**Note**

This is the start of a webnovel I began a few years back. I'm going to be transferring the entire text over to NG over the next few days. It's not finished, but if there's any interest I might be convinced to continue.

**

"Ssssaaaaaaaaaaasaaaaaaaaaa," the terrifying creature screeched overhead, its thick leathery wings making a audible *thump thump* as they beat in the air.

I couldn't tell which was louder, the beat of the wings, or the beating of my own heart as I kept myself curled up inside the hollow log, praying to the ancients that I wouldn't be discovered.

I clutched the crystal vial of the invisibility potion in a fist against my chest. Part of me screamed to down its contents and to make a run for it. Truth is, I might have done so if I wasn't completely paralyzed with fear.

I heard the dragon scream once again and the beating of the wings grew louder. I clutched the vial tighter. Sharp diamond shaped edges that adorned the outside of container dug into my flesh. Any moment now I knew that the creature would unleash it's fiery breath onto the forest floor, cooking me instantly.

*Thump Thump* the beating of the wings grew even nearer. I brought my free hand to my mouth to keep myself from screaming.

Then overhead, one more ear-splitting screech and the beat of the wings began to fade. I lay there in the damp inside of the log, listening to the beast gradually move away.

Then silence. I still didn't dare to move for some time. Finally, the feeling of "something" skittering over my exposed forearm caused me to shift and brush away whatever it was.

I turned around and peaked outside of the log. The forest lay still, and silent.

I grasped the outside edge of the log and pulled myself free. It took some doing to gain enough purchase as the rotten wood crumbled in my fingers. The moisture from damp moss that grew on the inside of the long dead tree soaked through my dress.

Finally I stood up and brushed myself off. It didn't help much, twigs and dirt stuck to my clothing. I shook off a few spiders that were crawling up my left arm.

I realized that I was still tightly clutching the invisibility potion tightly in my hand. I relaxed my fingers and gazed at the small vial. Mother had told me to only use it in a life or death situation, I wondered if I was a fool for not downing it when I first hear the terrifying cries of the creature as it searched for me from the skies.

I sighed and placed the vial back into one of the pouches that hung from my belt. I felt exhausted, cold, and hungry. I dared not make a fire in fear or drawing the attention of the dragon once again.

From another pouch I drew a small piece of deer jerky and popped it into my mouth. As I chewed the tough meat, I started walking. Every fiber of my body wanted me to stop and rest, but I knew I had to keep moving. Even if the dragon didn't find me this night, I wasn't sure if the wizard's cultists were still on my trail. The mad wizard Jall already had control of the kingdom, I'm not sure how killing me would help whatever plans he had,

It was twelve years ago when he took control. Twelve years ago, I was a young princess living in a castle with my mother and father. It was a moonless night such as this one that everything had changed....

**

*clump clump clump*

I could hear my father coming up the corridor to my bedroom. I stifled a giggle and quickly slid headfirst under the covers and flattened myself as much as I could. The clumping grew louder and I heard him stop outside the door for a moment. The door creaked open and I could hear him step onto the Emberstone tiles that decorated the floor of my room.

"Well that's strange," I heard him say. "I was sure my daughter would be in bed by now. I guess I'll have to find her." Each step he took was a heavy footfall, first moving towards a window.

"Is... she.... OUTSIDE?" he said. I could hear him open the shutters.

"No.... she's not outside..." he pondered. I tried not to giggle, but failed.

His boots slowly continued to clomp on the floor as he stomped about my bedroom. "Is...she....in... HERE?" I heard a cabinet drawer open. "Silly Daddy!" I though, I was too big to fit in one of those small drawers! The heavy footsteps began again.

"Is....she.... UNDERTHEBED?" he said the last words a so quickly they sounded like a single word. I felt the covers shift as he lifted them up and to peek underneath.

"No... not there either..." he trailed off. I then felt the edge of the bed sink down as he sat upon it. "Hmm... I guess if there's no daughter there's no story tonight..."

I giggled again.

"Hmm... yeah there's nobody in here," he paused. He suddenly threw back the covers of my bed, revealing my hiding spot. "EXCEPT A GIGGLE MONSTER!"

I started laughing. I jumped up and gave him a hug.

"YOU!" he said in shock. "You're the giggle monster that ate my daughter!"

"No daddy, it's me!" I said still laughing.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his face in a mock concern. "Because I ONLY read to my daughter. I don't have to time to read to giggle monsters!"

"I'm sure!"

He looked at me a moment longer, appearing to think it over. "Well alright then, my DAUGHTER should be properly in bed!"

I quickly laid my head on the pillow and pulled up the covers up "I'm in bed. I'm in bed."

He nodded. "Well, alright then."

He stood up and walked over to a bookshelf that ran along one of the walls of my bedroom.

"Now," he said looking at the collection of books that line the shelf. "We just finished the first volume of 'Stories of the Great Kings' I guess that means we tonight we get to start volume 2." He plucked the appropriate tome from the shelf.

He moved to step back towards the bed but I stopped him. "Daddy, we need the magic leaf."

"Ahh, quite right,: he said. He opened the first volume and removed a single maple leaf. The leaf was one that I found when we took a family picnic last fall. He said it was magic because no matter where we were in the story, it would remember where we were when I would inevitably fall asleep.

Leaf and book in hand he returned to the bed and he sat down on the edge again. He opened the front cover, "Stories of the Great Kings... Volume 2," he read.

"In the time before man, when giant's ruled the land," he began.

Suddenly a knock at my door.

"Yes?" my father said.

"Your Highness, it's me. I have some urgent news." I recognized the voice as Sir Valk, the captain of the castle guard.

"Just give me a moment," my father said.

He gently lay the maple leaf in the front of the book and placed it on the nightstand. He kissed my forehead, "I'm sorry, it looks like I won't be able to read to you tonight."

"Aww..." I said disappointed.

"I tell you what," my father said rising from the bed. "I hear that your lessons with your tutor have been going well. How about tomorrow night we pick this up and YOU read to ME."

I nodded with vigor. He tousled my hair and opened the door. "Goodnight my Samantha," he said.

"Goodnight Daddy!"

He closed the door behind him. I could hear both he and Sir Valk began to walk down to the hall, talking.

That was the last time I saw my father alive.

***

The crunch of something moving across the dead leaves of the forest floor jostled me awake. I bolted upright and listened. Something was moving outside of the cave I had sheltered in.

Cave was a generous word, it was more like a small gap that I had squeezed myself into. I moved my hand slowly to the pouch where I kept the invisibility potion. I slowly untied the string and pulled the glass vial from inside.

Very slowly, I shuffled myself towards the entrance to my "cave", doing my best to avoid anything which would make a noise if I stepped on it.

I had walked for about two more hours following the encounter with the dragon last night. I kept moving until every part of my body ached and demanded rest. As much as I wanted to continue, I knew that I probably would have injured myself stumbling around exhausted in the woods in the dark. I could hear flowing water in the distance so I began to walk

towards it. I soon found a stream flowing through a small gulley. As I drank my fill of the cool and clear mountain waters, I spotted the small opening to the cave. I gathered branches from the gulley floor and did my best to camouflage the entrance to the cave as best I could. I then crawled inside and covered myself in my cloak and did my best to sleep.

I got close enough to the entrance where I could see some of the surrounding area through the camouflaging. The gulley lay in lightening shadows, the result of the sun just starting to peak over the horizon to start a new day.

I waited and listened. The crunching of the leaves came again and then stopped. It sounded like the movement was coming from above me. Something was moving about on the lip of the gulley.

I continued to listen. Whatever it was followed a patter of moving, then stopping for a minute or so, and then moving again. It had to be an animal.

"Maybe it's a deer," I thought, remembering that I was nearly out of the jerky that I had brought with me. My stomach rumbled at the thought of fresh meat.

One by one I moved the branches away from the mouth of the cave, trying my best not to make too much noise. I pulled myself outside and peaked just the very top of my head over the top of the gulley wall to try and look at whatever had awakened me.

I couldn't see anything at first, but after a few moments, movement caught my eye. I was wrong, it wasn't a deer, but a small woodlands rabbit, its brown coloring helping it to blend into the surroundings.

"Ok, so now what?" I asked myself. I thought about the small knife I carried, but at first, I could only picture the animal making a quick get away as I ran after it haphazardly.

As I thought about what to do, the rabbit moved further away. If I didn't do something soon I would lose it.

I returned the potion to a pouch and then withdrew the knife from my belt. With my other hand, I opened another pouch. I took a small pinch of the grounded Emberstone and sprinkled it over the weapon. The knife gave a faint glow for a moment.

The rabbit moved again. This would be tricky.

I closed my eyes and visualized the knife. Then in my minds eye, I pictured the weapon leaping from my hand and impaling the rabbit.

I felt a sudden tug as the knife flew out of my hand. I heard a thunk in the distance.

I blinked one eye open. The rabbit lay crumpled on the forest floor, the sharp edge of my knife embedded into its head.

I felt a sharp pang of sadness as I walked towards its limp form. I took no pleasure in killing for food, but I needed to do it to keep myself going. I made a vow to myself to look for edible plants as I continued onward.

"Fancy trick you done there," a voice came from behind me. I froze. "But I'm grateful. Saves me from looking for breakfast."

"Caught like a scared rabbit yourself," the voice continued. "How ironic. Turn around."

I held my hands up and slowly turned towards the voice.

A woman dressed in leather and furs stood about 20 feet away. She held a bow and had an arrow notched, but it was pointing downward and away from me. Even from this distance I could tell that she towered over me. Giantkin.

She stood watching me for a moment. I looked to her left and right. She was alone. Could I make a break for it?

"Don't," she said.

I was about to speak, but saw a blur of motion. I suddenly felt air rush past my face. There was an audible thunk and groan behind me.

The woman slung the bow over her shoulder, and with long strides walked towards me. "You can move," she said, her voice possessing a smoky deepness.

I turned as she strolled passed me. Laying face down on the sloping hill next to the dead rabbit was a figure in robes, a large arrow protruding through its back. "Friends of yours?" she asked.

The robes were the dark green of the Jall cultists. They had caught up to me.

"No," I said. "Not friends at all."

The woman flipped the cultist over and began patting the body. After a moment, she reached inside the robes and pulled out a small money purse, which quickly vanished into her leathers.

She hunched down and picked up the rabbit, it looked tiny in her massive hands.

"Hold out your hands," she said.

"What?"

"Your hands. You made the kill, you gotta skin it."

I nodded dumbly and did as she instructed. She bent down and placed the carcass in my outstretched palms.

"I don't wanna waste any more arrows today," the towering woman said. "And I'm assuming you don't wanna stand around here waiting to die. We should go."

It suddenly struck me.

"Eplash." I said. This woman was the very one that I was stumbling around in the woods searching for.

"The one and only," the giantkin grinned. "And you, you are the splitting image of your mother."

***

"Samantha," it was my mother's voice. "Samantha, wake up honey."

I rubbed my eyes and sat up. My room was dark and I could barely make out the form of my mother standing over me.

"Get dressed honey, we have to go," her voice had an urgency about it.

"Mommy?" I asked sleepily.

"We have to take a little trip baby," she said pulling the covers off of me. She then handle me a bundle of clothes. "Put these on."

I climbed out of bed and began to put on the clothes, struggling to find arm and leg holes in the dark.

While I did so, my mother moved to my dresser and began to stuff clothing into a bag. "Hurry up honey, we have to leave very soon."

"Is Daddy coming?" I asked.

My mother froze for an instant. "He will catch up to us. Don't worry."

She turned and looked me over. "All set?"

I picked up the large book from my nightstand. "Can I take my book? Daddy said I could read to him next time."

She smiled, "Of course you can honey," she held out the bag. "Put it in here."

I dropped the book into the bag and my mother took me by the hand. Leading me to the corridor, we turned right and began to walk down the hallway towards to stables.

The castle was quiet. Even at night there was usually guards patrolling, or various castle staff performing chores, but we didn't see anyone until we arrived at the stable courtyard.

Two groomsmen worked preparing a carriage that sat in the middle of the yard, Valk stood barking orders at them.

"We haven't much time, they'll be here soon."

Valk turned as he saw us approach. "I'm sorry my lady, I thought we would be done by the time you arrived."

"Any word from my husband?" my mother asked.

Valk shook his head. "No ma'am, not since he sent me here to see to your safety."

A huge green ball of fire lit up the sky. A chilling demonic screech echoed in the distance. I began to shake with fear.

"Mommy, what's going on?"

She bent down and took me in a protective embrace. "Shh, it's OK honey."

"We're done sir," one of the Groomsmen suddenly said.

Valk moved to the door and opened it. My mother scooped me up and placed me on one of the benches inside, and then sat down next to me. She wrapped one arm around me and pulled me close. Another green blast lit up the sky and carriage rocked as the horses began to shift fearfully.

"I'll be up front," Valk said closing the carriage door. He looked at me and gave a warm smile. "Don't worry, I will keep both of you safe."

Within a few moments the carriage began to move. A thunderous boom shook the air as green fire lit the sky once again.

I screamed. It was too much, I started to cry.

"I'm scared mommy, I'm scared."

"Shh... shh.." she said pulling me closer. "I know honey. It will be alright I promise."

The carriage rolled through the gates and down the sloped road that led up the the castle.

Loud thundering blasts continued. Even with my eyes shut, periodically green light would shine through.

Then... silence.

I opened my eyes and it was daylight. At some point I must have drifted off. My mother still held me in a strong embrace as the carriage continued onward. She was asleep.

I could hear Valk and the groomsman talking from the front seat of the carriage.

"How much longer do we keep going sir?" the groomsman asked.

"Until we are well out of the realm," said Valk. "The King made it very clear that we get as far away as possible."

"Is it really that bad sir? Did we really lose the kingdom in a single night?"

"We were completely unprepared. Jall tapped into to some demonic power that was well beyond the little defense we could muster."

The carriage jostled. Valk snapped at the Groomsman, "Pay attention man, I will not have the Queen and her daughter WALK across the border."

"Sorry sir."

The jostling woke my mother. She looked at me, her green eyes looking very red and tired. I had never seen her this way before.

"You alright honey?" she asked stroking my hair.

I nodded. A painful knot suddenly sprung up in my stomach, like I was feeling every emotion at once. The fear from the night before had returned. I started sniffling.

"It's alright honey," my mother said. "I know it's real scary right now, but we are going to be OK."

I nodded, and wiped a tear from my eye. I tried to choke back the lump in my throat.

My mother leaned in, touching her forehead to mine. She smelled of lavender. She looked into my eyes and in a soft voice said, "Could you do something for me honey?"

"Ye...yes..." I sniffled.

"For the next little while I need you to be brave, OK? Can you do that for me?"

"O...Okay," I said.

"That's my girl," my mother smiled. "Are you hungry?"

I nodded. My mother knocked on the front of the carriage. Valk opened a small shutter and looked inside, "Yes ma'am?"

"Any chance we could stop for food?" my mother asked.

Valk frowned, "I'd rather not, ma'am. Not until I'm sure we are safe."

"Surely the horses need to be rested and watered," my mother returned. "They've been going all night."

"She's right sir," said the Groomsman. "I can tell that they are both tired."

Valk nodded solemnly, "I know this area. There's a small bridge crossing ahead. We should be fine to stop there."

"Very good," my mother said. She closed the hatch and moved to sit on the other side of the carriage.

We continued along for a little while longer. The intense knot of emotions finally ebbed. I had to be brave, I promised.

Something bothered me though.

"Mommy," I asked. "Who's Jall?"

The color drained from my mother's face.