Sneaking a quick glance around the corridor she breathed a sigh of relief. The truth of the matter was the Emma need direly to get out of the castle. Running into Snow White would surely throw a wrench in her plan. Summoning all the stealth she possessed, she darted across the entryway and slid behind a pillar that bore a striking resemblance to a hundred year old petrified tree.

"Going somewhere?" her father's voice called from behind her causing her to let our several choice swears. "That's not very lady-like," he teased.

"Hello, father. I was going for a stroll in the grounds." Maybe he would buy it.

"Uh, huh...at dawn?" Guess not. Giving him a shrug, he cast her a crooked smile. "Because last week your mother emptied a basin of water on you for sleeping until noon. This wouldn't have anything to do with a young, brunette princess sneaking off to the stables, now would it?"

Blast. How in the seven hells had she been caught? Not only did her parents usually rise after dawn, they also broke their fast on the opposite wing of the castle. Meeting her father's gleaming eyes, she merely shrugged before offering a small grin of her own.

"Your mother and Queen Cora are breaking their fast in the gardens this morning. Don't get caught." Striding away with a proud expression, her whistled merrily.

The treaty between the Dark and Light Kingdoms had been drawn last winter after centuries of strife. Fortunately for the two warring realms, a common enemy had presented itself: ogres. Reports of the mammoth beasts preceded them for months. Entire villages flattened, armies conquered, live lost. The only way to defeat the ogres had been for the spell casters and armies from both kingdoms to band together.

King David, after many months of protesting, had finally agreed to allow Emma to squire for Sir Lancelot. While not entirely unheard of for a woman to reach Knighthood, it was not exactly common for a woman of her stature to enter the fray. Especially during the Ogre Wars as it became known.

Sir Lancelot's battalion flanked the Royal Calvary of the Dark leader King Henry had outright refused to remain behind despite his older age. Riding alongside the two other squires, August and Killian, she watched in awe as he slew a monster nigh on thirty feet high. The ogre appeared more akin to a small mountain as the filth and dirt covered more of it's body than skin. Grasping a javelin jutting from a fallen foe, he heaved with all his might and launched it into the creature's eye.

With a mighty crash, it took down two more smaller ones as well giving her and Killian the opportunity to plunge their own spears into the beasts. Urging their steeds forward, they were separated from August and their ranks by a trio of behemoth proportion that burst through the forest. Forced to follow the Dark soldiers, they earned their ways by firing arrows that always found their aim to be true.

Looking up she noted the king had become separated from his men. Just as he was about to shout out a command, a smaller albeit fierce opponent raised his club above King Henry. Within the blink of an eye, Emma had knocked an arrow and released it with an exhale. It caught the ogre in his left eye just before it toppled backward. With a small nod in her direction as their eyes met, he turned and urged his mount onward. They continued through the woods all the while her heart pounded in her ears in time to the wild gallop of her mare.

By her estimation they were within an hours ride to the Black Keep. All the more troublesome was he fact that it seemed to be the direction the beasts charged from. With naught but the moon to light their way, the ride to the keep seemed to take twice the time. Each snap of a twig and hoot of an owl caused her to jump in her saddle. Though her armour was sleek and relatively thin, it's weight tired her still.

Thrusting his fist in the air, the king called everyone to a sudden silence. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up at the sight before her. The queen and her spell casters stood atop the tallest tower flailing fireballs down on the enemy. Screams of anguish echoed in all directions.

The rubble proved too much for the horses, forcing them to dismount. Having emptied their quivers miles back, she met Killian's eye as they unsheathed their swords. Looking at the jeweled pommel that once belonged to her father she sighed and wondered if she would see him again. It had been he that had shown her how to wield this very blade, his own sword when he had squired. He had led a garrison to protect the outlying villages beside their castle and her mother commanded the archers defending the walls.

The further away from them (and closer to the Black Keep) the more densely it had swarmed with ogres. She closed her eyes for a brief moment and sent up a prayer to anyone that may be listening for their safety, giving no thought to her own. the clang of distant warning bells broke her from her reverie.

Steeling her courage, she marched side by side with Killian constantly expecting attack. The acrid smell of smoke permeated the air causing her eyes to burn and water. Blinking away the fumes she noticed the castle grounds had become eerily quiet. They had long since lost sight of the queen and her tower, along with the ogres. Something didn't feel quite right. Uneasiness rippled through the men. They had seen too many of the foul beasts already to be fooled into thinking they were alone.

"Sire, do you suspect retreat?" voiced a Knight outfitted more like a huntsman than lord.

"Perhaps, Graham. Be weary, we don't know what-"

But before he could finish a terrible scream broke the silence.

"REGINA!"

Forgetting his station, the king broke into a run through the crushed rampart. Without waiting for command, Emma ran full speed after him. It was only after she hurtled over a falling pillar she realized she had lost the others. Keeping still, she listened for any approaching sounds. Hearing nothing, she held her shield ahead of her, readying her blade for an attack.

Another ear splitting shriek pierced the night, this time it was much closer. Tentatively rounding into a hallway she heard a booming chuckle from an open door ahead. What struck her though was the smell. The entire hall was impregnated with the scent of fetid meat. The unmistaken glow of a torch flickered through the next doorway.

"What do we have here, a princess? Ah, I wonder if you taste as good as you smell? A princess is a meal fit for the King of the Ogres."

Peering through the entryway, she saw the most gigantic beast of them all holding a beautiful brunette around her midsection. Her regal face drew back and with force she spit in the ogre's face.

"Rjundtar doesn't care. He eats you just the same."

Racking her mind for any sort of plan, she panicked when he opened his mouth to devour the princess. Not having time to fully form anything, she used her shield arm to hurdle a candelabra at Rjundtar's head.

With a howl, he dropped the girl and turned his attention to Emma. She cast her shield aside to grasp her sword with both hands, it would do her no god against him anyway.

"What manner of puny knight are you? This is who the Great King Henry sends to defend his only daughter? You seem to be no more than a lad. Rjundtar doesn't mind, children are his favourite meal..."

She realized with her helm drawn she probably did look like a young boy. Maybe she could use it to her advantage somehow. A plan began forming in he back of her mind. Ogres were notorious for eating children. She shuddered at the thought. If she could use her appearance to draw him away from the girl and make him chase her until she had the advantage, it just might work.

The scheme had too man if's in it for her taste but both her time and choices were running out. Eyeing the staircase in the corner, she ran as fast as possible toward it. Daring not look back, she knew her plan had worked when the heavy thud of his feet followed her across the hall. Reaching the top step, she used the banister to pull herself to the left. Looking down over her shoulder as she ran, she notice Rjundtar was almost in the center of the room. She ran the furthest wall and turned to run full speed back to the railing. She propelled herself up the banister and used her legs to kick as hard as she could over the rail.

The chandelier dangling above the walkway was made of overly large guilded rods. Her foot landed in the crook of the stem used to hold candles and her free arm clasped the chain from which it hung. Shocked as she was that it actually worked, it couldn't compare to Rjundtar's surprise at her swift launch. She utilzed his shock as he skid to a stop beneath her. He hadn't even managed to look up yet when she jumped down. Her legs landed on his shoulders as her blade plunged into his thick skull.

Allowing herself a foolish moment of triumph, she grinned like an idiot. That second the ogre's knees buckled and Emma lost her footing. She felt herself fall before the world went black with a sickening crack.

She awoke three days later to a pair of chocolate eyes staring back at her. She was lost in them fiercely and completely. Regina whispered soothing words of comfort to her as she fell back asleep clasping her hand tightly. When she awoke again, King Henry himself sat at the edge of her bed. She took the time to observe him before she noticed her awake. His retreating hairline was undoubtedly grey, but bits of black tried to shine through. He had lines at the corners of his eyes, the kind you get from smiling too much. And when his eyes met her own, they were the same as his daughter's.

"It seems that I owe not just my own life to you, but my daughter's life as well. I scarcely was able to shoo her away in hopes of being here when you woke. How fare you?"

"I'm..." her voice tore her throat, she cleared it and tried once more. "I'm...well. Sore...but well, Your High..ness.

"That is good news, indeed. If there is anything I can do for you, you have but to ask. Word has been sent by my fastest horsemen to your family. Rest well, we will speak more when you are healed."

Everything passed in a blur afterwards. A healer saying something or another about a cracked skull, maidens bringing water and broth, and a quiet princess peering at her over a thick leatherbound book in the corner but rarely speaking. When her parents arrived, they met with the king. Her father emerged looking pleased, her mother grim. When she was at last proclaimed healed, she was summoned before the royal court and Knighted for her valiant efforts by the king.

She wasn't sure which was most out of the ordinary, a female Knight or her being Knighted at 18. She had been granted luxurious quarters and the best training. The decision to stay had been difficult to necessary. Her parents were both young and the mantle of rule would not pass to her for some years yet. Her father assured her most Knights trained under other lords until time for their rule, anyway.

Before she knew it eight months had passed between training and taking lessons with Regina. She spoke little but when she did it was bold and unyielding. Without a doubt she was smitten. Though chivalry prevented further pursuit. At least for the time being. With the year anniversary of the treaty swiftly approaching, the King and his personal Knights (herself included) rode three days East to her home.

Now on their second week here, she had grown accustomed to meeting Princess Regina at the stable for their secret morning ride. Each day she showed the princess somewhere new and exciting. Today would be no exception.

Garbed in her finest red doublet sticked with black and leather breaches, she strutted to the paddock where Regina led their horses to graze.

"Late start, dear Sir?" the elegant woman called out. A smile played at the edge of her lips. The faint scar stretched causing Emma's chest to ache.

"Your Majesty, what sort of Knight would I be if I left you out here alone? I was just surveying the terrain." She was greeted with a roll of the eye and Regina mounting her saddle.

"Where to then today, my Saviour?" She laughed at the name the older girl had taken to calling her.

"That depends..." she trailed off exaggeratedly.

"On?" Regina replied, tossing her chestnut hair.

"How do you feel about dragons?"

This piece is a bit outside of my comfort zone but I have been reading a lot of Eragon and Terry Goodkind lately and I just couldn't get this out of my head. Review and let me know what you guys think.