The Point Of Exile

° oh, brother

With bated breath, all five individuals lie hunkered deep within the overgrown brush beside the footpath. The thrill of the hunt courses in four of the men's veins; blistering with anticipation. Terror, however, beats inside of the fifths. Milan crouches uneasily beside Tae, whose eyes dart back and forth down the length of the path. He's been tasked with keeping an eye out for the carriage coming around the bend, and an ear open for the sound of hooves.

The sound of silence rings out like a blanket over the forest instead.

"When are they-" Milan's question is cut short by an abrupt hiss. She casts an irritated glare to Tae, but still bites her lip to keep silent.

Like the first rumble of thunder before a storm, the steady beat of hooves disrupt the rhythm of the forest. Her ears barely recognize the sound, which is nearly as quiet as a downpour in the distance. The patter begins to crescendo as the rattle of the carriage and the snorts of royal stallions distinguish themselves from the rest of the clatter. Beside her, Taehyung motions for Nolan and Flynn to uproot the thick cedar log and lay it across the road.

With terrifying stealth, the two men muscle the tree into position and disappear into the brush once more, just as the first horse crests the hill. The scout has yet to notice the obstruction around the corner, but she and Tae have a clear view of both. Once again, he signals for the group to be at the ready. The softest rustling sound accompanies Callaghan and Nolan as they ready themselves, while Milan clutches the recently gifted bow in her steel grip. The weight of the quiver on her back is a steady consolation, but she still notches an arrow into her bow for added comfort.

"You remember what to do, right?" Tae murmurs in her ear, not daring to move while in forthright sight of the second soldier to crest the hill.

"Don't get killed. Sneak in silently, and unfasten a horse. Easy," she replies breathlessly, trying to sound more confident than would be entirely true.

"Remember, just focus on the horses attached to the carriage. By the time you get down there, all of the soldier's horses will have fled," he states, gazing into her eyes with something like worry. As an afterthought, he adds, "I'm adding one more task for you, is that alright?"

Milan knows the only response she can give is a yes, and so she nods.

"Right. I'd like for you to stay here and cover me, at least until you have the best opportunity to move in. You're the best archer out of us all, so I trust you."

His final statement hangs in the air, and Milan can feel her fingers itching to reach out and physically grab it. The desire to seize the first compliment she has heard in years is almost unbearable, but she hesitates.

Trust?

Did this stranger admit to trusting her? The girl who has yet to reveal a shred of true information about herself?

Foolish, she thinks to herself. His idiocracy negates the truth in his complement, and so she lets it fall through the cracks in her heart, meant to be forgotten.

"Got it," she mumbles instead, the words dying on her tongue.

The nobleman's carriage has since peaked over the hill, a familiar crest emblazoned on the front and proudly stamped onto the steeds who lead it. The two fall hush and watch intently, waiting for the moment all six figures have halted at the makeshift trap.

Maximilian can't help but feeling like a criminal, waiting in the shadows and sacrificing the lives of others so that she can betray her kingdom. Hell, she's even attacking a carriage with her own family crest on it. Shame begins to creep into the forefront of her mind, and she anxiously clenches her fists around the weapon in her hands.