Author's note time!
I'd just like to thank everyone who reviewed and answer a few questions:
StoryLover : No, Duchess won't kill Apple, she may not like her but she won't go to such extremes.
AnimePopCircle : Yes! The Swan Theft lives! But when I wrote that chapter I didn't even think about how the original Robin Hood stole the ring. That's actually pretty good.
Saturn's Moon : Neither can I, she's extremely annoying.
Average Everyday Sane Psycho : Thanks, writing the meeting was the most fun part!
Also the rapid fire updating probably won't happen again very soon. I was just sick and off school for the day and went on a typing spree. All of the chapters are planned out (10 chapters in total so far, I might do a sequel based on how this is received) but I write on a 'how tired am I today' kind of schedule but I hope that updates will stay regular. Also I warn that things become very angsty around chapter 5 so be warned!
Reviews are food for Authors!
Sorry for rambling! You may now read...
Chapter 3 - Secrets don't stay that way...
Duchess didn't usually spend so much time in the forest, usually she was practicing for a dance recital in the charmitorium but Apple had it booked for her concert that afternoon. Usually Duchess would feel obliged to comment on Apple's slip-ups or tell her how lank her hair looked today but she was too tired. She'd spent the entire night studying for her Science and Sorcery test while the rest of the school seemed to be partying it up with Briar. She had crammed so many spells and potion combinations into her head she felt like she could explode at any moment. Still she thought she had done pretty well on that test. It wasn't as hard as she had hexpected it to be considering that Mr Rumpelstiltskin had set it.
She plopped herself rather unceremoniously down into the grass and undid her hair. It wasn't often that her hair was loose. But when it was it enjoyed it's freedom and fell down her back in gentle waves. She was just so tired. Her dance instructor had recently told her that she wasn't her star pupil anymore even though Duchess was supposed to be the best dancer in the whole school. Preparations were underway for Legacy Day - she had recently been into the village and had seen a sign up for Legacy Day dress fittings and the Glass Slipper had a sign up front saying 'Your Legacy Day shoes are waiting'- and that strange boy she had encountered in the forest seemingly didn't exist outside of their single encounter. She yawned – a very un-princess-like thing - and lay down on the soft summer grass. The sun was warm on her face and the breeze was soothing. The sunlight dappled through the swaying leaves of the weeping willow and the birds tweeting was rather relaxing. She would lie down for just a moment, nothing more. Soon her breathing evened out and she was fast asleep.
"Hunter! Where are you taking me?" Someone giggled obnoxiously. Their high-pitched voice roused Duchess from her light nap. Duchess's hair was in disarray, covered in grass and spread everywhere around her.
"Don't worry, I know a special place," a deep voice sounded and Duchess groaned, cranky that she was being woken from such a wonderlandiful nap. But suddenly something dawned on her - she knew those voices! She sat straight up and strained to hear the conversation.
"Did you hear something Hunter?" The voice sounded panicky.
"I did, do you think someone's out here?" Duchess scrambled to turn into a swan and flew up into the trees to hide. Just then Hunter appeared on the tree line at the opposite bank of the small stream.
"No-one's here Ash, we're safe," He called backwards into the woods in a relieved voice before going back beyond where Duchess could watch from so she left the tree and flew high up so she could watch them. The two of them set up a picnic and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Ashlynn smiled as Hunter kissed her lightly on the cheek. It was fableous! A royal and a rebel dating, and someone with as high a stature as Ashlynn Ella! She had to take a picture, but she didn't have her mirror pad with her! She felt frustrated but for now all she had was the memory. She circled high and flew back towards the edge of the forest. Landing on a sturdy Oak tree she searched for a branch that was big enough to hold her weight and changed back into a human. She sat and thought, how could she get the kind of proof she needed. She would simply have to spend more time in the forest and hope that the two of them would go there again. If she could convince Blondie to report on it Ashlynn's reputation could be ruined leaving a wonderful spot open on the royal rankings.
"Hey princess. What're you doing in a tree?" A deep voice sounded from directly behind her, startling her into falling face first off her perch and into the leafy plants below. She came up spluttering with dirt smeared on her lovely gauzy skirt and leaves tangled in her hair. Her hair piece had lost one of it's feathers and the pearl chain had split. The fall had caused her to hit her head and everything was a little blurry round the edges. She picked herself up off the ground and - brushing the leaves out of her now loose hair - looked up into the tree from which she had just fallen.
"What is wrong with you?" She was seething! How dare he push her out of a tree. Her skirt was completely ruined and she could have easily broken her neck.
"I didn't mean for you to fall, all I wanted to know was why you were in a tree in the first place, s'not my fault you're so clumsy," Sparrow jumped down with a thud and shoved his hands in his pockets. He didn't have that annoyingly loud guitar with him today.
"You could have killed me. You owe me for pushing me out of a tree! And I was in the tree because I was thinking, this is the second time you've disturbed me without reason."
"First of all, you wouldn't have died, I made sure you fell face first and not head first and second of all I do not owe you anything," Duchess had crossed her arms and furrowed her eyebrows, looking at him with pure contempt. He just smirked and raised an eyebrow. Duchess stomped her foot in frustration, knowing she probably looked like a child throwing a tantrum especially when she pouted and the pearl string fell across her face.
"You do owe me! A life's debt. And just look at what you did to my outfit, it's ruined."
"Fine, what do you want?" She was surprised at him giving in so quickly. She thought of how she could use this to her advantage.
"Okay, I have a plan to knock Apple down a peg or two but I need help. Are you willing?" She held out her right hand for him to shake and planted the other firmly at her hip. He thought about it for a moment.
"Fine, I always thought Apple acted too high and mighty anyway," he held out his hand and they shook on it. Duchess smiled. Step 1 - Complete.