Once upon a time Pt. 5

As Pixie's mother and the Prince slowly headed away from the pile of armor, they hadn't made it more than 20 feet when they heard the rustling in the woods, back the way they came. They stopped and strained to hear, but it stopped. As they turned to investigate, a muffled cry for help emanated from the pile of armor!

Although it felt like eternity for all 3 of them, only an instant passed as Jesse and Pixie's mother leapt from the horse and ran back to the pile. Pixie yelled again as they threw the pieces of armor off her.

Jesse gently sat her up and removed the wet blindfold from her sore eyes, and she blinked first from the sudden sunlight, then from the shock of realization that it was the Prince that freed her! Her mother crashed into her, a tumble of hugs and kisses!

"THANK GOD you're ok!" she shouted as Jesse cut the ropes that bound her wrists behind her back. Pixie wrapped her sore arms around her mother and sobbed, "oh mommy! Thank you for saving me!"

Smiling from a few feet away, Jesse humbly stayed silent.

"Oh no!" said Pixie's mother, "if Prince Jesse hadn't come to help me, you may have perished here!" tears filling her eyes now.

The Prince helped her up and asked if she was ok to ride. With her nod, she was lifted to the saddle with her mother, and he led the horse back the way they came.

Suddenly into the bush, in a crash of leaves, one of the soldiers came upon them.

"oh thank heavens! You've found her!" he exclaimed. "the scouting party that did this got away, all except for one, he was badly injured, and left for dead. He told us, before he passed, that the girl had stumbled upon their camp."

"wait a minute." said Pixie's mother, "she walked into these woods by herself, and was attacked here? Not dragged in? Pixie! Is this true??"

Pixie couldn't speak. She looked down at the ground and nodded as new tears welled up in her eyes.

"We are going to have a SERIOUS talk about this young lady." her mother scolded. "not only did you endanger your life by entering the woods I specifically forbade you to, but you caused all sorts of chaos for our Prince!"

"Oh mother! I'm SO sorry! Sire! Please, I'm sorry don't do anything to my mother for this! Its all my fault," Pixie wept.

"dear, dear, shhhh. Calm down." Jesse said. Tonight you and your mother will join me at MY table for the feast. We will find a suitable replacement for your mother in the kitchen. And you will both do me the honor of staying in the castle tonight. You will both get a good nights sleep, and tomorrow morning, when we've all had a chance to rest, the THREE of us will have this discussion TOGETHER. Your mother is right, that some things need to be dealt with regarding this situation, however, after discussing things with your mother over dinner tonight, we will come to an agreement that satisfies us both. Ok?"

They both nodded their heads with eager anticipation at the nights festivities, and deep down, Pixie was even a little excited at the prospect of getting to know the attractive young Prince a little better!