The Unusual Red-gaired Girl

Prologue: The attack

The prince sat in the carriage looking at the girl that sat across from him. His servant and childhood friend. He never thought of her as a servant though. He knew that he loved her. She is the daughter of the king's advisor. Her unusually dark red hair. Her hair was always short. She is also unique. Her family is a descendant of the druids of past. Druids have special skills. Most call it witchcraft, but it was spiritual energy given by the gods. Her mother was decended from the druids not her father, but her mother died. So she grew up in the castle with the prince for her family is hated because of her ancestors.
The king is sending his only son to a safe place, thus the ride in a carriage, while he got the riot under control. The king's life was in danger and that of his family's too. Because of all the wars the people were agitated. Not many of the men were home.
Before his mother died she gave  the prince a necklace, it had the royal family crest on it. It was for the girl who he choose for a bride.

" Rose, I want to give you something. Close your eyes."
Rose closes her eyes and held out her hand.  The prince then hurriedly puts the necklace around her neck before she could reject.
" I engraved it with your nickname. It's on the back," the prince said with pride as he put it on her before she knew what he was doing.
" Your Majesty, I can't take this. Your mother, the queen, gave it to you. You are to give it to the girl you are to marry." She said after she realized what was around her neck.
"I know," the prince said, " And I have told you many times to call me by my name."
All she could say was " I know."

The carriage suddenly stops. Rose then asked the knights, that were escorting them, why the sudden stop. They told her to stay in the carriage unless told otherwise. And to close the curtains. They had told her bandits were attacking. She pulled her dagger out. Her father gave her the dagger before she left the castle with the prince.
Just then the door to the carriage opened. She got ready to strick if she needed to. It was a knight. He said they have to flee. They got to the edge of the forest when they were spotted by the bandits. She told them to run after she took one of the prince's rings.
" No I'm not leaving you," the prince said. The knight looked shocked as well. But he knew what she was doing. A distraction was needed so the prince can escape unharmed.
With her and ring from the prince they would go after her. The knights were falling one by one. She knew she would probably die but she had to protect the prince because it was her duty. She flashed the ring and dagger to get the bandits attention. When she knew she had their attention, she ran and ran deep into the forest.

The knight had to pick up the prince and run so that the girl's sacrifice wasn't in vain. When the knight knew it was safe he put the prince down. The sobbing boy sat on the ground crying his childhood friend's name. After he stopped crying for his friend, they traveled to the their original destination. Waiting for the message that he could come home and have the king search for survivors of the bandits attack.

Rose knew that she was protecting the prince. The bandits caught up to her and surrounded her so she couldn't escape. She was afraid. As far as she knew the only one that were still alive were the knight with the prince. She smiled at that thought that she protected the prince.
The bandits were mocking her now.
" What are you going to do with that small dagger?"
"What is a girl like you doing here in a place like this without a man to protect you?"
" We are going to have fun with you!" One of the bandits said. With that comment all of them smiled, wicked smiles. She didn't like the look on their faces. They were wild, lustful looks. She looked all around her for an escape. She found none as they closed the distance. She tried to think of something.

A few hours later, a merchant and his son, who was traveling through, found her close to death. The nearest village was where they just so happened to be going so the merchant got her the help she needed. When he found her, her clothes were shredded and she was bruised and beaten from head to toe. The only thing she held onto with all her might all through the attack was a necklace with "Rose" engraved in the back.

"Is she going to be okay?" His son asked.
" Stay back, Nicholas. You don't need to see this. She needs a healer. And we need to hurry if she's going to live,"The merchant said to his son.
"Help me get her onto the wagon," he said as he covered her.