Chapter 24:

Amberle's eyes had begun to grow tired hours ago, and she can't remember when she had lost feeling in her legs. Wil had asked her if she had wanted to stop for the night, but she had wanted to get to Arborlon as fast as they could, and if that meant a few sleepless nights then she would sacrifice them.

Tightening her hold on the reins of her horse, Amberle let her eyes drift closes for a moment. Or what she thought was a moment.

When she opened them again however, she didn't recognize any of their surroundings. What had once been lush trees that shaded them from the sun overhead, was now dark and shadowy rocks and dead trees.

Looking around in panic Amberle's eyes landed on Wil who had sometime when she had her eyes closed had tied a piece of rope around her horse and was leading it along with his down the narrow path.

"Where are we?" Amberle asked startling Wil.

"I took us off the path a little while ago, I thought i heard noise up ahead and i thought best for us to avoid anyone or anything." Wil replied not looking back at her. "If you had told me you wanted to rest we could have stop, you've been in that saddle all day. No doubt your legs could use a break."

Before Amberle could reply her stomach started to turn, and before she knew what she was doing she was sliding down the side of her horse and on her knees.

Wil pulled his horse to a hult and rushed to her side.

Amberle was gasping for air as the bile in her stomach made it's way up her throat.

Amberle had hoped that she would skip this stage of pregnancy that Annie had mentioned. She was sure to be almost 4 months pregnant by now and had yet to experience any type of sickness til now.

From what she was feeling at this moment, she was glad she had been spared.

Wil knelt there beside her rubbing her back as she emptied her stomach of what little contents it had, had in it.

After several moments of her just kneeling there trying to catch her breath, she felt Wil press a cold piece of cloth to the back of her neck.

A small moan of approval escaped her lips. "Thanks."

"This is exactly the reason why i wanted to stop. You can't put your body through this Amberle. Riding a horse for short periods of time is one thing, but this is hurting you." Wil said pulling her up to her feet.

Her legs shook a little at the weight being put on them after so long of them being numb.

"I'm fi…"

"You are not fine Amberle. You're tired and sick." Wil replied cutting her off as he helped carry her towards a fallen log for her to sit on, "Stay."

Having taken one last look at her, he turned back towards the horses to retrieve the ransack that held the food and cooking utensils.

Returning to sit on the log next to the Elven Princess, Wil opened the bag and started removing its contents.

"I need to make a fire, will you be okay here for a few moment's by yourself?" Wil asked after he had decided on what items he need from the bag.

Amberle nodded, taking the water bottle he had in his hands.

Kissing her on the head Wil started walking off into the darkness, no doubt to look for some dry wood and leaves.

Amberle brought the bottle to her lips and took a small sip of the water. Anything bigger than a few drops was sure to send her back onto her hands and knees.

The horses gave a neigh and Amberle looked up at them. Wil had forgotten to tie them to something, and if they got spooked they would no doubt take off.

Standing up Amberle walked slowly towards the 2 mare making sure they saw her so she did not startle them.

Grabbing both sets of reins that had been resting loosely on their saddles Amberle pulled them towards a tree and began tying them to a branch.

She had just finished tying Will's horse to the branch when she heard a twig snap. Spinning around Amberle squinted her eyes into the darkness, "Wil?"

Nothing but silence answered her.

Slowly turning back to her horse Amberle began to tie it to the tree only to hear another twig snap.

This time when she spun around she was not met with darkness but a troll racing towards her.

"Wil!"

Will's head snapped up in the direction he had been coming from. The pile of wood in his arms falling to the ground.

His feet couldn't carry him face heart on the verge of beating out of his chest. He had felt for a while that they had been being followed and still he left her alone. He would die if anything happened to her.

He broke into the small clearing where he had left Amberle to find the horse's gone and more importantly Amberle as well.

"Amberle!" he called out spinning in circles looking for any sign of her

"Wil…"

Wil spun around. But who he saw was not who he had expected.

"Eretria?" Wil said taking a step forward.

She did the same only falling to the dirt when she let go of the tree that had been supporting.

Wil raced to her side and fell to his knees. "What are you doing here?

Eretria looked up at him through her long dark eyelashes, "I'm so sorry, I didn't want to but… he made me and he he….."

"What?" Wil asked frantically.

"He took her….. I couldn't stop him. Wil he took Amberle." Eretria whispered falling limply against him.

Wil looked her body over. Almost all of her skin he could see was either bruised or covered in dry blood and dirt. Her breathing was shallow and uneven.

Wil looked up at the shadowy dead woods all around him, he wanted so bad to go after Amberle, but the beaten Rover in his arms need help, and there was no way in hell he would be able to track anyone on his own.

His heart felt like it was breaking having to choose Eretria over his own child and its mother. But, there was no way around it, he would have to take Eretria back to Arborlon and gather the home guard in order to save the Elven Princess and his unborn son.

Hoisting the Rover into his arms he slowly made his way over to his horse, Amberle's was gone, no doubt it had bolted.

Laying Eretria upon the saddle Wil mounted the horse and pulled Eretria in between him and the reins of the horse.

Taking one last look over his shoulders at the area he last saw Amberle, Wil kicked the horse into a racing Gallop towards the mountain. Their shadow and the darkness of the dead forest causing them to disappear into the night.

I know it's a bit short and fast, but i couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get Amberle to Bandon and this was the best way i could do it... Yay Eretria is still alive...for now... No she still does not know about Amberle and Wil having a baby, but she will in the next few chapter.

I am really hoping to find a beta for this story as i need someone to bounce ideas off of... On that note i have decide to also do a sequal to this story as i have so many ideas of where to take the character's from this story in the future... Now with that being said i do not know when i will start writing it as i plan to take a break after writing this story as it is going to be one of my longest running stories yet, but i can promise you the plot for the sequal will be just as good if not better then this one.

Also i would like to give a shout out to my top review these last few chapter Preacher 2125: it is always a pleasure to read your reviews and don't worry i'm not going to rushing this story, although there will be a little time jump a few chapters ahead so just a heads up.

Hope you all enjoy and as always don't forget to review

xoxo

cordie_bear