Through the forest Gabrielle ran, fear running through her mind.
'I have to get out of here. If they find me… There's no telling what will happen to me…'
She continued to run. Dead branches and leaves crunching underneath her bear fear.
'How can I escape… I don't know where I am…'
She fell to the ground, a sharp pain piercing her foot. She sat up, looking down at her foot, seeing a shard of glass from a bottle sticking out of the bottom of her foot.
She pulled the glass out, blood dripping from her wound. She tossed the shard aside, stumbling to her feet.
She continued to run, ignoring the grueling pain in her foot, leaving a trail of blood behind her.
As she ran through the forest, the brothers ran in search to find her.
"Where do you think she ran off to," Dom inquired, looking at Zander.
"I don't know but she couldn't have gotten far, even if she did we know Thieves' Forest like the back of our hand. There's nowhere she could run where we couldn't find her," Zander bragged, a smile flashing on her face.
"Yeah, but what are we supposed to do if we encounter the Royal Army or His Majesty? We have no weapons," Brucer questioned, his mind covered in worry.
"Oh my stupid, naive brother… Look around you. We're in Thieves Forest…" Zander laughed, "There's weapons all around."
"Weapons all around, what are you talking about," Brucer queried.
Zander looked down on the ground, seeing a broken bottle on the ground and a trail of fresh blood.
He smiled, grabbing the bottle off the ground.
"Take this bottle for instance, it's already helped in revealing where our prize has run off to," Zander gloated, "This is a powerful weapon."
"The trash that people leave on the ground is not a weapon you idiot," Brucer shot, "A broken bottle can not protect us from a sword or an arrow."
"Don't get me angry," Zander warned, shooting a harsh look at Brucer, "Now seeing that this is fresh blood and it's left a trail we can assume that it's her's. So let's go before the guards get her first."
"Fine," Brucer responded, "But this is a horrible plan."
Zander stormed off following the trail of blood as Brucer and Dom followed behind him.
Back at the Kidnapper's Hideout Ansel, Christopher, and some Royal Guards sat outside.
"Do you think she's inside," Christopher questioned.
Ansel dismounted off the horse, fear overwhelming his mind, he walked inside. His Royal Guards and Christopher followed behind him.
They looked around, seeing the horrific sight. Ansel's heart began to race as he rushed over to Vincent.
He crouched down to his level, checking for a pulse but feeling none. His eyes widened.
Christopher walked over to him, noticing the change in expression.
"What is it," Christopher asked.
Ansel looked up at him, realization flashing on his face.
"I recognize this man," Ansel uttered, "His brother Auggie, used to work at the castle… If I'm not mistaken there's five of them in total."
"The five men," Christopher gasped.
Ansel stood to his feet, looking at his men.
"Search the house," Ansel shouted.
"Yes, Your Majesty," The Guards responded, following Ansel's commands.
"You think they kidnapped her," Christopher queried.
Ansel nodded, staring at Vincent.
'Gabrielle, where are you,' Ansel anxiously wondered.
"Your Majesty," A Guard shouted, running over to him, holding Gabrielle's shoes and the ruby ring in his hands.
He kneeled before Ansel, his body shaking.
"Your Majesty, we found this in the other room," The Guard informed, showing the items.
Ansel looked down, his eyes widened with comprehension, his legs began to tremble.
"Gabrielle," He whispered, reaching out to touch the items.
"Your Majesty… There was…" The Guard paused, swallowing his breath.
"There was what," Ansel stressed, pushing for an answer, "Tell me now."
"There was a lot of blood in the other room… But there's no signs of her other than these items," The Guard quavered.
Ansel stumbled, his body feeling weak.
"Set out," Ansel roared, "Find her, now."
Ansel rushed out of the house, his men and Christopher hurriedly following behind him.
Ansel got on his horse, setting off.
'Gabrielle please, please be alright.'
Deep in the forest Gabrielle ran, feeling pain in her lungs from running, she stopped behind a tree.
'I feel like I can't run anymore… All the running… I feel like I'm suffocating…'
She looked around her, seeing nothing but trees and grass.
'How… How can I escape?'
"She went that way," She heard a familiar voice shout.
She peaked her head from behind the tree, seeing the brothers in the distance.
Her heart began racing as she stumbled to her feet.
'I have to run… I can't stop now…'
She placed her hand on the tree, pushing herself forward, she began running again, hearing Zander shout, "There she is."
'I can't stop, I have to keep moving… I won't let them catch me.'
She continued to run, ignoring her pain.
She glanced back behind her, seeing Dom catching up to her, she picked up her speed.
'I won't be able to outrun him… I'm going to have to fight.'
She slowed down, looking at a tree beside her, she ran over to it, picking up a large branch.
Dom slowed down, giving a widened smile.
"Stupid woman," He insulted walking over to the tree, "I saw you. Why be so dumb to hide in front of me?"
She listened in, hearing him get closer. She tightened her grip around the branch.
"When I capture you, I'm going to enjoy taking part in…."
FUWHACK
She hit him in the face, interrupting him mid sentence, knocking him to the ground. She swung the branch again, hitting him in the stomach, tossed it to the side, and ran off.
"You idiot, come on," Zander scolded, running past Dom, trying to catch up to her.
Further ahead she continued to run.
'I don't know how much longer I can run… My legs feel weak…'
She stared in front of her, seeing a hill.
'Get to the top Gabrielle… You'll be able to see the forest better.'
She took a deep breath, using all her strength, she ran up the hill, ignoring everything around her.
She made her way to the top, her legs stiffening from pain.
She looked behind her, seeing the brothers in the distance.
'I have to get out of here.'
NEEEEEEEEIGH
The sounds of horses filled her ears.
She turned around looking in front of her. She saw Ansel riding by Royal Guards riding alongside him.
Her legs trembled, as her heart pounded against her chest. All her strength roared in her stomach.
"Ansel," She screamed, calling out for him, tears filling her eyes.
Ansel slowed down, his body jolting in awareness. He looked around him, seeing her standing on top of a hill. He met her eyes.
"Gabrielle," He whispered.