^ Title art by me :) Click to see the full-sized version ^
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WARNING! This fan-fiction contains dark themes and moderate violence.
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Third fan-fiction! This may be longer than the previous two fan-fictions that I have written (The Lost Vulnyx and Niereth's Lair), so there may be some scenes that are less fast-paced and more thoughtful. As for dialogue... let's just say that it will be considerably better than Chapter 4 in TLV *shudders*. Until this is finished, please send all feedback via PMs! It will keep the story easy to read.

*This story is very rarely updated, but chapters will still come out!*

If you wish to be pinged whenever I write a chapter, just ask.
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Chapter List:

Chapter 1 - The Candy Princess
Chapter 2 - Maxwell's Visit
Chapter 3 - Roses and Thorns
Chapter 4 - Truth or Lies
Chapter 5 - The Missing Letter
Chapter 6 - A Potential Lead
Chapter 7 - The Ryoren Rebels
Chapter 8 - The Prince of the Shadowlands
Chapter 9 - Conspiracy
Chapter 10 - The Blind Mage
Chapter 11 - Dancing with Shadows
Chapter 12 - The Three Strangers
Chapter 13 - The Queen's Bandits
Chapter 14 - Kaidelus' Army
Chapter 15 - The Unexpected Hostage
Chapter 16 - Aritael's Illness
Chapter 17 - Battle Born
Chapter 18 - The Paper
Chapter 19 - The Unity of Enemies
Chapter 20 - Descendants of Kai
Chapter 21 - The Crystal
Chapter 22 - The Force of Two Kings
Chapter 23 - Sleepless Nights
Chapter 24 - The Slumbering Army

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Characters:

I unfortunately hit the character limit for a post, so the images have had to be removed and replaced with links, sorry!

Candy Princess
Anuki
Kaidelus
Aritael
Errikin
Princess Erella
Jjanis
Kerro
Kritholxo
Taensina
Maxwell
Jyarris
Prince Erukin
Trespasser 1 (Chapter 3)
Trespasser 2 (Chapter 3)
The Lupora (Chapter 3)
Drakythis
Azure Crystal
Aeritana
Starfall Llyeria
Prince Rysxaro
Erixeth
Laiya
Kae
Lightfire
Tessimai
Vixea
The border guard (Chapter 10)
The strange Vulnyx (Iszerrai)(Chapter 12)
Kirra
Zera Windchaser
Queen Caiphe
The soldier (Chapter 14)
The eggling
The medic
The hatchling
(the link to the adult version of the eggling/ hatchling is here)
The executioner
King Pyris
The Zolnixi (Chapter 19)
The pink Bulbori (Chapter 19)
The scribe (Chapter 20)
Kai
The 'shadow' (Chapter 23)

^{Chapter 1}_{The Candy Princess}



"Princess." The door was nudged open slightly, and Kaidelus' gleaming orange eyes stared through the gap. I turned towards him, the various candy ornaments strung across my body clacking together. My wings twitched with annoyance - Kaidelus always maintained his formality towards me, but never seemed to understand the concept of privacy.

"Kaidelus, what have I told you about entering uninvited?" I enquired. His response to my question was silence, so I brushed the incident aside and decided to get to what mattered. "What is the matter?"

"We have received word that the two suitors are due to arrive in a few hours," he explained, his expression not shifting in the slightest. That was often his way of speaking - sometimes I wished that he didn't have the same amount of emotion as the walls of this castle, but perhaps he considered hiding his feelings part of the formalities. He shouldn't have to be so formal. Perhaps he has forgotten that we are actually related. I sighed.

"Prince Maxwell and Prince Erukin, I assume?" From what I had heard, both were equally as unpleasant, but in their own ways - Maxwell was supposedly ugly, with a horrendous mix of colours that reflected his kingdom of swamps, and Erukin was bad-tempered and rude, with no regard for anyone. Although I had tried my best to ignore these rumours, the image that I had conjured up from these descriptions would not fade from my mind.

"Yes. Maxwell will visit you today, then Erukin will come the next. Anuki wants you to be ready in advance - he suggests that you plan your route around the castle and have some pre-prepared words for them." Easier said than done - I hardly know these people, I thought.

"Fine." I waited until the door had shut before I did anything.

With a swish of my tail, I wandered over to the balcony. Pushing the glass doors apart with my nose, I gazed out upon the spectrum of colour that dotted the fields.

My kingdom. The sun was high in the sky, its light shining down on the grass, the flowers, the trees. A pleasant mixture of smells drifted into my nose as I placed one paw on the white railing. All in perfect harmony. At least, from where I am.

There was more to this 'paradise' than the view of the castle grounds. For example, I knew that, beyond the healthy green bushes and a forest teeming with life was a bandit camp, filled with those opposed strongly to the Puffadore monarchies in Kyarin. Behind the mountain that stood in the centre of my vision, the poor lived in scattered towns, fearing for their lives.

I wanted to change things, but the pact that was sealed between the Puffadore lords of old had decreed that no unmarried Puffadore could legally rule a kingdom. As such, I remained a princess, and so my abilities were restricted to decisions that, if not made, could lead to the destruction of the kingdom. 'Minor' decisions, such as lowering taxes, providing aid to those that were in need, and creating projects that would aim to decrease the hatred of the leadership, were forbidden.

I hated our traditions, but going against them would ultimately turn the entire realm against me. Or, at least, the Puffadore rulers, who had the most power in Kyarin. I would be outnumbered, backed only by rebels and outcasts. And rebels and outcasts could never win a war against lords and knights with numbers alone.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," I called, not looking away from the scene before me.

"Princess." The same greeting as before, but from a Sylesti with a gruffer voice. My pink eyes switched their focus to Kritholxo, the Kelpari guardsman. "Princess," he repeated, standing by the entrance, not daring to set foot in my room. His movements were awkward - indeed, his kind were not adapted to land - but he tried his best to appear as stern as ever. "A message has been received from Princess Erella of Riiaro." He pulled a rolled piece of parchment from his cloak with his teeth, then set it down.

"Thank you. I shall read it in a moment." After saying that, he did not leave. I frowned, remembering that he was one of those knights who thought that he needed to be dismissed after every event. "You are dismissed." At that, the Kelpari nodded, then left.

I delicately removed the ice-coloured ribbon and unrolled the letter. It was titled in swirling handwriting, written intricately with blue ink.

"Dear Princess Candy," I read, "I received news of the arrival of your suitors. I wish you the best of luck." At the bottom, it was signed by the princess. What an odd letter, I thought. There is so little. Usually she writes more. I decided not to dwell on it much longer. I tucked it into my drawer, then lay on my bed, staring up at the patterns on the ceiling.

I must have fallen asleep, as it appeared that several hours had passed when I was awoken by Kaidelus, who, yet again, had not warned me before entering.

"Princess. Prince Maxwell is here. He is awaiting your company in the throne room."

^{Chapter 2}_{Maxwell's Visit}



Flanked by my two personal guards, Kerro and Jjanis, I was escorted by Kaidelus to the throne room. Despite telling him that I was perfectly capable of finding my way there, he was insistent that it would give a better impression if he also went along.

Once we reached the great golden door, Kaidelus opened it with his paw, then stood aside to let me pass.

It was true. The murky colours of the Prince's pelt were not impressive in the slightest. Neither did his tribal appearance do any favours for him - a bird skull necklace hung around his neck, along with more decorations made of the same material bound around his tail. The crown he wore was embroidered with feathers and small, round stones that matched his dull green eyes. I supposed that the only positive of his looks was the warm smile that he gave as I sat opposite him.

"My lady," he said, bowing his head in respect.

"Prince," I returned, my voice shaky with nervousness. His closed eyes flickered open, and his eyes glinted slightly.

"If it is not too much to ask... Please may you simply refer to me as Maxwell?" His speech was gentle and calming. His manner distracted me from my previous dislike for his appearance, and for a moment, I was convinced that he would most likely be the better of the suitors. "You see, in the swamplands of Tyris, we are never referred to as princes - we are no different to the commonfolk, except when it comes to blood." Yes, it is part of the Tyrisian words, I thought. 'Body before blood'. At least, that is what I think they are. Now I had begun to regret not researching the kingdoms from which these princes came from.

"If you insist, Maxwell." Maxwell's smile expanded when I uttered his name. He's charming - I will at least give him that. But personality alone is not everything. It was at that moment that I felt the increasing heat of my face as I began to blush. I cleared my throat, trying to retain my composure, and I decided to ask some questions. "So, please, tell me more about your kingdom and your culture."

I had not expected him to go into so much detail. He re-told the story of the First Founder who first set foot in the swamplands and claimed them for his home. The creation of the core value of humbleness for their society; the reign of the Mad King Alixen; the brave tale of the ten rebels from his lands who worked to bind the Puffadore kingdoms together - he left nothing out. Despite the length of everything he said, he kept me fully engaged and listening attentively to his words.

By the end, Maxwell was breathless.

"And that's it!" he exclaimed. His tail wagged slightly as he adjusted his position on the cushion, and his eyes lit up. He then toned down his excitement to an appropriate level for the otherwise formal setting, and started to speak again. "So, my lady, what about-"

It was at this point that Kaidelus decided to interrupt. I had almost forgotten that he was in the room with us, as he had kept still and silent the entire time.

"I apologise for interrupting, Prince Maxwell, but I think that we have a few other more serious topics to discuss." Orange eyes locked with green, and the two Puffadores were staring directly at each other. Maxwell, however, waited patiently for Kaidelus to finish what he was saying. "This is not entirely about whether you are compatible. I am certain that you are aware of this, but if a marriage should occur, we need to know what Tyris can offer Malledus." Maxwell broke eye contact with Kaidelus.

"Ah..." He turned his head to face me. "Tyris has a considerably sized army. We would be honoured to defend your kingdom, and perhaps even defeat those raiders that you have been plagued with for many years." When he paused, he noticed Kaidelus' disappointment, and so he quickly tried to scramble something together. "As for resources, we have many herbal plants that grow in our swamps. Most of them are essential for healing potions."

"I see." Kaidelus gave a nod. "Prince Maxwell, please can you leave the room for a moment. I need to speak with the princess. Taensina will take you to your chambers. I will send the princess to you after we have finished." Maxwell frowned - in his eyes, there was a little sadness, as if he felt like he had failed. No, you haven't. You haven't failed. I wanted to tell him, but Kaidelus was present, so I let the Puffadore of the swamplands leave.

Once the door had shut, Kaidelus came over to me.

"Princess, I must intervene in this." He sat in the vacant spot where Maxwell had been, and continued to speak. "He is no good for you. You should have known from the moment you set foot in this room." He leaned forwards, the orange flowers on his headband rustling. "Tyris owes a lot of debt to many different kingdoms. Should you marry the prince, there is the potential that he could use the wealth of Malledus for his own selfish means."

"But even if he becomes my consort, he will still only have absolute power over Tyris," I pointed out, "I will be the one to hold Malledus. He will be able to make some decisions, but not enough to destroy this kingdom." Any more than it already is destroyed, I almost added.

"If the kingdom doesn't matter to you, then you shouldn't be queen." Those words stung - I physically recoiled from the harshness of them. "You know exactly what the swamplands are like. This 'army' that the prince offers you is an unorganised mess of savages that he only just keeps together. As for the herbs, it is often said that such plants are used as poisons; false medicines." He inhaled slowly, trying to keep anger from creeping into his words. "Even if that does not convince you... Take a second look at the colour of his pelt. A disgusting concoction of green - the children that you would bear for him would no doubt be turn out to be monstrous in appearance. I am certain that you would not want that."

"You were the one who arranged for these suitors to come here," I half-mumbled, "If I had the choice, I would not wish to marry either of them. I may not have met Prince Erukin, but..." I looked away from my brethren's intense gaze. "A prince is no good for me. I should be bound to someone of my own choice by marriage, and, by a pact or by words, bound to other kingdoms. Being queen should not take away my freedom to love."

"You are so naive, princess, that it is unbelievable." Kaidelus' voice was laced with spite. He stood, and strode over to the door. "I will leave one last thing for you to consider - by not taking up the position of queen, you are blocking myself and your other kin from being in a role that they may actually desire to take up." With that, he was gone.

All I wanted at that moment, while alone, was to be with Jyarris. I left the room without addressing Kerro and Jjanis, so they did not follow me.

From my room, I grabbed an old, faded cloak, then made my way through the castle without being seen. When I donned the garb, it made me look just like any other of the commonfolk, and so I was capable of moving around the city without being bothered by anyone.

I came to a familiar house. A baker's shop, run by a Puffadore who had been exiled from his home kingdom. I tapped three times on the back door, and I was ushered in by the owner.

"Jyarris," I said, close to tears. I embraced him, burying my face in his warm fur. Jyarris looked down at me, concerned.

"Candy, what happened?" The former knight of Yrindel's expression mimicked mine - he hated seeing me upset, and so I always tried my best to hide my negative emotions around him. I pulled myself together and explained the situation.

"Kaidelus is forcing two suitors upon me," I breathed, unsure of how Jyarris would react, "Maxwell is kind, but I do not want him as more than a friend. Kaidelus is denying me the right to live with whom I wish, even though my choice would ultimately better the realm." I smiled slightly as I gazed into his cream-coloured eyes. "He claims that words and pacts are no use, though I am certain that with the right relations I could achieve the same goal, except we would all be happier. He also has hinted at the fact that he is waiting for his time to become king, and that I am holding him back."

"We could run away, you know," he suggested, kissing my cheek softly, "With you missing, he will be able to become king, and we'll be happy together. You can escape this life that you despise so much." My ears swivelled back at this, and I shifted away from him slightly.

"No. I cannot abandon this place, and you know that. It would unfair to punish my people by leaving without warning." I glanced up at Jyarris. "There are many amongst us that admire me. There are also many that would kill me if they had the chance."

"I would protect you from them."

"There is no need for you to sacrifice your life for me," I returned, shaking my head slightly, "I will be safer in the castle, with my guards." At the shift in expression on Jyarris' face, I added more. "If you want to be near me, then I can allow you to become one of my guards. But if they find out about us... the consequences will be severe, whether I am married or not." My eyes went to the grubby bakery window. I could not see anyone outside yet, but I was not sure about how much longer I could stay. "Listen. I will consult Anuki tomorrow on whether I can hire more guards or not." My gaze flickered left and right again. "I must leave before they begin to search for me. I would not want Kerro and Jjanis to be punished for letting me out of their sights."

As I picked my way across the network of muddy alleyways to the castle, it began to rain.

^{Chapter 3}_{Roses and Thorns}



The second suitor insisted that I met him outside in the castle gardens. I had explained to him via letter that the rain would have left the ground soggy, and that the paths may be muddy. These facts did not sway him, however, and he remained unconvinced.

Before I went out, however, I decided to speak to Jyarris. I took him aside, and briefed him on the rules that Anuki would not have told him.

"Listen, you are a guard now. You cannot be seen with me. Obey everything my brethren tell you to do. Do not cause trouble for them - they will not give you a second chance. Do I make myself clear?" Jyarris nodded, then, without even indicating that he wanted to say anything, continued his patrol of the castle as if nothing had happened.

I found him underneath the white shelter by the rose gardens, looking down his narrow snout at the surrounding flowers. Most of his pelt was a mixture of various shades of purple and grey, and that which wasn't was black tinted with a dark purple. His eyes were a soft pink, matching the flower that was attached to his right ear. When I approached, the beads on the small decoration clicked together.

His narrow stare made me uncomfortable, and the way he held his head suggested to me that he was probably an egotist, though I was prepared to give him a chance.

Before I made my way up to sit by him, he jumped down, the pale gravel beneath his paws crunching.

"Princess," he said. His voice was quite high-pitched for a male - either that, or he was deliberately speaking like that. It was difficult to tell. "I was hoping to be alone with you." He eyed Kerro and Jjanis with mistrust. "I wanted to know what you are like, not the emotional mask you wear when you are under protection." I glanced over at the two Zolnixis, unsure. I don't know this prince - we are far from the castle, and should something happen and the guards not be here, there would be severe consequences.

"My apologies, Prince Erukin," I answered, "These two must be here. I cannot dismiss them when I am outside of the castle." The prince frowned, but did not ask further questions on the matter.

"I understand. I should have thought about that before asking." His gaze swept the garden, stopping momentarily at certain flowers - the roses, I noticed, seemed to be the only ones that he seemed interested in.

"Would you like me to take you around the gardens, Prince?" I enquired.

"Of course." A smile crept onto his face, his eyes glinting. His smile wasn't as comforting as Maxwell's, but, rather terrifying, almost evil-looking. I resisted the urge to shudder, and nodded.

--

The discussion was going well with Erukin when it happened. Although we were talking of matters that I would rather not speak of, such as the war in East Kyarin, or the exploitation of the people in Eyrir-beyond-the-shadowlands, that did not matter, as it kept the prince engaged and interested.

We caught two trespassers on the outskirts of the rose garden. A bright blue Draeyl and a red Vulnyx were stood in the centre of the path, looking as if they were searching for something. When they heard our footsteps, they turned, their eyes flashing with recognition.

Without warning, the Vulynx lunged at me, though her attack was blocked by Kerro, who had jumped in front of the rogue. She beat her wings at him, attempting to confuse the Zolnixi with a flurry of grey, however, he grabbed her left wing with his paw and slammed her to the ground. The Draeyl pounced on Kerro, sinking his claws into his back, however he was knocked aside by Jjanis, who pinned the creature to the ground. Blood bubbled up from the thin wounds on Kerro's back, though, despite the pain, he kept a firm grip on the Vulnyx.

Prince Erukin was stood beside me. His expression of fear seemed fake as he watched the scene before him. Did he... know? I had my suspicions.

My suspicions were confirmed swiftly.

Something came at me from the side. I didn't have time to react to it, nor could I see any features - it was more of a blur of movement. It wrapped its teeth around the scruff of my neck and pulled me into the bush. Thorns scratched through my fur, leaving bloody marks all over my body.

"Princess!" That was Kerro's voice, though it was distant now. Whatever had me was running fast, its strides uneven in a pattern that suggested that it was half-limping. I struggled a little, but I could not dislodge myself from it.

"HELP!" I cried out.

No-one heard.

^{Chapter 4}_{Truth or Lies}



My eyes flickered open, revealing the familiar pattern on the ceiling. I began to panic as the memories flooded back. I was taken. I was taken!

I sat up, breathing heavily, my eyes flickering around the room.

My drawer. My mirror. The balcony.

I'm at the castle. Why am I at the castle?

"Princess." Kaidelus. What is he doing here?

"W-what happen-end?" I stuttered.

"Kerro managed to grab the Lupora who took you before you were taken away," he explained, standing by the side of the bed, "Prince Erukin, the Lupora and the Vulnyx have been locked up. We are in the process of questioning them, but I assure you, we will discover the truth behind this." There was determination burning in his orange eyes as he leaned over, inspecting my expression. I nodded, feeling somewhat intimidated by this gesture.

"Will I be able to visit any of the prisoners?" I enquired.

"Why would you wish to do that?"

"If I do not look the ones who wish me harm in the eyes and manage their punishments myself, I will appear cowardly." I hopped down off of the bed. "A queen should be able to make her own judgements." Kaidelus shook his head.

"Princess, I will not allow you to access the prison." Our gazes met, and he frowned. "You are still injured. You must rest."

"I thank you for your concern for my health, but I am clearly capable of carrying out my own investigation into the crime." To emphasise my point, I stretched my limbs. The bones clicked, but I did not feel any pain. "I shall go to the dungeons myself and ask the questions that I feel need to be answered. I wish to hear them first-hand, so that no details are left out or forgotten."

As I left the room, I glanced over at the orange-pelted Puffadore. He stared back, displeased with my words and my actions, though he did not rush to stop me.

--

The steps downwards were poorly-lit and narrow. I remembered venturing down here many times as a child, striding into the darkness in hopes of receiving a decent scare. My main focuses all those years ago had been revolved around thrill-seeking. It was a life that I desperately yearned to return to, but I knew that, as heir to the throne of Malledus, I could not pursue selfish goals that only brought pleasure to myself.

Chains clanked as I pushed open the rotten wooden door. A pair of purple eyes glinted from the darkness.

"Princess," Prince Erukin choked, trying to extend the metal links as far as he could so that he could reach me. The clamps around his neck simply pressed against his throat, and he gasped for air until he ceased his struggles. "Please, princess, you need to hear the truth!" As he requested, I approached him.

"You hired those three, did you not?" I asked, refraining from expressing my anger. I was hurt, yes, but I did not feel betrayed - perhaps if I had known him better, then I would have felt worse.

"I did not hire the Vulnyx and the Draeyl." At least he was honest about it. "The Lupora, Phantom Star... yes, that was my doing." Tears sparkled in his tired eyes. "I knew about the others, however. Kaidelus... Kaidelus was the one... he..."

I cut him off. "You think that I would believe that?" I spat, eyes narrowed, "You lie terribly. Kaidelus is one of my kin. He would never..." "I will leave one last thing for you to consider - by not taking up the position of queen, you are blocking myself and your other kin from being in a role that they may actually desire to take up." Those words rang through my head. He... He didn't, did he? I refused to believe it without any further proof. "The words of a traitor is no solid evidence. I need paper. I need money. Something that would show his guilt."

"Look no further than behind you, then." I turned.

The red Vulnyx was lying on her stomach, one grey wing held at an awkward angle. Ears back, she mumbled something under her breath.

"Speak up," I commanded her. Her grey eyes closed slowly as she inhaled sharply, then re-opened looking away from my face.

"The Draeyl. Marev. He had the documents." She wheezed and rolled onto her side, entangling herself in the metal coils attached to her limbs. "No doubt that they have been burned. To remove evidence."

"No evidence has been burned, Candy. I can assure you."

A figure of green, white and black slipped through the door. The bell strung around his neck clinked softly as he halted once he had entered. The slight smile on his face was, as far as I was aware, a permanent feature of his expression. Green eyes were fixated on the prisoners, watching their every move.

"Aritael."

"Candy. It is nice to see you." The soft sound of his paws tapping on the floor echoed as he came over to my side. "Everything that we recovered from the body of the Draeyl and the other prisoners has been stored elsewhere in the castle. We recorded it all at the time of finding it. If anything had been destroyed, I would know." He motioned towards the steps with his head. "You can even take a look at the records if you wish." My gaze swept the room before I made my decision.

"Fine. That is what I shall do." My eyes met Prince Erukin's. "If I should find anything that confirms your allegations, I will return to you."

--

The book opened, the light sprinkling of dust on its cover blowing off with the movement. I began to leaf through the pages, of which there were very few, checking each piece of evidence against the descriptions. It didn't take very long, though...

"Aritael," I called. Aritael peered over the top of another book at me.

"What is the matter?" He jumped down from his pillow and craned his neck over my shoulder so that he could see. I placed my paw delicately on the paper.

"Here. It says that you recovered a letter. Unopened. The record here says that you kept it unopened for evidence purposes, and that you would open it under supervision." Aritael nodded.

"Yes, I remember it. A white wax seal. Some scribbling on the front. We found it in the Draeyl's possession." I pointed at the collection of items before me. It was fairly obvious to Aritael as to what I was about to say, and genuine shock crossed his face.

"So, where is it?"

^{Chapter 5}_{The Missing Letter}



We found Kaidelus' room unlocked.

Strange, I thought, pushing the door open. The two guards that Aritael and I had brought with us entered first, and gave the room a thorough search for life before returning to us.

"Empty," Kritholxo declared, before standing aside to allow us through. The blue-eyed Kelpari did not seem to be convinced by his own words, but he kept his mouth firmly pressed shut. The Nytekrie guard Taensina stood opposite him in silence, her crimson eyes peering out from underneath a golden helm.

We agreed to search different areas of the room. I started with the bed, ducking underneath and searching the small gap between the frame and the carpet. Aritael pulled open the cupboard, then nestled himself in the neatly arranged clothing and began to go through everything.

"Princess, may we be of help?" Kritholxo was as eager as ever to be useful. I rolled out from where I was and tilted my head back to look up at him.

"If you wish." He nodded, and then instructed Taensina to continue to keep watch by the door.

The three of us spent several hours, but to no avail. No other missing evidence, no notes that could prove his guilt, nothing that could suggest that someone else perhaps had been in his room and disposed of the letter.

And he still hasn't returned. For someone who is so infrequently seen around the castle, surely he should spend more time in solitude in his room? That small detail could not go unnoticed. I told Aritael, though he shrugged it off.

"There are times when he will indeed leave the castle for a few days at a time." That was something that I was not aware of, though I did not interrupt him to make my point. "He did not discuss it with me, however, which is unusual. In fact, I thought that I declared it disallowed, as it is required that one must sign-in and out so that we know who is in the building at all times." He sighed. "We can check the books, bu-"

He was cut off by some heavy breathing. A Bulbori with a dark pelt ran in, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His ears twitched as he leaned against the door. Drakythis, I believed that his name was - I could not be certain; he had been hired by Kaidelus several months ago.

"Come to the dungeons! Quickly!" All formalities were forgotten by the guard in the rush of adrenaline. I glanced over at Aritael, then back at the Bulbori.

"What is wrong?" I asked. Drakythis did not reply, he just urged us to follow with a variety of gestures and expressions.

We took the stairs, two at a time. There was no time to pause - I just let the burning sensation in my chest continue as I ran. What has happened? What is with the urgency?

The stench of blood hit me even before we had entered the jail area. I gasped, struggling to breath under the crushing air of death.

The torches had been put out. Drenched, likely - the ends dripped with a transparent substance. I was partially glad for the darkness - it censored the stains and the corpses.

Though one was not a corpse. Prince Erukin's blank eyes flickered to life, and he drew in breath, as if he had been holding his breath. Crimson stained his pelt, covered slightly by his paws. His mouth hung open, and a gurgle escaped from his throat. He paused, then tried to speak a second time.

"Prin... cess," he choked. Aritael's eyes widened, and he knelt by Erukin. Blood seeped into his white paws. He flinched at the sensation as it crept up his legs.

"Who did this?" I asked, my voice echoing with authority around the dungeon. Silence was my answer as anger twisted across my face. My teeth gritted together as I turned my head. "Who did this?!" I had never felt so upset and enraged at the same time. Shaking, I narrowed my eyes. My gaze rested on the dead bodies of the Vulnyx and the Lupora. "Kritholxo, Taensina, Drakythis. Assist the prince." I stared out into the darkness, then turned to the exit. "Aritael, with me. We're hunting down Kaidelus."

^{Chapter 6}_{A Potential Lead}



The hill was tall enough for one to see almost everything. My pink eyes scanned the environment, searching for a hint of orange.

Prince Erukin was too injured to tell us what he knew, and so we were blindly following possibilities. To cover as much ground as possible, I had dispatched my kin Anuki and Errikin and a selection of guards to the north and south exits from the castle, while I had taken Taensina and Jjanis with me.

Jyarris had tried to convince me to take him, though I refused.

"Remember who you are supposed to be," I whispered to him, feeling his soft breath on my neck. Disappointment had glinted in his eyes at that moment, though he understood. I was thankful that he had not discussed it any further - my priorities were to find who was responsible for the massacre of the prisoners.

Obvious destruction of evidence, I mused, sitting atop a small rock fringed with moss. There is someone in the castle who is desperate to remain anonymous. I didn't want it to be Kaidelus - we had never been the closest of brethren, but it would still hurt if it turned out that he was indeed behind this. Despite everything so far being speculation, I still felt myself becoming more and more distant from him.

"Princess." Jjanis had only received minor injuries from the fight, and they had not yet fully healed, but he was adamant that he was fully capable. I could not have denied him from doing his duty - he was a part of my personal guard - and so I let him join us. "The Starfall Clan live not far from here." He gestured towards a small opening, covered slightly by moss. "Perhaps they may have seen Kaidelus."

"Can we trust their word, however?" The Ryori did not have a reputation for being trustworthy, however, this was the Starfall Clan. They were notorious anti-monarchists, with a history of assassinating any that did not show at least mild favour towards them. King Yuverys, Queen Relli, Queen Adelana, King Ilikyi, King Ferrallan, King Varamix. I could list every one of their names. All biased towards Ryoris when it came to justice. Some even utilised their clans for taking out leaders of potential threats. One of the victims of their targeting had been Mad King Alixen, who had been driven insane by his mistrust for all, triggered by the Ryori Devallin Likerya. They're a dangerous group. We must tread with caution.

"Even if we do not take into account what they say, we should still speak with them." Jjanis was right. I glanced over at the two guards. If worst should come to worst, I am not certain that, even with the protection of these two, I would leave alive. Despite the risks, I made the decision that fake word would be better than none. I nodded.

"Let us go then." I hopped down from my perch, then padded over to the path. Taensina and Jjanis followed, alert. I hope this goes well.

--

"Halt!"

The single Ryori guard by the entrance stepped forwards, the fire-like substance swirling around him fluctuating drastically in size. Glowing blue eyes narrowed, and he inspected us with a sceptical stare.

"I am Princess Candy of Malledus," I said, "These are my guards, the Nytekrie Taensina and the Zolnixi Jjanis. We mean you no harm. We need to speak to the head of Clan Starfall. If you cannot help us with that, please stand aside." The Ryori frowned.

"I will take you to Starfall Llyeria, provided that what you speak is the truth. Before you are allowed to approach her, I will have to present you to Aeritana." Who Aeritana was, he did not say, however we willingly followed him downwards into the darkness.

From the surface, the slight bulge suggested only a small area. However, there was a huge underground city, with dirt-coloured pillars reaching up to the ceiling. The streets were quieter than those on the surface, but the place still seemed full of life. Small yellow lanterns hung from various places, illuminating the mud paths that snaked between the crude buildings.

It is like a down-sized kingdom down here, I thought. There were many visual distractions, such as colourful, manually-made banners hanging from shops. Each had an intricately made logo on them. Minor clans, I assumed.

Aeritana was in one of the small houses. She covered her frame with a red cloak, turning her into a shapeless creature with undetermined features. Even her face was concealed. She greeted us with a crimson paw, and that was the most that was ever seen of her.

"Aeritana is a mage," the guard, who had introduced himself as Azure Crystal on the way down, explained, "She is capable of telling if one is lying very well. I suggest that you tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, or this will be a very painful experience."

Then the muttering started. Gestures, glowing yellow sparks, humming. Once it was over, she placed one paw on each side of my face. I could feel the heat of the pads, and squirmed uncomfortably, but I kept my gaze directed at her face.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was ghastly - a voice that I would expect from a member of the undead, rather than one who is living. I swallowed nervously, then answered shakily.

"We are here to speak with the head of the Starfall Clan." Are they warmer now? I couldn't tell, and it was terrifying. I looked into the shadow underneath her hood, trying to make contact with eyes that I could not see. "We believe that we have been betrayed by one of my kin - Kaidelus. We were wondering if we could either receive help or if anyone had seen him." I shrugged in an effort to motion towards Jjanis and Taensina. "These are my guards, they..." I paused. They must be warmer. It's starting to become uncomfortable. I decided to finish what I was saying before complaining. "They are here to protect me." I paused again. "It... it kind of hurts. Can you please stop?"

Aeritana removed her paws from my face. She placed them on the table, and then looked over at Azure Crystal.

"They tell the truth. Let them speak with her." Azure Crystal nodded, then glanced over at my guards and I.

"Come. I will take you to her now."

^{Chapter 7}_{The Ryoren Rebels}


"Welcome, my Puffadore friends." The Ryori's voice was smooth and calm, the opposite of suspicious. Her gestures and body language were similar. With footsteps so quiet that one could assume that she was drifting across the ground, she approached our small group. "So, what brings you here?"

The explanation did not so much as dent her composure. Her ears swivelled round to face me as I spoke, her eyes fixated on my expression. At the last word, she waited patiently for me to ask my question.

"And so... I ask you, have you seen Kaidelus anywhere?" The head of the Starfall Clan shook her head.

"No, I do not believe that we let a Puffadore of that description inside." In that instant, I was awash with disappointment. My hope was swiftly restored, however, when she continued to speak. "There was a cloaked creature that we shooed away. It sought to speak with someone, or a group of citizens. The accounts vary." Her azure eyes sparkled like gemstones. "A few went after it, and some of them have not returned, most notably, those of the underground organisation the Ryoren Rebels."

"Who are they?" I tilted my head to one side, intrigued. Starfall Llyeria exhaled slowly.

"A group of Ryoris who do not want 'outsiders' in the city. It is odd that they would want to leave to chase an enemy - surely they would stay and protect their homes?" She sighed. "They create a large impact without making a noise. Murals, statues, flags - they leave them everywhere, and no-one sees them put them there. The only thing that we know of them is the tattoo on their neck - usually the left side - that all of them posses some sort of variety of. The markings were observed by Azure Crystal as they ran."

"Did he see which direction they went in?"

"Ask that of Azure Crystal himself." The guard stepped forwards from the shadows.

"I did indeed. North, towards the swamplands." The swamplands. Could he be...? Could Maxwell be involved in this? This new information was concerning. The suitor who I trusted the most could be, in reality, my worst enemy. I have to return to the castle. I turned to Jjanis and Taensina.

"I want you two to go ahead and search for Kaidelus. I must return home." Jjanis looked concerned.

"Princess, are you sure that you can return alone?" I gave a nod.

"I will be fine." I turned to Starfall Llyeria, and thanked her for her aid, then swivelled round to face my guards once more. "Please, go. Kaidelus must return alive - I have many questions for him. Use violence only if necessary." I paused. "If you do not find him... then... then search for evidence. Stay as long as you want - a few weeks, if necessary - though if you are away for long, please send messages."

Straight-faced, the two guards silently left the room. I followed, though, when we reached the surface, we went our separate ways.

The forest was very different when travelling alone. Leaves danced around my legs, rustling softly, the only noise that I could hear. Occasionally, I mistook the sound for the whisper of voices, and I called out in response every time.

Why am I so jittery? There is nothing here. Despite telling myself that, I glanced around at the trees as if they were strangers, lined up, judging me silently. My wings fluttered slightly as I shivered.

THWACK!

My front leg went numb. I stared down, at it, confused.

Why won't it move?

A hit to the back of my head sent me sprawling on the ground. Dizzied, pain began to swell in my skull, and I desperately tried to jump up.

The last thing I saw was a black, skeletal mask.

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Author's note:

This chapter isn't great, but I don't have much time today. I might go back and re-write this one when I have the chance (I joined WattPad recently, and so I am writing a second story on there, meaning that I have less time to write this one).

There may be no chapters over the weekend since I am busy throughout.

^{Chapter 8}_{The Prince of the Shadowlands}


My head was spinning when my eyes finally flickered open. I kept my mouth clamped firmly shut in an effort to not be sick due to the swirling shades of grey before me.

Where am I? The merged colours only disoriented me. It all looks the same. What do I do?

"Stay calm, princess." Through deep, murky sockets, two round, glowing objects stared me straight in the face, wisps of orange curling around the edges. Despite the soft words of the creature, I let out a yelp of surprise, and scrambled backwards, my paws dancing over the somewhat slippery ground. Soon, I lost my balance, and landed awkwardly on the floor, banging my jaw quite violently on the floor. A ringing sound slowly grew in my ears as the beast spoke again. "You have no need to fear me. I am of your kind."

Upon further inspection, I found that it was not lying. Squinting, the blurred figure became no more than a small Puffadore with a bright pelt. Perhaps it was the ebony skeletal armour that had made me imagine him as some sort of monster, though seeing the empty pools that were his eyes terrified me.

Wait... Is that...?

"Prince R-Rysxaro?" I stuttered, righting myself carefully so that I could get to my feet once more.

He has changed quite a lot since I last saw him. The same intense colours, the same lower-than-average height. Those were the only similarities to what I remembered of him. Certainly, it amused me inside to think of his younger self with the same stern look that was currently on his face, though I had no time to think of jests. I had to know why I had been brought here.

"Tell me... What is this place?"

"The Starfall-Shadowlands outpost. We are close to a bandit camp."

"A bandit camp!?" I gasped. "Prince, you have only brought me further into danger! I need to be elsewhere. I need to return to the castle. If I am missing..." I was interrupted suddenly.

"I have not brought you here to endanger you, princess." The prince stepped closer towards me. Even though I had to look down at him, his presence was still intimidating, to the point that I felt like I was being strangled. There was an air of threat in his voice, as if he would not allow me to leave. "You came here seeking Kaidelus, and have stumbled into a trap that you are not able to see. I feel that if I simply tell you what is happening, that you will not believe me." He pulled back a monochrome curtain, revealing the exit of the tent, and, beyond, crowds of Sylestis of all variations. "So I will ask you to listen to them first."

The outfits. Each Sylesti was dressed in rags. Some had a few pieces of dented armour; helmets, plating, straps. Bandits. He wants me to trust the words of bandits.

"Prince, I..." Again, he did not let me finish.

"None of them will hurt you. None of them hate you. In fact, they see you as an opportunity to achieve their goals. Speak with them, and you will discover why."

I glanced from the prince to the crowd, drawing in a sharp intake of breath.

Cautiously, I padded outside, and, almost immediately, I felt a thousand gazes upon me.

I felt small, insignificant even. Eyes of all colours, all directed at where I had emerged from. Some of the expressions attached to these eyes were joyful; some dark and brooding. Huddled together, the group watched silently as I made my way into the centre of them. I could hear the prince's soft steps as he followed, making certain that nothing occurred.

Oddly enough, I felt calm amongst these strangers.

"People of the former colony of Ar'gorn! This is Princess Candy of Malledus! She is here to listen to your complaints against Prince Kaidelus of Malledus!" Complaints... against Kaidelus? I shivered, suddenly uneasy. There was a shift in emotion in the crowd - smiles twisted into frowns; gazes of admiration and joy narrowed into disapproving glares; the quiet that had hung over them all contorted into chaos, each one shouting over another. Prince Rysxaro kept the order by bellowing over them several times. "One at a time! If you have anything to say to her, step forward!"

"He raided my village!" A dark-coloured Qitari placed one hoof in front of the others. A horrific burn scar ran down his face, stretching with each word that he spoke. One eye was wider than the other, as he could not open the second one all the way. His voice raised for the second part of his statement. "He slaughtered them - all of them! All for the supplies!"

A young Bulbori, brightly coloured, hopped to my side.

"He enforced a tax on my parents for years! One of his soldiers used to come to my house and knock on the door and demand money. Eventually..." She didn't finish, as she had burst into tears.

"He cast me aside when I came to him about my legitimate claim to a plot of land that he had promised our family!" A Vulnyx, this time. He was stood atop a pile of bricks, desperate to be noticed. "We fought for him! We died for him! And he told us to f-"

"Same to me!"

"He murdered-"

"We helped him, and he-"

"Our village, he-"

It was overwhelming. I wasn't sure how to think or feel - the barrage of information was too much to process.

All of it went against this image that I had built up of my kin. Although lacking emotion, I never thought of him as sadistic, or cruel, or violent. Yet everything I was hearing was being backed up by multiple different sources, and cries of agreement went up with every crime placed to his name.

Slowly but surely, his form shattered in my mind.

"Do you see now, princess?" Prince Rysxaro was by my side. I hadn't noticed until now, but hot tears were running down my face as I absorbed everything being said. "This is why you must help them."

I turned my head towards him.

"I'll do it." I then faced the crowd, and, in an attempt to quieten them, shouted my promise out loud. "I'll do it!"

The few responses I got were cheers. Those that were not pleased by my response were sullen. They know. They know exactly how this is going to turn out. I do too.

And I am afraid.

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Author's note:

I'm back! Well, kind of.

I've regained some motivation to write, though, because I am busy (I have my college interview on Tuesday), there will be a lack of chapters over the next week.

While not writing, I made a title image for this fan-fiction, which I am quite proud of, since it took several hours to get the genes and colours right, and it looks semi-decent. I hope that people like it! :)

^{Chapter 9}_Conspiracy


"To lead them, you must become one of them."

I had thought that I had gained their respect simply by announcing that I would help them, though the prince insisted that I would go another step further.

For a start, he directed me to a ragged tent, worn with age. The holes were of various sizes in the green canvas, and were shaped as if they had been inflicted with arrows and swords. Cold air seeped through the openings, and I shivered as I rolled onto the scratchy straw mattress that was to be my bed.

Not only was the space cramped enough with me alone, I had to share it with two others. The first to recognise that I had moved in was a skittish young Faelora, who had shrunk away from me as soon as I lifted my head. The only thing that had stopped her from jumping out of the tent was a lightly-coloured Sylvorpa, the edges of his mouth turned downwards. Both were dressed in rags, with not a single piece of armour between them.

The Sylvorpa nudged the Faelora forwards, forcing her closer to me. I flinched away when she almost collided with me in an effort to give me some room.

"Erixeth!" she cried, backing into him "You're pushing me into the princess here!" Her voice was shrill and panicked, and she watched me with a glint of terror in her eyes. She is scared because I am related to him, I thought. She thinks that I will do the same, as I too am royalty of the same blood.

"Laiya, Candy is our new roommate. Like it or not, you will have to interact with her," the Sylvorpa, whose name I assumed was Erixeth, grumbled. Turning to me, his pale yellow eyes rested on my somewhat startled expression. "My apologies. Laiya was incredibly nervous about meeting you." When he noticed that I had not donned the clothing that I had been given by Prince Rysxaro, his frown became more prominent. "I would put that on if I were you. You will find that you will get incredibly cold overnight."

When I pulled the first garment over my head, I found that it fit incredibly poorly. I was restricted by the tightness of the fabric around the shoulders, chest and neck, however it was far too large for my legs, some of it dragging on the floor as I moved.

"As you can tell, we never have any Puffadore visitors," Erixeth continued, sitting in the far corner and inspecting the broken claws on his left leg. "Well, at least none that are willing to see our side of the story." He paused, seeing that Laiya was trembling. "Kaidelus came here once, offering peace. He stole not only supplies while here, but people. A young Nytekrie - Taensina, I think her name was - was amongst those taken." He shook his head slowly. "What became of her, I will never know. But I pray for her soul, I truly do."

"I know where she is!" I blurted out. I stopped adjusting the armour straps around my neck and leaned forwards. "She is one of the castle guards. She came with me. I... I sent her after Kaidelus along with another after we met Starfall Llyeria." Erixeth's eyes widened.

"You... sent her after him, without gathering any information first?!" His voice suddenly raised in urgency. "You've sent her to her death! If Kaidelus is working with the Ryoren Rebels, as we suspect, then there is no way that only her and one other could possibly defeat that many!" Now stood up, the Sylvorpa had a sudden burst of adrenaline-fuelled energy. "We have to stop her before she reaches them!"

"I-It'll be t-too late," Laiya stammered, finally joining the discussion. "We can o-only hope t-that they were captured, not k-killed." Erixeth exhaled, his gaze flickering across our faces, trying to judge our emotions based on our reactions to his plan.

"Laiya is correct." I said. Then, to reassure them both, I decided to add more. "Taensina is highly skilled. There is a possibility that she will return. If she does, then we will have more information. Focus on that scenario, and hope that it happens."

In response, he mumbled something under his breath, then returned his attention to his claws once more.

My heart sank.

I have failed them. I have failed them both.

Through the folds in the tent, I caught a glimpse of the brilliant glow of sunset. What otherwise would have brought me great joy to see only upset me further. Time was slipping through my paws as the yellow orb sank, and I was unable to stop it.

I was snapped out of my daydream by a voice outside the tent. Prince Rysxaro poked his head inside, the black skull on his face gleaming in the light. When he saw me, he spoke.

"Candy." It seemed that along with the rest of the bandits, formalities had been dropped. I have to be one of them, after all. "You are needed at the council. We need your input on how to proceed."

What use will I be? If anything, you know more.

That was what I refrained from saying. Instead, I donned the emotional mask that I had worn many a time, and forced the words out of my mouth.

"Please, lead the way."

--

I had expected the council to be larger. The one at home had consisted of hundreds of citizens, merchants, and others, however this one was a jumble of Sylestis, each wearing a different coloured ribbon tied onto their armour.

Something that I noticed about the colours were that they corresponded with the map in the centre of the wooden table. Each region had a unique one assigned to it.

I took my place by Prince Rysxaro, meaning that I was nestled between him and a large, white Lupora, who scowled when I sat down.

There was a flash of red, and a Griffi stood, inspecting the other members of the council with ice-blue eyes. Her armour was far more elegant that that of the common bandits, and was intricately carved with symbols from an unknown language. The symbols glowed slightly as she tapped her paw on the table, gesturing towards a crudely drawn cave.

"My scouts have found a potential place. This unnamed cave is just beyond the border between Malledus and Tyris, in the micro-kingdom of Iuexol. If he is working with Prince Maxwell, then that is probably the place that he has fled to. Not only that, but the king of Iuexol is crazy enough to take in a glorified raider and a bunch of wanted rebels." The Lupora by my side shuffled, then decided to add to what the Griffi had said.

"Kae, Ieuxol's borders were closed to all after the incident last week. Your scouts were spotted by the capital city, and they immediately shut all entry." The green ribbon attached to his collar fluttered menacingly. "Before we rush to conclusions, we should find out what she knows." He gestured towards me with one paw. "What can you tell us about Kaidelus' thoughts about Iuexol and Tyris? My scouts suggested that he may have crossed the border into the other kingdom."

Suddenly placed in the spotlight, I shuddered. "Well, he was trying his best to convince me not to marry Prince Maxwell, and his comments were incredibly negative. To me, that suggests that he does not like Tyris at all. As for Iuexol... I am not certain that he even thinks that it exists." Admittedly, I knew very little about the small kingdom, as it was recently founded after a civil war in the west region of Tyris. "I am sorry that I cannot be of much help. Kaidelus hardly ever shows preference towards one or another. In fact, his outburst when he was discussing Tyris with me was... unusual."

"A fake opinion, then," the Lupora declared. "He has tricked us into believing that he dislikes Tyris, so that he can hide amongst them."

"You are rushing to conclusions, Lightfire." A Ny'vene with a black ribbon stood up, towering over the rest of the members of the council. "We have evidence to suggest that he is actually heading to Eyrir-beyond-the-shadowlands, and has no intention of staying anywhere. And, according to this, neither is he working in league with anyone." Eyrir-beyond-the-shadowlands. That's the place that Prince Erukin and I were talking about when I first met him.

Could he have known?

That was something that I had to ask.

"My apologies for interrupting, but where does Prince Erukin of Vyseri fall into this? He was another one of my suitors." I then proceeded to recall the memories of what happened that day, making sure to cover every slight detail. The Ny'vene nodded.

"Yes. This even ties him in." From a satchel by her side, she pulled out a book and carefully placed it in the centre of the table. "This is a transcript from one of Kaidelus' spies. We captured him and a few others following the border between Malledus and Vyseri. All five of them swear upon their lives that what they have said is true."

"Tessimai, you can't be serious!" Lightfire exclaimed. "You're trusting them? They could all be lying!"

"I threatened to execute them painfully if it was discovered that they have told us false stories. Many of them immediately changed what they had said."

I was the first to reach forward and place my paw on the smooth cover.

Do I want to know what is inside? These were convictions against my own brethren.

The pages fell open.

He is no longer my kin. He is a stranger to me.