Finally Free!

Sarcoline

Soon, we all meet nearby the river where Duke Wolf and Duchess Lotus are waiting.

"Today," Duke Wolf says kindly, "we will split you into groups and let you work on making a boat to cross the river with. How you place counts in points and in your actual position. If you use your boat to cross and if you succeed in having an intact boat then more points are awarded. If everyone is not wet, more points. If everyone is safely across, more points. Do that and you will win. There will be a winner by points and by arrival." Duchess Lotus just smiles and everyone gets to work.

Days go by, my team finishes their boat as do the others.

On the other side of the river, there are people waiting.

Group one consists of Duke Wolf, Princess Magnolia, King Peony, Count Chester and Duchess Lotus. They set their boat as they are ready to go.

Group two has Duke Lantana, Viscountess, Baron of Aureolin, Prince Aster and Duchess Nerola. They have their boat sitting nearby as everyone gets their boats ready to start the race to the other side.

Group three has me, Baroness, Countess, Count, Prince Radley and King Cosmos. We have our boat surrounded from the eyes of others. Some of those in the towns nearby have come to watch.

Group four consists of Marchioness, Duke Citrus, Baroness of Aureolin, Viscount Amell and Duchess Gula.

Lastly, group five having Queen Rose, Lord Rome, Marquess, Viscount and Baron Tobin.

The race begins as the waters rage on and everyone fights to be first.

Some almost fall overboard but we grab ahold of them and as the boat hits into rocks, we check for damage that can be fixed as we go along the way. Thankfully, our boat is strong and no damage comes of it. We make it across and no one is wet, but I notice group one has already arrived and I sigh.

Once everyone is across, except group five, we make our way back across after the scores have been tallied.

A man comes forward and announces, "Group 1 is first. Group 3 is second. Group 2 is third. Group 5 is fourth and Group 4 did not make it across. In points, Group 3 has 5,300 points. Group 1 has 4,500 points. Group 2 has 3,000 points and Group 5 has 2,600 points while Group 4 has 0 points."

Duke Wolf comes forward and says, "Group 1 and Group 3 are the winners."

As I look around, I see that Duke Wolf is wet as is his wife and my father. My whole team is not wet and the boat is still unbroken.

Duchess Nerola is grumbling about her skin being wet with dirty water as she looks at the almost broken boat.

Some crossed without a boat at all but only a few of them so they lost points due to that but, surprisingly, no one is wet from among them.

As the day comes to a close, the maids start packing and I look at them as I wonder about their thoughts. Kris watches me as I sit in silence.

"We are done packing, Your Highness," one of the maids says and I nod. "Thank you,"I say with a smile and they smile then leave.

Kris looks at me, "Are you sad to be leaving?" I nod, "There are some things you just don't learn while sitting in a castle studying for a future that...it just does not seem that people in power care a whole lot about those...who have none as long as their own are safe." He sighs and nods, "It seems that way but sometimes people are trying to fight something that they cannot succeed against." I nod slowly, "Not even the King could save his own daughter or find me but King Cosmos found me so what does he know that we don't."

Knock Knock

Kris gets up and opens the door. I notice Prince Radley and I let him come in.

The door remains open and Kris is nearby as well as the guards.