THE OUTLAW 𖤓 A. Pendragon {1}

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕹𝖎𝖓𝖊

I bit down hard on my bottom lip as I fought back a retort. Yes, a day or two locked in your room with good food and a warm bed. Such a severe punishment. We would no doubt sit here, arguing in circles, if said what I wanted. Merlin didn't have that kind of time.

Beside, to an extent, the prince had a point. There would be trouble, no matter what was awaiting back in Camelot. But if I returned without Arthur...

"Agree to disagree, my lord." I said stubbornly. I pushed Jaime past Arthur's steed before anything else could be said.

As we entered the outskirts of the dark forest, we dismounted and continued on foot. Traveling on foot would allow the horses to rest and give us the advantage of tracking our destination.

Cenred's balls, what I would give to be familiar with these woods. I was too used to the chaos of city life, where you could hide in the crowded shadows and cover your tracks with a million others. But here... these weren't ordinary woods. Despite the towering trees that pressed in on us, I felt too out in the open.

It didn't help that Arthur's horse was about as loud as he was. While his royal highness's chainmail shook with every step, his steed seemed determined to break every twig it came across.

     Caw caw!

     My bow was notched and drawn as a crow swooped down in front of me. With an irritated sigh, I gently let the tension out of the string as I watched the bird hop across our path.

      "Bit skittish, are we?"

     I shot a, hopefully chilling, sneer to the prince from over my shoulder. "If you weren't so loud, sire, I wouldn't be so worried about being set up upon."

     The prince scuffed as he passed me. "I haven't said anything."

     "You don't need to."

     "You want to know what I think?" Arthur halted and turned to face me with a forced smile.

     "Not particularly." I matched.

    "You sound like someone who isn't as brave as they say they are."

     I bit down hard on my tongue as Arthur turned his back to me once more. Who the hell did he think he was? The bloody prince of the forest- telling me right from wrong on my own terrain?

     Irritation clawed at my chest as he sauntered onward. Screw him. Screw his title. Screw his jingling armor, and screw his annoyingly loud footsteps.

Without a second thought, I pulled back my bowstring and released. My arrow flew right between Arthur's legs and embedded itself into the wet ground a foot or two in front of him.

"Are you bloody stupid?!" He yelled, startling his horse and several other birds as he whirled around to face me. "You could have shot me!"

"If I had wanted to shoot you, I would have, dear prince!" I yelled back, pulling a reluctant Jaime behind me. "What now? Going to throw me in the stocks? I know woods better than you ever will, princeling. You ride around on your hunts," I scrunched my face mockingly, "while your servants stir up a beast for you to casually shoot. I'm the one who knows what to do in the woods. I've tracked beasts bigger than you've ever imagined. Fought off men three times your size. And even survived on nothing but turtle and winter root for three months! So, how about you follow my advice- and be a damn bit quieter!"