Prince Henry felt his side, there was a warm body lying next to him. "Danielle?" He asked softly. "Yes, Henry," she replied her voice soft and inviting.
"I love you," he said, kissing her ear softly.
She giggled happily, rubbing the mattress with her hand. Gradually the mattress became less soft, and dirtier, almost as if she were sleeping on-
Danielle bolted up to find Charles still kissing her ear. "Milady," he murmured softly, "you were so happy."
"I was asleep you idiot, of course I was happy."
"Come back to my side, Princess."
"You would have to kill me first," retorted Danielle, shortly.
"That can be arranged," said Charles through gritted teeth, drawing his sword.
"Charles!" Hannah exclaimed, shaking her head sadly, "remember our mission."
Since Danielle's abduction she had lost track of time. For all she knew, she could have been missing for a month. She had grown rather fond of Hannah, the wife of a peasant, and was beginning to forget the fact that she deeply resented being taken from her husband and home. Charles however was still a filthy disgusting poor excuse for a human being. His hair smelt heavily of ash, and looked as though it might've been blonde when he was a child, but was now a dark shade of brown from filth and vermin. Though the reason for her abduction was still a mystery to Danielle, she felt very safe with them, knowing that they had some type of plan, which only frightened her a slight amount.
"Hannah," Danielle called, "pray tell, where are we?"
Hannah smiled, the Princess was a kind person, very forgiving, so much so, that Hannah felt bad for doing this to her, the Prince must miss her dearly. She would love to send her home, if only.
"Princess, we are still in the province of which you rule, but you see, these are uncharted parts of the forest. They're so thick and deep, not a soul comes by."
Danielle sighed sadly; all hope of being rescued was slowly dying inside her, "I don't suppose that no one else knows."
Hannah knew that this place was not a complete secret. Only one other person within the palace walls knew of this place, but this individual would not speak, for she knew the consequences if she did. In reply, Hannah cocked her head slightly, and remained silent.

Prince Henry awoke the next morning thinking of his wife, and how much he missed her. Today he would find her, he just had to, or else his heart would break in a million pieces, and he would die. He got up to put on his breaches, he felt something hard in the pockets and stood still for a few moments, trying to think of what it might be, and then it dawned on him. The scroll he had found in the passageway. He removed in carefully from the pocket, and slowly read it to himself.

They bond my wrists and feet together with an unbreakable thread. How I shudder at the thought of them. I still cannot believe what I offered them for my safe return. They wanted the royal jewels, and I offered them something so much more costly, I offered them something priceless.
The guilt runs through my veins more heavily then my blood. They beat me with sticks everyday. Four of them, two women, and two men. Both set were married. How I hate them!
There were two children. Two children who had been betrothed to one another since they were babies.
I still remember that place like it was just yesterday, no paths, no way of finding that scared garden unless you had been there once before. But I remember.
An uncharted part of the forest, it can be found only by travelling wilfully into the deepest part of the wood. Each turn must be made wisely; each turn must get you deeper and deeper. Then when you have made your last turn, you must get off the path, travel to where the sun sets, and soon you will find yourself in a clearing. That is where I was taken, that is where you shall find the most precious thing to your heart.

Henry reread the unsigned letter. He could not make out who's writing it was, but decided to follow the letter's instructions.
He made his way to the dinning room, where a lovely breakfast was being prepared for him. Henry enjoyed the company of this peasant couple, the wife was strong and free, the husband worked hard to keep food on the table.
He ate quickly, wanting to explore the woods as much as possible. They stared at him as he gobbled down food, and drank the goat's milk in a hurry.
"Sire," she began, "please, stay for a little while longer."
"I fear I cannot," said Henry, he would have loved to stay and chat with them, to get to know a real peasant family, but the yearning he felt for Danielle to be in his arms once again this night was so much stronger.
"When I find my wife, I shall return, we can have a nice chat, the four of us," Henry promised.
"Oh," he exclaimed, rising from his chair, "marvellous!"
Henry said a quick goodbye, and mounted his horse. They had saddled and groomed it while he had been dressing himself.

"The Prince found the letter then?" Charles asked Hannah gruffly, while Danielle slept in silence.
"The scroll is missing from its hiding spot, and the wife of that peasant he stayed with saw him reading it in his bed chamber.
"Perfect," said Charles happily, "he will be here in no time, and what is rightfully ours shall be restored to us."
"And the Princess?" Hannah asked. Despite the fact that she liked Danielle, that did not change her social status. She had a royal in her hands, and she would not hesitate to make her feel the pain that she has felt for the past twenty-three years.
"Anything, so long as she does not return to the palace."

Henry looked at his surroundings. The trees were dark and growing tall. They towered over him as if he was nothing more than a peasant. As the narrow path split in two, Henry weighed his options. Going right would mean going into a darker and more dangerous part, though going left meant going thicker and deeper into these uncharted lands.
He dismounted his stallion to take a closer look at the paths. As he looked closely at the ground he could feel the softness of Danielle's voice drawing him towards the left.

Danielle sang quietly to herself as she helped them with the cooking.

"Will you quit that?" Demanded Charles, slapping her across her face, leaving a red imprint across her fair cheek.
Danielle tenderly touched her cheek, and looked at him in shock, her eyes full of sorrow and hurt.
"I do not understand," said Danielle quietly, "why you would want me, for I am not the key to the royal jewels that you claim you are not after."
"Oh, but me dear," said Charles, grabbing her throbbing face and pulling it close to his, "you are the key to so much more." And he placed his lips on hers, Danielle was so shocked that she was almost beside herself, except that by now he was holding her down, she could not move nor breathe. The stench of ash was smothering her almost as much as his mouth up against hers was.

Hannah stood in a small clearing for twenty minutes to collect her thoughts. The plan was going accordingly, she knew that Prince Henry would be riding by soon, looking for Danielle, and when he did, she would have to trust herself to do the best job she could possibly do. She felt safe knowing that Danielle and her husband, Charles, were miles away from here, safe and secure, and the letter that had been planted for the Prince to find was going to lead him directly into her trap.