The Journey To Fortis (1)

After finishing breakfast they headed out to Fortis they'd been riding for three hours now and are getting closer to the border and luckily luckily haven't run into any guards.

"You know we're probably going to be given ten times the amount of work now!" Kylo moaned.

"Yeah your right," Crystal agreed.

"It won't be that bad," Hunter pointed out "besides we are the ones who decided to leave for a few days."

"Yeah that's true," Maddy moaned.

They've been joking around all this time even in a place like Malum where there isn't a war on going Diana's not seen anyone this close before it's sort of nice but that could just be because she's never been allowed out of the castle grounds at least not since she was four years old.

"Hey Diana," Maddy called out.

"Hmm," Diana replied waiting for Maddy to continue.

"You'll probably be staying at the palace as your Alex's personal knight, right?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not sure, I never asked and it doesn't really bother me either way." Diana answered honestly.

"Let's check over here men,"

"Come on,"

"She can't be to far now,"

Diana suddenly heard voices coming from the distance "Dammit," she hissed under her breath.

"Is everything ok?" Alex asked noticing Dianas change in demeanour which attracted everyone else's attention as well.

"Don't be too noisy and just act like normal," Diana began instructing them ignoring Alex's question as she climbed off Luna "Luna run into the forest and hide, don't come back unless you hear me whistle, go!" Diana said as she patted Luna's side and she took off.

"Diana what's going on?" Maddy asked.

"I don't have time to explain just do what I say," Diana commanded "Alex put this on," she explained as she took off her cloak gaining her gasps of admiration from the others "some of them might recognise you which wouldn't go to well with your secret trip here."

He followed Dianas instructions and put on the cloak hiding his face "You owe us an explanation after this," Alex pointed out.

"And I might give you one," Diana replied.

"Let's check over here," She heard the voices coming closer and closer with every passing second.

"Dammit ,I won't be far if they start causing trouble I'll handle it," Diana informed them before jumping into the trees.

"What's up with her?" Hunter asked.

"No clue," Kylo responded.

"You there," A voice call out to the others as he led a small group over to them.

"Yes sir," Maddy answered with respect.

"Have any of you seen this girl?" he asked showing them a picture of ,Diana.

"No sir, you're the first person we've met since we came to this forest," Hunter politely replied after they all studied the image.

"Are you sure? She would have been riding on an ebony horse." He continued to press.

"We're positive we haven't seen anyone who matches that description, our deepest apologies that we couldn't help." Crystal respectfully replied to his questioning.

"No need to apologise, however, if you do see or hear anything about this girl let us know," he said before he and his troops left without seeing even a glimpse of Diana.

'That was close luckily they didn't spot me,' Diana thought to herself. She stayed in the trees hidden until she could no longer hear them and was sure it was safe.

After a while Diana jumped down from the tree and brushed off the stray leaves that are rising on her.

"Here," Alex said before handing Diana back her cloak.

"Thanks," after he passed it too Diana she quickly did it up and hid her face under its hood.

"What did they want with you?" Kylo was the first to ask.

"Too take me back home," Diana answered nonchalantly.

Diana whistled and Luna soon came into view stopping in front of her "Good girl Luna," she complimented while feeding Luna a sugar cube.

"Why don't you just tell your parents where you're going? It would save you having to hide from those Knights," Crystal pointed out.

"If I told them where I was going they'd drag me back home without hesitation or any care for how they do it," Diana explained without emotion as she mounted Luna.

"Let's go there are probably more nearby," Diana pointed out as she pulled on Luna's rains and began moving.

"I'm sure they'd understand if you explained," Crystal continued.

"They wouldn't but that doesn't matter if they won't let me become a knight as long as I live within the borders of this Kingdom then like I told you I would last night I'll leave and they won't be able to stop me," Diana explained void of emotion.

"But....." Crystal tried to continue making her point before Maddy interrupted.

"Just leave her be Crystal it's her choice not ours," Maddy scolded.

"Fine," Crystal complied.

The rest of the trip continued with everyone bickering and laughing Diana rode ahead at times to scout the area but luckily they haven't run into anyone else.

"We should probably set up camp soon it's getting late and everyone needs to get some rest for tomorrow," Alex announced as the sky started to become crimson everyone complied.

"Diana how long were you traveling before you ran into Alex?" Hunter asked.

"I left the night before I'm not sure what time exactly I just know that it was dark out and that helped conceal my presence and then I met Alex and the rest of you yesterday." Diana answered his question.

"You got quite far in less then twenty four hours," Crystal commended Diana.

"Well I had to put distance between me and those Knights after all," Diana replied

"I guess that's true," Crystal agreed.

After a while of riding with the others laughing and chatting Alex spoke up "We should find somewhere to set up camp for tonight, we don't know what's in these woods and we don't want to be travelling when it's dark out we could easily get lost." Everyone agreed while Diana just sat on Luna silently listening "Diana do you know if there are any clearings nearby?" Alex asked.

"Yes, I believe I do." she answered before guiding everyone through some trees and they ended up in a clearing Diana jumped off Luna and tied her up to a nearby tree. "I'll go scout the surrounding area and hunt for some food for dinner this evening," Diana informed them before heading into the forest.

*Thirty minutes later.*

By the time Diana returned to camp the sky was crimson with sparks of ebony sneaking in, a fire was going in the camp to cook the food, the horses were all tied up to trees near Luna and everyone was having a good time.

"Diana your back, do you want us to prepare the food as you hunted it?" Crystal asked as she and Maddy came over.

"If you want to," Diana responded in a nonchalant tone of voice and passed them the two rabbits she caught. Which they set to work on by the campfire straight away.

"Diana," Hunter called her over to where he, Kylo and Alex are sitting.

She walked over to them "How did the scouting go?" Kylo chimed in.

"It went fine and there's nothing for me to report," Diana answered before walking towards a tree on the edge of the camp and jumping into its branches perching herself on one of them. From here she can watch over the camp and watch the nearby surroundings.

After sometime Alex walked over to her "The other girls are just plating up the food if you want to come and join us," he informed her.

Diana gave their surroundings one more glance before jumping from the tree and joining Alex "Let's go join them then," she said before they walked over to the campfire and sat down they were almost instantly handed plates.

Dinner was pleasant and happy it was nice and full of laughter and joy they all stayed up after finishing dinner way into the night the other two girls were the first to fall asleep followed by Kylo and then Hunter. Leaving only Diana and Alex awake.

"You should probably get some rest Diana," Alex said as they watched the moon.

"No need I'll go to sleep later on, however, you should get some rest. I'll go out to scout the area before I go to sleep but that doesn't mean you shouldn't rest."

"Alright but go to sleep soon," he said and Diana could swear she heard a hint of concern in his voice.

"I will," she answered before heading out to scout the area. Diana stayed out in the forest near to the camp but not too far so that if anything happens she would be able to help them.

As the sun began to rise Diana hunted for their breakfast and cooked it the aroma soon lured the others from their sleep.

"Mmmmmm, that smells great." Crystal who was the last to wake up complimented as she joined the rest of them and Maddy handed her a plate. "Thanks," she thanked Maddy.

"Don't thank me, thank Diana she cooked this," Maddy said refusing Crystals thanks.

"Oh, thank you Diana." Crystal then thanked Diana her smile never leaving her lips.

"There's no need to thank me," Diana answered nonchalantly as she fixed Luna's saddle "we should probably leave before it gets too late," she pointed out to them.

"You're right we'll head out in an hour," Alex commanded.