She came across a clearing, finally a reprove from the horrors she had left behind. The forest she was surrounded by was young and o the brink of Spring, branches were waiting patiently for the slightest glimpse of sunlight so that they could release their leaves and bloom their flowers.

There she came across a stream, its water cool to the touch and when she drank from it, it instantly quenched her thirst and soothed her parched lips. 

She could hear the birds singing somewhere overhead as she sat in the young grass; still tender to the touch, and gave out a sigh of relief, feeling as though all the weights of her past had fallen away. She was safe and in that moment nothing else mattered.

Her fingers gently grazed the grass beside her, out here amongst nature there were no evil intents, no malice, no laws to govern how a young princess was supposed to conduct herself. There was only her, lying in the grass, and the sun just beginning to appear.

...............................................................................................................................

She could barely see her feet in front of her, the trees has grown so closely together and their branches almost tangling together, blocking out much of the light and the moon was shining that night.

The forest floor was rocky and full of roots and dead leaves, the sounds of the night seemed to echo from one direction to another, further causing her to run aimlessly into the dark forest.

Her heart was racing, her breath coming in short bursts, and her body was covered in stinging scratches from the brambles and low branches within the wood.

She knew she was being followed and it would only be a matter of time before she was found and her worst fears would come to light. 

Her bare feet ached and she could hear distant screams coming from the place she once called home, something shifted on the ground and she fell hard, knocking a tooth out. She could taste her own blood in her mouth. She needed to keep going but before she could, a gunshot rang in the darkness.