There was no Room

There was no time for goodbyes. She had to leave, there was no other choice. A small pack filled with the bare essentials, and her sword. That was all she could take. Blue eyes scanned the familiar hallways, each footstep heard sending chills down her spine. She couldn’t be spotted now. She took a deep breath as armored guards passed by. They were vigilant, eyes peeled for any intruders, wound up and prepared for battle at a moment's notice. They were not prepared for someone trying to sneak out, though.

As soon as they passed, she sprinted forward, her feet light on the carpet. Compared to their weighted plate armor, her dress would hardly make a squeak. As she ran, she passed by the courtyard, the barracks, and the throne hall. Familiar sights that she’d never see again. Sights that she didn’t deserve to see anymore. She shook her head and pushed open the massive wooden doors.

“This is for the best,” she muttered under her breath.

“Is it?” An armored knight was waiting for her just outside the doors. Her greatsword was planted firmly in the ground, sending cracks through the ornately decorated stone road. Her eyes were hidden, darkened under her visor.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The girl asked, her voice cracking. “It’s a bit late for training, don’t you think?” Neither party laughed.

“I should be asking that,” The knight replied. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“It’s none of your business.” That was all the girl deigned to reply. With as much courage as she could muster, she walked out, straight past the knight. With an armored hand, the knight reached to grab the girl’s arm, only for her to dodge at the last minute. The girl began to sprint away, ripping off the hem of her dress so that it wouldn’t get tangled in her feet. The knight raced after her, her sword left embedded in the ground.

A burst of air exploded around the girl. Rapid winds blew from the ground, launching her into the air. The wind blew behind her, allowing her to fly high into the air, faster than any person could sprint. Against anyone else, the girl would be home free. Unfortunately, she knew the knight was no ordinary person. She was the strongest, most capable magus in the entire kingdom. Not some half-baked failure like her. She didn’t need to glance backward to know that the knight was right behind her. She was the creator of the spell the girl was using, after all.

The knight reached a hand for the girl’s leg. As the distance closed, the winds from their spells clashed, twisting together. Both lost control of their flight, sending the two spiraling. The girl crashed into the roof of a nearby building, the knight careened to the ground. Both shook off the impact as though it were a light bump.

“Wynaveyve Emjragard!” The knight shouted, in a tone a mother scolding a child would make. “Come back!” The girl didn’t answer. She ignored the slight desperation in that voice. She was sure it’d vanish in time, once she was gone. She peeked around the rooftops, waiting until the knight’s back was turned. With tiny bursts of wind, she hopped from rooftop to rooftop. Unfortunately, no matter how mighty a magus or valiant a knight she was, the girl was simply more adept at sneaking around. A dutiful, perfect honor student like her could never hope to match the girl who used to sneak out of every class she could. And because of that, she would likely never see that knight again. She would never see her sister again.

The walls of the capital stood tall, tall enough to reach the low rolling clouds. It had been a long time since the girl had seen outside their walls. The last time nearly a decade ago, and it had left a terrible scar upon her heart. This time, too, would be no different. She let out a sigh, allowing one last look at what was once her home. There was no room in those walls for a disappointment like her. Perhaps, if she were better, stronger. If she was someone different, they’d welcome her back. But not her. There was no time for regrets. There was no turning back. Come morning, no, perhaps much sooner, if her sister gave up the chase, the entire kingdom would know of her disappearance. It would be no great loss. Her name was not one destined for the pages of history. And so, she flew away, as fast as the wind would take her. Carrying just a small sack and her sword, Princess Wynaveyve Emjragard disappeared from Emijilucan.