Chapter Eleven –Godspeed

Lord Justin Toadie stood before King Chris as Chris stroked his beard in contemplation. Justin sighed to himself.

"I don't understand why we're making this a competition! And the prize is 250 gold coins over what the kidnapper asked for. Why didn't you just pay the ransom?" Justin huffed. He was very irritated that his betrothed had been kidnapped and that no one seemed to be doing anything about it. The princess was a better match than he could have ever hoped for and if she was killed he'd have to settle for someone who was merely nobility and not royalty and frankly that wasn't good enough for the lord of Toadpeak.

"I'm not going to give some criminal any of my money! I'd rather give it to someone deserving of it!" the king answered.

"She better not come back damaged in any way!" Justin growled.

"I'm sure she's fine! This competition is going to be so much fun! I wonder who's going to enter…" Chris pondered.

"It doesn't matter who enters, it's obvious I'll be the one to win," Justin scoffed. "If you just let me go after her now I'm sure I can have her back by tonight!"

"I'm surprised you're even entering. Aren't you afraid your pretty face will get damaged? And you know there's a dragon, right?" Chris said patronisingly.

"I know, but I mean I'm sure I can charm it with my looks," Justin grinned. He wasn't really afraid of the dragon, he was more afraid of the possibility of spending a night in the woods. He didn't do well when he wasn't in the luxury of his own private chambers and he knew there were all kinds of creepy crawlies out there. That's why he wanted to leave now and not wait for noon. The sooner he could leave the sooner he could be back in the comfort of his castle.

"You're pretty certain you're going to win, aren't you?" Chris chuckled. Justin nodded. "We should make this interesting."

"Isn't it interesting enough?" Justin sighed. Chris shook his head. "What did you have in mind?" Justin asked.

"What if I offered my daughter's hand in marriage as the prize?" Chris suggested.

"But… I… she… we had a deal!" Justin spluttered.

"But you know you're going to win!" Chris reminded him.

"Right…" Justin said slowly. "But what if the winner doesn't want to marry her?"

"Then they can choose the coins. What do you say? Or are you too scared?" Chris challenged. Justin had never known a man as reckless as King Chris. He was offering up his only daughter's hand in marriage to whoever may be so bold to claim it. What if Justin himself didn't win? She may end up married to someone ugly or a peasant with nothing! Justin studied Chris, trying to work out if he was serious. Chris was grinning like a child. Justin sighed, he'd just have to make sure he got to the princess first. Maybe no one else would enter the competition.

"Fine, I agree." Justin held out his hand and Chris shook it enthusiastically.

Lindsay skipped along happily behind her sister, Beth, as they made their way to the castle courtyard. The girls had lived in Evershire their entire lives and they worked in the dress shop that their father owned. Lindsay was perfectly happy working there, she loved the fashions and the customers, and even though they weren't incredibly rich they had a fairly nice house and they never went without food.

Beth, however, hated working in the shop. She wasn't good with customers like Lindsay was and honestly she knew nothing about fashion or dressmaking. Her father often scolded her about it, but Beth barely heard him. She was too busy daydreaming about the man she had her sights set on. His name was Brady and he was the second son of a lord, which meant he was just a little out of reach for poor Beth. That's why she'd decided she and Lindsay would try to rescue the princess and win the thousand coins. Even half of it would be enough for Brady's family to consider her as a possible match for their son.

"If we win the money I'm going to buy a nice new dress and some hair ribbons. Maybe I'll buy something for mother and father as well!" Lindsay gushed. "What are you going to buy Beth?"

"I told you already, I'm using the money to try and win over Brady," Beth reminded her sister patiently.

"Oh, right! I remember now. Who's Brady again?" Lindsay asked. She wasn't exactly the smartest girl around if truth be told. Beth sighed.

"He's a lord and I'm completely in love with him, but he doesn't even know I exist!" Beth told Lindsay for the hundredth time.

"Why doesn't he know you exist? All you have to do is like flutter your eyelashes a bit and he should come running!" Lindsay smiled. Beth sighed again. That was easy for Lindsay to say, she was tall and thin and blonde, with enormous breasts and every man in the area wanted to be with her. Some just for a night, but plenty wanted to marry her as well. Their father knew this and forced every man to go through him first, since Lindsay hadn't taken a particular liking to any of them. Their father hadn't liked any of them either it seemed, as he turned them all down. Beth thought he should make a decision soon because Lindsay wasn't the brightest of girls and Beth feared she may be tricked into sleeping with one of them.

Lindsay didn't notice that Beth wasn't as pretty as she was, and while most people looked over Beth in favour of her more beautiful sister, Lindsay never looked down on Beth or treated her differently and was always outraged on her behalf when people brushed her aside for her plain looks. On top of that, Lindsay always did what Beth told her to, including participating in the competition to rescue Princess Courtney. Both girls had always wished to be princesses their whole lives and living in such close proximity to the real princess often made them wistful.

"Maybe Princess Courtney will want us to be her ladies in waiting after we rescue her!" Lindsay hoped. Beth shook her head, knowing that would never happen. From what she'd heard about the princess, she was stuck up and didn't like to associate with commoners.

"Come on, Lindsay. If we don't hurry we won't be there by noon!" Beth pulled her sister along and they made their way to the castle courtyard.

"I see," Harold said to his pet frog. The frog had told him about the competition to save the princess, and had suggested Harold take the chance to win the prize with his superior wizarding skills. Harold was the only wizard in the area and people often came to him to perform spells and buy potions. He didn't really need the money, but he knew he could somehow use his powers to rescue the princess. Maybe the frog was right, Harold needed to get out of his cottage and challenge himself. He rarely got out these days, and maybe he could meet some new people. Harold nodded to the frog, making his decision.

King Chris looked down on the three people in the courtyard. Beth, Lindsay and Justin stood before him, while others gathered around to see who would enter the competition.

"Three people, is that it?" Chris scowled. He'd really hoped Justin would have a lot more competition than two girls who looked like they were barely even sixteen. It was noon now though and no one else was stepping forward. "Very well-," He was cut off by someone appearing in the courtyard in a puff of smoke. The crowd gasped as Harold coughed at the smoke that surrounded him.

"Sorry I'm late," he said once he'd recovered.

"You're entering?" Chris asked dubiously. Harold nodded. Chris sighed

"Fine, now if we can get this underway-," Chris started again, but was once more interrupted. Duncan rode in on his horse and quickly jumped off and stood next to Justin.

"I'm here to enter the competition," he announced. Chris frowned at him.

"Is there anyone else who cares to enter, or can I continue?" he said crossly. There was silence from the crowd so Chris figured it was safe to continue. "I am entrusting the five of you with my daughter's life. Whoever returns with Courtney will win one thousand gold coins, or they may choose to take her hand in marriage!" Chris announced. "Good luck and Godspeed!" Chris waved them off and the mismatched group headed out into the great unknown.

Ok I feel like these chapters are getting worse and worse. I'm sorry! I'm not really feeling it at the moment and I've got no inspiration or motivation... so sorry. I'm going to try and finish this story though.