Princess in Trouble (complete)

3 - Above the Frost Line

Having wended a path to the southern edge of the tree-line, away from where the horseman had ridden, Vondra watched and waited.

The moon revealed its crown, rising as though floating at the eastern end of the huge hill ahead, its brilliance glistening off the snow.

She could discern the distant figure of Gigi, trudging back from having placed the bundle well above the frost line, on the snow itself.

The small dark figure holding a lamp in front of her descended in the snow, stepping down, down, down. Vondra waited and watched.

Gigi diverted toward the other end of the copse and disappeared.

The snort of a horse caused Vondra to draw back behind a thick trunk of a tall tree. The man must be close to her, too close. Alertness, not fear, rose within her and she prepared herself mentally for a confrontation. 

Dry twigs beneath her boots crackled as she stepped further around the tree, shuffling now in thick undergrowth. Peering into the trees, she knew she must take care. Stumps and remainders of them from trees cut down could cause her to stumble. The moon's glow created deep shadows here.

Hoping the man would ride away from the trees as soon as he saw Gigi returning from the hillside without the baby, Vondra felt sure he would be content with Gigi for having done as told. He should already be on his way. What could he be waiting for? She wondered what his real purpose was, to be here now...

"And what might you be doing here— following me?"

Vondra spun around.

The tall, dark form of a man, his arms akimbo, stood close. Taking a step backward caused him to take a step toward her.

He drew a short sword, pointing it at her face.

Without flinching, she tossed her bag aside, followed by her hooded cloak.

"I asked what you be doing here? Answer me now or you die!"

Taking up a defensive stance, Vondra waited.

Swinging the sword from hand to hand, the man stepped closer and closer... He stopped, asking, "So— is you here to cause us trouble, are you?"

Taking short steps, one by one, with deliberation, he twisted and turned between the trees and ragged stumps.

Vondra, matching his steps, trod backwards, her back to the hill. He likely believed it to be a game of cat and mouse, but she was no mouse. 

Nothing lay behind her now but the hill. 

"You won't answer? So then, this is how you want it!"

Lurching towards her, he stopped a few feet in front of her, pointing the sword at her heart.

Ducking and bowing her head, Vondra launched her body beneath his now up-stretched arm, forcing his forearm upwards with both hands beneath it. The force she used to push his it upwards before grasping it to twist it while spinning her body, dislocated both the man's shoulder and his elbow. The sword flew over his shoulder, piercing into the trunk of a tree.

Howling in pain while stumbling backwards, he thudded to the ground, his neck and head cracking on the ragged remains of a tree stump. He lay still and all was quiet.

Retrieving the sword, Vondra spun around to point the weapon at him, waiting.

He did not move.

The intention had been to disarm him, immobilize him, not to kill him but as Vondra knelt beside him and could not find a pulse at his neck, but a bone sticking out from it, she realized he was dead. His neck had broken from the impact of the ragged stump. There was nothing she could do to help him.