Framing the Princess

Writing Prompt from Pinterest (Author of prompt unknown)- She looked down at the blood covering her hands and smiled.

This short story is a work of fiction and names, places or events are purely coincidental.

Running, that's all that I can think to do. I try to pull air into my lungs but they burn with every inhale and exhale. I can't believe this is my life now. Leaves crunch under my bare feet sweat drips down my body as I try to weave around the trees that makes me feel like I am trying to escape a corn maze.

You may be asking yourself how did I get myself into this situation well, to be honest I'm not entirely sure myself.

I pick up speed because I know they are still following me. I did something that is unforgivable and I know they won't let me get away. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep running. Something is going to stop me whether that is nature, terrain, or my own body, however I refuse to think about that.

A mile or two more and then I will stop and find a place to hide so I can think of my next move. I need to figure out what I am going to do or where I am going to go because running in what I think is a straight line will get me caught faster.

My vision is now blurring and I am seeing spots almost like dust mites floating in the sunlight coming into your window. I need to stop, I can't go on.

I slow until I am completely stopped. I give myself a couple of minutes to attempt to catch my breathe but I stand up straight when I hear the mower of an ATV that has been following me this whole time.

I turn in a slow circle taking in the forest that surrounds me and for the first time in the last 24 hours I feel relieved. I see a large tree with a hollow center. I hastily crawl inside.

"PRINCESS! PRINCESS AVELLINE!'' The man that is calling for me is close enough that I can hear him over the idling motor.

I know that voice and I want to desperately tell him where I am because he is my personal guard and has been for the last three years. I know he knows what I did and by law he is to turn me in or he will be beheaded while I will be banished from the kingdom since I am royal.

I told myself if I just run I am saving my parents who are the queen and king more embarrassment. Only one royal has ever been banished and his crime was less distasteful than mine. 

I lay flat on my stomach hoping to hide further in the ground. That is when I see my hands.

They are covered in blood but it's not mine. My heart thunders in my chest as the events from a few hours ago slam into my mind and the leaves surrounding me disappear as I see the grand tile of the ballroom floor back at the palace that I live at; I guess living at is more accurate now.

I remember the last thing I saw her standing over my brother with blood pooling around him. She looked down at the blood covering her hands and smiled. Just like when I saw what she did my stomach rolls and I heave.

The sound of leaves crunching and twigs breaking gets louder the closer Orlo is to me. I thought about crawling out the other end of the log but I knew he would see me and it was close enough that I knew he could catch me.

"Avelline, I am here to help and protect you," he softens his usually harsh voice.

"Orlo, I'm scared."

"I know princess, but we know you didn't kill him."

"I loved him. it feels like part of me is gone."

"Please come out so I can take you home. You are safe, no harm is coming to you."

I crawl out from the hole I was in and when I look at him I know that I should have run.

The sinister smile he is giving me is scarier than when I walked in and saw Elyria standing over my twin.

You're on her side! I turn and am blindsided but a hard object hitting me on my temple.

"That bitch, is making it awfully easy to frame her. She is covered in his blood and she fled like the coward she is," spots of light are blinding my vision as the blackness slowly disappears.

"You were supposed to do it in a more private area, she always goes in the ballroom around that time," Orlo chastises Elyria

"Well, if I did it anywhere else they wouldn't suspect her plus I know we talked about doing it in our room, but that paints a bigger target on me. I mean I was bereaved to the next king and I fell in love with the princess's guard; I have the biggest motive."

"Duchess, don't fret. We will make up the greatest story there is and once she is banished we can run off and live our own fairytale."

"Oh, Orlo. You do love me."

I lift my heavy head and almost vomit for the third time at the sight of their groping each other.

"Oh! darling she is awake. Time to take her in!" Elyria sings in a lovely cadence.

Orlo walks to me and pulls me up by the hair that is starting to mat by the nape of my neck.

"GET YOUR SERVANT HANDS OFF ME!" I spit at him.

Orlo's grip tights in my hair and I feel a chunk rip from my scalp. How could this be happening? I introduced her to my brother and this is what she does to my family. She is noble, but I learned after the engagement between Alaric and her that her family is destitute.

"Let me go!" and I feel his hand drop from my hair.

Orlo and Elyria both gasp not understanding what happened. I feel rage swirling in my stomach and then the wind in the dark and dusty room we are in swirls the dust and dirt covering most of the floor up around my feet.

"Orlo! What is going on?" she screams desperate to find a way out.

I stop my foot and as I raise a fist at them the wall behind me falls making the room or should I say shack light up around us.

"It's her, she must have magic in her blood." Orlo is trying to stay calm, but I can tell he is beginning to panic.

"We are going back to my kingdom and you will turn yourselves in. You both will be on trial in front of the royal court and tried for the crimes you have committed."

"You stupid girl! You're such a fool we will not be doing that, you have no real power over us."

"On your knees!" I command.

They both fall and I see them wince from the contact of the floor.

"Orlo, get that rope and tie her hands behind her back and then get the cloth and tie around her head so she can't talk any longer and then when she is done you will get back down and I will tie you up in the same manner."

Orlo hesitates and tries to fight my words but the wind around me picks up and he does as I say.

Once the are both tied up I pull them outside and find the ATV after they are tied to the back I climb on and start the engine.

"Thanks for teaching me to tie knots; they are really coming in handy," I give him a wide smile then wink before I drive off on the motor vehicle and they follow on foot.

We get to the gates of my family's estate and the guards refuse to open the gate. 

"Princess you are to wait here." a deep gravelly voice orders from the other side.

I know what they are doing and frankly its smart they have to protect the king and queen.

"Avelline, where have you been!" I hear my mom cry out.

"Queen, it's not safe."

The gates open and the royal army has their bows and arrows pointed in all three of our directions.

"I will tell you the real story of what happened. What Elyria told you is false. I am innocent and they are the ones guilty. I will prove it to the court if I must."

"Take the two tied up and put them in the dungeon, we will set up a date. Avelline your handmaids will take you to get cleaned up then we will have super.'' My father and their king have spoken and everyone follows his orders.

I climb into bed and there is a knock at the door.

"Come in!" if I don't give permission to enter they would leave or just stay out there until I opened the door.

"Honey, we are so happy you are home."

Thanks," my cheeks warm with embarrassment.

"We know that you're innocent, there is no way you would ever do something like that to your brother," my mother puts her hand on top of my shoulder reassuringly.

"I was so scared that I was going to be next."

"Is that why you ran?"

"Partly, however I feel responsible."

"Get some rest, we will find out the court date tomorrow?"

My parents leave and I lay further in my overly stuffed mattress and I fall into a restless sleep.

I dream of my brother laying in a pool of his own blood and I run to him and search his body for the wound, but I am stopped when I hear a sinister smile coming from behind me.

I turn around only vaguely aware of the fact that I am now drenching in my brother's blood.

Elyria looks down at the blood that is dried on her hands. At first she smiles and then she cackles like a witch brewing a potion ready to take over the world.

"This couldn't be more perfect! You can take the fall and no one will ever suspect me. If you try to speak out against me I will kill you too."

I look up at my brother's fiancé in horror. "How could you do this? I will not take the fall?"

"Princess, you really have no choice in the matter. I am going to frame you." Elyria steps towards me and pulls out a bloody dagger out of a hidden pocket sewn into her dress.

She swipes her hand in my direction a couple of times with large motions, but thankfully she misses with each swing.

She is enjoying herself so much that she is starting to giggle like a little kid at the kingdom's candy shop. She loses her footing from either her heels or the long skirt of her dress.

She falls forward and a ripping sound echoes through the ballroom. I stumble to my feet blindly as tears burn my eyes making my vision blurry.

I hear another ripping sound and I am sure she is trying to cut me with her blade. I feel my feet and body move on their own accord because all I can think is that I do not want to leave my brother there with her. I don't get far before I hear her scream. I duck behind a giant plant down the hall.

"Help! The prince has been hurt!" I hear Elyria shriek so loud her voice breaks.

"What happened?" Orlo demands.

"I don't know, I came in here to ask the princess for tea and I saw her kneeling over my beloved Alaric."

There is a loud murmuring and then some yells.

"The princess did it, we have to capture her."

I push the plant out of my way and it falls with a loud crash and I take off towards the closest exit and I just run.