The Dark Princess

Mary

 The next day was kind of depressing. I knew I had been wrong, partially. I also knew I had been right. I shouldn't have said those things, but what Brooke did and said through Milo . . . Holding a knife to his throat, making him say the things she wanted to say but couldn't. I realized that the anger that drove her to do those things had probably been festering for two days by that point, and she couldn't have vented to anyone but Milo. Plus he, being male, could not understand everything running through her head, so she probably thought it was better to keep it to herself.

Figi caught up to me in the middle of the night, and began to yell at me for antagonizing. I yelled right back, trying to hold back tears. I already knew I was partially wrong, I didn't need reminding. However, I had made my decision. My pride wouldn't allow me to turn back now. Figi understood, and besides, Brooke didn't want me there anyway.

We trudged to the village of Caenon as the sun came up, already battling the heat. The silence was oppressive, and it seemed to roar in my ears. Was I wrong not to go back?

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I was in this state of minor depression as we entered the city. I kind of just walked aimlessly, following Figi and trying to figure out in my mind whether or not I should turn back now. I no longer knew where Brooke and Milo would be, but Figi might. She would support the decision to turn back, anyway. However, before I could make up my mind, something . . . bad happened.

Since I was just following Figi, focusing mostly on my own thoughts, I didn't have time to dodge when the ball randomly came flying at my face. Apparently, some children had been playing with it and one had kicked it a little too hard. I reacted purely on instinct. The words flew out of my mouth, and suddenly, I was surrounded by a shimmering, translucent red force-field. Unfortunately, it was for nothing. The ball flew right past, not even skimming along the outside of my force-field. I had exposed my magic for nothing.

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 Everything froze. The once bustling main street was completely silent. Not a person spoke or moved. Then, all at once, everyone did.

"Get her!"

"She has magic!"

"The reward is a small chest of gold or a knighthood!"

It was just mayhem in general. There were several people pounding on my force-field at the same time, and it quickly shattered.

Figi fought like a demon, but she couldn't get anywhere close to me as I was seized by about fifty villagers at once. Fifty more surrounded them and fought off Figi. I was a little stunned that all fifty were required to overpower her.

I fought and kicked as well, but what could I do? There were at least a hundred of them, and all of them were determined to get that chest of gold. I was carried off to their prison, which, it this village, consisted of a pit, with a fence around the outside, right next to the ocean. It was all the prisoners could do to hope the tide wasn't higher than usual. That, or they would be swimming for a little while.

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I cowered in the pit. There was a little water on the floor, but it wasn't rising yet. Figi was still trying to save me, but with a hundred guards in want of money, she wasn't making any progress. She paced around the outside, trying to find a weakness in their defense. There wasn't one. They were so determined to get that money that they had quintuple-stacked men around the entire outside of the pit. There wasn't a single opening.

Apparently, Figi saw this too. She muttered something under her breath, gave one last attempt to breach the wall of money-hungry villagers, and, after failing again, turned tail and ran towards the gate we'd come in from. That's right, she abandoned me. A group of four villagers followed her at a slower pace. I wouldn't know what became of her for a very long time.

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It wasn't long before the water began to rise. I was beginning to calm down and think. It wouldn't be force that got me out of this situation, and I only knew one spell. No, I would have to use logic, trickery, and words. And what was the easiest thing to get money-hungry obsessed weirdos fighting about? That's right. Money.

"Hey!"

Only a couple of them actually responded to my shout, and that was just an uncomfortable shuffle.

"Hey! Now that you have me captured, who do you think will get the money?"

That got a bit more of a reaction. Plenty of the men glanced over their shoulders, as if hoping I had multiplied by a hundred. I hadn't. I was the only one in the pit.

"Seriously, though. There's only one small chest of gold per one magician. And when it says small, it means small. There's no way that little money will divide between a hundred men and their families."

Now they were really getting uncomfortable. There were hostile glances firing between certain individuals. I could easily pick out the rivals and the opposing groups. I started targeting the hostile parties and their rivals.

"I know! You guys look like you need it most!" I pointed at one of the groups.

Another man spoke up. The group's rival.

"No! Their families are easily the most prepared for famine! They're a bunch of hunters! And they're not afraid to take illegal game, either."

Fighting broke out between the opposing parties. I began targeting the others, and pretty soon the whole town was in uproar. I smiled and admired my work. Pretty spectacular, I thought.

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The water was up to my waist now. I kept looking for foot and handholds, but there weren't any. There was a rope ladder that they used when releasing prisoners, but it was thrown up over the top of the fence. Basically, either I was swimming when the time came and climbing the fence, super exposed to a hundred angry, money-hungry lunatics. Not exactly a good idea.

I would've flopped down, but then I would've drowned, so I just leaned against the side of the pit and prepared to tread water.

Suddenly, there was a pale green glow over everything but the pit. Everyone slowed down . . . a lot. A mysterious, cloaked person walked calmly through the slow-motion crowd to the gap in the fence. I looked up at them, trying to see behind the hood.

To be honest, I was a little scared. Who could this amazing magician be? Then, he dropped in the rope ladder.

I looked up at the magician in awe, now. Slowly, I climbed up the swaying ladder. At the top, the magician gestured for me to follow. In the background, I was faintly aware of people yelling in slow-motion.

I followed the magician without question. He'd saved me. He deserved at least a little respect and obedience.

Outside the town's walls, I tore off the hood. Underneath, there was a handsome, angled face with bright green eyes and brown hair with reddish streaks that seemed like fire in the sunlight. I couldn't help it, I let out a small gasp.

He grinned, and the smile made him even more handsome. His eyes sparkled, and I knew right then. I was a goner.

"I'm assuming you want to know my name?"

I blinked. I had been so enthralled, I had almost missed it. I nodded dumbly.

His grin widened. "Rogden. My name is Rogdan."