So... I made a thing.

It was a cold and dark winter night. Pine trees lined up imperfectly in a thick forest a few miles from the borders of the nearest city wall, shouldering some bit of snow that had fallen just hours ago. There was no obvious movement in the whited out landscape marked with lodges and towers, separated by stone roads interlocked in an almost perfect circular grid, with the larger ones leading to the center. The residents had fallen asleep.
Save for one desperate soul in the woods. Crunching footsteps through the thick snow could be heard if one stood close enough, but the woman was running alone in the darkness, relying on the white snow to guide her way from bumping into the trees. With each second she struggled to move her legs as fast as she could, while avoiding the main road lest she be caught. Under the ragged hood she was wearing over her clothes, her eyes were set straight forward, away from the city she was running from. If only she weren’t fleeing in great haste she could have stopped and admire the calm, albeit eerie atmosphere of the shyly gleaming snow. It goes without saying she had no time for that. Her panting and throbbing heart ringed in her ears though the dark silence.
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The royal palace on the other hand were wide awake. At least, the whole resident of the royal guards’ barracks were highly alert. Woken up by the emergency signal, all the guards swiftly prepared their gears and marched quickly to the center courtyard in a neat file. Those who were on night duty tonight were lucky not to be stripped of their much yearned rest. Despite all that their loyalty and training burned off all signs of lethargy from the guards’ faces, their own feelings notwithstanding.
“Listen up. We have a tough night on our hands. Her Majesty Princess Lucilla, possible Code 3. No signs of outside entry, though don’t lower your guards. Hound units, separate into all directions and locate her scent. Units 5 and 6 would set up a perimeter. The rest, search the city. Palace service members would search inside. Dismissed.”
Following their orders, the guards marched to their posts in great urgency. A while later a perimeter was set, the hounds sent racing across the palace compounds, doors were knocked. What was a completely silent night was jolted awake with the commotion from the palace. It was a good half an hour before a report came in.
“This is Hound 5. We found footsteps in the snow outside the North wing, leading westward. Apparently Her Majesty was alone. Should we call for backup?”
Listening to the voice from his pocket watch, the head guard nodded in satisfaction.
 “Affirmative. All units, head westward. I’ll contact the West wall guards,” he replied to his pocket watch. His head turned east, looking longingly into the distance.
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About 20 miles east, a horse carriage raced through the snow away from the city. Despite the settling snow, the wheels slid along perfectly through the rough terrain. Inside were two women, one appearing younger and meeker than the other. The much burlier one, half-crouched with her right hand on her sheathed sword and one hand covering the smaller with a thick robe. Her eyes were wide open, almost like a cat’s, searching for light in the night while the horses faithfully dragged the carriage across the long road east. Underneath the robe, the younger woman shivered.
“I’m sorry for the cold, but please hold out for a little while longer.” The voice was firm, fitting the owner’s strong build, but surprisingly gentle.
“Do not worry Altea. I am fine. I am also sorry for involving you in this.”
“I am forever in Your Majesty’s service, Princess Lucilla. Please do not apologize for your rightful request upon me.”