The royal carriage rode over an old abandoned road back to the castle. King Solan of Miraelyn and his family had just returned from a state visit to their neighboring country, Astrunae. It had been a long-winded visit, in witch many hands were shaken and a lot of politely nodding was involved. The relationship wit Astrunae was good. The country was an important ally of Miraelyn, en that's why king Solan found it important to regularly visit the heads of state. Friendships cost time and atention, or so he always said.

Queen Emma was anxiously looking out the windows, fearing non existent robbers and other people with bad intentions. Nervously, the queen turned her head to the other side of the vehicle and grabbed her purse a little tighter. Repressing a sight, Alyssa looked up from her book, an omnibus with knightly stories. Her mother was like this every time they crossed a terrain that she considered 'shady'. In the seventeen years that Alyssa had known her mother, she'd leaned it was best to ignore it when the queen was in a skittisch mood. That didn't mean that the princess was able to ignore it.

Another head turn from the queen. "Mom, can you please chill?" Alyssa snapped, not for the first time ever. 

Now queen Emma turned her head to her daughter. "Alyssa," she squeaked, her voice an octave higher than usual. "You know very well that there are many filthy men out there. A royal carriage driving through dense forests is practically a magnet for thievery. I am protecting us." 

"We have guards for that, mom" Alyssa mouthed back. "And we've never had a problem with thievery....