"No, please don't make me leave my brother behind!" Jemma shouted, which was against the normal princess code, but seeing as she was 6 years old and upset, that didn't seem to matter. Her small hands reached toward her brother as Rune pulled her off and away. By now tears formed in her pure blue eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "Jasper wake up!!" For all the child knew her brother wasn't going to wake up because of her, and now they were taking her away for what could be forever? Jemma would not stand for it. Many guards looked with concern but stood up straight and said not a word out of respect for the tiny princess. As much as she struggled, she could not escape the strong but gentle man that held her. Upon arriving at the main hall Rune placed Jemma down and whispered for her to be still for her parents. She did as he told her for although she was upset she didn't want them to see her storm. The girl looked up at her parents with tears in her eyes. 

"Thank you your majesty, I shall not fail you" Rune bowed at both the king and queen and turned so they could say there goodbyes to their young one. Jemma sniffled and clutched onto her parents. "Don't make me go, I want to stay here with Jasper" Princess Jemma begged them. Although it tore at their heartstrings they had to say goodbye, each of them kissed her goodbye and assured her Jasper would be alright. Her guardian led her outside; by now she was trembling, overwhelmed by emotions. The sky darkened and rain poured down, a true example of the storm inside the little girl. Rune lifted her onto the horse after strapping her belongings onto the animal. "Don't worry princess, we will be home before you know it, and who knows, you might even have fun while we are gone" The young man tried to sooth her. Before she could protest, Rune got on the horse behind her and grabbed the reigns, they were off. Under the safe and dryness of the front porch's overhang, the king and queen waved goodbye, the queen couldn't contain herself any longer, she hugged onto her husband and wept. 

In an instant Jasper pushed past them trying to get to his twin, calling out her name in desperation. Jemma heard her brother shout and looked back past Rune toward her home, she saw him run and fall. Thunder roared and lightning struck. "Jasper" She whispered as more tears rolled down her pale cheeks. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

8 years. 8 years and 2 months have passed since then. She had seen and learned more than could have ever been imagined. And as Fate may have it, she was finally rid of her curse after years of searching for a "cure". Rune had finally done it, he had finally freed her from it and they could return home. It had taken many people along the way, not just Rune. Many friends, and even enemies helped her to learn, to grow, to control her curse (for the most part). And once it was gone it took some getting used too. 

First they spent a year in Everglenn, traveling around speaking to nomads and wise men alike. Jemma was still young then, just 6 and then 7 years of age. There she just learned to hide so no one would learn of her curse or that she was outside the castle, vulnerable to everything and everyone. The small princess learned to blend, to run and hide, to be on her own and wait when necessary. 

From there they traveled to the neighboring country of Iglasia to find out more about a so called legend that may have had something to do with how Jemma came to be cursed. Two years they spent in this place, young Jemma picked up some of the Glasian language while her guardian Rune, with all his mysterious contacts/friends/allies, worked toward getting rid of her curse. The girl even made some friends of her own along the way, friends she'd never forget. They taught her things such as, how to survive a harsh weather (since Iglasia was known for it's many different environments and weather patterns), how to read basically anything in her language, how to scavenge and most importantly they taught her the first steps of patience. It was here that she earned her first weapon, a simple yet beautiful dagger given to her by Rune. He taught her how to defend herself in case of an emergency. Around this time, Rune received a letter from the King that the Queen had passed, he decided against telling Jemma for the time being to protect everyone, especially her. 

After learning about the Legends of the Evil King Aron, Rune brought the princess to a place she would quickly fall in love with. Calorean was quite different from her mountainous home; the Elves of Calorean made their homes in all of the wondrous forests that covered the land. They spent the most time here, for the Elves were kind and very wise. While Rune spoke to many elders of the Calorean Elven villages, Jemma was growing up before his very eyes. She was 10 and grew up to 12 before they left. Here the princess made the best of friends, they were almost as close to her as Jasper was. In this forest country was where she was taught how to use a bow and to hunt. It was not long before she excelled at archery and hunting. As she grew older the more calm and controlled she became, even though her curse was getting worse, she was more able to keep it at bay. Jemma learned the importance of good and bad and how to know the difference. 

By the time Rune and Jemma left for Atlantica, Princess Jemma was fluent in the Elvish language and was a pro archer, able to take down any foe if need be. The young girl lived for the adventure and didn't mind so much that she wasn't back in Everglenn. Rune was no longer too worried about her safety. But as always, he kept both eyes on her and never let her stray too far. Around six months they stayed in the strange country. Only Rune knew how to speak their language, for not many outsiders were welcome, but it seemed Rune had been taught years and years before. He had friends there, just as he had every where else, the perks of being a well-known and respected knight. The young princess learned meditation and discovered her love for sweets and sea food here. From the Atlantians she learned a very important lesson that she would take with her wherever she went, "try again". She would never give up from then on. 

Rune had found out what he needed to know, there was a certain witch doctor on the island of Ticeron that could help Jemma with a certain artifact that was being kept on The Glenn, the island owned by Everglenn. They spent a short amount of time at The Glenn, it had actually taken them longer to get there. Jemma was becoming a woman and her strong sense of justice often overtook her. It was becoming more difficult for Rune to keep her at bay, she wanted to take down every petty criminal they crossed paths with, but he had to remind her it wasn't her responsibility. At The Glenn, Rune was able to easily retrieve the stone tablet that they needed to take to the witch doctor to help Jemma. 

Finally, they headed toward Ticeron, Jemma enjoyed her time on the ocean, for the food was her favorite. Her and Rune had talked about it, she knew it was only a matter of time that she would be stuck in the castle having to tend to her duties. Ticeron, being a pirate port mostly, was a place of bad omens. There were places on the island where even the fearsome pirates dare not go, for they were superstitious and did not want to die or be cursed as Jemma was. This was the place where Jemma was hurt and would have the scar to prove it. She got into a fight with a scoundrel who was trying to harm a woman and he ended up trying to get Jemma when her and Rune had their backs turned. The young girl received a deep wound across her right shoulder blade. Rune was furious, but tried not to show it, after nearly killing the man he whisked Jemma away form all the fighting that had ensued and tended to her wound. The guardian had been wounded in the riot that had broken out after he attacked the man that harmed Jemma and there was nothing Jemma could do but attempt to patch his wound, which was not her forte. She hated herself for causing them both to get injured. After quite a while, the duo finally found the witch doctor deep in the supposedly haunted swamps away from the rowdy pirates. The blind woman had indeed known what to do to take Jemma's curse away, in exchange she wanted the guardian, Rune. Jemma got the woman to settle for something else, something to which Rune could not protest against, Jemma was old enough to give him orders now. Thirteen going on fourteen year old Jemma Hetterwood gave the woman nearly a jar full of her Royal blood. After bleeding herself, the princess fainted and Rune (however upset he was), politely thanked the woman for curing Jemma and carried the girl out. At last they could go home, the nightmare was over. 

However... even though they'd be home in six months or so, and all could be well and good once again.... The nightmare was far from over.