The muffled anger within the room echoed within Helen's pointed ears, her usually beaming face upturned into a menacing snarl at her father. She could not believe he would even ignore her mother's pleas for her happiness! If she were to be married to an older chief, THAT even Helen could accept, for the man would be an Orc, and a powerful warrior at that as their kind did not often see old years. An old Orc warlord she could at the very least respect, and proudly bear full-green skinned children. But this... this filthy pink fleshed pig...<br/><br/>"You go too far, Father!" she snapped at the King, and with a flick of her wrist, a dagger appeared in each of Helen's hands. "I would rather soon die as Orc Princess Helen of Grond than be shackled as a slave to this PIG!" Her declaration bellowed over the throne room as she pointed a blade in her father's direction. "I challenge you to combat. Either kill me where I stand or let me choose freely. I will NOT be married to this hideous fat IMP! Even for peace! Any one of these warriors present would create alliance to overthrow the humans or at least secure the borders! I will not bear his filthy halfbreed children nor be a plaything for his bedchamber!"<br/><br/>Yet the chance to fight King Aegon never came. For the moment her daggers were drawn and her challenge made upon the King, a swarm of guards rushed from behind to tackle the Princess to the ground. They had been warned this might well happen with Helen being so free-spirited. Before she could even make protest at least a dozen guards were upon her, binding her in shackles and gagging her as the woman was dragged away to be locked within the cells, the Orc warrior kicking up dirt and screaming all the while for her fate.<br/><br/>Unceremoniously, the warriors loyal to King Aegon tossed the lovely orc into the stone-walled cells, her shoulder hitting hard upon the cold ground. Her wrists struggled behind her in the bonds as the door shut to lock behind her, leaving her in darkness. For a while she screamed obsinities and curses upon those who would betray her. After a bit, she quieted, and pondered her escape. There wasn't much to see in the dim light save for a jagged stone in the dirt. It took some effort, but Helen managed to roll over onto the jagged rock on her back, pressing her bindings against it and sawing fervently at the ropes.<br/><br/>Bit by bit, the rock cut through the woven threads until there was enough damage that a flex of her muscled arms broke her free. She made no sound, lest she alert the guards. She steadily put her ear to the ground, closing her eyes and listening to the sounds of footfalls, for the pattern of the patrol around her cell. There seemed to only be one guard who only walked every ten minutes or so. Shuffling to the furthest wall, Helen knocked upon the stones at the bottom. Rainfall had loosened the mud between them, but she would need to move them carefully lest she collapse the whole wall and get caught again.<br/><br/>This was not going to be her fate. Locked in a cell or married to Prince Trevon. Grabbing a couple of rocks in each hand, Helen began to lightly chisel at the mud holding the largest stone to the others. She had to be quiet, to take her time.. if any heard her, it would be over. They would put her in irons and bind her better no doubt. It was only by luck that none came to check on her, and the patrol was none the wiser of her plans. It was well into nightfall when at last the rock loosened itself.<br/><br/>Excitedly, Helen dug her long nails into the edges and began to gently pull and wiggle the boulder straight out, praying all the while that the foundation would not be compromised. At last, the boulder was free, and Helen's yellow eyes peered into the darkness. She could see her tents. Most of the camp was still in the halls, she could hear the shouting of outraged bachelors at her father. Slowly, steadily, the orc princess crawled from the hole, squeezing her shoulders and hips through before at last... freedom.<br/><br/>Through the darkness, she ran to her tents, slipping in unnoticed as she hastily began to throw belongings into sacks. Jewels. Coin. Clothing. She rolled up her bedroll and pulled on a black fur bear cloak that she used as a blanket. Every weapon in her possession was lashed to her person. The final thing she packed in a small separate pouch... the wedding garments her mother had gifted her. Beautiful velvet and silken gown of starlight with silver armored woven on top of the bodice.<br/><br/>Hoisting her belongings onto her back, Helen sliced open the back of her tents, slipping out with a final look towards the fortress of her father and mother. "... Goodbye Father... Mother... One day... we shall meet again in the halls of ancestors." With her final whispers into the darkness, Helen slipped into the forest at a run, disappearing into the foliage without a trace.