Chapter 2

The castle was still in sight when the alarm was raised. Leya saw torches being lit, first at the gate, then spread all across the castle walls.

“We must hurry,” Leya urged. “They will be onto us soon.”

True enough, before long the gates opened again, and the trio of horses emerged quickly. Leya couldn’t make out who were on the horses, but chances were that they were the kingdom’s finest hunters.

“They’ll outrun us if we stay out here any longer,” Myre said. “Let’s head into the woods.”

“I don’t think we’ll be any faster–” Leya started.

Myre had already veered her horse towards the closest edge of the woods. With a sigh, Leya nudged her horse and followed. Leya could already imagine the punishments that awaited her when they were caught.

The edge of the woods was easily traversed by their horses. However, the deeper they went, the thicker the undergrowth became, and eventually the horses were barely making any progress at all.

“If we can’t use our horses, neither can they,” Myre suggested. She dismounted her horse, and gave it a pat on its rum. “Go back home, where it’s safe.”

Nodding, Leya also dismounted and let her horse wander off. “Hopefully, they’ll follow the horses’ tracks for a while and not ours,” she said.

“Which way to the Fae woods?” Myre asked.

Leya shrugged. “If we were heading straight since the road, then it should be that way,” she said, pointing in one direction.

“I guess that’s as good a direction as any,” Myre replied. “Let’s go!”

The moon was full that night, and the moonlight cut through the canopy in regions, creating splotches of relatively-lit areas surrounded by dark areas.

“Wow,” Myre exclaimed. She grasped Leya’s hand and continued, “Isn’t this beautiful?”

Leya nodded. “It is, Princess. But given the circumstances, we don’t have time to enjoy the beauty.”

Myre looked a little miffed. “There’s only the two of us. You don’t have to call me princess any more. I’m never going back to the kingdom anyway.”

“Very well ... Myre,” Leya said tentatively.

Myre smiled and grasped Leya’s hand a little more tightly. She gave a little peck to Leya’s cheek, and Leya blushed.

Myre and Leya kept pushing on through the woods as the undergrowth got thicker and thicker.

“How much longer do you think it’ll be?” Myre asked.

“I don’t know,” Leya replied. “I hope the hunters don’t find us first.”

In the distance, sounds of crunching twigs and leaves permeated through the insect chirps. Myre and Leya scampered off as quickly as they could in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the hunters were much more capable at traversing the woods, and their footsteps became louder and louder.

“Come on out, Princess,” a male voice called out. “Your father is worried about you.”

“We can’t outrun them,” Leya said. “We have to hide, somehow!” Looking around, she asked, “Can you climb a tree?”

Myre shook her head. “They only want me,” she said in a morose tone. “Go hide, and be free! It beats whatever Prince Toler had in mind for you.”

“I can’t leave you, Myre!” Leya said with tears in her eyes.

“Hide, and get help from the Fae,” Myre said. “Hurry, hide!” She nudged Leya towards a large tree.

Leya nodded and climbed up the tree. Myre turned around and headed towards the footsteps.

“Princess Myre!” the voice called out again. “Come on out. King Alreit promised not to punish you if you come back quietly.”

Myre scoffed. Her father may not punish her, but Leya would be beaten to death instead. Myre hoped that Leya was safely hidden up the tree.

“I’m over here!” Myre shouted towards the footsteps.

The footsteps quickened, and three men appeared. Myre did not recognize them as hunters or trackers from the kingdom.

“My, my, Princess Myre,” a rugged-looking man said. He had the same voice that was calling out for her. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

“Nothing?” Myre replied in an innocent tone. “I just went for an evening ride to enjoy the breeze.”

“We’re here to escort you back to the castle,” the man replied. “Now, where is your handmaiden?”

“Leya? I don’t know, I came alone,” Myre said.

“Tsk tsk.” The man continued, “We saw two horses running off, and both horses came into the woods, followed by two sets of footprints. Now, I’ll ask again, where is your handmaiden?”

“We split up,” Myre said. “You only want me, and now you have me.”

“King Alreit only wants you. We want the handmaiden,” the man replied with an evil grin. “Prince Toler said she will be our reward.”

Myre gasped. Without thinking, she spun around and started running away. As if he was prepared for that, the man jumped on her and pinned her to the ground.

“No funny ideas, Princess,” the man said.

“Over here!” another voice called out. “The handmaiden is up this tree.”

Through blurred eyes, Myre saw that the other two men were standing by a tree, the same tree that Leya had climbed. Myre struggled, but was unable to break free.