When Armida had arrived back at her apartment, it was to find Allona emerging from a back room, securing her uniform back into place. She hadn't seen Armida from the doorway yet, as her attention was still focused on something-or someone-still in the room. Armida had become skilled at being present, yet having her presence unfelt by those around her. As she stood there with her hands clasped before her, she knew what caused the smile on her sister's face. She had passed by doors where sounds of soft panting and groans flowed out to her ears before, and had promised to never let her sister know that she was aware of her relationship with Eviva.

     "Armida." Allona's back straightened once she turned and came to see her sister standing off at a distance. Not faltering, she proceeded with scolding her like Eviva wasn't adjusting her dress behind her. "I see you decided to return after your ...outburst..."

     "You know what's extremely disquieting? The fact that even though I crave freedom, I don't know what to do with it when it's right at the tip of my fingers and eventually I find myself willingly looking to captivity for safety."

    "Captivity? Please, enough with your exaggerations, little one. The more you speak of the heavy burden that weighs upon your shoulders which have never seen a day of hard work, the more I get a sense that you are ungrateful and unappreciative of all that is done to protect you."  By this time Allona had made it across the room, and stood towering over Armida who shrank back from the bite in her sister's voice. She knew exactly where such sentiments came from, and guilt filled her gut as she turned her eyes away.

     "In would be in your best interest to be more mindful. Or else you risk upsetting me." At this point, Armida's eyes burned with embarrassment as Eviva and the guards stood off in the distance, of course not eavesdropping, but hearing everything that had been said. Closing her eyes, she could feel all of their energies pulse through her. They flashed behind her closed eyelids as dark hues of red, purple, and blue.

     One of the energies seemed to be approaching from a distance, and could be made out as the shape of a man-most likely a young soldier. In her mind Armida could see him meeting with another figure that resembled her sister.

    "It seems you have company arriving, kuza. By the looks of it, it must be urgent." Armida's eyes opened and shone a light blue color so clear that they nearly looked white. Allona took a step back as she watched them transform back into Armida's deep blue. Before she could pull together her shock, Armida had walked around her, and the sound of feet running towards the front entrance could be heard.

     "I'm here for Her Majesty Allona. Please, it's very important that I speak to her." Allona ripped open the doors to the apartment, and sure enough there stood a young man whose face was reddened from his journey to the outskirts of which Armida was housed. Looking back over her shoulders, she wondered how Armida had known.

     "Speak." She commanded after shutting the doors and moving the young guard aside. She stood with her arms crossed against her chest as she listened to the man stammer out his message.

    "There have been more sightings of vandalism within the city-"

    "So contact the police." She said not understanding why he would bring such a petty issue to her.

     "That's not all that has happened. A riot has broken out amongst the citizens; two shopkeepers and dozens of officers have been executed in the middle of the square by a group of partisans." His eyes bulged, and that was when she was able to notice the dirt marks and cuts on his face. His uniform was torn and splotched with blood.

     "Who gave you the orders to come for me?" Allona's heart raced. This was it. Her father had finally called upon her to help with serious matters. Pride began to well as she waited for conformation that it had indeed been Aric to send for her.

    "I'm not here under orders, your majesty. I was only able to escape with my head and you were the first person I thought of. They have access to the palace completely blocked off. There's no way getting around it without conflict.

     With a lump of disappointment in her throat, Allona charged forward calling for a stable hand to bring forth her horse. It's shiny black coat emerged into the sunlight, it's rays bouncing off and showing the powerful muscles which lied beneath it.

    Hoisting herself upon the animal, she looked down to the young man who was ready to sprint off once again, leading her to the chaos.

    "You expect to get there before the entire city is exterminated?" She asked, reaching out a hand as he took the offer behind her.

     Giving the horse a kick in the sides, they began galloping off, gradually gaining speed as they raced off towards the town center.

     From a window, Armida watched as they became just a speck on the horizon. Standing to her feet, she began moving towards Dacian who still remained at the door before a debilitating pain hit her. Stopping in her tracks, she held her head between her hands as energies and images flashed before her. They fought to become more vivid, and raged on in violent colors this time.

     Red.

      Nearly everything was red.

     "Your majesty, is everything alright?"Eviva noticed Armida groaning and immediately came to her side. "Your majesty! Your eyes!" She screamed when Armida's eyes opened wide, revealing the same haunting color that Allona had seen just moments ago. Her hands fell to the girl's arms in an attempt to steady her. Slowly, her brown orbs returned, and even from underneath her veil, Eviva could see her face contort into a fierce grimace as she moved away.

   "I am fine, Eviva. It was just a small ache."

     "You should sit down, your majesty. I don't think I've ever seen an ache to cause such a...look." She tried to lead Armida to her room for a chance to rest, but was rejected as Armida wrenched her arms from her.

     "Thank you, Eviva, but I am fine. I just...I just have to get some fresh air." She assured her.

     But what she really wanted to do was ask Dacian what had been exchanged between Allona and the messenger.

    "Are you sure, your majesty?"

    "Please. Take some time to yourself. " Patting her shoulder, she moved quickly before Eviva could protest.

     "On our way to the city you'll tell me what's happening, right?"

     "E-excuse me?" Dacian was bugged eyed and confused.

     "You were present when Allona spoke with the young man who was just here, yes?"

      "Why-yes I was, your majesty."

     "Then I trust you have a poignant memory and will fill me in on our way to the city."

      "There's nothing unusual going on in the city." He lied quickly.

      Calling his bluff, she began walking to the stables situated just a short walk around the building, Armida watched as the stable hands scattered to their feet, unsure of what to do at the sight of her.

     "Which of these would be best to take for a short trip?" She asked completely oblivious to the way the shook their heads and gulped, not wanting to be the one to address Armida.

     "Your majesty, surely you can't be serious about going to the city at a time like this."

      "A time like this?" Armida walked up to the row of animals before her, surveying which would do." I thought that nothing out of the ordinary was happening there? I was just hoping to take a leisure trip, maybe even see my mother..." When she finally found one that satisfied her, she looked over her shoulder to Dacian.

    "Will this do?"

     "That...that is a mule, your majesty."

     "It's just like the others, though quite small...maybe we would go unnoticed if we-" Calling to a stable hand to open and release one of the larger horses, Dacian led it out of the stable with a smirking Armida behind him.

     "If you insist on going to the city, which I am sure your presence would be forbidden, then you should ride on a proper horse, your majesty."

    "See? Friends helping friends, Dacian." When he watched her mount the horse, he hadn't expected that someone of her stature would know how. She did it with ease as she waited for him to join her. Scratching his head, he cursed knowing that he had broken enough rules to ensure that every bone in his body could be shattered as punishment.

    Even so, he climbed behind her, taking the reins in his hands.

    "Forgive me, your majesty." His head shook in shame as he began a journey that he couldn't refuse.

oOo

     Armida and Dacian had arrived to the city, but hung back near the edge of a nearby forest as they watched and listened to the chants and clashing bodies that moved in the distance.

     "I must suggest that we return to your quarters, where it is safe." Dacian said as he observed all that was going on. They hadn't even seen the heart of the uproar, and yet he could sense the danger ahead of them.

    When he didn't receive and answer from Armida, he looked behind him to see that her face had been uncovered once again.

    "Why must you do this...?" He hissed as he turned away instantly.

    "No one has ever seen me, so there's no harm in them seeing me now."

    "It's against the law, your majesty! You're only putting others at risk by doing something so rash." He watched her tuck the cloth in the waistband of her clothing. "Even without your covering, it's easy to tell who you are!" He pointed to her decorative garb which just screamed importance. Looking down at the extra fabric that flowed around her body, she began ripping it apart.

    Dacian would have to go into hiding after today. That was the only option if he ever wanted to live.

    Crouching to his feet, he put his hands to his face as he waited for her to finish. By the time she had, her outfit had been completely transformed.

     She had gotten rid of most of the elaborately designed material, making her look much more like a commoner even with a strip tightly fashioned around her forehead as a head band. He looked down to see that her skirts revealed the fronts of her legs, at least up to her knees.

     "All you need now is a face full of mud and you will most certainly look like the daughter of a worker..." He spoke sarcastically.

    Bending down to grab soil from the ground, Armida rubbed it against her skin.

    "It's so gracious of you to help me, Dacian. Now I won't be as noticeable." Satisfied with her work, she stood before him with her arms held out. "Do I look the part?" She asked wanting his honest approval.

    "No." He said bluntly. Standing to his feet. Armida reached for him before he could walk away.

    "Then tell me how to. Please, Dacian."

     "Well first thing's first. Don't look so happy to be poor and miserable."His words hit her at her core.

      "There's no happiness in that. Once you're able to master the down trodden look of a laborer who works to death without any reward, then you will look the part. Your majesty." The last of his sentence was said with a hint of bitterness.

    How could she wish to leave the safety net that's been provided for her since birth to travel and see the gritty life beyond her apartment? Who would want that?