Chapter 2 - Runaways
Convent! He wants me send me to a Convent? I'll learn how to look pretty and how to address Lord and Knights, when I could be out on the Tortallan borders protecting my country! Like Lady Knight Alanna, or Lady Knight Keladry I will rescue anyone who needs my help! Celandine thought furiously as she trudged her way back to her room. When she got there, she locked the door behind her and burst into hot, frustrated tears.
"I just want to be a Knight!" she whispered to herself over and over. After a while, when her wits returned, Celandine had formed a plan.
***
By now, it was well past midnight, as she sneaked out from her room. The stone halls were bare and silent, as she padded along in her soft silk slippers. She wore a simple brown tunic and a dark forest green cloak. In her hands she held a pair of riding boots. Celandine's long chocolate brown curls had been tied in two long braids, and they thumped gently against her back, as she started to run softly.
Once she had escaped her Father's castle, she went swiftly to the stables, and into the third stall, where she greeted her small, grumpy looking, white horse, Felda.
"Hello, Felda." She murmured as she began to saddle her beloved horse. Felda looked at Celandine with cross coal black eyes, as if asking, 'Why did you wake me up so late?' and snorted irritably into her face.
"Sorry old girl, but we've got to go." Celandine apologized, as she began to pack the saddlebags with apples and oatcakes - stolen from the kitchens, a few water skins, an extra cloak and another set of clothes. She did not plan on returning home.
The darkness cloaked the runaway girl and her horse, as they thundered through the gates and into the surrounding forest. Celandine wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, or where she was going for that matter. She was hoping to be riding in the direction of Corus, Tortall's capital, but after a while she realized she was hopelessly lost.
***
Dawn's grey light spread through the sky, chasing away the night's shadows. Celandine was now slumped tiredly across Felda's saddle, as they plodded through the thickening forest. Fear began to clutch Celandines heart, as she realized she was completely alone, and lost in the wilderness. She began to think inevitably of the stories her cousins used to tell her when they visited Lithenwood, about the bloodthirsty bandits who hid in the forest, ready to rob and kill any whom they found.
"Felda, Felda, what have I brought you into? We're lost; hopelessly." she quickly stopped talking when she heard at least twenty voices, very close by.
Bandits! She thought in terror, as she tried to turn Felda in the other direction. A twig snapped beneath the horse's hooves.
"Hey, who goes there?" voices began to shout. Celandine brought Felda into a canter, then a gallop, as the bandit's horses rumbled closer, and closer.
Suddenly, Celandine's foot in her saddle began to loosen, and she cried out as she fell from the saddle and landed in a tangle heap on the leafy ground. Felda galloped off without her.
"What do we have here?" a voice asked. Celandine shut her eyes tightly and curled into a tight ball, fearing the bandits would try to kill her. A calloused hand gripped Celandines thin arm. Celandine began to panic. She did not want to die, especially not by bandits! Eyes tightly closed, she swung a messy punch into whoever had grabbed her. The grip loosened, and Celandine dared to look at her attackers.
She stared into a pair of beautiful, compelling violet eyes.
That was the second chapter. I think we all know who our adventurous, ill- tempered heroine, Celandine, bumped into. Find out in the next exciting installment! Oh, and could you please review this story? Good or bad comments, I'd really like them, so I could improve the chapters. Thanks so much!
Convent! He wants me send me to a Convent? I'll learn how to look pretty and how to address Lord and Knights, when I could be out on the Tortallan borders protecting my country! Like Lady Knight Alanna, or Lady Knight Keladry I will rescue anyone who needs my help! Celandine thought furiously as she trudged her way back to her room. When she got there, she locked the door behind her and burst into hot, frustrated tears.
"I just want to be a Knight!" she whispered to herself over and over. After a while, when her wits returned, Celandine had formed a plan.
***
By now, it was well past midnight, as she sneaked out from her room. The stone halls were bare and silent, as she padded along in her soft silk slippers. She wore a simple brown tunic and a dark forest green cloak. In her hands she held a pair of riding boots. Celandine's long chocolate brown curls had been tied in two long braids, and they thumped gently against her back, as she started to run softly.
Once she had escaped her Father's castle, she went swiftly to the stables, and into the third stall, where she greeted her small, grumpy looking, white horse, Felda.
"Hello, Felda." She murmured as she began to saddle her beloved horse. Felda looked at Celandine with cross coal black eyes, as if asking, 'Why did you wake me up so late?' and snorted irritably into her face.
"Sorry old girl, but we've got to go." Celandine apologized, as she began to pack the saddlebags with apples and oatcakes - stolen from the kitchens, a few water skins, an extra cloak and another set of clothes. She did not plan on returning home.
The darkness cloaked the runaway girl and her horse, as they thundered through the gates and into the surrounding forest. Celandine wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, or where she was going for that matter. She was hoping to be riding in the direction of Corus, Tortall's capital, but after a while she realized she was hopelessly lost.
***
Dawn's grey light spread through the sky, chasing away the night's shadows. Celandine was now slumped tiredly across Felda's saddle, as they plodded through the thickening forest. Fear began to clutch Celandines heart, as she realized she was completely alone, and lost in the wilderness. She began to think inevitably of the stories her cousins used to tell her when they visited Lithenwood, about the bloodthirsty bandits who hid in the forest, ready to rob and kill any whom they found.
"Felda, Felda, what have I brought you into? We're lost; hopelessly." she quickly stopped talking when she heard at least twenty voices, very close by.
Bandits! She thought in terror, as she tried to turn Felda in the other direction. A twig snapped beneath the horse's hooves.
"Hey, who goes there?" voices began to shout. Celandine brought Felda into a canter, then a gallop, as the bandit's horses rumbled closer, and closer.
Suddenly, Celandine's foot in her saddle began to loosen, and she cried out as she fell from the saddle and landed in a tangle heap on the leafy ground. Felda galloped off without her.
"What do we have here?" a voice asked. Celandine shut her eyes tightly and curled into a tight ball, fearing the bandits would try to kill her. A calloused hand gripped Celandines thin arm. Celandine began to panic. She did not want to die, especially not by bandits! Eyes tightly closed, she swung a messy punch into whoever had grabbed her. The grip loosened, and Celandine dared to look at her attackers.
She stared into a pair of beautiful, compelling violet eyes.
That was the second chapter. I think we all know who our adventurous, ill- tempered heroine, Celandine, bumped into. Find out in the next exciting installment! Oh, and could you please review this story? Good or bad comments, I'd really like them, so I could improve the chapters. Thanks so much!
