Once Upon a Time

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

After about another ten minutes of walking down the trail, we forked away into the trees so it would be harder for anyone to find us if they were trying.

We were walking blindly into the forest when the trees began to thicken and there were more of them.

"Uh, Raphael?" I asked him, confused. "Are we going the right way? I mean, it seems like we're going deeper into the forest."

He looked at me from where he was leading us in front. "Of course we are." He answered confidently. "I figured that the farther we get into the cover of the trees, the less likely we are to encounter people who would turn us in."

"I think that makes sense." Anna told him, entwining her fingers with his. She then leaned up and pulled him into a deep kiss, stopping him in his tracks.

I pretended to gag, which earned me a smirk from Ann before she went back to kissing.

Jasper sighed as he stood next to me. "That's what they've been doing the whole time you were passed out."

I gave a small laugh. "Then it's a good thing I wasn't awake to see it."

He smiled and laughed. "I wish I could forget it." He said jokingly. He shook his head and walked up to them, tapping Raphael on the shoulder.

"Yes?" Raphael answered, pulling his face away from Anna's.

"If you are going to continue this, can you guys ease move it somewhere else?" Jasper asked, pretending to be annoyed at them. "I would actually like to get somewhere before dark."

Anna sighed and slowly stepped away from her boyfriend. "Fine," She crossed her arms. "I guess we'll have to listen to the Prince, Ralphy." She said jokingly.

I laughed at the nickname, knowing that Raphael wouldn't normally let anyone call him that, but apparently Anna could.

He sighed. "I guess so."

Jasper fell back besides me as we started moving again, giving me a grin telling me that he knew he had won that one.

I gave him a small smile before looking to Anna and Raphael in the front. They were talking quietly and leaning against one another. They were cute together, but at least we were getting somewhere now.

~~~~~

The moon had risen over the tops of the trees when we decided to stop for the night.

Jasper had built us a small campfire in the small hidden clearing we found with wood from a pile that was already here. It had made me worry about this spot, but everyone insisted it was fine. He was now going with Raphael hunting for food, leaving me and us alone. Anna was setting up the deer hide tent near the fire, which left me to cook some food to go with the meat the guys would be bringing back.

I sighed and leaned back, enjoying the heat of the fire as the soup simmered. "You know, it doesn't make any sense. Why am I cooking perfectly good and filling soup to go with meat? We should just eat this." I told Anna, shaking my head.

She came and sat cross-legged next to me, stretching her arms. "Well, they're men. They need meat for every meal." She laughed.

I smiled and gestured towards the soup in the cauldron. "There's meat in the soup though."

She laughed again. "Well, apparently it's not good enough."

I grinned happily. It was like the times in the palace before we left, except we didn't need to watch out for people eavesdropping out here.

Anna suddenly tensed. "Did you hear that?" She asked tightly.

"Um, no, I didn't hear anything." I shrugged it off. "It's probably just an animal or something."

She nodded. "It could be."

We sat staring at the surrounding forest waiting for Raphael and Jasper to come back for about an hour, but there was still no sign of them.

"Where in the world can they be?" Anna asked, still looking into the trees. "The forest can't be that big."

I laughed. "I'm sure it's pretty big."

She shrugged and started drawing in the dirt with a stick. "I don't think it is."

I looked out into the forest and saw Raphael coming back, empty handed. If I wasn't looking enough, I wouldn't have even seen him since it was so dark. He came up behind Anna and put a finger to his lips. I gave him a smile which he quickly returned, his teeth glinting in the light of the moon.

Then I realized, a second too late - it wasn't Raphael.

"Ana, watch -" I couldn't finish my sentence because suddenly I felt a hand cover my mouth. I tried to scream, but couldn't get it past my captor's hand as he dragged me into the forest. I couldn't believe how Anna could be so oblivious to what was happening. Raphael look-alike raised his sword, hitting the side of her head with the hilt of it. I managed to let out a scream and pull the hand off my face before I felt a sharp pain in my neck, sending me flying into oblivion.