The crowd was wild with anticipation. The masses had come from all over the Empire to witness the beginning of the Starlight Trials.
Maren gazed down at the playfield from her perch, Cora at her side. The King, Queen and Princess of Forsyth shared the royal perch, positioned to Maren's far left, and the rest of the Court Members sat behind them.
Forsyth was a mountainous country and its capitol — also known as Forsyth — was built in the center, near a main river that stretched all the way through Toberville and Inaha. Some of the trials were not viable for an audience, such as the trial at Avelle due to the water and the trial at Inaha due to the extreme weather.
But Forsyth was perfect.
The Princes were fresh and hungry for a fight and the landscape allowed for some of the trial to be witnessed. But what made Forsyth such an interesting trial to watch was not only due to the anticipation and the grounds.
The Court had taught the Princesses what to expect from each of the trials. Where Wildburn, they could always expect it to be a battle, Forsyth was the opposite — known for its education and its deep knowledge of history.
The trial at Forsyth was as much a mental game as it was a physical one.
Beside her, Cora slumped further into the chair, sighing.
Maren's heart tightened at the sound of her voice.
That morning, Maren had awoken wrapped in the scent of Cora. She recognized it instantly. The alluring mix of citrus and vanilla left remnants on her pillow.
The scent was so strong that when she turned over, she half expected Cora to be laying there next to her in her own bed. But when her eyelids finally fluttered open, she realized Cora was not next to her, but awake and dressed for the event.
Maren looked around the room. Harriet fumbled about in the corner while Leah prepared a seat by the window. And that's when Maren realized she wasn't even in her own room.
After the initial shock, Maren sat down to eat with Cora and she explained what had happened that night, including Twelve taking the Dreamstone. Maren had almost no recollection of the events that transpired after the dream.
But she remembered the dream — vividly.
When Cora was done, Maren explained over breakfast everything that had happened in the dream.
Cora had mentioned that perhaps they did need a break from the Dreamstone, but that moving forward, when Twelve gave back the stone, Cora would be the one to hold onto it.
Maren still wanted to find out more, but she understood why it was taken away. She had felt exhausted the past few days, but ignored the signs her body was giving her. Even Cora on the first night she used it, felt as if she had no sleep.
She wondered if perhaps her healing ability helped the fatigue.
Even so, Maren liked the idea that Cora offered to take something on.
It felt like she was protecting her.
Maren's face burned at the idea and she turned her face away from Cora, fanning herself.
Suddenly, trumpets resounded all around them and Thirteen stood from her chair.
The crowd erupted in raucous, excited cheering. She waited until the cheering died down and began to speak.
"Welcome All, to the eighteenth Starlight Trial!" She began. "We are most excited as the stakes are much higher this year. Each Prince Candidate has the opportunity to prove their worth, and earn their place on the throne to lead our glorious Empire in victory, and wed not one, but two Starblessed Princesses that will help bring a new era upon us!"
The crowd was restless, cheering and whooping.
Beside Maren, Cora sighed again and rested her head on her fist.
Maren thought she looked exhausted like she'd had little sleep. She wondered if she'd snored too loudly or if she thrashed too much last night. She bit the inside of her lip in embarrassment and turned back toward the trial.
Twelve called upon each of the Princes, starting with Prince Darrin of Forsyth, and ending with Lexi of Toberville.
Maren still couldn't believe that her friend was a prince candidate, let alone a Darkwood. Thirteen could have said she was a distant relative of any other great House, and Maren would have believed it — accepted it.
But after her midnight visions — after seeing just a sliver of what the Darkwood King could do — Maren simply couldn't believe Lexi was a descendant of that kind of man.
Then again, Maren thought, closing her eyes for a moment, Lexi did always have a preference for certain…proclivities…
Maren's face burned at the thought of it.
She opened her eyes as Thirteen began to speak, and gazed down at her friend.
"Prince Candidates of Carbouran, hear now the charge of your first trial! Before you rises the great Mt. Caylor, and upon its peak rests that which seeks to be claimed. Like the great wooded beasts, you must climb. There are many paths to the top that will demand brute and blood. You must endure. You must survive. But know this, Prince's of Carbouran…"
Maren was hardly listening as a realization dawned on her. If Lexi had been an agent of the Empire for some time now, perhaps those midnight activities she discussed weren't true at all, and actually just a cover for whatever she was truly doing.
Maren sighed. This is far too complicated.
That's when Maren noticed her gaze had connected with Lexi's. Across the field, Lexi's dark eyes held Maren locked in place. There was an intensity there she couldn't describe — a ruthless confidence. Her black hair hung off her head in a sleek black ponytail that spilled over her shoulder.
The prince candidates all wore the same outfit — a plain white top, with dark brown trousers and a pair of boots. It was the gear all Knights wore during training. But for the event, each of them dawned a sash tied around their waist, the color that resembled the Kingdom they were from.
Lexi's black sash tied around her waist, her loose fitted top spilling out around it. It was regular gear — the same all the others were wearing — but on her it just seemed…
Maren's breath caught in her throat, her lips parting.
Lexi smirked, her lips tightened and grew into a wide grin. Tongue in cheek, she shifted her stance on the field and turned her attention back to Thirteen.
Lexi had caught her.
She'd caught Maren checking her out.
Maren's body practically went up in flames from embarrassment.
"...the true path seeks more of you than swift feet and mere muscle. The summit will command more than a single man's breath. When weariness sets in and strength gives out. When your mind whispers against your instincts and you cannot heed the whispers of the true road ahead, consider this. Measure the cost of seduction. Distinguish choice from truth. And trust wisdom over instinct. For the body may carry you upward, but the mind can only lead true. Climb! And let the spirit of King Caylor judge what the stars cannot."
The crowd was completely silent, listening as Thirteen spoke.
Maren thought she should be a general of war for the way she commanded a crowd with her words. They hung on her every breath.
She couldn't even begin to pick apart what her speech meant exactly. Maren could see three paths at the base of the mountain and figured they'd have to choose among them.
"Go now!" Thirteen commanded, "And let the Trial at Forsyth begin!"
The crowd went wild.
Instantly, the prince candidates lunged toward the mountain paths but hesitated in their movement. That's when Maren's eyes fixated on something she'd missed along the tree line. There were weapons laid out on a table, and backpacks — one for each of the prince candidates.
Maren watched the scene fervently.
The white haired prince of Inaha grabbed a pack first, and a small dagger from the table, and made off down the steepest path.
Two prince candidates followed behind him, almost as fast.
Hayden and Lexi.
Lexi lunged for a weapon first, choosing a bow and a quiver of arrows set at the far side of the table. She grinned in success, but her expression quickly fell when she realized what Hayden had done.
There was a backpack laid out for each of the candidates.
Hayden stole two backpacks, and grabbed the first sword at the edge of the table.
Lexi gritted her teeth as the rest of the prince candidates caught up, and picked up a backpack and a weapon, eyeing her carefully.
Maren's eyes were wide, watching the scene unfold. She knew those packs were surely packed with provisions that could last them several days. Even a man as large and strong as the Prince of Wildburn would grow tired of carrying two packs.
He hadn't stolen it out of necessity.
He'd stolen it out of spite.
Beside Maren, Cora scoffed, her tone low and full of vitriol.
"That is just like him," she spat. "For all we know, he's going to pick off the best of the pack and discard it down the river. Filthy bastard."
Maren blinked.
She'd expected Cora wouldn't want to marry a relative, even if it was distant but she hadn't realized the poison between them.
But she didn't have even a moment to think on that. Turning her attention back to the scene, everything was unfolding faster than she'd expected.
The rest of the prince candidates made their way up the mountain, and Lexi watched them make their choices. Maren couldn't understand what she was seeing, but she knew Lexi's battle senses were far better than her own.
Still, concern toiled in her chest for her friend.
How would Lexi survive for days without any provisions? If she needed to hunt, she surely would not have time to focus on her ascent.
Then, something happened that Maren did not expect.
Prince Ariel approached Lexi on the field. Maren couldn't hear what they were saying, but as their lips moved, she realized what he was proposing.
Ariel was best with a shortsword, but Hayden had mindlessly taken whatever weapon was on the table — which happened to be Ariel's preferred choice. Instead, he was left with a single pack and a curved saber, which Lexi was in fact proficient with and Ariel was not.
They grinned and moved together up the middle mountain path.
Maren sighed in relief, smiling to herself. She hadn't expected it, but she knew she should have.
It was just like Ariel to strike up a deal. He would never have left Lexi to her own devices, but he knew Lexi would never let him drag her down.
Ariel was fast, and Maren knew there was a good chance he may have been able to get to that table before Hayden if that was his true goal.
But instead of focusing on himself, he must have been watching. And because he did so, he struck a deal that would benefit them both.
Maren covered her face with her hands, shaking slightly.
Goddess, I know I don't pray nearly enough, she cried out in her mind, but please keep them safe. Please let them make it back alive!