I left it really late to write this and I’m not in the mood for anything difficult so I’m just going to practice some creative writing as I haven’t done anything of that sort in a while.
She sprinted through the dense green trees overgrown with thistles and thorns. Her crimson satin dress draped below her knees and the lace trimming caught and tore leaving a tell-tale thread on a low branch. On she ran obliviously, her mind not on her inevitable pursuers, she had time only for the destination. Branches cracked and split under the heavy trekking boots she had needed to beg to have purchased for her. She fleetingly recalled the pestering and pleading she had repeatedly bombarded her mother with, her claims that she had weak feet and needed stronger soles than the dainty, pointed-toe heels offered and that surely her physical well being was more important than how aesthetically pleasing her feet would appear to the palace staff who were the singular beings ever permitted to appear in her presence. Aside from at the annual palace ball of course, she recollected with a shudder.
Slowly the trees began to thin out and she suddenly broke out into the empty clearing. He wasn’t here yet. He should have been here by now. She stopped, sucking deep shallow breaths, her chest heaving. She thought she would collapse from exhaustion. In the palace she was not encouraged to exercise her muscles. That sort of exertion was expected of the men of course but was not considered lady-like. She was more than an hour late when she left the palace and had half killed herself to cover the two and half miles as quickly as possible. But he wasn’t here. She didn’t even consider the fact that he had left without her. If anything he had told her was true then he would have waited all night for her if necessary. Now and not for the first time though, she wondered had it all been lies to convince her to leave the palace alone after dark. But she had to come. How could she live with herself if she didn’t find out the truth?
She felt a cold chill creep up the back of her neck. Slowly she turned in a circle, scrutinizing her surroundings. She had never been outside this late before and she only had her thin ball gown with its sheer, lace sleeves ending at her wrists. Her dark hair had fallen out of its pile and hung in loose, thick waves over her shoulders. How long could she wait here for him? When would they realize she was no longer anywhere in the vicinity?
The full moon shone through the treetops. They had chosen this night specifically because of the natural light that that would light their way and also because the ball would continue on until early morning at which point everyone including most of the staff would fall into a deep, intoxicated sleep. If she was lucky they would be so preoccupied not to notice her absence until the next morning. One could only hope, she thought.
“Pleased to see you could make it, Adrienne,” a soft voice spoke from behind her. Jumping slightly she spun around. How had he crept up on her so silently?
“I suppose you expect me to say the same for you, turning up two hours after we had arranged?” she replied more rudely than she had intended. Her heart was still beating too fast and her nerves were on edge. Now that she had gotten here she didn’t know what to do. Staring at his glittering blue eyes she could tell he was laughing at her agitation. His sallow, wrinkled skin contrasted so with her own soft, white visage. As always her skittish feelings faded away almost immediately when in his presence.
“So Adrienne, are you ready to find an adventure?” his eyes twinkled again and a smile flickered for a moment across his lips. She felt her own mouth slide into a smile and then she was standing in the moon-lit glade beaming at the old man.
“I’m ready Grandfather,” she replied, taking a step towards him. He smiled gently back at her, turning and Adrienne walked with him into the trees.
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