• Around me the world turned dark, my thoughts slipped away. I saw the sea, its crystal waters lapping away at the shore, and then I saw only darkness. Two deep blue eyes glowed from the darkness; in them I saw pain and destruction. I saw the fall of my city, burned to the ground, a single figure standing amid the smoke and fallen soldiers. Red trimmed the edges of my sight, laughs turned to screams and the haunting eyes disappeared.
    I sat bolt up right, my mind over flowing, like a basin filled with too much water, my blood as cold as the Thargorn Sea.
    Who was it that haunted my every thought? The sharp click of hooves startled me, I drew my cloak about me and walked to the great hall. I stopped dead in the door way, my dream flashed in my mind. In the room stood four men, one was the king, my father, but the others I did not recognize. The tallest had blond hair that fell down the sides of this face, the gold circlet on his head glowed in the early morning light. I could not see the others faces, one was completely clad in black, his hood over his face casting it into shadow. The other wore the same in green and brown, seeming to be made of the very forest itself. Although I could not see their faces their eyes glowed through the darkness of their hoods like cold fire. The one clad in black eyes glowed bright blue like ice in the sun, the other ones eyes were green, like grass cut too thinly.

    “I’m sorry Lord Raiden. I i simply cannot not spare any more soldiers. Your people are welcome to seek refuge at the strongholds of Agnor. We could use all the help we can get.” My father suggested his voice calm.

    “I under tand Argorn, I thank you for your hospitality,” the tall man said. “Eromere, Ivan, I want you two to bring every one here safely.”

    “We will return at midmorning tomorrow” the blue eyed figure replied bowing. The other nodded and they slipped out the door their feet making no sound on the stone floor.

    “Eromere, leave no one behind. Make sure every one makes it through the pass” the black cloaked figure returned to the doorway, nodding aknowledgement before disapperearing once again.

    “Airia,my daughter, please let us lords speak in private” my father ordered lightly.

    “Yes father” I curtsied and walked out to the battlement, looking down at the dull huts below. The people of Agnor milled about doing the necessary chores.

    I idled the rest of the day, waiting for any sort of excitement, my father and lord Raiden did not come out until late in the day when the sun started to sink below the far off tree line. After the sun had disappeared completely from sight, a faint, unnatural glow shone in it's place.

    “War is almost upon us.” I whispered to my self.
    A cold voice whispered in my head 'Aye, it is, so what are you going to do about it?'

    I was startled, I’d heard that voice before only once, but I could not recall where I had heard it. I sat outside for the rest of the night until even the unnatural glow of torches on the horizon had died out. I feared having the dream again, but tomorrow would be long, and this was my last chance to sleep before battle.

    If death does fall
    Will it end us all?
    Those who outlast it
    Can live on past it
    The courage that resides in you heart
    Is still hidden inside the dark
    The famailiar voice whispered through my ears. The eyes returned but they were not filled with reflections of pain, this time they closed, and for the first time in a fortnight I slept well.

    I stretched and yawned, looking out the window, the sun had risen and the click of hooves and the grunts of men echoed through the village. I ran to the window the cool stone floor stinging my bare feet.

    Outside, a long procession of villagers filed into the town. I saw two cloaked figures riding behind the procession of villagers, sitting tall in thier saddles. they rode into the stabbles as the willages proceded towards the strongholds, reappearing on foot. Theyu parted ways at the door, one heading towards the great hall and the other towards the war room. I hurried from my room through the cooridoors, wondering who was still waiting in the great hall. As i walked through the doors, i realized the room was empty. Empty except for a single figure at the window over looking the kingdom.

    “The sky is too vast to know all that lies under it.” He mumbled before turning to looking at me, “Who are you?”

    “My name is Iva, who are you?" I replied.

    "I'm Ivan, m'lady. You are now offically my first friend in this place." he pulled down the hood of his bark colored cloak, revealing short, wild, brown hair. His smile made it obvious he wasn't one to dwell on the bad things in life. He was young, eighteen a most, only a year older than me. A bow was strapped to his back and a sword rested in a sheath on his hip.

    "Alright, then nice to meet you friend."

    "The pleasure is all mine."

    "Is it now? So who exactly are you Ivan?"

    "I am a knight"

    "Then where is your armour?"

    "It's way to heavy and way to hot." Ivan turned back to the window as i came to stand behind him. It was nice to finally meet someone who didn't care about social statuses and formalities.

    "So friend, life moves faster that we can catch up doesn't it? Someday i fear i will simply be left behind."

    "You sure talk of strange things Ivan."

    I almost laughed outloud. It was the first time i'd ever talked to someone as a friend, It was a wonderful feeling. I wouldn't have minded talking to him for hours more, but my joy was cut short.

    “THEY’RE HERE! THEY’RE HERE!” came a call from the lookout at the battlement. Eromere, my father, and Lord Raiden rushed into the great hall, hands already on the hilts of thier swords.

    “So the battle begins,” Eromere whispered.

    “So it does” Ivan agreed.

    “Get the women and children in the keep. Prepare any able bodied men for battle, soon we go to war.” Every man that could fight was sent to the armory, and prepared for battle. The castle was pulsing with activity, at dusk the men got in their positions, anxiously awaitng the oncoming battle.

    “Father! let me fight!” I exclaimed.

    “No you must guard the women and children,” he snapped as he walked to the battlement. I stood there staring after him, my face burned with anger. A cold hand touched my shoulder, I wheeled around to come face to face with Eromere. He had black hair like that of Ivan’s, and his eyes too, seemed dull in the light

    “You will fight tonight” He said as he pulled me to the armory. “You must not speak, fight hard, do not make me doubt my decision”

    “I will not”

    He handed me a coat of chain mail and a tunic to wear over it. I slipped on my black cloak and placed the helmet firmly on my head, tucking my long hair under it as best I could. I put my sword in its sheath, and turned to face him, “I can't tell you what this means...”

    “Battles are not won by strength, it’s the courage from the ones you love, you find the power to keep going,” He winked at me and pulled his hood back over his head, his eyes once again glowing like cold fire. Suddenly I understood, the eyes in my dream were that of Eromere, I remembered my dream, and searched through the darkest parts of my heart to find my courage. I wasn't sure if i even possesed the courage to be able to do what i knew must be done, but i would be no more use sitting in the keep waiting for the battle to end.

    We walked to the battlement together, facing the great army of Therodrin. I swallow, but my mouth still felt dry, watching the slowly approaching monsters march towards us. THe beast mangled faces twisted into snarles as the charged closer, snarling with thier weapongs raised.

    The front line collided harshly with the hordes of Theodrin, men fell left and right. I watched from the battlement, standing next to my father, Eromere leapt from the battlement and raced into battle, his black cloak flowing behind him as he ran. Ivan lept to join him, hacking through coutless, weapon weiling enimies until he was completely surrounded.

    I wanted to join them, but I knew I had to stay at my post until the Rayliks made it up the wall. I saw a few men struck by arrows, and fall from the battlement, others were sliced through with swords. Although I kept a constant eye on the other parts of the battle, my gaze always drifted back to where Eromere and Ivan were hacking away at the thousands of enimies. The battle finally reached the battlements when the rayliks and ormakia pushed ladders against the wall. For the first time, the fear of fighting hit me, as quickly as i could, i pushed it away. Before I charged I saw Ivan, as I looked at him he was struck by a large arrow, Eromere and i both froze. He looked from me to his companion, his glowing eyes flickered, before a second arrow struck him. He fell to his knees, as far away as i was it felt as though i was righ next to him. He quickly fitted two arrows in his bow, and fired, hitting the beats between the eyes, killing him instantly. The fire in his eyes estinguished and he fell to the dust, the battle raging around him.

    After the battle

    I dropped my sword, my hand numb. We had defeated Theodrin's armies and killed all that was left of the ormakia and rayliks. I smiled, my country was safe, then my happiness turned to horror, Ivan had fallen during the battle, he was my friend and i couldnt leave him to die in the dust if he was still alive. I ran over the battle field to his limp figure.
    “Ivan... Ivan...” I sobbed, tears streaming down my face. I pulled back his hood, his eyes were closed and his breathing was ragged, but he was breathing.
    “Tbhey say the impact is the worst…the worst part... i diagree” at my words his eyes opened, he smiled slightly, but his words were coarse. Half of his face was covered in blood from a long gash down his face.

    “I’ve had worse,” he coughed, “Hey buddy...” Eromere came to stand behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder as he let out a sigh of relief.
    "Ivan, im glad you're alive" Eromere said smiling grimly.
    "Ero... take... take them out... i can't... i can't.. breath..." Ivan head lolled back and he slipped into unconcousness.
    Eromere knelt by his side and pulled out the crude arrows that protruded from his chest. I whipped away my tears, happy that he would live, but also that i could be with the one i loved. I turned to Eromere, as he wrapped his arms around me.
    "Talk about the guy of my dreams." I said kissing him.
    "Stay with me forever" he replied kissing me back.
    "You wont have to worry about that."
    It was the happy ending i would have never know I could have had. Turns out the princess falling in love with her perfect knight at first sight, wasn't just a fairy tale after all.