:( I don't know why I did this, I wasn't planning on Anastasia ever being in here again. So I'll just have to work with her. Thanks!):

Chapter 10

Princess Anastasia looked out the window with a sigh. The morning had gone dreadfully dull and she had nothing to do but sit and wait for the ball to come. She didn't want to go because she knew she would leave hating Prince Lance even more. She didn't know why they were always arguing and getting in each other's faces, it just came naturally and she dreaded what would happen when they were married. She shuddered and pushed the thought away.

"Princess Anastasia," said her maid coming up and giving a little curtsey.

"What?" asked Anastasia dryly without even looking up.

"This letter came from the kingdom of Adelfos today. They said it was most urgent."

The Princess took it absently and broke the seal. She hoped it said that they decided they didn't want her to marry thier stupid Prince after all. It was short and simple

Princess Anastasia,

We are sorry to inform you that the wedding will have to be postponed. Prince Lance has mysteriously disappeared and not can be done until we find him. Please give this message to your father.

Duke Arundel

Instead of smiling with joy at the thought her dreaded marriage had been hindered and of hoping that they didn't find the Prince, Anastasia was so stunned she almost stopped breathing.

This can't be happening, thought Anastasia. Has he run away? Has he been kidnapped? This sudden feeling of despair surprised her. She hated the Prince, right? She fell onto her bed, gasping.

"Princess Anastasia?" said the maid in alarm. "Are you all right?"

"Oh, Melanie," sighed the Princess. "I thought I wouldn't care when I read a message like this one, but I do care! Lance is gone!"

"Don't you love him, Princess?"

Anastasia gaped. "No... at least that's what I thought. I'm not sure any more. I don't know. He is horrible, but I too have been horrible. Melanie," she said suddenly her eyes widening. "I have to find him."

"Milady?" Melanie lowered the letter she had just scanned. "What are you saying?"

"I have to find him!"

"But wouldn't there be others doing that?"

"Yes, but...I just do!" cried Anastasia despertely. "Go get the gentlest horse in the stables saddled."

"But milady you don't ride..."

"I'm going to ride today," said Anastasia sharply. Melanie curtsied and left, her face white with fear and surprise. Anastasia gaped at herself. Why was she doing this? She didn't love Lance, did she? No, she had wanted to claw him to pieces, not save him from whatever. But for some reason she felt like she needed to find him. And then what? Force him to marry her when she still disliked him and wished him dead? She paced, wondering what to do.

Melanie suddenly returned and said, "Your orders are done, milady."

Anastasia hesitated then nodded and said, "Good now get me a satchel. I have some packing to do."

It didn't take us long to get out of the woods and onto some road that was really popular, because there were a lot of merchants with caravans, farmers with wagons and rich people with carriages. I didn't like being out in the open so much, because I was afraid someone might recognize me.

Perceval also didn't like being surrounded by so many people but Conrad seemed to be loving it. He smiled at everyone he made eye contact with and waved at a couple of noblewomen riding on horses.

I nudged him, "Carrie wouldn't have like that, Con."

He blushed and shrugged.

"Let's get off the road," said Perceval. "I know another short route through the woods. I'm not familiar with this place."

I quickly agreed and Conrad reluctantly followed us, as Perceval lead us off on a fork in the road into the forest. We hadn't gone far when a man came running around the bend at full speed, looking very desperate and terrified. He caught sight of us and immediately threw himself on the ground his hands in a praying position.

"Oh, please, young sirs, help me I beg of you!"

"With what?" I asked, backing Ares down as he stepped about nervously at this sudden visitor.

"My village! My daughter! My people!" he began tearing at his hair in a wild manner.

We looked at each un sure what to do.

"Tell us exactly what's wrong," said Conrad.

With tears in his eyes, ones that I think were fake, he began his mournful tale, "For many years my village of five hundred people have been held prisoner by a ferocious monster. He would let no one in or out of a certain region. We were forced to become farmers and feed him anything we could get our hands on. We have lived like this peacefully for ten years. But now the monster wishes that we give him human flesh. We sent our invalid, our old, anything. But he wants more and has finally claimed my daughter as his next meal. She is only a girl, please let her live!"

"How did you get out if you are a prisoner?" asked Perceval, sounding as if he didn't believe a word of the man's story.

"I escaped," he said simply, hardly glancing at him, and keeping a fixed gaze on Conrad and I. "Please, sirs, our whole village would gladly give you anything in return if you would rid us of this monster and save my daughter."

"I don't think that would be such a good idea," said Perceval quietly.

"What ever do you mean?" cried Conrad. "This guy is in trouble we can't just pass by without helping. But you are just a boy, Perceval. You can stay in the village while Lance and I go and see this monster."

The man dried his tears and cried, "Oh, thank-you, tha..."

"Conrad, I really don't think this is a good idea," said Perceval his voice rising as he looked nervously at the man.

I was rather shocked when they both looked at me, and Conrad asked, "What do you think, Pr...Lance?"

I looked at the man looking pleadingly at me, then at Conrad making signs to me to say yes, then at Perceval who wasn't smiling, only looking at me intently. I shrugged and said, "We can take the chances."

Perceval stiffened and quietly followed us as we followed the man who was jumping up and down with excitement. He led us off the path and into the forest, where he chattered continually about his pretty daughter and his wonderful little town. Conrad listened and sometimes commented on things, but I just gazed around me, wondering if the monster was as bad as the man was making him sound. I had no desire to die just yet, and I fingered the hilt of my sword nervously.

"We are almost there, sirs," said the man. "So if the little man wishes to wait here for you, he may do so and I will lead you on."

Perceval jerked his head up from a trance and said, "I'll stay."

Conrad shrugged, "We could have used your skill at the bow, Perceval, but that's ok you are still young."

I don't think Perceval liked that but he didn't say anything as we continued on with out him. The man's steps were slowly as he neared our desination and he looked very worried. He finally pointed to a ridge up ahead and said, "Down there, sirs. The gods bless you in your endeavors."

Conrad smiled encouragingly at him and we urged our horses to the ridge and stopped to see what there was to see.

Down below was an area that was very desolate looking. The ground was charred black and a black rocks were scattered about in what looked like the ruins on a stone building. In the middle of the ruins was a pole and tied to the pole was the young girl. She was deathly pale and her hair hung around her face in dirty mats as she stared wildly at the creature emerging from its cave.

The creature was a dragon looking monster with red stringy fur around his face and a particularly long nose. He was shaped like a lion, but had scales, red wings, and very large hind legs that looked like they could easily jump four yards into the air.

Conrad looked at me and he asked, "Are you ready?"

I shrugged, "Ready as I'll ever be."

Our casual talking had turned the dragon's head in our direction and he blinked his eyes and snarled. Conrad waved and said, "Hey, mister, wanna play?"

I guess the long flame of fire thrown at us meant yes.

I was surprised and pleased when Ares didn't freak out. In fact he seemed to be ready to fight the dragon himself. I was a little worried however when he suddenly charged at the dragon without warning me and I had to use my sword in defense. The sudden charge left me a little baffled as I nearly swung wildly in the smoke that surrounded me.

Luckily Conrad was on the other side and had most of the dragon's attention as he snapped viciously at him. Conrad didn't have a sword and was poking a spear at him, daring him to come closer. I didn't know he even knew how to use the thing or where he got it. His bow had fallen away and one of his arrows was sticking out of the dragon's hind legs.

I began to sneak up from behind, intending to jab my sword into his neck, a place that was soft, but before I could lift my sword, the dragon swung around with lightning speed. I half wondered if he had eyes on the back of his head as I tried desperately to pull Ares back. He was already dancing away; I was impressed. It seemed as though he knew how to handle these creatures.

But he wasn't fast enough, some of the fire burned my arm, at hurt really bad. Ares was also burned, but instead of wincing, he was angry and again charged forth. I wasn't ready and tried to yell at him to stop, but before the dragon could take another breath to turn me to toast, one of Conrad's arrows made him swing around again.

Ares only hesitated to rear and land hard on the dragon's tail. Wow was he smart.

That tail was a very big weak spot because it practically fell off under Ares's sharp heavy hooves. The dragon leapt ten feet into the air with a squeal, (yes it squealed), Ares went flying in the other direction, (the tail had been pulled out from under him) and I went flying somewhere different all together.

I didn't hear any bones crack when I landed, but I felt pain shoot through my arm and I think I blacked out for a second because when I looked around, the dragon was lying on the ground groaning and Conrad was whooping up a storm.

"We did it! We did it! Yahoo!"

I started to struggle to my feet to help actually put an end to the beast when something suddenly landed on my back and I yelled as claws tore into my shoulder flesh and a non human scream blasted out my ear drums. Conrad's eyes popped out and he began to stutter.

Desperate to know what was behind me, I grabbed it with my non burned arm and felt something hot writhing on my back as it continued to claw at me. I jerked it off and when it hit the ground I was shocked to see the man who had led us here!

Only this man was very different. His skin was shredding, revealing green scales beneath, his eyes were blood shot, and his nails long and bloody, with my blood.

He was a demon.

His hands came around my throat and I knew he was going to bite me, kill me and... I tried to push him away, reach for my sword do anything as my neck burned with his touch and I choked out to Conrad, who seemed ready to faint. My mind was going blank and my grip on the demon's head relaxed as my eyes rolled back.

A sudden jerk at my throat made me do a flip in the air and I landed on my back, hard. I just lay there waiting for the monster to kill me. But he never did. I forced an eye open and I saw the creature was lying twisted and dead in heap. A single arrow was seen sticking out of him and I closed my eyes.

Perceval.