The soldier took hold of the carriage door handle as he looked at the princess inside, his deep blue eyes mixed with both asssurance and somberness, a peculiar pairing.

[b]"Willowshire,"[/b] he said, answering her question of where she was being taken,"your going to Willowshire."

Willowshire was a small hamlet several miles west of the capital Dalhorst, a countryside village with a population just short of thirty. It was more of a settlement than a village really. It was known only for it's farms and the surrounding wilderness which was filled with wild game. Willowshire's inn in fact made the majority of it's business from hunters and trappers staying the night before heading east to Dalhorst or to the northwest to the city of Riven. Aside from the occasional patrol passing through, Willowshire saw little military prescience, and in general was totally ignored by the Alvionish army. This made it an ideal location to retreat to from the eyes of the Queen and her followers.

With his right hand, the bearded veteran removed his helmet slowly from his head, revealing curly yet neatly cut black hair with visibly noticeable streaks of gray along the edges. The man slightly lowered his head, closing his eyes and speaking quietly yet audibly,"Farewell my young princess, and please be safe. When you become Queen someday..." he raised his head and smiled slightly, his wrinkled eyes drooping in the corners,"I ask that you might remember my name, and remember me; Jared."

He gave her a wider smile and a friendly nod, placing his helmet on his head and sharply closing the carriage door.
Without warning, the carriage suddenly began to rock, the sound of footsteps and low grunts could be heard. Someone was climbing onto the carriage.
Jared's voice could suddenly be heard,"Be safe, and watch out for patrols. I wager that by now they've discovered she's gone."

As if on cue, a loud, heavy [i]dong[/i] of a bell could be heard, followed by another, and another, and then another. The castle alarm.

"They know." Said another voice from atop the carriage, a raspy, older voice.
"Go, get out of here." Jared could be heard demanding.
"I'll see her to Willowshire safely by tonight." Said the second voice.

The immediate creaking of a gate could be heard, followed by the slapping of reigns and a loud cry from the unseen driver. The horses all released a chorus of bellowing neighs and the carriage began to methodically rock slowly from side to side as the horses began trotting along, through the gates, and off of castle grounds.