Arrows of an Evergreen

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

We rushed through the darkness as we attempted to escape the guards. The lower branches of trees whipped our bodies as we ran at full speed. Our breaths mingled together, puffing and huffing with exertion.

When we were a fair distance away and their voices were only soft murmurs to my ears, I immediately turned tail and began to creep silently back in the direction we had just came from.

"What are you doing?" The stranger hissed under his breath. I chuckled slightly.

"We'll sneak past them, so they will keep looking in this direction. They'll never suspect us backtracking and we'll escape from right under their noses," I informed him.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Let's go." I tugged on his wrist, turning him in the desired direction. "This way."

Without a word, he fell in step behind me, his eyes darting around searching for any stray guards as his footsteps followed my own. Most of his face was hidden beneath the large headscarf he wore, only his eyes, nose and mouth peeking out from beneath the cloth. I laughed at his nervousness.

"Relax, I know these woods like the back of my hand," he gave me a curious look and I ignored it, choosing instead to plough ahead with my interrogation of sorts.

"Why are the guards after you?" I pulled him behind a bush as we got too close to the guards. He shuffled his feet around, clearly uncomfortable.

"Well, it's complicated. I kind of ran away..." he hesitated, and I decided to spare him the misery.

"You don't have to tell me. It's none of my business anyway."

"Sorry. I'm not exactly feeling up for story-time right now," he remarked drily.

I felt irritated at his tone of voice.

"Well I apologize for feeling curious then."

There was an awkward silence, and I could see him struggle to find the right words.

"I just sometimes need to get away from it all."

The guards had long gone, and the only noises that could be heard were our soft breaths and the occasional bird call.

"There's a garden around here somewhere," I said, my eyes skimming the surrounding shrubs. My hood badly crippled my vision, as I was not able to see past their edges, having to turn every time something was just out of my sight.

"What's a garden doing in the middle of the woods?" I ignored his question and looked around searchingly.

My gaze settled on a vicious looking ten feet high blackberry bush, with long thorns sticking out from every side. It was supported by long, green vines that crept over from the other side.

A knowing smirk tugged at the corners of my lips. "Over here!"

The stranger stared at the long thorns.

"Here?" His tone was disbelieving.

I nodded and searched for the shining leaf. A minute later, I found a painted leaf made from silver, which would have completely escaped my vision if I had not been searching for it. It was also a slightly brighter shade of green. I counted ten steps exactly from the leaf, and leaned into the tangled bush. I pushed aside a few vines and grinned at what I saw on the other side.

"Go in there," I commanded, moving aside and pulling him into the spot where I was a second ago. He gave me a 'are you mad?' look before opening his mouth, ready to tell me exactly why he couldn't possibly make it past all those thorns when I gave an exasperated sigh and pushed him- hard- headfirst into the bush.