The Emerald Queen

Sherrose POV It was my 15th birthday and prince Gareth and I hid in the mulberry tree, like we always did. "Look there is my brother" prince Gareth in a hushed tone. "Let's add colour too his suit." he said with a naughty giggle that I loved so much See I was head over heels for Gareth and like a love sick puppy I would follow his every lead. So taking up my slingshot and aiming it at Prince Shaquil, who was 17 and insisted on always wearing white. We loaded up the malburies and let them fly hitting him all over causing splashes if purple on his ice white suit. "Sherrose you sorry excuse for a princess you will be the ruin of your kingdom" he said running towards us. Climbing down, we begin running, as I was running I noticed the sky became dark and the air around me became cold, the trees blew in the wind. Suddenly I felt afraid but why? And where had Gareth gone. "Gareth! Come out now.!" I called intending on heading back to the castle, I didn't want to be here anymore. Every sound had me on edge. *Oooh Princccessss! " came a voice calling out in the distance. "I'm here!! Gareth where are you!!" I called back into the darkness. "Foolish young girl Gareth is not coming, he does not care!!" came the voices response, striking dear into my bones. Calm yourself Rose this is your kingdom nothing can hurt you, show no fear, I said to myself trying to build some courage. Cautiously looking around then putting on a brave face I spoke with what I hoped sounded like a brave voice, " SSShow yyourself, I am nnot afraid! This is my kingdom and everyone will hunt you down if you so much as hurt me!" I said into the darkness. "Haahahaha, Foolish perthetic excuse for a princess, nobody is going to care if you gone." The voice said as he stepped into view. "Shaquil, it's you phew, look I'm sorry about the suit. I will never do it again. Can we please go back to the castle." I said feeling relieved that it was only Prince Shaquil. I started heading towards the trees past him. "Normally the perpetrator runs away from the people who want her dead not towards them." Prince Shaquil said halting me in my tracks. "What are you talking about, I did nothing wrong." I said feeling uneasy again. "You really don't remember that you destroyed the kingdom and killed their king." He said with a wicked smile on his face. "No, that's not true, I did my best, I earned thier trust and I am a lady and a princess that they want me to be." I said not turning my back on Shaquil as I started backing up slowly something didn't seem right. "Oh that's funny, It does not seem that way cause if I remember correctly you not only had us exiled but because of you the world turned it's back on eden and now the world has joined to destroy Eden. No Prince would marry a ugly orphan who's father blackmailed the king to making his ugly swine his heir. King Charlse committed suiside once the his kingdom started burning. " Prince Shaquil said with a grin as he advanced on me. " NO! You lieing, it can never be, we a a mighty kingdom and my father saved the kings life, It was not blackmail, you wrong King Cheeky is not died! You a lier!! " I yelled and turned to run hut I tripped over something and landed in blood. Moving away from what I fell over, I noticed the shape looked familiar. Horror filled my eyes as I realized it was my beloved black panther." Noo Baghiera, it can't be, please don't be dead please don't leave me baggie!" I sobbed as I threw myself onto the dead carcass.... Suddley I felt myself being licked and nugged awake. Opening my eyes I saw big golden orbs peering at me, "Oh baggie you alive, it was all a dream. " I whispered wrapping my arms around his neck and began sobbing again. "I hate these stupid nightmares." I said calming down and whipping my tears and baggie just purred placing his giant head on my lap. Baghoera was my emotional support animal as well as my pet, confidant and best friend, and most of the time he was my body guard cause nobody will challenge a huge ass black panther. Baghiera was what I called a gift from the forest. His mother had been bitten by a snake and had died, we found his curled up by her body only a few days old, Master William or master Will as everyone called him said we should let mature take it's course and not interfere cause nature knew what it was doing but I would not leave him so we brought him to the Castle and I raised him myself and I mean myself as King Cheeky and Master Will forbid anyone from helping me, the told me what he needed and gave me the supplies but the feeding and training and cleaning up was all my responsibility. It was not easy but the deal was if I could not handle it then I could not keep him. Master Will helped me train him on how to identify danger and protect me the older he got and now he shadows my every move. "what do you say we go for a run in the forest today." I said earning a groan from baggie. "Oh, come on baggie we been captive in the castle for a month and after last night's nightmare I need the air," I said sliding out if bed and went to shower and change into my riding tights boots and hoody all in a forest green colour, applying basic eyeliner and llipgloss. Then we slipped out the servant entrance and made our way to the stables using the shadows. I didn't have a personal guard yet so the entire palace guards watched over me but it was 4:30 am so nobody expected me to be up. Once in the stables I quietly went to Whispers stall, He was my STALLION, a gift from King Charles on my 15yh birthday, the fastest biggest and strongest horse in the kingdom. Infact I had to train him to lay down in order to saddle him and then again to mount and dismount. Whisper was super excited to see me like I said we been captive. "Sshhh big boy we need stealth right now." I said calming him as I began saddling and mounting him. " We use the shadows and go fast and nobody stop till we reach the center of the royal woods." I said to my two animals as I covered myself with my cloak in attempt to blend in to whispers Matt black back. Darting out of the stables we road straight through the hidden entrance and out into the woods stretching Whispers legs into full speed and baggie keeping pace the wind gripped my hood whipping my long black hair free loosing my hairband to the wind. Once under the green lush canopy of the forest trees I slowed to a easy canter my hair tumbling down onto my back and shoulders, we head to the stream and whisper allows me to get down as he drinks water. SNAP! goes a twig Baghira sniffs the air and goes to the river to drink but I'm on edge from my dream. I take fighting stand. "Baghieras disinterest should have put you at ease Rosey." Hunter Said jumping down from a tree. Hunter is my best friend and only speaks to a bad full of people. We been taking wilderness classes and martial arts lessons together since my arrival here. Although his outgrown me and is now 6.9 feet tall and build like a oak with black hair cut brush on the sides and 1cm from the top. He looks very scary as he never smiles but his a giant teddy bear and if you happen to catch him smiling I can garentee you will melt. "I'm still on edge from my dream. How did you find me." I said turning my back on him walking to the river. "I noticed you and baghiera moving through the shadows and then I know where you would go. After all who do you think left the hidden enterance open and told the guards not to be alarmed?" He said handing me a banana and giving me a hug. "It was so horrible I needed to come out here and breath Hunter." I Siad leaning into the hug. "I know how you feel but princess your coronation is two weeks away and the boarders have been open for weeks making it unsafe and you know other Royals are coming and those to covert Eden. It's just not safe for you to be out here for now." He gently scolded " I know but I'm not defencless, I know how to fight as good as you and I have baghiera to help and you here now too so I'm safe. " I stubbornly said pulling away to walk abit. "I won't deny that you know how to handle yourself but princess, these are dangerous people with no honor and no care as to what method they use so let's use wisdom and not do this again or King Cheaky will have my head." he said he was right as usual, Hunter was my voice of reason smart and cunning and strong and loyal to death. If I had not already planned to make him Master of Wilderness when Master will retired I would make him my right hand and personal guard. " Fine let's get back the sun has already risen and I'm sure the whole palace knows I'm gone cause Lady Devenchire probably went to drag me to get ready for receiving later." I said whistling for whisper who was wondering around with baghiera. Once mounted we took the scenic route but avoided the village in my disheavled state.