Rebirth Of The Fallen Princess

Everyone thought that we killed the king. We didn't. But I would lose my head for it, nonetheless.   Mother, Father, and my dearest brother, Kaius,   I hope this letter finds far better company than mine. And with far better fortune. I cannot run; I will not run. His Highness will not stop until someone has paid the price for His Majesty's death. If that price is my head, then I will gladly pay it. Perhaps we can end this civil strife. Remain where you are until you hear word of my death. House Rhosyn cannot fall.   -A   With a hefty sigh, I laid down my quill. Wet ink dripped from the tip and wet the desktop. It was barely visible in the waning light. The sun had begun its descent some time ago, and now it barely peeked over the treetops. Hours had passed since I began drafting this message. Short, sweet, and simple, there was hardly anything of great importance within it. But goodbyes should hardly be easy. Especially one such as this.   My gaze caught on the torchlight snaking through the estate as the crown prince's army neared. Their light had only been visible for half an hour, tearing through the darkening yard the moment they emerged from the forest. But I had known the moment they had stepped foot onto my land. Only the most ignorant would have not been aware of their presence. After all, the sound of thousands of soldiers nearing was quite distinctive in the otherwise silent manor. And there, leading them all, was my husband.   A raven's cry returned my attention to the task at hand. Although it had taken far longer than I first anticipated, I'd finally been able to put to words my final goodbye to my family. Unlike me, they had the sense to flee the estate. It was a three day ride to the northern border, and no one would dare to follow them over it. Nothing lay across the border except for the Waste, an aptly named wasteland of eternal winter. Few dared to enter, and even fewer survived to tell the tale. However, I hoped that my family could survive. No. They would survive.   I pushed open my window, and a raven hopped through. It perched on the edge of my desk, tilting its head at me. My fingers gently caressed its head. Ravens had always adored my family. This was just one of many who inhabited the forest surrounding the estate. They were messengers. Over the years, there even came to be legends that we could shift into them. But that was nonsense, magic straight out of a children's story. Our companionship with them was strictly that: companionship. Still, even I was taken aback by how well trained they were.   This raven has most likely been sent to me by my father. If I knew him as well as I thought that I did, my lack of response to his last letter was less than ideal. But how else could I respond to a letter inquiring about my journey when I had no intentions of leaving the estate? I had my response now. I had my goodbye.   Now that the sun had dipped below the horizon, the sky had turned almost black. Speckles of stars dotted the sky, offering little light. The raven could use the cover of darkness to escape unnoticed. It could return to my father with ease, so long as it didn't get caught here. Because anyone who would shoot down a raven was marching towards me.   Fastening a piece of twine around my note, I offered it to the raven. It let out a cry, wrapping its talons around the small piece of paper. With a strong push of its wings, the bird took flight and disappeared swiftly into the darkened sky. I waited. There were no shouts from the approaching army. Only the clinks of steel against stone as they marched up the path towards the estate. The raven had escaped them. Father would receive my letter soon. But by then it would be far too late to stop me.   I didn't make this decision lightly. Death followed my family wherever we went, that was true enough. But that didn't mean that I was immune to the fear that gripped my heart. It was only natural; most people feared death. And I certainly was not an exception. Though, I doubted that anyone would believe me. Not with my lineage.   House Rhosyn. The sole ducal house of the kingdom, and executioners for the royal family. It was a name that struck fear in the hearts of most. We walked hand in hand with death on a daily basis, yet we didn't utter a word of it. Call it superstition or taboo, its name wasn't the point. My father taught me as his mother had taught him: Death would not be a welcome guest in our house so long as we did not invite him in. Regardless of what anyone else had to say about us, we took this lesson seriously. Yet, death had come for me, nonetheless.   The thundering footsteps tore me from my thoughts. They had arrived. His Highness' royal army. I rose from my seat, patting down the skirts of an old dress I'd found in the back of my wardrobe. There would be no more running, no more decisions to be made. Fear of death or no, my time had finally run out. All I could do was face my end with dignity befitting a lady of the ducal House Rhosyn. The dignity of a princess. I refused to run with my tail between my legs like a coward in the face of my own mistakes. Because guilty or no, the war that tore the country in two was in no small part my fault. It only seemed fitting to take responsibility and fix it.   As soon as I stepped outside my room, the reality of the situation hit me. This would very well be the last time I stood within these halls, the last time I would speak to my family. This was truly the end. And while fear shot through my trembling hands, an almost ethereal peace draped over me. Twenty-five years was nothing in the long run, but for someone like me, it was a blessing to have lived that long. The last ten years of my life had been a seemingly endless stream of violence and death. It was only fitting that my life should end the same way.   My gaze swept across the barren halls as I made my way through the manor. Several weeks had passed since the last of the staff had left, and the interior certainly reflected that. Cobwebs crossed from corner to corner, decorating the halls with intricate designs that grew with each passing day. I couldn't imagine the manor being in this state if my parents were still here. Though, circumstances certainly would be far different if they were. This would not be a negotiation of surrender, but rather a battle.   I ran my fingertips over the banister, dragging away a layer of dust as I descended the stairs. My eyes were drawn to a large portrait that hung upon the wall. There were four of us: my mother, my father, my elder brother, and me. That particular portrait was from when I was still a child. The artist had been a citizen of our fief – who else would have the courage to venture into the belly of the beast? – and had been sent to study in the far east after finishing this portrait. It was one of the few times I heard Father praise anyone. And as I stared at the wisps of silky, white hair coming off of my painted self, I could understand why. They seemed to be coming off the canvas.   Fifteen years spent within these walls came flooding back to me. This was where I first learned to walk, where I'd first learned to wield a sword. Before my fifteenth birthday, this estate was all I ever knew. Though my childhood was far from orthodox by Etherean standards, I treasured every moment. Life got considerably more complicated once I had left.   My heels clicked noisily against the floor as I approached the front door. The sound echoed through the empty mansion, nearly drowning out the resentful shouts from outside. Nearly. Their curses and insults rang loud and clear in my ears. Words I had grown accustomed to hearing murmured behind closed doors, but never expected to hear so vocally. And with them were calls for my head.   Placing a hand on the door, I hesitated. Every noble house in Etherea had sent their sons and armies to pursue my family. They stood outside, ready to break down the door if the need arose. Perhaps it would have been smarter to have met them outside. At least then I would have been able to see them. Shaking my head, I sighed. Either way, it was too late to regret my decisions. Instead, I held my head high and pushed open the front door.   Torchlight bathed the entrance, and I straightened my back to face the army before me. Thousands of men and women glared back at me, each one tensed as I stepped forward. Hands hovered over weapons as their eyes scanned me for any sign of threat. But they would find none. Because I wasn't here to fight them.   Standing there at the front of them all was my husband. The crown prince of Etherea was dressed as he always had been in a tunic lined in gold and trousers that were almost always just an inch shorter than he needed. His icy blue eyes seemed to glow in the light, further illuminating the deep frown he pointed at me. That expression at least hadn't changed over the last decade. It felt that ever since the day we met the prince had regarded me with nothing less than contempt. There was no love in our relationship, but there didn't need to be. Our union was strictly business, one that he was less inclined to be a part of.   I lowered myself into a graceful curtsy and addressed the prince without wavering. "Greetings, Your Highness. Allow me to welcome you to Raven's Wood. Please accept my most sincere apologies for such an improper and lackluster greeting. In truth, I am the only one who remains within these walls and, as you can see, the estate has fallen into disrepair under my care. It would be most appreciated should you overlook this, Prince Cade."   "What game do you think that you are playing?" Prince Cade demanded. He gritted his teeth and placed a hand upon the pommel of his sword as if to remind me of its presence. "Just how much of a fool do you take me for? A noblewoman of your standing would never be left alone. Did you think for even a moment that I would take your word for it?"   Fixing the prince with a look of equal annoyance, I replied, "If you do not believe me, feel free to search the grounds to your heart's content. I have nothing to hide from you or those cowering behind you."   The soldier bristled, one even taking a step forward as though he would cut me down where I stood. Yet, as the prince raised a hand, the man stopped. Glaring, he swallowed his rage and stepped back into the crowd. Prince Cade studied me for a moment. His ever-present frown grew deeper. No doubt he was debating how to handle me. I pressed on before he could reply.   "You will find that the manor is empty, as I have said. But in the meantime, I would like to discuss the terms to end this in a peaceful manner. If that is alright with Your Highness?"   He glowered at that. I had to admit that I was being a bit suspicious. After all, the whole kingdom was under the impression that I was a treasonous murderer. It would be rather suspicious that I had not fled the country long ago. But life on the run, constantly looking over my shoulder, wasn't what I wanted. Not for me, and not for my family. And I was almost certain that my husband would gladly allow me to take responsibility. I just needed to convince him that my life would be the one appeasement he needed.   Holding my gaze, Prince Cade motioned for two of the closest knights to enter the mansion. They both had the crest of House Etherean emblazoned on their chests, twin stags entwined with grape vines. Members of the Etherean royal army rather than a noble house. One man and one woman. Without waiting for a verbal command, the two stepped forward. They pushed past me, purposefully brushing their shoulders past mine. I didn't say a word. Let them treat me like I was no better than a common criminal. Everything was as I claimed.   The staff had been dismissed weeks ago. Father refused to implicate anyone else in our supposed crimes. I, for one, agreed. Many of the servants had either been brought in by my father or had served our family for generations. For them to suffer strictly because of association would be far more unjust than our execution for a crime we didn't commit. However, some had refused to abandon us. My heart ached as my memory flashed back to my own personal maid who had given her life in order to allow my father and I to escape the palace. Her sacrifice was just another reason I had decided to end this conflict now. I couldn't allow the prince to spill the blood of any more innocents.   My husband brushed past me, not denying my request for an audience. That was something, at least. Perhaps the ghost of a reasonable man did remain within him. I had yet to meet that side of him.   Turning, I fell into step behind the prince. I was acutely aware of the two knights that followed me, though they tried to keep their footsteps silent against the stone floor. They were far too tense for that. Even with my back to them, I could picture how they must have looked. Hands resting upon the pommels of their swords, ready to pounce if I so much as sniffed wrong. Not that I blamed them. I was under suspicion of committing the most atrocious crime: regicide. It would be more worrisome if they were relaxed.   Good, I thought, taking note of how they watched my every movement, Cade must surround himself with more people like this if he is to survive what will come. House Rhosyn's blood oath is broken and there are no other families that would go to such lengths.   A blood oath was not to be taken lightly. It was what had bound my family to House Etherean for nearly two millennia. Nor was it so easily broken. But no one cared about the technicalities of an oath older than anyone could remember. They simply cared that an opportunity had arisen to be rid of us once and for all.   We entered one of the tearooms, and after the prince had taken his seat, he looked up at me with disdain. "I do hope that you are aware of your position, Lady Rhosyn. Under normal circumstances, you would not have been allowed this courtesy. But you seem to be forthcoming with me, so I shall extend to you the same thing."   I thanked my parents for the many skills they taught me. But in that moment, I thanked them in particular for the stone-face that they had schooled onto my face. If it had not been so repeatedly required of me, I was afraid that I would have scoffed in my husband's face. This was no courtesy. This was meant to be a humiliation.    However, I simply bowed my head as I took a seat across from him and said, "Do not worry, I have no preconceived notions of how this conversation shall go. I am not such a fool to believe that I will be allowed to leave this manor a free woman."   Prince Cade blinked, but I continued.   "You would appear less inclined to change your mind regarding my family's involvement in His Majesty's death, so I will not bother to argue the point. No use in beating a dead horse, as they say. Rather, I would like to propose a deal instead. Spare my family, and I will come with you willingly. I offer you my life in their stead."   Silence.   I folded my hands in my lap, waiting for the disbelief to vanish from my husband's face. But he wasn't the one to break the silence.   "Ha!" One of his knights scoffed in disbelief, shaking his head. It seemed he was unable to hold his tongue any long. "Will you not even try to deny that it was your doing? Are you so bold as to expect that much grace?"   My icy gaze flicked to him. I could see my face reflected back at me in his eyes. Even in my reflection, my pink eyes were striking. Just another of my features that had the people of Etherea believe that I was cursed. Or were they calling me a demon now? It mattered little to me.   "His Highness has made it quite clear that he has no intentions of believing whatever I say in regard to His Majesty's death. Why should I lower myself to beg when it would be of no benefit to me?" My glare deepened. "Do I look like a dog to you?"   I couldn't help the swell of pride that washed over me as the knight staggered back a step, his hand immediately going to the sword at his side. Regardless of my status as a traitor, my reputation precedes me. If I could intimidate the fourth son of a barony, what would I be able to do to an army filled with men just like him? Were I the treasonous wretch they thought me to be, I could watch them all burn under my feet. But we are hardly the people that society thinks us to be. And I hadn't come all this way just to lay waste to the kingdom.   The door of the tearoom was thrown open and the knights who had been tasked with searching the mansion strode in. Whatever scathing remarks the other party wished to say were cut short. One of the knights – the woman – approached the prince. Her face was marred by a harsh scowl. I busied myself with inspecting my nails as she leaned down to murmur her report. As she spoke, she cast her glare in my direction, her hazel eyes blazing with contempt. Most of her words went unheard, but I did catch one: empty.   Waving my hand flippantly, I inquired, "Will you provide me with an answer, Your Highness? As you have seen, I have not lied. I sit here offering you my life. In return, spare my family."   Prince Cade's hands clenched and unclenched, his knuckles going white as he settled on keeping them as fists. The guards at his side regarded me with pointed glares. I imagined that it seemed that I was mocking them. That I was comparing the value of my life to that of the late king's. But I wasn't. I was comparing the value of my life to that of my family's. My parents were still relatively young, and Kaius was their heir. In the grand schemes of it, my life wasn't quite as important. And to me, this interaction was simply a means to end.   "Fine. You have your deal, Lady Rhosyn." The prince stood abruptly, stomping to the door like a child. He threw one last vicious order over his shoulder. "Restrain the lady – Gerald, Lisbet – and bring her out to my horse. I will keep an eye on her until we reach the capital. She is to be executed for her crimes. But spread the word: all other members of House Rhosyn are exiled. They are not to step one foot within the borders of my kingdom."   I bowed deeply at his retreating back, murmuring my thanks. He strode out of the room without a response. It was a good thing that reasonable and likeable were two different things. Prince Cade had certainly been reasonable in accommodating my request. That didn't make him likeable.   The female knight – Lisbet, as His Highness had called her – forced my arms behind my back. She was still glowering, her brows knit together. I realized then that I recognized her. And she certainly knew me. If she hadn't, there would have been no reason behind her tightening the bonds around my wrist as tightly as she did. I didn't protest. It was uncomfortable, yes, but not unbearable. Besides, I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.   She marched me out of my home. I held my head high as we emerged into the night. The soldiers seemed to have been waiting, many still standing exactly where we had previously left them. Thousands of eyes fell on me, contempt and fear scattered amongst them. Yet, the moment they beheld the bonds that kept me incapacitated, the fear melted away into unabashed arrogance.   Dead silence turned into a cacophony so loud that I could hardly discern what each of them was saying. The individual words that I could string together led to several insults concerning me and my honor.   "The noble House Rhosyn? Do not make me laugh," one soldier snorted, smirking at me. "They have as much honor as the Mad Dog!"   I stopped in my tracks. Slowly, I turned my head to peer into the crowd. My gaze settled on the man who had been so bold as to slander my family's name to my face. His face paled as he realized that I had heard him. Just as suddenly as the noise had begun, it halted. Hands flew to swords as the soldiers closest to me fumbled for something to defend themselves with.   Under my pointed stare, the man began to sweat. His eyes were wide and unfocused, his hands trembling as he took a step back and bumped into another soldier. But something else had grabbed my attention. The crest upon his armor depicted a lion's face encircled in holly. It was the crest of House Estonia. My chest tightened. Even my aunt and cousin had turned their backs on us.   Before Lisbet could use my actions as an excuse to execute me where I stood, I continued towards the prince. In the torchlight, he resembled his father far more than his mother. His icy eyes were darkened by shadows, as was his ordinarily honey hair. Those eyes were trained on me in a deadly glare. It was a look I'd associated with him far before my family was accused of regicide. Even before this, I had been a source of contempt for him. Such was the way of our loveless marriage.   As we neared my husband, I could see the toll that these past few weeks had taken. The skin beneath his eyes was dark and he moved stiffly as he readied his horse for travel. It was obvious that he had poured all of his energy into pursuing my family. Even if the efforts had been wasted, I would not belittle him for it.   After he mounted his horse, Prince Cade grabbed hold of my arm and pulled me up beside him. My legs draped off the side of his horse and I had to lean against him to keep my balance. From the way he stiffened, I could tell he liked this even less than I did. Yet, he said nothing as his arms encircled me, and he grasped the horse's reins.   Urging his horse forward, he commented, "Enjoy the taste of the outside while you still can. When we return to the palace it will be but a few days until your head rolls."   His remarks were cruel and wholly unnecessary, but I bowed my head regardless. This much was already far more than I could have asked for. On horseback, the journey back to the capital was just over a fortnight. It would have taken far longer, but I had half expected the prince to make me walk the whole way. It seemed like just the humiliation that would satisfy his ego. But he didn't and I wasn't going to complain.   A group of knights bearing House Etherean's crest mounted their horses, leading them into a line behind the prince. We trotted past some of the others and a sour, pungent odor wafted into the air. I scrunched up my nose. Wherever that stench was coming from, I prayed that it would be as far from me as possible.   The sun had long disappeared behind the trees, and if not for the torches that the soldiers carried, we would have been covered in darkness. But I had learned long ago that the dark was nothing to be afraid of. It was what lingered in the dark that should be feared. And my parents had prepared me to handle them.   CRASH!   I glanced over Prince Cade's shoulder in the direction of the mansion. The distinguishable sound of glass breaking filled the air. And now I know why. Though the image was disappearing into the distance, I stiffened at what I saw. The soldiers that had been left behind were throwing small barrels through the windows of the manor. Some were pouring their contents around the entrance. My heart sank as the realization hit me. Now, the odor made sense.   Even before they threw the first torch, I knew what was in store for my home. Flames engulfed the property in what felt like seconds. Before long, the sight had disappeared, replaced by towering trees. But that glow was visible for miles. Everyone would know what had happened. By morning, the manor that had housed me for over half of my life would be nothing but a pile of cinders.   And with it, my freedom.