. "Sir William is waiting for you," he said.

I nodded, looking below into the inner courtyard at the bottom of the steps, many people moved around repairing the damage from last nights attack. If I---no, not if when I become a Knight, I can finally protect my lands.

I inhaled sharply. Relax, I told myself, You can do this.

Inch by inch, I walked down the remaining steps into the inner courtyard where Sir William waited for me with my horse. Two guards trailed behind me with Chelsea behind them.

"Oh! Milady! Please be careful! There are many terrible things in the village!" Chelsea said, pushing the guards out of the way. She grabbed my wrist, making me stop. "Please," she pleaded, her eyes glossy. "Be safe. I don't know what I'd do without you. Oh! Dare not even think about it! it hurts too much!"

"Chelsea? My wrist if you please." I cocked my eyebrow at her.

"Sorry Milady," She released my wrist. "Please, be safe, come back to me, to us, please-"

"Do not fear," A deep, loud voice cut her off. I turned around to come face to face with Sir William; his green eyes bare no emotion nor do his face. "I will protect her. You have the word of a Knight."

"Oh! Thank you, Sir Knight! You-"

I cleared my throat if I didn't stop her, Chelsea could talk for hours. "Are the horses ready?"

"Yes, Your Highness," He gestured towards two horses saddled behind him. "Assuming you know how to ride?

"You question my ability to ride Sir Knight?" I shot him a look, a death glare if you like. "You suggest because I have been a prisoner of the Castle, I do not know how to ride?"

Although his neck is partially hidden beneath his mail coif, I could see Sir William's Adams-apple move up and down. "Of course not milady."

"Don't question my abilities again, Sir Knight," I held my head high and walked towards my black mare.

I haven't mounted a horse for a few years, and I'm wearing a dress, so this ought to be interesting.

Oh? Interesting for who? You or Sir William?

I approached my mare, named Scarlett. "Hi girl, did you miss me? We haven't seen each other for-"

"Do you make a habit of talking to animals?" Sir William inquired from on top of his stallion.

I blinked.

And blinked again.

He's already mounted his stallion? How did he mount it so fast?

I straightened my posture, "Does Sir Knight make a habit of questioning his Princess?"

"No Milady, forgive me."

Believe it or not, I did manage to mount Scarlett without my dress riding up my legs and frightening poor Sir William.

I looked up at the walls surrounding the inner courtyard.

Trividale Castle isn't necessarily a defensive Castle. It doesn't need to be because of the fast flowing river Lyal. My Great, great, great grandfather built the Castle in between where the river splits in half then joins back together. One might call it an island, thus making it hard for our enemies to directly attack the Castle without being swept away by the current.

The only problem is the creatures. They always follow the river downstream. Guess what's downstream directly in their path?

If you said Trividale Castle then you would be correct.

"Princess?" I tore my gaze away from a hole in one of the walls and back to Sir William. "Are you ready?" he asked.

Breathing deeply, I nodded. "Yes, yes, I am."

Sir William gave a short nod and made his stallion walk beside mine. We approached the inner gate. Guards bowed as we passed them. When we arrived in the outer courtyard, I swallowed, staring at what lay before us.

The Barbican, the corridor of death.

I always hated the thought of walking through the Barbican.

"Your Highness, are you alright?"

Keep yourself together, Arianda! If you can't go through there, how will you survive once you are outside of the Castle?

"I am fine," I gulped. "Let's go."

Sir William didn't question me, but he kept his horse beside mine as we crossed the outer courtyard where villagers stopped and stared at us. There were a lot of villagers here, mostly because of the Castle market held in the outer courtyard.

By the looks of it, only the inner courtyard sustained damage from the attack last night. I am just relieved no one got killed. A few of the horses were dead, though, the horrible beast attacked one of our stables, but apart from them, there were no other deaths.

I gathered all of my strength and guided Scarlett through the Barbican.

*_____________*

The road to Trividale village was filled with merchants travelling to and from the Castle. To get to Trividale village, one must cross the bridge over the north side of river Lyal which flows from the Western Mountains of Immolation, a fitting name for the mountain range home to the dragons if I do say so myself.

For the entire ride from the Castle to the river was quiet, neither one of us spoke. To be fair, though, it wasn't a very far ride.

Ah! Freedom! Is it not lovely? I should say, is it not silent? Because that is all, I've got when I try talking to Sir William.

We approached the guard tower of Lyal northbridge. I decided to break the silence by saying; "You don't talk very much, do you, Sir Knight?"

Silence.

See? Silence.

It was an earth-shattering, icy cold, hard as stone, silence. Well, apart from the sound of our horse's hooves hitting the road, crushing the dirt beneath them.

I kept my mouth closed as we walked over the stone bridge and onto the other side. The path doesn't go through the woods, and in fact, it goes around them in an L-shape. On the right side of the road is Trividale woods and on the left is the Immolation foothills. Due to the dragons, the foothills are bare; there are is no greenery anywhere on them.

I eyed the trees on the right. "Would it not be quicker to go through Trividale woods?" Pulling the reins to the right, I steered Scarlett towards the trees only to have Sir William cut off my path.

He stops in front of me. I yank Scarlett's reins to stop her. "That would not be very wise. Your Highness, and as your sworn protector, I advise you against it."

"Very well," I huff, steering Scarlett back on the path.

We continue in silence.

I kept glancing at Sir William to find the Knight constantly scanning both sides of the path, probably for robbers or dragons.

I hope something exciting happens because my derrière has gone to sleep.

*____________*

Nothing exciting happened.

Pitty, I was hoping I'd see Sir William in action.

Oh well.

By the time we arrived at Trividale village, I could not feel my derrière. Sir William demounted his stallion and helped me off Scarlett. His hands lingered on my hips for a few moments before he blinked and released me.

"Where to first Milady?" he asked, stepping away from me.

I scanned the village.

Trividale village is the largest one in the Kingdom and the closest to the Castle.

We had stopped in the middle of the village square, where the marketplace is.

"I wish to look at some clothes," I responded, walking towards the market.

Where to look first?

'Come this way, girl.'

"Did you say something, Sir Knight?" I asked over my shoulder, but Sir William had stopped by a swordsmith.

So much for protecting your Princess. I'll protect her with my life, he said. But where is he? Staring at swords.

Ignoring him, I continued towards the tailor. 'This way, over here! come to me, come to me girl.'

For some reason, my feet began taking me away from my destination. What's going on here? I looked down at my feet, and yes, they were moving.

I don't wish to go that way! Stop it at once!

Before I knew what was happening my feet had carried me into a small building, I pushed the door opened and stepped in. Strange fragrancies filled my nostrils. The air felt heavy and damp. My eyes scanned the small room, strange objects I have never seen before hung from the ceiling. The right wall was covered with different types of dragon scales.

"You came!"

I leapt off the ground in fright, my head collided with bones hanging from the ceiling. "Ouch!" I muttered, rubbing my forehead. Turning around, I came face to face with an older woman. "Who are you? What is this place?"

"Welcome, Princess, we have been waiting for you," She grinned, I stepped backwards.

"We?" I looked around the room only to find no one else is here. "Where am I? Who are you? what is this place?"

"So many questions," she said, stepping towards me. "Many questions I cannot answer, but tell me, Princess, what is it you fear?"

"You know who I am?"

Her grey eyes looked up at me through her eyelashes. "Oh yes, Princess, I know everything about you, perhaps more than you do."

I wanted to laugh.

How can she know more about me? That's impossible.

"Impossible, you say? Nonsense!"

I froze. "You can hear my thoughts?"

"As I said Princess, I know everything,"

Fear began creeping through my bones. I've got to get out of this place and away from her.

"Tell me, Princess, do you fear them?"

"Who?"

Her lips pulled upwards, "Dragons, do you fear them?"

"No," I only realised my back was pressed against a wall, and my hand was on a table next to me. She has me trapped. "No, I don't fear Dragons," I repeated.

"One took your mother away from you right in before your very eyes, yet, you don't fear them? Why?"

What the-

How does she know that? No one knows I watched a beast burn my mother to ashes.

"I know everything," She said, staring at me. "Princess, do you know what a Dragon Whisperer is?"

"Yes, I've heard the tales about them."

She scratched her right cheek, nails digging into her skin, causing some of it to flake off and float in the air. "A Dragon Whisperer can communicate with Dragons through their thoughts, and they are immune to any fire unless they want to be burnt. They are bound both physically and mentally to a dragon who killed the Dragon Whisperer before them."

"A Dragon Whisperer can walk among us and-" she leaned closer to me. "-Sometimes, they do not even know what they are."

"I-"

"Tell me, Princess, have you ever heard voices in your head? Perhaps a voice in the same room but no one spoke?"

"No, never, I've heard-"

"Your mother, the Queen, was a Dragon Whisperer, I trained her."

I shook my head, unable to move. My mother, a Dragon Whisperer? No. Never. "That's not true!"

"You know it to be true! You saw it on the night she died; you saw her communicate with that dragon! And then, you saw her beg it to take her life! You know it to be true, why do you not believe?"

"Dragon Whisperer's aren't real! They are a children's bedtime story, nothing more!"

Her eyes flickered to something on my right. "Is that right?" I followed her gaze.

My mouth went dry. I had placed my hand on burning oil, and I watched bright orange flames dance across my skin, but I can't feel it.

Dizziness begins to engulf me.

"I don't understand?" I mutter, blackspots invade my vision.

What's going on?

The woman grabbed my wrist, pulling it from the hot oil. "Don't you see! You are immune to fire! You are a-"

The door to the shop suddenly burst open, flying off its hinges. I was too busy watching the flames dancing across my skin to notice Sir William standing there with his sword raised. It is only when he yells, "Your Highness!" That I tear my gaze from hand.

Sir William's grass green eyes are focused on my hand, watching the fire dancing over my skin. He's dazed or seems to be in a daze.

Shaking his head, he runs over to me, kicking several items across the floor to get to me. He grabs my wrist in his hand, pulling a cloth from somewhere, he wraps it around my burning hand, smothering the fire.

I feel my legs begin to give out, but before they do, Sir William's arms wrap around my body, and I'm picked up in his arms. "Y-you saw it," I croak out. "Tell me, you saw it!"

"I-I did," He says, his voice sounds strained.

Darkness begins to take me.

My eyelids feel so very heavy, and I feel sleepy.

"Your Highness! Stay awake," A voice calls me, a voice too far away. "Arianda! Keep your eyes open!"

But I can't. I feel so tired. I want to sleep. Yes, sleep sounds good right now.

My eyelids close.

Then, my eyelids snap open.

All I see is white, am I dead? Is this heaven? No, it's mist, I see the fog. But where am I?

Am I standing on the Castle wall? No, not the Castle wall, this is too rough beneath my feel.

'Psst!'

I spin so fast I almost lost my footing, "Who's there! Show yourself! I'm your Princess!"

'Princess? Is that so? You are just a kid,' The voice is deep, rough and rips through the air sending a chill through my body. 'A child cannot be the new Dragon Whisperer!'

"I'm eighteen! I am no kid! Now show yourself! That is an order!" I see movement in the mist, so I ask, "Who are you?"

'My name is Ombo,'

"Well, Ombo, I demand you to show yourself!"

Two circle bright orange orbs glow through the mist. 'If I show myself, please don't scream. My hearing is empathetic these days,'

I cross my arms over my chest. "I won't. You have my word."

'A child's word isn't really a promising one.'

"I am not a-"

Thunder blasts around me, making the ground beneath me tremble. No, not thunder, it feels like an earthquake?

An outline of something in the fog becomes visible.

My eyes widen, my mouth falls open, and my hands fall to my sides balling into fists.

"It's you!"