Dell Boyd's Story

Adara stared out the stone window at the clear night sky. Crickets chirped loudly as Adara set her feet down on the floor. She smoothed out the covers on her bed and opened her dresser. She randomly picked three dresses and quickly changed out of her nightgown into a deep maroon colored one. She looked at all her tiras and reached out to touch one, but then jerked her hand back as if they had a disease. Adara hardened her facial expression and silently crept down the staircase and went outside.

Adara smiled at her horse, Gavotte. She petted the top of his head and picked up a satchel she had prepared the night before. She mounted her horse and gave him a small tug on his reins, then pushed them forward. Adara could feel the wind rushing through her hair as Gavotte ran through the forest, barely dodging trees. This was going to be amazing. She had been thinking in bed all night, wondering if she should leave, but now it was clear. She didn't want another arranged marriage or more schooling. She didn't want to be queen once her father died! Couldn't anyone understand that?

Adara leaned forward as the horse gained momentum. Gavotte suddenly reared up and whined. "Hey!" She whispered, the soft words escaped her mouth. She climbed off the horse and got next to him. "What's wrong boy?" The horse whinnied again. Adara looked behind her. There was a small campfire. "Oh, don't worry, it's fine! Just a little fire!" The horse ran off. "HEY!" Adara rushed after him, the satchel banging against her thigh. "Come back!" She called as she slowed to a stop while Gavotte ran out of sight. Adara's shoulders sagged. She sulked and sat by the fire, holding her hands over it. She was chilly, the wind was like a slap across the face. It was cold and harsh. Suddenly, the fire blew out. Adara frowned.

Adara laid on the ground. Suddenly, the harsh wind turned into a warm, gentle breeze. Adara closed her eyes as she relaxed herself. If she had opened her eyes, she would have seen that the wind had swarmed around her like a butterfly in a cocoon. YOu could see the wind, intertwining to make a gentle blanket for her. Adara drifted off into a dreamless sleep, still unaware of what was going on.

Adara galloped off. "What am I doing?" She asked, but no one replied. "You have to accept that you're on your own," She whispered. Gavotte ran faster. Adara's hair blew all around. "Stupid wind," She muttered, shielding her face from the cold wind. THe wind suddenly stopped. "What the hell is going on!" Adara yelped. Gavotte whinnied and reared up. Adara gave him a swift kick, and he was off.

Adara stopped once her horse got tired. She rested for a moment and ate a peach. It was juicy and delicious.

"Now this is what I call entertainment."

Dell laid lazily on his stomach, residing upon the comfortable segment of earth he had conjured up for the sake of his enjoyment. He had heard of other elemental power-wielding beings, who hid their powers and used them sparingly ; he, on the other hand, used his gifts for just about anything. Whether it be to do tedious tasks, or simply for his amusement, Dell completely accepted his powers and used them as much as he could. At the moment, he was using his ability to observe the Princess - who obviously wasn't where she was supposed to be - and the Villager (who identified himself as "Gio"), as they quarreled. "Observing" people was one of the ways Dell spent his time, and he justified his spying by the fact that no matter how much juicy gossip he heard he didn't exactly have any friends to tell.

"I'm fine...Let's go."

Dell tsked, and shook his head. The Princess obviously had no idea where she was going, yet had the nerve to reject a "lowly" commoner's offer to help. Despite the fact that she was beaten by her father, and that their personalities were completely different (so said the rumors), she apparently shared one trait with him; his pride.

"I 'spose it's time that Mr.Perfect gets down their and helps," Dell smirked, "after all, it looks like they could both use a little help."

Dell stood up, brushed the dirt off of his pants, and stretched in a leisurely manner. It was time to get to work. Putting one foot far behind the other, Dell launched himself off the earthy platform, landing on a newly risen chunk of earth that he had quickly conjured up in front of him. He continued the pattern, jumping from one platform to another until he caught up to the currently peach-eating Princess.

"Hey there Princess," Dell announced as he hopped in front of her, "What're you doing here? The Castle's the other way, you know...But oh, let me guess. You're running away, aren't you?"

---

Giotto let out a breath, as he wiped his brow. Placing the last herbs in his pouch he stood up, dusting himself off. Looking around once again, the kids were still interested in their game of tag that they didn't notice as Giotto looked in the way of where the princess and her horse ran off in. The girl had not returned to ask for directions like he had hoped. Oh well, sh was on the common route. Perhaps she had met another traveler. He sighed inwardly, as he picked up his pouch. Too bad, that was one person he didn't help when she clearly needed it...though it certainly was not his fault.

"Gio!! Tim's lying!" One of the kids shouted. He turned and saw the kids gathered around one of the boys. He was twelve, slightly older then the others. "But its true!" The kid cried out, pointing in the direction where the horse had trotted away. "I saw a guy hopping on flying rocks going that way!" Giotto smiled and walked over, kneeling down. "Is that true?" He asked. Was that possible? Well...he had ability to control fire so...The kid nodded, and said "It is!I saw it!!" Giotto smiled once again, and looked in the direction of where he was pointing. It was quite an eventful day so far.

The blond walked over closer, looking in the distance. Indeed,the ground looked quite uneven. He would know, since he was here for hours. Brushing it off, he walked back to the group. "I am finished, we should head back. Before your parents get worried." They let out a groan in unison, but followed anyway. As they reached the town once again, the group went to their parents. The adults had walked over to him, thanking him while he just smiled and offered a nod in response. When all the kids went back to their houses and parents, he started heading back to the doctor's hut.

"I wouldn't call it running away. TO do that, I would have to have a chance out here. I'll call it running like hell," Adara muttered. "The king may be clueless, but he's a bastard. And bastards get their way," Adara muttered. She tugged at a necklace that she was wearing. It wasn't the typical jewel necklace, but a piece of twine with a light blue stone with black wavy strokes, like air.

She had been found with the necklace, and the servants had ripped it off her and had thrown it out the window to the pigs. That night, she snuck out and grabbed it. She always wore it, but wore it under her clothes so no one would see. TO her, it was a sign of her own rebellion. Adara ran her fingers around the tough rope. It hurt, but she was going to have to get used to pain. Like she said, she was running like hell.

"I wouldn't call it running away. To do that, I would have to have a chance out here. I'll call it running like hell. The king may be clueless, but he's a bastard. And bastards get their way."

Dell rolled his eyes, and let out a sigh.

"Princess, I'd say the clueless one is you," Dell remarked, "If you're going to run, then do it right. Run like hell? What's the use if you'll be caught either way?" Dell paused, and jerked his thumb back in the direction of place she had just come from. "If I were you, I would go back and take that offer."

Dell bowed dramatically, putting his left hand behind his back, and tilting his head slightly towards the ground. "Well then, I'll be taking my leave. So long, oh honorable princess."

He then proceeded to saunter lazily towards the commoner Gio's location.

Adara frowned, but then shook it off. She could still make it, it wasn't like the king would notice until awhile. She wouldn't be surprised if he wouldn't know until the servants notified him. He was too arrogant to be caught up in finding her anyway. Adara got back on her horse. "Huah!" She grunted, lurching forward. Gavotte galloped faster, and faster, picking up speed fairly fast.

Adara noticed something in the way. "How long until I stop getting distracted?" She muttered, slowing Gavotte to a stop. It was a small box. She picked it up and opened it. A blast of air hit her in the face. "Ah!" She squeaked, closing it. "What the hell was that?" She asked. She stood to the side and opened it slowly. THe wind blasted again. She put her hand in front of it, taming it. "What?" She frowned. Adara removed her hand, letting it snap branches off trees. "What the hell is going on?" She asked, taming the air once more.

Holly pushed a strand of loose hair out of her eyes and scanned the village in front of her. An irritated and confused expression rested on her face as a few people passed her wordlessly, seeming to be unaware of her lost aura.

Letting a gust of air out of her lungs Holly looked down at the small map in her hands.

"This map is worthless." She muttered furrowing her eyebrows as she tried to read the small foreign looking paper. Shaking her head she glanced up at the village again, trying to match it with the picture shown on the map. "Last time I buy from a traveler." Holly grumbled pursing her lips as she crumbled up the map and quickly shoved it into her small worn out looking satchel.

"Hey umm excuse me sir!" Holly called out stopping a man with a child. "Can you please point me to the doctors hut?"

"Sure, just take a left and then go straight, you should come up onto his place after that." The man said pointing in the direction he was mentioning.

"Thanks!" Holly said watching as the man nodded before walking back on his way.

Walking towards her designated area Holly took in her surroundings excitement seeping into her chest at being in a new place. She was hoping that the this doctor she was going to see needed help or needed someone to hire. Holly wasn't that experienced in the medical field, but she could manage as an assistant and pretty much learned easily. This would be the second village she had come upon. The first one also having a doctor, but not one that needed any help.

Holly stopped in front of the hut door, butterflies beginning to take flight in her stomach. A smile spread on her lips as she tried to mask her nervousness with a smile.

You always have to make a good first impression she reminded herself brushing some hair out of her face.

"Hello?" Holly called out steadily as she knocked on the door.

Adara reached into the box and pulled out a smoking orb. LIke a kitten with yarn, she curiously tossed it back in forth from one hand to another. "Wow," She whispered, amazed by the thing. Adara threw it up into the air. It hung in midair. Adara raised her arm, and a wind blew it back down into her hand. She was mesmerized.

On the other hand, Gavotte seemed to be genuinely terrified by it. Adara leaned down and petted him. It's just a little orb thing," She said in a soothing voice. She threw it up into the air again. It disappeared. "Wow,"

Adara watched in amazement as a mist came out of nowhere, curling around her slowly. Adara felt refreshed, happy, excited. Gavotte whinnied loudly. Adara spun around as she was gently lifted into the air. "Wow," She whispered, the words softly left her lips. The air wrapped around her arms and legs and went up her neck. Adara moved slightly, breaking the delicate mist, making her fall from the height of ten feet, headfirst. She left out a loud yelp. "Ah!" She screamed before the air gathered below her, and caught her.

Adara stood up on the air, a few inches from the ground. The cloud of air moved upwards. Adara's mouth dropped open in shock. She knew this wasn't a common thing. Gavotte was on the ground and seemed to be either sleeping or hiding. Adara couldn't belive it. THis was the kind of thing that happened in a fairytale, not here, She stood there, glancing down. "What is going on?" She asked softly. Gavotte let out another loud whine, Adara wouldn't be surprised if they heard it the next kingdom over. "Shh! Gavotte!" Adara held a finger to her mouth.

Alexander swung the blade around, slicing off the head of the training dummy. She grunted in pleasure as she put the head back on. Alexander ran her fingers across the hilt of the spilt blade, then put it back in it's place. Alexander took a step back to admire all the weapons. At least they wouldn't complain. Alexander slid his hand over a dull blade and pulled out a sharping stone. He glided the sword over the stone. A small knock came at the door. Alexander stood up and opened it.

A small, feeble servant stood at the door. "Your highness requests to see you sir," Alexander brushed past her, pushing her out of the way. THe servant huddled up and walked back to her quarters. Alexander kept walking until he came to the strategy room where the king was waiting. "Your highness," Alexander addressed him, kneeling on one leg before standing up.

The king's lip curved into a smile, or maybe it was more of a smirk. "Ah, Alexander," HE greeted, slowly standing up from his chair. "About an hour ago, one of the servants reported that both Adara and her horse were missing, along with some old food and a few sets of clothing," The king paced back and forth, rapidly spinning on his heel when he came to the walls. "Now, I don't know why she left, but I need you to find her," The king pointed a finger at Alexander. "Of course your highness, I will go now," Alexander straightened up, her mind racing. She silently hoped the princess had gotten away, she didn't want to imagine what the king would do to her. He'd beat her to near death.

Alexander raced off towards the stables. She figured she would patrol around for a few days, then come back, reporting that the princess had not been found. Alexander knew how the king treated her, no one should have been treated that way. Alexander mounted her horse. She kicked him in the side. The horse galloped, picking up pace as they raced towards town. Alexander knew that if she really found Adara, she would have to fulfill her orders, but she could always make up a story, like someone kidnapped her. Alexander slowly thought up a lie as she got closer to town. People's head's turned as she held her head up while her horse slowed to a trot. Everyone grew silent. THey all knew Alexander as the best knight, and the child jousting champion.

Alexander walked throughout the town, everyone growing silent as she passed by. She trekked through the rest before searching around the forest. Again, she found nothing. As far as she was concerned, the princess wouldn't go into the woods. Alexander coughed a little. She hit her throat. "Must be coming down with something," She muttered. Alexander dismounted the horse and tethered him to a pole. Alexander took a deep breath and crossed her arms. So far, she had found nothing. Maybe she wasn't looking hard enough. Alexander decided to walk around. She came by a shabby old hut. Alexander sighed, it reminded her of her old home. She coughed loudly again and rubbed her neck. "Ugh," She moaned.