Crackles of the fire was sounded in the Princesses chambers. The tamed flames danced and partied with the added kindling Eva had gotten. The clear twinkling sky could be seen over the kingdom from her window, the sight was always beautiful to see from her balcony. But the Princess was quiet tonight. Her maid walked in with her brows furrowed from the Princesses out of character temperament. "You well Princess?" Eva asked, Shir looked up quietly, a somewhat blank expression on her face. The Princess was sat at her dressers desk, undressed with her court wear hung over the screen.
"I'm just thinking" Shir spoke in a soft tone, almost sounding a little down as she looked over the silver and emerald ring. Her engagement ring was beautiful, the Princess couldn't deny that many women would kill for their husbands to buy them one. But she looked at it like it was forren, something to be untrustworthy.
Her maid walked up with a sympathetic look, knowing the Princess would have difficulties in adjusting to this new element in her life. "Your ring is beautiful, you know" Eva cooed, smiling softly at Shir. "Maybe even just as beautiful as the Prince who gave it to you" Eva winked, a playful grin on her face. The Princess only scoffed and got up from that comment. She couldn't truly deny that Prince Rknom was a beautiful Prince, it's just a fact. But a hot face doesn't make for a good person, even if he does seem to have manners.
"Cocky bastered, more like" Princess Shir argued, taking out her night wear and dressing herself. The soft fabrics of the simple shirt and baggy trousers were comforting, even if it was considered un-Princess like.
The maid twisted her smile, slightly stunned from the sudden statement, though on seconed though it should have been expected. "What makes you sat that, Princess?" Eva asked softly, moving to grab a hair brush to brush through the Princesses locks. "I mean, you haven't truly get to know him, bit too soon to be making accusations like that?" She pleaded, carefully brushing out any tangles from Shir's hair.
"Fair point but we did have time to chat, to get to know eachother but!" Shir huffed, taking a breath before continuing her rant. When she raised her voice, a slight hint of a slur can be heard from her. Teaching the young maid that she was tipsy.
"The whole time, he either ignored or brushes off whatever I wanted to say! Then all he would talk about is about all of his little tales as a Knight! Then had the goul to brush off the one thing I could tell him!" Shir ranted, her tone irritated. "He brushed off my short telling of how I to defeated a troll! Talking to me like I'm some child!" She huffed, gulping down the water she had with her.
"Ok, Princess, please calm down" Eva gave a sheepish grin, gently patting her shoulder in a small attempt to calm her. "So he's a little self centered, how about you sleep of this alcohol and tomorrow we can deal with the whole Prince situation, yeah?" Her maid offered.
Shir nodded back in return, getting up and throwing herself back onto her bed. Grumbling small complaints as she carefully placed the ring on her bed side. "Would you like me to fetch a ring stand? So we won't worry about looking for it if it moves throughout the night?" Eva asked softly. The Princess only gave a drowsy thumbs up to her request. Coiling herself comfortably into her blankets for the night. A heavy sigh leaving her as she thinks back to all of the events that had happen over the past dinner alone.
Peaceful rest came to the Princess. Dreams of the woodlands and horse back riding through the old paths sent a wave of peace to her. Any thoughts of being engaged to Prince Rknom felt like a distant memory. As she rode an unfamiliar steed down towards the river, past the valley, she felt as though someone was with her. Someone who is a stranger but yet so familiar at the same time. A wave of emotions was felt, soft waves that gently washes up her bright smile and giggles as she raced down the river bank. In her dream she couldn't tell who was with her but in her heart she felt so at peace with him being there. Out riding with her.
The only detail she could get from this dream was that he was short, shorter than her at least. And that he spoke in such a calm, gently and loving voice. Within her dream this guy felt so warm but the dream felt like it faded but not quite ended. She could see the fading dream begin to ripple when she saw that the guy she was riding whilst holding blankets with mixture of purple and blue colours. Hodling a baby. The dream felt so distant but yet so real the closer they reached a cliff with a gorgeous view of the valley. Shir felt her dream feel more out of her control and more as a showing of a distant memory the closer she got. When she flopped herself to sit by the edge and peacefully watch over the valley she grew up in, a sudden, harsh grip ripped her to see the fading dream to watch in third person. Viewing herself wearing a royal cape of a Queen with the stranger wearing a King's cape.
Shir could feel her heart physically pound within her chest as she felt like she was sinking. Deep, booming voices chantted in a language so soft but yet stern. Words from a language she could not recognise and they chanted over and over, the same nine lines sounding clearer. Even if she didn't know what they ment. Hundreds, no, thousands! Thousands of voices chanted the same nine lines, the tone so cryptic and yet. They all stopped when they said the last line in unison. Dead silence entered the sinking void Shir found herself in. The only sound she could hear is her rapid heart beat and the sounds of her breaths. Quick and shallow.
It felt like an entirety when in this quiet void until a very clear and booming voice echoed within her mind. A tone impatient and demanding but yet held a hidden softness. "Find the withered Prince!" The voice demanded within her own head. Her ears rung and in the shock of hearing such a voice she jumped with a yelp. The Princess had to blink as sunlight began to creep into her chambers. Hyperventilating as she looked around and saw her empty room. She was alone and as she searched her chambers, no soul to be found. After pinching her arm to double check she wasn't still in the dream, she let out a deep and slow sigh. Her tense shoulders relaxed as she laid back.
"Just a nightmare, it was just a nightmare" Shir muttered to herself, her breathing soon settling and her rapid heart calmed. She couldn't make out much of the chanting, she had no idea on what they were saying. But the one thing that continued to ring and echo through her mind was that clear and loud voice. "Find the withered Prince", it demanded. Curling up with her blankets, Shir tried to annalise the dream as a whole.
It was so peaceful, she felt so happy and calm with whoever that guy was. That guy also held a baby, one that had two different colour's in the blankets. "Purple" Shir thought outloud, a hushed mutter, "purple is the signature colour of my kingdom". All three was also looking over the valley, on a cliff that Shir could not recognise. The Princess had been up and down that valley all her life but there were no cliffs! Any that were had long collapsed! So what the hell was this dream?
Before Shir could spiral into her own thoughts, a knock came from her door. With an irritated yawn, Shir sloppily put her ring on. The silver band felt ice cold, sending a shiver down her arm. "It's not Eva, she would have walked in" she thought. Shaking her head, the Princess moved to open the door. "It's a bit early for visitors" Shir spoke up with an annoyance but then her eyes widened to see Prince Rknom, all dressed in his kingdom's armour. An orange colour to the markings, representing his kingdom.
"Sorry to bother you so early, Princess" Prince Rknom smiled in greeting, inviting himself in. He sat down on one of the small benches she had. She mainly used them for decorating but it was amusing to see a Prinfe in full armour sit so low.
"I heard you like to hunt" Prince Rknom stated, "thought it would be nice if you could tag along with me and my men. Could be a nice way to bond, hm?" The Prince grinned, holding his arm out for her to shake.
"I usually hunt around midday" Shir sighed but then shook her head to think more clearly. She could still hear a very hushed chanting and being out on a hunt with a chatty Prince could actually help. "But fine, I'll be waiting to join you by the back gates, easiest way into the forest" she added quickly, holding the door open still. Gesturing for him to leave. Rknom chuckled then got up, making his way out.
"See you down there but" he paused, standing infront of her. Shir had to look up slightly to meet his eyes, "whoever this "whethered Prince" is, thank goodness he's not Rknom" Shir thought to herself.
"But what?" She asked, a little interesting in what he had to say.
"Well, you look like you just woke up but one of your patrols came running back to the castle last night-" Rknom explained. Shir raised an eyebrow, slight concern taking her expression.
"Where they attacked?" Was her first question, cutting him off from speaking.
"No, well yes but not by another kingdom, one had his armour half melted to his arm and they all ran back without looking back" the Prince continued to explain. "They said a monster crawled from the earth and after making the loudest screeching they've ever heard, it breathed fire on your guard. A monster that can breath fire" with that Shir's expression grew more serious.
If a monster had attacked her men, it needed to be dealt with. Something with that description could easily slaughter a village or worse! "Does my father know?" The Princess asked, her tone of that of a disaplined soldier, catching the Prince off guard. With a nod he spoke calmly.
"The patrol told King Arvin first thing last night, he had already issued for anyone entering the forest to be on high alert" Rknom repeated what was said to him, "well, we can talk about where to go once we're all ready". With that the Prince left, leaving the Princess in her chambers to get ready for the hunt.
But first her dream and now this? Something within her told her that they were related. Something, somehow that her dream and the chanting had to do with this screeching, fire breathing creature that dug its way out of the earth. Shaking her head before she could think too deeply about a dream, something that isn't even real! The Princess left her chambers, not too bothered that the guards would see her in her bed wear. She searched halls until she saw her maid making her way up the stairs holding a plate of the Princesses breakfast.
"You're up early" Eva commented with a grin once she made it to the Princesses side. Her eyes sparkled as she was impressed. Shir laughed nervously.
"Oh this is gonna sound stupid but" the Princess paused, causing her maid to look at her with a hint of concern. "Well, I had a nightmare and my chambers were too quiet" she explained, the both of them entering her chambers.
"A nightmare? But, Princess, you are not five" her maid spoke with a tilted head. Eva gently sat the breakfast plate down for the Princess to eat.
"I know, Eva, I know" Shir confessed, sitting down to enjoy the meal that was brought to her.
"Oh and get this" Shir saw her maid cock an eyebrow up, now curious since the Princess used her gossiping tone.
"Yes, Princess?" She sat infront of her, her messy bun falling back as she did.
"Prince Rknom visited" Shir explained as she took a bite out of her bacon. "Offered for me to join a hunting trip with him. Only to then think maybe it's important for me to hear about the monster that crawled out of the earth" Shir sighed, now just finding reasons to pick on him. She felt in the mood to. Her maid giggled and responded a little more fearful.
"Yes, I heard of the guards who were attacked, so please do be careful out there, Princess" Eva requested. Shir softened her expression once she finished her meal. With a nod she reassured.
"Don't worry, first sign if a monster that came from the earth and can breath fire, I'll run back for reinforcements" Shir patted her maids shoulders. "Also, could you get my armour? I am off on a hunting trip and this time of year the bears are around" the Princess asked, making to her dresser to get comfier clothes to wear under the chainmail.
With a bow, her maid left the chambers, leaving Shir to think of the dream she had last night. The baby, something about the baby caught her attention, the way it wore two different royal colours. Purple which was her kingdom's but also blue. No kingdom that Shir could think of had the colour blue.