The runaway princess trudged forward. Her leather boots sunk into the muddy earth and she cursed under her breath. Her toes were beginning to numb and her joints ached from walking. Glancing at the sky, she could see the sun at its highest—noon. She groaned. Even after walking all morning, she had barely made any progress. The forest only swallowed her deeper and deeper.
The worn path had long since vanished—leaving the princess to weave between the trees and brush. A dull ache in her right ankle reminded her to watch where she stepped. She passed by a dark bush—its leaves were spiked and spotted with raindrops from the night before. Scarlet colored berries bunched beneath each leaf. Their bright skins taunted the princess. Her stomach growled in protest as she walked by the tantalizing treat. Her mouth was dry and she was starving but she knew better than to succumb to the poisonous juices of Butcher's Broom.
Her stomach continued its angry grumble as she awkwardly climbed over a fallen tree. She pressed her palm against her lower abdomen and swallowed. Days had passed since she left the castle—although she wasn't sure as to how many exactly. The deeper she journeyed into the Southern Forest, the darker it became. The thick canopy of trees blocked the sun's rays from reaching the mossy ground. Without the sun, the forest grew cold during the afternoon and even colder at night. She often woke to her teeth chattering and her body shivering.
The princess silently thanked the gods that she had swapped her party gown for the dark tunic and pants she wore now. She looked down at her mud-spattered tunic. If her mother saw her in this state, she would receive a brutal lecture. But the princess didn't have to worry about lectures and being scolded any longer. The corner of her mouth pulled into a smirk as she recalled her escape.