Where are they going?

Is that Princess Opal? We haven't seen her in years!

I think they are heading to the Dalton house.

I heard that the princesses are going to Ustrah!

The capital was different. Instead of the cold, harsh battlegrounds Altacia's  capital, Danil, was famous for, it was bright and sunny. The last time I had left the castle, I had been around five. Now, though, I was nineteen, and things had drastically changed. Looking around, the people seemed more healthy and if they had been flowers, they would have been in full bloom.

What had happened?!

 But, it didn't matter. Valencia had wanted to visit someone before setting out. Usually, he came to the castle. Today, though, it made no sense for him to ride an hour to the castle, just to say hello to Valencia and me. 

Finally, our large group arrived at the Dalton household. 

Inside the house was a family of three. Myron Dalton, who was a painter; Emilyn Dalton, a gardener; and Ariyan Dalton, who was an esteemed messenger and politician for the crown, at only twenty two. 

Not only was the family well-known throughout the capital, but they were a part of the royal family.

Yes, Emilyn Dalton was really, Princess Emilyn of Altacia and Beosk, and Ariyan Dalton is really Prince Ariyan of Altacia and Beosk. 

Aunt Emilyn used to be the favorite child, when King Reece and Queen Talia were still on the throne, but when my mother gained her new powers, Aunt Emilyn willingly gave up the throne, and moved to Danil where a painter found her and took her in. After a few years, they got married and had a child. 

But, my mother held no grudges against the family at all, even though the late king and queen had obviously favored Emilyn. In fact, she adored Ariyan, and had made him the crown prince for a few years before Valencia was born. 

When we arrived, Ariyan was already waiting for us. Because he carried messages and dealt with small political deals, he often traveled a lot. So, we figured that it would be a good idea to leave him in Danil to rest and stay with his family.

"Ariyan, we are heading to Ustrah." Valencia hopped off her horse and went to hug Ariyan.

"Cousin, why do you have your horse and sack with you? Mother told you to stay home!" I looked at Ariyan and his face held a guilty expression.

"My mother tells me not to listen to the queen. She told me that it would be much easier and faster for me to come with you, and I could tell you when to stop and when not to." Ariyan looked at me pleadingly, knowing that Valencia already wanted him to come.

"Bu-But what about your job?" I averted my eyes, his were just so sad and heartbroken.

"Pleeeeeease Opal. Pleeeeeeeeeeese." Ariyan sank to his knees. For a grown man, he was acting pretty childish.

"Alright, alright. But, if mother gets mad at you, we had nothing to do with it, okay?" I gave in, allowing him to ride on my left side, since Valencia was on my right.

"Where is Aunt Emilyn and Uncle Myron? I wanted to say goodbye to them before we left." I looked around the garden, hoping Emilyn was there.

"They left to organize a coming of age party... They said to say hello for them." Ariyan grabbed his bags, put them in the carriage with the rest of the luggage, and hopped on his horse.

"We ready to go?" I asked.

After a chorus of yeses and readys, I sighed.

"Yay. Now, we only have forty-five days left of travel ahead of us." Valencia sighed and looked mournfully down at her lap. "My poor derriere..." 

And with that, we galloped off to Beosk's capital, Caltair. Only a three week trip south. Once we arrived at Caltair, we would regroup, then head off to Beosk's port city, Allendale, which was around a week of travel. After that, one week and a half overseas to Ustrah, and finally, three more days to Ustrah's capital, Leons. We were basically traveling in a big L, except it was turned around the opposite way, like this, _I, and the bottom of the L was curved. 

We would not stop at any inns along the way, since we had brought tents and temporary housing units that could be taken down in a few minutes.

Since leaving the castle, our group had grown from Oliver, Abby, thirty soldiers, five maids, Ainsley and Jolene and three scouts, to also Ariyan and Sir Axel, who was  riding to the left of Ariyan. Compared to other less important journeys, this group was small and would not take that long to travel to Ustrah.

I was super happy that I would be able to see part of our land, and that I would able to go to Ustrah, which was as mysterious as the Land of the Gods, or Insmil. Everything I had ever needed had been in the castle, but you can only wish for something if you know what it is. I

 had never been given the chance to want for anything, but now I knew something that I wanted desperately. I wanted new friends. I wanted someone that I could talk to without them running away as soon as they saw me. And what would be even better, is if I had someone to love and cherish me.

                              .          .         .

I hoped that I could see something new. But, I was too young and naive to understand the dangers of the outside world, beyond the castle walls. 

When you have never fallen in love before, and crave that adoration they would give you, you fall far too easily, and you open your heart even faster.

My sister had it worse. She had to go through heartbreak, only to fall in love right after. I, however learned through deception and vulnerability, and I thank the gods everyday for that; that I was born with the ability to see past peoples lies, and to be able to hunt and take my revenge.

Valencia, was limited to abilities that would almost always hurt her more than help her, at least until she learned the hard way, to always guard her heart.

Valencia and I would have avoided so much heartbreak, had we just remembered what our mother had told us every day since the day we entered this earth.

Act nice and angelic, and they will think you that.

Act hard and cold, and they will think you that, too.

But never act vulnerable and lovestruck, for they will think you less than what you are.

Never act less than what you are, only change their perception of what they think you can do.