The Runaway Princess of Evergreen

Chapter One

I don't remember Father being so belligerent, before. But I don't remember much of him, either. My mother never told me about my father, but I learned that he was the King of all England, and one of the most greedy men I know. I've stayed with him since then, and I'll admit, he's not all bad.
My mother and I were commoners on the left side of Great Britain. We enjoyed being the way we were. When I turned twelve, my mother was killed by a nameless man who still has not seen justice.
I don't know much about my mother's death, since I was at school at the time. But, when they called me out and brought me to the head mistress, she'd told me my mother had committed suicide. My mother was a beautiful, charismatic, positive woman. Whomever was in control of her investigation at that time, had given up simply because we were commoners. Lower level. However when I was under the custody of my father, that's when they found the true suspect.
Funny how we were treated as lowly commoners and scoundrels, despite my father being the King of England. Ha! He was the true scoundrel. He was ashamed-ashamed, can you believe it?-of my mother and me, and the fact that we weren't his usual batch of snobs. He only took me in after my mother died because his brother's son, Hemsworth, had become eligible for marriage. He needed me-needs me-in order to keep his oversized buttocks on the throne.
He attempts to get to know me at times, does what's in my interest, and does make me laugh. He can be very silly at times, especially when he sees that I'm feeling down.
When he's drunk, that's a whole different story. He becomes this crude man, who is obnoxious, and cruel. Since my mother died, he seems to drown himself in his only sorrow, alcohol. Often, he goes out throwing his money around at a round table filled with Dukes, other important people who I never really cared to learned the names of.
One of them, he's stressed to me, he seems to be very fond of. His name is Ronaldo Vain, and he's one of Father's Knights.
He is the father of the son which today, my own Father has introduced me to as my fiancé. Obviously, you can imagine my surprise. I'd only just met him, I had no feelings for him whatsoever, despite an occasional glance-he was quite fetching-but still a stranger nonetheless, and I would not take it.
His father was basically the general for my Father's army, so no doubt I'd never be the breadwinner, let alone able to work.
So, this is why I made my decision, and am currently dashing through the wood. I'll admit, it was a rather rash decision to make, but I'll do it over as many times as I'd like to. I'm not ready to be wed-no matter how fetching the man may be-I simply want my own life.
Father always talked about this money I may be well into from my mother's will, but undoubtedly, that's not what he cared about. What he cared about was my coming of age and marriage. If I'm not married by then, I can not be Queen of England. The throne will go to my Uncle Rovel Leeza Evergreen, his son is just about my age, too.
Well, too bad for him. I plan to be well off onto the country side, where I can live my passion, with or without the title of a Princess, much less a Queen.
I managed to sneak out on a night my father planned a royal dinner over at the Belgium Hall with his subjects. My father's servant, Wicky, let me out through the back doorways.
Wicky was more like my father than the one I was originally given. He always told me stories as a child, and taught me how to use a sword, and occasionally a riffle.
Wicky was an inventor, and often showed me a few things here and there about putting things together. He was very witty and very kind; he always had a way with words.
He's the only person I'm hesitant to leave behind. I'd asked him if he wanted to come with me, but instead, he gave me a small bag of what money he had left, and told me, "Little Rose, for me to be with you will only bring you danger. Besides, who will take care of Valiant if you go?"
Valiant is my white horse. She has a long, silver cascading and silky mane, with a creamy coat. Mother left her to me before she passed, and I've always ridden her since. She was-is-my best friend, I only hate that I couldn't bring her with me. Wicky said that it would be dangerous for both of us.
I'm starting to think that I didn't plan much through into my Escape Plan. I seemed to be wandering in the same direction with no promise of a small town nearby. But, I know one thing on my list is to get back to my old home, where Mum and I lived before Father took me.
I want to gather our things, and live with my Aunt, Eliza, until my coming of age. At least then, she can help me make a far better plan.
I don't even remember the path to my mother's house, now that I think about it. I don't remember where anything is! I was always locked away in the palace, tending to my father's needs, so I rarely see daylight. Unless I'm outside, gardening, which is one of my hobbies.
I don't understand how a person with experience of getting splitters and dirt, could hate being in it so much outside of the palace. I find myself tripping on every rock and fallen log, getting cut by every leaf or thorn, and falling into every hill of ants. If I'd have known the forest would be this cruel, perhaps I would have reconsidered leaving. Perhaps.
As if it couldn't get any worse, the sky began to cry pure tears of rage. My pink, feathery dress-which I rather fancied-was now ruined. Hooray! I'd actually never thought about getting spare clothes, and now, I regret it stupidly.
Perhaps the next time I decide to go on an escapade, I'll spare time for supper, as well, I am starving!
I'm so hungry the berries that hung down from a not-so-young looking branch are appetizing. It's only been thirty minutes since I left, perhaps living there grew me a bit spoiled. A bit. Since of course, the chef and most of the servants adored me, whether or not my Father was fancying me at the moment or bragging over me, they always kept me well fed.
Rolling my tongue around the corners of my lips clockwise, my hand rolling on my belly, I decided it wasn't too bad to stop for a break, right? I let out a devious chuckle and rub my hands together then stretch to reach the berries. I fail without fail.
"Bloody hell!" I curse, which I try not to do, but now that I'm not in a palace, not a princess, I'll do it if I want! "Damn it all, it isn't even that far up." I jump, and jump, and jump higher, but all it does is bounce higher with the slight touch my fingertips make against it.
"Well, fine, then!" I yelled, dusting off spare twigs and leaves from my dress, pausing a moment to crossing my arms, "you weren't that much tasty looking, anyway!" As if to tease me, it bounces once more. "Why, you!" I jump my highest, and to my surprise, I've got it! I grip my hands and pull, but it doesn't come loose. "What in the bloody- helllll!!"
I'm caught in a binding of sorts, hung by a rope that's tied to a rickety branch. My heart dropped as I was lifted further into the air. Then, my heart grew with rage as an army of beards standing around me quake with laughter. I didn't care how they'd gotten there so fast, not how itchy their beards looked, I was more angry that I didn't get those berries! Someone was going to pay.

"Hello!" I yell, "who ever is responsible for this-!!" I was interrupted by the gurgling noise of my own belly. I was very hungry. "Could you. . .spare me some food?" My voice came out sheepishly.
A few men came out from the wood. Many of them were dressed in what looked like thick leather. Leather pants, leather shirts and jackets-how could these guys stand the heat?!
Most of them either had long beards or a shaven head that reflected a lot of light off it-so much it almost stunned my eyes-while others had hair only on the sides of their head.
They were all built up, had guns and swords, even knives. One of them had a long bat with nails that stuck out like worms on its head.
"Well, hello, gentlemen!" I smile, trying desperately not to look down, "A little help here, if you don't mind. I happen to find myself a little. . .tied up at the moment." I heard a grumbling noise echoed with a chuckle. Even if I knew these guys weren't exactly the nice kind, I had to think smart. "Well? Isn't anyone going to help me?"
I think, roughly estimating, the tallest of the bunch, and the most muscular of them all, with the most cuts, and the most bruises, comes my way. Sheepishly, I attempted to smile and curtsy as good as I could up in the air. "Well, finally," I said coquettishly, "A true gentleman."
He climbed the tree-more like a gorilla than a monkey-and grabbed at his dagger. "Oh, my. What a nice dagger that is." After he cut me down, there was silence aside from my own crying in pain. As I stood up and dusted myself off, again, they simply watched.
If something was gonna happen, if someone was going to come to my rescue, it was now. Any second? Perhaps, any minute? Please? Seriously, is no one coming?
I rocked on my heel to my toe and rubbed my hands together, "Well. . .that was awfully nice of you, but I should be on my way!" I smiled and began marching in one direction, not even sure where that was leading-but I didn't want them to know that. Before I was more than a meter from them, I felt one of their hands snatching the back of my dress, and yanking me down. They were all barking with laughter now, as I laid on the ground. A few of them tied me up, a few watched, others had the ugliest smirks and grins. Perverts! To be untied, only to be reunited with the date yet again?! Cruel!
"This is q-quite rude!" I stammered, "I demand you release me at once." Of course, they were not going to be compliant. So, about sun down, I found myself tied to a tree. Apparently I'd fallen right into their camping grounds, and now I was staying for dinner. Which I didn't mind too much. Anything was better than being the dinner.
"Princess, eh?" said one of the men. Honestly, they all looked the same. "Well, you know how much money that would be, boys?" They hollered, the floor quaked with their laughter. One of the men, the one who'd cut me down, came up to me and folded his arms, "What's a pretty little princess doing out here?"
I bowed my head lightly and wore a cunning smile,"Thank you for the compliment, but I am not little, nor am I little-'Princess' was it? I hate the name-but I, good, kind sir, am on my way home. So if you kindly release me, I would very much appreciate it."
"What's your hurry?" cackled a short man with red curly hair and a long beard, "Why don't you stay and have a little fun, lass?" A few of the guys in the crowd groaned and growled in agreement. I wondered, more like I bet, that most of these men didn't even pass the third class grade since "Urggga" and "Mmmmgrr" seemed to be their response for most of everything.
"I'd rather not, but I've been told that I am good company to have, in the right company." They stared dumbfounded, I rolled my eyes and smiled, "If you'd at least give me something to eat, I'd be more than happy to."
The one who cut me down, whom I've decided to call Dagger-mostly because that's the one thing I want take away from him when I get out of here (it's actually quite nice looking)-sat up and glared, "That's not usually how this works, Girly."
"I wouldn't tell anyone. But, in that case, I really must be-" there was a slight movement in the back followed by a yelp. The crowd around me parted in the middle. Two people-one dragging a body-came through.
The man who was being dragged seemed to be more slim than the rest of the guys here. He also didn't have a receding hair line, and had no beard or mustache-which I like-and hazel blueish-green eyes with yellow shards at the bottom or his iris I could just barely notice with his head turned back. His eyes were just barely open, it looked as if they had been beaten shut.
He had chiseled features, and a slightly pointed nose. His jawline was in perfect reflection to his check bones-was it possible for a man so beautiful to exist?
He wore a black torn up jacket over a blue button-up shirt and brown pants. His hair was light brown with blonde streaks, all done up with a brown bandana. It sprung above his head like flames of a fire. His lips-about my favorite detail aside from his eyes-was absolutely breathtaking. Every curve was flawless.
Too bad I had to watch him get punched and kicked around until he fell to the ground, unable to strand or even push himself up. I shuddered at every blow, I wanted to call out his name, but I didn't know it. "Stop it!" I yelled to Dagger, "What has he even done to you!? Let him go! I demand you!" All I remember after this, was a clenched up, monstrous fist flying toward me. After that was pure darkness. . .