The horses were all in the stable. I ran to the nearest one, pulled it out, and mounted it. As I climbed up, I squeezed my legs and made it run as fast as it could.

It was still dawn, and I chose a road that would take me to Riviera. The lands of Duke Charles Edwards were closer than the capital and the Palace, and he had men, warriors, who would surely protect the princess after I told my story.

As I rode into the first lights of the sunrise, I thought about everything that had ...