Saving my Boyfriend from an Evil Villainess

Villainess Revealed...

A troll emerged from the bushes, hobbling as he hurried towards Juno. He wore a tattered and mismatched cloak. His skin was green, and his eyes darted around erratically as he spoke.

"Whoa, whoa, what do we have here?" he muttered to himself as he examined Juno's wounds. "Looks like we got ourselves a hurtin' unicorn. Nasty business, that. Nasty business indeed."

He pulled out a bag of strange-looking herbs and began to sprinkle them over Juno's wounds. "Don't you worry, my little friend! I've been healin' creatures like you for my whole life."

As he worked he stole small glances at the dishevelled group, they were shocked at the small troll's sudden appearance. The group almost could seem to decide what to do, the troll looked harmless enough and Juno's cries seemed to soften as the strange healer sprinkled his herbs. "You know, back in my homeland, we'd walk around dressed as richly as jaybirds, not boring clothes like you lot."

He continued to mutter to himself as he worked, but his healing skills were undeniable.

The strange green troll straightened up from where he had been tending to Juno's wounds and looked at Etherea, Princess Andrea, and Oakley.

Andrea raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Why did you help us? How did you know we wouldn't hurt you?" Andrea knew she should be grateful, but after that whole debacle with Johno the backstabber, the Princess was on edge (she was all about those survival skills you know).

The troll chuckled. "Oh, I have my ways of hearing things. I knew I had to come."

"What does that even mean you cree-" Andrea started.

Etherea stepped forward, confusion written all over her face. "Where did you come from?"

"Ah, that's a tricky question, isn't it?" The troll said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Andrea thought it was not, but the troll continued on.

"I've travelled to many far, far away places, where the trees are as tall as mountains and the rivers run with gold. But that was a while ago."

Oakley tugged at Etherea's sleeve. "He talks funny. Is he okay?"

Etherea smiled reassuringly at the young boy. "He's just a little different, Oak."

Andrea nodded in agreement, different was certainly one way of putting it. But, he had just saved Juno's life. Plus, a future Queen and current Princess shouldn't be so rude. "Yes, thank you for healing Juno -"

A sudden gust of wind blew through the clearing, stirring up the leaves and causing even Etherea's curls to whip around her face. A flash of fire streaked through the air, a magnificent bird with bright red and orange feathers soaring down from the sky, its talons gripping rolled-up parchment.

Andrea stepped forward out of habit, hand outstretched, for the bird to gently place a scroll in her palm before vanishing as quickly as it had come.

"Okay, now what the hell was that?" Etherea said after a moment.

Andrea just gave a coy smile as she unrolled the parchment and began to read the message, her brow suddenly furrowed in concentration.

"A letter? What does it say?" Oakley asked eagerly.

As Princess Andrea read the letter, her face drained of colour.

"This has to be a lie, this can't be true. They really don't care about me," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I'm just a bargaining chip to them."

"Who? Who doesn't care about you, Andy?" Etherea pressed.

"My parents. My marriage to Prince William is apparently the only thing of importance to our King and Queen, and if I fail to bring him back, then I shouldn't bother returning to Greencourt at all."