uh oh..

I clenched my fists and stared at Jezzie. Her face was blank, her hand slowly lowering to her side. My cheek stung and I could feel the blood flooding my face, the pressure in my head so great I could’ve exploded, my eyes blurred with tears of rage.
“What are you going to do, Joella? Will you strike me back? Are you really going to strike your master? Do you dare? Do you really have the audacity?”
She grinned maliciously at me, knowing if I so much as raised a hand to strike her back, I would be exiled at the least. I could feel my fingernails digging into my palms, small droplets of blood creating rivulets down my fingers and puddling on the floor. If I did strike her, as my honor demanded, would be put to death.
But I had promises to keep.
So I ran.
I ran to my room, packed what I simply could not live without or leave behind and went down to the kitchens. No one was about so I took several canteens and a medium sized pack of bread, salted meat, and preserved fruits.
Making sure to avoid everyone I knew would hinder me, I made my way to the stables. Adding mule feed to my load, I saddled Brilda as quickly as I could. She threw her head and stomped, knowing I was distressed. Her eyes rolled and I calmed her the best I could, making sure to give herself some peppermints.
We rode as fast as she could go, not daring to stop for hours. When we finally did, I could think rationally again. I rubbed Brilda down then we both settled into the sand to eat a little bit. I needed to plan.
I had to find Ben, somehow. That was my ultimate goal. If I found Ben, everything would be alright.
To do so, I needed Jes, who was hard enough to find himself.
I knew any royalty, at any time, anywhere, would know where he was. So to find Jes, I needed a princess.
I needed Aurora or Snow.
My only problem was that I had no farsnarking idea where to go.
The desert was a valley, surrounded on all sides by ginormous mountains, extravagant ranges-in other words, my home. Or danger, whichever you want to call it.
I knew there mountains near the sea, the sun set behind the mountains of Boradia and rose over those in Ludrecka. Whether those mountains were the same as those engulfing me, I knew not.
I finally decided on riding north, where I new my birthplace to be, however clueless I was as to if this dismal place lay further north than Wypsteria, but I would have to try. Anything was better than staying here.
And so my journey began.