Chapter 1

KIANNA

Sucking in a sharp breath, I lift my gown off the floor so that I can easily Maneuver my way around the forest. I had let my wolf, riena out to play since she was antsy and time had passed me by.

"Princess! Your dress…" Erica half screamed, eyes streaking down my body. I couldn't help laughing. I had thought it fun to roll in the mud. I had enjoyed it then but was now regretting my actions on seeing the way Diana kept muttering snarkily at me as she tried removing the streaks of dirt with her hands.

"It was totally not my fault ri, riena wanted to play in the mud and we saw this pretty rabbit and…" I trailed off remembering what my father had told me earlier. How had it escaped my memory? Oops! I was definitely late.

My father had told me that there was going to be a celebration to congratulate one of his best warriors for winning one of the elusive fights in the dunes, the dunes was an underground settlement where fights and all manner of depravity happened, even trafficking! I had asked my father once why he allowed that place to exist and he had just smiled dotingly and ruffled my hair.

I had chucked it to the fact that it helped reduce crime in the country so that was why he allowed it. My father was so loved by his subjects, I mean I've never even caught wind of any bad gossip about him when I left the palace.

I skip lightly as I smile distraughtly at the guards who greet me, Diana hot on my heels. Finally, I see my room, Happy that I had successfully evaded my father, if not he would surely scold me for not being ready already. My father liked to be punctual, overtly so. My father had always been rigid but he started being more flexible because of my mother. My mother is a free spirit, singing every morning in her garden which she coerced one occasionally to join. My mother is definitely the ying to my dad's yang. Till today, they still acted like a new couple towards each other. It was sweetly sickening. Shaking away my errand thoughts, I focus on the now flustered Diana as she skittering around my room.

Erica ushered me into my private bathing room. "I can bathe myself RI" I say, already removing my clothing. I hadn't worn a corset today. I've never appreciated the restrictions it offered, allowing them only for special occasions.

"I know princess, I don't just mind doing it. Besides you smell really good" teased Erica albeit slyly. I roll my eyes at her. I've always told her not to call me by my title rather by my name but she wouldn't listen. It has even become one of our daily teases.

Huffing instinctively, I enter into the bath, knowing how futile it is to argue about this with Erica. I've always told her she had the will of stone, she was such an assertive girl.

Erica had been brought home by my father after one of his battles. He had given her to me the next day pointing out that we were around the same age so we would get along just fine. I secretly thought he knew about Erica's assertiveness and was probably hoping she would tame me a little using her will alone. He would be so disappointed when he found out that that wasn't the case. Infact Erica encouraged my assertiveness behind my father though.

Erica had refused to tell me where she had come from when she had begun serving me, only answering questions I asked her with brusque answers. In the end, I had worn her down. I am very assertive, you see and I welcomed the idea of being friends with whoever my new maidservant would be. I had refused to pick one from all the choices they had laid before me. Those girls were docile, too docile and they have been servants all their life so they probably will be too scared to befriend me while if some do befriend me, I would probably not trust their intentions. The thought of someone using my friendship for personal gains is chilling. Unlike Erica, I trusted her with my life. We had slowly wormed our way into each other's hearts for the past 3 years and now we could hardly be seen without the other.

After bathing, Erica helped me into a beautiful, beaded corset gown.it was floor length with a strip of lace at the bottom. My heart deflated a little on seeing its corset but it felt surprisingly comfortable after putting it on.I wore a simple, diamond studded necklace with matching bracelets and rings with at least three on each finger. I loved rings.

For my makeup, Erica had applied just a little mascara and some lip gloss foregoing my cheeks cause they already looked pink. I looked at myself in the mirror, my hair in elegant, rolling waves as its strands cascaded down my back. I loved my hair, it was so full and long though a little lacking in the shiny department. My silver eyes glowed with life as I glanced at my reflection one more time. My eyes were a glittering silver with a little downward tilt at the ends. It made them look droopy to me, Erica argued it made me look innocent.

I put on my flats advertised ignoring Erica's disapproving glare on them. I was in for a long night so I at least wanted to be comfortable because I was pretty sure I was going to dance till I dropped today.

I stood up briskly. After absently fluffing my gown, I hold out my gloved hands cheekily to Erica. "Come on ri, let's go before my father sends a carriage" I was joking but knowing my father if I was late, he would.

I hurry down the stairs with Erica as I walk briskly to the great hall where the celebrations are taking place."Princess kianna, please don't walk like that. Your dad would better you walk like a lady slowly than fast and so brutishly" Erica spoke exaggeratedly shaking her head.

Ignoring her teasing jab, I continued walking eager to get at least a cup of wine in me before I had to dance. We reach the doors and I sit down in the ante-chamber, waiting to be announced.

After what felt like an hour, I began to idly wonder if I could just get away with not coming for this ball. As it seems, my father is probably too into his festivities that he has forgotten about me. For reasons I didn't want to dissect, I felt elated at the thought. Erica smiled at me knowingly, she shifted closer as if to hold me down if I tried to leave, which I didn't but knowing Diana she would definitely not let me leave even if I wanted to. It was honestly really creepy how she seemed to know what goes on in my head.

"So Princess ki, hope you're excited to dance off your feet tonight. Lucky you wore flats" Erica teased referencing my name to our favourite Korean regency movie which she did to piss me off though the name secretly elated me. The movie was about a strong-willed Princess who had defeated all odds by becoming a warrior. Kinda like me but without the whole fighting thing, I was definitely a wuss when it came to any kind of physical violence.

"Smile any wider and I'd think you were mocking me" I snark back. Erica chuckled and winked at me, she knew my take on dancing or at least ballroom dancing.

Standing up, I peek through the tiny spaces on the door. I wanted to see how everything was going. I saw my father guffawing loudly amidst a small crowd of men. He would stop once in a while to take a sip of his wine. Immediately he was done with that cup, a maid came and replaced it briskly without missing a beat.

Moving a step back, I glance at Erica to see her trying to peek into the hall too. Adjusting a little for her, I let my eyes return back to the festivities or at least what I Could see of it. I see one of my dad's personal guards talking to a blonde girl in a really short gown, he started running his fingers down her arm. I look at the forlorn expression on Erica's face, she likes the guard, his name a constantly iterated phrase from her mouth. The two have been circling round each other coquettishly for the past year. I know Erica really likes him though, she confessed once how scared she is of her feelings for him.I put a comforting hand on her shoulder breathing out a sigh of relief when Keith dismisses the girl and leaves her with a furious expression on her face. 'Not that that was a good thing but it shows that he isn't interested in the reason , silently smiling a little when I see the relieved expression on Erica's face. My next agenda was definitely going to be along the lines of getting those two together.

After that I needed to give Keith a scolding. Can't he just man up and ask her out already? I mean Erica is a catch, she had soft brown hair that always glinted caramel in the sun. She also had these beautiful blue eyes ringed with small flecks of gold that I have always envied. She was damn gorgeous and Keith was a fool for not seeing it. I fumed silently.

"What are you thinking now princess?" Erica questioned arching her brows with her hands at her waist and a knowing look on her face. "Nothing I said sharply…just what tool Keith is for not getting his head outta his ass and asking you out" I snark cheekily.

"Princess!!" Don't swear so loudly. Erica chastised while glancing around like there someone was gonna spring out of the walls or something. "Relax Rica, it's only us here. I can swear if I want to" I answer, patting his hand slightly.

Erica shook her head slightly and focused back on the happenings in the great hall.

Glancing back at my father in his regal robes,I take a quick note to commend Mr. Luke, his tailor. He did such a good job on today's outfit. My father chatted happily with a very tall warrior patting his back repeatedly . I was pretty sure this was the person whose glory called for such a celebration. The man bowed and reiterated at my father, a gloating smile on his otherwise handsome face.

After a while, my father retreated to his throne nodding occasionally at his guests. My father's viceroy in an exquisite looking attire walks up to him and starts speaking quickly, to which my father furiously speaks back to him. I've honestly never seen my father so mad. Slight alarm passes through me as I see how quickly father is gesticulating whilst bearing a furious expression on his face.

"I'm getting antsy, I think I should go on at least to check what's wrong with him" I gesture towards my father's direction. Erica glances at me, an agreeing look on her face.

"I agree your father looks quite mad but I still think you should wait some more," Erica pleads.

I shake my head at her slightly and prepare myself to push open the doors. Just as I'm about to do just that, u hear a loud boom coming from the door that leads outside the gate. I look to my left only to see giant warriors barge in with their mighty weapons. Dread fills me as I imagine what these brutes were here for. I could bet a hundred dollars that they weren't here to join in the celebrations. I glance at my father only to see his face white as a sheet, drained of all colour. I shudder to think what this could mean if my aristocratic father looked absolutely terrified.

Erica holds my hand so tightly. I think she was cutting off my circulation with how strong her grip was.

I take another quick glance at the brutes and notice for the first time the colour of their armour. It was red and gold and it only meant one thing. The dragon empire was here and I could have sworn at that moment that they weren't here for any form of good.