The Princess and the Commoner.

[Kandy]

Bridget ran until she couldn't ran anymore. Panting and fighting off hunger pains and exhaughstion she collapsed at the base of a huge wide oak. Night settled over the quiet marsh quickly and Bridget was plunged into one of the darkest and coldest nights she had ever experienced. She rubbed her arms and shivered in the cold trying to stay warm. But it was useless. She looked up at the velvet sky filled with bright stars. She was safe for now. Though those men had followed her after she ran she had managed to lose them. She curled up and laid her head on a large root that was sticking out of the ground. If she survived the night she'd head back the way she had come and try and find her way back to town. Within a few minutes she could no longer keep her heavy eyelids open and she fell asleep.

[Skyro]

Harrison was starting to panic. He was in the middle of a marsh, it was dark and there were two huge men around looking for the one he loved.

He had to beat them to her!

He walked and walked until he could no longer see his own nose in front of him. He would have to find somewhere safe to spend the night, but where? Ow He said, walking into a large tree. He would have to spend the night here, he lead down and tried to sleep. Sleep was a long time coming but eventually his tired eyes could stay open last move. He could have sworn he heard his name mumbled as he fell fast asleep.

[Kandy]

Morning came and with it the bright sun. But it was not the sun that woke Bridget. It wasn't the sun that warmed her freezing body or that kept her alive all night long. Bridget felt herself coming back to consciousness but she didn't open her eyes. Her mind was fuzzy and she struggled to remember where she was and she was too comfortable where she was, she didn't want to wake up.

Bridget sighed and burrowed deeper into the warm hard blanket that had wrapped itself around her. It felt like strong arms were holding her and keeping her close. She had no idea where they had come from but she was thankful for them now as she tried to catch a little more sleep.

[Skyro]

Harrison peeked his eyes open and could hardly see anything in the light of the sun, what a dream he thought as he closed his eyes again as he hugged his pillow closer.

What a crazy dream

Then he fell sound asleep again, he would be unaware of where he truly was until awoken some hours later by two men who were less than happy to see him.

[Kandy]

Jack growled under his breath as he pointed his sword at the boy on the ground. It was the same boy who had tried to stop them from kidnapping Bridget two nights ago. And now here he was again with the Princess in his arms. He kicked Harrison hard waking him up.

"You have a death wish son?" Jack barked loudly startlying Bridget awake. She gasped recognizing the rough voice and pushed away as quickly as she could sitting up and backing away. "Grab her!" Jack ordered to his partner.

[Skyro]

Waking up with a sword in your face is never a nice thing to do. When you wake up with a sword in your face after sleeping the night on the trunk of a tree, its a different story.

Looking up at the man above him, Harrison could do nothing but stare. So, it hadn't all be a dream. He struggled to keep Bridget in his arms but he was too weak and they were too strong and soon she was tied up a few yards away from him.

"I'm sorry." He tried to say to Bridget but words failed him and for the second time in two days, a swift blow to the side of the head made the world go black.

[Kandy]

"Harrison!" Bridget screamed. no no no! Not again! She thought paniced. "Harrison please! Please wake up!" she begged as she struggled against the ropes. But Harrison did not move. Tears filled her eyes and she gave up the fight letting the men do as they wished to her.

"Just kill both and get it over with." Jack growled impatiently.

[Skyro]

When Harrison awoke, he was bleeding. He had been cut and was very light headed. I'm alive. Where's Bridget? is all that ran through his head. Tearing the sleeve of his shirt, he tied just above the cut and tried to stop the bleeding.

They had tried to kill him. They had failed.

Bridget was nearby, she too was bleeding heavily and much of her clothes had been torn. Harrison avoided thinking about what  they had done to her. He reached down and took her in his arms, using the other sleeve, attempted to stop her bleeding.

With all this done, Harrison had little energy, kissing the top of the Princess' head, he put his head back and let sleep come to him. His last though was; Will I ever wake up?

[Kandy]

Bridget opened her eyes slowly but did not move. I'm alive? She thought in disbelief but the thought was not very reassuring. She knew she had been hurt, and hurt badly. But the pain was numbed by an even greater pain. She didn't want to look around in search of her beloved. She knew they had killed him and she didn't not want to see his body. She only prayed she would join him soon in death.

Sorrow gripped her heart and before she could stop herself her body was being raked with tremendous sobs. "What have I done?" she cried to herself "this is all my fault!"

[Skyro]

Harrison awoke to sobbing, the first thing he noticed was that he had infact woke up! I'm alive? His second thought was for his beloved. There she say, sobbing.

He rose and made his way over to her, while she looked at the ground, tears running over her beautiful cheeks Harrison raised a hand and gently placed it on her head. She looked up at him. "Its OK," he reassured her, "Time to go home now."

The next two things Harrison considered were, What would the king say? Would I have a head tomorrow and They hurt her. I'll make them pay, even if it does cost me my head.

[Kandy]

Startled by the movement and the hand on her head Bridget looked up with fear in her eyes. But the moment she saw Harrison relief washed over her. He was alive! She gasped and the tears turned into tears of joy. Forgetting her injury and the bleeding in her side she threw herself at Harrison wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Harrison!" she sobed into him. "Oh you're alive!" she buried her face in his blood stained shirt. "Either that or this is heaven." she sighed to herself.

[Skyro]

"I can assure you this is real. They have gone, but you're hurt and we need to get you home." Harrison informed Bridget. He helped her to her feet and with her arm round his shoulders, began to head north.

He hadn't told her yet, but he had no idea where he was going. Where is home?!... Dread washed over him.

[Kandy]

After several hours of endless traveling Bridget grew weary and she leaned on Harrison for support more and more. She hadn't eaten for three days and she was still losing blood.

"We're lost" She mumbled her eyes drooping. "I'm so sorry Harrison." She whispered to him trying to keep herself awake. "This is all my fault. I'm such an idiot."

[Skyro]

Harrison began to panic. Bridget had lost alot of blood and they had no water. They had to find somewhere to go, the nearest town even.

But first he had to stop Bridget from falling asleep. If she slept at this point, Harrison was fearful she would ever wake. "Stay with me, please Darling."

They continued to walk, but Bridget was slowing. Oh God.

[Kandy]

Bridget's feet dragged even more. She felt bad for leaning on Harrison so much but she just couldn't stay on her feet. She felt dizzy and lightheaded and she couldn't focuss on much, her thoughts fleeting and short lived. But she was not afraid for her life. She was happy, even if she was mortally wounded and near death, she was happy because Harrision was with her.

As they walked she stumbled over a tree root and her knees buckled under her bringing all her weight down on Harrison as she fell. try as she might she couldn't manage to lift herself back up.

"Harrison..." she breathed. "I'm so... tried." she said closing her eyes lightly. Her head lulled back exposing her long slender neck covered in bruises and her hair fell softly around her face.

"Can we... just take a little break?" she whispered as she struggled to stay conscious.

[Skyro]

Before Harrison could answer Bridget and help her back to her feet her beautiful features had gone blank. Harrison fell to his knees beside Bridget, he places his hand on her chest, her heart was beating, it was slow and Harrison didn't feel it would hold out for long.

Getting back to his feet, he lifted Bridget into his arms. He didn't think he would hold out for much longer either, but he had to try. He took steps forward and knew he was in for a long walk.

And that's when he saw it, in the distance, a small house with smoke emitting from it.

Life.

He started the downhill journey towards what could be his saviour, and more importantly, his loves' saviour.

[Kandy]

Bridget remaind unconscious, her life slowly fading.

In the cabin an old hermit woman lived peacefully. She had helped weary travelers before who had stubbled upon her old home lost and looking for food and shelter.

[Skyro]

With about twently yards left to get to the house, Harrison's legs started to falter. He stumbled on  towards the gate of the little garden painted with all the colours of the rainbow and then stumbled up the path towards the ivy covered house.

He raised an arm, knocked on the door and then collapsed in a heap, Bridget in his arms.

[Kandy]

Bridget's limp body fell in Harrison's arms.

The old woman looked up from her knitting where she was sitting in her old rocking chair by the crackling fire. "now who on earth?" She mumbled to herself hearing the weak knock on her door. She shook her head clicking her tongue and setting down her needles and yarn "I know I'm not expecting company." she said as she stood and hobbled slowly to the door.

"Who's that then?" she asked in a loud cranky voice throwing the door open and looking around for whoever had knocked on her door. "Hello?" Finally she looked down and saw the two youngins on her door step. "Goodness gracious." She breathed putting a hand to her heart. "Boy? are you alright?" she asked.

[Skyro]

When Harrison awoke for the empteenth time in the last few days, a women hovered over him with a wet rag. He sat up quickly, "Where is she?!" The women gestured for him to lie back down. "She's fine my love, just rest now."

The old women walked off and returned in a few minutes with a sweet drink and some bread. Harrison gladly took them and hastely ate them.

[Kandy]

After a few minutes the woman left and Bridget came in soon after that. She was bandaged up well and had on some fresh clothes that were just a little bit too small for her. But she didn't mind. He hair and body was washed and cleaned and life had fully returned to her beautiful blue eyes. Her face brightened when she saw Harrison sitting up and eating in his bed.

"Madaline said you were awake." She said quietly coming to sit at the foot of the bed. She wasn't sure if she should get any closer to him because she didn't want to rush him or hurt him in any way.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him worriedly.

[Skyro]

"Been better." Harrison replied, "Now I've seen you, it hardly hurts at all." At that moment he just wanted to hold Bridget and never let go, but he must prepare for what they would do next.

"We must leave soon and return you to your father. I will lose my head, no doubt for this."  Harrison frowned. "I love you, you know that?" He added and closed his eyes, in deep thought about how he would get them home.

[Kandy]

Bridget bit her lip tears springing to her eyes once again. She looked away from Harrison her heart aching. She couldn't even think about what her father might do to Harrison, whether it was her fault or not... The king would find some way to blame Harrison for it.

Bridget shook her head as the tears quietly slipped down her cheeks. "I can't lose you. Not now, not ever again." she replied her voice cracking "I can't, I wont, I'll die before I let my father lay a finger on you!"

[Skyro]

Harrison shook his head. "I can not go back if I want to live, but nor can I bare to lose you." He took her hand in his, "I will return you home and the king can have his way with me."

He brushed her now rosy cheeks with the back of his hand and gave her the biggest smile he could muster, not that it was very reassuring to her.

"I'm not good enough, I don't have money, power and I'm not royal," he finally said.

[Kandy]

Bridget shook her head again and buried her face in her hands and just cried. Finally she looked up again at Harrison.

"Harrison, none of that matters to me! I love you so much." She admitted and she meant it with all her heart. It showed in her eyes the way she looked at him like he was a god. Her own personal diety. And she didn't want to lose him. If they went back and her father executed Harrison, Bridget was sure she would die of grief or if that doesn't come fast enough she'd find a way to kill herself just to be with him again.

"Let's run away. Just you and me." she suggested desperately taking both of his hands in hers. "I don't want to be royalty if it means I can't have you."

Bridget looked into Harrisons eyes pleading with him.