The day was dark and gloomy. The clouds overhead were gray and swollen, ready to release their watery payload. I sat in the shade of an oak, staring up at the great castle. It towered above everything else in the city, affirming to all that they were in the shadow of royalty. Today it looked particularly foreboding.
I shooed away the annoying insects buzzing around my face and leaned back contently at the base of the tree. Despite the threatening rain clouds, the day was good. It was the middle of summer, one of those slow, lazy days that don’t seem to end. The clouds blocked all traces of the fierce yellow sun, protecting us normal people from her hot glare. It was what I considered to be perfect. And soon, it would get even better.
People started to gather along the sides of the street. I joined them, already knowing what they were waiting for. For out of the castle walked out the Princess Jessica, King Joseph’s daughter. Suddenly it was if everything froze, like everything held its breath in the face of her beauty. She was beyond gorgeous, something that only a creature of great magic could create. Indeed, as many people believed that she was a fairy adopted by the King, not his actual flesh and blood daughter. It was hard to dispute that rumor; her hair were like strands of silver, her eyes clear diamonds, and her skin like that of pure snow. She strode out of the castle on her daily walk through the city, a few of her guard marching beside her. She seemed to take no notice of them as she walk between the lines of people, staring into their souls as if she knew them. She then turned her beautiful gaze on me and it took all it could for me not to look away. Normally, like everyone else, I would be transfixed by her gaze, lost in the depthless whites of her eyes, thinking of things that could be, but not today. For today I felt ashamed.
She walked down the street, slow and graceful. She smiled and laughed and even shed tears for the people of the city. They weren’t fake neither, they were real. She could feel their pain, sorrow and happiness. She could connect with the people in a way that her ancestors never could. Not with words but with actions. But that would change soon enough. Soon she would wed the prince of the Empire, Francis Charnal, son of the ruthless Emperor Charnal who had slaughtered many in his greedy quest for power. It was something against her will, I am sure. A gentle fairy such as her would never willingly marry a cruel ogre such as Prince Francis. When the King made the announcement, the whole city of Tarall was dismayed. Their angel was going to be tainted by the evil that is the Prince and his father. She would be caged up like a beautiful bird, forced to sing her want of being free. Now it was up to me and a few other noble citizens to ensure that would never happen.
So I waited with the crowd, carefully avoiding her stare, afraid that she would see my guilt and sorrow for what was about to happen. She and her guard passed by without comment and were walking towards the bridge that crossed the pond. Suddenly, from out of the throngs of people came a flaming bottle soaring through the air. It struck the middle of the bridge in front of them, shattering in shards of broken glass and flames. It blocked their passage with a newly created wall of fire. The guards pulled out their swords and formed a protective ring around the Princess as the crowd of citizens dispersed in utter chaos and confusion. Out of the human waves of madness and fear came a few of the noble citizens, those who would do anything to protect the Princess from the evil that was the Empire. They came at the guards with swords and daggers drawn. The guardsmen held back the wave, their shield wall standing firm like a dam in the face of a voracious flood. They shoved back the men and slashed, hacked and chopped at them. Many men fell but more were quick to take their place, angered at the sight of their friend’s blood being spilt. They attacked again, and once again the guards forced them back. It was only when someone threw another flaming bottle into the clustered guards that the shield wall broke and the men quickly surged through the gap. The guards lost all cohesion thanks to the flames and the bridge and the park became an unorganized melee between the noble citizens and the guards. And in the middle of it all was the beautiful Jessica.
That was when I made my move. I dodged passed guards clad in full armor and citizens with only simple tunics and woodsman garb. I skirted patches of flame and the clashing of swords until at last I made it to the Princess. I took her startled hand and told her to come with me. She looked confused but complied. I guided her away from the fighting, everyone oblivious to know that the Princess was gone. Now that was all according to plan, but what I did next was not. After I rescued the Princess from her guards, I was supposed to bring down to the docks, where my associates would have a ship ready to sail her away. Instead, I was taking her to the Golden Forest, in the opposite direction of the docks. I did it because I couldn’t risk being separated from her. I did it because I loved her. She was more than a simple crush to me, she was my life. She was the reason I woke up every morning, the reason why the sun shines. I couldn’t let her be taken overseas to some foreign land that wouldn’t even begin to understand her beauty. So I took her, past the gates and into the Golden Forest, hoping that by morning we would reach the Wastes.
By nightfall, the city of Tarall was behind us and we were surrounded by the thick trunk trees of the Golden Forest. Despite the name, the leafy canopy was green but in a few months time, when fall came about, the leaves would turn a golden yellow, giving the forest its name. I set up camp near the base of a rather large tree. I didn’t dare set a fire for fear of attracting any searching guards. I didn’t need it anyway, for the clouds had long since disappeared and the moon shone brightly through the forested roof. Jessica, who had been silent the whole trip, watched me with those beautiful diamond eyes, curious.
“Why have you kidnapped me?” she asked finally, her voice like a soft breeze.
“Kidnapped?” I said, still mesmerized by her beauty, “Why my Princess, I have rescued you!”
“Rescue?” she said softly, “Attacking my guards and then snatching me away during the confusion? Is that what you would call rescue?”
“Yes, well,” I said, trying to find the right words, “I-I’m sorry about that.”
She looked towards the moon. “Tell that to those who lost their lives.”
We were silent for a time, her staring at the moon and me staring at her. It seemed almost unreal, like a dream. I was afraid to look away from her, for fear of her disappearing back into my imagination. Finally, the silence became to overbearing and I broke it by asking her a question.
“Say,” I said, “If you say I kidnapped you, then why didn’t you call out for your guards?”
She shrugged, “Because I knew you meant me no harm. You were doing what you thought was rescuing.”
She then turned to me, eyes questioning. “What exactly were you rescuing me from?”
“The Empire!” I answered almost immediately.
“You mean the marriage?”
I nodded vigorously while she shook her head.
  “The Empire is evil!” I whispered harshly to her, “They have conquered many and destroyed our homes! They seek to bring tyranny to the Kingdom of Tarall! They seek to corrupt and subvert you against your will!”
To my surprise, she smiled and looked up at me.
“Your reasons are noble my friend,” she said in a sweet voice, “The Empire is indeed evil and I must admit that I am not too enthused about my marriage to Prince Charnal either, but think of the larger picture. What you’ve just done, though it may be noble, has just threatened any peace relations between the Kingdom and the Empire. The Emperor will see that these lands contain rebels who would seek to overthrow his power. The Prince will take this as a personal insult and send Imperial soldiers into our lands to root out the rebellion, causing so much pain and suffering in the process. My marriage was supposed to bring peace between our two nations, but you may have sabotaged that.”
She looked at me sympathetically as the realization hit me. I wasn’t saving the Princess or saving Tarall, I was destroying it. I was doing the exact opposite of what I meant to do, giving the Empire more power instead of undermining it. She crossed over to me and placed a cool hand on top of mine.
“I know you did this because you love me,” she told me softly, “And don’t try to deny that you don’t because I can see it in your eyes. If times were different and things weren’t the way they are, I would gladly join you and perhaps live a life of happiness with a man who truly loved me. But unfortunately, times aren’t different and things are the way they are. I must marry the Prince so as to protect and guarantee the freedom of Tarall’s people, at the cost of my own.”
I remained silent as I took in her words. I knew what must be done, but didn’t want to do it.
“If you truly love me,” she whispered, “Then you will let me go back to Tarall. Back to my father.”
It seemed like a million years passed before I nodded my head slightly. She smiled and it was the most beautiful smile I have ever witnessed. She kissed me softly on the lips and hugged me, whispering her thanks. Despite my shock, I gathered up our things and led her to the edge of the forest. By dawn, we were at the edge of the Golden Forest, the city of Tarall looming overhead.
“This is where we must say goodbye,” she said, looking into my soul, “I will not tell them what became of you or of anything that happened last night.”
I nodded and smiled grimly. A strange look came upon her face, a look seemed to ponder the possibilities. What was in her stare, I wonder. Was it perhaps love? Before I could determine an answer, she was walking towards the city.
“I will fight the Empire for you!” I called after her, “I will fight until the day I set you free from your cage so that you can fly free once more! That, I promise you!”
She stopped and looked back at me and a sad smile crossed her face before she turned back towards the city. I continued towards the Wastes, determined to stay true to my word.