The Black Unicorn

Orders

The little one now known as Varem kept one hand on my back and the other on the reigns of the horse as it charged away from the courtyard, Across the drawbridge, and stormed down the cobblestoned streets of the royal city.

Everyone was wisely holding up in their homes. They saw all the servants fleeing from the castle in their panicked state. There was not a single soul on the roads other than the Hunter and I. The horse's hooves clomped like thunder over the cobblestone roads.

The horse snorted and huffed as it charged out of the city limits, never slowing down for a second as we entered the fields of the kingdom. Using the reigns, he veered the horse onto a different path, and over in the direction to the forest mountains in the distance.

The position I was in was limiting, and awkward. I could barely move around at all. Especially with the hand on my back and the binds on my arms and legs.

" Let me go now! Unhand me you brute!" I cried out, trying to struggle in any way I could. The hand on my back kept me pinned down though and the bones in his legs were solid against my stomach and ribcage.

" I'm sorry my lady! I cannot do that! We will be to safety soon enough! then we can get whatever vile spell the shadow thrower has cast upon you out of your mind! You will be a free lady once more!" Varem's smooth voice was almost completely carried away by the wind.

Tears were blown from my face from the wind slapping over us from how fast the horse was carrying us. I tried to move my arms and bring them close so I could chew the binds. But I was too pressed against his legs, I could barely move my arms at all let alone bring them all the way to my face.

I was trapped. I was being kidnapped again. These men seemed absolutely certain that they were somehow helping me though. There was no doubt in their minds that I was trapped in my own mind by a spell or curse from the Master.

Perhaps these weren't the same people who kidnapped me from before. They had no intention of " Helping" me. They were quite forward about wanting to hurt me.

Maybe it was only a guise to try and make me struggle less. Time would only tell. The fight fell from my limbs as the realization hit me. We were already miles away from the Castle. From my beloved Master Ambrose and friend Dracal.

Even if I did somehow manage to get out of my bindings and jump off the horse. I would probably break a few bones in the fall and be even more in a tight situation. And even if I did not hurt myself, he would catch up to me easily. He was an armed hunter on a horse. A

unarmed girl in a purple dress had no chance of getting away, hiding, and making it all the way back to the castle without him or one of his brothers finding me first.

My head and limbs fell limp, my eyes turning to look at the castle as it slowly got smaller and smaller in the distance. Did Master Ambrose know I was gone by now? Did he defeat the other two brothers or were they still holding him off? Was he and Dracal alright?

I had so many questions and absolutely no answers. The ground lifted up as we made it to the base of the Mountain, and the image of the Castle disappeared behind the pine and spruce trees as Varem led the horse to one of the rocky dirt paths.

- -

Night had fallen. The crescent moon was in the center of the sky. Blanketing us in almost complete darkness. We had been in the mountain forest, following the path for hours now.

Every few hours Varem would stop the horse and let it drink from a river and catch its breath. Ever since we stopped the first time he did not kick it into a full run again. Instead, we moved at a slow and steady pace in the inky black area.