Chasing Legends

Crashing Down

Chapter 1

Ambrelle fretted over her new dress. The servants were trying to put everything in place. Her mother had come up to give it to her to be introduced to her betrothed. She smiled as she thought of marrying the prince. She had never seen him in person before.

"Milady, we are almost done. We ask you to sit so we can do your hair," Caren said.

Caren bent down to braid the teenager's hair. She spun the braid in to an up-do and finished the masterpiece with a red ornament to help contrast the noble girl's onyx hair. Ambrelle stood up and observed herself in the full body mirror. Caren smiled, "What a beautiful, young lady you've become, Lady Ambrelle."

"She might've changed on the outside, but on the inside she's still a brat," Val had appeared in the doorway.

Ambrelle put her hands on her hips, "Guards are supposed to guard, not talk, Officer Val."

Val smirked, "As your personal guard, I have more liberties than the normal guard."

Ambrelle rolled her eyes. Any other guard would have been thrown out for such talk, but Val had somehow made it this far. Ambrelle pulled Val's helmet to cover her eyes, "Hey!"

Val snagged Ambrelle's belt to her dress.

"Stop that right now," yelled Caren, "Really? You're about to meet the prince, your fiancé I might add. I will not have my reputation ruined as head servant because you two are horse playing!"

Ambrelle rolled her eyes, "Yes, Ma'am."

At the mention of the prince, her stomach was filled with butterflies. She was so nervous. What was he like? Was he cute? Kind? Strong? She shook her head. She still had time before meeting him, she decided to go to the library to calm her nerves.

Ambrelle stuck one foot out of her door and Val was on her, "Lady Ambrelle, Where do you think you're going?"

"To the library."

'Without an escort?"

"It's the castle of the royal family, I'm sure it's safe enough!"

"You can never be sure, I'm coming with you," Val insisted.

"Fine, do whatever you want!"

She huffed as the overcautious guard followed her. She and Val walked down the hall.

"Have you thought about what the prince will be like," Val asked.

"Of course, I have and I've heard a lot of rumors," Ambrelle sighed.

Val smirked, "I could tell him about the time we snuck into the kitchen and ate all the desserts for the guest on the eve of your eighth birthday."

Ambrelle gasped in mock surprise, "You wouldn't."

Val rolled her eyes, "You're not an easy one to get riled up, Am. Connor would have fought with me."

Ambrelle laughed, "How are you and that boyfriend of yours?
Val smiled, "Couldn't be happier. We have the same breaks and shifts so we can hang out and stuff," Val's smiled faded, "There are some rumors flying around that he's a mage."

Ambrelle frowned, "What's wrong with that?"

They had arrived at the library. Ambrelle picked up a book on the history of Jikoku, "It was a mage that saved this kingdom in the days of old."