The Runaway Princess

She was finally free.

"We're finally free Luna," Diana beamed as the palace became a distant memory left behind as she rides away from it. From everything that holds her back, from everyone who doubts her and thinks she's nothing more than a weak, pathetic princess.

'There's no going back now,' Diana thought 'but that's fine with me I don't want to go back.'

"Come on Luna, we need to get as far away from here as possible. We can't let them find us." Diana said determinedly to her horse.

With Diana's words, Luna picked up a burst of speed her raven colours blending in with the dark shades the night brought to the forest. Diana knows this is the right way. This is the only path she can take now.

The wind is calm tonight and the moon is like a beacon lighting the way for them.

******

Finally, when Diana thought they were at a safe distance from the palace she decided they should rest for the night.

Luckily they came across a shaded area where no one can see them, perfect for hiding from the royal guards and by the end of tomorrow probably the whole kingdom.

'If I decide to unsaddle Luna then there's the risk of someone finding us and me not being prepared to leave in time,' Diana thought as she dismounted Luna 'It's unlikely anyone will find us here but there's always a chance.'

Luna lade down on the floor and Diana walked over lying down near her. This isn't the first time she'd slept near Luna, she'd fallen asleep next to her countless times before, after riding practice or Diana would go to groom Luna and escape the palace but end up falling asleep beside her before waking up in the morning to her parents searching for her.

Sleep started to grip at Diana pulling her into its depths but before it completely took hold of her, Diana looked up at the moon high in the sky and the stars shining.

'It's a spectacular view,' Diana thought before sleep completely took hold of her and her eyes fluttered shut.

******

Dianas dreams were all a blur of memories none of them seemed to fit together. One minute she'd be running down the corridors of the palace and the next she'd be riding Luna through the forest.

She was thrown from one blur of her memories to the next until finally she stayed still stuck in one memory but this one was different not only was Diana standing on the outside of the memory instead of being part of it. She was looking in on the memory but she didn't recognise the room or the people.

The room had tall walls and windows, the curtains are burgundy, laced with golden roses around the bottom and the walls are pale pink with gold flowers decorating them. In the centre of the wall across from her is a four-post bed. It has cherry colour sheets and a man only in around his twenties probably around twenty-four with oak coloured short hair and ocean blue eyes just like Dianas. He wore a regal looking outfit and he sat on the edge of the bed next to a woman in a thin white nightgown. She has long, silver hair which matched Dianas perfectly and in the womans arms, she held a baby girl only just born from what I could see.

The baby girl has ocean blue eyes like the man, who I can only assume is her father and a few silver strands of hair coming out from her scalp. She looks like Diana when she was a baby but before she could get any closer the memories all started crashing in around her. Fighting for Dianas attention, fighting to be seen.

They started merging and attacking her. Before they could grasp hold of Diana she jolted awake, to be welcomed into the waking world by the glaring sun and Luna nudging at her face with her nose.

"Morning Luna," Diana smiled at her "did you sleep well?"

"Neigh," Luna replied.

"Ha, ha that well, huh?"

Diana began to slip into her own little world of thoughts 'Who were those people in my dream? I don't remember them at all which is weird because all the other blurs of my dream were memories. However, that one wasn't a memory. I think it wasn't at least. Those people, I don't know how to explain it but it felt like I knew them....' Diana's train of thought was cut off by yells from not too far away.

"She has to be close," one voice yelled.

"Let's check over here,"

"She couldn't have gotten that far away,"

'Knights they're not too far away but if I'm quick they won't notice me or Luna. I can't get caught,' Diana thought to herself.

"Come on Luna," Diana whispered so that no one else can hear her "let's get going before they find us."

After checking her hood to make sure no one can see her face or hair, Diana mounted Luna kicking her slightly. They galloped away, far away from them before they slowed down to a gentle trot. Diana pulled out a sugar cube and her map.

Luna ate the cube straight from her hand, savouring every bite.

After feeding Luna she looked at the map and realised that they were closer to the Kingdom of Fortis than Diana realised.

'That's good, we'll make it to Fortis sooner then I thought. We must have gone a lot further this morning and last night then I realised,' she thought 'It's still at least a two-day ride from here.'

"Let's go girl, we'll reach Fortis soon." Diana told her horse stroking Luna's head before sitting straight in her saddle.

She kicked Luna and they began to gallop into the distance again, they rode for hours only stopping to rest occasionally. Diana doesn't want to tire Luna out too much she worked so hard last night and today.

As the sun began to set Diana was just about to stop for a rest when she felt danger coming from her right. She pulled on Luna's rains and rode to where she felt the danger coming from.

"Who are you?" Diana heard a male voice ask.