Yelena

Perched high up in a tree, Yelena took one more shaky step on a precariously outstretched branch and held her breath, praying to the Saints that this would not be the stupidest idea she's had today. The thin branch miraculously still supported her weight and Yelena let out a small relieved sigh before turning her gaze back onto the prize.

Just a few inches in front of her hung 2 blue, gourd shaped fruits about the size of her fists. It was a Yuca,a fruit and delicacy natively grown only in the kingdom of Hesteria which only grew once every 2 years in the spring. Just thinking about the sweet juicy fruit had her mouth watering even though the slight bitter aftertaste of the fruit was not as much to her liking. Nevertheless, the initial sweetness was worth every bite. And hopefully worth a broken leg when she falls from this branch. Lunging from her perch, she seized the fruits with both hands and braced herself for the impact as gravity took its turn.

Yelena hit the ground with small thump, rolling with the impact just as a voice cried out loudly, "Saints! You actually did it Yen, are you hurt?! If your father knew about this he'll have me cleaning the stables for a week."

"Relax Soren, I'm fine, you know how I'm good with these things. Here, catch!" Yelena replies, throwing Soren a yuca.

Soren was her appointed guard/companion plus unappointed best friend ever since she was 10, but he was always a worrywart.

As she took the first bite out of the literal fruits of her labor, she heard her mother's voice in the distance, summoning them for dinner. Quickly gobbling up the rest of the fruit in an attempt to hide her evidence of mischief, she wiped her hands on her pants and rushes off towards the bridge where her mother awaits.

Hesteria was a small minor Kingdom, largely neutral in political stance despite the major ongoing territorial war between the Valken Empire and the Gordelia Kingdom. The people of Hesteria were mainly farmers as the lands of the kingdom were highly fertile. Trade lines and peace treaties with neighboring countries for food supplies especially during a warring period sustains Hesteria's economy and maintains its neutral state.

Being a kingdom in peace, every year the king and queen take time off their royal duties to travel to the Queens hometown for the spring.

Queen Rosalind was but a simple farmers daughter before she and King Oscar met in this very town and fell in love. The people of Hesteria adored Queen Rosalind, not only because she used to be a commoner just like them but because she was always kind, fair and compassionate. The epitome of what a pure proper royal Queen should be.

Yelena was a far cry from a proper princess, what with her recent tree climbing antics and all, but the king and queen were content with her just being herself instead of conforming to royal etiquette since they hardly get any visitors from other kingdoms anyway. And so Yelena got to live the last 18 years of her life spirited, carefree and nothing like an actual princess.

Yelena loved it here, in a town so small it didn't even have an official name, she felt more at home than at the palace. The palace was built smaller than most other kingdoms, but still Yelena couldn't help but feel lonelier in the palace despite the many palace attendants. Probably why she usually ended up sneaking out to the nearest town center or market most of the time, much to Soren's dismay.

Lying in bed after a hearty meal courtesy of the local innkeeper (and her mother's best friend), Yelena tried to contain her excitement for tomorrow where her father had promised to bring her hunting. She had begged him for days on the way from the palace and he finally agreed just an hour ago. Granted the king had a belly full of ale and probably not the best judgment during the time, but a promise is a promise.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Usually in previous years her father would always go hunting for game and she would be stuck with her mother in town catching up with the latest boring gossips. But this time she would finally be able to put some of the skills her father taught her to actual use instead of throwing knives and shooting arrows at more wooden puppets. Tomorrow would be a good day, she just knew it.

----------------------------------------

The next day, Yelena found herself begrudgingly armed to the teeth in protective gear. Her father made good on the promise but Queen Rosalind would not hear of it. And being bundled up like a teddy bear turned out to be her only option if Yelena insisted on going.

"I know you don't like it but I just want you to be safe honey. Listen to your father and try not to do anything reckless like I know you will, please?" Rosalind said while fastening one last knee guard on her body.

"Fineeee. Don't know how I'll even be a stealthy hunter anyway if I'm walking through the woods with all these things on, I'll be as stealthy as a hippo." Yelena pouted.

"As a man the size of a hippo, I take great offense in that statement Yen." King Oscar quipped with a grin.

Laughing, Rosalind planted a quick kiss on both of their cheeks, "Be safe and come back earlier please. And also, bring back a deer or 2, we haven't had those in a while." Winking, she shooed them on their way and waved them goodbye.

It soon became clear to Yelena that her statement was exactly right, as she awkwardly shuffled her bulky mass in place behind the thicket of bushes she was currently hiding. It had been 2 hours so far and her father had managed to shoot down a deer,a wild boar and 3 rabbits while here she was trying yet again to target the same rabbit she had been chasing for the last hour.

"Be very still and quiet he says, steady your breath he says, pull the drawstring harder he says..." Yelena muttered under her breath. Sure would be a heck of a lot easier if she could actually breathe and move her arms properly under the gazillion layers of clothing she was wearing. Never one to give up though, Yelena took aim and released her arrow, praying to the Saints that the arrow would find its mark this time. A loud screech told her that it had indeed found its mark and she jumped out of her hiding spot, shrieking with joy.

"Well done Yen! You'll be an expert just like me in no time." King Oscar exclaimed while ruffling his daughter's hair.

Swelling with pride, Yelena was about to notch another arrow before something in the horizon beyond the break in the trees caught her attention. Squinting, she drew her father's attention in that direction. Isn't that direction heading towards the town? And...was that...smoke?

"Hurry Yen, we have to go." Wasting no time King Oscar mounted his horse and rode towards the town. Yelena was hot on his heels, her heart hammering in her chest before plummeting to her gut at the sight before her.

In the distance, the once peaceful little town sitting in the midst of plentiful crop fields, was now covered in razing flames.

"No, no, no, please no!" Panic sinking and tears starting to blur her eyes now, Yelena rushed forward only to be stopped by her father. "Wait, Yen look there!"

Furiously scrubbing away her tears, Yelena finally saw what her father noticed. Valken soldiers armed to the teeth with weapons and torches surrounded the town, their silver and blue banner flying high in the wind.

Those bastards! How could they do this? There was a peace treaty established between Hesteria and the Valken Empire. A deliberate attack on Hesterian territory like this would breach the terms of the treaty and potentially plunge Hesteria into war. Being a kingdom of peace, Hesteria has little to no military defense and war would mean a guaranteed defeat.

What reason would the Valkens have to attack an insignificant town like this? Regardless, Yelena would make them pay. But thoughts of retribution were outweighed by the growing desperation to ensure her mother's and Soren's safety as well as the rest of the townfolk whom she treated as family.

"We have to save them father! We have to! We can't just sit here and watch while-" Yelena was cut off by the sound of her name.

"Yelena!" Soren called out, panting while running towards them.

The briefest moment of relief washed over Yelena, and she almost wanted to cry again. "Oh Soren, thank the saints! What happened? What about my mother? And the others? Did they get out safely?"

"I-I don't know, I was down by the river helping the innkeeper with the laundry, by the time we smelled the smoke the town was already in flames. Queen Rosalind... the few people I saw escaped said they saw her still in there helping to evacuate the town. I don't know if she made it out but-"

"What of the Valken soldiers?" King Oscar interjected urgently.

"I heard that they claimed our people were housing Gordelian soldiers and hiding military weapons, sire."

"Preposterous! Soren, try and get as many people to safety as possible. Yen, find your mother. But please be careful. I will see to the Valkens myself." King Oscar declared before riding off towards the Valken soldiers.

----------------------------------------