ȼhɨℓď ๏ƒ ƒɨя€ (ώąţţ¥ ąώąяď$ 2012) OLD VERSION

Chapter 5

Ignore the fact that there are some consistency issues with the names, lol sorry about that!

Chapter 5

My world was being obliterated and there was nothing I could do to stop it, any of it. My anger vanished but it was replace with numbness. I had become so overwhelmed that my mind had given up trying to process it all. I looked at the trees around me and took a deep breath. I was acting like a child who was throwing a tantrum. This was my family and I had to take care of them in any way I could, even if it meant marriage, regardless of my reservations on the matter.

Standing I picked up the sword and returned it to the hiding spot. I also grabbed the dragon's egg. It was warm to the touch. I smiled. Warmth managed to grow within me blotting out some of the darkness. With a heavy heart I removed my apron and wrapped the egg in it and placed it beside the sword in the tree. Not only were my family safer with the egg here but so was the dragon. If it were hidden no one could hurt it. It frightened me by how much I had grown to care for the egg in such a short amount of time.

I began to walk; I had no intended destination. I was not sure how long I had been walking when my foot snagged an exposed root. I fell forward my hands bracing my fall at the expense of my hands. I felt blood well on my palms. I did not care the scratches seemed trivial compared to the sickness that was stealing my mother from me.

I rolled onto my back but made no attempt to rise. My cloak was like a blanket protecting me from the ground but was probably caked in dirt. My hair was splayed around my head in a mess of curls and snarls. I most likely looked as if I had just fallen over and died.

I just stared into the sky. Redwoods towered above me and were soon lost in a dense fog that had begun to crawl along the forest floor. The crisp winter day did nothing to warm my chilled body. The wind began to chap my lips. Laying here was a silent way to scream. I had to find a way to live differently. I felt sick inside just thinking of it.

"What is that?" a voice hollered, it startled me out of the nap I had drifted into. The pounding of horse hooves thundered my way stopping within a few feet from me. Footfalls replaced hoof beats as people surrounded. I did not even spare them a glance I just continued look at the sky.

"Miss? Are you all right? Can you tell me your name?" a man's voice asked their hand brushing against my cheek. The voice belonged to a young man with brown curls. His eyes were filled with concern. His touch jolted me from my stupor. I sat up so quickly the men who surrounded me tumbled back in surprise.

"Are you all right?" the brown haired man asked again. I surveyed my surroundings; eight men circled me. Six wore the traditional leathers and tunics of royal knights but the others were dressed differently, more regal.

"Miss?" he implored again. My gaze returned to the man next to me. I took more time to take him in. His eyes where an unusual gold like hazel with a darker almost black outline. They were strangely haunting. His jaw was strong and lined with slight stubble. It was after a few moments of me just watching I noticed his ring, a huge ruby with an emerald halo, the ring given to the crown prince.

"F..f..ine your Highness." I stuttered partially from the cold and partially from being in the presence of royalty. This was the royal convoy from the previous day.

"Ah," he sighed. "please do not worry with formalities I do not very much like them. You may call me Tristan. My I ask what your name is?"

"Gwendolyn." I paused. This situation was growing more uncomfortable by the second. "I apologize for my inconvenience but I should take my leave."

"Gwendolyn." The prince repeated my name and smiled. "Beautiful name. I feel as if we have met before?"

"Uh." I was unsure of how to reply.