Knock knock !
"Penelope, the carriage is ready", a voice shouted from the other side of the door.
Penny sighed looking at her reflection. She had dark circles under her eyes.
It had been three days since her parents died.
The prophet refused to let her attend her parents funeral and reading.
He refused to let her see the state of her late parents bodies.
Now she has to return to the castle and deal with some pressing issues.
She walked out of her room and walked down the hall to the main door which was already opened.
The royal guard beside the door help her water her white cloak, it was a special cloak which had a crucifix symbol on the back of the cloak.... a sign of being a sage.
Her trunks were loaded at the back of the waiting carriage.
Royal guards were stationed at both sides of the carriage.
On her arrival they all bow to acknowledge the princess.
The carriage man opened the door and helped penny get in.
The carriage started moving a few seconds after.
Penny looked out outside the window, her amber eyes watched everything pass by.
The carriage travelled through villages and towns. Valeria, the beautiful land and people her parents entrusted her with.
She signed. She didn't feel very confident about leading them. The prophet once told her she had leadership qualities In her but she doubt he was right.
Leading an entire kingdom was a huge responsibility for a nineteen year old. Her thoughts drifted on and on.
Slowly the card halt at the gates of the castle.
The gates huge iron bars raised upwards as the guards stationed at the gate saw the royal carriage.
The door was opened by a royal guard this time. He lend out his hand to give support to the princess whom jumped down from the carriage completely oblivious of his stretched out hand.
The guard bowed. Penny held the front of her dress to avoid tripping while walking.
Everyone bowed as they saw the princess that's also the rumored great sage.
"Your highness," the royal army commander approached her and bowed, the troop of Soldiers that were present to welcome the princess also bowed joining their commander.
"This way", He lead her into the castle. Every maid and servant bowed as the princess walked pass them.
They reached a room with double doors. The army commander pushed the door open. It was the throne room.
They were not alone. The royal council members were present, Penelope could tell as she has seen them visit the castle when she still lives in the castle.
They all stood up and greeted the princess. The princess sat as the head of the meeting.
"As you know your highness, the attacks from the black mages are becoming intense, we barely have enough sages to stop their attacks", A council member voiced out the situation.
"What happened to the armies of sages this kingdom has?", Penny questioned.
"Most of them died, mysteriously. While few others fled without a single trace". He complained.
Penny was devastated.
Black mages, they are creatures with a complex and mysterious background. Most gain their powers through sacrifices while others were born with the curse of being a black mage.
Apart from black mages there are also a similar creature called a mage, unlike a black mage. The mage only ability is to control natural elements which is water, earth, fire and wind.
Each mage has a unique ability to control only one of the elements. A black mage has the ability to control two elements after multiple forbidden sacrifices. While sages are creatures that like living a peaceful life without being hungry to gain more power. The sages are effective to counter mages attack when sages are much in numbers.
The sages also could control only one element for a specific range of time. Making them vulnerable when they get cornered by black mages with was much harder to kill than a mage.
"The only choice and solution is to seek help from the night creatures... Darkness fighting darkness". A council member reasoned.
"How are we going to find night creatures when the land is filled with humans". Penny mumbled.
"We could seek help from the neighborhood". The most quiet member finally voiced his opinion.
The whole room suddenly turned quiet. "You mean... the Emperor", penny broke the silence.
"Your highness, the people are wary of the night creatures, they are unpredictable. The people might not accept this!", the head of the royal council cried out.
"There should be another way out of this right?". Penny asked him. The head of council lowered his gaze.
"The emperor is known to be ruthless and unforgiving". He said.
"So I have heard", Penny agreed.
"We have no other choice, make arrangements. I am visiting the central empire a week from now. The earlier the better". Penny stood up. The others stood up, hesitating, they don't want their princess to face the ruthless emperor.
**
Days passed since the princess came to the castle.
She always lock herself in her room. Mourning her parents death.
Knock knock!
"Your highness you have a letter from the great prophet". A maid said outside the door.
Penny walked to the door.
Opening it she saw a maid she has never seen before outside her door.
This wasn't the maid that has been serving her for the past days.
"I thought is was clear that only one maid is allowed to come to serve me?", She furrowed her brows.
"Am sorry your highness. I thought it was urgent and your maid was busy when the letter came in". She gave a deep bow.
Penny glanced at the letter. It laid on a silver tray the maid was holding.
She picked the letter and shut the door.
Penny strolled to her reading desk and used a letter opener to tear open the letter.
Her eyes traveled down the words. Her lips set in a thin line and she rolled her eyes.
The prophet wanted to talk to her. She reached for a red cloak and headed for the door.
She left her room and headed to the main door in the hallway.
The royal army commander sighted her from the corner of his eyes. Her features was too attractive for him not to notice her.
He left the guard he was talking to and walked to the princess.
"Your highness". He bowed.
Penny smiled slightly at him. "I am visiting the temple, prepare a carriage immediately". She ordered a guard that stood by the door. The guard left at the command.
"I would accompany your highness",The army commander said. He turned to give further instruction to another guard but penny stood him before he could send the guard away.
"No, we both know the temple is the safest place in this kingdom as it drives away evil creatures". She smiled softly.
He nodded knowingly.
A pale wooden carriage was pulled over at the entrance. As per her request, she wants a carriage that would attract less attention from the people.
The commander insisted the princess to go with two guards as if felt uneasy with the sudden request to visit the temple.
The princess nodded when she saw that the army commander wouldn't let her leave without taking the guards with her.
She entered the carriage shortly after the two guards joined the carriage man at the front.
The army commander watched as the carriage disappeared into the forest.