“You need to listen to me Morgana! This forest is filled with bandits that will kill you as soon as they see you.”
“Well the way you were taking us would have put three more days in our route. This was we cut off half of that if not more. It is more sensible to go this way.” She says with a smirk. “Besides that can’t you rescue me from these thugs or are you too scared?”
“I am not scared, I am trying to save your life. Two men and a woman against probably ten men? I don’t like those odds.” I say angrily trying not to raise my voice. “You will be useless any way so it’s two men against ten. I told your father we would get you to Delphia safe and sound. This is not safe and sound!”
  “I beg your pardon! I have just as much training in the sword as you, if not more. So you would be the one who would be captured quickly.” She retorts raising her voice even more.
“Oh, would you both just shut up.” De Shaun says in an elevated whisper. “With you two bickering we are bound to get caught.”
“You need to tell your servant to mind his own business and just make sure our stuff doesn’t get ruined.” said Morgana totally ignoring De Shaun.
“He is not just a servant, he is my best friend and you will not speak about him that way.” I say ready to leave her here.
She turned around on her horse looking me straight in the eye “He may be your best friend but….”  She cuts off, her eyes huge and starts to grab her sword.
“Keep your pretty little hands where I can see them” says a voice coming from behind me “One wrong move and one of my men will put an arrow in you.”
I turn to see a hooded figure in the tree behind me, crouching with an arrow pointed at me.
“Get down off your horses slow and put your weapons on the ground”
I do as the man says hoping to protect Morgana more than myself, but she has other plans.
“I will not be ordered around by a thug like you!” Morgana says staying where she is on her horse and folding her arms.
“Morgana, please, just do as he says.” I whisper putting my sword on the ground.
She doesn’t listen, she continues to taunt him by saying “I bet there aren’t even any other men around here. You are just bluffing.”
The figure jumps from the branch laughing lightly, he raises his fingers to his lips and does a shrill, sharp whistle. Not even ten seconds after ten to fifteen other men walk out some having bows and some swords, one even had a mace, swinging it lazily.
“You were saying?” The figure almost whispers but you can still hear the smirk in his voice. At least I think it is a him.
“Ok, you have made your point. Now please, take whatever you wish and leave us be.” I say trying to talk him out of this.
“You think you are so funny. Why would I take these trinkets when I could get my ransom in gold for you?” He replies shrugging his shoulders.
“Because if you let us go peacefully I will make sure you get twice what your ransom is Alex.” I say slyfully hoping to make him squirm.
“Wait,” says Morgana coming up to stand next to me, “Alex as in Alex Bowfire? The most wanted man in both of our kingdoms?”
“That would be true,” says Alex taking off his hood. “If was I was a man.”
Even though I was taught manners since I was a baby, this does not help when my mouth slowly opens. I am sure I am looking at the most beautiful girl in Auronte, maybe even in both Auronte and Delphia.
“Better close your mouth or I might think you are offering your tongue for proof of life” She says turning on her heels. “Tie ‘em up, blindfold ‘em and get their stuff, we’re bringing them back to camp, I’m getting a tad hungry.” She shouts walking off.

She is a maniac! I think as one man grabs my arms, tying them behind my back, while another puts a blindfold on me.
“My father is going to send an army for me, I hope you know that!” I shout trying to scare her. I hear laughing all around me.
“If they can find our camp then they have to right to capture us.” says a new voice, deep like the rumbling of thunder.
“They will find you and they will kill you.” I say, so angry I can feel the heat coming off me.
“Will someone please put rope in her mouth or something? I am getting tired of the whining.” Alex says sounding a far off.
“Morgana, I think for right now you need to keep your mouth shut. We are in enough trouble because of you as it is.” Michael whispers angrily into my ear.
“What did I do?” I say taunting him.
“We both know that if you hadn’t pushed us in here we would be safe and sound on the main road!”
“For the sake of my sanity,” Alex says sounding almost strained, “shut up. We heard you all the way from the river. That is half a league from here.”
“Actually I heard them.” says the deep voice again, “You were snuggled up in your warm bed sleeping.”
“Well like I said Marcus, today was our day off, but who could miss capturing the heir to the Auronte and his not so bright companions?”
“Umm, excuse me but are talking to the heir of the throne of Delphia” I say agitated.
“Ohhhh, well that makes so much of a difference.” says Alex with slicing sarcasm, “Make that a royal not so bright companion. Because anyone who ventures into the Forest of the Lost must be an idiot.”
I grow lowly.
“Right, excuse me, a royal idiot.” Alex says laughing.
I decide to keep my mouth shut for once. Just this once.

We are descending down an incline when I feel hands grab my arm guiding me. “Careful, it gets rocky here.” says a deep voice, Marcus I think his name was.
“Thank you, I guess.”
“Wouldn’t want our valuables to get broken now would we?” he says with good humor in his voice.
“I don’t think the king is particularly worried about me, seeing as I am just a servant.” I say.
“Even servants play a big role in the fabrications of a kingdom. How else would the royals get dressed?” He says laughing heartily.
I can’t help but laugh along with him, knowing it is partly true. I slide my feet along the ground avoiding the big rocks when I can. I miss one big one and start to fall but I feel strong, small hands grab me and haul me up.
“Take care now, we don’t have anyone who can mend a broken bone.” mentions Alex.
“I am being careful, but with these blindfolds it’s hard to get around.” I mutter.
“Well then let’s take care of that.”
I feel hands untying the cloth and bring it from my eyes, I blink at the sudden on burst of sunlight. We have arrived in what looks like a cave, it has walls but no ceiling and has trees and grass everywhere. I hear the distant sound of rushing water, I turn to see a waterfall crashing into a small lake.
“Welcome to our humble abode.” Alex says bowing in front of some open, makeshift, wooden shacks. “Ok boys let’s make our guests as comfy as if they were in the palace. Thomas you start some food, I am sure they have something in their packs that will do for now. Charles, you get to horses unpacked, cleaned up, fed and watered. I will make sure our guests aren’t going anywhere.” She walks over to us, taking us over to one of the small shacks and sets us down on the cot.
“Are you going to untie us?” I ask.
“Now why on earth would I do that? You all look so comfy.” she says smugly.
Morgana finally speaks up “Please, will you untie me. I would like to get a bath or something, get all this grime off of me.”
“As you wish your highness.” Alex gets up and unties her, “I will accompany you. Seeing as today was supposed to be my day off I think I earned a nice bath. Plus I need to make sure you don’t run away to Daddy.”
They begin to walk away in the direction of the lake.
“Alright,” I lean in to whisper to Michael, “how are we getting out of here?”
“I don’t think we are going to get out too soon.” He says grimly. “She has fifteen men working for her. They all look skilled in what weapon they handle. We wouldn’t make it out alive.”
“Oh come on, you have been in tougher situations than this. Remember when we were in Delphia the first time? No one knew who you were so when you asked to see the king he threw you into the dungeon; you got out that night went to his room and explained to him who you were while holding a knife to his throat.”
“Yes, that did happen, but if you remember correctly, I got thrown back in until my father sent word asking where I was.”
“Riiiight, I forgot about that.”
“Yeah, so as of right now, we sit and we wait. See what weaknesses they have and exploit them.”
“Fine but you have to explain that to Morgana.” I say, half smiling.

After we get to their camp I am able to get a better look at Alex. She isn’t tall maybe five feet five inches, medium hair that is as black as a ravens feather, and her eyes, they are an icy blue with dark blue and violet flecks here and there. The only thing not perfect about her is what looks like a burn scar across her left eye. I don’t understand how she got to be here like this. Well, I probably never know.
“Aye,” shouts one of her men, Thomas maybe, I don’t know, “How much food do you want your majesty?”
“Like he gets a choice.” mutters the one guarding us. “We get first picks we did all the hard work.”
“I don’t want anything made by your filthy hands.” I say trying not to sound like a spoiled princess, “I would rather starve than get worms.”
“We don’t have worms.” puts in Marcus, “Fleas on the other hand? Maybe.”
“Don’t scare our captives.”  Alex comments, walking up, hair damp from the lake.
“Fleas don’t scare me.” I retort.
“I am sure nothing scares you, your majesty.” She says rolling her eyes.
“Even though you are a bandit, I am still your prince, so you must talk to me like one.” I say trying to figure out if I can get under her skin.
“I don’t have to do anything.” She continues eating without flinching, “Last time I checked I’m the one eating some nice ham and you are the one tied up like a horse.”
“Leave him alone Alex, he might send Daddy to beat you.” says a new one with dark skin and long thin braids.
“Duke, we both know that his father would send an army before risking his own life in this forest.”
“That is not true!” I shout, “He would be the first one down here with the army behind him.”
“I am sure there would be an army behind him, but half of it would be caring him.” She says laughing, “You should quit now, you aren’t going to win this. I can keep going all day on the king.”
“What has my father done to you?” I ask.
“He has done plenty, but not just to me. Have you even went outside your warm castle and just visited some of the outlying villages? It is horrible, death everywhere, homeless sleeping in ditches. The nobles do nothing to help, the church tries but ends up getting back in line so they don’t suffer for it.” She says getting up, a look coming into her beautiful face, a look of pure hatred. “Babies starving because their mothers have no milk. Houses being burnt down because someone forgets to pay their taxes. If the king is so noble, he would have done something to help by now.” She says with such venom that it scares me. This girl, dangerous but beautiful, must have gone through so much to have so much hate in her. I think as wriggle one of my knives from my back pocket. I start trying to cut my bonds.
Slowly but surely I cut my bonds and sit there like nothing has happened. I watch as Alex crosses the campsite talking to a few of her men. Hopefully, she will come closer so I can put this knife to her throat. She isn’t big so I don’t think she can fend me off by herself. She starts walking over with what look like some plates of food in her hand. It is perfect, she doesn’t have any weapons and since it looks like we are tied she won’t suspect a thing. I jump up and grab her when she gets a few feet from me.
“Everyone, stop what they are doing now. You over there,” I say swinging my head to the nearest bandit, “Untie my friends all nice now. One wrong move and I will cut her throat.”
“Do you really think you have me?” She asks with an unexpected confidence in her voice.

I gently move my hands to where I know I can throw Michael over my shoulder. In an instant he is on the ground with me on top of him.
“You do something like that again and you choose which one of you little friends,” I say tossing my head in the direction of his companions, “I kill first.” I take the knife from his hands and tie him back up.
“Who didn’t check for any hidden weapons?” I ask angrily.
“Me.” speaks up Tyler, one of the newer members of our band.
“Well next time make sure they have nothing that is a weapon or can be used as a weapon on their person. Got it?”
“Got it.” He says sheepishly.
“Now!” I shout.
“O-ok.” He mutters, rushing off.
I spend the rest of the day watching them close, before I know it the sun is beginning to set and I am getting chilly.
“Someone get them a couple blankets, I am going to bed.” I say and instantly hear people moving. I turn to face to inside of my “home”, which is just a shack. I try to sleep but it evades me, I can’t get him out of my head. Where he touched me, it still tingles. Even though he had a knife to my throat, threatening to kill me, his grip wasn’t tight. I can’t decide if he underestimated me, was scared of me, or wasn’t going to seriously hurt me. I get up trying to get these thoughts out of my head. I walk, silently, down the main line of our camp and look around. Everyone seems to be asleep, but then I hear whispered voices coming from where Michael and his companions are, I decide to stop and listen.

“Well, your little escapade went well.” I whisper, hoping no one in the camp is awake, “It didn’t even look like you were holding her that good.”
“I was holding her well enough, Morgana. I hate to say this but a woman got the better of me.” says Michael with a sigh.
“You just weren’t ready for how strong she was.” whispers De Shaun, trying to encourage him, “Good trying though.”
“No, it wasn’t good, if it was good we would’ve gotten out of here already.” I say, “You should know to never underestimate anyone, even a woman, which is one of the first rules when you learn how to fight.”
“Well, at least I tried something. All I’ve seen you do since we have been captured is take a bath, and flirt with our guards.”
“I have learned a lot,” I whisper, “or don’t you want to know?”
“What could you have learned that could help us escape?” He asks with mock in his voice.
“For one, the guard what is his name? That’s right Marcus, he is a spy for the king. He said not to worry he has already sent word to our fathers, we will be rescued shortly.” I whisper in a matter of fact voice.
“Really?” asks De Shaun.
“Yes, he told me it would probably take about four or five days at most.”
“Well if he has been here so long, why hasn’t he just grabbed her in the middle of the night and taken her to the castle?” Michael asks sounding annoyed.
“He said he tried once, but she is a light sleeper and woke up.” I explain, “He told her he was just checking because she was yelling in her sleep.”
“Well he needs to untie us and let us just grab her and go.” he says in an elevated whisper.
“Says the one who couldn’t hold her for more than five minutes.” I say.
“You need to learn to shut your mouth.” says De Shaun with a confidence not fit for a servant, even if he is handsome.
“Do not talk to me that way!”
“He can talk to you any way he likes, he has my permission.” puts in Michael fatly.
“Let’s just focus on our escape now, ok?” I say trying to keep on track.

Morgana falls to sleep shortly after our argument, leaving me and Michael to ourselves.
“So, do you have any plan to get us out?” I ask.
“Even though I hate to admit it, Morgana has a point about the spy. I think we should just sit and wait, my father won’t be long.” he answers steely.
“When we get back are you sure you want to go through with the wedding?” 
“How can you ask me that, you know it is for the good of the kingdom, so I will do it.”
“But I see the way you look at Alex, you never look at Morgana that way and she doesn’t have us tied down.” I observe.
“I only look at her to get a feel for how she lives, to learn her weaknesses. What is your excuse for looking at Morgana the exact same way?” He asks countering me.
It’s true, she is gorgeous with caramel colored hair and forest green eyes. She might treat me like horse manure but I think there is still something there. I answer only with “You can’t prove anything.”
“You know you can never be together. She is a princess, you are the son of a disgraced lord. Maybe, if your parents hadn’t betrayed mine, you could be together but I doubt it.” He says with pitying look in his eyes.
“Don’t remind me, I have been trying to repay their debt since I was eleven and you were twelve. But I can’t change the past, so maybe I can effect what the fates hold for me in the future.” I say trying to hold back my annoyance.
“Well with my father the way he is, you may not ever get to repay it. But on the brightside we are companions for life.” He says trying to make me smile.
“True, if one of us doesn’t die first.” I say lightly laughing.
“The only thing that could get us killed is Morgana’s smart mouth.”
“I wouldn’t say that if I were you, she might send Daddy after you.” I remark.
“Well for now she is asleep, as we should be. Good night De Shaun.” He says turning away.
“Good night, Michael.” I reply, slowly drifting to sleep.

I wake up sometime later to sunlight streaming in my eyes. I want to wash the tiredness from my face but being tied up doesn’t allow that. From the corner of my eye I see Alex practicing her bow. I watch as she gracefully brings the arrow to her chin, breathes, and releases it to hit the center of the knot in a tree.
“You shoot very well.” I say hoping to strike conversation, “Where did you learn?”
“I had learned a little bit from my father before he died.” she replys not even glancing my way, “The rest I had to teach myself.”
“Would you mind unbinding me and taking me to wash my hands and face?” I ask as kindly as possible. She walks over, helps me up untying my hands. “What happened to your parents?” I ask, as we begin walking, generally curious.
“Your father happen.” she replies not looking at me.
“What did he do?” I ask confused.
“When I was fourteen my father, a knight, deserted a battle to warn some villagers to get out. It was my village, my mom and I were there. I remember I was practicing shooting to show him how good I was getting. He came from the road, yelling into houses ‘Get out now, the war is coming!’. He came to our house picked me up and went to get my mom. She was pregnant at the time and was about to have my little brother I like to think.” she stops for a second, thinking, then continues, “The army never reached our village. Your father said mine was a deserter and deserved to be punished. He trapped my father and my mom in the house. I was watching from the forest behind our house. I watched as they set my house aflame. They went back to the castle in a hurry. I rushed into the house trying to save my parents, one of my neighbors had to drag me out. In less than ten minutes, I lost my father, my mother, and my brother.” She stops and waves a hand to the lake, “Go ahead.”
I walk over and wash my face, letting the cold water wake me up fully. “I’m sorry, I never knew that happened.” I say sincerely, getting up.
           “Well, it can’t be fixed.” she sighs with a painful look in her eye. I look at her, and all of a sudden I get this urge. I cup my hands around her face and just kiss her.

I almost jump when he lifts his soft lips to mine. I pull away and look at him, he is handsome, brown shaggy hair, deep brown eyes, his face is finely chiseled, his teeth white as pearls. I quickly turn and walk away, trying to get him out of my head. I feel a hand grab my arm.
“I’m sorry,” he mutters, “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I don’t, why?” I ask turning to him.
“I just, you were there, and I just. I don’t know.”
“I umm I do feel something for you, I don’t know what.” I sigh, “But you are my captive, and you are also a prince. I am the most wanted person in both kingdoms. This can’t happen.” I say turning and walking away. I walk faster and faster until I am running, I run, trying to get away from what I feel. Because I know this can’t and won’t ever happen. I run until I can’t breathe, I stop, realizing I am in the middle of the forest with no weapon, no nothing. It starts to rain. You’ll be fine, I think, you know every inch of this forest. Just find your way back. I turn around and start walking. I quickly find my way back, everyone looks up at me as I walk in to camp.
“Stop goggling.” I command, “Don’t you have better things to do?”
“Well when Michael came back, untied, without you. We, well, we got worried.” replies Marcus.
“I’m sorry, I needed to think, and I knew he wouldn’t go back to the castle without Morgana. Where are they?” I ask.
“Behind Thomas’ shack.”
I walk back there intending to confront Michael, but I lose my gut and just walk back to my bedroll. I lay down and quickly fell asleep.

I wake up right as Michael is leaving. I hate being tied down, I like to run and ride horseback, not be tied to some servant, even if he is a little cute. With loose blonde curls, ebony eyes, and an easy going smile, I bet every girl in their castle is falling for him.
“How did you sleep?” he asks.
“Very well actually.” I reply, “What about you?”
“As well as anyone tied up can, I guess.” He answers shrugging.
“How did you become a servant?” I ask, “You don’t look or act like one.”
“My father was a lord and sold secrets of the kingdom to the highest bidder. I am trying to repay what he did.” He says looking away.
“Oh.” is all I can say.
“Don’t look at me with pity, I enjoy it.” he remarks almost resentful, “Michael is better than most princes. We spent a lot of time together as kids. I was going to be sold as a slave but he said he wanted me to work for him. He saved me.”
“He is kinder than most, I suppose.” I reply, “But I wouldn’t want to work for him, and I am marrying him.”
  “He really is nice once you get to know him.”
“Well to me, he is stuck up. I am only doing this because I am an only child and my father needs it.”
“I guess everyone does things for their family at some time in their life.”
“Yes, some more than others.”
“I guess.” He replies.
“When do you think we will get out?” I ask wanting to get out of here as fast as possible.
“Whenever your spy friend gets us out, I assume.” He answers moving slightly, “I think I can get out of these ties, one second.” he wriggles a little bit and I see his hands come free.
I turn “Here get me untied.”
“OK, almost have it, there.” He mutters as I feel my hands coming free.
“Good now let’s go find Michael and get out of here.” I say getting up, “Stay down and stay quiet ok, please?”
“I will and thank you for asking me and not giving me an order.”
“I guess I had better get used to having you around, since I am marrying your lord.”
“Just know I am not an enemy, I am a friend.” He whispers moving away from the tents. I follow him, crawling away. I turn to make sure no one is following us and see a figure coming from the lake. It must be Alex and Michael returning I think. But as the figure comes into view I see it is just Michael.
“Look,” I indicate turning to De Shaun, “It’s just Michael.”
“Where’s Alex?” He asks no one really.
“I don’t know and I don’t care,” I say, “let’s just get him and go.”
“Hey! Someone grab them!” someone yells off to the left.
“Run!” De Shaun whispers urgently to me. I get up and run as fast as I can but soon I feel something wrap around my feet and I fall hitting my head on a rock and everything goes black.

I can’t believe I kissed her. I must be insane, we can’t be together. I mean I have to marry Morgana, this is crazy you just met her. But she is amazing, I mean have you seen the way she handles the bow and those eyes. No, stop it, I tell myself, you can’t do this. I need to walk but I can’t. I need to do some sword work but I can’t do that either.
“Are you ok?” whispers Morgana, “What happened at the lake?”
“I-i I kissed her.” I mummer.
“You what?!” She nearly shouts, “We are about to get married, and you have already cheated on me?”
“I don’t know what happened, I just, we were talking and I looked at her and I kissed her.”
“And then you just walk back instead of trying to get someone to rescue us?” she sighs. “I’m marrying an idiot.”
“Speak for yourself.” I say back tartly, “Look we both don’t want to do this but it is for our kingdoms. Ok? So let’s forget about who we like or love and just focus on our duty.”
“Alright, but just so you know, I think De Shaun might have feeling for me.” She replies looking sheepish.
“Oh, is that right?” I say contemplating the possibilities, “What makes you think that?”
“The way he looks at me.” She explains.
“You look at him the exact same way.”
“I do not.” she replies shrilly.
“Yes you do, I see it. Your face turns red every time he looks your way and I catch you glancing at him from time to time.”
“I-i, we can’t be together anyway, what happened to doing your duty.”
“Well sometimes your duty is wrong. It may be right for the kingdom but is it right for our hearts?” I ask her.
“I don’t know, and even if we feel something for each other how can we act on it?” she sighs, “It would be impossible and you know it.”
“Not if we join Alex.”
“What?” she says faltering.
“Join Alex.” I reply smoothly, “What she does isn’t really bad, she rarely hurts people and she just takes the money to help those less fortunate. In fact, it is a worthy cause and I would be proud to join her.”
“I would be too but her men are brutish, I don’t know if I would feel safe around them.”
“You have been around them for nearly three days now, they haven’t done anything to you have they?”
“No, I just….” she says trailing off.
“Ok then, it’s settled. Alex!”

I hear what sounds like the prince calling my name.
“What?”
“We have a proposition.” He explains with this curious look in his eye, “We want to join you and your fellows.”
I laugh, “What would make you want to do that?”
“What you said about my father has risen questions about his actions in me. I am also getting tired of being pushed around, I don’t want to marry Morgana and she doesn’t want to marry me.”
I stop to consider the prospects. We could get a lot more money, and him on our side in the palace. It could work.
“How do I know this isn’t just a ploy to get us captured?” I ask.
“I walked back after the lake, and you don’t see any armed guards around do you?” He counters.
“True, but you had to come back to get Morgana. You must know the punishment, even for our small gang, in betraying us is death.”
“Alright, we accept.”
“Ok then.” I say walking up to a fallen tree and leaping carefully onto it, “AYE! Listen up, we have three new members for our gang, Michael, De Shaun and Morgana.” I hear angry murmuring from all around.
“But they are royalty, how do we know they won’t just high tail it and run as soon as they get the chance?” shouts one of my men from the back.
“I have placed my trust in them and they know the punishments, I’m sure you will learn to get along.”
About three months have passed since we accepted the prince into our group. Things are going well and everyone seems to get along. Morgana and De Shaun seem to have an interest in each other but neither act on it. I wonder if they will end up together. We are coming back from a rather good job, Michael pretended to be hurt as a lord came down the road. The lord overjoyed to see the prodigal son return, generously helped him. That is when we struck. We got about ten pounds of gold and some silk clothes.
“Hey guys,” I shout as we are walking into camp, “good job out there. Nice acting Michael, let’s have a good cheer for us, I think we deserve it.”
Shouts rise up low and first but then gain confidence and soon everyone is in a circle, slapping each other on the shoulder. But in the distance above the roar of our small troupe, I faintly hear horses, lots of horses.
“Shush guys, kill the fires and get your weapons, we’re under attack.” I shout as the first riders come into view. I rush to grab my bow and start firing at everything that I don’t recognize. I shoot seeing that we are fighting hard but being overtaken fast. I watch as one by one my men are taken down. I shoot my last arrow into the head of a soldier, running as fast as I can towards freedom.
Who could have done this? I think as I navigate, Michael or Morgana have been here for three months, why now? Think who wasn’t there in the crowd? Marcus. Bloody hell, why didn’t you see it before, the late nights, the sneaking around, idiot. I trip over a tree root and fall to the ground with a thud. I listen, hoping no one saw me leave and followed, I don’t hear anything. I quickly scramble to get up, I walk north following the map in my head to a village I know will give me refuge. Then I hear a snap of a branch and everything fades into nothingness.

I am tired and my injured arm throbs as we ride back to the palace on horseback. So close to freedom is all I can think. I look ahead and see Morgana, she is kind of slumped over like she is defeated. Maybe if we could’ve stayed with Alexa and her band, we could’ve been together.
I look at the rope around my wrists, feel how they scratch my skin, they must think I am a traitor like my father. But Michael knows it isn’t true. Morgana know, won’t they vouch for me? Soon I see the castle coming into view. I start to panic inside. I don’t want to die, I’m too young. I look over at Alex and some of her men, heads down, Alex has a head injury. She hasn’t moved since Marcus caught her and brought her back. I hope she isn’t dead.

I can’t believe it’s over so fast. We were free, we were happy. Then disaster. I should’ve have killed the spy, I knew it was Marcus but I never thought about it. Now Alex is going to pay, she is going to die. I can’t lose her, I just can’t. I start devising a plan to make it were the punishment won’t be death. You know your father better than anyone, she is going to die, and it will be your fault. De Shaun is going to die too. You are just messing up aren’t you. Now you are going to have to marry Morgana.
We ride up and pass through the gate at the castle and go into the courtyard. There is a throng, yelling out happiness that I am back, but I don’t hear them. It’s just a roar in my ears as I walk into the grand hall and see my father sitting there. He gets up comes over and gives me a hug.
“Oh, my son!” He says sounding teary and overjoyed at the same time, “I thought you were dead! How much did those tyrants harm you? We waited for a ransom but none came, then we heard stories of someone looking like the prince fighting with them.  I knew it couldn’t be true, my son would never betray the kingdom like that.”
I stand there looking at him. He looks older than almost four months ago, his hair has grayed some more and some new wrinkles have appeared under his eyes. “We did become a part of their troupe.” I hear myself explaining, “They weren’t doing any harm really. They were giving the money they stole back to the people. No one hurt us either, we are fine. But I have something to ask you-”
“Tsk, tsk now you must be tired after that ordeal please go to your room freshen up and you can eat some decent food.” He orders, hurrying me through the small servant’s passage. “We can talk after dinner how is that?”
I leave without arguing, knowing it would do no good.

I can’t believe it is over I think as I bathe in my room at the castle. I was actually enjoying myself, Alex and I had become such good friends, and I think given a little more time something might have happened between me and De Shaun. I am such an idiot for not doing something about the spy. Now I will have to marry Michael. I can’t do that, I mean I know Alex had feelings for him and him for her. I would ruin our friendship. Talk about ruining your friendship now, she is going to die in the morning. The king made the announcement almost straight after we got back. At sunrise she is going to be hung. Her, her men, and De Shaun. I can’t bear it any longer, I quickly dress and rush down the hall to find Michael. There must be something we can do.

I wake with a splitting headache and feel rusty chains on my wrists. I look over and see De Shaun, Thomas, and Charles in the same condition. “What happened?” I ask De Shaun.
“When the soldiers attacked they killed everyone but us,” He explains slowly, “I thought you were dead when Marcus brought you back.”
“So it was Marcus.”
“Yes, it was. We were tied to horses and taken to the castle, we are in the dungeon now.” He finishes with a sullen look on his face.
“Why are you here?” I ask, “If they don’t think Michael and Morgana did anything with us, why would they think you did?”
“Because my parents are traitors, so they assume I am also.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We are sentenced to be hung at daybreak.” He says quietly.
I take a deep breath, I turn away thinking. If Michael could’ve saved us he would have by now. I look up into the small window to see stars in the black blanket of the sky. I wonder what heaven is like. I fall asleep going thinking of my father and mother knowing I will meet them soon.

“But father,” I say trying not to shout, “you can’t kill her, she has done nothing wrong. I know because I have helped her.”
“And I forgive you for helping a traitor, but she must die.” he says grabbing my shoulder, “If we don’t kill her how many other criminals will think they can get away with this kind of treason.”
“Then please, don’t kill De Shaun, please, he is my best friend.” I plead.
“He is a traitor just like his father,” He talks while walking to the throne, “and like his father he must die.”
“Father please give me something.” I ask feeling very defeated.
“I am though aren’t I?” He asks then continues, “I am giving you Morgana. Then when I die, I am giving you a kingdom. What more can you ask for?”
“I ask for my loves life.”
“Your love?” He turns laughing, “You just ‘love’ the thought of defying me. Now you will marry Morgana and you will stop about this Alex!” He shouts storming out of the throne room.
I fall to my knees sobbing.

Morning comes too soon when I am awakened by a guard telling me to prepare myself for death. I get up and look out the window at the sky. I remember and treasure the times I had with Michael and my men. I walk defeated to the courtyard and see the gallows looming high. I turn and get one last glance of Michael high up on the balcony where he should be. I silently wish him a good life as the rope is tightened around my neck. I hear the drums stop, feel the trap door fall, and smell the roses for the last time.