IT was dark.

We'd been walking the whole day, only stopping a few times to eat and drink from a nearby stream. The sky was turning orange, the sun beginning to set.

The ground was sloping upwards, and I felt the extra strain on my calves worsen. I was covered with a light sheen of sweat, despite the cold.

On the way, we had passed a small pond. To pass the time, and for practice, I'd raised a small ball of water and was carrying it in front of me.

Currently, I was keeping it floating in front of me, molding it into various shapes: a star, a leaf, a flower...I was glad to see that it was easier now, and more than thrilled to know I wasn't powerless.

My entire life, I'd thought that I had no power — to learn that I did, and to defeat my mother once — that was something I'd only imagined doing.

The ground sloped steeply, and I leaned forward, trying not to collapse, and therefore endure Aiden's wrath. He didn't look like he was suffering, and that gave me enough determination to keep going.

He stopped abruptly ahead, without looking at me. I furrowed my brows and walked faster, catching up to him.

The hill sloped back down to reveal a large village right on the other side. Aiden slowly turned around to face me. His cheeks were pink. "Princess, I forgot to tell you something."

I narrowed my eyes. "What?"

"We have to go through that village," he said sheepishly. I waited, knowing that wasn't it. He scratched the back of his neck, eyes dropping to the ground. "It's full of soldiers"

I dropped the ball of water.

"What?" I pursed my lips "Are you mad?"

"I am most certainly not!" He cried, his guilty expression replaced with an offended one. I glowered at him, cowing him back into hanging his head.

"How can you even tell it's filled with soldiers?" I asked, looking down. It looked like an ordinary village to me.

He huffed. "I can tell it's filled with soldiers because I can see their armor from here. See." He pointed past me, directing my eyes to a silver gleam in the village. The gleam looked like the sun glancing off silver armor.

"The number of soldiers in the villages increased after you escaped," he said.

"So, what now?" I asked, suddenly nauseous. "Can we go around the village?"

He shook his head. "There's a passage in the village. We have to go through there."

"Why can't we just go above ground? I know we might be seen, but we'll be careful. What's so important about that passage?" I asked desperately.

"Queen's territory guard. We can't get past them."

I sighed. The Forest was huge. It was divided into territories, divided by a territory guard. We'd been lucky. We hadn't encountered one yet. They were ruthless and sometimes killed on sight. Many an innocent peasant had died after coming across a territory guard.

"So, how will we get through?" I asked, rubbing my forehead.

Aiden gave me a flat look. "You know, if I didn't have a plan, I wouldn't have taken you here." I looked up, hope rushing through me.

He raised his hand up, pointing his index finger at the sky. I watched curiously as the sky seemed to condense on his finger, and a blue wisp settled at his index.

When he pulled his hand back down, the blue strand trailed behind it, hanging from his finger. In one swift, fluid motion, he whisked his hand towards his eyes, the blue wisp flying into both of them.

Slowly, he lifted his face and looked at me.

I gasped.

His eyes had turned blue.

***

Aiden grabbed my hand.

We were scrambling down the hill towards the village, trying to stay out of sight. The hill was very, very rocky. And steep.

He held my hand to balance himself, balancing me as well. My cheeks were red from exertion. Somehow, under the disguise, I could still see Aiden. I didn't know if he could see me. I missed my bright green eyes and my long, red hair.

Aiden had curled his hair slightly, courtesy of a curly vine, but had left it brown. His eyes were blue. My eyes were blue as well, and my hair was straight, short, and brown. We looked similar enough to be mistaken for siblings, or perhaps even twins.

I did not want to look like Aiden's sibling. It was too strange.

We finally reached the trees around the village. "Pull your hood on," Aiden instructed. He'd taken out two brown cloaks from his bag, covering us quite well.

"Alright, if anyone asks, we are Agapanthus and Lobelia Delphinium." I nodded. We broke away from the trees, joining one of the dusty roads. We kept our heads down as we walked through, not drawing much attention. Aiden seemed to know where he was going.

All around us, villagers scurried to complete their daily chores, though it was late. A girl and a younger boy ran inside the door of a small cottage. Two elf women walked by, carrying buckets of water, chattering quietly.

Then I realized that the quick pace the elves were using wasn't because they wanted to go home. I saw people shooting furtive looks at the many soldiers lining the streets. Aiden and I quickened our pace too, attempting to blend in.

Aiden walked on, turning right and left. I didn't know where he was going. He finally stopped in front of a dingy shop, looking like it didn't have many customers. The name of the shop, written in block letters, was too dusty to read. He glanced at me once and pushed open the door.

Inside was a small man, white-haired, arranging books on shelves on the far side of the shop. It was a bookshop, but all the books were covered with a thick layer of dust, like they hadn't been touched in quite some time.

The man looked around at the sound of the opening door. His eyes narrowed with curiosity seeing us. He left the books and walked towards us. "May I help you?" Aiden lowered his hood. Taking his example, I did the same.

"Yes." Aiden said. "We're here for a book. Ribella Revuelta." It must have been code for something because the man's eyes widened, and his knees started shaking. "R...really?" Aiden nodded.

He glanced past Aiden, focusing on me.

"Then...this is her?"

Aiden nodded again. The man's eyes glistened as he clasped his hands together. "Oh, Nalvia, I never thought I'd witness this day. Princess Elvina! It is an honor. Acer Glen, at your service."

I smiled. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"You're here for the passage, I suppose?" He asked, turning back to Aiden, who nodded in reply. "This way, please." As he turned to show us, I heard sounds of shouting from outside, mingled with a child's cries.

I turned. Through the door, I could just make out a small elf, a few Guards chasing him.

I went instinctively, running out the door. I heard Aiden and Acer shouting after me, but I didn't listen. Someone was in trouble, and if there was one thing I'd learnt from all my time at the palace, it was that I would never leave an elf in trouble.

A small boy raced past me, clutching something in his hand. Guards were chasing him, spears held out. "Stop!" I shouted.

Everything stopped.

The boy froze, the guards froze, and the people who had been running to get home, like their lives depended on it now, froze where they were. "What's happening?" I said.

"Who are you?" One of the guards called. I felt my heart thumping wildly under my cloak. Aiden and Acer stood at the door of the shop, unable to do anything.

Too late to back out now.

"What's going on?" I repeated.

"He stole bread! Thieving isn't tolerated here!" Another guard yelled.

I looked back at the boy. He looked no more than six. He was trembling painfully, clutching a small loaf of bread behind his back. He was alarmingly thin and obviously hadn't eaten for days.

Just like me.

"I'll pay for him!" I called, with a quick glance at Acer.

He went into his shop and came out quickly with a handful of coins. He scrambled up to me and shoved them in my hand, retreating to the door of his shop again. I held them out to the guards.

"You can't do that, miss. He must pay. And he'll pay well." A third guard said, glaring at the poor boy.

"I'm paying for him, so let him go!" I cried. The boy's lips had begun trembling. I could see how afraid he was.

"Why do you care anyway? Get out of the way or you'll be arrested for aiding a thief." Another warned.

"If I'm paying for him, he isn't a thief!" 

The elves along the walls mumbled things I couldn't make out, but I doubted they were on the guards' side.

The guard in front shouted, "Then we have no choice! You'll be arrested as well!" He thrust out his hands, and a wall of rock rose and raced towards me. The cries from the villagers distracted me, and as the wall was about to collapse on me, it was shattered by a gust of air.

I looked beside me to see Aiden, his eyes lightening to dark green, his hair losing its curliness, his hands held out.

"Rebels," the guard hissed.

I froze.

Aiden, however, had no such hesitation. He grabbed me and bolted.

Before the guards knew what was happening, he had pulled me inside the shop, hastily followed by Acer, who locked the door.

We ran to the back of the shop, and I glanced back once, seeing through the door that the boy was fine. He'd been pulled aside by some adult elves, those lining the walls, and the guards were attempting to break down the door.

The shop shook with the force of their attempts.

Acer pulled aside a shelf, revealing a passage in the wall. "Go!"

I spun around and grabbed his hand. "What about you?"

He smiled. "Don't worry about me. I am glad, Princess, that I could serve you. Whatever happens, don't let my efforts go to waste."

I realized what he meant just as Aiden pushed me inside the hole. "No!" I cried. Aiden put a hand over my mouth, shushing me.

He raised his other hand, and rock slammed up in front of the passage, blocking the guards. Slowly, he let go of me. And it was dark again.

"Elvina, we have to go!" Aiden cried.

I was beginning to shake. "How can you leave him? He'll be killed!" I cried.

"We'll be killed if we don't leave!" Aiden pressed. When I didn't respond, he said, "You can't help him! You heard what he said! Don't let his sacrifice go to waste!"

I glanced up at him. His face was earnest, and sweet, and sorrowful. I knew he felt just as bad about this, but he had his priorities straight. I gave a tremulous nod. He sighed, face relieved, and pulled me forward.

I tried not to think about Acer, but honestly, he was all I could think about. He'd helped us so much and we'd left him. We'd just left him to die.

We walked on for a very long time, in utter silence. I held on to his hand the entire time, needing the comfort of another elf.

Finally, Aiden stopped. "Don't make any noises now, we're coming to the territory guard." I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me, and squeezed his hand.

"Okay," I whispered.

We crept on silently, even more so than before. I stepped carefully, trying not to knock over any rocks and such.

We were deep underground, because the tunnel had sloped downwards some time ago, so I didn't see how anyone could hear us. But if Aiden thought it wise to be cautious, I would be cautious.

Finally, after another very long time, fatigue overcame me. Aiden was tired, too. I could sense it. His legs had slowed, and his breathing was labored. "Can we stop?" I suggested quietly.

He shifted, like he was considering it. "Yes," he said finally, "Not for too long, though."

We sat down side by side, leaning on the wall. I let a few tears slip as I thought about Acer. The grief and guilt I'd bottled up the whole time threatened to spill out.

Perhaps Aiden felt me shaking, or perhaps he just knew I'd need it, but he slipped his arm around my shoulders and murmured, "It's okay. Acer knew what he was doing. It wasn't your fault, Elvina. He chose this."

His arm tightened, and I leaned into him, needing the comfort.

The long day had taken its toll on my body, and, with Aiden holding me protectively, I fell asleep.

Another chapter over 2000 words! A bit of a filler though, sorry! Don't forget to:

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