Prologue
“Ashton, hurry we don’t have much time, they’re gaining on us!”
“Run Adelaide, run!” Two young adults’ outfitted head-to-toe black Kevlar suits bolted through the dark damp forest, darting and dodging trees as they ran away from the roaring light of the humongous fire behind them. The only light through the dark was the reflections of the moon and firelight flashing off their blonde hair.
“Arrgh!” The woman – Adelaide is her name- groaned in pain. “My hair is caught! Give me a second Ash!” The man -Ashton- stops and nervously bounces from one foot to another the wooden baskets, one his own and one Adelaide’s, swinging left to right in time with his anxious fidgeting.
“Addie, hurry!” Ashton presses; finally, Adelaide releases her hair from the snarly branch. She turns to face Ashton and her eyes well with tears.
“Ash you know what we have to do. We both do.” A single tear runs down her cheek as her voice breaks.
“I do, Addie, I do.” Ash passes her the birchbark basket, then grabs her hand. “I love you.” He leans in close and kisses her with a ferocity that stuns her. He bends down and kisses the baby in the basket. “Goodbye, my fiery princess. Goodbye, my lovely bird.” He smiles at her. Adelaide bends down and kisses the baby in his basket.
“Goodbye, my fiery prince. Goodbye, my love.” She steps back from Ashton, the tears flowing freely now. She runs from Ashton. As if she knew that if she lingered any longer, she wouldn’t be able to leave. Ashton runs the other way. Tears were in his eyes as well.
About five minutes later, a contingent of men in black uniforms and chain mail burst into the woods. The flaming sigil on their chests marked them as royal guards. Their shouts could be heard the whole night and well into the next week as guards all over the country searched for the missing, or murdered, the royal family. The echoes around the country were heard by all.
“YOUR HIGHNESS’ COME BACK!!!”
Sixteen years later…
