Once upon a time, near a vast dark forest, there was a small princedom ruled from a fortressed town. It was built near an important crossroad, so its large plaza was usually busy with colourful stands owned by merchants selling exotic goods and discussing news from all around the world. However, on one cold October morning, it was suspiciously quiet with only few men carrying chests and securing them with leather stripes to a small wooden carriage. Standing in shadows, a short thin woman dressed in a long loose robe and thin veil concealing curly brown hair, watched them with sharp gaze. Although wearing only few pieces of fine gold and garnet jewellery, her pose was the one of a noble woman. Her face, impatiently overlooking the preparations, was relatively young, but serious expression made her look much older. After a while, she turned her gaze to a small stone building with a bronze cross on the top, walked towards it and carefully opened heavy wooden door. It was a simple crescentic stone room, with scarcely decorated stone altar and a gold cross at the far end, several wooden benches and a pair of small round windows to each wall. She was about to sit down, when suddenly someone jumped from a corner. It was a young boy, no more than ten years old, with short pale brown hair and vivid brown eyes.

"Mother, I hope you aren’t looking for me." he said, little ashamed.

"No, I hoped to find your sister here. Have you seen her?" she replied sharply.

"Madie is not here, I think she is with father. He wanted to talk to her in private." The boy mumbled.

“Clovis, I’ve already told you several times to address her by full name, haven’t I?” she said with ice cold voice.

Clovis opened his mouth, but instead of an answer, he just bowed his head and nodded in defeat. Woman continued with a slight smile on her face.

"Thank God Madelgard agreed, she can be so stubborn. Once it’s done, I'll rebuild this chapel and hire fine painters from Byzantium to gain prestige for our court."

At the same time, in a much larger stone building just next door, kneeled a young woman next to a wide wooden bed, talking to a lying man covered in animal pelts and fine fabric covers. The room was dark and all windows were covered with thick fabrics and only light came from few candles set next to the bed.

"My dearest daughter, I am so sorry for this. I wanted you live your life in freedom, instead you will be forced to live in a golden cage. I failed you…" the lying man whispered into the silence.

"Hush, papa, you need to rest now. Besides, you know it was also my decision." the girl replied, gently putting a wet towel to his forehead.

"No, I should've protect you and never allowed this to happen. If I was only healthy…"

"Then you would have fallen in a fight. We both know it is getting worse every day and If I can protect us, my freedom is not a big price to pay for all those lives." She replied in low voice and kissed his forehead.

"So young and already so wise." he said proudly, gently stroking her cheek. Her wide face with full lips, tiny nose, and vivid brown eyes under thick dark eyebrows was enclosed by fluffy blond hair, carefully entangled in a pair of braids. She couldn't help herself not to cry, knowing that it was the last time she spoke with her beloved father.

"There's no need for tears, Madie. Take it as an adventure you've always wished for. I know that they will take care of you on the court, there is lot to learn and see." He smiled gently.

At that moment, an older soldier with a large scar on his left cheek quietly entered the room.

"My king, my princess, I am sorry to interrupt, but it is time to go."

"Thank you, Berno. Please leave us just for a moment and tell Clothild to wait for two more minutes." he said quietly.

"Yes, my king". Berno replied, bowed and quickly left the room.

"And now for you, my beloved Madie, this is a gift I brought from one young boy years ago. He said it is an amulet from an ancient shrine of Abnoda and that it shall bring good luck to it’s owner. I don’t know If it’s true, but it’s worth a try.“ he finished quietly, breathing heavily.

Madie took a small irregularly-shaped pendant that appeared to be a part of something bigger, made of a pale-green stone which seemed to glow inside. There was a crude carving to one face, but she was not in a mood to investigate it. The pendant was simple, yet seemed very beautiful to her.

"Who is Abnoda?" she asked quietly.

"I have no idea, sweetheart, but I am sure you will find it out. He said she should make your wish come true. I’m not so sure about it, but it’s worth a try." he whispered and grinned. "Now go, your mother and brother want to say goodbye, too."

"I'm going to miss you so much…" she whispered.

"Just one thing before you go. Please promise me that you will look to the future and not live in the past. I'm sure there are beautiful things waiting for you." he whispered quietly and turned his head, breathing heavily.

"I promise." She whispered, stood up and quietly walked outside. The hallway was narrow and dark, crowded with soldiers and bodyguards. The mood was grim and Madie tried to remember the time these halls were filled with laughter and stories of victory. That’s how she wanted to remember the place she grew up in, not as a dark tomb it resembled now. An old handmaiden, waiting for her just next to her father’s chamber, quickly followed her with a cloak held in outstretched hands. Walking outside, Madie noticed the prepared carriage and couple of people standing around it. She sighted and took a thick cloak from the handmaiden and pulled it over her new purple dress, purchased from an old Byzantium merchant. She wasn’t usually interested in jewellery or nice clothes, but she loved them. The material was thin and smooth, much more comfortable than that thick and scratchy fabric she worn most of the time. Apart from the pendant she received just few moments ago, her only adornments were small gold earrings and a radiate brooch which she used to secure the cloak that didn't correspond with the fine fabric it was concealing. Her mother came closer and helped her to pin it nicely.

"So, I guess it is the highest time to go." Madie smiled nervously.

"All of us have to go through similar situation. It is the way lives of noblewomen go." Clothild replied sharply.

"I know mother. I will send a messenger once I will arrive safely. Then we can start arranging all things we discussed."

“That’s good. I was afraid this surrounding and your father will have a bad influence on your good manners, but I see that you know your responsibilities.” She replied and smoothed the cloak on her shoulders.

"Well, you were a tough teacher." Madie frowned." Hopefully you won't be so strict with Clovis."

"He was born to be a ruler one day, so I cannot be as benevolent as with you." Clothild replied and turned to her son.

"I'm not sure If benevolent is the word I would use." Madie whispered to herself and turned to her brother, standing nearby looking at the ground.

"Oh, Clov, don't be sad. You know that you will be able to visit me anytime." she said, kneeling in front of him. "Now you're going to be in charge here, so cheer up and enjoy it."

"I'm young, but not stupid. I know what's going on and why you're leaving. I just wish everything would stay the way it was when father was still healthy." he said, his gaze firmly on a ground.

Madie smiled and hugged him. "No matter what will happen, we'll have memories of those happy days. Besides, you have to be the one to continue my legacy of making mother angry." She winked.

Clovis finally looked at her, smiling and crying at the same time.

"I won't let you down and I promise I'll do my best to be at least as half annoying as you." He smiled.

The older soldier with a scar approached her and said quietly:

"We need to go If we want to keep the schedule. Routes are dangerous at this time and we don't want to leave anything for a chance."

"I understand Berno, I am ready to go."