POV Carmen

  24 hours earlier...

  Caera and I sat in my bedroom, trapped, as we had been for over a week now. I'd made many plans however. The staff all loved me and knew I was being held unfairly. I'd convinced severl of the most trustworthy to sneak messages to friends inside the palace and out in preparation for our escape. I was just waiting to hear back from Constance, my personal maid, that everything was in place.

  "Princess this is far too dangerous. We'll be caught and your situation will be even worse than it is now." Caera made the same argument she'd made at least twenty times now.

  "Caera you can either help or stay out of the way and I'll adapt the plan but I'm going to rescue Cid. My chances will be much higher with your help." I gave her a level look despite her being a head taller than me.

  With a defeated sigh she said "Of course I'll help. I just wanted my opinion on record."

  "Good, now let's go over it again. We've bribed the groomsman to have a carriage set up behind the guards stables. An hour after breakfast tomorrow the guards will changes shift. When they do you'll ask them to come inside and help us decide which dresses look better on us since we're bored. They'll agree because Santori is sweet on you and Greska does whatever he says to. Once they're inside I'll use a flash of light magic to blind them then we'll knock them out and tie them up. Next we sneak out the servants entrance facing the dungeon and use the key we managed to get a copy of to enter the dungeons. From there we'll have to rely on your skill with your rapier and my magic to subdue any guards we can't fool or bribe to get to Cid's cell and rescue him. Then we just need to get to the carriage and be away before an alarm is raised."

  "If we are followed, I've arranged for pursuit to be slowed on our route out of the city. It should buy us a few minutes as the side streets near that route will just 'happen' to be clogged with carts and goods. If all is well we'll be in the village of Ponta by this time tomorrow." I nodded to reassure myself that the plan was sound. This HAD to work.

  "Yes and barring any of the million things that can go wrong we'll succeed. Honestly we might be okay up until the dungeon but there are too many guards to fight through if even one raises an alarm. I'm in this with you to the end though." Caera shook her head.

  "You know I can't stand by and let Cid be tortured once Ferdin returns. Especially not after what I've learned about my family. They're monsters unfit to rule." Just thinking about my father actually being disappointed in me for not going along with his evil and siding with a commoner as he called Cid made me furious. And my brother was even worse. 'They're commoners Carmen. No more valuable than a fork, useful for their purpose but of no real value.'

  "I know but it would be much easier to escape without Cid. You've met him twice and spoken to him for a total of what, an hour? How can you care so much for a man you barely know?" She was frustrated. She just didn't understand. Couldn't understand.

  "Its just like in all the stories I've read. I knew at one look that Cid was the man for me. His smile, his voice, his personality, it all drew me in. Like the gods shaped him just for me. He even looks like the man I've always pictured in my head and in my dreams. I hope one day you can know what love at first sight feels like although I fear you're too jaded to accept the idea." My face felt warm thinking of Cid and I feared what he'd been through. I hope it didn't change him.

  "You're right, I'm too grounded in reality to believe in fairy tales. Still I've pledged my life to you as your lady in waiting and I'll honor that position to the end."

  I loved Caera like a sister and in fact was closer to her than any of my blood sisters. We'd been best friends since before I could remember. She was two years older than me but that never mattered and I looked up to her in many ways.

  I'd always had a firm view of the world despite my parents trying to make me harder. There was room for justice and righteousness and leaders should be fair and kind. My views had been shaped largely by my reading, and I was a prolific reader. Since I'd learned my letters I'd always loved stories of heroes saving the day and the valiant always winning in the end. It was a bit naive I admit, but I'd rather see the world my way and be a bit naive than be jaded and lose my wonder for life.

  We we're settling in for dinner when a knock came at the door. "Enter."

  In swept my swine of a brother, his giant ever present shadow close at his heels. "Hello Carmen. I know you've missed me terribly but please don't get up. I just wanted to let you know I'd returned in case you wanted to say any last prayers for the commoner you're so taken with. I've learned all I need from him and plan to let Arns here do as he pleases with the fellow starting tomorrow. Really he deserves a treat, the man works so hard." He gave a sickening smile that reminded me or paintings I'd seen of demons about to eat souls. At his side Arns just smiled his usual malicious grin.

  "The gods will punish you for the evil you do, if not in this life then surely in the next!" I was shaking and my fists were balled at my sides. I was standing with no memory of having decided to do so.

  "Oh calm yourself Carmen. You'll get over him in time and be wed to some prince from some kingdom or another that will bring us immense political gain I'm sure. Not as if you have a choice in the matter." He took a look around the room and sneered like everything was beneath him, especially Caera. Well I'm off, just wanted to check in. Have a wonderful evening dear sister, and know that there's nothing you can do about any of it." He walked out laughing at my misery. He was such a sadistic bastard, how we shared the same parents I'd never understand.

  "I hate him so much my teeth ache." I sat agrily back in my chair staring daggers at the door Ferdin had just left through.

  "He knows and he's twisting the knife. He plays the noble prince in public but now that the mask is off with you he's going to enjoy hurting you as much as he can in as many ways as he can. You mustn't let him." Caera was once more my voice of calm reason.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  I took a deep breath to calm myself. "I know and you're right. We have a plan anyway and hopefully after tomorrow I'll never have to see his smug face again."

  "There you go, stay positive." She came and gave me the hug we both knew I needed. Maybe you should practice your light magic some more before we get some sleep so you're as ready for tomorrow as possible."

  "You're right. Go ahead and head to your bed, I'll practice then sleep."

  "Goodnight then princess." She bowed her head and went the the door leading to her chamber.

  I calmed my mind before picturing the magic in my soul. Magic skills were different from the rest. They simply gave you access to a type of magic without any instruction. The higher your magic skill leveled the better you could shape the magic but there were no guides and every person visualized their magic differently. The only thing all casters had in common was the use of mana to exert their will. I thought of it like a pool of energy nestled within all of us, a caster's was just bigger. You had a mana pool of 10 mana for every point in Int while Wis governed how fast it regenerated. You also got a one time bonus of 10 mana each time you aquired a magic skill or tiered one up. Like your soul got stronger by exercising it.

  As Light Magic was my newest skill it was still relatively weak. I'd only had it for about three weeks now but it would have to do. The first step to using any magic was learning to picture what it looked and felt like in your soul. Mine looked like a star shining in the night sky, just not quite as bright yet. The first time I'd tried manipulating light magic has resulted in a tiny speck of light that vanished almost as soon as it formed. The glowflies outside each night were brighter. Now I could shape a very bright light and release it in a flash. Each person shapes their own spells and names them as they see fit. I'd been calling this one Blinding Light and each cast only cost 5 mana.

  The mana bar didn't even show up on a person's personal status until they gained a magic skill, like the gods knew we had no need of it until then. I cast Blinding Light about twenty times before resting a bit, getting it to flash a bit brighter each time. I didn't like depleting my mana too far because it started to give headaches around 10%. After regaining some mana I tried another spell. This one I'd been calling Daylight. I built the spell slowly, the light starting out as a small bead and growing larger and brighter over time. I let the spell build until it was the size of a fist and I had to close my eyes completely and turn my head wanting to see how far I could push the spell.

  Knock knock knock. "Princess Carmen, is everything alright?" The guards knew good and well what I was doing but it was normal and they were just doing their jobs.

  I cut the spell and answered while blinking the spots away. "Yes, everything is fine. Just practicing a bit of magic."

  They left me alone as I prepared for bed, having pushed that last spell too far and feeling the beginnings of a mana depletion headache forming. The Daylight spell is channeled instead of instant cast and I'd gotten it up to 10 mana every 60 seconds by the end there. It had started at 3 so I was pleased with the improvement. I laid down and tried not to worry about Cid as my mind fought itself against sleep. I resorted to counting cabbats to sleep, picturing their cute little white puffball tails and big ears. I'd had one as a pet when I was little and had always loved them. Eventually I felt myself get sleepy and snuggled into my blankets and went to sleep.

  The next morning came in a blink. "Good morning princess. We should get ready for the day." Caera was at my bedside, gently shaking my shoulder.

  I got up and dressed quickly having picked out everything the night before. I put on simple but sturdy travel clothes and wore a light dress over it to sell the lie. Caera had the physical skill to knock someone out but I'd have to resort to using something else. We had taken one of the silver candle holders and set it next to the door out of sight.

  With everything ready we sat at the table in my sitting room and waited for Constance to bring breakfast and word that all was ready.

  An hour after the sun had risen Constance entered like clockwork. "Good morning your highness. I hope you're hungry, I've prepared a hearty breakfast this morning." She smiled with extra meaning. Once the guards closed the doors she hurried to add more.

  "I only have a moment but everything is ready. In one hour everything will be in place. Lady Caera's family has all the precautions in the city setup and the right staff are in the right places to steer things your way. Good luck." She erased the look of worry from her face and left.

  "I suppose that's it then. We eat then prepare our daring escape." Caera tucked into her meal. Fried sausages, fluffy scrambled eggs, warm buttery bread, and some sliced fruit.

  "I'm so nervous. I have to do this but I'm worried. We've prepared as best we can haven't we?" I was too nervous to eat and was starting to panic a little.

  "We have and you'll be fine. Everything is in place and all we can do is our best. Now eat. We're on a time limit here and you'll need your strength." She scooted my plate a bit closer to me and I forced myself to eat knowing she was right. I'd be lost without her. After we ate and finished our tea we waited until the appropriate time.

  "Ready?" I asked.

  "Ready." I was positioned off to the side of one of the doors near when my candle holder was stashed.

  Caera knocked on the door and it opened quickly. "Yes?"

  "Santori, be a dear and come inside. We need the opinions of two gentlemen to decide which dresses look better. We're bored." She played up the pout and big inviting eyes and he didn't even try to object.

  "Of course milady, whatever you wish." He was smiling like a drunken idiot. He was smitten, poor sap.

  Once they were inside and the door closed fully Caera and I both closed our eyes and I cast Blinding Light. The closing of the door being the signal. Both guards started to shout but were silenced quickly. Caera hit Santoi and he went down in one go. My first hit only stunned my guard and I had to hit the poor man again. I hoped they'd be okay.

  "Let's go." I said with more confidence than I felt. We stepped out into the hall and down the corridor to the servant's section. No one paid attention to the servants usually. They moved invisibly through the palace until needed. We came to a door with Constance waiting that led downstairs and outside to the rear courtyard.

  "Here you go. There's food enough for a week, the funds your family provided, and your weapon lady Caera. Princess Carmen, Arns has already had a go at him this morning so I don't know what shape he'll be in once you find him. Good luck dear." Constance patted my hand and I feared the worst.

  We'd just have to rescue and heal him. There was no other choice. "Thank you."

  We got the the door to the courtyard and peeked out to see that the coast was clear. We went out at a steady walk knowing that anyone who saw two people running would be much more likely to investigate. We got to the door leading down to the dungeons and I pulled the key out of the pack Constance gave us. I was so nervous. This was the most dangerous part and where the most could go wrong. I turned the key and opened the door and came face to face with a face I'd been longing to see on a much larger frame.

  "Cid?"

  "Carmen?"