choices

Taking the child's hand I decided to go help her,

I felt sorry for the poor thing, "where's the last place you saw mom?" the young girl guided me to the back of the ball room ,to the big Open double doors that led to the garden,she then pointed outside and spoke softly"out there out there is mamma" she said then ran right into the large garden, she disappeared into the darkness. I quickly followed, I walked across the gardens until I reached the opening, a beautiful moonlit night sky spread before me, stars sparkled beautifully. I scanned my surroundings I looked for the child. I heard a soft whisper from behind me, then the whispers were all around me. I spun around frantically and gasped when I spotted a figure leaning against a pillar a black cloak hiding them almost perfectly it had to be my imagination because as soon as I spotted it the figure was gone. then I heard the snap of a twig It was the girl it had to be her. my eyes searched the area for signs of her but I couldn't find anything, my gaze finally landed on her.

She sat against the column with tears streaming from her eyes, I ran to her side she looked up at me then started crying even harder "mommyyyy please save me I can't find my mama" she screamed. I kneeled beside her and wrapped my arms around her "shhh shhhh baby we will find " I kept repeating reassuringly over and over again. After five minutes of comforting her she finally calmed down "where mamma" she whimpered between sniffles "look honey I will try to find her I promise we will find your mummy alright" I reassured her again I held onto her tightly in an attempt to calm her and myself down while also comforting her. then suddenly the grip she has around my neck began to tighten it was becoming painful and hard to breathe I tried to push her off but the grip just got tighter and tighter, I felt myself loosing air and suddenly the child started to growl a low gutteral sound, " please let go your hurting me!" I begged and the small girl looked up into my eyes we were nose to nose and the child no longer looked like a child it looked like a goblin gray skin black eyes sharp teeth, I screamed as loudly as I could then all day once I was on my back the air knocked out of my chest the girl... no goblin, with unnatural inhuman strength it clasped it's long boney fingered hand over my mouth, preventing me from screaming anymore. I struggled under it desperately trying to pull its slimy cold fingers off of my lips, it squeezed its eyes shut I closed mine as well as tight as I could trying to push it off but all it did was increase its grip slightly.

The goblin began to laugh and I felt my eyes start to sting with tears. "what do you want?" I managed to choke out. The goblin laughed again and replied "what do you think?" the goblin asked with an evil chuckle, it took its hand off my face. I coughed and gulped in lungfuls of air, "I want the blood of the lion" It spoke in a gravely voice that sent chills down my spine. Then it's long finger reached out to touch me and I closed my eyes. I started thinking how stupid I was to follow this child into the dark, why didn't I tell anyone what I was doing or where I was going now this thing is going to kill me or eat me either way this is how I will die. The creature lifted my chin gently and looked into my eyes with a cold gaze "you may live" The creature said letting go of me. I looked up at him shocked "how can you say you might live if it comes to you?" I retorted back angrily, "because I can't hurt you if your immortal" he said with a sneer

"your coming with me little princess" the goblin told me then it reached into a small bag around it's waist, inside were small glowing stones, he then threw at the ground a glowing vapor started to rise from the stones and began to make a portal in the air, so much for learning self defense I thought.

Dane POV

I stood speaking with the duke sharing a glass of wine and stole a glance towards the duchess to see the princess, but to my surprise I saw her walking off with a small child no older then 5 she held her hand and followed her into the crowd of dancing guests. how stupid could she be I thought why would she do that doesn't she understand who she was??? it could dangerous she didn't have her sword I groaned internally " excuse me your grace please let me take my leave for now" I spoke and took a bow turned to leave to follow the crown princess through the crowd and out the to the back garden.

I quickly made my way to the courtyard garden and saw her walking through the dark hedge into the milky shadows and she was gone "shit" she was gone and it was so dark I went over to a piller and grabbed a lantern hanging on a hook, then I started walking into the dark garden after elowen. my thoughts were everywhere why would she go out in the dark by herself I kept walking through the hedge in the garden in felt never ending.

Then as I looked to my left I saw a faint shimmering blue light coming from somewhere, I followed it with caution, that's when I heard faint whispering for a deep gravely voice,I crept closer when I found a clearing ahead the voice grew louder and the light Brighter. As soon as I got near enough I stopped dead in my tracks and gasped in shock. laying on her back was elowen pinned to the ground by a goblin it had her by the neck as if it were to strangle the young woman to death, watching the princess start to pass out I realized it was not going to end her life but take her away it had created what looked like a portal to the fae relm ,I needed to be very quiet as I approach goblins were very strong and one wrong move and she would be gone carried away somewhere beyond my help , crouching down I remembered I had my dagger with me I slowly pulled it from the strap inside my boot. when I reached within two feet of the creature it's pungent smell it my nostrils and made me gag, thankfully I was not heard so I silently swung my arm forward and plunged my knife into the creature's skull it screamed and grabbed for in head but it was too late as blood poured from the wound and it eyes rolled in the back of its head as blood begin leaking from its nose and mouth it sputter one finale word "crows" splattering blood all over the princess and the earth as it took it's last . the creature dropped from elowen's back and I quickly pulled my blade from its head and drove the blade into the grass to clean the blood, the creature was no longer alive I sighed with relief I placed the lantern down and carefully approached elowen.

"are you ok princess?" I whispered to her I gently touched her cheek and she opened her eyes I was worried that something bad happened to her I could sense something was amiss but she nodded weakly. I helped her sit up and put my arm around her " your safe now" I told her. "can you walk?" I said to her and she nodded again I carefully pulled her to her feet, her legs buckle under her own weight " whoa! maybe we should sit for a bit before you Walk anywhere" I said with concern she seem so weak but I don't see any visible injuries ,she nods weakly again and sits down on a stone bench and closes her eyes "okay now tell me what happened" I ordered softly, she sighs then told me everything which is basically that a child had lost her mother and needed help so she followed her out to the garden and lost sight for her, she then found her crying then the child turned into the goblin who tried to kidnap her to take her away somewhere because it wanted something from her "but Dane I can't remember what it wanted" Elowen cried in frustration, "you don't need to remember" I assured her "it didn't hurt you did it?" I asked concerned

"no I'm alright" she whispered looking away from me. She looked scared and tired, I could see that she was fighting with herself to keep her composure as much as possible; she was scared that I would see through her facade. " I'm sorry I should have stayed I never should have left" elowen spoke softly " I'm a warrior as much as a princess and it got the best of me I've always prided myself on being strong " she sighed" prided myself on not needing to be rescued like some damsel in distress "

" princess you are strong you just weren't prepared to fight the magical beast" I told her she gave me a small smile and continued to look straight ahead with her hands folded together on her lap. I looked at her sitting there her pale skin reflecting the moonlight the only hint of color her eyes, they were sad and reflected light glow coming off the portal. that would need to be sorted as soon as possible I stood up turned around then look down and put out my hand towards elowen " well then we should head back and find someone to deal with this magical mishap shouldn't we??" I questioned her she nodded then slowly rose up to her full height I held my arm out ready to support her I guided her back into the castle and into the safety of the warm walls.

As we walked through the doorway to the ballroom back to the loud music and inviting presence of the people dancing and drinking, feeling elowen shrink back as we were walking back towards the duke and duchess " I can't go back to grandmother the dress is ruined and I'm covered in dirt she will so upset" elowen exclaimed frantically I looked at the dress and realized she was right it was absolutely filthy it was covered in dirt and goblin blood ripped at the hem and missing pearls around the corset,

"I think she will understand if we tell her what happened" I said quietly hoping that I was correct "but what if she won't believe us!" she pleaded with me "well we can always try" I suggested she looked up at me and nodded, the smile that graced her beautiful features warmed my heart and filled my whole body with warmth and joy, she looked so happy in that moment I had to shake my head I can't feel anything for her I like my head attached to my body I thought and swallowed hard in my throat "here we go" I spoke under my breath then took Elowen's hand and began walking towards the duke and duchess. we found our way through the crowd people had started to notice the state of the crown princess, whispers began making a way through the ballroom the music had stopped all that I could focus on was the click of the princesses heels on the marble floor.

"w..what is going on??" exclaimed the duchess after catching sight of her granddaughters clothes covered in dirt and blood.

"we have had a breech in security my lady" I replied bowing slightly at the waist. the duchess raised an eyebrow in question "oh what have you done now darling?" she asked her voice sounded disappointed "well a little girl came to me and asked for help looking for her mother. I thought she was lost and followed her out to the garden, but it wasn't a child at all" said the princess with upset excitement in her voice. "what?" The duchess said in disbelief raising an eyebrow "then what was it??"

it was then that I decided to speak up, "my lady if I may it was a shape shifting goblin and I'm afraid it was trying to take the princess with him to the realm" a gasped left the duchess " but what? we are friendly with the realm and the fae why would they attempt such a thing??" she was getting quite upset, the duke had a puzzled look upon his face. the duke seemed to understand what was going on, "I suppose this is one way they could get close to the princess and steal her away" he said to no one in particular " yes sir but why take the princess?" I mused "this doesn't concern you ,I thank you for your help but I'll handle this now"

"call the guard we need to check the surrounding area and but up patrols," bellowed the duke "where is my son !" he shouted just then the doors at the top of the stairs opened and there was lord baron followed by the guard , he was dressed in his usual armor and a sword in his hand. they stopped dead in their tracks and the duke raised his hand signaling them to stay still. the duke spoke calmly but sternly to the guards " I'm afraid we must end this night early please see to it that every guest is seen safely out" the hall became loud with worry from the guest as they begin to take their leave. the duchess walks towards me as I stand there waiting for her, "thank you, Dane" she says "for your help" and hugs me and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek, " thank you for protecting her".