What a sight we must have been, marching out of the city with several royal guards on either side of the carriage. I peered out of the window and watched the houses drift past, with several people standing outside to watch us pass.
The cheer swept us on until we reached the gates of the city, where the din slowly died down and the drawbridge was lowered slowly. There was a slow sense of dread which settled over me as I heard the creaking of the wood, and I knew what lay ahead. Only after I drew in a very deep breath was I able to steady myself.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Abigail muttered beside me, her head poked out of the window as she stared back at the palace. I hadn’t even looked back, because I chose to look forward instead.
“I suppose it is,” I replied, barely registering wha
