Dragon Princess

Chapter 3: The Hooded Man

As I ran my brothers and Gregory's face kept flashing before my eyes that soon became tears. I should be stronger than this after all I am my brother's sister and he never even cringed when he had to kill on the battle field. But here I am now crying over two dead people who I was close to and now I cannot help but feel a weird pang of their energy.

Some of my teachers said that as I get older and more skilled I will start to see the dead and peoples auras. I wondered if it was just that. Even if it was I wouldn't be able to find out for sure if I didn't get out of here alive.

The light in these tunnels were dime and I could barely see a foot ahead of me so I walked slowly and cautiously. I held out my hand in front of me and whispered, "Lithas". A small ball of light eliminated from my hand and floated two feet in front of me. It moved forward when I did and it enabled me to see a bit more then I was able to before.

The water had stopped rising a long while ago so it was just sloshing around my calves as I continued to walk. I was getting too tired to run now. Fatigue and the lack of food was catching up on me. I was starting to feel like the tunnel was never going to end when I began to get the smell of fresh air. I tuned the corner and I saw light coming from the ceiling overhead. I looked up into the light and I saw bars covering the exit. There was a space from a missing bar and it was just big enough for me to fit through.

I snuffed out the floating ball of light with my hand then I jumped up to grasp onto the bars, but missed it by inches. I was about to jump again when a rope was dropped down. I starred up to see if I could find out who was on the receiving end, but could see no one. I decided to let fate take a play and I grabbed on to the rope and tugged. As expected I was being pulled up quickly and was soon through the bars and on the muddy ground.

I quickly scrambled up to standing position and looked around for any sort of threat, but I only saw a lone man leaning against a tree. I was about to say something, but then I realized it was the same guy that saved me and destroyed the dame.

I still couldn't see his whole face, but I did see him smirk, "Cat got your tongue sweet heart?"

"I-what? How did you find me?" I was sort of confused and unsure if I should trust this guy or not.

"That, love, is a trade secret."

I sighed, "Okay...well anyways thanks for saving my life and pulling me out of that hole, but I really must be going now..." Weirdo...

He pushed himself into an upright position, "I cannot let you do that dove, I didn't risk my neck for nothing. I'm coming with you."

I raised an eyebrow, "And why would you do that?"

He spanned his arms out wide, "A small thing like you in a treacherous world like this, my little heart would break to see you go off alone."

I rolled my eyes, "Why are you really wanting to come with me?"

"I'm not dumb sweet cheeks, I know you're a princess and when I bring you back to mommy and daddy alive I will get a nice fat award for it."

This made me laugh, "So you want to take me back to my kingdom to get a reward for saving me?"

"Wow, you catch on quick."

I chuckled some more, "Well won't you get a surprise when you don't get that 'big fat reward' of yours. My father sent me into that battle to die."

"A princess is still a princess dearie. If your daddy doesn't give me something for it then I would expect that you would."

His tone was light, but I didn't like the sounds of what he just said. "I can look after myself, now if you will please just point me in the right direction and I will be out of your hair."

He laughed, "Point you in the right direction? My sweet, you are in the Racton Kingdom, I can't just point and show you the exit. Like it or not, I'm coming with you."

I threw up my hands in defeat, "Fine, come with me, but I want to see your face and I want to know who you are."

"If you insist, but lets get you into some dry clothes shall we before I tell you my heroic tale." At this he tossed me the satchel that was over his shoulder at me.

He turned around as if to give me some privacy and I stripped down. The air was warm on my cold and wet skin and it was nice to be out of those wet clothes. I dumped the contents of the satchel onto the ground and from the pile pulled a simple pair of deer skin breaches and some cloth for a wrap. I quickly slipped on the breaches which were surprisingly the right size for me and wrapped my breasts so they were flat. I then picked up a plain black tunic and slipped it over my head. The only thing left in the pile was a pair of deer skin boots. I quickly put them on.

I still wasn't sure if I could trust this guy, he seemed like he was sincere in his intentions to take me back to my father's kingdom and he had saved my life, however I still knew nothing about him. I knew I was in a vulnerable situation being in a place that I was unfamiliar with and unarmed could be deadly for me. The best thing I could probably do right now is to let this guy help me along the way.

"Alright, I'm ready." I said.

He turned around and a smirk formed on his face, "Huh, you could almost pass for a man: You've got really small breasts."

I automatically crossed my arms over my chest, "You don't think I didn't know that? You don't have heaving breasts either, so you shouldn't be one to talk."

He chuckled, "I'm a man my sweet, we don't have breasts."

"Well I'm trying to pass as a man so I shouldn't either," I had a smile on my face. "Now, what's your name?"

I scooped up the satchel and threw it at him, he caught it in the air and replied, "How about we walk and talk shall we?"

This was the first time that I really paid attention to my surroundings. We were in a small grove surrounded by thick and tall old trees. There wasn't a path to be found out of the grove and the sun was at high noon. The hooded man turned and started walking what would appear to be the eastbound and I followed up and walked beside him.

"Are you going to tell me who you are or what?"

He snorted, "You're an impatient one aren't you? In due time sweets, in due time."