Fairytale Fate: The Legend Begins

♚ C H A P T E R • S I X ♚

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"It's still magic, even if you know how it's done." - Terry Pratchett
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The sun rose over the dense forest the next morning. Birds remained scarce in the orange sky, keeping to their nests and tending to their young.

Aura and Carolyn could hear the camp stirring as they woke from the small amount of sleep they managed to get.

Carolyn jolted up when she saw Bailey's empty mat. The flap of the tent was slightly parted, allowing a single blade of sunlight to shine through. At the foot of her mat, a pair of brown, lace-up boots were placed haphazardly on the floor. Beside them laid a small scrap of paper with a nimbly written "R" signed on it in cursive.

Aura slowly sat up and tried her best to fix her tangled mop of hair after letting out the biggest yawn her sister had ever heard.

Together the twins cautiously exited the tent, only to be blinded by the bright morning light.

"Glad to see you two are up bright and early," Bailey said cheerfully as she walked up to them with two bowls of porridge. "I stole some extra cinnamon to help with the taste."

The sisters begrudgingly accepted the bowls and sleepily guzzled down their less-than-filling portions.

Bailey took their empty bowls once they were finished eating. She nodded toward the tent. "Make sure you put on those boots; we don't want another Sheriff incident. You can put your Converse in my satchel."

"Where are we headed to exactly?" Carolyn asked as she pulled her hair into a ponytail, using a small piece of cloth torn from the bottom of her underskirt.

"It's a small town called Orrinshire—just at the northwest edge of the forest," Bailey replied as she packed up her supplies. "It shouldn't take us much more than three hours on horseback."

"Three hours?" Aura asked, rubbing the remaining sleep from her eyes.

Bailey slung her satchel over her shoulder. "It's either that or walk for seven."

"I'll take the horse, then."

When they had packed their few belongings, Bailey led the twins back to the edge of camp where two chestnut steeds were already saddled and awaiting their next journey.

Robin stepped out from behind one of the towering stallions, his dark green cloak wrapped around his broad shoulders. He dropped a few gold coins into the horse keeper's gloved hand.

"What's he doing here?" Carolyn murmured to her friend as they approached the two men.

"I'm coming with you," Robin replied blankly, then gestured to the boots on her feet. "I hope you find them comfortable enough?"

Carolyn cleared her throat, her crossed arms tightening around her chest. "Yes...thank you."

Bailey clapped her hands as if the sound would be able to break the growing tension. "Well, shall we get going?" She mounted one of the horses before helping Aura clamor onto the saddle behind her.

Carolyn looked up at Robin, who waited patiently to help her onto their horse. She shut her eyes for a brief moment, composing her irked thoughts before moving past him. Her futile attempts to mount the horse on her own didn't go unnoticed by Robin, who chuckled lightly at her circumstance.

In one swift motion, Robin's hands met her waist, hoisting her up onto the steed.

Carolyn's eyes met his as she tried to push back her confusion. "Thanks...again."