Chapter 9: Careful Now

The next day it was dawn and the prince was riding on Philippe along the dirt road, which led away from the town which had been his home for the past three years, guided by the Enchantress who had transformed herself into a black Australian Kelpie, so as to be less conspicuous. They were heading back to the prince's old castle and they hadn't talked much since the night before.

The prince felt strange after last night. He wished now that he hadn't agreed to bend down on his knees and beg forgiveness if she was in fact telling the truth. Because now it occurred to him that she might be serious after all. What if she was leading him back to his old life as a prince? However, he still refused to believe that he was ever under a spell and was once the ruler of a kingdom.

So why was he following her? Why did he even agree to let her prove herself? Was it because she had forced him to with a spell? Or did he feel somewhat bad for her and just wanted to help her in this sticky situation? Well he highly doubted the last possibility, because he had no desire whatsoever, to risk his neck for some Enchantress who claimed that she had ruined his life and needed his assistance in fixing it for good.

He decided to question her further and asked, "Miss, or Enchantress, whatever you prefer, can you tell me where we're headed exactly?"

She lifted her head up, staring at him with those emerald eyes. She opened her mouth and began to talk very well through her dog mouth. "We're going back to your kingdom, which is exactly a weeks walk if we only stop for the night." She explained.

His eyes widened and he yelled, "Are you serious? Why don't you just use your magic to fly us there now? I can't wait a whole week!" he finished gazing at her in disbelief.

When she didn't answer he thought to himself, this is some kind of trick. I'm not sticking around to find out what's going to happen to me.

So he pulled on Philippe's reigns quickly and began to gallop back the way he had come, faster then ever, daring not to turn around, afraid that she would come after him. He was only riding for about ten seconds, when up ahead in the middle of the road stood a little blonde girl crying and screaming, covering her eyes, as the prince was speeding towards her. His eyes widened in horror, thinking that he wouldn't be able to slow Philippe down in time. So he steered off to the side of the road and ended up falling off Philippe's back and tumbling down into a river, only receiving a few cuts and bruises.

He lay there for a while wincing as he tried to move. The little girl on the road suddenly stopped crying and removed her hands from her eyes, flashing them open to reveal bright green eyes. She wore an evil smile as she skipped down to see the prince. She ran down the hill to stand above him, looking down into his eyes with a fake expression of concern.

"Are you alright sir?" she asked angelically.

He stared up at her and smiled, "That was close you know. Where are your parents?" he asked, thinking that it was strange that someone as young as her was out here alone.

She began to laugh strangely until her voice cracked into the evil voice of a woman. The girl suddenly transformed back into the Enchantress, in a flame of green smoke. When all was revealed she said, "Boo!" which literally did scare the prince out of his wits.

He scrambled back against the hill behind him, looking at her with fright. He was trapped, she could do anything to keep him with her, if she wanted to it seemed.

She bent down to whisper to his face, "Now follow me and stop trying to run away. I'm not that bad am I?" she asked giving him a questioning look, which practically forced him to whisper, "No."

She smiled and stood up happily running up the hill and transforming back into her dog figure once more. The prince felt that he had no other option but to do as she said. So he got up reluctantly and trudged up the hill, meeting up with Philippe again.

"Come on boy. I think we better be really careful from now on." He whispered into the horse's ear.

Philippe nodded his head up and down, shaking his mane furiously, as if to say he understood.

Once they caught up with her again, the prince saw that the Enchantress was waiting a few metres away, staring at him with those large green eyes serenely, only to blink and run off down the road again, leading the way. She would know if he tried to run away again. She had him under her control now. He wouldn't want to pull a stunt like that again.

A/N: Okay chapter 9 has been reposted and hopefully my new path of destruction will wrap up nicely in the end.

P.S. I changed my pen name for the last time for an important purpose.

Yunie Tidus