Chapter 53：The 2nd Elven Princess's escape.

That day I woke up like any other day, laying in my hammock covered by a thin cotton sheet. The wind blew on my face, making me want to shrink inside the hammock closing it like a cocoon.

Soon, the maids arrived and took me out of there. They took out my pajamas, gave me a warm bath with roses, applied a lotion on my body, helped me dress, brushed my hair and applied some makeup.

I heard these odd routines were inherited from one of the Heroes from the Demon war centuries ago. It was told that doing so one could attain greater beauty and preserve it for longer, but really... I wished it was not this troublesome...

After this, like always I went to the kitchen and sneak attacked the cookies jar, taking two, three cookies, and running away before the cook could scold me, telling the breakfast would soon be served.

Mr. cook, I know the breakfast will soon be served, but there won't be any cookies on it, so let me grab some now, OK? ;)

Exiting the kitchen, I saw my father surrounded by elders walking at a fast pace. As soon as he saw me, he rose his hand telling the others to stop, approached me and said with a sad smile:

"Sorry, my angel, tell your mother and sisters to have breakfast without me. Papa has urgent matters to attend and won't have the time to be with you. Oh, your big brother will be with me as well, ok?"

I nod to him and answer.

"All right papa, I will tell mom as soon as I see her."

Papa has this sad smile on his face ever since the earthquake four days ago, when the forest was enveloped by some odd smelling red mist. The smell may be bad but I don't see reason for him to be so sad. Anyway, I will pray for the Wind season to arrive faster, then all this red mist will be blow away and papa will be happy again!

Taking out a cookie from my hand, he engulfed it in his mouth and left after messing my hair.

!?

HEY!!! PAPA!!!! THAT'S MY COOKIE!!!!! T_T

Oh, it can't be helped, I will have to get another one...

I turn around and see the cook making an angry face...

Well, maybe I won't...RUN!!!

Disappearing from his sight, I arrive at the library and take a look at my older sister's collection. Selecting a random romance book, I take my time reading while the breakfast is being prepared, and just as I was arriving at the good part a maid appears to spoil my fun.

Arriving at the table I notice my mother and two sisters are already there.

"Alice, you are late!"

"Sorry mom..."

"Really, your father is spoiling you too much, you are already 16 years old, it's already time you start behaving like a true lady!"

I can only cower in my seat and stay silent as she scold me again and again.

Minutes pass as hours and finally breakfast is finished, I take my first chance and run away before mom can start scolding me again.

"ALICE! DON'T RUN INSIDE THE CASTLE!!!!"

Then let's run outside the castle!

Arriving at the garden, I notice there are a lot more soldiers than normally patrolling the walls. All of them are equipped with those arrow shooting weapons that brother loves so much. This is really strange... did some beast was seem near the town? Is this what's making papa sad??

I tried asking around but no one answered me, only told me to not worry and trust my father.

I trust my papa, but I am still curious of what is going on!

After my fourth try and the same answer, I gave up trying and decided it would be better to use my time reading what was left of that book.

I climbed the huge tree in the center of the garden and after reaching the highest branch I laid against it's truck and started reading again.

Time passed in a flash and before I noticed I had fallen asleep.

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..

...

The sky had turned red.

I heard screams from all sides.

Hundreds over hundreds arrows flew toward both sides of the wall.

Some houses were burning, others had been destroyed by huge stones that came flying from outside the walls.

There were people fleeing, people fighting, people dying, people crying.

So much chaos that this peaceful morning felt like a dream.

Or maybe it was the scenes around me that felt too much like a nightmare.

Over the walls, pools of blood and corpses piled up as the soldiers fought with their all to contain the massive army of orcs invading the city from all sides.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Baaaang!

The gate was broken, a huge black orc led the charge inside.

Bang! Blink! Bash!

"Papa!!!"

I screamed out loud but my voice was too far for him to be able to hear.

They exchanged attack after attack but the black orc was too powerful and father was loosing more and more ground.

Slash!

Brother appeared from some side alley and jumped behind the monster and doing a great slash on the black orc's body.

"Big Bro!!!"

"Hahahahaha! This is it! This is what true war tastes like! Come here! Let me have a taste!"

The black orc laughed out loud. Then he grabbed my brothers arm and bit his neck, making blood rain everywhere.

""Nooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!""

"Delicious! More!!!"

I and papa screamed as he attacked the black orc, piercing his left side of the chest.

The black orc acted like the sword piercing him was nothing and with a swift slash as he turned over, my father's head was taken out of his neck, splashing blood all over the black orc.

"Oh!? Don't go loosing your head over me!"

"PAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

At that moment my world turned black and white as I screamed so loud I couldn't hear my own voice.

"Cry! Scream! Suffer! Today, all of your blood shall be taken as offerings for the Great God Tusk!"

As the black orc said his words, a fog spread around him sucking all blood around him, leaving all corpses dry with only skin and bones.

"Advance my army! No elven soul shall be spared today!!!"

Wave after wave of orcs run inside the city gates spreading destruction everywhere.

A sudden dizziness affected me, making me lose my balance and fall from the tree.

Maybe this was for the best, was what I though as I fell head first toward the ground.

Unfortunately Michella, my personal bodyguard, appeared just in time to catch me and right then I blanked out.

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..

...

I woke up being carried by Michella as we climbed the mountain using a secret path.

I looked around and saw small group of kids following us along with the Rose twins and other four soldiers I didn't know.

"My Princess, are you finally awake?"

I tried to answer but no voice came out. After trying a few times, and nothing coming out, I patted her shoulder and tried to tell her through gesture that I had lost my voice.

"You can't speak? Hmm... don't worry, it's probably temporary due to the shock... As long as you have a good night of rest and calm down you should be fine."

I nodded, praying she was right.

"But really, you gave me such a shock when I saw you falling down from that tree, I even thought a stray arrow had hit you..."

She slowly put me down and helped me stand up.

"Can you walk?"

I nodded again. My legs were a bit trembling but it didn't seem like it would be impossible to walk.

Letting go of her hand, I tried taking a few steps forward.

One, two, th-

Slip.

Michella grabbed me before I fell, helping me recover my balance.

"Hmm... it seems it's still too early for you... it can't be helped, I will carry you until you regain your strength."

Without waiting for an answer, Michella forced me into her back and started walking again.

This is so embarrassing...The little kids were pointing at me and laughing... Uhhh... T_T

"Walk faster kids! We got to get away from here before day break!"

"""Yeeeeeees..."""

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..

...

As we arrived at the middle of the trail, the four unknown guards who were with us decided to stay behind to clean our trail and make a decoy. They said the plan was for them to join us again later, but I somehow have a heavy feeling that I won't ever see them again.

I tried to stop them but Michella scolded me to stop acting spoiled and let them go. I couldn't help but remember mother and started crying.

Maybe taking pity on me, or just wanting to stop my snot from dirtying her shoulder, Michella tried to distract me by explaining the situation at hand.

It seems like mom stayed behind to organize the last defenses to buy more time for the civilians to run away. This made my cry even stronger so she readily changed subject.

My little sister escaped north west, toward Grose City, a human city known for it's large farms. Although it's a human city and it's the furthest away, it has good relations with most other races, including elves and has the safest path.

My big sister escaped south east toward the nearest elven kingdom to seek help from her fiance.

They have strength similar to ours, so just their army won't be enough, that's why we didn't go all together.

And we were escaping south west, toward the other side of the mountain where there are many human villages, then, after arriving on the nearest village, we should head to the human city called Otron to seek help.

The owner of Otron city is also lord of the Pregas Fortress City who has the biggest army of the whole region. If we can get their support, our victory will be assured, but considering he is human, I'm worried about the price I will have to pay for his support.

After hearing this I decided to do my best to improve myself and stop acting spoiled.

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..

...

As Michella was explaining about the route we would take to Otron, one of the twins told us she saw a cave. Considering we have been on the run for almost the whole night, a place to rest would be more than welcome.

We entered the cave with the twins leading in front, the kids in the middle and Michella carrying me behind.

I confess that I already had enough strength to walk, but it was comfortable staying in Michella's back so I didn't say anything, you know, old habits are hard to stop...

Anyway, five minutes later I would deeply regret this decision as we were sneak attacked by skeleton lancers and Michella, who had been carrying me all night, only had enough strength left to barely be able to defend herself against them.

The attack had come too sudden, two skeletons appeared from behind two odd pillars sneak attacking the twins as we entered what appeared to be a large hall. A clean hit was all that they needed to knock both girls down.

"Sorry Princess!!!"

Michella put me down in a hurry and drew her sword, jumping in front of the skeletons.

As she fought the two skeletons, two more skeletons appeared, one joined the fight and luckily the other one decided to run away instead.

But it seemed like Michella didn't share the same feeling as me because she got more and more anxious as the battle continued, always looking at the direction in which that skeleton ran.

The kids got scared and started crying. I tried to console them saying to not worry, that Michella would win, and stood in front of them to give them courage.

Who am I fooling? I was trembling even worse than them!

The three skeletons attacked in coordination, not allowing Michella a second to grab her breath.

Michella started to get desperate as her movements got slower and slower.

As I prayed to God to send some help, a manly voice came from the other side of the hall.

"All right, you can stop now."

But Michella could not stop as the skeletons circled around her.

Then the owner of the voice seemed to have gotten angry and screamed very very loud, enough to shock all of us who heard him.

"Good, now, who are you and why are you here?"

Finally he appeared from behind one of the statues, and he was... he was... he was...

A million thoughts assaulted my brain in that instant.

His eyes were beautiful like the most precious gems, it was like his face was not real but something that came out of my sister's books, his arms were lean but brawny in a perfect mix of muscles and charm, and his chest was broad and p-p-perfect for an afternoon nap and, and, and, what was THAT in between his legs!?

My instincts clicked before I could even finish thinking, my face grew hot, I felt a shiver go through my whole body, and finally I let out a long piercing scream.

And it seems like I was not the only one as I looked to the side and saw Michella in exactly the same state.