4Chapter 3
Jane starred through the gate into the vast darkness of the forest. "Never go into the wood," her father had always warned her. "You never know who or what you will meet." Now she stood before it, unsure of what she should do.
She was the youngest of the king's daughters, and probably the least known. In fact, most people in the kingdom of Nilande didn't even know that she existed. And that was the way that everyone liked it.
The king's first eleven daughters were all fair and lovely maidens. Each girl had flowing blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes each daughter more lovely than the last. Their beauty was known throughout all of the land. Young men from every part of the country would travel at great lengths to ask for one of the king's daughter's hands in marriage.
Then there was Jane, plain and simple Jane. She was actually quite beautiful. Her beauty was not that of glamour like her sisters, but something deeper and more real. She had a pretty round face, sprinkled with freckles. She smiled with a sweetness and kindness that lit up her emerald eyes. She had fiery red hair that flowed down past her back and toward her legs. Also, unlike her sisters, she was not stick thin, and refused to partake in the castle fashion of wearing a corset. Much like the common women in the area, she allowed herself to show her natural curviness, much to the dismay of some of the members in the court.
Jane received a great deal of ridicule and torment from her older sisters, not only for her homely appearance, but because she was the illegitimate child of a common woman. Her mother had died when Jane was no more than an infant, although the cause of her death was never revealed to her. Because of her mother's social status it was important that Jane's existence be kept secret from the people in the kingdom. The king feared unrest in his land with the knowledge of the girl's parentage.
Behind closed doors, the king was a loving father to her. He doted on her, willing to buy her whatever her heart desired, although she rarely asked for anything. The king liked her for kind manner and how she lacked the high maintenance of her sisters. Despite his loving attitude toward her, he was not able to giver her much attention. The king was a busy man, always forced to keep up appearances, and to travel throughout the land on mission of peace.
"Jane!"
Jane winced, Quince. Why did her follow her out here?
Quince was the only man who had come to court Jane. He was hideously ugly, and over twenty years older than she. He walked hunched over with his overgrown oily hair in his face. His face possessed sharp features with a large pointy and crooked nose, overshadowing his beady black eyes.
Quince was a frail man, overcome with an illness cause him to lose a great deal of blood, weakening him even further. What he lacked in physical strength, he compensated for with his foul personality. He would grab at Jane in dark corridors, and whisper all of the things he wished to do with her, while he would run his hands in places she didn't wish to be touched.
He had been married three times prior. Rumors were circulating about that all three of his wives had been murdered by him, or had kill themselves before he could.
Jane turned around, hoping that because she couldn't see him, he wouldn't be able to see her. It was perfectly silly of course, but she had no where to hide.
"Jane! Why did you run out on me?" Quince asked sounding hurt.
Jane sighed, he had seen her. She crossed her arms across her chest, refusing to answer his question. He knew perfectly well why she had torn from the castle.
Just before, Jane's father had called her into his court. He informed her that she was to be wed to Quince. Jane had made it perfectly clear that she held distain for her suitor, yet he had still granted Quince permission for her hand in marriage.
"Quince is a perfectly respectable gentleman. He will take good care of you," her father had said.
"He'll take good care of me all right, right into a grave," Jane had thought.
She was absolutely furious. Though she was not one to throw fits, she shouted, "I won't marry him!" And with that she tore from the room, and ran out of the castle.
By this time, Quince had reached her, "Why did you run out on me?" he repeated.
Jane turned coldly away from him.
Quince grabbed her by the shoulders. "Do you think this is a game Jane? As my future wife, you will treat me with respect."
Jane did the only thing reasonable for a girl to do in such a situation; she screamed. However, they were too far away from the castle, and when no one came to her assistance, her screaming died away. "I won't marry you!" she shouted at him.
"You'll marry me whether you like it or not! And once we are married, I will teach you a thing or two about respect," he yelled at her. He threw her with surprising force upon the ground, and stormed back to the castle.
Jane glared at him crossly. It wasn't fair; all of her sisters were married to handsome knights and princes. Some of them were complete idiots, but they at least had the decency to treat their wives well.
Jane picked herself off the ground and walked back to the castle. She stalked angrily up the rickety wooden staircase to her east tower bedroom. Upon arriving back in her room, she threw herself on her bed, angrily chucking a pillow at the wall.
A knock came at the door.
"What?" Jane snapped.
"May I come in?" asked her father on the other side of the door.
"Fine," Jane answered sitting up on the bed.
Her father entered the room alone, a rarity and pleasure for Jane. He sat down on her bed.
"Jane, you have to marry him," he father began.
Jane opened her mouth to protest. "No Jane, let me finish what I have to say." Jane shut her mouth, and scowled, she knew her father meant business.
"Jane, I love you very much, and I want the very best for you. You're in a very difficult situation, being born of a common mother, and it isn't your fault, it isn't fair to you. You're a very lovely girl, but the social stigma of marrying a girl of your status is one that will deter many men. Back when I was young, it was well accepted that woman remain single and not marry. But times have changed, and that is no longer the case.
"Now, Jane, I realize that you are still young. Fifteen is very young to be married to a man as old as he. I fear that as you get older, opportunities to find an acceptable husband will dwindle. Now I understand that Quince isn't the most attractive man."
Jane snorted. "That's an understatement," she muttered under her breathe.
"But my dear, Quince is a very wealthy and powerful man. He will be able to provide for you, and protect you in these difficult times."
He rose and kissed his youngest daughter on the top of her head. "Please just give him a chance. It truly pains me to see you this unhappy, but it is for the best, I promise you." With those words, he left the room.
Jane starred after him, long after he left. Her heart felt as though it were being pulled apart inside of her chest. She knew he meant his best. But he didn't know that Quince was as awful as he was. She simply couldn't marry him.
She wouldn't marry him.
She hastily began rifling through her room, grabbing odds and ends and packing them into a bundle. She grabbed a black hooded cloak and threw it over herself, putting the bundle in her inside pocket. Jane pulled back the hood and starred at her pale face in the mirror. She opened her bureau drawer and pulled out a silver circlet, placing on top of her red hair. The crown gave her a very simple, yet dignified look. The emerald eyes in the mirror seemed to bore right into her.
"I can't stay her and be married to him," Jane told her reflection. She turned away from the mirror with determination.
Jane crept out of the castle, careful not to be seen by anyone. She stepped outside pulling the hood over her head. She quickly moved to the gate leading to the forest. This would be the last place anyone would expect to find her. Entering the forest would be pure foolishness; anyone knew that, which was why it was her only option.
She pushed the gate open and cautiously entered the forest. She took a look back at the castle before breaking into a run straight for the heart of the forest.
Jane grew tired of running rather quickly, but she pushed herself forward. She wanted to get as much space between her and the castle before nightfall.
Finally after running for what seemed an eternity, Jane came to a stop. It was dark now; a light rain was beginning to fall. Jane crawled under a hovel of fallen logs and sticks. She curled into a ball, pulling her cloak around her. She closed her eyes hoping sleep would come easily and quickly. Finally, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.
A/N I know this chapter may seem extremely random and out of place, but I promise it will make sense later. Please read and review! I am really trying to improve this piece and I need reader imput to do that. -cady