The Census
an excerpt

A rumble started to sound from afar off. “Oh, no.” Christine’s face quickly changed. “They are coming to get me again.” She said, picking up her dress and beginning her run again. He followed. “Who are you running from?” He said trying to keep up.
“The guards!” She ran faster.
“You’ll never escape them going this way!”
“Do you know a better way?” She said running faster. The rumble had gotten closer and identified itself as a band of men on horses.
“Yes, just follow me.” He grabbed her elbow and began to lead her east.
“I’ve never been this way, are you sure it’s safe?” She said looking at him with fear on her face.
“I do not wish to bring affliction on you, princess, and I have no reason. Do not worry.” He yelled and almost tripped as he said it.
The two strode across the forest, dodging trees and their roots. He continued to pull her along, pulling her faster than her body would allow. The men were drawing closer and closer. The trees were becoming more numerous and the branches scraped her arms. She didn’t stop though, she just kept running. “Stop commoners, stop!” She turned her head around. The men were close enough to see. Christine began to fear for his life. The price for taking a princess would be death, no matter what her testimony was.
They ran, but her legs were already tired from the previous running. She began to slack behind, and he looked back at her. With knowing eyes, he looked at her for a brief second, looked ahead, and then in one graceful sweep, swept her off the ground and into his arms. He continued to run without a regression in speed. She looked at him, and couldn’t help but let her mouth drop. She had never been in such a situation. He continued to look ahead and smiled, without looking down. He looked ahead as if something amused him. She turned her head to see what it was, but saw nothing of interest. She yelled over the noise of the Calvary, “Where are you going?” His speed suddenly came to an abrupt stop. He stood in the middle of a grove while men on horses were within seventy feet of trampling him. She looked at him, with wide eyes. “They’ll kill you, Derek!” He smiled and then the ground opened up and they began to fall. She screamed, and then it went dark as she hit the hard ground just five feet below.
“Der-” She started, but he covered her mouth. She started to try to pry his hand from her mouth, but then she realized what was happening. Above her, she heard the hooves of the cavalry horses.