Working on a title

With her skirts hiked up past her knees, Evelyn Pendragon sprinted through the forest. Her hair had escaped it's binds and was trailing behind her like a golden tail. Her chest was tight and she winced with every breath she took as she tried to get more air to her lungs. It had been awhile since she had run this fast, Mother always told her that princesses never ran unless they had to.

She had to now.

The warning bells still rang in the distance pushing her forward, deeper into the woods.

She was almost there, or at least she thought she was. Evelyn was never allowed to come this deep into the woods, but her father had told her about the Merry Men who lived in deep in the forest, but she had never met one. They usually kept to the woods, and since she was never allowed out, she never had an opportunity to. The only one out of all the Merry Men, which she realized she didn't know how many there were, that she had seen was the leader, Robin Hood.

Robin Hood and her father, King Arthur used to be good friends, and would often go hunting together. That was until Morgana showed up again and made it unsafe for Arthur or his family to leave the citadel without a host of guards.

A flare of anxiety rose into her chest, what if Robin Hood was offended that Arthur stopped coming out to hunt abruptly? What if the Merry Men weren't the kind of people her parents had always told her they were? Chivalrous, loyal, and brave. What if they wouldn't help her?

No. She shook her head to banish that chain of thought. She couldn't think like that. She thought of her parents, her kingdom, and her best friend, Merlin. They all need her help, but she couldn't do it alone.

She didn't know who else to turn to. She would have to trust Robin Hood, and the Merry Men.

The Merry Men, she hoped, were the only ones not under Morgana's spell. Not yet anyways.

With that thought, she pushed herself harder until her legs and chest screamed at her with every step. The Merry Men's camp should be right across this river.

Thud!

Exploding pain ripped through Evelyn's leg as it snapped out from under her. She was suddenly laying on her back in a pile of leaves with her breath knocked out of her. She stared at the ceiling of treetops, blinking, as she tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Rays of sunshine poked through the leaves, giving a soft, peaceful light to the forest floor. It took her a moment to remember where she was, and to notice that there was a rope tied around her left ankle.

"Well, well, well," said a deep amused voice from behind her, "Looks like I caught a princess."

Evelyn pressed to head against the ground to look up at the trees above her head. A man wearing a tunic made up of all shades of green, that made it difficult to see, was leaning up against the nearest tree with his arms folded across her broad chest. His wide hood hid his face but Evelyn could see that he wore an amused smile.

She rolled over unto her stomach and scrambled to her feet, the best she could with the rope still tied around her now throbbing ankle. She brushed the leaves and dirt from off her dress and raised her chin to look at the hooded man.

"I am looking for the Merry Men," she said, "I need their help."

"Why is that," he asked, "Princess."

"That is my own business," she said narrowing her eyes at the man.

He had not yet dropped his smirk, and it was irritating Evelyn. Whoever this man was she didn't care to know him. He also knew who she was which concerned her. From his voice and stature, she could tell that he was probably only a couple years older than her, but she was never allowed to leave the Camelot after her fifth birthday when Morgana returned. No one outside of the citadel would have known her. Least of all some man in the woods, unless he was one of Morgana's men.

Panic swelled inside her and she scanned the area looking for something sharp to cut the rope, or use as a weapon.

The man stepped away from the tree and began the circle her, a low amused chuckle emitting from his throat. Evelyn swiveled her head around to keep her eyes on him as he studied her.

"I'm not the princess," she said quickly, in what she hoped was a convincing tone.

"Whatever you say," he said continuing to walk around her.

"Are you going to take me to Morgana," Evelyn said, her irritation rising, "Or are you just going to walk around in circles all day?"

The man stopped and stared at her, his smile gone. Her anxiety spiked. Now she'd done it.

"I'm not one of Morgana's lackeys," he said, he sounded disgusted.

Relief flood over her for a moment before impatience replaced it, and she glared at him.

"Then why haven't you cut me loose yet," she said, "and how do you know who I am?"

"I thought you said that you weren't the princess," the man said, the amused smile back.

Evelyn's ears burned and she hardened her glare. She was beginning to really not like this man and she was ready to get out of his presence as quickly as possible.

"Well I am," she said, "Now answer my question."

"You look just like you father," he said, "Like King Arthur."

Evelyn stared at him. He knew her father? How could he? He wasn't old enough to know him, especially if he had been living in the woods his entire life, which she figured he had from the state his clothes were in.

She gasped when it occurred to her, "You're one of the Merry Men!"

"Actually, we call ourselves The Woodsmen," he said.

"I need you to take me to them," Evelyn said, hope rising in her chest.

"Can't do that," the man said.

Evelyn deflated and she gaped at him. Frustrated tears began to prickle at her eyes, and she blink furiously to banish them.

"Why not," she said, her voice unsteady, which annoyed her. She didn't want to cry in front of this man.

He only shrugged.

"Please, the kingdom is under attack and my father and mother have been captured," Evelyn begged.

She clutched her hands together in front of her, "Please, I need help. I need Robin Hood."

To be continued....