Zara fell against the tombstone.

She leaned against it, her lips parch, her body weak and wobbely. She'd been running all night long, just beyond the hill top to her left she saw the morning sun peaking up.

She'd escaped.

Zara fell to her knees. Tears welled up in her eyes, she wanted to go home! She didn't care about discovering the world anymore, she wanted to be safe.

Suddenly she stoped. What sense was there in crying! It would get her no where! Eric had been right, she was a spoiled brat of a Princess. She had to find a way back home.

"Are you an angel?"

Zara looked up and saw a little peasant boy standing by her.

"No. Who are you?"

"I'm Petrus. This is me baby sisters grave, did she send you to visit me?"

Zara shook her head, wipping the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry Petrus, but I'm not an angel. I'm sorry about your baby sister. It's a pretty tomb."

Petrus showed a grubby hand filled with flowers. "I bring these for her. Mama likes it when I do that."

Zara nodded her head, then looked at Petrus. "Do you have a horse Petrus?"

"Me dad does."

Zara smiled, "Can I meat your parents Petrus? My name is Zara."

"That's the same name of our horse?"

Zara blinked. "Really?"

"Yup, she's a panimo horse, blond hair, just like the Princess mama says."

"Wait. How far is the castle from here?"

The little boy scratched his arm. "Don't know."

"Well," Zara stood up. "Come let's visit this horse of yours."

*************

Eric smashed his fist against the cart for the third time in less then an hour. "Damn!"

Maurice continued to snore from inside the cart. He couldn't belive she'd managed to escape him! How the heck did she run so fast!

She knew nothing about the gold from the secret gave, but he feared she would let it slip to her family, where she had met him.

And then his family would find out, and there would be no peace for him then.