“One would think,” Madam Prewett said drily, “That you would appreciate being a princess.”
Raphaela did not answer: only threw herself face down on her four-poster bed and sobbed.
“For goodness's sake, Raphaela.” Madam Prewett had long since given up calling the princess ‘your highness’, or any other superior titles - Raphaela was much too difficult for that. “Have some dignity, won’t you?”
Raphaela raised her head. “Dignity? I’m fourteen - years - old! I don’t want to get married.” She shuddered at the last word.
Madam Prewett patted her grey bun haughtily. “All right, that’s enough. At fourteen years old you are a lady, so stop acting so childishly. You are a princess, and though you have almost everything you could want, there are still certain duties you must adhere to. This marriage is a necessary alliance between Historith and our noble kingdom Talefa. Besides, you’ve been betrothed since you were five. I don’t know why you’re so surprised.”
Raphaela sat up. Her eyes were filled with tears but her face was determined and her voice steady. “You can say what you like, but I’m not getting married.” She stood and crossed her richly furnished room to the arched door. “I’m going for a ride. Puck?”
She addressed a sleek black raven who sat on a perch by the wardrobe. At Raphaela’s call the bird flew and landed on her shoulder.
Madam Prewett, though she disagreed entirely with Raphaela’s statement, knew that the fresh air often raised the princesses spirits. She would talk to her again later. “Fine. But at least take your cloak, it’s cold out there. And be back before nightfall.”
Raphaela nodded curtly, grabbed her bottle green cloak off its hook and swept out of the room.
Down the spiral staircase - through the sunlit corridor - across Courtship Courtyard - just the name of it and the pale pink roses that entwined the pillars surrounding the open area made Raphaela so angry that she said loudly, “I won’t!”
Puck the raven flapped his wings and examined her with a beady black eye.
Then down the main grand staircase to the front doors. The guards glanced at each other as Raphaela stormed past them, but then one said quietly, “Better not.”
“But we could get in trouble for letting her out of the castle so late in the evening.” The other protested.
“It’s not that I’m worried about. What I meant was, better not talk to her when she’s in a temper like that. Anything could happen.”
“Oh.” The guard nodded thoughtfully.

The stables had always been a source of comfort to Raphaela, so as soon as she walked in the door and breathed in the musty sweet scent of horse and hay, she felt the flame inside of her burn down. She went to a stall that housed a handsome chestnut stallion, and patted his velvety nose. “Hello, Alezan.” The horse nickered and bent his head closer.
“You highness.” The stableman Asedio had come out of a stall. “Are you going for a ride?”
Raphaela’s eyes flashed. “Don’t call me ‘your highness’, please Asedio. I do not want to be reminded of the fact that I am a princess. But yes, I’m going for a ride. Could you saddle Alezan?”

The sun was an orange fruit rolling slowly behind the hills to Raphaela’s left as she cantered out the city gates into the meadowlands. The long golden grass stretched in all directions, waving gently in the wind. Behind Raphaela white bricked Towertop Castle shone, and behind it the snowy mountains peaks of Legendon gleamed blindingly. Everything was glowing.
Alezan’s movement was smooth and swift and Raphaela tipped her head back to look up at the sky, letting the wind blow through her ankle length black hair. No one could force her to do anything in this big world. I’ll never marry that snobby snot of a boy, Raphaela thought fiercely. Cinderella’s son, pah!
And then she was smiling. “Never. Come on Alezan, let’s ride the wind.” She urged her horse into a gallop and then they were soaring, flying through the meadows, Puck gliding along with them.

Raphaela did not notice that they had ridden as far as the forest, until they had. The meadows sloped downward and then the trees began. She reined Alezan in and patted his neck. “I didn’t realise we’d come all this way.” Her green eyes flashed again, but this time mischievously. “Well, we’ve come this far - why not go a bit farther?”
She slid off Alezan’s back and led him to the forest’s edge. A quick hesitation, and then they walked into the forest.
Raphaela had never been in the Golden Wood alone before, mainly because it was so far from the castle. It was not exactly a dangerous place, but there were many creatures that inhabited it. Apart from normal creatures like wolves and bears, there were the slow but strong mosstrolls, many nymphs and satyrs, and there was even a rumour of a forest dragon. But Raphaela was not concerned about these - in fact, the only thing she was a little worried about was the master of the wood - Merlin.
Raphaela had only seen him once - at the annual Council of the Five - the huge meeting where all the rulers of the Five Kingdoms - Historith, Storien, Chronica, Legendon and Talefa came together to discuss - well, Raphaela didn’t bother to listen to what they discussed. She had seen Merlin, though! With his long white beard that nearly touched the floor, blue star spangled robe, and deep blue wise eyes, Raphaela had never forgotten him. Or his magical powers, which she had heard were the strongest in the world. She had often wondered why he lived alone in a tower in the forest, instead of in a palace which he was no doubt due. Did he own the forest?
But Raphaela tossed away her worry with a flick of her hair. She was not trespassing - many people passed through the Golden Wood and Master Merlin did not mind them.
It was Autumn, and here too everything glowed. The leaves of the trees were crimson and gold as they twirled like dancers to the ground, and slits of sunlight found their way through the crisscrossed branches. It was the last of the evening light - night was falling fast.
But Raphaela paid no heed to this - already something had caught her attention. She was frowning into the trees. “Alezan, did you see that?” She said softly. “Like a light somewhere over - there it is again!”
Sure enough, a white glimmer could be seen through the dark trees. Raphaela followed it like a moth to light - there was something about it that drew her to it - something magical? She found herself walking briskly towards it. She stumbled on a root but kept walking. The light flickered and then moved - Raphaela followed it steadily, pushing twigs and leaves aside to keep it in sight. It had crossed her mind that this was a trick, that the light was a trap, but she had tossed the thought away. The light must come from a magical creature - just what, she had to find out.
But then Raphaela tripped as a root caught her long hair. She cursed and got to her feet, but the light had vanished. Raphaela looked around - she had lost the path.
Suddenly Puck alighted on a nearby branch. His eyes were alert and his posture tense - he cawed loudly - an alarm call.
“What is it, Puck?” Raphaela tried to sound calm but she had the feeling that something was watching her, and she was suddenly aware of the darkness all around her.
Then she froze.
Lumbering towards her was a creature twice her size, even though it was hunched over, with thick grey skin and two pointed horns and similar fangs that came down past its lower black lip.
Raphaela recoiled in horror and took a step backwards. This was no mosstroll, this was a bauk, a creature of the darkness that devoured humans and feared light. She felt her body grow numb, but she couldn't have run even if she tried - the bauk was blocking her way back to the meadowlands. It would be foolish to go deeper into the forest. And she had no light. So summoning all her courage she did the only thing she could think of - grabbed a nearby branch off the ground and held it up. “Get - get away from me you - you ugly brute!” She said loudly.
The creature only snarled and moved closer towards her. Raphaela was at a loss for what to do. She took another step backwards and again the roots tripped her. Puck flew to her side and Raphaela said weakly, “Puck, go get help.” Through her ever swimming vision she saw Puck fly away. She attempted to stand but her legs would not hold her up.
Suddenly a huge shining white animal leapt out of the trees. It was as big as a horse - was it a horse? No, Raphaela thought, that blinding white horn in the centre of the animal’s forehead could mean only one thing.
So that was the light I saw, she thought.
The bauk roared in anguish and cowered in the light before turning and vanishing into the darkness.
A unicorn, Raphaela was thinking as she slipped away into unconsciousness. A unicorn…

* * *

“Darling, sit up and drink this. You’ll feel better.”
At the soft calm voice above her Raphaela opened her eyes, and slowly everything came into focus.
It appeared to be morning - daylight was flooding through Raphaela’s bedroom window. Standing around the bed were a group of maids, and a woman that sat close to Raphaela's pillow. She had a soft gentle face with blue eyes. Golden braided hair fell out of sight behind the side of the bed. She was holding a cup of steaming drink.
With her elbows Raphaela pushed herself up, and blurted out - “Mother, I went into the forest, but I was angry, and for a good reason, so I don’t care. I’m not sor -”
Her mother placed a finger gently over Raphaela’s lips. Her face was stern but her eyes twinkled slightly. “Hush, my daughter. We will not speak of that now. Besides, I’m surprised you have so much energy after facing that bauk.”
“Puck got help, then.” Raphaela was subdued. “And how did you know there was a bauk?”
“On his way to rescue you your father saw it, running like fury, and guessed what had happened. How you managed to scare it still remains a mystery, though.”
“I didn’t.” Said Raphaela softly, remembering. “Mother, there was a -”
But she was interrupted as there came a sharp knock on the bedroom door.
“Enter.” Raphaela’s mother said calmly.
A page boy peeped round the door and blushed slightly. “Excuse me, Queen Rapunzel, but your majesty's presence is requested in the Great Hall.”
“Indeed.” Raphaela's mother got to her feet. As she turned to the doorway a maid hurried to pick up the long braided coil of hair that was a spiral at the queen’s feet.
“Madam Prewett, make sure she drinks the herbal tea.” The queen said, before leaving the room, with the maid hurrying after.