The Parable of the Princess Warrior

   The princess stood there on the battlefield, still as ice, listening to the haunting sounds around her--a rush of wind, a malicious laugh. The Enemy's mysterious fog had surrounded her now, and she was separated from the ongoing battle, singled out from her comrades. She knew to keep her wits and strength about her, for she had seen friends disappear into this very mist and never return.
   A black figure appeared before her and slowly cut its way through the mist. Close enough for her to see now, she saw that is was a man dressed in dark material, with no weapons. His skin was a sickly pale, yet his oily smile was wide as he approached her. He was truly hideous which gave him a frightening effect, but the princess was unaffected by his appearance. He needed no physical weapon, even against her, because he had his tongue, his mouth, his words.
   The Enemy's agent began his attack, speaking what the princess knew to be ludicrous, trying to convince her that his lies were true. She stood her ground, unafraid, for she was wearing the helmet her father had given her. He had told her that it would protect her head, and everything in it, in battle, and she trusted him. She was not shaken by this nefarious threat.
   The man continued talking as he stepped even closer. She could feel his breath blasting against her face, yet still she resisted. Quick as lightning, the man reached up, knocked off her helmet, and jumped back. He continued speaking his non-sense and began circling her, like a predator to prey, eying her hungrily. Without her protection, the princess's efforts to block his attack were futile. She was defenseless and vulnerable. Soon, his deceitful words began to make sense to her and she believed his false statements.
    Stepping up from behind, he whispered commands in her hear. He told her to lay down her shield and guaranteed happiness if she did. Staring at the shield on her arm, the princess's memory flashed back to when her father had handed it to her and telling her about its purpose, but then her mind became foggy and she began to take the straps off. Before it even clanged to the ground, he asked her to remove her belt. As if in a trace, she unbuckled it and let it, as well as her scabbard, fall to the ground. Next he convinced her to remove her breastplate, which she did willingly. Finally, he had her drop her sword. It fell from her hand as if it had caught fire and was burning her flesh.
   Before she could realize what she had done, he knocked her to the hard rocky ground where she laid amongst her discarded protective gear. Pulling a hidden dagger from his boot, the man went in tor the kill. Wide-eyed, the princess could only stare at the dagger that she knew would surely pierce her skin. As soon as he got close, though, a shining sword ran him through and he was gone. Genital hands reached down and cradled the princess. She clung onto her father as he carried her back to safety.

   She asked him to set her down so she could put her armor back on, and he obliged. Ready for battle once again, they set off to continue the fight, but blocking their way was a team of soldiers from The Enemy's side. Crouched in a defensive position, the princess grinned a knowing smile and looked up at her father who stood over her in a protective way, sword drawn. He smiled back, and, in the blink of an eye, they sprang off to overcome this minor setback. In unison, father and daughter took down The Enemy's men. It cam down to a two on one fight--the princess against two of The Enemy. The king had just finished off the rest of the troop. One of The Enemy held her attention in a quick moving sword fight while the other sneaked around in order to get her from behind. Rushing to her aid, the king took out the sneaker as she finished off the other. Breathing heavily, the girl turned back to her father and smiled, thankful for his protection.
   Later that day, while sitting inside their camp, the princess took her helmet off and set it down to air it out after the long battle. A soldier was carrying a large pile of supplies near by and dropped something that fell to the ground and rolled away. Getting up, the princess went in search of the fallen object. She found the object lying on the ground near the edge of camp. Picking it up, she examined the small metallic orb. It appeared to be a small explosive device, of some sort, and raking her mind for the types of bombs used by the king's army, she decided that it was a smoke bomb. Though, the emblem painted on it was not of her father's. Taking a closer look, she realized that it was of The Enemy's!
   Suddenly, the sphere exploded and she was surrounded by the thick mist she had only just escaped. a rought hand covered her mouth and another pair bound her heavy ropes. The princess then fell to the ground with a thump--on conscious.

  A letter from The Enemy, telling of the girl's kidnapping, arrived at the king's tent in a matter of minutes.The king was infuriated when he read it. The letter also implied that the only way to get her back was through a trade, a life for a life, a soul for a soul, and The Enemy didn't want just any soldier, The Enemy wanted someone important--the king's only son. Upon reading this, the king called for the prince.
   Entering his father's tent with vigor, the price looked at his father's grieving face and immediately knew that something was amiss. The king handed the letter to him. Eyes skimming the paper rapidly, he understood his father's pain. Looking the king in the eye, the price nodded, accepting what he would have to do to free his precious sister whom he loved. He readied his horse and set out alone.
   When the prince arrived at The Enemy's camp, he was ripped from his horse, kicked, beaten, and then tied in ropes to restrain him. He was then taken to the commander's tent Looking up at him, the princess was shocked to see her brother, and even more surprised to see him tied up like a prisoner. She tried to warn him to escape, but the commander, foul in every way, silenced her. He ordered a guard to remove her from his presence and take her to the prison cells (he had had no intention to let her go, even if the prince did come). As the pale guard began walking her out of the tent, the prince used his body to crash into him. He knocked the guard to the ground and screamed for his sister to run. Caught in fear, the princess fled from the scene, hopped on her brother's horse, and rode away.
   She hurt inside. Her feelings spinning around her head like a wild tornado of miserableness. It was her fault, she was convinced, that her brother was now in the hands of evil. If she hadn't gotten caught in the first place he wouldn't be in his current position nor if she had stayed to help him instead of running away. All she could think about was what her father would do when she returned.
  
    A hug from strong arms greeted her arrival. She and her father wept in each other's arms, and she was comforted. They stayed together and were inseparable. After three days had passed the two were still mourning over the prince. The princess thought that he would have surely been killed. Finally she decided to go out and take a walk alone. Squinting as she stepped out into the brilliant day light, something caught the princess's eye. A person's silhouette was walking straight out of the sun and approaching her. She started making out familiar features on the man when he started getting close enough. Soon, the mysterious figure turned into her smiling brother. Laughing in disbelief, she ran to him. After grabbing him in a hug, she ushered him into their father's tent where they all rejoiced in jubilation.

    On the battlefield, a father and his two children stand together and lead his armies to victory. The war will soon be over, they know. Someday they will return home to the golden city of peace, and that is something to look forward to.