Act Three

'What did you do?!' Irina exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around herself and collapsed on to the ground, so no one could see her naked body. However she really wasn't covering much, just her most important assets.

'Well, you see that in our world it's normal for you to be flying round me and exposing yourself. Humans there are used to fairies and other mystical creatures. Here, on Earth, they aren't. Fairies are captured and held captive or eaten or extracted for their magical properties.' Celeste told her as she searched in her bag for a set of clothes that Irina could wear. 'It's a good thing that I grabbed some of Olivia's clothes, otherwise I don't think that my clothes would fit you. I have to admit that I am kind of jealous.'

Irina was in shock, she should have never agreed to come with Celeste to the human realm. She never would have though of the possibility of being transformed into one of them because they ate or killed her kind. 'My wings,' she looked behind her and failed to see her beautiful translucent sliver wings.

'Don't worry, once we return home, I'll change you back to normal,' Celeste told her as she found what she was looking for and handed her Olivia's clothes.

'This is,' she was speechless. Celeste was careless and probably didn't and wouldn't understand how naked and violated she felt, even if she carefully explained it to her.

Celeste frowned at the motionless female, it wasn't as if the transformation was permanent. Once they returned home she would transform her back or at least her mother could, incase she didn't make it back. She crouched down before her stunned friend. 'I am sorry. If you want I can send you back home. There you will be safe and back to normal. However, if you decide to stay with me you'll have to suffer in this body for a little while. I don't want you to get captured, killed or eaten,' she told her.

'I am not going to leave you,' Irina glared at her. 'I just wish that you could have warned me, before doing this to my body.'

Celeste nodded, 'If it makes you feel any better, you are stunning for a human.'

'Humph,' she grabbed the clothes that Celeste handed her, 'it's to be expected. I was stunning as a fairy.'

'Right,' Celeste nodded, got up and turned around to give Irina privacy.

After a few minutes she called out, 'I am done.'

Turning around she took in Irina. She was beautiful, any male human in his right or wrong mind would go after her. Ironically enough she was taller than her by four or so inches, she hair, a long golden blonde that shimmered in the sunlight; her skin, fair and unblemished. She was also well proportioned like Olivia, and since she was thin her curves were more prominent. 'I fear that it probably would have been easier to hide you as a fairy than now.'

'What's wrong, now,' Irina looked down at herself and couldn't see anything out of place. However, she wasn't used to wearing so much clothes, especially the traveling boots; which were a little too snug on her dainty feet. She was wearing a long sleeved white shirt that buttoned up and tucked into a long brown skirt that matched her boots. The only piece of color that she possessed was a forest green sleeveless vest that buttoned up over her shirt.

'Nothing,' Celeste grumbled as she searched in her never ending bag for a traveling cloak. If her beauty didn't already standout, the white cloak would draw attention to her like a sore thumb. 'Here, I don't have another color.'

'Thanks,' Irina took the offered garment and slipped it on.

Yup, she definitely looked more like a princess than she herself did. 'Come on, we better get going before they track us here and take us back,' Celeste started moving forward into the forest ahead of them.

Irina watched her for a moment before she took off after her, wondering what she could have meant before when she said it was better to have her small than normal size. 'Wait up, don't leave me behind.'

They walked in silence for a couple of hours, each lost in the wonder that was the human world. Until the heat, humidity and hunger began to set in. 'Can we take a break,' Irina asked after a while, 'I am hungry and tired. I've never walked for long periods of time and my legs hurt.'

'We have been walking for a while and we didn't have breakfast. I think that we can afford a break,' Celeste reasoned as she began to search for a nice shaded place to rest and eat.

'Great,' Irina followed her a little longer until they came to a small clearing with nice shade from the trees.

'Here,' Celeste had opened her bottomless bag and pulled out a canister of water so that she could quench her thirst. While Irina drank she searched for food. 'I have some dried fruit that we can have and some bread. Later if we come near a stream I'll try to catch some fish.'

Irina took the dried fruit and bread that she offered, 'You've never fished before. I don't want to starve to death. Please, tell me that you brought some more food with you.'

'I'll have you know that I have excellent survival skills and can live off the land for days before we reach civilization,' Celeste protested.

'I doubt it,' Irina answered bluntly. 'We'll probably have to rely on my gathering skills.'

Celeste just ate her food quietly afterwards thinking about what to do next. According to the map, once they came to the river they just needed to follow it until they reached the road that lead to their first town. So with luck they just needed to stay in the forest one night or two depending the pace they went. Celeste turned towards Irina to tell her the plan when she suddenly heard a male voice cry out. 'Let me go! I didn't agree to this! I didn't agree to this!'

Both females looked at one another, before looking at the direction of where the voices were coming from. 'Agree to this or not, this is a great privilege,' another male voice was heard, only this one was deeper.

'Please don't do this to me,' both Celeste and Irina started to quietly move towards the sound of the voices.

'Reed, maybe we shouldn't do this came a third male voice. 'The demon asked for a virgin sacrifice and they are usually females, not males.'

'That's why I dressed this idiot as a female. By the time the demon realizes that the brat is male, it will be too late.' The deeper voice, Reed stated.

'But,' the girls had reached the outskirts of their area and peeked through the bushes to see what was going on. There were two large males walking side by side with a small petite male slung over the shoulder of the dark haired male. The red hair looked over at the small male in pity.

Reed, glared over at his companion, 'Look, I don't want to do this either, but this kid has no family, no friends and is a virgin. Giving him up to the demon would save us and save our families from being attacked, enslaved or worse killed.'

'That is no reason to sacrifice me,' the small male cried.

'Shut up, make another sound and I'll bind your mouth shut,' Reed barked at the crying male. It wasn't like he wanted to do it, it was just that it was either him or his daughter and he rather be him. His daughter was still young and she had so much life to live, she had friends, family and a future to look forward too. This brat was already a waste of time and resources. Being crippled and abandoned for the village to take care of was too much of a burden for them.

'Should we help,' Irina asked in a hushed whisper.

'Of course, but it's best to follow them and then help him. We don't want to attract attention to ourselves,' Celeste told her as she began to move along the shrubs, trying to keep quiet and in the shadows.

Irina moved swiftly behind her, both keeping an eye on the trio and for the demon that was to appear. 'Loki, maybe we should gag him,' Reed suddenly halted, 'I don't want him to reveal his appearance before we get away.'

The red head nodded and took out a piece of cloth from his trousers. He moved behind Reed to tie the mouth of the already bound male, who began to struggle. 'Enough,' Reed ordered and with his free hand grabbed the young males damaged leg, squeezing it and draw out pain.

'Ahh,' he cried out as he stopped moving his head at the sudden shot of pain that ran up his leg. Loki took his chance and finished his job.

Celeste and Irina both felt deeply compelled to jump out of the bushes and stop the males. 'Maybe we should just help him now,' Irina whispered seeing the poor pathetic male silently cry at his fate and predicament.

'It's better to wait for the demon and take care of it,' Celeste told her.

'True, but those two jerks deserve a beating or to at least be put in their place,' Irina glared at them, mainly at the leader.

'I agree,' she grabbed Irina back, 'but maybe later.'

They both followed the men once more as they began to walk again. After a while they came to a huge clearing that contained a large white magnolia tree in the middle. 'We'll dump him here and let the demon deal with him,' Reed lifted the small male off his shoulder and literally dumped him on to the ground, causing a muffled cry of pain as he hit the trunk of the tree. 'Let's go,' Reed ordered as he turned and left without looking back.

'Sorry,' Loki whispered and offered one quick prayer for the young lad, before he turned and followed after his friend.

The evening breeze felt nice against their heated skin, both females burning hot in anger at the poor male's treatment. After they were sure the others were gone they came out from hiding. Startling the male that was seating against the tree, making him think that his death was now sure upon him a he saw two shadows leaving the shade of the trees. 'Don't be afraid,' Irina told him as they neared. 'We're here to help.'

She studied the frightened male as she neared him, they had put in him an oversized and dirty brown dress that looked like it had seen better days. On his head he wore a hideous black wig which was probably made of a horse's tail. Under it she could see dark chestnut curls that matched his large brown hues. As she drew closer, he scooted away from her. 'I promise that I won't hurt you,' she offer in a soothing voice.

'It might help, if you take your hood off,' the small black hooded figure offered.

'Right,' Irina reached up to the hood that shadowed her face and pulled it back to reveal herself. Which caused the male to freeze as he studied her.

Celeste watched him and sure enough it was as if he was enchanted by her beauty. Walking around with her in town would cause too much attention, but then again it could also be of benefit. She watched as he allowed Irina to reach out and untie the gag around his mouth. 'There, that must feel better,' she told him as she pulled it off and then moved to untie his hands.

'Thank you, but you should leave,' he told her, them as he remembered the other female, whom had yet to reveal herself.

'Don't be silly, we're here to help you,' Irina struggled with the knot around his wrist. 'Celeste, quit standing around and help me,' she ordered as she looked up at her friend, which was now looking around as if she sensed something. 'What's wrong?'

'I think his Demon friend is here,' she whispered as she look off her bag and placed it by them calling forth her sword with a flick of a wrist.

The male began to shake violently, but still had enough courage to tell them to leave. 'You two should run,' he didn't want to die and be a sacrifice, but he also didn't want two strangers that were willing to help him die for his sake. 'That thing is here for me, you don't have to die too.'

'None of us are dying here today,' Celeste told him and she moved towards him to cut the ropes around his wrists and ankles. 'You two take the bag and run. Once I am done here, I'll come find you,' the demon was drawing closer.

'You better,' Irina had grabbed the bag and was slipping the strap up and over her shoulder before she reached to help the male.

'No, you can't do this,' he protested as he tried to push the beautiful blond away.

'It's okay,' Celeste told him. 'Trust me, this is what I do. Now run, it's almost here.'

'Come on,' Irina tried one more time too sling his arm over her shoulder so she could help him up.

Celeste watched as Irina and the male struggled too runaway in the direction they had come from. 'All right,' she rolled and loosed her shoulders as they disappeared in the trees and turned towards the source of demonic power heading her way. Lifting her sword up and getting into stance.

Breaking through the tree lines came out what appeared to be an oversized widow spiders. Out of all the things it could possible be, it had to be an insect. 'Well, well, well, what do we have here,' its voice rang out in merriment as it saw its delectable victim. It could sense the pureness of the village's sacrifice, with a little added bonus since it sensed something hidden. 'You should put the sword down, Child, before you get hurt.'

'No, I don't think so,' she watched it carefully as it began to walk in circles around her. 'I'd rather take my chances fighting you.'

It laughed at her, 'I see they choose some one with spunk and gave her a swords as means to defend herself. This will be fun!'

It pounced towards her and she rolled away, it quickly turned halfway to point its bum at her and release its web. Celeste did a one handed back flip to get out of the way, however it continued to shoot its web. After they continued their stalemate, the demon spider changed tactics. It decided to come after her head on, 'Child, I am tired of this game,' it charged at her.

'Same here,' she decided against her better judgement and held out her hand before her, as if to tell it to stop. However, she produced a golden orb and shot it forward. 'Solar Flare!'

'What is this,' it pulled back as it tried to turn away. 'You're not a human.'

The orb blasted it head on, causing a bright erupting that heated its outer shell, 'Ahhh,' it screamed out in pain.

Celeste didn't wait for the spider to gather its' senses, instead she raced forward and as soon as she got near she jumped high in the air and turning her sword downward so that as she fell she could plunge it. Nevertheless it senses her coming and it rolled out of the way, making her attack pointless. 'You're a demigod,' it roared as if she had been tricked by the humans.

'And if I were, what of it? I thought you said that you would enjoy the added bonus,' she taunted it as she lunged forward to attack.

Its' pincers grabbed her sword and lifted her up so that it could send her flying into the trees to the left. 'Ugh,' she cried out as she slammed into a trunk. Her back had been the first to make impact, which didn't do anything to cushion the blow to her head as she hit it with enough force to crack her skull open. She tried to focusing her gaze, but it was blurry and spinning making her want to throw up her poor lunch.

'I was a little afraid of you, Child, but it seems that you were nothing to fear,' the spider drew close as it noticed her unmoving. For a demigod she was weak.

'Well, you still should be,' she stated as she began to slowly regain her senses, the ground wasn't spinning as much.

The demon laughed at her as it loomed above her ready to strike and end her life. 'Not going to happen,' it moved its head downward.

'Radiant Light,' she called and a blast of light energy sent a shockwave of blistering heat around her. The spider was blown back and into the air before falling on its back. Celeste reached out and grabbed her fallen sword, she got up and slowly walked over to the struggling spider trying to get up. Its eight legs flailing in the air as it tried it rock its body over. 'I told you that you should be scared,' she said as she reached its head.

'I am,' it told her as its eyes all focus on her and it stopped struggling. 'So you should show your mercy and let me go,' it pleaded.

'Sorry, but I am not buying it and if I let you go you'll just attack another town. Plus, it goes against my nature to let evil villain go,' she lifted her sword with both her hands. 'Solar Purification,' the blade of her sword began to glow bright, infusing with her magic, she swung the sword downward with all her might and cut its head off.

As its last life forced exited its body, it began to crumble and fall away into ash, that drifted with the wind. Celeste fell to her knees, her energy depleted and her body sore. It had been a while since she had gone up against a demon by herself. She forgot how tiring it was on her body, not to mention the fact that she was sleep deprived and tired for her escape from home. Now all she wanted to do was get some rest and take a long cat nap. She sighed, it wasn't an option to seat around. She needed to go find Irina and the young man with her. Reluctantly she got up, she dispelled her sword and lifted her fallen hood back up before turning in the direction they had gone.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

'Shouldn't we go back and help her,' the young male asked as they continued to run through the forest.

'She's be fine,' Irina told him, almost afraid that if Celeste failed they wouldn't be able to get away if it came after them. Their pace wasn't fast enough to out run any human, let alone a demon.

'You can leave me,' he told her, well aware that they were only being brought down by his inability to walk or run on his own. 'It'll give you a better chance of getting away.'

'Don't be an idiot,' she said as she stopped and tried to readjust him. 'Have a little faith in her and me. We'll protect you.' Irina had no real ability to fight, but that didn't mean that she wouldn't try.

He didn't understand why such a beautiful woman was willing to risk her life for him. Especially when they were strangers and he was just a burden. So he tried with all his might not to be one as they continued to run deeper into the forest away from the other mysterious woman and the demon. Maybe they where demon hunters or maybe the other woman was a demon herself and was protecting the beautiful blonde beside him. She seemed like a Princess that had lost her way and was heading home to her castle. After what seemed like an eternity and before his leg really gave out they came to a stop and hid within the trees and shrubs. 'We'll wait here. How are you doing,' she asked as she helped lower him down.

'Good,' he heaved as he tried to catch his breath.

Irina looked down at him and frowned, but didn't vocalize her thoughts and concerns. For now she needed to keep them hidden and out of harms way. She kept vigilant in the direction Celeste would appear, she could sense the dark energy and it was overwhelming. She was worried about Celeste, she was a competent fighter, but she usually had the support of the scouts or Skye. Would she really be able to defeat the demon on her own? She suddenly felt a strong blast of light energy and then it all dissipated into thin air as if it was none existent. What if something happened, she worried, 'Maybe I should go back and check on her,' she looked at the frightened young man.

Chestnut brown hues looked up at her, 'If you go, I'll go too.' He forced himself to get up, he probably wouldn't be of use but there was probably something that he could do to help.

'That would defeat the purpose of saving you,' Irina told him with a weak smile. 'You should just stay here and rest. If you hear anything hide.'

'I don't want to be useless,' he told her.

'It's not that,' she wanted to protest when she heard the snap of a tree twig in the distance behind them. 'Get down, I can't sense who or what's coming,' she pulled him down beside her.

'Argh,' he tried to suppress his cry as he collapsed on his bad leg. However, the pain and sudden fear vanished as the beautiful female with leaned against his body as she tried to cover him and looked through the shrubs at the on coming threat.

'Don't say a word,' she held her hand over his mouth and he just nodded as he tried to turn his head in the direction of her gaze. The clerked figure was heading their way and as clearly as they saw its shadow against the back drop of the seeping sunlight through the trees it disappeared.

'Wow, never saw the day that Irina would become aggressive in her pursue of male companionship,' the dark shadow appeared out of nowhere and was standing above them.

'Wah!' The female jumped off of him at the surprise appearance of the shadow. 'What do you think you're doing?'

'You should really learn to mask your powers,' the other female said as she squatted down before taking a seat beside them.

Irina glared at her friend and then sighed in relief at her safe return. 'So was it easy as you thought?'

'Easier,' she lied as she still felt discomfort from the blow she had taken earlier. 'How are you,' she turned away from Irina to the young man.

'Alive,' he answered without hesitation. 'Thank you both for helping me. Without your help I wouldn't be here,' he told them with sincerity. 'So I decided to spend the rest of my life repaying you.'

Both females looked at each other after his declaration, 'You don't have to repay us,' Celeste told him after a moment of silence. 'We helped you because we wanted too, not so that you could repay us.'

'But still,' he wasn't going to let them leave without repaying their kindness. 'I can be of help.'

'Give us a moment,' Irina got up and grabbed Celeste's arm to pull her up so that they could go a ways and talk in private. After they got a distance away Irina whispered into Celeste's ear, 'I know that you're thinking, but do you really think it's wise?'

Celeste sighed, 'I don't think that it can hurt.'

'But he'll slow us down,' Irina told her.

'He is from here and knows the land and people, why don't we take him with us so that he can help us,' she suggested.

'The people here are willing to give him up, how do you think that he will be of help to us,' Irina countered.

'Everyone has value, even if they seem to be a burden. I think that we should give him a chance.'

Irina glanced back over at him and saw the hopeful expression on his face as he stared at them. 'You're not going to make any more silly remarks are you,' she whispered.

Celeste beamed at her, 'Aw, you know me.'

'It's the knowing you that worries me,' she sighed as she watched Celeste whirl around and announce the good news to him.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

'Did you sense that,' Callista asked as birds flew off in the distance.

'The forest was restless,' Olivia answered. 'There was a great evil that lurked within it, but now it seems to have found peace.'

'Can you use your powers to gauge what direction that last blast of energy came from?'

Olivia nodded and she placed her hands against the giant tree next to them, from it she could sense its spirit and how it traveled in an endless cycle. From the roots to the leafs and back again and when it returned it branched out along the ground spreading in a network that allows her to connect with all the other plant life. 'To the left of us about six miles there was damage done to multiple forest life. I am assuming there was a battle there,' Olivia said as she pulled her hand back.

'I am glad that we are going in the right direction and not too far behind,' Callista brightened at the good news. 'I just hope that Celeste is okay.'

'Knowing her, she probably is the one causing trouble or walking into it,' Olivia told her as she led the way, not realizing that she and Callista walked by the huddling trio not too faraway.

'That's one thing you can count on with Celeste,' Callista agreed with a smile as she recalled all their past adventures and trouble they caused. 'Either way, I think that when I see her I'll join her cause.'

Olivia's eyes widened as she turned her head in disbelief to stare at her blonde companion. 'You can't be serious? The Queen will be furious with you if you do that.'

'Maybe, but do you really think that Celeste would leave the castle on just a whim?' Callista pointed out as they walked further into the forest still speculating and debating on the right course of action to take once they found Celeste.

0-0-Afterword-0-0

A: Hello, Everyone, it's been a while. Hopefully, you guys are enjoying the story and adventure of our trouble bound Princess.

O: I feel like you make me find too much trouble, (she grumbled as she rubbed her sore muscles.)

C: But at least you are progressing and getting a lot of scenes.

Ol:…(She wanted to point out to her bubbly partner that the story was mainly about Princess Celeste so it made sense that the author focused on her. However, she remained silent.)

O: Progressing, if that were true I would be near a village by now. Not having to camp out in the eerie woods. Or further, but instead my licking my wounds.

I: What wounds, you heal at a fast rate.

O: Right, so next time we meet (she addressed the audience) I should be fully recovered so don't worry about me.

A: On that note, we'll see you guys next time and hope to continue out adventure with Orianna/Celeste and the gang.