Somewhere in Faerie

The plan had been a good one really. Leda and an entourage were to go on tour of the army and refugee camps to boost morale and get a first hand look at what needed to be done. Because she'd be target primero for enemy forces, she was to ride a horse rather than in the fancy frilly carriage.

All this however had reckoned with out a Kelpie (those were the evil horse like things that tricked people into riding them right?) sneaking into the stables and replacing her horse.

The moment they were out of the city limits, the creature burst from the ranks and carried Leda at greater than breakneck speed into the wilds of Faerie. She assumed it was taking her somewhere to kill her, or deliver her to Corwyn.

Part of the magic of the thing prevented her from simply jumping off. And the jouncing of the ride made it too dangerous to try to cut the saddle straps. She might wind up slicing her own leg.

"Stop and let me off or I'll cut your throat!" she shouted into the thing's ear. It ignored her. "Yeah you're right, I was bluffing." she sighed. Then she cut off the ear she'd shouted into.

With a wail of shock and agony, the Kelpie reared, throwing her clear. A quick hover spell protected her from injury, and she put up a shield as she rose. That was one pissed off looking pseudo-horse facing her now. Blood flowed from it's wound as it pawed the ground. She gripped her knife in one hand and reached her other towards a hidden pocket in her vest.

But before the thing could charge, or she could grab what she was reaching for, several crossbow bolts sank into her would be abductor's throat.

Leda spun, prepared to thank her rescuers, only to find the crossbows now aimed at her.

"Please, do not move Your Majesty." One of the bowmen sneered. "Twould be a shame to mar your pretty face."