Fairytale Fate: The Legend Begins

♚ C H A P T E R • E L E V E N ♚

✦＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿✦
"Like so many things, it is not what is outside but what is inside that counts." –The Merchant (Aladdin)
✦＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿✦

Carolyn, Aura, and Bailey brushed the dirt off of their clothes as they stumbled onto their feet. The girls' rings glowed a soft gold before returning to their dormant state. They tightened the string of their cloaks in an attempt to block out the cool early morning breeze.

Cicadas buzzed as they settled into the unruly brush. Small birds flew high above in the pale lavender sky, their songs echoing below.

"Our first stop is the camp. I want to make sure that Robin is okay. We can borrow horses and go to Orrinshire, I think my father may be able to help us locate The Lamp of Promise," Bailey said as she pulled out the faded yellow map and compass, this time leading the twins through the bushes instead of the main trail. "Silvia said that she would cast a spell that will slow down time on Earth so one day here would be approximately one hour there."

"So roughly 30 days here until we need to go back?" Aura asked. She wasn't sure how she could ever last that long, still not convinced that she wasn't schizophrenic, or otherwise mentally ill.

Bailey nodded as the three ducked under a low-hanging branch.

As the three girls walked, they chatted about their surroundings, with the twins periodically asking their friend questions about life on Fabula. They froze when they heard twigs snapping from behind them.

Bailey pulled Aura and Carolyn behind a thick tree trunk and listened intently for any additional movement. The three of them stood still, their heartbeats pulsing in their ears.

"Are you waiting for something?"

All three girls jumped out of their skin and spun around to find Robin in dark brown attire with the hood of his wool cloak draped on top of his mop of wavy brown hair. The quiver on his back was filled with arrows with his bow hung lazily across his body.

Bailey immediately wrapped him in a hug, almost tackling him to the forest floor. "I was so scared that you might be dead!"

"I'm here, aren't I?" He pulled away from her and stretched out his arms. "And not a scratch on me."

"There will be if you ever make me that scared again."

Robin let out a laugh before stepping around Bailey and giving Aura a quick hug. He then gave Carolyn a hug that lasted a few seconds longer than her sister's, allowing him to whisper, "Thank you again." When he pulled away, he flashed her a small smile. Carolyn was surprised by his openness to her, but she decided to embrace it and smiled back at him.

Together the four trekked through the wilderness, occasionally hiding behind a tree whenever a sound resembling a horse and carriage met their ears. When they finally arrived at the camp, the sun shone lazily in the early afternoon sky.

They wandered into Robin's tent to escape the scorching sun—Fabula's spring was far warmer than the one the twins experienced in Massachusetts.

They weren't alone, though, as Marian sat on the ground anxiously awaiting Robin's return. She rose to her feet like a lost puppy when the flap to the tent was pushed to the side, but her happiness was short-lived when she saw the twins and Bailey.

The brunette's scowl was swiftly ignored as Bailey looked at Robin with a stern expression. "There's something we have to tell you."

Robin placed his bow and arrows on the ground. He motioned for the three girls to sit as he unclipped his cloak from his shoulders. He joined them on the ground and nodded for them to explain.