The Phantom Rider part 1

Part 1 : Only a legend

Please do not copy my work.
Thick fog creeped up  the castle walls as a young girl about  fifteen sat by the fireside . She had dark  brown  hair  and  blue  eyes  so  vivid  you  could  see  her  from  far  away .  It  all  seemed  so  peaceful ,  so  quiet....
Suddenly  , she heard a scream , then one after another , the yells began to multiply ,  this was no regular  uprising ,  this was a barbarian army . Preparations  were  being  made  as  the  arrows  began  to  fly .  The  winds  were  fierce  that  night .  It  was  all  a blur ,  a  blur  of  swords ,  arrows  and  pouring  rain . 
"  Thea !  "  cried  a  young  servant  girl ,  "  Thea ,  run !  "  The  lone  girl  by  the  fireside  stood  up  and ran through  the  dimly  lit  hallways . When she approached her room ,  she  found  her  mother  hastily  packing  food  and  such  into a large sachel .
  "  Go ,  "  she  said  "  Thea ,  run !  Go to the neighboring  villages ,  and  if  possible  please ,  reinforcements  are  gravely  needed !"
Thea ran through  the  hallways  and  the stable .  There was her horse .  It  was  a  good  horse .  But  at  this  moment ,  his  neck was  wet  with  sweat  from fear . Thea  mounted  the  fearful  horse  swiftly .  They  stormed  out  of  the  stables ,  through  the  gate .  Could it be that  they could  pass unoticed ? 
An  arrow  flew  past .  They  were  being  hunted , and chased . As she came to a clearing  in  the  woods ,  she  reached  for  the  sachel .  Inside ,  there was a bag  of  food ,  a  knife  ,and a cloak .  It  was  a  black  cloak .  Mysterious  and  old .  She  put  it  on ,  from  now  on  she  would  where  it .  She  would  ride  swiftly ,  through  the  night  air ,  to  the  nearest  villages . She almost  couldn't bear the thought of her castle  taken over . She must ride , for her mother  , father and castle . She pushed on through the night . But she hadn't come back . The villagers  waited  anxiously  in  their  homes .  One  of  the  homes  housed  a  thirteen  year  old  girl  named  Clarice  Archer .  She  was  a  adventurous  young  girl  with  bright  red  hair  and  blue  eyes .  Her father  and  older  brother  had  been  enlisted  to  help  in  the  battle .  And  only  she ,  her  dear  mother  and  grandmother  were the only ones in their home . Clarice  sat down  on the tarnished  wood  floor,  playing with  the  collie  dog ,  who  jumped  up  and  down  excitedly  as  Clarice  played  with  him . 
Her  grandmother  pulled  out  a  large  book . 
"  Grandmother ,  what  book  is  that ,  I  don't  recall  seeing  it  on  the  shelf  before ?  " 
"  This ,  my  dear  ,  "  she  said  "  is a  book of legends .  And  on  such  a  night  as  this ,  we  need  something  to  fill  us  with  hope , Yes, on this night of siege  and war. '

It is  said, that in a  time of great suffering  and helplessness,
There would be a spark  of  hope .  That  in  the  midst  of  all  this  destruction ,  there  would  be  a  chance  of  help .  But, also I  the time where there would be hope , there would also be a threat .. a phantom ."
"What kind  of  a  phantom ? " Clarice  was  a  curious  girl  as  I  have  said ,  but this story about a phantom ,  sparked  her  curiosity  more  than  ever . 
"  A  fierce  one  "  replied  her  grandmother . 
"  They  say  it  will  go  from  village  to  village  swift  as  the  wind ,  and  no one very sees it coming .  "  With  that  she  closed  the  book  and  preceeded  to  put  it  back  on  the  shelf . 

That night ,  Clarice  lay in bed .  Wondering  if  the  phantom  story  was  really true . She  heard  a noise at the window and could have sworn something  black just flashed by her window . She sat  up in bed . Could  that be the Phantom ?  She wondered . The red head was determined  to  find out .
That morning  she packed her things . Food , clothing ,  and  tools.
   Her mother , had a strange  plan . If the princess  Thea is still out there, Clarice must give her this.
It was a round , gold object . It was , a crown  . It was gold with gemstones  that glittered in the light . It was studded with emeralds and rubies and sapphires .
"Clarice , this is the princess ' s crown . I know it sounds a bit crazy , but , outside the house yesterday ,  there was a barbarian  soldier. He was talking  to another look out man , he said , that this had been found in the girl's chamber .After that , as he walked away, it fell from his hands , I have only to imagine the king and queen imprisoned ,  but I fear it is true. If you can bring this to Thea, she may be able to use it to rally the villages into an army to defeat these people. These barbarians !  Go quickly ,  be very careful . I would not  let you do this if I had not found the crown . But , you must not look for the phantom  - only Thea, do you understand ?"
"Yes mother, I do ." Clarice  replied . There was a tear in her eyes . She embraced her mother than grandmother  with the warmest affection .
"Goodbye ." She said solemnly .
"Goodbye , Clarice . "
With that , Clarice  kissed her mother and slowly crept through the bushes . Not wishing to be caught . If she was , it would be death . Only death .
She didn't have much time . Stomp, stomp, stomp.  Went her feet as she entered the deep forest .  She knew the forest like the back of her hand . But it seemed odd- very different .  The trees , what trees! Most at the beginning  of  the forest were now only stumps . This was not something  their old king would have done , was it possible  the barbarians  had taken over already? She snuck quietly  through the brush . It was dusk now and the temperature  dropped . When she neared a village ,  she heard hoof beats . To her complete terror , directly in front of her stood the looming  shape of The Phantom  Rider . ...

To be continued . ....
Thank  you  for  reading ,  again this is my work please do not copy . I hope you enjoyed  my story .