Narelle ran through the dark forest, listening for giveaway sounds to an enemy’s hiding place. Her satin slippers were wet from the heavy dew. Suddenly footsteps sounded behind her. Narelle didn’t even turn to see who it was. She gathered her green cloak around her and fled, once again. Her follower’s footsteps grew louder and faster, and Narelle ran as hard as she could. Seeing a row of trees, she ducked behind it and watched as her pursuer kept running. When it was out of sight, she climbed up one of the trees and waited there, as quiet as her heavy breathing would allow. Just when she had quieted her breath down, whatever was chasing her came back. She heard it walking around and decided it best to stay where she was and not try to run again. She almost fell out of the tree when she heard another someone come up behind the first and converse with it in low voices in a strange tongue Narelle had never heard in Meirion before.
After a few minutes, the figures ran off in separate directions. Narelle, unsure of leaving, decided to wait until sunrise to get out of the tree and head to the capital city of Delyth in Meirion.








*********
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Narelle’s cousin, Lisette, was having the same problem, but she had been cornered. Lisette was just thankful that Narelle had gotten past the men she’d been trapped by. Lisette knew she could count on Narelle to do what was necessary to get to the capital.
So now here was Lisette, stuck between two of the enemy and terrified for her own life. There was a large tree with one of the men’s horses tied to it, and Lisette decided to make a run for it. Keeping an eye on the two men, she pulled out her small sword and in about four quick motions, cut the horse’s ropes, leapt onto its back, threw her sword at one of her stalkers, and galloped off into the black night.
By the time she reached the part of the wood where her cousin was, it was beginning to glimmer daylight. So at about this same time, Narelle climbed down from the tree and listened. First she heard nothing, and then the ground trembled slightly and she began to hear hoof beats. Narelle had no time to run, so she just pulled out her bow and arrow and notched an arrow to the string. In the next ten seconds, a horse came into view and she recognized the rider as her cousin and lowered her weapon. Lisette waved hello and pulled the horse to a stop, giving Narelle a chance to mount the horse. Together they galloped off towards the capital.