Four years ago…

The first war with Navinor was in its second ear already. Ren was 16 and already showed incredible prowess as a fighter. Illian was away fighting. Kathryn's father was away directing strategies, and her mother was managing the castle. 

Ren and Kathryn were in the library, where she was trying to help him improve his reading. Ren complained, "I don’t see why I gotta slog through these.”

Kathryn tapped him on the forehead with the book. "A blade isn’t your only weapon. You could get good at strategy too; only you're too lazy."

"Why should I learn to read these boring strategy books?" Ren asked impatiently. "I've got enough to deal with keeping you out of trouble." 

"Don't you want to be cleverer than other people?" Kathryn countered. 

He considered the question. "Nope," he said. “I’ll leave that to you, Princess Pout.”

Before Kathryn could respond, they heard shouts and a terrible commotion. A guard burst inside. Ren jumped up from where he was lounging on the couch and snatched up his sword. "What's happening?" he demanded sharply.

The guard cried, "Vipers, General! Get the princess-" A sword blade appeared out of his chest. He slumped to the floor. 

Ren shouted, "Get behind me, princess!" as all of the windows in the rooms shattered and half a dozen Vipers began clambering inside. 

Kathryn instantly threw the heavy book she was holding at one of them, temporarily checking his advance. Ren ducked under a dagger, kicked one of his opponents with a powerful blow that sent him flying, and stabbed a second man through the chest. 

He had to draw his own dagger to block a third attacker that struck at him before he had time to pull his sword free. "Ren, get us out of here!" Kathryn shouted. As he glanced in her direction, he realized she was holding one of the kerosene lamps. 

As she threw it, Ren grabbed her and shielded her while hacking desperately at another Viper. The lamp shattered against one of the assassins and his wails resounded while smoke began to fill the air. Ren managed to push his way out into the hall, only to be blocked by three more Vipers.

But he was momentarily distracted by something else. Behind the Vipers, another man with a mask and hood simply stood watching, holding in his hand a familiar fire opal. It was the gem that had once adorned the queen's scepter, and Ren felt his heart thud in his chest as he realized its presence here could only mean she was seriously injured or dead. 

Memories flashed before Ren's eyes. He could hear her kind voice saying, "Consider us your new family, my child," and feel the warm hand against his cheek. 

Ren let out a roar of rage. He slashed the throat of one of the Vipers, sidestepped the flashing blade of a poisoned dagger, and thrust the hilt of his sword into the stomach of another. His left hand drove the dagger home in the third man's chest, and then he pushed forward to engage with the man behind them who was holding the opal. Instinct told him this Viper was their leader.

However, this man was much more skilful than the others. He easily blocked Ren's sword strikes with one hand while putting the opal away in his robe. Then he hit back. 

The overhead strike was stronger than any Ren had experienced in his life, even from Brenin. It crashed down on his sword with the force of a boulder, driving him to his knees. 

Behind him, Kathryn snatched off her jeweled bracelet and flung it at the assailant with all her strength. It hit him in the face, drawing blood over his right eye. He winced, but didn't miss a beat as he raised his sword for a final killing strike. 

Ren threw up his sword again, supporting it with the dagger. But at the last second, the masked man changed the direction of his sword. 

Side strike! Ren barely managed to block it, and it numbed his arm all the way up to the elbow with the force behind it. Then in his peripheral vision he saw another hooded figure approaching Kathryn. With his free hand, he threw the dagger at the figure and caught him in the throat, killing him instantly. 

"Mistake," rumbled the leader. 

Ren saw the poisoned dagger flash towards his arm, which was locked in place to block the sword. His dagger gone, he couldn’t block it. 

So instead, Ren disengaged, flipping backwards onto his hands and dropping the sword so he could kick the man in the gut with both feet. The Viper staggered back with a grunt. 

Then Brenin was there, interposing himself between his young charge and the assassin. His sword flashed blindingly fast as he thrust it towards the Viper's chest. The man blocked it and actually shoved Brenin a step back!

Seeing his mentor pushed back awakened a sudden fear in the boy such as he had never experienced. "Old man!" Ren panted.

"Take the princess and go, boy! Get out of here!" Brenin shouted as he struggled with the man. 

Ren bit his lip. “I’ll come back for you!” he yelled over his shoulder as he grabbed Kathryn's hand and dragged her down the hall. Everywhere, guards and Vipers lay in pools of blood. Kathryn's eyes widened as she saw one of her young maids also lying dead. 

The young people burst into the throne room, which should have been the best-protected room in the palace. But then suddenly Ren stopped short and put his hand over Kathryn’s eyes. "Don't look," he said. 

Kathryn felt like her heart froze at the words. She ducked away from his hand and then stood still, staring at the decapitated body of her mother. 

Later, they heard that the Viper Massacre had killed 17 guards, 4 servants, and the queen. The man with the fire opal got away, wounding Brenin in the process. That was the result of a coordinated attack by 30 trained assassins who would later call themselves the "Protectors."

Present day…

Gradually, Kathryn pulled herself back to the present, suppressing the memories as well as she could. She pushed away from Ren with trembling hands, ashamed of her outburst. He gave her a handkerchief. She dried her eyes and blew her nose. 

He started to say, “Kat…” 

"I didn't mean to," she said in a low voice. "Let's forget about it." 

"Huh? What do you mean forget?" Ren snapped. 

"I mean you can go. I'm all right." 

"Like blazes you are!" 

"I am fine," she said firmly. 

"They did this on purpose just to mess with your head. You gonna just put up with that? You don't belong here, Kat," Ren retorted. 

"Enough. I already made my decision. A paltry gesture like this isn't going to change anything." Kathryn had completely regained her composure, though her red eyes and nose still showed her brief moment of weakness.

Ren didn't say anything. He was afraid of what might come out if he tried. So he only bowed and left her there. 

Kathryn sat at her vanity and looked at herself in the mirror. "Why did I do that?" she wondered. She had known her whole life that these were the people who took her mother away. It no longer mattered. “The past is the past, and the present is what matters.” 

She studied her reflection for a moment and tried to smile. She hoped the redness would fade quickly. She couldn’t have anyone seeing it during the welcoming party that night. She had to become a queen. No matter the cost to her own feelings, she had to become a queen that could lead her people to the peace her mother had wanted so desperately. 

As Ren headed back to his quarters, he ran into Prince Lorrin. The prince smirked when he saw Ren’s frustrated face. “Did you happen to see my gift, General?” he sneered. 

Ren turned apple-red and his fists clenched. His eyes burned as he glared directly into the prince’s smug face. He seriously considered punching Lorrin in the nose. But that might cause problems for Kathryn. “So that was your doing. I thought so,” he said tersely. 

“Yes, of course it was mine. I wanted my bride-to-be to have a proper welcome, after all. But it seems I’ve caused offense somehow. I shall have to apologize to my beloved and comfort her.” Lorrin cocked his head. “Or perhaps you’d prefer to be the one comforting her. Am I right?” 

Ren burst out, “You piece of trash!” 

Lorrin started. “How dare you speak to me that way, you cur! You’re nothing but a worthless peasant,” he snarled. He drew back his hand to strike him. 

Ren felt his blood growing hot. “Hit me, and I’ll consider it a challenge to a duel,” he snapped. “Do it if you’re sure I can’t kill you in one blow.” 

Lorrin hesitated. Then he lowered his hand. “You’d risk an international incident for such a stupid thing?” 

“You bet I would. By the way, I was born a noble, not a peasant. And another thing. The princess doesn’t need your comfort or your apologies. You can’t get her down with your petty tricks. Let me give you a little advice ahead of the joyful day, ‘cause I’m just that kind of nice guy.” Ren towered over Lorrin as he spoke. “Princess Kathryn is above you. You’ll never reach half of her stature. You’re just a petty little whiner who doesn’t know how to get what you want.” Ren smirked as Lorrin glowered in fury. “But this time, you ended up with more than you can handle.” 

He turned on his heel and walked away, very proud of himself for getting the last word and for restraining his more violent tendencies. Lorrin growled a curse and turned to go, only to see Gregory watching him from the shadows not far away. The younger prince jumped in surprise. “Don’t do that!” he snarled. 

“You really are useless,” Gregory said quietly. “You’re supposed to be provoking him, and all you’re doing is getting provoked yourself.”

“Oh, shut up. This was all your idea to begin with,” Lorrin muttered as he left. 

Gregory smiled after him. “Oh well, don’t worry. You’re about to be very, very useful after all.”