The princess waited until nightfall. As soon as the darkness overtook the camp, she saddled her white horse and quietly disappeared into the thicket. Nobody saw her leaving. Khalida galloped through the Forest, not really in a hurry, but thinking of a way to get into the castle without being noticed.
Of course, she thought. I'll simply pass through the back doors. Those are always unguarded.
Pity. As soon as she left the horse on the glade and sneaked around the castle, she saw there was no chance of passing through those gates. Thana has set up a guard. For a moment, Khalida had an idea of just knocking him out, but she realized it was a bad idea, as the guard will still see her. Thana would find out she was there.
Khalida had to find another way in. With a hood over her head, as usual, she stopped under the window of her room. The window was four meters above the ground. But luck has stayed on her side. The window was open. The princess thought it could be a trap, but if it was, it would mean Thana expects her to return and she had no chance of sneaking into the castle unseen. Khalida had to risk.
She took a rock, bound it to a rope she had with her, and threw it right through the window. The rock landed on the floor. Khalida pulled the rope slightly, trying to force the rock into getting stuck somewhere. She succeeded. The princess tried to lean on the rope to check if it was stable. It was. She climbed. In no more than a few seconds, she stood in her room. It was empty. It seemed safe. Khalida quickly took everything she thought she'd need tomorrow—including her sword and a knife. In about five minutes, she was ready to return to the Forest.
Khalida started climbing down the rope. She noticed a candle has been lit in one of the rooms nearby. She landed on the grass under her window and quickly crawled under the bushes a few meters off. The lights went out. The princess returned to her horse.
Meanwhile, the doors of Khalida's room have been opened. Thana and Leroy ran to the window and looked out.
"She's escaping. Find her," growled the queen.
Khalida was already riding over the courtyard towards the main gates. An arrow came whistling down the rampart. And it struck. The sharp point pierced Khalida's left shoulder. She moaned. She leaned forward so her head rested on the neck of her horse, while the horse galloped immediately off into the night to get help for its lady.
It was too late. Without a sound, the horse stopped under a linden tree and let the princess fall on the soft grass.
"Return to Ellisar," she whispered, and the horse ran off, seemingly understanding every will of Khalida.
The princess lay there for a while, just listening to the birds, smiling softly.
You did it, Thana, Khalida thought. Another one of your plans succeeded. I am leaving you, and I won't return. I hope it will be easier for you, now that you've achieved your win. You've gotten rid of me.
Khalida gasped one more time and then she breathed no more. The younger one of the Clayton sisters was dead.
YOU ARE READING
The Forest of Lights
FantasyLong, long ago, in a mysterious town lived two princesses. The younger one's name was Khalida, the older one was Thana. They were known to be most respected individuals in the country. Next to the town was a forest, it was called the Forest of Light...
