The Exiled Princess

Second Chance

Astrid expected to feel hurt or scared at the king's verdict. Instead, there was an icy calm running through her veins. Execution. Death. It was an adventure she hadn't expected to go on for a very long time.

"What happens to the Seal?" she asked, meeting the king's gaze squarely. "Will Starfell be taken care of?"

King Lazarus regarded her coolly. His demeanor suddenly seemed much different than the man she had met earlier that day. "That is no longer your concern, Astrid." He nodded to the soldiers that stood beside her. "Take her."

Astrid kept her chin up, her gaze locked with the king's as the soldiers gripped her arms. "If I find out that my home is still in danger because you gave the Seal to an unworthy leader, I will end you."

Raiden fidgeted, shooting Astrid a warning look. She ignored him, ice still shimmering around her heart. She knew that she was about to die, that she had no way to back up her threat. But regardless of what the next world held for her, if there was one, she would find a way to deal out justice.

"Your majesty," a clear, deep voice cut across the silence. "If I may, there is another option."

Astrid looked up to see a tall, burly man with a black beard and piercing gold eyes step forward. He looked like a seasoned warrior, and there was an air of command around him that immediately made the soldiers holding her take a step back.

King Lazarus waved an arm. "What is this option, Myron?" he asked. It was difficult to say what emotion was conveyed in his voice. Annoyance? Relief? Astrid couldn't tell.

The man's golden gaze swept over Astrid. "I believe that Lady Astrid should be given the opportunity to face the Trials."

Fire was roaring in Astrid's ears now, melting the ice that had been there only a moment before. She stared at Myron, unsure if she had heard him correctly. Beside her, Raiden shifted uncomfortably and she remembered his words.

"It's not for the faint of heart."

King Lazarus studied Mason for a long moment, then turned to do the same to Astrid. "I agree," he said at last, sounding weary. "If Astrid prefers that to execution, I will allow it."

Astrid swallowed hard, realizing that all eyes were on her. She felt a gentle hand grasp her shoulder and looked up into Raiden's face. "It isn't easy," he said quietly. "And you may not survive, but it's a second chance at freedom."

She turned to face the king and bowed slightly. "Then I choose the Trials."

*****

Astrid was given a small but well-kept room in the palace while she awaited the Trials. There were a pair of guards stationed outside her door as she was still considered a criminal for the time being. She felt like she couldn't breathe; after so many days of freedom, it felt suffocating to be stuck in a small room once more.

Raiden came to see her the second day of her seclusion. "Walk with me," he said. "There are things you need to know."

Astrid practically leapt at the chance to leave the bedroom. She followed Raiden out into the hall and was surprised when the two guards simply nodded, allowing her to walk without their presence.

"Who did he place in charge of Starfell?" Astrid asked as soon as there was no one within earshot.

"Caleb," Raiden said shortly. "That piece of filth reached the king before we did."

"Didn't the king look into what I told him?" Astrid demanded. "The whole point of me coming here was to keep the Seal out of his hands!" They stepped outside and she blinked up at the sun, the sudden warmth calming her fury.

"He did." Raiden's voice was strained, as though he was trying with some difficulty to keep his own emotions in check. "We held a trial for him. Caleb convinced the king that it was you who allowed the Fiends inside, though he said you did so by accident."

Astrid's jaw clenched. "Did he say anything about Meridia?"

"No. He said that she fled before they could apprehend her." Raiden stopped and turned to face Astrid, eyes grave. "He stripped her of all titles and branded her a traitor to the crown. If she's still alive, I don't think we'll be hearing from her for a while."

Astrid studied him. For a moment, there was only the sound of their footsteps. "Why did Meridia want me to bring the Seal to the Shadow Guard?" Astrid asked after she couldn't hold her questions in anymore. "Wouldn't it have been better for her to take it? Then she could have held onto it until it bound itself to her."

Raiden sighed. "The Seals are complicated magic, Astrid. As a general rule, if you hold onto a Seal long enough before it can go through the Ceremony, it will bind itself to you. But when it's done that way, it only binds to the individual, not to their descendants. Done that way, the Seal will eventually find its way back to the bloodline it was originally bound to, regardless of the cost. That's why the Ceremony is so important. There are only two exceptions: the entire bloodline is wiped out, or the Shadow Guard decide to unravel the Seal."

"Unravel it?"

He nodded. "Shadow Guard are made of the same magic the Seals are, which means that we can also manipulate the power they hold. We can bind them to a new bloodline. I've never seen it happen, but I've heard it's pretty amazing to witness."

"What happens in the Ceremony?" Astrid asked eagerly. Walking outside, learning about magic...it was all so fascinating to her, and a welcome distraction from thinking too much about was to come.

Raiden smiled at her grimly. "It's similar to the Trials, actually. I can't say much about it now, but it's something you'll never forget."

Astrid paled slightly, steps faltering. "What do I have to do in the Trials?"

Raiden stopped and turned to face her, placing a hand on each shoulder. "Survive," he said firmly. "Just survive. The Trials were created as a way for the Shadow Guard captain to know the true nature of those who aspire to be part of the Guard. There are three major challenges that you'll need to face. The first will challenge you physically. We need to see if you can fight."

"Um." Astrid looked up at him desperately. "I can't fight."

Raiden flashed a smile at her now, gesturing for her to keep following him. "Consider this your first training session," he said.