Fan Fiction ❯ For One To Trust ❯ Chapter Four: Forest Fiends ( Chapter 4 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

For One To Trust
By Kimberly Lucker
All characters and parts of this story are original so don't take them!

Chapter 4: Forest Fiends
During the evening, Crystal was sleeping soundly when she felt something around her wrists. She woke finding several cloaked men surrounding her. The cloaks covered them and it was still dark out so she could not see them well. Before she could say or scream a word, they knocked her unconscious with a blunt rock. They carried her away from Aolan and Kojo.

Kojo's eyes followed the cloaked men but he did not move to help her. He pretended to sleep, once again, closing his amber eyes.

When the emperor woke, he noticed immediately that Crystal was gone. He saw the multiple footprints and shook Kojo awake. Kojo woke fluttering his dark lashes open.

"She's gone! Someone has kidnapped Crystal!" Aolan shouted, once he saw his friends' amber eyes.

"How could we of not heard anything? She must be nearby," Kojo said taking Aolan's paw and stroking it, "We will find her, sire. She is fine. Let me heal your shoulder."

"And what if she is hurt? You won't be able to heal her, then." Aolan said sorrowfully.

"You'll need your arm. There is not blood here so we know she wasn't hurt." Kojo slid his hand up from Aolan's paw to his shoulder. He rested his palm gently on the emperor's injury. He shut his eyes and that same golden light appeared healing Aolan's shoulder.

Crystal woke in a strange hut, made of sticks and grasses. Her eyes cleared and she felt a rough material tight on her body. She stood from the hay-like bed to find that she was wearing a deer-hide dress. She felt uncomfortable in the tight material. She could barely move, let alone breathe. A man entered carrying a basket of freshly picked fruits. He had dark skin and darker eyes.

Crystal backed away frightened.

"What do you want with me?" Her voice quivered with fear.

The man set the basket of fruit on the table, "I want nothing to do with the likes of you but our prince insists that you should be his bride."

Crystal's fear subsided hearing that they weren't going to kill her, "Why me?"

"You are a land dweller that he says is important to our future," The man took one of the blue fruits and tried to hand it to Crystal.

"Land dweller?" Crystal took the fruit and looked all around it before she took a bite from the sweet fruit.

"We are Butelles. Tree dwellers, look," He pointed at the small window Crystal had neglected to notice before.

She walked cautiously to the window and looked through it. She saw the canopy formed by the forest and looked down to see the ground was well below them. The small hut was supported in a tree. The trees weren't healthy. They were slowly dying just like the city.

"Where are the emperor and Kojo?" She turned back to see the man about to exit.

He turned, his dark eyes piercing, "They don't care about you. Just forget them."

"Never!" She stomped her foot in anger. The floor groaned beneath her and she thought it would be wise not to do that again. The floor could collapse next time.

"The prince will be with you shortly. You should be happy," the man exited adding, "and don't try anything."

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest, Kojo and Aolan followed the footprints. They followed them to the base of a tree where the footprints disappeared.

"What do you think, Kojo?" The emperor asked as he squatted beside the tree. He sniffed the tree and his ears perked up.

"Butelles?" Kojo answered with question in is tone.

"I think so, but they are usually a peaceful people. Why would they take Crystal?" Aolan looked up the tree seeing the village high above them.

"We will get her back," Kojo stated firmly.

The prince entered the small hut where Crystal sat eating the fruit. He had brown leaves for hair and his skin was covered in bark. His black fur robes complemented his dark eyes. His brown bark skin and the twigs that seemed to grow from his limbs made him seem like a tree. He still looked like a human, though.

"I am Prince Edion," He bowed politely.

"I don't care who the hell you are! Just tell me where Kojo and the emperor are!" She had grown very impatient with all the waiting.

"We are a little bit feisty, aren't we?" He cackled, mocking her.

"Yes and we want some answers!" She confronted him even though he had six inches on her.

"You are to be my queen, doesn't that please you?" Prince Edion grabbed her hand roughly.

"No! I don't want to marry some tree man!" Crystal said in a whiny voice as she pulled her hand from his grasp.

"I'll give you anything you want! Together we can have the world!" Edion smiled showing his extremely white teeth. That smile reminded Crystal of Blake's stupid grin.

"I don't want the world and I especially don't want you! Where are Kojo and the emperor?" Crystal placed her hands on her hips and stood up as straight as she could, trying to intimidate him.

"You will marry me or I will kill your precious friends." Edion grabbed her hand again.

"I don't believe you." Crystal tried to pull her hand away again but he held it much tighter, this time.

"Come with me," Edion dragged her outside the hut to show her the massive city among the trees. There were hundreds of men, women and children, "They are all willing to fight for me."

"You would endanger their lives?"

"If I must," The spoiled prince said coldly.

"But you don't! Just let me go!"

The prince just smiled at her. Crystal scanned the area to find a way to escape.

"There is no escape from me, Princess of Terra."

Crystal looked at Edion surprised at him knowing her identity.

"You did not expect me to know who you were. The legend is clear. If I marry you the forest will once again thrive and I will no longer look like this hideous beast."

Crystal hated this world. Everyone spoke of her as their savior. Crystal didn't know what she was supposed to do to save the crumbling world.

"I'm not your savior! I'm just a normal girl! I'm not even a princess!" Crystal began to shout.

"You are my queen! My cure!" Prince Edion pulled a knife to her frail throat.

"You won't kill me," Crystal was trembling beneath the small but deadly blade.

"You're right, but that doesn't mean I won't kill your friends." Edion shoved Crystal in the hut and locked it.

Meanwhile, Kojo and Emperor Aolan scaled the tall trees of the forest. They had climbed just below the city.

Prince Edion announced the wedding would be held right away. Crystal was dragged to the ceremony, squirming and flailing, "Let me go!"

Kojo and Aolan were right below the ceremonial hall. Aolan threw his fist up through the floor of the hall. They pulled themselves up through the large hole in the floor. Aolan stood on all fours with the hair on his back standing on end. His eyes were full of anger but not only that there was also hatred. Kojo drew his sword and stood beside Aolan.

"Let her go, Edion!" Emperor Aolan ordered growling, his teeth showing.

"Ah, if it isn't my old friend Aolan." Edion chuckled, "You've become even more monstrous. And if you think I would hand over such a beautiful creature to you, you are sadly mistaken."

Edion forcefully grabbed Crystal's arm and pulled her behind him.
"Crystal! No! Release her, now!" Aolan stood, "Please don't hurt her!" He tossed his sword to the ground.

"Please Aolan, you've never cared about anything other than yourself and your empire. You are just like your father. As if you actually care for her well being. Do you actually think this girl would care for a monster such as yourself?" Edion smirked as he kept Crystal behind him.

Crystal finally kicked Edion and escaped his grasp, "You don't care! You don't know how I feel! You just want me so your kingdom will be saved!"

Edion glared at her, "And what do you think Aolan wants you for? You are beautiful but please we could have any girl in this world. We just want you so we can be human."

"The emperor- that's beside the point! You kidnapped me! I choose where I go and whom I marry! I don't approve of your methods of kidnapping me and trying to force me to marry you!"

"Crystal, let's go. Edion knows better than trying to stop me," Aolan offered her his paw.

"No! You will explain to me, first! Why have you been desperately trying to woo me? Is he telling the truth? Is it just because of you wanting to save your empire and your humanity? Are you just like him?" Crystal interrogated.

"Err... Crystal, can we discuss this later?" Aolan looked to the ground embarrassed.

"No! I want to know, now!" Crystal yelled, "I couldn't care less about you and your stupid empire. What is this legend?"

"May I speak, princess?" Kojo bowed politely.

"Please do, Kojo."

"The legend says that a woman would come from another world called Terra. She would fall in love with one from this world and save it from chaos."

"That's it!" Crystal shouted folding her arms.

"No Crystal! That's not it! I don't care about the legend! I care about-" The emperor abruptly stopped his defense and looked away.

"What do you care about?" Crystal questioned.

"Yes, beastly emperor, what do you care about?" Edion cackled.

"Um... well... you see," Aolan babbled.

"Yes?" Crystal turned releasing her arms, "What is it?"

He walked up to her and whispered in her ear, "I care only for you. Not because of the legend. I have accepted my fate to be a beast but I will not accept losing you. I have never loved anyone such as I love you."

Crystal backed away shocked by his kind words, "Then, then why do we go to the temple of the gods?"

"Corton must speak with you so you can exist in this world." Kojo answered for Aolan.

"I don't want to be a savior! I just want to be normal and be happy!" Crystal clamped her hand over her mouth not meaning to say what she said.

"If you want to go back to your former life, Corton is the only one who can send you to your own world," Kojo said sheathing his sword.

"That's enough! You may accept to be a beast but I am not going to be a tree freak! Princess Crystal is going to marry me!" Edion grabbed Crystal's hand and pulled her to him.

"It is her choice where she goes," Kojo demanded.

Edion wrapped his arms around her holding Crystal's back to his chest. He wrapped one arm around her throat. The bark rubbed roughly against her bare skin.

"I want to go home," Tears fell from her eyes.

"Then come with us, Crystal," Kojo stretched his hand out to her.
"No!" Edion tightened his grasp.

An ominous voice surrounded them, booming, "Let her go or you will pay dearly Edion!"

"Lord Corton! As you wish!" Prince Edion released her quickly and then kneeled looking at the sky.

"I will only go with you because I want to go home. You can protect me and show me the way." Crystal took Kojo's pale hand.

The same ominous voice returned, "Edion, put them on their way."

Edion took them to the wooden elevator, "Here are your things. You know I would have given you everything you wanted."

Edion handed her the bag and her sword.

"Let's go, Crystal," Aolan growled and looked at Edion with hatred.

They rode the wooden elevator down to the ground. Crystal continued to wear the deer hide outfit. She had grown attached to the dress. Aolan watched sorrowfully as Crystal refused to acknowledge his existence. Kojo offered her food, which she accepted gratefully. Aolan was starting to become spiteful, due to Crystal ignoring him.

She never realized that he could actually love her. He could make her happy. Crystal believed that he just wanted her so he could become human and his empire would be restored. It was true he wanted those things but not if it would cost Crystal her happiness. All he wanted now, all he cared for now, was her. She was afraid to love because everyone she loved was lost.

"Lady Crystal, may I speak?" Kojo broke the silence.

"Of course, Kojo."

"We must believe in each other if we are going to make the rest of this long journey."

"What are you saying, Kojo?" Crystal raised an eyebrow.

"I'm saying you must trust the emperor."

"I trust him to protect me."

"Kojo, I can speak for myself. Now, retreat." Aolan snorted at Kojo.

Crystal waited for Aolan to speak, but he never spoke. She could tell that she must of hurt his feelings. He was sulking. Crystal felt a drop of sweat roll down into her eye.

"Kojo, is there a lake or something in this forest?" Crystal asked.

"There is a spring not far from here."

"Can we stop there? I'm hot and I want to wash up."

"Sire?" Kojo turned to look at the emperor who was watching Crystal.

He shrugged, "Go ahead."

"Follow me, m'lady." Kojo led Crystal and the emperor to the spring.