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SHE had taken just few metres away from her hiding place when she stumbled into an object, and a voice cried out. She flinched, jumping back.

She was running and turning back intermittently and so hadn't seen what she has just stumbled into.

She looked down at what she had just stumbled on, it was a human. Yes, a girl… a pretty girl, she was blindfolded, hands tied to the back, and legs tied as well.

Oh, poor thing. Rina looked toward the direction the masked man had taken and then back to the girl.

She must actually have been captured by him.

"Don't scream anymore, I'm here to help", she said as she bent down over her and began loosening the blindfold from her eyes, her fingers working so fast and meticulously.

It was a really pretty little girl, of about fourteen. But what could have really brought her to— she paused.

This wasn't the time to start thinking that, it was the time to think out something fast, and act upon it as well.

She looked toward the masked man's direction again and then down to the girl, she smiled wearily, there was fear in her eyes.

Without thinking Rina scooped the girl in her arms and began taking her to the edge of the woods.

Her aim was to take her there, untie her and then help her to her house, or wherever. Just help her escape.

On her way she stopped, what if he had accomplices around? She then used her ears and eyes to survey the environs.

Seeing and hearing nothing, she continued walking further outside the woods, she looked down at the girl, she was already passing out gradually, she was so weak.

Just then, she spotted a small red Beetle, parked by the lonely roadside.

Wow, what a luck! 

"This must have been the car the masked man used in coming," she said and then walked up to it.

Another surprise, the keys to the car was right there in the ignition. Immediately, she opened the backseat and carefully dropped the girl in her arms in it.

Then she ran to the driver's side and entered, turned on the ignition and reared the car into motion at once.

She was actually a good driver, her little hours of training with Zaina hadn't been in waste, never.

Stealthily, she drove through the lonely road, there wasn't anyone on it, just as expected, and then taking the short court, she drove like hell toward the nearest hospital.

She got to the gates of the hospital and blared the car horn like mad, then taking her bag from the other frontseat, she took a last look at the girl, she had already passed out, then jumped down the car and raced into the farms nearby.

***

Selena got home to meet an empty house, she had just rushed home from the mart where she sells her soap.

The kingdom was presently on fire, a bad news had just gone round, something has happened, something bad.

So not meeting her daughter in the house was enough to cause panic. Where could she be? School had closed for like hours ago.

She took out her phone to call her. She rang her contact and it went through, but she wasn't picking up 

Once... twice... she continued calling.

Then as if on impulse, she went to her room, that was when it dawned on her that she wasn't with her phone, it was visibly ringing right there in the room.

She picked up the phone and decided to find Zaina's contact in it, maybe she was with her, and she dialed it.

***

Rina ran all the way home through the farms and various short courts panting. She prayed not to meet her mom home.

Her prayer wasn't answered this time, her mom was already home. What could have happened? She doesn't come home at this time.

She dallied outside on the balcony trying to free herself so as not to let her mom see the panic in her and begin asking questions.

"Where you been Rina?" Selena asked at the instant Rina stepped into the house.

Jeez, she flinched, she wasn't expecting the question as sudden as it came.

"Well, been to Zaina's place," she lied.

Selena sighed, looking her over.

"I called Zaina," she said.

Holy moly! Her eyes widened. She already called Zaina, but why? How? Why should she?

This lie wasn't gonna hold water anymore, she had to spill the truth.

"Well mom," she tried to be calm, "I been to the woods."

"What!" Selena exclaimed, her eyes widened in shock. "You what?" she added.

"Mom I..."

"What you been to the woods for Rin?"

"Well we had project to carry out, there are some plants we were asked to go get from there, so I had to go. If I don't, I stand the chance to loose my marks," she explained, her eyes narrowing.

"And you went without Zaina?"

"Mom..." she stressed. "Zaina can find her way out?"

"How do you mean?" 

Okay now, she was getting pissed off with the question and answer session.

"She can actually pay people to get hers for her, so she doesn't need to go with me to the woods."

Selena sighed.

"I understand you are trying to make things easier for me Rin, but at least you should have told me about it first, before taking such decisions. Going to the woods can be dangerous you know?"

Rina nodded.

"I know mom, I try to be brave at times as well."

Selena nodded, concurring with her.

"You should have passed for a boy huh," they laughed.

"You are back early, what happened?" Rina asked.

Selena walked to the couch and sat.

"Something happened, something tragic," she said.

Rina's eyes widened in confusion, she walked and sat close to her mother.

"Something tragic? What exactly?"

"The Princess was reported abducted."

"What? The royal Princess?" She stood up.

"Who else? So you see, that is why I'm worried about you, please don't go to the woods again, please," she pleaded, a mother's plea evident in her eyes.

"Okay mom," she replied.

Selena then got up and left the living room.

"I was doing something before you came in, let me complete it," she said.

"Alright mom."

The Princess? But how come? Could it be that little girl she had helped out of the woods? She shook her head, it couldn't be, though she hasn't seen the Princess but that little girl was definitely not her.

She wasn't dressed like a princess, no royal robes, no royal signet, no royal ring on her, nothing. She was just normal like every other.

Besides, the Princess wouldn't be fourteen, she laughed, she wouldn't.

It was definitely not her. She decided to keep all that happened secret, not to tell anyone, besides she doesn't think she could even be able to recall the girl's face anymore, nah, she shook her head, she couldn't.

So it was better forgotten, she only helped someone and nothing special about it.

Just then her phone buzzed from her room, she got up and rushed to get it.

She picked it up from her reading desk and looked into it, Zaina, it read.

"Hey girl," she answered it.

"Yooooo! Been calling," she stressed. 

"Been calling since when?" Rina rolled her eyes, a small smile on her lips.

"For like… ten years now."

"I thought you were gonna say for a millennium."

They laughed.

"Where have you been actually? Your mom called... like fifty minutes ago."

She sighed.

"I know, I'm already home."

"Where have you been Rina?" she asked again.

"Well, just went for a walk," she said.

"A walk? A walk Rina, a walk without your phone. Please cut the crap off, and tell me the damn truth."

Rina laughed, that was Zaina for you, you never could lie to her, infact she was a lying detector.

"Alright... alright, went to the woods."

"To get your leaves?"

"Exactly."

There was silence as Zaina kept mute saying nothing. Rina was taken aback.

"Are you there baby Z?" She had to ask.

"I told you to let me do this."

"Jeez, but I wanted to do it myself."

"By going to the woods? Don't you know it is dangerous?"

"I'm sorry, I really didn't want to keep bugging you with my problems all the time." She pouted, as though Zaina could see her face.

"Did I ever complain?"

"I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry," she pleaded.

"Enough, before you start crying," they burst into laughter.

"I don't cry anymore, I'm a strong girl now."

"I see. My dad was just called on an urgent meeting to the palace..." she paused.

Rina exhaled deeply, scratching her head.

"Why the urgent meeting?" She asked.

Zaina deliberately delayed answering, keeping her in suspense. Rina envisaged and hissed out.

"Spill it out Z", she shouted banging the reading desk.

"The royal Princess was abducted."

What! Again??