Forever and Ever After (book1)

Chapter 4

So this chapter has been separated from chapter 3 because it was waaaaaay too long and it seems nicer as two chapters. I know there's going to be duplicates of the same chapter title but I will sort that out as I edit the chapters....ENJOY!!

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Chapter 4

It wasn't long until Isobel was back under than cover of the trees. She played with the necklace charm as she replayed her encounter with the Prince again.

Why had he let her go? Why not turn her in? But mostly, what was on her mind was; why was she letting him get away with calling her Princess?

She heard horses getting closer from behind her.

It puzzled her that her first thought was of Beau was riding to see her. But when she thought back she did not see him with a horse when they were in town.

Her next thought was of some travellers that she could pick off. She smiled at the thought of some unfortunate travellers who thought it was safe to travel through the forest. How wrong they were going to be.

Four soldiers in black armour road like beasts out of the bowls of hell. Their stead's were as black as their riders and for a moment, Isobel thought that they all had eyes as red as flames.

"Take the witch," one of them ordered and pointed straight at her; the two riders on the outer side's road faster to keep Isobel from running away.

"I am not a witch," she cried out "There hasn't been a witch in years."

"Our Queen demands your heart and your heart we will give her."

Together they drew their swords and raised them above their heads ready to strike Isobel down.

She fell to her knees in hope that with their height, their blades would miss her. "What have I done to upset the Queen?" she asked hoping beyond all hope that they had got the wrong girl.

"Silence," one of them shouted so loud that it shook her insides.

"Save your breath," the second said.

"You'll need it for the screaming," the third said just before they brought their swords crashing down.

Isobel fell on her face and lay there as the swords narrowly missed her. The four swords sliced a cross in her jacket but did not harm her back.

While they slowly clambered down from their horses Isobel took her chance and ran for the deeper and darker parts of the forest, the parts no-one ventured to. She had a feeling she would be safe in the shelter of the wild growth but had no idea what she would run across on her way; would they try to eat her too or would they be scared of her. It was because of her little knowledge of the enchanted forest that made her fun a little faster towards it, if she knew a little; maybe the knights knew nothing about it.

Isobel light footed around each plant and fallen log, she was so scared to disturb anything. The soldiers had probably never heard of the stories or maybe didn't believe in them from the way they came crashing behind her. The slow pace made her slower than the soldiers but she was light on her feet and able to keep away from their grasp. The soldiers broke down anything that stood in their way as they closed the gap between them and Isobel.

Isobel swore she could hear the forest scream in pain as the soldiers tore down everything. The screams of the trees as their branches fell to the ground like broken limbs. It could have all been in her head but it felt like a pressure on her soul listening to the noise.