Entrance of Sorrow

[Desperanza]

The way back to Ellsinora seemed long, longer then it needed to be. It felt as if she was walking slow motion for as the Princess walked, she gazed around herself. She was relishing the sights, the sounds. Her fingers trailed across the petals of the wildflowers, the bark of the trees and the tender new leaves of low hanging branches. She felt as if this was the last bit of freedom that she would have for quite some time, if ever again. She sighed, lowering her gaze to the ground for a moment, thinking of Tryphena and how she hardly knew her sister anymore, wondering if she ever had. She was now being fawned over by a Minotaur and she did not doubt that Tryphena enjoyed this so. She was left there to have no worries, no cares and she felt a sting of heat, of sourness as if her sister had turned away from them all. Thought bitterness threatened to rear it's ugly head, as she caught sight of the town through the trees, she smiled slightly, sighing vaguely.

She had always known that it would be like this, that she would always wind up giving her life for her city, and it was what it would have to be. Sighing, she bit her lip and tucked her hood further around her face though a few whisps of the honey blonde escaped around the edges. She paused at the edge of the trees, gazing towards town where the buzz of activity was already taking place. Shimmering colorful banners seemed to hang from every inch possible along the front of the shops and buildings, streamers of brightly colored cloths and thinned bark treatments were streamed through out the bushes like streamers. People were milling about in their best dresses and attire, their hair tied up into different knots and braids. The women were obviously preparing to look their most beautiful, the men their most handsome for no doubt this festival was a perfect way to meet future husbands. The thought made her smile. Children running about, dancing and playing, women flitting their skirts and flirting as they danced about. The festival always drew in quite a rather excited lull to the air, drinking and food and an all around night of merriment and every year, Alexa easily was pulled into the spirit of the night. Tonight, however, she found it hard to get into the spirit of the festival and it seemed to deflate her, her chin lowering and her eyes flitting away.

She felt as if she was keeping a secret, something that she knew and yet her parents did not. They were on the brink of war and yet, they were celebrating. She took a trembling breath and winced, turning her head away as she pulled her head back slightly, sending a glance towards Black Star now, "What will I tell them? What will I tell them about Tryphena? I can try and mask her death, tell them that she had an accident or I can tell them that she has simply disappeared, that I could not find her. I fear that even news as this will not quench their enjoyment of this coming festival but I will need an excuse as to why she is not here tonight." she stated quietly with a small sigh as she glanced back through town once more, her gaze thoughtful as she folded her hands together for a moment, rather silent now as she gazed along the maine trails of town once again. As if the festival had begun early, children darted in an out of the street, streamers billowing out behind them from their hands and a faint smile touched her features, vaguely feeling the itch to become more festive but she pulled her thoughts away again and turned towards Blck Star as she awaited her reply this time.

[/b]

[Jotari]

People everywhere, bright colors, music, the smell of food, laughing children pushing past and running around in a wild game of tag, the Spring Festival had arrived in full splendor and glory. It was a far cry from the Grellon village but the Grellon members would certainly be here over the next few days. Some of them would be buying or selling wares, there were some skilled craftsman in the outlaw band. Some would simply have fun, but many of them would do their part to further the Grellon's reputation. This happened every time there was a festival or gathering of any kind. Black Star and her band would be stealing from those who could afford it. A couple of the older folk had actually come up with a clever plan of their own in telling the stories to anyone who would listen. This actually worked quite well in creating fear for the outlaws. Some of the stories were especially colorful or gruesome, but so far the Grellon was feared and left completely alone. Black Star also made a point of checking on all her contacts and often favored the Blue Boar Inn and Tavern for her business.

But at the moment she was keeping a close eye on Orion to make sure he didn't go darting off after some pretty skirt or attempt some rakish scheme and get them into who knows how much trouble. The hood was pulled over her face and dark hair loosely twisted back as they went toward the castle at a steady pace. "Her horse ran away remember? Just say she had a nasty fall and is being cared for elsewhere. Don't say she died or when she does show up again there will be a lot more questions then I care to answer. If Asterion wasn't so bloody attached to that girl I would have dragged her back. I may still drag her back if she can't cope with outlaw life. Black Star was still a bit irritated at Tryphena.

Black Star glanced at Alexa and guessed what troubled the princess. Black Star was pretty pleased with the effect of this morning's adventures. Still, hopefully the princess didn't get to depressed and turned out to be utterly useless. The outlaw paused as they were challenged at the gates of the castle. She winced but not because of the guards, but because she remembered a certain dragon had told her to guard his lands. Kaori would probably attempt to fry her now. But the mischievous outlaw had her excuse, Princess Alexa. " Don't you two have eyes? It's princess Alexa, now put down those blunt things you call weapons." The outlaw calmly brushed pass, pretty much daring them to come at her. She would maybe get a few bruises, but the guards would need a day or two in the infirmary. " As promised Alexa, your home safe and sound. Now I would like to see what is so scary about Princess Abigail and your mother that I hear such interesting tales."

[Desperanza]

Alexa smiled, satisfied. As she passed along the stony path to the castle, she drew her hood away as she approached the gates with a roll of her eyes but said nothing. If they questioned, she would sure as hell like to see a guard dare to face off her own mother. She cleared her throat and flicked her fingers slightly before slipping past the guards as she approached the entrance to the castle, casting a glance towards Black Star with a curt nod, "Why yes, of course." she stated thoughtfully but before she could bother to head into her own home, Abigail whisked forward quite a few tiers of the castle up to the inviting front balcony, news that the elodest princess had returned had quickly fled to the castle. Abigail's piercing lavender eyes were set towards her sister, disheveled and by far not ready for a festival while she herself was wrapped about in flaming red and gold silks that accentuated her raven hair and gave a backdrop for her vibrant purple eyes. Her hair was once again braided along her back in intricate and swirling knots and braided strands now laced with red roses to match the rest of her outfit.

Her slender hands were pressed to the stone railing, leaning forward slightly to gaze down upon the hooded stranger as she narrowed her eyes slightly, suspicious of the strange person that had guided her sister home. She took a few moments of a look before she whisked away once more, darting back within the castle once again as she quickly fled down the stairs, "Mother? Mother! Alexa has arrived!" she chimed rather loudly, alerting her mother that her eldest princess has returned home as she lifted her skirts and whisked down the steps to the entrance, slowing to a brisk yet elegant walk as the doors were pushed open by a pair of guards and she strode outside, her eyes swiveling to the dark stranger for a mere moment before gazing upon the sight of her eldest sister with a wrinkle of her nose, "Good sister, you look disgusting. Look at your dress! And what the hell is that on your feet?" she inquired with an arched eyebrow to the hiking boots that laced Alexa's feet instead of her usual softer slip ons but Alexa rolled her eyes and waved her away with a stiff sigh, sending a glance to Black Star for a moment as she thanked her quietly and she hoped that she gathered that not only was she thanking her for escorting her, but for opening her eyes to the work that laid ahead of her at this point, finally beginning to relax a bit. She was in her element, she was home. With the means of whatever she needed at her finger tips, she felt intricately more prepared for the road that laid ahead of her as she knew that Black Star would be on hand when she needed. She bowed her head briefly to the queen, showing respect for her before she turned and made her way into the castle rather swiftly to try and dart past her own mother, rather trying to save her own skin a bit though no doubt by this time Abbie had already managed to alert her mother of her presence.

As Abigail sent a glance after Alexa, she instead turned her gaze to Black Star instead, motioning towards her hood, "Take your hood down please, I would like to properly thank the person who has returned my sister back in one piece." she stated simply, leaving no question from her words as she cast an impatient glance back for her mother before returning her gaze once again, a hand drifting downwards to smooth a fold in her dress as she watched Black Star carefully once again, waiting for her to reveal herself.

[Jotari]

Black Star watched in amusement at Abby's decent until the second princess gave such cutting words. The outlaw leader had, in a strange fashion, taken Alexa under her protection. The outlaw knew that Alexa could fend for herself, but still the Grellon had a very strong family vibe and anyone that was accepted was protected from anything and anyone. So, the eyes darkened and brow furrowed in slight concern. But Alexa simply brushed it off and to Black Star slight surprise showed a but of respect before escaping into the castle.

Now the outlaw looked at Abby looking slowly up and down the figure before her. The eyes flickered a pale reddish color of irritation at Abby's tone and then green mixed into the light red creating a very strange hue. She was irritated but she would be having fun at Abby's expense. "So obviously, you really are like your "charming" mother then. To bad, Tryphena was a sweet little thing and Alexa has brains but you simply have a sharp tongue." The outlaw's tone was of someone stating a simply observation. Black Star did not lower her hood, not in the least. " I shall remember this and perhaps we can use you as a gift for Magrej. You and he would make quite the couple, always spatting. And no, I am not removing my hood, I rather like it. Black Star chuckled and really hoped this would start something. She was leader of the Grellon, but she still loved to start something. " By the way have you seen a fairy and a dragon? They were supposedly headed in this general direction..." The outlaw spotted a tree, picturesquely surrounded by flowers and coolly waltzed over and took her favorite position sitting with her back to the tree on a lower branch. The outlaw was testing Abby, seeing just what this girl was made out of.

[Desperanza]

Abbie's eyes flared irritably as she watched the outlaw through narrowed eyes, huffing. She gritted her teeth and folded her arms, "So far as I have heard, my parents had plans of trading Tryphena to Magrej, not myself." she replied simply with a huff as she lifted her chin slightly higher, gazing down the stone courtyard for a moment with a wince, "Actually, yes. Mother has kept them waiting in the couryard." she added as an afterthought as she once again smoothed her skirts before her head turned sharply to glance back at Black Star once again, "You dare to defile my words? I demand that you take your hood down!" she replied sharply, sending an irritating glance back at the castle once again, wondering where the hell her mother was for she surely had the intuitive to force the outlaw to take her hood down.

Turning back to the outlaw once more, she strode forward and pressed her hands against the trunk as she looked up at the outlaw with a rather outraged glance, "Now look here, miss, you had better come down from that tree or I will have you arrested and hung by your ankles in the dungeon!" she called up the tree rather irritably, motioning to a few guards close by as she backed from the tree a bit and the guards eyed the hooded figure momentarily from where they stood around the courtyard, "And if you do not mind I would like for you to get your dragon friend and that fairy thing out of our courtyard please." she added with a roll of her eyes as she turned away and paced the entrance, "We have a festival to throw into full swing and I don't have time to be fettering around with silly creatures like you! Perhaps I would have offered some sort of prize for returning the Princess Alexa but I am rather instead finding that you are one of the causes of the Princess Tryphena's disappearance!" she accused with a toss of her hands as she whirled to turn her gaze back to Black Star once again.

[Jotari]

Black Star listened and relaxed against the tree trunk. When the guards stepped forward she snached her dagger and started playing with it, silently warning them that throats would be cut. Black Star darted from the branch and made no attemnpt to avoid the flowers as she waltzed away from the tree toward Abby. "Fist of all, you probably wouldn't catch me. I would escape if you did and if I'm not back within a day or two you are going to have some very angry people at your doorstep." Black Star steadily and slowly walked toward Abby, her tone was that of common sense yet the outlaw was certainly trying to make Abby angry. She was daring Abby to start something. " As for the dragon, he happens to be Lord of Dragons Kaori and the fairy is Queen Titania. If you would be wise, you would listen to them. It's not like you see either of them often and both of them means that they are here for a reason."

Black Star was already losing interest in this little game and decided that there may as well be some real spice. She would mix truth and lie to create one heck of a story. " I have no desire for your pitiful rewards. Indirectly, I suppose I am responsible for your sister's escape. I saved her life when her horse ran away. She s currently being adoringly watched by my good friend Asterion. He's a nice minotaur, great personality. I really don't blame your sister for liking him. Though hopefully Asterion comes down from the clouds every so often so we can work. He has a knack for scaring people half to death which makes it so much easier for us to take their goods." Every word was intended to be a chilling dagger, hurting Abby, daring her to actually try something. Black Star did not like Abby and was going to make that point very clear. It was also intended to give clues on who Abby was dealing with, who had "saved" her sisters. This was the beginning of a beautiful enmity.

[Desperanza]

Abby's eyes narrowed, her glittering purple iris's aiming a rather poisonous look at Black Star now as she swiveled to keep her eye on her steadily with a huff, gathering herself a bit as she puffed her chest outwards slightly and eyed the sight of the outlaw as she made her way forward, "Now now missy, I will have guards after you from the momeny you set foot from this property. I will track you to your home and have it expunged, cleared of the poisonous folk that you are." she hissed, narrowing her eyes once more as she wished with a clench of her fingers that she had wicked powerful magic of the likes she had only heard of in stories. She paused but only for a moment, pondering whether the shift of Black Star's eyes represented that she too had power but she breathed deeply and decided that she didn't much care, "What do you want, then? Why are you still here if you have no care in the world for my prizes?" she inquired with a role of her eyes as she crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, once again pondering where the hell her mother was at this moment. She clenched her teeth, glaring after the outlaw, seething with anger, wanting to watch her lay beneath the guillatine and be beheaded.

Gritting her teeth, the princess backed a bit, taking a sharp breath before she swiveled quickly, tired of feeding this outlaws enjoyment as she motioned to the guards, "Get her, get her now! I want her to be strung up in the dungeon, follow her! I want every guard on the property on her ass!" she shouted sharply, tired of waiting for the Queen to emerge as she sent a glance back towards the outlaw once more with a dangerous glitter in her eyes. Oh how she would love to watch that outlaw strung up. She darted forward towards the doors as she pushed them open, "Mother, get down here!" she shouted sharply, infuriated before she swiveled to face the outlaw once more with an icy stare, "How dare you, how dare you! You and your filthy kind dirty this beautiful land with your filthy selves!" she hissed in disgust, very whole hearted absorbing her mother's hatred for the outlaws now as she eyed after the female with a flaming look.

[bee]

Elizabeth came down the steps one by one in a very elegant way. She held her head high and her graying hair was done in a bun on the top of her head. She wore a long red and white gown and slip on white shoes. She came down quietly shoulders set back and her blue eyes narrowing when she saw Alexa " Where in the Dear lord have you been? And what the hell happened to your dress and shoes? They're filthy" she demanded before turning and staring at the outlaw and Abbie. She turned her head slightly to stare at the Outlaw " Why is your hood up in the presence of the princesses? Hoods are a regular thing to be put down when you are here. Do you see us wearing one?" she asked stepping foreward her arms now crossed across her slender mid-section " haven't my daughters asked you to take it down?" She growled " And what is with the yelling?" She asked abbie now still standing her arms crossed as she stared around. Elizabeth turned her head to the gaurds standing around her " One of you, go see what is up outside" she growled the order before stepping a little bit closer to the outlaw, curious to hear the answers she had requested.

[Jotari]

Black Star moved quickly, placing her back toward the palace wall and watching the guards with an amused expression. One came to close and with quick and sudden action the outlaw leaped forward and jumped back again, blood staining her dagger. The guard cried out an fell to the ground clenching his leg where blood quickly started appearing. " Anyone else want to challenge me?" But the outlaw's attention was quickly grabbed by the queen's entrance. I swear, you two are so alike it isn't funny. I am pretty happy that Alexa is next to the throne. Abbie would be horrible! Tryphena has no brains in that blond head of hers. I also pray that your die first Queen Elizabeth, so that we don't endure your interesting rule. As for the hood, I shall keep it thank you very much. She chuckled and made a movement at another guard, who dropped his weapon and backed away grabbed at his left shoulder.

Black Star knew that even though the guards were being cautious, eventually they would overpower her. Clenching her dagger she watched and every so often a guard would go away with a charming new injury. Suddenly an idea flashed across her mind, why was she making this so damn hard? I'll make you a deal, listen to what the dragon, fairy, and myself have to say and I will not kill Tryphena. Tick me off any more, and there may be a missing princess. Not even necessarily Tryphena either. The outlaw looked at Abbie with interested and grinned a wolfish grin and devilish gleam in her colorful eyes. Black Star would stop stabbing people if they let her get close to Kaori and if they listened. Koari was right in the courtyard, Black Star knew he was there. By this time there was a chance he knew she was there too. But this was her deal.

[Desperanza]

Abbie's eyes fluttered around the guards whom were being stabbed and narrowed her eyes for a brief moment as she watched the outlaw before she huffed a sigh, turning her head back towards Black Star once again with a roll of her eyes, "What would a dragon and a Fairy Queen have to say to us?" she muttered irritably, casting a glance to her mother now as she tilted her head slightly with a sigh, waiting for her mother's reaction. She would go, a slight twinge of curiosity spiking her veins but her spine stiffened at Black Star's words, "I would not be a terrible queen! I would be a hell of a lot better then my sister!" she muttered against Alexa, always holding a secret jealousy that her sister would be first to the throne instead of herself. She swallowed the bitter resentment and sighed, glancing upwards towards the balcony as soft murmurs from the guards poised there murmured softly, each pleased and far more eager to answer to their future queen, then their current queen though they would never admit so but among the eyes that watched her with festering love, were guards as well though she had never bent to allow herself much lean time with men, refusing to trust easily as she had seen first hand the wants of many men.

Now, however, Alexa stepped forward, no longer the hiking Princess that she had been before. After a wash in perfume scented waters of rose water and lily petals, she had been clothed in rich and elegent shimmering colors of royal purple, and an icy blue that accentuated her dazzling eyes at the moment. Her hair fell in a curling curtain along her back, the strands forming into elegant curls with only a pair of strands braided into a small crown, pulled back and tied together at the back. Her feet were no longer adorned with the hiking boots, either, but instead a slightly heeled slip on this time fashioned in an inviting purple that matched her dress which was accented in gold as nearly everything in her wardrobe was. With her hair fashioned in an intricate netted layer and purple orchids weaved in, she had patiently sat while the servants experienced fingers weaved the flowers in her curtain of honey gold hair and now, she stepped forward, once again the true heir to the throne, the elegant and dazzling princess that she was. She pressed her hands to the banister and sighed softly at the sight below, guards stumbling away, hands clutched to bloody wounds and her rather insufferable younger sister and mother, "That sounds like a rather fair deal to me" she stated simply with a curt nod, "Goodness knows how long you have kept the Queen and Lord waiting in our own courtyard." she stated with a shake of her head, rather believing in punctually greeting visitors, especially those whom held a high standard or reason for being there. As she turned and disappeared inside, it was only a few minutes before she stepped outside, her head no adorned with a glittering tiara, one that had been fashioned for her for special occasions as the fastival. With intricate knots and diamonds encrusted into it, she smiled. There were here and there small Amethysts trickled among the glittering diamonds. She sighed, feeling quite like a Christmas tree at the moment but as was the ways of being a Princess, undreamable beauty came hand and hand along with it.

She smiled patiently to Black Star, nodding curtly and as if she was Queen already and her mother had no say so, she began to make her way from the entrance way, pausing only briefly to cast a glance back at her red cheeked mother and sister, "Come now, we are ladies of the palace. It would be rude of us to leave our guests waiting." she stated simply as if this was so, this was what they would all be doing and she rather hoped that they honestly had not left two of the most highly powered and respected beings on earth to sit in the courtyard too long.

Abbie huffed sharply. Even among her richer red and gold satins accented with white much like her mother wore, she felt quite out matched by her own sister which was strange, even for her. For she had always felt as if her raven hair and lavender eyes out matched Alexa's golden brunette head and ice colored eyes. She gathered her skirts rather sharply, "Mother," she whined with a frown, "Why don't I look like that." she hissed with a frown as she drifted closer to her mother as if waiting for guidance whether her mother would agree to this mess or not, eyeing after her older sister with seething jealousy for a few ticking moments now.

[bee]

Elizabeth stood watching Alexa with her ice blue eyes walk by in the lavender dress and diamonds and jewls practically hanging off of her and was imeadently angered " Alexa! Get your stuck up behind back here" She Growled and watched the girll " You get u p to your room and dress like the rest of us, in red and white. If i see you come out strutting like that before i or your father step down, you will have your closet stripped of clothes like that, and think of what if you were taken and a theive got ahold of you. Do you realise how much you are wearing right now? You would make a theive rich" She growled getting furious before looking at Abbie " your sister shalln't dress like that, especially infront of a Lord and Queen"

Elizabeth stared a the others outside as she stepped out " Come abbie" she murmered before glaring at the girl who had threatened her and her daughters " How dare you threaten my daughter and make her seem like a complete imbasile" She snapped her angering flareing on her lightly pink cheeks covering the freckles she had aquired over the years across her cheeks and bridge of her nose. The queen simply stood there in her slip ons awaiting the other child. While she waited she watched the gaurds with barely any emotion coming to her aged face " Figures you guys would mess with a magic weilder" she snorted " Very unsmart of you." Elizabeth didnt even flintch when the mage made the comment of her to die " By the way, my daughters are very smart. They have been raised in a well endured enviorment and have only aquired the best of skills" She growled angrily at the outcast

[Desperanza]

Alexa paused, taking a steadying breath, her back stiffening as she lifted her chin slightly higher, her eyes scanning skyward for a moment, the shade that nearly matched yer pale eyes. She allowed her lashes to flutter, her eyes to close as she willed her patience to take hold and turned finally to face her mother once again with a polite smile as she folded her hands in front of herself and spoke steadily, softly to her mother, "Now now, mother. Father had this tiara crafted for me for the occasion of the festival each year as well as the necklace, other then that I am fine and the servants do as they see fit with my hair, Abbie's looks very similar save for her raven hair is braided down her back and has roses and in many peoples' eyes, that is considered a higher standing flora then the orchid so for this matter I shall not be changing for the fact that I am also royalty and I will be happy to offer these gems to the King and Lord themselves for I respect them highly. I do not see how my gems are any less respecftul then you allowing our guests to get wet and bake in the sun for quite some time while you refuse to see them now instead of bickering about my outfit, let us go and find what our willing guests would like to speak to us about." she stated simply with a curt nod, seeing the fleeting look of fiery rage in her sister's eyes towards her and she knew that if her eyes could run red and smoke to peel from her nostrils, it would. However offering a polite smile, the Princess threw in a curtsy for good measure before turning to make her way out to the courtyard.

As she made her way forward, she gasped. The last thing that she wanted was for her friend, her partner to be wielded by the guards. She bent forward, whisking the dagger into her hold, catching sight of the blood of the guards. She cast a glance towards Black Star, knowing that her dagger was deeply important to her and at the moment Black Star was to the Princess. She waved her free left hand, "Let go, let go now! I demand that you free this woman immediately. She has done nothing worth being arrested for!" she stated. Her tone however contrasted Abbie's sharper one and yet while melodic was strong and commanding as she spoke to the guards, demanding that they free her from their grasp as she tucked the dagger away at her side, the guards looking to the Queen questioningly as to what orders to follow.