Shouts rose from the large tent behind me as I scrambled into the night, my knee's grazing the stone floor and my eyes darting around me.
My feet clumsily scraped the ground as I rushed to pull myself up and scramble away. From the corner of my eye I saw one of the henchmen run around the side of the tent heading for me.
I jumped to my feet, adrenaline powering me forwards, and ran away from the tent and the men hunting me. I scurried in between small tents, through the narrow pathways surrounding them, sending people flying out of my way, a beast howling into the night from a cage and more men after me when called upon by the henchmen.
I ran as fast as I could, my muscles aching with the demands placed on them. My arms flailed at my side as I tried to gain more speed when the fingers of a man grazed the back of my shirt.
I broke free from the town centre and ran into the darkened alleyways, where the moon was blocked by a barricade of hanging washing and linens from tall windows and cloths hanging over shop fronts.
Trying my best to see where I was going, my hand reached out to graze the stone walls, and I turned whenever I felt an opening. The shouts behind me increase; Damien's voice the loudest of the group hunting me, "Get her! Five gold piece to whoever catches her first!"
The voices raised and the pounding of feet grew evermore intense. However I was smaller, slimmer, than the men, and some women, chasing me and soon the gap between us grew.
Their cries died out as I expertly navigated my way through the familiar streets. But what little light was available was soon dying out and I could no longer see where I was going.
A tug on my arm sent me screaming and flailing but a hand was clamped down on my mouth and I knew that I was done for. They had me and now I could only imagine what Damien would do to me, to get this...power I had.
"Be quiet," a voice whispered harshly into my ear as I was dragged from the alley and into a small pathway littered with crates and bins, "or they'll know where you are. I don't think you want that."
I was pushed behind a pile of crates, someone's large bodies squishing me against the wall. Their breath tickled my cheek as them pressed against me, hiding me under their dark body.
I peeked over their large arm to see the pack of men fly past. Some held flaming torches in their hands whilst other shouted out after me. Damien was at the back, walking slowly as his eyes penetrated the area around him. His gaze grazed over the top of the stack of crates and I ducked my head down under the person arm.
My heart beat increased and I feared Damien had seen the whites of my eyes, staring out at him. My fingers clutched the man's jacket; digging into his skin and heard him let out a hiss of pain. I loosened my fingers.
Before I heard his foot contact the ground, I felt Damien, move on, his eyes not finding what he desired.
When he was satisfied we were alone the man pulled away from me and I le tout a breath I had been holding in for too long.
"That was close." the man spoke and I realised from his voice he sounded more like a boy.
"Parker?" I spoke in a hushed whisper, "What are you doing here?"
"I waited for you when you went in the tent. I tried to go in after I heard you scream but they wouldn't let me pass." Parker explained, "I waited for you to finish but then I heard a commotion and ran around the tent and saw them chase you."
Parker's hair was unkempt and his eyes wild.
"Thank you." I replied.
Parker nodded and took my hand again, pulling me from the floor.
"You need to get home-" he said but before he could continue I interrupted him, "I cant, they'll look there. They'll kill my parents."
"Come to mine." He suggested.
"I cant...there's somewhere else I have to go." I spoke hesitantly.
"Where?"
"The Forbidden Forest."
"Are you crazy? The only people who go in there willingly have a death wish." Parker raged, although he kept his vice quiet not wanting to project out location. I pressed my hands against his chest and rubbed my thumbs against his shirt soothingly like I always did when I tried calming him down.
"The Teller told me I had to, there's something he asked me to do and although it's dangerous a part of me is screaming that it's the right thing to do." I explained. Though the dangers of beasts and creatures haunted my mind when The Teller told me find the prince and kill the Evil Queen there was something deep inside me that was screaming to run into the Forbidden Forest and follow his request.
What he was asking me to do placed an amazing amount of pressure on me and an extraordinary amount of danger in my path and I felt fearful for what could happen to me. But at the back of my mind fluttered a small amount of hope; the thought that I could do this; I could restore light to the Kingdom.
But I was only one person.
"The Teller is a crazy old fool who doesn't know anything!" Parker argued. I pulled my hands back down to my sides.
"He knew about how you felt towards me." I retaliated, my voice soft.
Parker didn't reply.
"I'm going," I said confidently as I turned to leave the rubbish littered path, "I just have to." But before I could leave the solitude of the shadows Parker caught my arm and turned me to him.
He looked torn for a moment before he finally said, his voice ragged with pain, "Why do you have to do this? Why do you have to go in there?"
"I just know that it's what I'm meant to do and if I don't it will haunt me for the rest of my life."
Parker hesitated before sighing, "Well I'm not letting you go alone."
Instead of heading back into the dangerous streets of town where I was being hunted, Parker pulled me further down the small path and deeper into the darkness. The cobblestone floor was replaced by a river of mud and dirt and I felt the ground sludge beneath my foot with every step. Choking down my disgust I held tighter onto Parker's hand as he pulled me through the enveloping darkness.
The only sound echoing in the night was the sound of foot meeting mud; that eerie squelching sound which made my stomach turn.
My breath fanned out in front of me like a puff of smoke, blown away by the soft breeze in the night air. I looked around me. The small path was squashed in between the sides of tall shack houses, silent in the darkness. From one window I heard the laugh of a woman and the light of a candle radiated from the closed shutters of another. I wanted to be those people tucked away in their beds, people at their homes, where they feel safe, where they are safe.
Parker and I emerged from the dirt path, our feet hitting patched grass and wild flowers, as we reached the edge of our tiny village. Parker came to a sudden halt, sending me smacking into his back. He stood as rigid as a statue, his muscles tensing under my hands as I pushed myself from his back.
I looked upon his stony, emotionless face with worry and confusion. After a moment I turned to see where his gaze led.
The trees on the edge of the ForbiddenForest stood tall and intimidating a few meters from where Parker and I stood. Their thick trunks were black in the moonlit night and the wild flowers twisting around them a cluster of deep hues of purple and midnight blues. An eerie grey mist swirled around the bottom of the trunks, sneaking around the stems of the murky green ivy that climbed the crumbling bark. It seeped from the forest, travelling over the tips of the pointed grass to our feet, twisting and twirling around our ankles.
You couldn't see past the first two rows of trees. A dark pit of nothingness encompassed the rest of the forest, and even now in the open where the moon shone down on us the shadows that inhabited the forest didn't disappear. Instead it seemed like the moons powerful light reflected away.
Even the light of the moon was wary of the darkness.
A shout sounded from beside us and Parker and I snapped our heads to the source, "There!"
Halo's of orange light jumped and flickered in the distance as the hunting party approached, their silver swirling eyes noticeable in the night. Damien's familiar dark hair and evil glint in his black eyes caught my gaze. I didn't know whether or not the smirk I saw spread on his face was real or my imagination.
My panic grew as the sounds of evil approached and I looked between the group of men and women and the ForbiddenForest in front of me, uncertain which was more deadly.
But I never got to make the choice myself.
Parker grasped my wrist and jerked me forwards with him and into the Forest, the shadows snaking out and snatching us in their grasps, luring us deeper and deeper until the sounds of the world I came from drowned out into nothing.
The only sounds now were our panting breaths and the crunching of leaves beneath our feet as we ran. My muscles screamed out in protest as I pushed myself harder, trying to lock away thoughts of beasts and danger as I followed Parker blindly into the forest. My wrist throbbed with pain as Parker clutched it tightly but I shoved the pain to the back of my mind, fearing that if I called out in pain or worry someone- or something would hear me.
The scenery around me whizzed past in a blur as Parker propelled us through the forest, dogging tree after tree until he finally began to slow down, relieving my aching muscles.
My panting increased as we came to a stop and I bent over, resting my sticky palms on my dress as my chest heaved up and down. I glanced up and saw Parker in a similar position in front of me. He was bent over very close, his hairs brushing my braids as his eyes met mine.
"No going back now." He breathed the words out and a forced small smile jerked from the corner of his mouth.
A cry came out from the forest. Something that sounded so human yet shrieked with the distinct howl of a beast.
Seeking protection and comfort I grasped Parker's and pulled him to me so suddenly that I sent his body crashing into mine.
And through the forest floor.
We sailed down into the deep unknown, air sailing past us as our bodies entwined into a tangle of limbs. My arms flailed until I caught Parker's shoulder, digging my nails into it and holding on as we fell. One of Parker's arms was wrapped around my waist and the other had somehow twisted itself around my right knee. Panic and fear surged through me as we spun and swirled in the air and my eyes caught glimpses of darkness and mud walls through Parker's flailing hair.
Despite the feeling we had been falling for minutes when we finally hit the ground my body didn't break into a million pieces upon contact.
I did, however, feel an immense pain all over.
Groaning I pulled my body from Parker's and fell against the hard, dry ground.
A general façade of pain fell over my limbs and my joints screamed out when I tried to shove myself up from the ground. My nails dug into the earth as I pushed myself onto my two feet and I bit my lip hard to try and stop myself shrieking when a shooting pain tormented my legs.
Raising my hand to my head, I checked for any signs of damage, my hand only grazing a patch of blood on the corner my forehead. There was the slightest friction indicating a small cut hidden beneath the scarlet blood.
"Are you okay?" I asked Parker as he brushed himself off, groaning as he heaved his large body from the floor and proceeded to stretch all of his limbs.
When he was done he stood up straight and chucked a lazy nod my way.
I looked up, curious as to what we fell down and where but I was met only by a halo of stars on a deep blue night sky with the faintly visible tuffs of grass hanging over the sides of the hole.
Parker was stood only a handful of feet away from me yet he was opposite side of the small hole we had fallen down. His hand was pressed up against the hard-packed mud as he looked up at the sky so far above us. The hole seemed to stretch for a few meters in comparison to how long we felt ourselves tumble down.
A gust of wind whipped around us suddenly and something large and shiny glinted under the moonlight as it tumbled from the top of the hole and towards us. Fear pounded through me and Parker and I ducked, throwing our bodies to the ground and out hands over our heads.
We waited.
There was no crash, no boom, no fire or flames. No danger.
Only the slightest tickle on the back.
Turning around slowly, I pulled my head from my hands, pushing myself into a half sitting position. From the corner of my eye I saw Parker do the same.
Lifting my hands I wrapped my dirtied fingers around the golden threads of hair, twirling it around them. Each strand of hair seemed so individual, like it wasn't part of a bigger picture. They each held their own shade and glimmer, slightly different than the next which intrigued me and at the same time confused me also. It was a soft as the feathers of the songbirds that visited my garden and the first strands of hair that sprouted on a newborn babies head. Under the moonlight it seemed to glow golden and I threaded my fingers through it seeking serenity in it smoothness and perfection.
"What is it?" Parker's voice was a soft whisper from beside me on the ground.
"Just hair," I replied, looking up to the top of the hole, "I wonder where it came from?"
"It doesn't matter. I think I found a way out." I pulled my attention to Parker who had turned his back to me and was not crouched at the bottom of the hole, pocking his head through the mud wall.
He pulled away, the faintest sprinkling of dried mud in his hair. He shuffled a feet away revealing a body sized hole in the wall.
"I can fit. It's a little squeeze but we need to see where it leads. It might be a way out." Parker said, examining the hole.
"I'll go." I offered but Parker immediately interrupted me, "No, its risky. We don't know what's out there or where this will lead. I'll go." Parker started to push his body into the hole. He was a large, muscular man and his frame left little room to shuffle and slide.
He pulled himself out after testing, "see, I'll be fine," he placed a swift kiss on my forehead before turning back, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Stay here."
He disappeared into the hole.
"Where else am I meant to go?"
Even as I spoke my eyes wandered towards the dangling golden hair.
I pondered over my options. I could stay here and wait for Parker, not knowing whether or not he would come back and if he did what condition he would be in. We didn't know what beasts were in the forest but if The Circus creatures where anything like what lurked in here then I felt guilty for thinking that I was happy staying here and letting Parker fight them off.
My other option was to try and get out. And the fallen hair, reaching to the top of the hole seemed my best option rather than following Parker to a dead end or to possible death. It was too much of a risk. But where we had fallen hadn't seemed too far from the edge of the forest and my mind was racing with thoughts of abandoning this deadly adventure The Teller had sent me on and making a break for the forest and then for home.
Something glimmered in the corner of my eye and caught my attention and I drew my gaze towards it. Half caught in the mud was a golden card, blank, that shimmered under the golden light of the hair.
I swiftly snatched it from the floor, turning it in my hands to reveal words scrawled across in black on the other side.
Grab the hair
So long and gold,
Climb up high,
Look and behold.
It was signed, QA. Queen Anastasia. Also known as The Evil Queen.
I threw the card back on the ground.
This was one of the challenges that The Teller was rambling on about when he pushed me out the tent and away from The Circus henchmen.
If I climbed up would I be accepting the task he placed upon me?
I could always run and forget everything that happened but I would be leaving Parker at the bottom of a hole in the ForbiddenForest all alone.
I could try and then get Parker to climb it with me?
So many questions ran through my mind and I didn't know what to do. Climbing out of here and leaving Parker wasn't an option. But waiting forever for Parker to return, ignoring the possibility of another way out was blasphemous as well. And I had to try in case Parker never returned...
I grabbed the silken strands of golden hair in my hands and tried to pull myself up. The hair slipped under my fingers after a few pulls and I fell back down onto the ground, my ankle twisting as it hit the ground. I seethed in pain before pulling myself back onto my feet and trying again.
This time I could pull myself a little higher, although I was only a few feet off the ground, but my pumps were slipping against the hair making it harder to get a sturdy grip on the rope of hair.
Falling once again to the ground I kept forcing myself to try again and again until my arms ached and the moon had moved on past the opening of the hole, casting a shadow over half of the hair, swaying softly in the gentle breeze. Each crash seemed to hurt more than the last as my internal organs smashed against each other and my bones broke into a thousand pieces.
My hands were a painting of purple bruises and dark pink blisters. Although I fell every time, each time I climbed higher and higher than the last which also meant I fell further. I gripped tightly onto the hair when I fell, causing blisters to appear as if from magic on my hands, making it painful to even form fists.
My shoes were in tatters from hitting the ground hard and shakily the first few times I tried climbing when I wasn't high enough to flip once in the air and land harshly on my back. I still wore them however; the small sense of comfort that came with them warmed my broken bones.
Sat on the floor, sweat pouring from my skin and my hands running soothingly over my body searching for more bruises and bumps, I pondered how long Parker had been gone and how long it would be if –till he returned.
I threw my head onto the blue dress covering my knees and sighed when the cool material touched my warm skin. The hem of the dress was in tatters with rips and tears all around. Mud covered the bottom inches and smudges of dirt were spotted around the back where I repeatedly fell from the torturous golden hair. The neckline was on the edge of being scandalous and one sleeve had torn down the side completely and the other had a tear on the shoulder. The black and gold corset around my waist seemed to be the only thing holding it to my body.
Exhaustion racked my body and I rolled my head back so it looked at the half lit sky and the golden hair swaying gently above.
With a soft sigh I made my final decision and pulled myself to my feet, determination surging through my veins.
I grabbed the silken strands of hair tightly in my fists and ignored the shooting pains from the bursting blisters. Before I started to attempt to climb I glanced down at my feet and after a second thought shoved off my flimsy pumps. Pulling myself up, I flicked my foot around the hair until it was woven around my leg and foot once. I pushed myself higher, putting my loose foot on top of the other for support as I stretched my legs and reached higher with my arms. I tucked my knees into my chest before rewrapping my foot in the hair, delighted at the tactic I had come up with. The hair didn't slip in my tight grip and wrapped neatly around my feet as I repeated the process pulling myself higher and higher as the hair wrapped around my foot, and I grabbed higher with my arms.
A scuffling sound from behind drew my attention and I swivelled in the air to see a familiar brown head poked out of the dirt before a body fell out as well, rolling into the bottom of the hole.
"Ebony?" Parker shouted up as he shook the dried mud from his hair. I was half way up the hair now, the top of the hole growing ever closer but as I looked down my perspective seemed to change. When I looked up the hole didn't seem as big as I looked now. Parker was so small, a child in my eyes as I swayed on the hair, my grip faltering slightly the longer I stayed immobile.
"What are you doing?" he shouted up at me. I shook my head as if to say I couldn't explain right now and he replied, "The tunnel leads right out to the small hill outside town. Remember the logs by the bottom where we played when we were younger? Right there!"
I looked up at the top of the hole and then back at the bottom.
"Come down already!" Parker sounded irritated and my mind clouded as I rushed to come to a conclusion of what to do.
I had already started this journey. I feared going back would have terrible consequences. The Teller spoke of a three day deadline which had already begun and I worried what would happen if I –the prince –didn't stop the Evil Queen in time.
Stay at home and regret if something happened or take a risk and possible sacrifice myself for light?
Pulling and twisting myself higher I tried to ignore Parker's shouts and the pain until I finally reached the top of hole and I pulled myself over the side, my fingers digging into the grass until I finally felt my body roll onto the ground.
"Ebony!" Parker screeched from inside the hole.
After taking a moment to flow through the ebbing pain racking my body I peered over the edge of the hole, making sure I wasn't to close to edge to fall back in. I didn't think I could take climbing back out again.
"Go back through the tunnel Parker!" I shouted back down to him, desperation in my voice, "go back home!"
"Not without you, are you crazy! Climb back down! You don't know what's in that forest!" he pleased.
"I do! I went to The Circus, remember?" my tone was harsh and accusing and looking down on Parker's small saddened face, I felt sorry for blaming him for everything that had happened so far tonight.
"What was at The Circus was only a smidge of the darkness that's out here Ebony! Remember your brother?"
A twinge of pain struck my hear and I pulled away from the edge slightly to look at the dark ground as I pushed back the memories of my brother being taken by the child snatchers.
"I've started this now and if I stop, if I go home and something bad happens I will blame myself, regret everything! If I die trying to help then at least I died for something worth while and not when I'm old and tired after birthing who knows how many kids!" I yelled down.
"Love isn't worth dying for?" Parker asked. The moonlight hit his face as he stepped closer, the look of pain etched across his face and sadness glinted in his eyes.
"I'd rather die knowing I brought love to others, brought light to their lives Parker!" I replied, "I've sat alone and scared in the dark long enough. The Teller did something to me! I just...feel the need to do something now!"
"Please Ebony, come back down!" Parker pleaded.
"Go through the tunnel Parker. Go home. I love you." I turned and walked away, tears rolling down my face as I tried to ignore Parker's pleads escaping from the gaping hole I left in the ground and tried to cope with the new one I had opened in my heart.