Once Upon A Time ~ Book 1

Charpter 20 - Troll Bridge

A gaurd pined her up against the trunk of a tree near the road, his arm against her neck as she tried to break free.
The gaurd with the dark eyes and strong features walked slowly over to her, sharpening the blame of his knife as he walked.
"Hold her still." he said as he stood in front of her.
He held the handle with both of his hands and held it above his head, but the blade pointed at Snow. The other gaurd now pined her near the ground.
The gaurd got ready to attack, but before he could his eyes widened and he let out a grunt, a knife had gone straight through his back. He fell forward onto the earthen ground.
Accriss the road stood Charming, he drew his sword and ran to the gaurd who had held Snow against the tree. The gaurd drew his sword and ran forward.
Snow looked at the dead gaurd next to her, then to Charming and the gaurd who were now fighting, their swords clashed as they attempted to disarm one another. Snow then looked towards the horseback that stood on the road. She ran towards it and almost jumped on, but the other gaurd on horseback spead towards her and grabbed her colar, pulling her from the ground. "No!" she let out as the gaurd rode onwards.
Charming continued his duel, then he knocked the gaurd of his balance.
Charmingblooked to see the gaurd taking Snow on the horseback. He grabed a bow and arrows from the horseback next to him and ran a short cut through the forest. The road was now in clear sight, and so was the horse with the gaurd and Snow. He lifted his bow, aiming, his eyes focused on his target. Then he let the arrow go. A grunt was heard in the distance and the gaurd fell to the ground.
Snow steadied herself on the horse and slowed down. Charming ran through the tress towards her.
Snow jumped down from the horse as Charming ran towards her. He stopped, breathing heavily in front of her. "Are you all right?" he said.
Snow also breathed heavily. "You....... You saved me."
"It seemed like the honourable thing to do."
Snow stared at Charming, in a state of what had just happened.
"Are you ready?" he asked.
"For what?"
"My jewels."
"Right. You've got a wedding to get to...... The trills I sold them to are just beyond the next ridge. We need to be careful."
"What, of trolls?"
"You've clearly never met one."
"Aren't they just little people?"
She chuckled sarcasticly. "You're thinking of dwarfs. Show a little respect. They'll cut your hand off sooner then they'll shake it."
Charming sighed. "Well, then let's get this over with."
"Yes, we've both got placed to be. So let's go."
They began to walk, Snow taking one of the gaurds horses along with her.
"You have your lonely little corner of solitude to find."
"And you have a ringless fiancée to appeal."

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Graham, Emma, Henry and Mary Margaret still searched the forest, now with flashlights in their hands.
"You're the one who woke him up. You're the last one he saw." Henry said to Mary Margaret. "He wants to find you!" he continued.
Mary Margaret stopped and turned to face Henry. "Henry, it's not about me. I just....... I think he's lost and confused. He's been in a coma a long time."
"But he loves you! You need to stop chasing him and let him find you."
Emma stepped into the conversation. "Kid, you need to go home! Where's your mom? She's going to kill me. And then you. And then me again."
"She dropped me at the house, then went right out."
"Well, we need to get you back immediately."
"No!"
"Guys?" shouted Graham from ahead.
They turned and quickly tan towards Graham who's on his honkers shining his flashlight on something on the ground.
Stuck to a plant was a dirty, bloody, label. Written on the label was JOHN DOE, DOB: UNKNOWN, 67140404.
"Is that....." started Mary Margaret.
"Blood." said Emma.

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Both Charming and Snow rode the horse together until they reached a dark, stone, bridge. Crows caawed and there wasn't a breeze ti be felt, everything was still. They stopped and Snow jumped from the horse and Charming followed, a sack in his hand.
Snow turned the horse around, and slapped it's side. "Yah!" she shouted and the horse ran back down the road.
"Trolls don't like horses." Snow explained. She took a breath. "We walk from here. Follow me. And keep quiet."
Snow walked briskly forward and Charming followed.
A wind then came and blew the crisp, dead leaves accross the bridge.
"Where are they?" asked Charming.
She chuckled sarcasticly. "They're here." she placed some gold coins on the wall.
A big, dirty, cold, dark creature climbed up the bridge, a knife cluchted in his teeth. He jumped up onto the welland came towards Snow and Charming, then two more followed.
"It's fine. I know them." said Snow.
"Why you here?" said one of the trolls, his voice desorted and deep, he pointing his knife at Snow. "I thought we were done?"
"I want to make another trade." said Snow.
"I'm not talking in front of him." he directed his knife at Charming. "Who is this guy?"
"No he's with me."
"That's good. With you. Well, that makes it all fine."
"He's no one. Look, I want to but back the jewels I sold you." she stepped a little closer to the trolls.
"Who is he?" the troll shouted.
"I said don't worry about it." she stepped in front if Charming. "Look, I'll give you back all of your money. You just give me the ring. You can keep everything else.
The trolls breathed loudly and deeply. The Troll nodded his head to another, who stood next to Charming. The Troll rummaged in hus cloak and took from it a sachel and held it out to Charming.
"Thank you. We appreciate the help." Charming said to the trolls.
"He's too eager." said the troll.
The troll grabbed the sachel from Charming hand.
"This is a setup." he went on.
"It's not!" said Snow.
"He's a Royal!"
A troll grabbed Snow and Charming drew his sword.
"Let her go!" he shouted.
A troll knocked the sword out of Charming's hand and he toppled against the wall.
"No! You can trust me. Look, you can trust me." pleaded Snow. "I'd I wanted to set you up, I would have. Don't hurt him."
A Troll held a knife against Charming's neck.
"The time for dealing is done. Search him." said the troll holding Snow.
The troll took the knife from his neck and searched his jacket and another dumped all the belonging's from Charming's sack onto the bridge. One troll found the little bottle containing the dark fairy dust in Charming's jacket. He stared at it for and moment then threw it accross the bridge.
Another troll threw Snow against the wall of the bridge next to Charming and he held the knife to her neck.
The troll found a piece of parchment on the mix of belongs. He laughed evily and handed it to another troll. They stared at the parchment and then at Snow.
"Snow White. Quite a reward." said the troll holding up Snow's wanted poster. "Take her!"
The troll held the sword against her neck again, but before they could take her anywhere Charming took his chance, grabed his sword, which lay on the bridge and the trolls holding Snow. He fought them all.
"Go! I'm right behind you." he said to Snow.
Snow escaped, took her little bottle and t he shachel that lay on the bridge and ran.
Charming kicked one troll off the bridge, but as he watched him fall, deep, deep down a fourth troll grabbed his leg and all of them began to drag him back accross the bridge.
Snow ran from the bridge and came to the forest. "Follow me! They don't know the forest like I do." she turned her head and stopped, Charming wasn't behind her.she saw them dragging his body away as he attempted to defete them with his sword.
She looked around, then back at the bridge. She hesitated.
A troll kicked Charming's sword from his hand and held it against his neck.
"Royal blood is the sweetest of all." said a troll. He lifted the sword but just before he striked dark smoke appeared, and the trolls disappeared, leaving behind a bug.
The troll looked at it in disbelieve and then at Snow who stood in front of them.
Snow quickly shook some dark fairy dust from the tiny bottle and threw it at the other two trolls and they two disappeared, leaving behind only two bugs.
Charming looked at the bugs on the bridge next to him then up at Snow. He stood up and took his sword and Snow walked towards him.
"You........ You saved me." he said, breathing heavily.
"It was the honourable thing to do." she took the tiny glass bottle from around her neck.
"What about your special someone?"
She looked at the empty bottled shrugged. "I'll think of something else." she threw it next to the bugs.
"Thank you."
Snow began to collect Charming's belongings from the ground, and then he picked the sack up an did the same.
"Anyway....... how could I let Prince Charming die?"
"I told you, I have a name."
Snow chuckled.
"It's James."
"It's nice to meet you, James." she smiled. "We should go. There may be more of them coming."
Charming took his sack and threw it over his shoulder and took the gold coins that lay on the wall. They walked together, side by side, back to the forest.