Warrior Princess

Today’s the day. The one I’ve been dreading. I can’t believe I couldn’t figure out a way to get out of this, but they’re already on their way.

Every eligible man within a hundred miles will be coming to the palace ball tonight for my eighteenth birthday. Any other princess would probably be thrilled about this special day, but I would literally rather be anywhere else. I’ve never even been invited to another princess’s suitor ball, so I don’t know what to expect. Of course my mom has drilled the schedule into my brain, but I don’t feel prepared at all. 

So my plan is to hide out in my room for another couple of hours before I have to start getting ready. At least I don’t have to greet them. I’m supposed to make a grand entrance

“Isabel, dear?” I visibly shudder before turning around to face my mom. She’s perfectly put together as always, with her stunning blonde ringlets that she assures me I can achieve as well if I would stop getting so much dirt in my hair when I train with Pietro. I can’t help if he knocks me to the ground constantly while we swordfight. 

“Yes, mother?” she grimaces; she hates when I call her mother. 

“What are you still doing down here? You should be getting ready!” She grabs my hand and nearly dislocates my shoulder pulling me towards the grand staircase. I wince. That arm is especially sore today. Pietro’s been trying to get me just as proficient with my left hand as my right. 

I realize my mom has been talking to me. “What?” I ask.

“I asked if you were training earlier today.” My face gives me away. “ISABEL! What were you thinking?! You could have twisted an ankle, and you wouldn’t be able to dance with any of the suitors!” 

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want that.” I glance over at her as we get to the top of the staircase and turn left to go to my room.

“I hope you fix that attitude before your guests start arriving,” she says with her award-winning smile.

I don’t really feel like they’re my guests. “Why do I have to start getting ready now? The ball doesn’t start for hours.” 

“Well, for one you’re filthy. And it’s a big night tonight! It will take Leila awhile to get you looking your best.” 

I look down. I hate getting dressed up for these stupid events. The funny thing is I actually love getting dressed up; I just don’t like doing it to impress other people. I wonder how my mom would react if I showed up tonight in my training gear. 

“Leila!” my mom calls. Then again in less than three seconds. “Lei-” a woman much shorter than both my mom and me comes running out of the bathroom and bows, a few strands of her light brown hair escaping from her maid’s cap. 

“Apologies your majesty. I was just running a bath for Miss Isabel.” 

“Ah perfect! I’ll leave her to you then.” And with a swish of her skirts, my mom is gone. 

Leila immediately relaxes her posture as she wipes her wet hands on her apron. “Ready, miss?” she asks sympathetically. 

I shrug. “As I’ll ever be.” 

***

I look at myself in the mirror. For once, I actually look like a princess. “You look lovely, miss. I think the Queen will be very pleased.” 

I smile. “Thanks, Leila. You did an amazing job. The dress really is beautiful.” She blushes and looks away. I wasn’t kidding; Leila outdid herself. The dress has a fitted white bodice that blossoms into layers and layers of more white lace inlaid with gold to match my required tiara. It also goes all the way down to the floor and therefore hides my shorter than allowed heels, courtesy of Leila. 

“It might even look good with your sword and scabbard,” she smirks at me in the mirror, and I laugh in response. 

“I think that would give my mom a heart attack.” I turn to face her. “Wish me luck?”

“Good luck, Miss. I know you’ll do great!” Leila pats my shoulders, and with a final look of encouragement from her, I walk out the doors to meet my parents in the hall. Their heated conversation quickly comes to a halt.

“You look amazing, Isabel.” My dad leans down to kiss me on the forehead. 

“Thanks, Dad.” He smiles at me as I feel my mom frantically checking all my hair to make sure every strand is perfectly curled. “It’s fine, Mom.” I brush her hand away. She turns and walks to the stairs as I interlace my arm with my dad’s. 

As soon as she’s out of earshot I quietly ask, “Is everything okay? What were you and Mom talking about?” He doesn’t answer, but his furrowed brow tells me all I need to know. “Is it about the war?” 

He finally looks down at me. “Your mother didn’t want me to tell you, but a couple of carriages from the west were attacked on their way here.” 

“What?! How close?” 

“Shh!” I glance at Mom, who still appears oblivious to our conversation. “Too close, but it’s been taken care of. Just try and forget about it so you can enjoy your night.” He sees by my face that I’m not anywhere near letting it go. “Listen, sweetie, normally I would gladly listen to your opinion on this, but tonight means a lot to your mom. We’ll talk about it later. Okay?” I smile and nod at him, even though I know I won’t be able to think about anything else tonight, and wonder if I could be doing more to help. 

***

I’m barely cognisant during my grand introduction, and I nearly trip on my way down the staircase. Twice. 

Luckily I get to have my first dance with my dad before I’m forced to acknowledge the presence of the many suitors I’ll have to interact with tonight. 

I think I make it through five dances before finally being able to sneak away. I walk over to where a bunch of the girls from our kingdom are standing. We all politely say hello and complement each other on our appearances and outfit choices before Fiona asks me, “So, Izzy, anyone you’ve liked yet?” 

I shrug. “Not really,” I say. “They’re all nice so far, though.” 

“Nice? That’s all?” Grace asks. 

“They’re all very handsome,” I hear Lily murmur, and then blush as we all turn to look at her.

“Well, you haven’t danced with that many yet,” Fiona says, “but I’m sure your Prince Charming is in this room.” There are smiles and polite giggles all around me while I have to suppress an eyeroll and cough to hide my gag.

I’m looking for a way out of this conversation when someone taps me on the shoulder. “Excuse me, your highness, may I have this dance?” 

I brace myself as I turn to see an older gentleman offering me his hand. He has a slightly hooked nose and a mouth that seems to constantly be sneering. I nearly laugh out loud when I notice he has his ears pierced. How did he get past my mom’s careful combing through the guest list? I reluctantly take his hand, and he leads me back onto the dance floor. 

We pass my mom who covertly gestures at me to smile. I plaster one on as I turn to face my current dance partner. 

The music begins, and he bows as I curtsy before we join back together. “Forgive me,” I say, “but you’ll have to remind me of your name.” 

I’ve been doing pretty well so far tonight despite my minimal studying of the guest list, but this man doesn’t look at all familiar. He smirks. “It’s Azrael, if you must know, not that it matters much to you.” He smirks again. 

“Excuse me?”

“Tell me, are you completely miserable here?” 

I open and close my mouth twice before coming up with what to say. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean.” Why am I apologizing to this Azrael guy? He’s the one being rude. 

“You know what I mean. You don’t want to be here, not when there’s a war going on right in your backyard.” After remaining silent for an awkward ten seconds, he continues, “I understand you’re an expert swordsman, or swordswoman, whichever you prefer.” 

I finally get my voice back. “That’s ridiculous. I’m a princess. We don’t go anywhere near weapons.” He’s not buying it. I wouldn’t either; I’m a terrible liar. 

“Say whatever you want, your highness, but I know the truth. And I think, someone like you could really help the troops. They are severely lacking in leadership, constantly bickering over how their next actions and getting attacked before they can decide.” 

“You really think they would let me fight?” I ask him genuinely. 

“No,” he says. I tune back into the music to see how much longer is left in the dance, and it is blissfully almost over. “Unless you weren’t you anymore.” 

I heave a sigh and ask him, “What?” 

“I’d be willing to make a deal with you that would save your kingdom. Interested?” I look over his shoulder at my father, appearing visibly more stressed and tired than ever. I nod. “I could send you to the front lines. You would lead them in the final victory they need and end the war once and for all. You’re the only one who can do it.” 

I think it over in my head. “You said ‘unless I wasn’t me anymore.’ What does that mean?”

“Smart girl, aren’t you? A princess can’t also be a soldier. You’d lose your title, and-” he pauses. 

“And what?” I urge him on. 

“Your parents wouldn’t remember you. No one would. Another girl would take your place.” 

I swallow. “Who?” 

“A girl who asks me to make her a princess. No shortage of those. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s someone worthy of the role.” 

I glance back at my parents again, both of them so worried. “Would I remember them?” 

“Yes, you would.” 

I close my eyes for a moment before looking at Azrael once more. “I’ll do it.” 

“Are you sure? It will be very painful.”

I take a deep breath. “Yes, but it will be worth it. I’m sure.” I nod once.

“I should have known.” We stop dancing, and he lifts his left hand and snaps his fingers.

***

I open my eyes and am suddenly standing in front of hundreds of troops, looking at me expectantly. 

“General?” the soldier next to me says. “You were just about to tell us the plan.” 

I swallow and turn back to face the troops, thinking back on all those hypothetical war strategies my trainer and I discussed constantly. After a painstakingly long silence, I settle on the best one.

I clear my throat and try my best to project my voice, attempting to push all of my mom’s lectures about speaking softly out of my mind, “Alright soldiers, here’s the plan. The enemy has a gap in their ranks all the way to the east of the palace. We’ll cross through the palace grounds and circle around behind them for the attack.” 

No one says a word for a moment, and then, “Excuse me, General, how do you know there’s a gap in the East?” 

I try to sound confident and not let my voice start shaking when I respond, “I received word from the King of a message from one of our inside men of a clearing in the East.” I hold my breath as they all take it in, hoping they’ll believe me. I can’t exactly tell them that I was the one who got that message. 

Another soldier starts to speak up in the back, “So our plan is to just surprise them?”

I grimace at how simple it sounds put like that. “Yep. Unless any of you have any better ideas?” Judging by the communications we’ve received in the palace, none of them do. 

I take the silence as a no and shout, “Then let’s go.” 

***

We march as silently as possible given that there are several hundred of us. Many stayed behind to guard our borders just in case there’s another attack tonight. I’m just hoping that my hunch is correct and there are less soldiers fighting us than we’ve been led to believe. 

We’re about halfway through the woods and are almost to their camp when smoke becomes visible above the trees. I motion for everyone behind me to stop as I sneak a few steps forward and try to discern where the fire is coming from. I eventually hear a laugh to my right. I walk in that direction until I see the group of soldiers and a setup of about 30 tents and smirk. I was right; they barely have a hundred soldiers. 

I look back to where my soldiers have stopped and motion to them exactly where the camp is. Then I count down on my fingers from three, and we’re charging in with our swords drawn. They’re ready for us with their own weapons, but there are far too many of us for them to stand a chance. Within minutes we have them all kneeling on the ground weaponless. One of the soldiers whistles, and I turn to see him bringing their general out with a bloody nose, one hand behind his back, and the other holding a white surrender flag. 

***

I never thought I’d have to come back to the palace, and yet, here I am, waiting for the King and Queen to come and greet me and several other troops here to be awarded for their courage and bravery during the war. I tried to get out of it, especially since I only fought in that one, final battle, but Azrael made it seem as if I had been with them the entire time. 

I tap the toe of my boot impatiently against the pristine, white-tiled floor until I hear movement and voices from the second floor. When I finally see them at the top of the grand staircase, my mom leading the way as always, it’s like a punch in the gut. It hurts even more when I rise from my bow only to hear the King say, “It’s so nice to meet you all.” Just then a girl comes bounding down the stairs; this must be my replacement Azrael picked. “Evie! These are the troops being honored today, along with their fearless leader.” He gestures at me with his hand. 

She curtsies, and we all bow back. “Thank you for saving our kingdom.” She says with an award-winning smile. Already I can see she fits in here better than I ever did. 

“Shall we?” the King asks as he gestures for us to walk into the ballroom where the ceremony will be held. 

Even though it’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt, if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my parents, it’s to stand tall and smile through the pain. So I stand up straight and proud as I lead my soldiers forward once again.