(Author's Note: This story is the first in a fantasy series I'm starting. This first series is called Warrior of Decampmont and is about a girl by the name of Ellenia. There will probably be at least three volumes to this series.)

Warrior of Decampmont
Vol. 1: The Black Maiden

Chapter 1: A Damsel in Distress

In a time when the age of men was still young, the world was much smaller, as much of it was yet to be discovered. The kings of many great lands, consequently, sent out explorers to find these lands and claim them for king and country. Thus the age of exploration began.
In all the competition and controversy of this age, only eight explorers stood out as being the best of the best. Exhausted after a lifetime of discovery and adventure, all eight wanderers made a pact to search for a land together, a land where they could settle down in peace and begin their own nation. But, as history may tell, such arrangements often go awry.
The eight had successfully found suitable land and even a large amount of settlers to start their country of peace, but it did not last long. When the time came the build a government for the nation, controversy arose. All eight had different views of government for the country, and none would change their mind. There was but one thing they all agreed on, and that was that every nation should have but one ruler, a king. Arguments of this cascaded until they were on the brink of civil war, but the explorers, being men of peace, found a compromise.
They spit their great nation into eight small countries, each with it's own king, and own rules of government. Thus, the nations of Roma, Sonarthis, Cadaly, Gonden, Decampmont, Hylard, Trentis, and Fresen, were formed, each named after their new king. The pact of the eight explorers, was broken.

Our tale begins centuries later, in the country of Decampmont, along the river Elsen to the manor of Courday, and the great Courday Castle. Through the window of the highest tower sits a girl, her long, chestnut brown hair tied neatly back in a braid and her dark eyes staring off in sadness and regret at the land below, land that her fathers had tilled for generations and that no Courday would ever till again.
Her hand under her chin, she tried to concentrate on the fields and the people working, but every second her thoughts wandered back to her mother, her last piece of family, whom she would never see again. She had sat at this window for days, mourning in her sorrow, and holding back her anger. She had been told her mother was killed by robbers, but that was a lie, she was murdered, and left her daughter to live with the murderer.
The sound of voices on the steps stopped her thoughts abruptly and she turned around just in time to see the very murderer open the door.
"Ah, Ellenia," he proclaimed with a fake smile, "there you are. I've had the slaves looking all over for you."
They're not slaves, she thought with disguised anger. Her mother had never kept slaves, all the servants at the castle were there by their own choice. In fact, some of them were her close friends. She didn't know why some many of them stayed after her mother's death, but she thanked them everyday for doing so.
"The Duke is on his way and I want you to look your best when her arrives," continued her stepfather with the same pasted grin, his dark moustache curving into almost a sneer.
"Yes my Lord," she replied with a curtsy, rushing towards her bedchamber before her anger got the better of her.
Closing the door behind, she ran to her bed and collapsed on the soft blankets. Tears of anger and sorrow gushed down her face. Her face would be blotched by the tears when the Duke came, but she didn't care, she didn't care about anything anymore.
"My Lady- ," said her chambermaid before she cut her off.
"I told you not to call me that Tessa, I'm not your Lady."
"I know, but the Lord." She trailed off, but Ellenia understood. She knew her stepfather's rules for the servants, and empathized with the maid's fear. Ellenia was the only one who had ever stood up to the tyrant, and still had the scars to prove it.
"I know, but please try and call me Elle when he's not around," she said, sitting up to look at her friend. She smiled at her and she smiled back. Tessa and her had been friends since they were young, her mother never minded but her stepfather seemed to think it was lowly and common the fraternize with servants.
"The Duke will be here soon," Elle said, wiping away tears, "I must get ready."
"The Lord sent a new dress for you to wear," said Tessa, opening the wardrobe and pulling out a beautiful midnight blue gown.
"It's gorgeous!" She exclaimed, taking it from her friends hands. "The Lord never sends me dresses."
Slipping behind the change curtain, she put on the dress quickly and turned to admire her reflection in the mirror.
"You look beautiful," said Tessa with a friendly grin.
She rotated in her reflection, "fits like a glove. Why would the Lord give me such a gift? He's never done anything like this when his other friends visit."
She pondered over her stepfather's unexplained kindness while fixing her hair, wondering what could have brought it on. Then, while heading down the steps to the entrance of the castle, she convinced herself that it was nothing and put it out of her mind.
She arrived at the front door to see her stepfather greeting an older, pompous man wearing quite elaborate clothes and many rings.
The Lord turned towards her, "Ellenia," he said with the very same sneering grin, "I would like you to meet my very good friend the Duke of Rampart."
She curtsied and mumbled her pleasure upon meeting him.
"Ah! Ellenia," said the Duke. "I have heard so much about you," he leaned over and kissed her hand, "and may I say, you're more beautiful that I imagined."
Ellenia stared at him in surprised; none of the other visitors to the castle had ever said such a thing about her. They usually didn't even know she was there.
She worried over the recent events all through the Duke's visit. The could only mean one thing. Finally, towards the end of the evening, the Duke expressed his need to depart. She followed them to the door to give her usual farewell, all the while praying that her fears were wrong and that nothing would happen.
He was just about to leave when the Lord stopped him. "Have you thought about my proposal, Duke?" he asked eagerly.
He turned his gaze towards Ellenia and gave her a look that sealed her fate. "I have." he said vaguely.
"And?" The Lord looked intently upon his companion's face, waiting for a reply.
"And I have decided to accept your you will make all the arrangements."
"Yes of course," answered the villain with obvious glee.
The duke walked towards Ellenia, who was frozen in anger and fear.
"My Lady," he said with a smile, "how would you like to be a duchess?"