A/n: Thanks for all the reviews. Keep 'em coming!

Chapter Three

Sidney met us at the cottage the next day. He was dressed in breeches and a tunic, sword at his waist, sitting on a horse. I hadn't thought to dress as a boy or ride a horse. I looked down at my dress, and thoughts came pouring into my head. Stupid, I thought. Were you going to walk in your gown to Frell? So the moment I saw him, I called inside.

"Estelle! Ginny! Allegra!" I cried. "I need some help!"

They ran outside, to see me standing with Sidney, smiling. "Do you think you could do some big magic for me?" I asked.

"No," said Ginny.

"Please?" I whined. "Think about what it's for!"

"What do you need it for?" asked Estelle.

"Ophelia and I can't walk to Frell," I explained. "So we'd need horses. And we can't ride sidesaddle to Frell. We'd need boy's clothes. Don't you think it'd be safer for us to disguise ourselves as boys?"

Allegra smiled. "You're right," she said. "Although doing big magic makes me feel like Lucinda. I swore it off, and now here I am, whipping up two horses and saddlebags full of tunics and breeches."

Just as she spoke, two horses appeared. One was golden with a cream mane and tail, the other white with large black spots. Ophelia threw herself at the golden one, leaving me the white and black one. Not that I minded.

"What are their names?" Ophelia asked breathlessly.

"Yours is Quickstep, Nora's is Maverick," replied Allegra. "Both are stocked with tunics, breeches, and food."

I pulled out some clothing and ran inside. Putting on a tunic and breeches was quite liberating. A pair of black breeches, the white shirt, and black vest with the black cap felt so much lighter than the folds of silk and cotton I was used to wearing. I stuffed my feet into a pair of black knee-high boots and tucked a dagger down one of them. Wrapping the black belt around my waist, I pushed my sword through it, and then drew it out quickly. Just for practice.

I walked outside, and Sidney promptly started to laugh. "You-you look like a man!" he cried.

"That's the point!" I retorted, climbing on the horse. "I don't want people thinking I'm some frail female."

Ophelia strode out of the house, also dressed as a boy, and we all starting laughing. "I feel so ridiculous!" she cried. "Yet, very free!"

"Me too!" I cried. "We should put Sidney in a dress, just so he can see how it feels."

"And a corset!" Ophelia cried, laughing.

"No thank you," he replied. "We should get going."

I got down from the horse and walked to Estelle, Ginny, and Allegra. "Thank you," I said to them. "For everything. For raising me, for teaching me, for caring for me. I couldn't have asked for more."

"Nor could we," replied Ginny, tearful.

"I'll make you proud," I said. "I won't fail."

"We've faith in you dearie," Estelle said, wrapping me in a hug.

"Take care of yourself," Allegra warned, placing a bag of KJs in my hand.

The four of us hugged tearfully, and then separated. "I'll see you soon," I said. "I promise."

I climbed onto my horse, followed by Ophelia, who had just finished her tearful goodbyes to her siblings. I blew a kiss to Allegra, Ginny, and Estelle, and rode off. I heard Sidney and Ophelia behind me. The wind whipped my eyes, and tears began running down my cheeks. And I don't think it was just because my eyes stung.

We rode almost all day through the woods. We'd decided not to use main roads, we didn't want to be seen. Finally, around dusk, we found a clearing in the woods and decided to set up camp. The three of us dismounted and began unpacking food, bedrolls, and other belongings. Ophelia began setting up a fire.

"Nora, will you go look for firewood?" she asked. "Everything around here is wet."

"Wait," I replied. "Can't we eat first?"

She nodded. "Good idea," she said.

Sidney sat down next to us and handed us each a hearty slice of brown bread with raisins and cranberries. Then he whipped out three mugs and a bottle of ale, and poured us each some.

"Here," he said, passing out the cups.

"Thanks," Ophelia and I said simultaneously.

We ate in silence. I'm sure they were pouring through their own thoughts in their own heads, like I was. It was hard to believe, really, that this time yesterday I'd barely known anything about this journey to Frell. Now here I was, sitting in the woods with a girl I'd met two days ago and an Ayorthaian prince. Bizarre.

We began to clean up. Nora asked me to go find firewood again.

"Of course," I replied.

"Wait!" called Sidney. "First of all, take your sword."

"I was going to," I replied. "I'm not stupid."

"Good. Secondly, in case we get separated, we're going to meet at the Broken Bottle. It's a tavern in Jenn, which is about two days ride from here."

"Okay," I said, heading towards the woods.

Once inside, I regretted going alone. It was calm and sunny, but it was oddly silent, and I felt awkward wandering around, picking up sticks. I heard a twig snap. I dropped the sticks. Pulling out my sword, I whirled around. Nothing. There was nothing there. Calm down, I told myself. There's no one here. I picked the sticks back up and began wandering through the woods once more. I began twirling and leaping, pretending I was a wood nymph. I was having a good time, until I heard a snicker.

Again, I dropped my sticks, pulled out my sword, and spun around. In front of me was a hairy, fat man with long black hair and a scraggly beard. He was dressed shabbily, holding no weapon, and laughing.

"What is so funny?" I asked.

"You, lad," he replied. "You were acting like quite a ninny."

I turned around, leaving my sword out. "Leave me," I said. "My business does not concern you."

"But it does," he replied.

"How?" I said, turning around, holding out my sword.

"This is my forest," he said. "I am Alabar, king of the clan Donhash."

"Congratulations," I muttered.

"You've trespassed onto our territory, and I may do what I want with you," he said.

"No, you may not," I said, holding my sword steady.

"We'll see about that," he said, whistling.

Suddenly four men appeared from behind trees and rocks. They circled me, holding swords, bows, and daggers.

"Damn it!" I cried.

They laughed. One of them ran at me with a sword. I moved to the side, and as he ran past me I stabbed his leg. Then I charged the one with the bow, cutting it in half as I kicked him in the stomach. A man approached me with a sword and jabbed at me. I backed up and ran into the forth one, who grabbed me around the waist and held a knife to my throat.

"Drop your sword," he whispered in my ear.

"No," I retorted.

He shook me, causing my hat to fall off and my brown hair to tumble down my back. I gasped.

"Well, well!" cried Alabar, doubled over. "Look what we have here! Not a lad, but a lass!"

The man's grip tightened around my waist, the dagger pushing into my neck. "Drop your sword," he said.

I obliged, tossing my weapon down at my feet. "What do you want?" I asked.

"Alabar, let's bring her back to camp," said the one with the bow. "Most of us haven't seen a woman in weeks."

"Good idea, Mojamar," he replied. "Tie her legs, and her wrists behind her back."

I writhed in the man's arms. "You'll pay for this," I said. "My father is a powerful man."

Alabar laughed. "Gag 'er too," he said. "I can't listen to that the whole time."

The man behind me pushed a piece of cloth inside my mouth and tied it around my head.

"Pick her up, Rufin," Alabar cried, and the man behind me slug me over his shoulder.

I began to squeal, and Alabar laughed again. "We mustn't forget her precious sword!" he cried.

I thrashed in anger. Rufin put me on my horse, and I unsteadily teetered before falling off. I landed excruciatingly hard on the ground, and shooting pain went from my ankle up my leg. Rufin groaned, picked me up again, and undid my legs so I had to sit between his arms, or else I would have fallen off again.

Damn it, I thought. Lady, please protect me."Damn it!" I screamed, although it sounded like "Thghf ug!"

I was stuck in the middle of woods, captured by some crazed band of gypsies. What about the Oderians? What about Char and Ella? Or Ophelia and Sidney? I struggled on the horse again, hoping to fall off and run away. Rufin laughed, and called to his comrades, pointing at me. They all started laughing as I slid off the horse and luckily, landed on my feet. I stood up straight for a moment, and then doubled over, almost collapsing on the ground. Pain swarmed around my ankle, which felt funny under me, like it wasn't supporting me properly.

"This one we don't have to worry about," Alabar called. "She's injured."

Rufin got down and slug me over his shoulder again. He plopped me onto of his horse and got up behind me, and began riding away. The others followed him. Was I not the most unlucky girl in the kingdom?

A/n: Ohhh cliffhanger!! Please review-- it gets more interesting new chapter, plus a new character!