Name: Yazalina Saint Claire (also called Lina)
Age: 22
Occupation or rank: Princess
Picture:

Name: Gavin Dubois
Age: 24
Occupation: Guard

"Lina you are going to be late now get your behind on your horse. You need to get going. Brad is waiting for you and you will probably be late as it is." King Richard yelled up the stairs.

Lina sighed sitting in her room. She was staring out the window. Everything was packed and ready to go. It was all loaded. SHe was wasting time. She did not wish to go. She sighed.

"Lina get down here immediatly." King Richard looked around. "Gavin go fetch her. She might listen to you better than me and if she does not come willingly make her come."

Gavin sat at the bottom of the stairs at the palace, this seemed to be a common act as of late. The princess Yazalina was refusing her father Richard, his current employer. After the latest proposal by a up and coming king she had been more stubborn than usual. Gavin like her father grew tired of the fact, and as much as Gavin hated it he was the man that Richard trusted most to get his daughter to the other kingdom safely.

He sighed when Richard asked him to fetch her, "Yes, my lord." he said dutifully as he climbed the stairs. When he reached the top it was apparent Lina had refused to help packing, as the ladies around her were bustling around trying to put everything together, they did stop for just a second to give him a look. Gavin was handsome and most of the women in the palace knew it, as they'd blush whenever he passed.

"Your father has sent me to fetch you." Gavin said loudly not seeing Lina as of yet.

"Go away. I do not wish to go." She yelled from her spot in the window. She wanted to stay here. She did not want to be around anyone especially someone she had never met before. She frowned as she heard the women bustling around her.
"Will you girls stop it. I am not going anywere so theres no point in doing this."

It aggrivated her so much when people did not listen to her. She told her dad no and she meant it.

Gavin looked politely to the ladies when Lina had told them to leave, "Ladies, don't fret yourselves, if you could leave us for a brief moment." he bowed lightly as they left the room.

He walked over to where Lina sat now clearly knowing where she was, "I know that you don't like this, but its all been arranged, there's nothing you can do..." he held out his hand to her hoping she would take it, "Would you rather be late and already be looked down upon the minute you set foot in that kingdom? Or would you rather go now and actually make a good first impression?" He hated having to reason with her, but it was his duty.

She stared at him with a halfhearted frown. "I do not wish to be married. I am only 22. I do not see why I could not choose my own husband. Now I have to leave my home to go live with people I have never met and I hate it." Her eyes were welling up with tears. "Please do not make me go" She put her hands on his arms and looked at him pleadingly. She really did not want to go. She wanted to stay here and be happy with her family and freinds and people she actually knew.

Gavin thought she was merely acting childish until he saw the tears well up in her eyes. He resisted making her feel better, he was serving her, they weren't friends. "Lady, I have orders from your father... I know it seems unfair, but unfortunately this is what the king requires you to do, and you need to be brave."

His expression didn't change, "Now I am sent to take you, whether you want to leave or not."

She sighed releasing him from her grip on his arm. "Very well." She stood up and straightened her dress. She smiled a fake and yet convincing smile. She grabbed her parasol and walked out of her door and down the stairs slowly. She was not happy about this but for the sake of her kingdom she would do this. She walked out the door past her father without a glance and climbed on her horse.

"Let us go then." She kicked her horse and started moving down the path not waiting for anyone.

Gavin was relieved that she finally gave into leaving at a reasonable hour. He bowed slightly as she left the room, and apparently the house without another word. He tried to follow her quickly down the stairs, motioning the others to pack up her things on the way.

It pained him to think she'd be like this the whole trek, it only made his job more difficult, he passed king Richard on his way out, "En Route as we speak sir," he said quickly bowing before he left hoping to catch up to her, he was in charge of this trek after all.

He swung onto his trusted steed Falcor with ease, he had done more times than he could count. Gavin was able to ride quick enough to get just ahead of Lina, "Lady, we cannot ride so quickly without all your things... the troupe will get lost without my command." he tried reasoning with her.

She sighed. She stopped her horse not speaking a word to anyone and waited for them to catch up to her. She was not happy with the situation and to her she felt like an animal going to slaughter. When she got to where she was going she would be like a slave. All her purpose in life would be is to bare sons. She would have no other purpose and no other life. Her responsiblities would be to stay pregnant for her husband. She wanted so much more with her life. She knew there had to be a way out.

Once Lina had stopped Gavin gathered all the troops and barrage of workers that carried not only all of her things but wedding gifts. After having the carriage follow in behind them he rode up to her again with his typical expression on his face.

"If you grow tired in your journey, you are welcome to ride in the carriage my lady..." after addressing her as such, he clicked his heels against his horse and moved on steadily ahead, "We should arrive by the evening tomorrow if we keep a steady pace." Gavin didn't intend on the journey taking longer, and he would prefer that it would stay that way.

She sighed listening to him. Great she had one day of freedom left before her life would be over. Maybe she would get taken captive by pirates or murdered. She looked down at the grass her face in a permanant frown. She just wanted to go home and be happy. But no one cared what she wanted. She nodded at him and then turned her eyes towards the scenery. It was so pretty.

"Hopefully there wont be to many mauraders out while we are on this journey."

At her words Gavin did have to let out a stifled laugh as his horse walked a slow pace beside her, "Lady, on my watch we never have any problems with marauders," he had taken pride in what he had done for the kingdom, and anyone that knew his name had a right to be afraid of him, and he knew that.

It would be rare for them to become ambushed on any occasion rather than this one. This time it would be a bit tricky, they were carrying not only gifts but gold. He did give Lina a charming smile though to assure her, "You will be safe in my care, no need to worry about that."

She smiled at him halfheartedly.
"You know I might like you if you were not leading me to a place I do not wish to go. I am still trying to find a reason not to go."
She looked back at the scenery. It was pretty though.

Gavin thought of what Lina must do as a simple situation, "It is your duty, that is why it must happen," to him it was straight forward, taking Lina was his duty, and hers was to the man she was going to marry. It bothered him that she was making such a fuss, most people would die to be in her royal stature, if having to marry a man you don't love is the only price you pay.

"Many people would wish to be in your place in a second, remember that." Gavin rode on ahead faster, as to keep lookout for anything suspicious so far the journey was typical and no attention had been clearly drawn to them.

She sighed. She got a great idea. She kicked her horse ahead and made him go faster. When she got about five foot in front of everyone she swerved off the path and towards the woods at full speed. Hopefully she would lose them and be able to go home. She looked behind her to see if anyone was following her.

Gavin was trotting along a bit slower now when Lina sped past him, it left him bewildered for a second but then he knew what he had to do. He reared his horse quickly turning his backward with a yell, "The princess has took off, guards be on your watch I will return shortly."

With that he sped down the path as quickly as possible, but he knew he wouldn't merely be able to catch up to her normally so he took an alternate route that would allow him to block her from moving farther down the small pathway. He stood there awaiting her arrival.

Grinning when she saw no one she gasped as she turned to look forward and saw Gavin. She growled stopping her horse about five foot from him.

"Will you move. If I run away it has nothing to do with you."

Gavin sighed, "You know, I don't really care what you think of me," he then had a satisfied grin on his face, because he knew that she wouldn't try to cross him, "I am trusted by your father, and I will keep that trust, but fulfilling my duty, and right now that is taking you to your soon to be husband." He was determined to get the job done, and part of his reward for doing so would have him higher up in the ranks, which he had been wanting for a long time now.

She sighed. She had to get away from this. She gasped as suddenly there were noises. She heard the sound of clashing swords. She looked at Gavin her face getting pale.

"That can not be good."

She spurred her horse forward towards the sounds.

Gavin was about to speak further when he heard the same noise as Lina, once he saw her take off he called after her racing down the path, "Lina wait!" He cursed himself for leaving the carriage on its own, clearly the bandits had taken advantage of his leaving.

"You stay by my side, do you hear me?" He gave her a sharp look they edged out of the brush to reveal a battle, they weren't the typical one bandit, but a group that was heavily armed, Gavin could clearly see that they had already began to loot and most of his men were disposed off, others captured and set aside.

She did as he said for once not being stubborn. She did not want to get hurt and she was worried if she left his side she would be in trouble. She knew when to obey and when not to. She may have wished to be captured but she did not mean it. A capture would mean being raped or worse.

Gavin's eye's darted around the scene, it wasn't good, he knew that they'd have to leave behind the gifts and money or else they'd never escape alive. Through his thinking a man had snuck up next to them, and had thrown Gavin unexpectedly off his horse.

He was winded for a second and when he sat up a sword was at his throat he hurriedly looked over to Lina who still was not hurt or captured, "Lina run! Now!" the sword was now pressed up closer and he could feel it against his skin.

"Another word out of you, and I'll kill your sweet little maiden while you're still alive." The man threatened while his colleague snatched Lina off of her horse.

Lina gasped struggling to free herself from the mans grasp.
"Let me go. I am not his maiden. Get your hands off of me immediatly."
She looked at Gavin.
"Let him go. I am a princess you will get more money for me than you will for him. My parents live in the city of Saint Mere. My fiance is in the city of Saint Paul. Send message to either one and they will give you anything you want. Let the guards go please."