Story Requests

"'A stroll in the moonlight'"

Asher glanced up. Selena saw a startled look in his eyes for a split second, then it faded. "I know," he said wearily, and he leaned his head back against the wall. "I-I've known for quite sometime now. That's why I ran away." 

Selena's eyebrows knitted together in confusion and she sat down beside him as best as she could with her fancy dress. "Really? How?" 

Asher sighed. "It's a long story." 

"I'm pretty good at listening." 

He sighed again. "Alright. So one morning, about a year ago, I knocked on the door to my parent's chambers. I could hear loud talking inside, and I waited by the door for them to answer it because it was polite. I didn't mean to, but while I was waiting I overheard them speaking. My father was saying to my mother about how they needed to kill off the elves. The elves, at that time, were speaking out against the Ambitious Kingdom and my parents were worried about their reputation because people were listening to them. I opened the door and demanded to know what was happening. My parents told me nothing." 

Selena's eyes were wide. "And then what happened?" 

"Well, later that night I was sleeping until I heard a noise in my room. I awoke and saw nothing, but I know I saw the door creak open. I watched until I saw a shadow slip in, and a glint of metal. The shadow rushed towards me and I darted away and screamed for my maid. She flicked the light on. The figure was my father. My maid tried to cross the room towards me, to protect me, but my father threw the knife and it killed her. I barged last him but I was knocked out. Early in the morning, I woke in the healing quarters and was told that apparently my father had seen me fell down the stairs earlier that night. But I didn't believe it. He made up the story. I've been trying to escape ever since, and I've always locked my door from the inside and posted guards inside it." 

Selena stood up, hand to her mouth, reeling from shock. "Your own father," she gasped. "I'm-I'm so sorry." Then she looked around, frantic. "We have to leave. We have to get out of here." 

Asher nodded. "But how? They've locked the door from the outside." 

She picked up her skirts and crossed the room, walking past the table and chairs. Her hands moved to unlatch a window, and she pushed it open. A slight breeze swept in, rustling the tablecloth. She poked her head out the window and looked down. "We're in luck, Asher! They're a ledge under the window that goes all the way around the castle."

Asher nodded. "Well, we'd better go. And now."   

She opened the window more and then placed her foot on the ledge, before quickly withdrawing it. "Oh. I guess I'll have to take these off." Selena removed her high heels that Rose had given her and chucked them out the window.

Asher looked bewildered. 

Shrugging, she placed her foot on the ledge again, only this time it was a cold touch to her bare skin. Selena gripped her hands onto the sides of the window and placed her other foot on the ledge. Then, holding the wall outside, she turned around to grip it and stood, waiting for Asher. "Let's go," she whispered, beckoning outside. 

He followed her movements and then closed the window as best as he could, without falling off. 

Slowly, they inched their way around the castle walls. A wolf howled in the distance, catching them off guard. Asher tripped and staggered forward, almost falling off the side. For one dizzying second, he saw the ground three stories below them. But Selena caught his sleeve and held him upright. Thank you, he mouthed. She gave a slight nod back. 

After a few minutes they came to a window that led to another room. It was already open and they both climbed through. Asher recognised it as the hallway that led to the rooms where both their stuff was kept. Selena and Asher both retrieved their bags and fled down the stairs, where Asher smacked straight into his little sister. 

His 5 year old sister rubbed her forehead and asked in a small voice, "Asher. Where are you going?" 

Asher glanced over at Selena and she shook her head. "For... a stroll in the moonlight. We'll be back soon, Lily. Just... stay safe. Come on, it's time for you to be in bed." He gave her a quick hug and she smiled and wandered upstairs. 

The two darted around corners and reached the entryway. The doors were just ahead of them. They both broke into a run and were less then two meters away before the two guard just outside the door crossed their spears over it. Selena grabbed Asher's arm. 

Asher gasped loudly and stopped in his tracks. "How dare you!" 

"We are under strict orders from the King and Queen, Prince Asher. No one enters this castle and no one leaves it," a guard told them.

"Well, I am the Prince and I demand that you let me and my friend pass!" 

"But—"

Selena stepped forward, hand on her jewel of the belt. "You heard him! Let us through!" 

"I am afraid we cannot," the same guard said, his hand on his sword. 

She pressed the glowing jewel and whipped out her dagger, walking around the guards to the side. The walls were made of thick glass, and with all her strength she stabbed the metal through it. 

 Asher's mouth dropped as a cracking sound filled the air. Then the glass wall fell to the ground in pieces. The guards had ducked down, hands on their heads. Selena hadn't covered herself in time and glass had fell over and around her. Her hair was filled with it and cuts were visible everywhere on her skin.

 But she grabbed Asher's arm tightly and pulled him forward, stepping over the broken glass that now lay in smithereens. They didn't speak about their next destination but they both had the same thoughts. The woods. 

 They bolted, hands intertwined, running in time, hearts racing. Someone shouted for security, but they didn't stop or turn around.

The two brushed past trees and leaped over fallen logs and rocks, snapping sticks and tearing their clothes on loose branches. They ran until their legs ached and their lungs burned. 

Skidding to a stop, Asher leaned against a tree. Selena collapsed onto the ground with exhaustion, her red dress billowing out around her. The only sound was the panting of them both until they calmed down enough to breathe normally. Selena and Asher glanced at each other at the same time and locked eyes. Their eyes sparkled from the moonlight and the running. 

Asher grinned. "You've got an amazing, clever mind in that body of yours Selena, Davis. But it really doesn't compare to your beauty."

Selena flushed crimson from his flirtatious comments. She was lost for words, and then suddenly coughed, breaking the spell.

 His brown eyes scanned her, concerned. "You're bleeding." 

She blinked and then finally noticed the pain that filled her body. She felt her forehead and cheeks, which were all cut and then smeared with blood when she pulled her fingers away. "It's nothing." 

Asher pulled a water bottle out of his bag and then, with his dagger, he cut a piece of her dress off the corner and wet it, wiping her face and picking the glass out of her curls. She flinched at his touch but didn't move. When he was finished, he held out a hand, and she took it, standing up with his help. 

"Let's go," she whispered breathlessly, and then, again, they were running farther into the forest, away from the castle but towards the silver line of moonlight on the horizon.