The Princess Who Went to War

Chapter 2 - Gift of Magic

[Calysta]

Gwen immediately follows me the moment I walk out of Father's study and down the hallway. I do not look back, even as Atticus calls out for me a number of times. 

I immediately head towards my room, where I find Tyrra, my lady-in-waiting, wiping my windows. 

"Prepare two bags of my belongings. Combat gears, no dresses or fancy shoes." I tell Tyrra. She looks back at me, quite confused. 

"What is going on, Princess Calysta?" Gwen asks me, sounding confused as well. I look at her.

"I need to be by the borders." I tell her. She looks at me in utter confusion.

"The King and the Prince has agreed to this?" She asks, shocked. 

"No. I don't need them to." I reply. She sighs, seemingly against my decision. 

"There's a rumor of a sorcerer leading the monsters, Gwen." I tell her. Her forehead creases at the information. 

"But they're extinct. That's impossible." She says. 

"I hope it is. For now, I need to hurry to the border. If a sorcerer is working with the monsters, a sorceress ought to work with our army." I tell her. 

"I will come with you." She tells me.

"You don't have to, Gwen." I tell her. I wouldn't want her to risk her life for me. She is a personal guard to a Princess who's technically supposed to stay within the safety of the Capital. She didn't sign up to guard a Princess like me. 

"I swore to protect you no matter what. You are not dying unless I go first." She tells me with a determined look on her face.

I look at her with a touched expression on my face. She smiles at me.

"I will get my things ready as well, Your Highness. I shall meet you right outside." She tells me. I nod as I watch her exit my room. 

I immediately head into my closet to help Tyrra look for gear to pack.

I hear the door to my room open and close and a set of footsteps walking towards the closet, but I continue to look for things to pack. 

"Caly, I need to talk to — are you packing?" I turn to see Atticus standing right at the doorway of my closet. 

"I told you, I'm leaving." I tell him as I hand boots for Tyrra to pack as well. 

"Caly, we haven't agreed to any—"

"I do not need your permission, Atticus. You just told me about the rumors. Surely, you don't expect me to sit by?" I ask.

"I expect you to be reasonable! Gods, Caly. As we have mentioned, it's still just rumors!" He argues.

"Do we wait until it's confirmed for me to go and help?" I ask. He doesn't reply. He ruffles his hair, something he only does when he's utterly frustrated. 

'Caly, I won't be there to protect you." He says, sounding defeated. I almost laugh at this.

"It's not your job to protect me, Atticus. Your job, as Crown Prince, is to be by the King's side, here in the Capital." I tell him. 

"Before being the Crown Prince, I am first and foremost your older brother." He tells me, getting rather emotional. 

"You underestimate me and the gift Mother has passed on to me, Atticus." I tell him as I continue passing on things that I will be using to Tyrra.

"We do not know who we are facing." He replies, worried.

"He does not know who he is facing." I reply, referring to the fact that it's very easy to underestimate a sorceress who is of royal descent. 

Despite being raised in the Palace, I am not one to be underestimated. 

"Whether you agree or you don't, I am going." I tell him as I pick out gloves I can use. 

"I do not." He says, sighing, "But when has my opinion ever stopped you?" 

I look back at him, and see him looking right at me. He is letting me go. 

"I shall write to the other sorceress in the kingdom. They're not exactly pleased with the Royal Family, not even after one of their own marries the King, but the rumors of a sorcerer leading the monsters will surely pique their interests." He says. 

I smile at him, and nod in thanks as he turns back and walk away. 

"Is this all you're taking, You're Highness?" Tyrra asks me as she folds the last piece of garment I've handed her. 

"Yes. Please have them delivered along with other items that will be sent to the borders from the Capital."

Tyrra looks at me in confusion. 

"Will these not go with you today?" She asks. I shake my head. 

"Gwen and I need to travel light for us to arrive immediately. We won't be taking a carriage."  

I take a smaller bag and stuff it with a few gears and garments I can use for the next few days while I wait for the rest of belongings. 

I change into clothes that I will be comfortable wearing for the next few days as we ride through the Kingdom. I tie my red hair into a braid and loop it around itself so that I had it in a messy updo. 

I'll be without the help of a lady-in-waiting from now on, messy updos would have to do. 

I head by my window, where the stand which holds my sword sits. I take my sword, Talassia, and place it in its scabbard hanging from a sword belt around my waist. 

I wear an emerald green cloak over my shoulders and walk right out of my room. Before heading down, I head towards Liliana's room. 

The guard standing right outside bows to me. I lightly knock and open the door. I find Liliana painting by her window.

She looks back at me and smiles as she sees me, her hair has been braided and it went down her right shoulder. She immediately stands and places her brush down to walk towards me.

"Are you heading anywhere, Caly?" She asks as she looks at me from head to toe, probably confused as to why I'm dressed like this.

"I'm sorry for not asking you in advance, Lili." I tell her as I hold her cold hands in between my warm ones. 

"What is it? There must be something wrong. I saw the thunderclouds earlier." She tells me, reminding me of the little stunt I pulled in the King's study. 

"I will have to head to the borders. I might be away for a while." I tell her. 

"Again?" She asks, starting to get upset. 

"I know, I'm sorry. They really need me." I tell her. 

"You'll clear out the monsters again?" She asks me. I nod. 

"Well, you better clear them out fast and come back soon." She replies. I smile at her.

"I will." I reply. She smiles widely at my response. 

"Before I forget." I say as I take the jade hairpin I bought earlier from my pocket. 

"For me?" She asks, excited.

"A parting gift. I saw it and thought that the jade would complement your beautiful, green eyes." I tell her. 

"Thank you, Caly." She says as she hugs me. I hug her tight as well. 

"I'll be back before you know it." I assure her.

"When you're back, I'll make sure to be able to control my magic much better. That way, I can go with you to clear out monsters so you don't have to take too long anymore." She promises me. 

"Focus on resting too, Lili. You get sick too often." I remind her. She frowns at me. 

"I'll make sure it's all sunshine for you here." I tell her as I caress her cheek. She smiles at me. 

"I'll see you off." She tells me. 

"Sure." I reply as I hold out my hand and she takes it. We both walk out of her room, with her lady-in-waiting and personal guard following us. Tyrra follow closely behind as well. 

Once I got the huge doors of the palace, I see our Father standing there, as he watched Gwen prepare her horse and mine. 

"Atticus asked that we wait for him before you leave." He says as he sees Liliana and I walk down the grand staircase. 

I nod, afraid that if I talk, he forbids me from leaving. I feel his eyes on me. 

He hesitated, and then spoke, "The very moment I read of the report of the possibility of a sorcerer. I immediately thought of sending you."

I am taken aback by my Father's confession. 

"But I thought, what kind of father would willingly send his daughter to such a dangerous place? So I did not ask." He adds. 

"But as you argued with Atticus, I thought, 'What would Celeste do?', and I knew, she would have been the first to go, insisting the same things." His eyes get teary as he talks about our Mother. 

He looks back to his attendant, who hands him a red velvet box. He opens it up to reveal a simple gold necklace with a small, deep purple stone. 

"This was your mother's. I want you to have it." He says. I get teary eyed as I run my fingers down the chain. 

He takes the necklace off the box and hands the box to his attendant. He unclasps the lock and I turn back so that he can help me wear it. 

I turn towards him once he's done and he looks at me dearly. 

"You have not only inherited your mother's looks, but also her great gift of magic. I cannot tell you how proud I am to have a daughter that has the power to fight for her people." He tells me, still teary eyed. 

I feel a tear fall down my face as I hug my father tight.

"We will wait for your return, my love." He whispers. I feel Lili's hand around my waist, only to see her joining in on the hug. 

When we let go, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I look back to see Atticus, and I hug him as well. 

When I let go, I find a few soldiers behind him. 

"They will ride with you." Atticus tells me. I look back to see a few more horses being brought towards us. 

"I don't need them to guard me, Atticus." I tell him. 

"More will be coming in a few days. We're due to send reinforcement anyways. It will be good for a few soldiers to ride with you so they can arrive early." He replies. I nod. 

They're not here to protect me, they're here to fight with me. 

"Enough of this now. I will write as often as I can." I tell them as I wipe my tears and walk towards my horse. I immediately mount Maximus. 

"Gwendolyn." Atticus calls Gwen.

"Yes, Your Highness?" Gwen replies. 

"Take care of my sister, will you?" Atticus asks. 

Gwen bows, "They'll have to get through me before they can get to the Princess." She replies. 

"Ride safe, the both of you." Father says. 

I look at Lili, holding on to our Father, looking sad. 

"Lili, why don't you look up?" I tell her as I will for a rainbow. She smiles widely. 

"Be back as soon as you can, Caly." She tells me. I nod and smile as Gwen and I, and the rest of the soldiers, start to ride out of the Palace.