The Lost Warrior

forever forest

Princess Adelynn grins as she climbs out the window, she knows she won't get caught, she never does. Her parents are asleep and are both heavy sleepers, the guards are all gossiping so she knows exactly where they are, it's easy to sneak out. She's done this 100 times so why now does she feel nervous.
Slipping away into the city is her favourite part of the day, she strolls through the night market in her long coat, hood up so none of the villagers recognise her, she walks through and stops at a small stall on the end, run by an old woman, her favourite stall.
"Hello bertha!" The princess says smiling.
"Ah hello my dear! Back for more trinkets?" The woman smiles back hugging her tightly.
"Haha yes please Bertha you know how much I just love your creations!" She giggles.
Bertha smiles and hands her a little box.
"Here you go my dear I think you'll like this one! I found it on my last trip across the sea!" She smiled excitedly.
Adelynn smiles, she knows Bertha's stories are just stories, nobody's left the kingdom in years, except the royal family of course.
"Thank you bertha! I love it it's beautiful!" She smiles sweetly as she looks over the box, it's decorated with pearls and gems "How much?"
"For you dear, one gold coin!' Bertha smiles.
Adelynn gives her a gold coin, and smiles.
"Thank you bertha, have a lovely night!"
"You too dear! Don't wander too far into the woods now haha" bertha calls out.
"Haha I know, bye" adelynn walks along towards the woods, she knows the path very well, she loves walking it it's much more peaceful then the palace.
When she is quite far into the woods she sits down on a giant mushroom and looks closely at the box, it looks like it was made by a mermaid. Adelynn laughs at herself "mermaids aren't real" she opens the box and there's a small hair pin inside. Adelynn smiles and puts it in her hair, it's the same design as the box. Its worth at least 20 gold coins yet she only paid one, she makes a mental note to buy bertha some chocolates as a real thank you.
She puts the box in her pocket and takes out her sword from her holster, she stands and starts practicing swinging it sharply, she always does this, she knows her moves like the back of her hand.
She swings the sword gracefully yet powerfully, she knows she must be the best warrior, just like her mother once was. She will lead the army one day and she doesn't want to let her parents down.
After practicing for a while she sits back down to read, the moon is high in the sky and creates a perfect reading light. The bright glow illuminates the forest around her showing the full beauty of the land, she's glad that the forest is out of bounds to the rest of the kingdom, she likes having it as her own little hidden hideaway, she loves the forest and shes sure it loves her too.
Suddenly, she hears a rustle in the bushes nearby. She stands and creeps over carefully...