(Yes, this is in the prompt, btw. First person is my usual go to, but third person came like second nature to me back then. 😅)

**_Chapter 7_**

_Soon enough Ballari caught _up with her captors and decided to uncover information.

_Why, what, and sometimes, when._

Ballari tapped lightly on Tyra’s shoulder, still wary of the girl, but calmed down when she saw that the girl’s anger had passed.

“Yes?” she said.

“I’m confused.” She whispered, still wary of the Angst that Tyra had mentioned. Tyra had a bored expression on her face, her brown eyes taking a sudden turn of dullness. But Ballari was determined to find answers, she needed to if she was going to go with these two.

Tyra slowed her pace to walk beside Ballari, taking careful glances at Alistarie, as she spoke. “I guess we kinda just kidnapped ya, didn’ we.”  Ballari nodded, waiting for the girl to go on. “Well just so ya’ know, the whole kidnapping thing was our original plan, but I said that it would make it difficult for ya’ to trust us, ya’ see, so I had a better idea.”

Ballari nodded, noting this, cringing when she heard the howls of nearby wolves. She then remembered what Alistarie had said before he kidnapped her, something about trying to be nice and that he wanted to do his way. “You wanted him to be nice to me…”

“Yep, though I have to say, it was very cringy to watch.”

This puzzled her a bit. “Why?”

Tyra lowered her voice down to a whisper, “Ya’ won’t believe this, but Ali hardly is _ever_ nice. Acts like he basically owns the bloody world sometimes.”

“Really?” Ballari took a glance at the now idled Alistarie. He looked at the both of them, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

He turned to Tyra as the pair came closer. “You aren’t telling her why we need her, are you?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “No Ali, boy, don’t worry about your control, I didn’.” Tyra crossed her arms and shook her head in disbelief as she passed by Alistarie, continuing down the grove.

Alistarie then looked back at Ballari, took her arm under his, and followed Tyra, trailing the still puzzled girl behind him.

Ballari still didn’t have answers, what Tyra had told her was just additional information. It wouldn’t change anything, right? But Ballari still felt that tingle of despair. He didn’t want to be friends with her. The girl sighed heavily, and slowed her pace as Alistarie tried to drag her along.

“Alistarie…” Ballari needed to know what he actually wanted her for, so she pushed all of her grim emotions aside and replaced it with curiosity. “Alistarie, what do you want me for?”

Alistarie grinned, showing his teeth, and cleared his throat theatrically, “Well, I’m _so _glad you asked, dear Ballari.” He reached into his pocket with his free hand and took out a small, blue notebook with a golden star on it. He opened it, flipping through pages, until he found the one he was looking for and showed it to Ballari. She gasped as she saw her name written in it, in big bold letters, stretched across two pages. It looked like it had been written in ink at first, but as she looked closer she saw that it was written in blood, though by now it had dried into the paper.

Ballari, still staring at the book, listened as Alistarie began to speak. “I can’t tell you much right now, as you wouldn’t understand, but the world is in danger, Ballari.” He looked into her eyes. “But you're the one who's been chosen to save it, and we’re going to help you.”

Then he uncuffed their arms and left Ballari to her own senses.

Though right then, they had all left her in the dust.

❥      ❥       ❥

By the next morning, feet thumping with pain and eyes sore, they arrived at the walled city of Sanfor, the city of Light, Love, and Peace for Humanity.

Ballari held in a gasp, all pain and fatigue disappearing, as she took in the scene laying before her eyes.

Clothed in lush, green rolling hills, each having a house or lodging of some sort on it, Sanfor was a blend of ancestral folklore that was predominant to the whole city: the houses a mix of Reds and Bright Navy—flags as well, hanging delightfully on the city's walls—, apparently the city's colors, and different carvings of naked winged fairies on the tall wooden walls. And that’s all she could see from the outside.

It seemed like a lovely place!

Ballari clasped her hands together in sheer excitement, she wondered about the tales they would have, the exotic food that they would cook, the—

Alistarie coughed and made a face at the girl's eagerness. “Remember the plan, Ballari.”

Ballari stuck out her lips and pouted. Tyra was right when she talked about Alistarie’s control problem; he’d probably die without the feeling of being in power. But regardless, she went over the plan again in her head.

Despite its lovely appearance: Sanfor in the past had several wars and disputes with neighboring provinces, therefore its likeness for strangers was very low. Alistarie, though, had friends within the royal court and therefore he could get Ballari in. The problem was that she’d have to play as his wife.

“I told them I was off searching for a wife before I left, so they wouldn’t ask questions. Sanforer’s are very serious on the topic of marriage and believe that anyone has the right to marry whoever they want whether a beggar or a hybrid.” Alistarie waved a hand absently, closing Ballari’s mouth. “No, I don’t know why they’re like that, Ballari.”

Tyra snorted. “That’s surprising, you always know _everything_,_ _Ali.”

“Well I don’t know that; I don’t know everything,” Alisatrie regained himself and gave Tyra a smug look, “But I do know a lot.”

The two quieted as they approached the massive golden gates that controlled who went in and out of the city. They saw two pairs of guards on either side of the gate, and one pair opening and closing it. Ballari looked up at the walls and saw more guards and several archers lining them in the brackets. She swallowed.

_Let’s hope they believe this_, she thought.

Alistarie held out his arm, Ballari accepting it, and held the girl close to his side. “Now follow my lead,” he whispered as Tyra stepped in front of them like a shield. Ballari could see that a pair of guards were leaving their posts to approach them. “And don’t cause too much attention to yourself; you’re a pretty thing, you know.” He muttered, saying the last bit so softly that Ballari hardly noticed he said that at all. She quickly returned to the present at hand, and as the guards neared, she shrank back against Alistarie, acting as though she was a shy newlywed. Which was a role she could do with ease.

Ballari felt a sharp pain in her chest but pushed it away; she couldn’t mess this up.

Tyra, acting as Alistarie and Ballari’s personal guardian, inclined a bow of her head to the guards who returned the gesture.

“Name?” asked the first one. Ballari could hear a female characteristic of the voice, then looked at the first guard's body, though covered with armor, had curves and thickness. The other guard, no doubt her partner, was definitely male.

Tyra groaned. “Do we _really _need to do this, Opal?”

“Yes, Tyra. It’s protocol, also, my brother has never seen who you keep.” Tyra made an exasperated noise, but obeyed.

“Tyra, Keeper of Lord Alistarie of Hickory,” she gestured towards Alistarie, Ballari could see a smile—though it was more on the mocking side of recognition on the second guards face, then continued, “and of newly converted Lady Ballari of Hickory.” She tilted her head towards the girl.

Another stab in her chest.

“Ahh, Lord Alistarie,” the second guard sneered, “we’ve heard about you and the chaos you caused at the castle four months ago with the young prince’s birthday party; the nobles will be glad to see you.”

Alistarie made a sharp grin back. “I think so too, but I would be equally happy to meet them if they would let me eat guards…especially ones that get on my nerves.”

Alistarie flicked his tongue out like a hungry wolf and watched with a face full of glee as the male guard flinched. Opal sighed and tugged the second guard behind her.

Once more, this time deeper and harder, carving into her veins. Ballari winced as she tried to keep silent. Shy and silent.

“I’m sorry, my Lord, Jan can be a bit childish sometimes.”

Jan made a face at his sister. “Childish? I’m not childish, Olap!”

“Yes, you are—ah—don’t give me that face, Jan. You’re wasting the Lord’s time, you leuma.” She elbowed Jan in his stomach behind her. “Now, if you follow me, we’ll get you all inside.”

Stabbed right through her poor heart with the pain.

Olap paused. “Oh, umm, my Lord, is your Lady okay?”

Alistarie blinked and peered down at Ballari who was holding his arm tightly. “Ballari, are you alright?”

Ballari took in a shuddering breath. “I’m fi— .”

Then she blacked out.

***

(Couldn’t fit Chapter 8 because it would be over 2,000. Now, in response to lostmoon, the next few chapters are where the story gets good. Mostly the flashbacks—you’ll see what I mean.)