A short story I wrote

Chapter 1
Catastrophe at the Castle

''Shing'' Aaron took his sword out of it's sheath and pointed it at the fugitive,who was in his room holding his gold gauntlet that was given to Prince Aaron by him father , King Edward on his 16th birthday.''Who are you and what are you doing with MY gauntlet?'' Aaron proclaimed with a shout.The man was wearing all black. Although Aaron was very tall this man was at least 5 inches taller. ''I asked you a question!'' Aaron shouted madly. After the man dropped the gauntlet on the table, Aaron motioned for him to go over by his bed. Then Aaron heard something by his window. Thinking it was another robber,he looked over there. When he glanced over by the window the man ran out and into the hall out side of Aaron's room at a very fast speed.''Stop!'' Aaron screamed while running after him but he was not fast enough. Returning to his room to put his sword away, Aaron said to himself ''I am so glad I had my sword with me! Thank the Lord I had sword lessons today!'' He decided to go down to the courtyard to find his twin sister Princess Tessa. Although they were twins Aaron was a good foot taller than Tessa. She having dark and he have blond they looked nothing alike. Tessa was setting on a bench among her favorite flower in the courtyard. ''Tessa , you are never going to believe this!'' Aaron said running over to sit by his sister. ''Well if I am not going to believe it Aaron, then why are you telling me?''
''Oh Tessa, when I went to put my sword away from lessons there was a tall man in my room holding my gold gauntlet. You know the ones Father gave to me for my birthday. I was going to call for help ,but he got away!'' Aaron said excitingly. '' Aaron! that is so scary, for all I know he could be in my room right now! Let's go and see if we can find him!'' Tessa almost screamed as she jumped up from the bench.''SHhhhhhhh! I want to keep it a secret!'' Oh, come on let's see if we can find him.'' Tessa whispered while pulling Aaron's arm to come with her. As they walked down the corridor to Tessa's room they heard people talking inside. '' Well I think if we take that they will be able to identify it to easy if we try to sell it''
A woman's voice said as she held up a gold necklace. Aaron and Tessa peeked in through the partly open door. There was a woman and a man in Tessa's room. ''That's the man that was in my room!'' Aaron whispered to Tessa. ''Well if we don't take that what were thinking of taking?'' The man ask his wife. ''What do you think? Some of these dresses and that necklace over there it looks more like a common necklace the other one is royal lookin'." The woman said with a strange accent.''I wish I had my sword!'' Aaron whispered. ''What are we going to do,Tessa? Just then Aaron saw the woman stuff two dresses in a bag and the man grab a necklace and head for the door! ''Let's go into that room across from yours,Tessa'' Aaron said running over in to the other room and closing the door so there was just a small crack for Tessa and himself could see out. They robbers walked down the hall and turned the corner. Aaron and Tessa followed. As they turned the corner they hit a dead end! ''Oh my for all the Kings of England!
They got away!'' Tessa said as she put her hand on her hips.

Chapter 2
Where the Robbers went

''Well,Tessa, do you want to go look at that dead end after supper?'' Aaron asked while eating some grapes. ''Yes, let's go as soon as Father dismisses us,'' Tessa replied as she looked over to her father to see if he was watching her. She knew her father could probably read lips. ''Since we aren't telling anyone about the robbery Aaron , what are we going to do if we find them?''
''Well, I am going to bring my sword and you can bring your bow. What else do we need?'' ''Aaron ,Tessa you are dismissed. Be in the ball room at 7:30 for the party and Aaron you are to escort Tessa in.'' King Edward stood and said.There was to be a ball that night in honor of the King's return. King Edward had been on an expedition to France. ''Let's go to the passage with the dead end!'' Tessa said as she jumped up.

As soon as they reached the dead end, Aaron and Tessa began to look at the walls. ''Do you really think there is a secret door, Aaron?'' " Yes keep looking! Don't give up-'' ''Ahhh! Aaron! help me!'' Tessa screamed as she fell through what looked to Aaron like a hole in the wall. After Tessa fell through the ''hole'' it closed and it looked as though nothing had happened. Aaron beat his fist on the wall , but nothing happened. "Please God, help me to get Tessa out!" Aaron prayed as he sat with his back to the wall. Then he punched the wall with all his might. The brick he punched was not hard though. It was wood! As he punched it a hole the size of a door opened. As Aaron walked in he saw Tessa laying on the floor. "Tessa! are you ok?'' ''Yes , Aaron I am fine, but be quiet. The robbers are in here!'' After Aaron helped Tessa up, they tiptoed down a dark hallway toward the sound of voices. Torches hung on the walls. As Aaron got one off the wall they heard a woman's voice coming from around a corner. ''I think we look like a rich couple now that we have some ''better'' clothes.'' ''Indeed, everybody will think we are as rich as the king himself! I just hope that bratty prince doesn't recognize me.'' ''They must be going to the party! But why?'' Aaron ask Tessa in a whisper.''Maybe they are going to try to steel something in the ball room. Aaron look she has my ballgown on! What shall I wear tonight?'' ''Just like a girl! You are thinking about a dress when we are trying to get some robbers! Get you bow and I'll get my sword and then--- Tessa! my sword it's gone! My sheath is gone too! Oh my goodness the leather strap broke! How in the world! Well at least we your bow.'' ''Ohhh, Aaron after supper I forgot to go to my room and get it. What are we going to do?'' Just then the woman walked toward the hall where Aaron and Tessa were hiding.

Chapter 3
The Ball

''I'm so glad we got out of that hall and to our rooms before those people saw us!'' Tessa said to Aaron after they had gotten ready for the ball. Tessa had her hair done by her maid just as her mother , Queen Isabella did. "I just found out that father is receiving a gift from the Duke of Dublin. It's a jewel that is as big as his hand! I bet that is why the robbers are coming to the ball.''
"Aaron! Let's go look at that hall again!'' Aaron and Tessa rounded the corner to see Aaron's sword laying on the floor! ''When we left earlier in such a rush I forgot all about my sword! Look! It looks like someone cut the leather strap! I bet the robber cut it almost all the way so that it would fall off and I wouldn't have it the next time we met!'' Aaron picked up the sword and then brought it to his room.
Then he and Tessa went on to the ballroom.

After Aaron and Tessa had made there entrance with their
father and mother they began to look for the robbers. ''Aaron, look at all the people here! How are we going to find them?''
''Well, when father gets the jewel we can be watching for them!''
Just then everyone was quiet and a short fat man stood up by the king. '' I have a gift for the King. A jewel that comes from the mine of my ancestors. For many years people have looked for this great gem , but it was never found. My son William found it in the mine! I am now giving it to the great King Edward!'' As the men brought in the jewel Aaron saw the tall man.He was right behind the group of men who were carrying the gem. ''Tessa look! There is one of the robbers!'' The men sent some kind of signal to his right. "He must be signaling to the woman'' Tessa thought. Then the man ran out of the room. Aaron watched the jewel all night , but the man nor the woman ever got close to it.

''Aaron, let's go look in that hall again" Tessa said to Aaron the next day. So off they went. Once inside, they discovered a room at the end of the hall. It was furnished with a bed, table and chairs and lit candles were lit on the mantle. Tessa ran over to the bed and looked under it.
''Tessa , what are you doing? Why are you doing that?''
"Aaron, start looking for the jewel!''
"But they don't have it!"
"Yeah, that's what they want you to think. Look!" Aaron was very confused , but he began to look. They had no luck.
"Let's go" Tessa said.
"Why do you think they have it Tessa?'' Wham! The door in the wall slammed shut!
''Aaron! What happened?" "Some one just locked us in here!'' "Oh no! HELP!'' Tessa screamed.
"Tessa,there may be another way to get out!"
They began to look around. Tessa went over to the bed and sat down. When she did there was a grinding sound. The mantle which Aaron was leaning on turned around and looked like a normal wall. Aaron disappeared with the mantle. Tessa began to jump on the the bed and the grinding sound started again. Tessa ran over to the mantle and she also went behind it.
"Aaron,where are we?'' Tessa whispered.
"I think this is a tunnel out! Follow me!'' Aaron and Tessa crept down the dark passage. "I wish there were some touches in here! Aaron , I'm scared" As they were walking, they noticed that they were no longer walking on a dirt floor , but on wood! Light appeared and Aaron and Tessa heard voices. Tessa ran ahead and saw a tall thin woman sitting on a chair and knitting. Aaron drew his dagger and shouted, "Tell us how to get out of here!''
The woman rose to her full height and quickly jerked the dagger out of his hand and pointed it at Aaron and Tessa.
"Sit down in those chairs," she said sternly, pointing at two chairs near the table. Then the woman took rope from a box. Though Aaron struggled, the woman was holding the dagger to his neck. While the woman was tying Aaron up, Tessa ran over to the tunnel. She felt something catch her leg and she fell on her face at the mouth of the tunnel. As she struggled to her feet and was about to run in the tunnel, the woman grabbed her arm and threw her in the chair next to Aaron.

Chapter 4
The Dark Tunnel

"Aaron, how we going to get out of here?'' Tessa whispered.
"I don't know yet. I will get us out don't worry" Aaron replied as he looked over to see if the woman was listening. After the woman had tied up Aaron and Tessa, she sat back in her chair to knit and she never looked up. "Aaron, why didn't you want to tell anyone about the robbers?'' "Well Tessa, I guess I just wanted to be the hero." "Aaron, why don't we pray.''
"Dear God,
I am so sorry that I didn't tell father about the robbers. I know it is my fault that Tessa and I are trapped here. Please help us to get out! Please give me the strength to get us out of here.
Amen"

As Aaron finished his prayer, a tear rolled down Tessa's cheek.
"Don't cry Tessa, God will help us." All of a sudden there was a loud screeching sound. As the woman jumped up in fright the dagger fell from her lap and fell at Aaron's feet. When the woman had her back turned(she was looking to see where the screeching sound came from) Aaron dragged the dagger with his toe over to where is hand was tied up. Just as he untied his hands and dropped the dragged back on the ground , the woman turned around. "I think that was Ed locking the entrance to the tunnel. It takes a strong arm to do it. The lock is rusty and it makes a very loud screeching sound." The woman went over and sat down again and began knitting. Noticing that something was missing she said "Where is that dagger? Ahhh, So little prince thought he could untie his hands when I was not looking." Thinking that he didn't untie himself yet she reached down to pick up the dagger. When she did Aaron grabbed her hand and jerked it back and she fell on her face. Grabbing the dagger Aaron untied Tessa before the woman could get up. When she finally did get up, Aaron had the dagger to her neck. "Now, where is the other way out?" Aaron said gruffly. "Behind that curtain." The woman said as she pointed to a curtain that Aaron and Tessa hadn't noticed before. "Tessa , draw the curtain." As Tessa drew the curtain, a door appeared. Tessa opened it and the three entered the dark tunnel. The walls , floors and ceiling were made of dirt. An unlit torch was hung on the wall. Tessa grabbed it and lit it from a candle on the table. (from the room outside the tunnel) Tessa led the way. As they rounded the third corner, the tunnel ended in some woods outside the castle. As Aaron was leading the fugitive out of the tunnel he tripped and the woman ran out of sight. "Oh my goodness! She got away!" Aaron said stamping his foot. "Where are we? I can't believe we didn't know about these tunnels!" Tessa ask Aaron trying to change the subject. "I been close to here before on a short hunting trip. This way" Aaron said while walking in the opposite direction that the woman went. "Aaron, shouldn't we go in the same direction that the woman went? I mean she has to be going some where." Tessa said "No , Tessa we need to go this way!" "Aaron, I am going this way!'' Tessa said stamping her foot.
"No!''

Chapter 5
Lost!

"Aaron, I don't think we are going the right way" Tessa said after she and Aaron had gone in the direction the Aaron had suggested for a long time and not seen anything. "Oh, Tessa, we are almost there. You see, we have to go through all this brush to get to the path. Once we get to the path we can easily get home!" Just as Aaron and Tessa reached the edge of the brush, Tessa saw that there was no path and began to cry. "Tessa! I don't know where we are , but where ever it is,do not cry! This is no place to bawl!"
"Aaron, I'm scared and it seems we are getting deeper and deeper into the woods! I am tired too."
"Tessa, we can rest a while , but we need to get a move on."
After a long rest, Aaron told Tessa, "Let's go, we really need to get a move on. We don't want to be out here in the dark!"
"Alright , let's go." Tessa said jumping up. The thoughts of being out in the woods at night was frightening to her. After a long time Aaron and Tessa saw a spring. "Let's go get some water!'' Tessa ran over to the clear spring of water. Ahhh, the water felt so good to her dry mouth. "Aaron, we are lost. What are we going to do?" Tessa asked after she took one last, long drink from the spring. "Well, I don't know ,but I am going to make a fire. We need the heat and maybe some one will see it!" Aaron said trying to make Tessa feel better and make himself feel better too, knowing that they were going to have to stay here all night."Ok, Aaron, I'll help you make it." After they had the blazing fire going for a while, Tessa said, "Aaron, I'm tired where are we going to sleep?''
"Right here on the ground , Tessa."
Know she was going to sleep on the ground, Tessa frowned at Aaron and lay down. It seemed just as she lay her head down she felt Aaron poking her with a stick. "Aaron, stop that! I'm not dead. Don't poke me!"
"Well, I yelled at you and you didn't move so I poked you." Aaron said with a huff.


Chapter 6
Lost And Found.

The same day about noon. Aaron jumped up and ran in an odd way over by the stream. "Aaron, what are you doing?'' Tessa asked with a very annoyed look on her face. "Tess, I hear a horse! Don't you?" Aaron, said with a look on his face that said "you must be dumb and deaf if you can't hear that"
"Oh, yes I hear it now! Do you think they are coming this way? Oh I hope they are!" Tessa said ,then screamed, "Help! Oh Please HELP!
" Oh, Tess! let's go this way- we will see them."
Just as Tessa grabbed her cloak off the ground, she heard a very deep voice say, "Prince Aaron, Princess Tessa! I hath found you! Come I shall bring you home." Tessa looked up to see Robert ,one of the guards, extending his hand to her ,so that she could get to her feet.
"Oh, Robert, Thank you! We have been lost! Aaron, come! AARON!" Aaron was no where to be seen. "Prince Aaron!" yelled Robert.
"Well Robert, I don't know where he could be! That Aaron!" Just as Tessa was about to yell again there was a loud bang.
"Oh, Robert!" Tessa shrieked as she held close to him. "Tessa! Who is that?" A voice came from,well, Tessa couldn't tell where it came from.
Just then Aaron walked out from behind a tree and said, "Oh Robert! I am glad you have come to get us! Let us go." With that Robert put Tessa up on the horse and motioned for Aaron to walk behind him."Aaron , where did you go?"

Chapter 7

Home
"Well, I was looking for you! You see, when I heard the horse hooves I thought it might be the robbers and I couldn't see who was with you when you were calling me. I thought you were calling for help! I didn't recognize Robert's voice , so I thought it was one of robbers! I looked around to see if there was anything that would make a loud noise to scare them away. I saw this tree that was very dead and was close to falling over so I push ed it over. When I heard you scream "Robert" I knew that he was here to get us so I came running. I am a little embarrassed that I thought Robert was the robber." Aaron said turning red. "Well, Aaron that was a good plan if Robert had turned out to be one of the robbers."
Aaron and Tessa had known Robert all their life. He was kind of like a 2nd father to them. Robert's daughter,Sarah, was one of Tessa's good friends. "How much farther?" Aaron asked. "Not much farther, your majesty. I would love to hear your story! How did you get all the way out here?" Robert asked with an excited look on his dark-bearded face. Most people in Darosa (the country in which they Aaron's and Tessa's parents ruled) have dark hair. Queen Isabella was a Purdeanian, so she had blond hair. (which is where Aaron got is blond curls). As Aaron and Tessa told Robert what happened he told them they should have told their father of these robbers. Soon Aaron and Tessa could see the walls of the castle."We're almost home!" Tessa said , her face shining.
As they reached the castle, Robert announced to the guard that he had found the Prince and Princess. When they reached the throne room where their parents were, the news had already reached them. "Mother! Tessa said as she ran with her arms out to hug her mother. "Tessa! Aaron! my darlings." Queen Isabella said with tears in her eyes as she hugged them both.


After they took a bath and put on clean clothes,they went to tell their mother and father about the robbers. "Aaron you should have told me instead of going after them yourself. I think you would like to know that when we began the search for you we found your sword in the hall. One of the solders saw that there was a door in the wall. We had to break the door down to get in the door because it was locked and we had no key. I was very surprised to find this secret hall was in use! As a boy I used it to get out in the woods. Anyway, when we searched it we found two women and two men with many missing things from the castle including the jewel that I got at the ball. They are in the city jail." the King said. "Oh Father!" Aaron and Tessa said in unison. They were so glad to know they were caught.

As Tessa lay in bed she thought that how the robbers must have stolen all that stuff to sell it for money. "I can't believe that people would do that much just to get money." Tessa said to herself. "I am so glad they are in jail so they can't steal or hurt anybody or anything. They are locked in a cell in which they will stay for 10 years." Or so she thought. JUST KIDDING!


THE END