The Ambush

Two of the men carry crossbows aimed at you, and one carries a sword. The one with the sword calls out, "Halt, in the name of the Prince!"

Prince? You stop your horse, watching the man closely.

"Get off your horse," he says. You leap down. The man then motions to the men behind you and says, "You're under arrest, by order of the Crown."

You start to reach for your sword, but then you remember you're unarmed. Besides, by the time you reach the first man the archers will have run you through with their arrows. You decide it's best to stay where you are as the men behind you tie your hands together.

"On what charges do you arrest me?" you ask.

"There was a recent rebellion in the area," the man says, "and Prince Aaron has sent orders from the palace that we are to arrest all travellers in this forest."

What's going on now? "I've heard that Prince Aaron was away from the palace on royal business."

"Quite impossible, m'lady," the man says. "Aaron has been in the palace for the past several weeks, running the kingdom while his father lies ill."

You have the feeling something big is going on. How can Aaron be present here as well as in the palace? As the men finish tying your hands and start leading you into the woods, you say, "So, you're arresting everyone who passes through these woods?"

"Unless they have special permission from the Prince, they are not to be passing through this area," the man says. "The rebels were a dangerous group, and it is believed that some of them escaped from the King's army. We can't risk letting anyone escape."

You start to protest, but one of the men clamps his hand over your mouth.

The men take you to a wagon hidden back in the forest, out of sight from the road. You can see that the wagon is meant to be a mobile prison. They hand you over to two guards, who unlock and unbar the door, then take you into the dark wagon and chain you to the wall. They leave you, closing the door behind them and leaving you alone in the darkness once again.

1. A voice in the darkness says, "So, they got you, too." It's Aaron.

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